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Ace
I didn't miss the sun.
I didn't miss walking around and feeling the breeze around me. I didn't miss being out and seeing all eyes on me.
"I knew you'd walk out being free Mr. Winston," Alex sniffed and gave me a neck bow. I waved him off with my hand and rolled my neck feeling the pressure settling on me.
"Take me to the hospital," I announced getting into the backseat of the car. He looked at me shocked behind the tinted windows before getting into the driver's seat and turning to look at me.
Even with my eyes shut I could feel his stare on me.
"You want to see him now? Don't you want to give it time?" He asked, worry laced in his voice and I grumbled as his voice disrupted my imagination of the moment I'd meet Quinn.
"I had a lot of time to think about what to say when I see him, Alex. I know you're worried about me but you don't have to be. Just be my driver for today huh?" I chuckled at the last sentence and opened my eyes to see him pursing his lips before adjusting his glasses.
The car began to move and I sighed sinking into the seats, hoping to get at least twenty minutes of sleep before starting the journey I had made up my mind for. While I was away I did a lot of thinking, I mean I didn't have anything else to do.
The basic answer was to elope.
After meeting everyone I needed to, and making the necessary apologies and conversations. I'm leaving for a more peaceful place with Quinn where we can heal.
I once asked Quinn what she wanted to do once she got the chance and her answer was to elope and just disappear from the face of Earth without anyone knowing. I'm going to make that a reality. She doesn't deserve to go through any of this.
We got to the hospital my grandfather was in, we went in through the underground parking for VIPs, and took the elevator to his room. As expected I saw everyone I knew would be present.
"Ace," Myra said instinctively as she set her eyes on me and immediately ran to engulf me in a hug. A little smile appeared on my face and I wrapped my hands around her as she started to cry. She was sitting on one of the chairs in front of the room alone before I arrived.
"Hey Princess," I kissed her forehead and wiped her tears.
"I'm so happy to see you! Are you okay?" she sniffed and cupped my face in her hands. I chuckled.
"Nah I'm offended you thought I won't survive that. I'm Ace motherfucking Winston." She laughed through her cries and punched my arm.
"Are they all in?" I asked pointing at the door and she nodded looking in the same direction.
I hummed in acceptance and was about to walk in when Liam walked out and shut the door behind him oblivious to my presence and continued munching on the pack of fries in his hand.
He finally looked up and his jump almost reached the ceiling when our eyes met, making a few pieces of the fries fall out and I smiled at him.
"Ace?!" His croaked voice yelled before he cleared his throat. "You came this soon? I heard Grandpa had them release you but I thought you'll run to your mother or father first," He laughed like he wasn't just about to piss his pants at my presence.
I sucked in a breath and immediately pointed up above us and his eyes instinctively followed to look at the ceiling creating time for me to steal about four pieces of fries from him and throw them into my mouth in a swift move.
His neck probably got whiplash from how fast he moved his neck down and looked at me suspiciously and I raised my shoulder with an innocent look before walking past him and swallowing the last piece of fry. I could hear Alex and Myra chuckling as Liam looked around trying to figure out what just happened.
I couldn't be bothered to exchange words with him. It would be an utmost waste of time and energy.
Opening the door was like stepping into the filthiest dirt ever and yet still not turning back, all four pairs of eyes fell on me. My grandfather, Laura Jefferson, Mr. Jefferson, and Carl. Feeling their eyes on me I could tell that they could kill me right there if they wanted to and the realization made a dangerous smile cover my lips.
"Ace darling," Laura cried before engulfing me in a hug. Laura did nothing to me in particular but I was sick and tired of people acting like I just came from a vacation and being surprised or happy to see me and hugging me. I just wanted one person, with time I'll get to her.
I slowly removed myself from Laura's grip before walking past Mr. Jefferson and Carl. My grandfather was sitting on his bed and didn't take his gaze off me.
"How was your vacation?" He asked and I folded my hands into a fist and felt the pressure to just punch his face into his skull.
"Shorter than I expected. Probably because I hoped you'd die."
"Too early for the jokes grandson."
"Too early for you to be showing me your teeth, Grandpa. That's dangerous right now."
"You were the best bait. You found my son for me!" He laughed and it slowly turned into a cough but his smile never left his face.
"You have a lot of enemies, including me like always. I came to say my goodbye because you'll be dead soon enough. What a grandson would I be if I didn't see you one last time," I gave him a neck bow and raised my head to see him glaring at me intensely.
"Ace... you didn't poison the tea. I know that. Why are you saying all this?" Laura said confused and disappointed.
"Wish I did though Laura. Should have done it a long time ago. Maybe I could have saved a few more people."
"Is this about that Quinn girl? I didn't even know it was her family can you believe it? They sneaked up on us to ruin us and now the prodigy I've been building now wants to turn against me?" My grandfather laughed a maniac laugh and shook his head.
"DON'T YOU EVER SAY HER NAME!" My voice rumbled from my chest and my eyes glowed with intense anger and pain. "Don't you ever let her name out of your mouth or I'll kill you myself. Don't even think about it!"
They all looked at me in shock, surprised at how I was just smiling a Minute ago and let hell lose at the mention of her name.
"I'm Ace Winston! Don't take my words for granted old man! You left this game a long time ago. I'm the one in charge now, don't you see? The minute I walk into that company, it bows at my feet again. THE DAY YOU MENTION HER NAME OR SHOW YOUR FACE IN FRONT OF QUINN IS YOUR LAST DAY ON EARTH!"
