Filed To Story: The Trap Of Ace Book PDF Free
Prologue
I stared at the girl before me.
Her nervous eyes behind those black-rimmed glasses were also set on me.
Tentatively, I tucked a strayed strand behind my ear and bit my lip.
She mimicked.
I blinked.
So did she.
“You done with your staredown match with yourself, Em?”
A huff came from behind me.
“For God’s sake!
You’re doing this for the last five minutes.
You’re creeping me out now!”
I glanced at my best friend through the mirror.
With folded arms on her chest, sitting at the edge of my bed, she scowled at me.
My gaze went back to my reflection.
“I don’t know, Beth.
Do you think he—he’ll like my look?”
“After we spent two hours to doll you up?
Yes, we think he’ll like your look.
And won’t reject you when you announce your undying love for him,” Cassie said, my other best friend, standing beside Beth.
Reject.
The same word has been haunting my dreams for years now.
I’ve been waiting for this day for six years.
The day he said those words to me.
I’ve been waiting since.
And if he rejects me today… I don’t know what I would do.
“Will you be my prince, Ace?
I want to be your princess.”
I asked my brother’s best friend after he gave me a Cinderella dress on my ninth birthday.
He laughed at my silly question, almost breaking my heart.
But seeing my crestfallen face, he crouched down before me, looking at me with his stormy gray eyes.
“You’re my princess.”
“Really?”
I lit up like a Christmas tree.
“That means you will marry me?”
He bit his lip, his eyes lit up with amusement.
“I’m sorry, Rosebud.
But I can’t.”
“Why not?”
I pouted.
“Because it’s not the right time.
You’re still so young.”
“Then when will be the right time?”
I gazed up at him with so much hope.
“When you turn into a blooming rose from a rosebud.”
I waited for the day to bloom into a rose.
I didn’t know what it meant at the time.
But to remember and understand, I had written those words in my diary.
And Cassie said at this age we were big enough to have a lover.
Well, she already had one at the age of fourteen, and was on her fourth at fifteen now.
I knew whatever Ace had said that day was because he didn’t want to break a nine-year-old’s na?ve heart.
But I didn’t care.
I was ready to confess my feelings to him today.
For real this time.
“Em, you’re looking stunning.
Though I preferred your long wavy hair.
But it’s all right, this suits you too,” Beth commented.
I had cut my waist length hair to my shoulder and tamed my wild waves into straight.
Just like Tess, my sister.
She and my brother, Tobias, were twins.
So obviously, Ace was her best friend, too.
I had once heard him say he liked Tess’s hair.
So, I turned my hair just like hers.
Though hers is blonde where mine is chestnut.
“Short hair is in fashion now.
And Ace likes them short,” I replied, checking my manicured nails.
Just like Tess’s.
Just like Ace preferred.
All his girlfriends were just like my sister.
Beautiful and classy.
Yes, I was jealous of them.
But then they all were temporary.
Once we’d be together, then there wouldn’t be anyone else in his life other than me.
I blushed at the thought.
So, I decided to be like them, taking inspiration from my sister.
Maybe he would notice me then?
And today’s whole makeover was the proof.
Dressed like Tess, styled like Tess.
I even sneaked her favorite perfume from her room.
“Isn’t this dress too short, Cassie?”
Though I wanted to wear something like Tess, I was uncomfortable in them.
She looked good in those tight little dresses.
She had a good amount on both front and behind.
While I was flat in both sections.
Well, a fifteen-year-old couldn’t have any more.
“Is not!
You’re wearing that and that’s final!
Don’t you want to make Ace notice you?”
She raised her brow.
“Fine!”
I said, taking a deep breath.
Come on, Em.
You can do this.
“Let’s go now.
Otherwise, we will miss your brother and sister’s grand entry,” she chirped, sauntering outside.
Today was my older siblings’ nineteenth birthday.
And every occasion at Hutton family was known to be grand.
No one wanted to miss this special event.
Almost half of the renowned families of the town were invited today.
When we all reached the hall, I kept fidgeting in my place.
My hands were clammy, and my chest thudded.
I was nervous for tonight’s meeting with Ace.
And my too short dress made me even more uncomfortable.
I spotted my parents in the crowd.
They stood close to each other, as always.
They were always joined at the hip.
Even after twenty years of marriage, they were so madly in love with each other.
And that made me hope.
If Ace and I would be like that someday…
“Em!”
Mom’s voice broke my daydream.
Smiling, I padded towards them.
“Oh, my!
Look at you.
My little baby is looking so beautiful today!”
she gushed.
Her smile was blinding.
“You think?”
I blushed.
“Of course, baby.
You should do it more.”
Dad stayed quiet.
He didn’t seem to be pleased with me dressing up like that.
Opposite of my nature.
“You didn’t like the gown I brought for you, princess?”
he asked.
I did.
Very much.
But Ace wouldn’t like that.
“Of course I did.
But… I couldn’t find matching jewelry with it,” I lied.
He nodded.
Mom had a knowing look on.
She knew, everyone knew, of my crush on Achilles Valencian.
But they didn’t know it was more than just a mere crush.
He became my dream prince from the day he stepped into our house with Tobias when I was just seven.
I still remembered that day clearly in my vague memories.
But the day he saved me from some bullies in my school, he became my hero.
And with time, he became my heart.
I stopped the urge to cover my flushed cheeks.
Where was he?
I looked around.
People were gathered in small crowds.
Some sipped on their drinks while some were engrossed in heavy conversations.
He should’ve been here by now.
Last month when he played chess with me, he promised me he would be here tonight.
And he never broke his promises to me.
He used to come here everyday.
But after the tragedy his family faced a year ago, his visit to our home lessened.
He changed.
Carefree, playful Ace turned into a lost and always angry Ace.
He was always gentle with me, though.
He would come and see us once a month.
And of course, play chess with me.
The crowd cheered as Tess and Tobias descended the stairs in a dramatic way with the spotlight on them.