An Ace Of Hearts (Book #1) (Completed)

Chapter 15: An Outburst

AHVI TAKEDA

I waited for Ren to come back home impatiently. I didn't remember ever wanting to see my brother so badly in quite a few years. I scanned the living room, my eyes coming to rest on the woman sprawled on the couch across from the armchair I was sitting on. She had a magazine in her hand which she had pulled out of her suitcase and she was flipping through the pages as if she did not have a care in the world. She probably didn't.

"Why are you here?" I asked when the silence had hung between us for too long. I didn't want to engage in a conversation with Hailey but she was sitting right across from me and I needed to know what she wanted.

"For the millionth time, Ahvi. I have business in London that is none of your concern," she replied and I frowned, stung by her words.

"It is my business if you're going to be here at my place for God knows how long." I snapped once I had composed myself enough. Hailey sighed, closing her magazine and putting it on the couch beside her. She made it seem like I was being crazy and paranoid...I mean I was but she wasn't helping my suspicions at all by pulling stalker level shit on me. "And how did you even find out where I lived?" I asked as she opened her mouth to speak.

"First of all, I really did need a place to stay." She settled me with a stern look which made me somehow feel inferior to her, smaller. "Second of all, your brother is a partner at the biggest marketing agency in London. Getting your address wasn't hard at all. I wasn't going to take that route but you wouldn't respond to my messages or return my calls. I had no choice."

"There are eleven hundred twenty-four hotels in London. And you're telling me you didn't find a room at any of them to stay in for a few days? And your last resort was my apartment?" I cocked an eyebrow at her. I was skeptical and had a right to be so.

"Listen, Ahvi. I don't know what you think I'm going to do or why you're so scared of me-" She began.

"Scared? I'm not scared. I'm suspicious." I narrowed my eyes on her. I didn't know what she was on but she was tripping for sure if she thought I was scared of her.

"What happened in the past stays in the past, alright? I'm not here to dig old graves. I just want to get done with this stuff I need to do and then I'll be on my way," she said, sincerity shining in her eyes. But for some reason, I didn't believe her. Something in my gut tugged and clenched uncomfortably, making me shift in my seat.

I opened my mouth to tell her that I didn't buy her bullshit for even a second when the door to the apartment opened and my brother stepped inside.

"Hey kiddo. I'm ho..." He trailed off when his gaze landed on Hailey who had promptly stood up at the sound of the door opening. "...me?" Ren finished.

No one spoke for a solid ten seconds so I decided that I should probably break the silence before Hailey did. "Ren, this is Hailey, my-" What was she? Who was she?

"I'm Ahvi's best friend from high school." Hailey finished for me and like everything that had left her mouth until now, her words grated on my nerves.

"Hello, Hailey." Ren nodded politely at her, offering a small smile. His gaze returned to me and his smile disappeared. "You should have told me we have company over. I would have arranged for dinner. You are staying for dinner right, Hailey?" He asked my friend.

"About that. I was wondering if I could stay here for a few days. I'm so sorry to drop by unannounced but I had urgent business in London and I did try to contact Ahvi but she wouldn't pick up my calls." She shot me a look which I chose to ignore. "So I had to show up here myself. Do you think I can stay here for a few days? It would really help me out." She turned back to my brother.