They were all still lost for words and my chest heaved once I finished. I didn't wait for anyone to talk before storming out and brushing past Alex who immediately scurried after me seeing how agitated I was.
No words could describe the feeling burning through my veins. I wasn't scared or unable to control my anger. I wanted to kill. I wanted to kill that man there for everything and that was why I had to leave and warn him. Because I didn't know if I could have controlled myself if I stayed another minute. I would have killed him with my bare hands for even thinking of Quinn.
Alex got the message and sat in silence in the driver's seat while I tried to steady my breathing and trembling hands. I couldn't believe they brought out this side of me.
After a few minutes of shutting my eyes and clenching and unclenching my fist while muttering words to myself, I let out a final breath and found my smile.
"Let's go, Alex," I said in my normal voice and he turned back to see the smile on my face because relaxing his shoulders.
"Mr. Winston... can I say something?" He asked and I nodded. "I think this whole issue has affected you... mentally. This isn't you. Maybe a doctor would help or something? And these episodes... they don't look like something you can control. I heard it happened at the station too sir. I'm just worried about how you'll cope moving forward. You're changing, in a way that makes me worried... and scared."
His words sank into me and I gave him a soft smile. "Alex," I began with a soft voice. "I'm okay... okay maybe not but still I'm fine. I can deal with whatever is going on in my head. I can overcome this please just... just trust me."
He stared at me for a few seconds before I ruffled his hair with a laugh and he finally let out a chuckle and began to drive. I covered my mouth with my hand as my smile faded and looked out the window as he began to drive.
Our next destination was the place I dreaded the most. Another place where I could be killed easily by the residents. I tried to control my mind and relax as I began walking with Alex behind me to the door. On the first ring, the door flung open to reveal a middle-aged woman in a maid's outfit and her eyes immediately widened at my presence and her hands trembled. I looked at her without a single thought behind my eyes.
They must have warned her about me.
I simply brushed past her and walked in. They should have done more to keep me out.
Just as I expected she was sitting on the chair sipping on a cup of tea when she looked at me and I could see a smirk behind the cup before she took her gaze back to the cup and placed it on the table.
"And the sheep walks into the lion's den," she sang and her voice echoed which made me realize how empty the house was. Was she the only one still here?
"Hello ma," I said politely before giving her an one eight degree bow.
"A prey shouldn't lower its head before someone like me Ace Winston. You have a lot of guts, son," she smiled and her red lipstick glistened. She got up and her gown danced around her at the action.
"I'm... I'm deeply sorry Mrs Manchester." I said still bowing. "No words of apologies can heal the wounds my family has caused yours and I feel that pain too because my heart is one of you. I would do anything to make you realize how sorry I am. I can't count how many times I tried to think of the perfect words to say at this moment to touch your heart and make you rest and I couldn't because you bear a huge amount of hate for my family and I don't judge you for that. But for the sake of peace and happiness once again, to see days where we all smile, days when we can look around and feel the love around us." At this point, my tears dropped to the ground and my knees soon followed. I looked up at her through teary eyes on my knees. "Please, please I'm begging you. Please let this terror end. Bringing all this back again can only cause harm and pain. Is there any way? Anything I can do to soothe your pain and make you smile once again?"
My heart clenched and I could physically feel it cracking and my whole body creaking like a rusted metal. I was so so exhausted, so fucking tired of the whole mess. I had a lingering feeling it won't end but there's always hope where there's life. And with the little life I had left in me. I had to make sure life came back into that house once again.
The whole house went silent for a full notice before she chuckled as a single tear stained her cheeks streaking down to her red-stained lips to her neckline.
"Sooth my pain? Make me smile once again?" Her voice came out as a whisper before they boomed out loud. "I HAVEN'T GENUINELY SMILED ONCE SINCE THEY KILLED MY SON! DID MY SON GET THIS OPPORTUNITY HUH? TELL ME ACE WINSTON. Did Angus not also beg and plead to stay alive?" Her last sentence broke her and came out softly.
"Don't beg me. Because I will kill you. You will die by my hands one way or another. The Winston family will mourn just like we did and feel the same pain we have for years." She smiled and wiped her tears which made her smudge her makeup on her face and the perfect woman I saw when I came in was now covered with tears, smudged mascara, and eyeliner.
I couldn't speak or move. Her words were like an injection that paralyzed me. She already killed me with those words, the words of her rejecting my white flag and talking about my death.
"You're lucky I don't feel like killing you just yet. I can see how miserable you are and I want you to relish that feeling slowly withering away until I land the final blow," she smiled before walking past me and going up the stairs. "You're not a visitor you know your way out. Right?"
I felt Alex grip on my shoulder before he helped me up and I could just feel the disgusting substance coming up my throat. I was lost of words. I don't know how I thought I could solve this but I really hoped I could touch her heart. Even though she gave a cold response and ruined me. I hoped that one way or another my words ring in her head and help all of us.
"To Quinn now?" Alex asked as he helped me into the back seat and my head stopped spinning. The sky had taken the color of lavender and orange as the sun began to set and the cold breeze made my overgrown dirty blonde hair tickle my face.
"I can't... can't go to Quinn anymore."
~~~~~♡♡♡~~~~~
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