THIRD PERSON POV
Ace pulled up to Sharon's house, the silence between them thick with tension. He had dragged her away from Ryan, and she was still fuming. Without a word, he turned off the engine and waited for her to get out. Sharon's eyes flashed with anger, but she seemed to realize she had no choice. She opened the door and stepped out into the night, slamming it shut behind her.
Ace watched her walk up to her front door, her shoulders stiff with indignation. He waited until she was safely inside before putting the car in gear and driving away.
But he didn't go home to Diana. Instead, he drove to his private apartment, the one place where he could be alone with his thoughts. He pulled into the underground parking lot and killed the engine, the silence a welcome respite from the constant ringing of his phone. Diana had been calling him nonstop, but he had no intention of answering.
Ace stepped out of the car and into the house, releasing his tie as it threatened to choke him. He strode into his apartment, shedding his jacket and shoes as he made his way to the couch. He collapsed onto the soft cushions, letting out a deep breath as he lay back and closed his eyes.
His mind immediately turned to Sharon, her face etched in his memory like a brand. He couldn't help but smile as he thought about the irritation on her face when she saw him. It was a look he wanted to see again.
And then his thoughts trailed back to the night of her termination, the night he requested for her location...
Two months ago...
He was driving through the deserted streets, the GPS leading him to Sharon's house. He had asked her to share her location, and she had complied without hesitation. As he turned a corner, his phone rang. He connected it to the car's speaker system, expecting it to be Sharon, without looking at the call ID, but instead, he heard his mother's voice, frazzled and scared.
"Ace, help me..."
The sound of her voice was abruptly cut off, replaced by the sound of scuffling and hitting. A low, menacing voice growled, "Stop calling him. Stop making calls."
Ace's grip on the steering wheel tightened as he listened to the sounds of struggle and his mother's terrified gasps. His jaw clenched, and his eyes narrowed.
"Mom?" he called out, his voice tight with concern.
The line went dead.
Ace's face was a mask of controlled fury as he floored the gas, his mind racing with possibilities. He had to take care of this... Immediately.
Ace's car screeched to a halt in front of his mother's house. He leapt out, his heart racing with a growing sense of dread. The front door was open, and he could see his mother lying on the ground, a pool of blood spreading from her head.
"Ace," she whispered, her voice barely audible.
He rushed to her side, his hands shaking as he gently turned her over. Her face was pale, and her eyes were closed.
"Mom, no, no, no," he whispered, his voice trembling with fear.
He scooped her up in his arms and rushed her to the car, speeding to the hospital. The entire drive was a blur as he prayed and begged her to wake up.
When they arrived at the hospital, the doctors and nurses rushed to take her from him, whisking her away to emergency surgery. Ace was left pacing the waiting room, his mind consumed by worst case scenarios.
Finally, the doctor emerged, looking grave. "She's going to be okay," he said, offering a reassuring smile. "But she's lost a lot of blood. We're doing everything we can."
Ace nodded, his eyes welling up with tears. He took a deep breath and pulled out his phone, scrolling through his contacts until he found the number he was looking for. Mrs. Langley's voice answered on the first ring, her tone sugary sweet.
"You'll pay for this," Ace growled, his voice low and menacing. "You're going to regret the day you ever crossed me."
Ace's anger turned to alarm as he heard the phone being snatched from Mrs. Langley's hand. He knew that voice, and it sent a chill down his spine.
"Father," he said, his voice neutral.
"You've made a grave mistake, Ace," his father growled. "You're the one who is going to pay for what you've done. Get yourself to my house now."
Ace remained silent, his mind racing with possibilities. What did his father want? And what did he have planned for him?
"If you don't want something worse happening to your mother," his father's voice dripped with malice, "you'll be here within the hour. Do I make myself clear?"
The line went dead, and Ace's chest heaved with rage as he struggled to contain his emotions. He knew he would make her pay for what she had done.
Ace quickly made arrangements for a private nurse to care for his mother, ensuring she received the best possible treatment. He tried to reassure himself that she was in good hands, but his mind was preoccupied with the conversation he had just had with his father.
With a sense of foreboding, he left the hospital and drove to his father's estate. The gates swung open as he approached, and he pulled up to the mansion, his heart racing with anticipation.
As he stepped out of the car, he could feel the weight of his father's anger bearing down on him. He strode towards the entrance, pushing open the door and stepping inside.
The foyer was dimly lit, the air thick with tension. Ace's eyes adjusted to the darkness, and he saw his father standing before him, his face twisted in rage.
Before Ace could react, his father's hand shot out, and he slapped Ace across the face, the sound echoing through the room. Ace's head reeled from the impact, but he stood his ground, his eyes locked on his father's.
"You think you can defy me?" his father spat, his voice venomous. "You think you can go against my wishes and get away with it?"
Ace's face stung, but he refused to back down. "I did what needed to be done," he said, his voice steady.
As his father's hand swung towards him again, Ace steeled himself for the impact. But before it could land, his stepmom's grip intervened, her bony fingers wrapping around his father's wrist, holding it in a tight restraint.
"Not now, honey," she cautioned, her voice low and measured. "This isn't the time or place."
The air was heavy with tension as the two men locked eyes, the silence between them thick with unspoken words and unresolved anger. Ace's father seethed with rage, his face reddening with each passing moment.
Ace's gaze never wavered, his eyes flashing with defiance as he stood tall, his shoulders squared. Mrs. Langley's grip on his father's wrist seemed to be the only thing holding him back from unleashing his full fury on Ace.
The standoff was palpable, the tension building to a boiling point. It seemed as though the slightest spark could set off a chain reaction, unleashing a torrent of emotions and consequences that would be impossible to contain and in that moment his mind still felt Joy when he thought of the cause of all the whole situation...
Sharon...