Ace's POV
Sweat trickled down my neck to my spine, the thriving heat in my body accelerated my speed, and the hum of zeal flowing through my veins encouraged me to force myself more. Even the cuts on my knuckles didn't stop me from going for another hit into the hard punching bag.
The more pain I got, the more I could keep myself in check. The more my head would concentrate on my physical agony, and not my heart's desires and… fears.
His brown eyes never left me from the corner of the gym as I worked on my pain and salvation.
Until I didn't get my actual redemption. Her.
"Achilles, stop it. Your knuckles are bleeding! What's wrong with you tonight?" Caleb's voice reached my ears. But the anxiousness of his tone couldn't halt my movements.
Intense working out every night to help me sleep and keep myself sane was a routine of my life, bu
Placing my hand over my chest, I took deep breaths. He wasn't even here yet, and I felt like my heart would jump out of my ribcage at any moment. The vicious war of butterflies in my tummy didn't help either.Calm down, Em. It's just a date. A friendly date. It's not that it's the first time you're going out with a guy.Yes, but this time it's the guy I lo…My breath hitched at my throat. Shock and surprise crashed on me. Was I just about to admit my… feelings for him?I shook my head. No, no! Yes, he did affect me a lot, but I didn't do the 'L' word.Not wanting to chew over my treacherous mind, I padded into my closet and reached for the maroon dress Cassie sent for me. A very short, and backless one she wanted me to wear on this date.Give him some tease. Were her exact words.Though the dress was beautiful,
H-he remembered that?Though our visits here were vague in my mind, I still remembered the day when Tobias brought him along to our family to introduce his new best friend.How could I forget the day I got encountered with those stormy grey eyes for the first time?The reserved yet shy boy was uncomfortable among so many unknown people until his gaze locked with mine. The soft smile that had tugged across his lips in the return of my own toothy one, had engraved into my heart since then.He gently brushed his thumb on my cheek. "Those adorable freckles are almost non visible now.""I still have them. It's just the make-up." Words came out of my mouth of its own, lost into his grey pools.A tiny frown set between his brows. "The make-up that hides your beauty, you should avoid them.""Again back to dictating me, are we Mr. Valencian? I'm not
Warner? Why was he calling me?The phone buzzed again. But this time, it was a message from him."Who's it?"My thumb halted in the mid way from opening the message. Slowly turning around, I put my phone back into my purse. "It's Mom, she asked if we've reached the party safely."I couldn't mention Warner's name now. No matter how sweet he was right now, jealousy didn't sit well with him. He proved it many times before. And I didn't want to ruin this night when it just started.I'd just talk to Warner later.Nodding, he put the trays of food on the table and gestured to me to sit. Of course, pulling my chair for me.Shaking my head, I smiled. "Thank you."When he settled at the opposite chair of me, my eyes fell on his broad shoulders. Gone his jacket, now he was only in his black shirt. And it clung to his sculpted chest and a
Taking a sip on the tea, I ran my eyes on the newspaper. The noise of Mom's chopping vegetables and moving utensils in the kitchen rang across. But nothing moved my attention from the paper, not even her curious glances."You know, the Blackwood's daughter ran off with her cousin's fiance?" Her sigh resonated from the opposite side of the counter. "I got to know from the kitty party last night. Children these days, I don't know what runs in their head."I flipped another page. The business column."Your aunt called me this morning to inform me how she's enjoying her vacation in Switzerland with her third husband and soon will be sending me some pictures of their little honeymoon." She snorted. "As if I wanted to know anyway. I'm glad that your Dad didn't go after his elder sister. Thank God she's not in the country right now. At least I got some relief from her frequent visits."I stayed quiet. Not warning her about
"Warner?" I stared at him in shock and surprise.He'd called and messaged last night, but through all this going on I couldn't check his message. And now seeing him standing before me again, rose the guilt inside me again."Hey!" Tucking a strand behind my ear, I greeted him with an awkward stance.His brown orbs roamed over my features, a frown set between his brows. "You alright? You seem… not well."Even after what I did, he was still concerned for me. That's why I didn't want to lose a friend like him. Before we started dating, he was my best friend in NY.All of a sudden, I'd a sudden urge to hug him tight and share all my problems with him. But I knew I couldn't.Gulping, I nodded my head. "I'm fine, don't worry. Come in!" I held the door wide open for him, flashing a small smile.Once we were settled in the hall, I got him some coffe
"What's wrong with him? I don't know how can that insane man impress you that much?" Warner asked, baffled.Sending him a look, I walked back to my bed and plopped down on it."What's going on here, Em? Will you tell me now?" he queried again. "Did you two already break up?""We were never together for the break up you're talking about.""Then?" Raising his brow, he probed me to explain further.Sighing, I told him everything. And he listened, taking a seat beside me.But I kept some of the parts from him. Ace's past, especially his being a drug addict back then. It felt wrong to disclose his extremely personal and sore past to Warner. So I kept that part left out. Instead I told him after Ace's father's death, he went into depression and decided to push me away from him taking my sister's help.It was all I could come up with.
Huffing, I slammed the files on the desk. I've been brainstorming since the breaking news, but I couldn't come up with anything.So Achilles Valencian literally destroyed Antonio Reymond's image before the whole world. From the gossip I heard from others around the office, after this blow, Antonio's company's shares dropped in the market drastically within some hours. Apparently, he was doomed.I even heard police had some proof against him doing illegal businesses far in small towns.I was sure Ace had a hand behind it. Otherwise how did police get all the proofs, strong enough to destroy a powerful businessman just in a day?Only Achilles Valencian could do it.After what that man did to Caleb, I should've seen it coming. But this was a big blow. How did he manage it?My legs itched to go to his cabin and ask him directly. I wanted to know what
Fuming, I strode to the door and tried to open it. But his pair of strong arms snaked around my midriff and hauled me to the middle of the cabin.A shriek left my mouth. "What the hell, Valencian! Leave me right now!""I will. Once you hear everything I've to say."His calm tone made me boil. I didn't let him explain things, so he would literally keep me captive in his cabin, in his arms?I can't believe this man!"No! I won't hear anything! You'll do what I want, and then let me go!" I said, putting on the scariest face I could manage on my face with a stern voice.But he ignored me. Because he was too busy roaming his grey eyes across my every single feature. As if he hadn't seen me for years. Not tolerating being disregarded like that, I stepped on his feet. With my five inches heel.A hiss left his mouth, his filled with adoration orbs now watched me in sh