Chapter 11
“YOU said Sonja doesn’t like it when you come home late. Do you think she will get mad at us?” Ace asked while loading the shopping bag in the trunk.
It was almost sunset when they arrived at the diner’s parking lot after shopping for supplies and groceries.
“She’s always mad at me whenever I come home late. However, I know she’s just worried about me whenever I go alone. You know, Sonja’s a little overprotective.” She turned to him. “Do you want to drive us home?”
He flashed a smile and got the key from her.
“Sure.”
They got in the car afterward and went home.
Just as Sybil expected, Sonja was waiting for them outside. She was leaning on the doorframe with a deep knot on her forehead. But she noticed something in the way she looked at her now.
“Where have you been?” Sonja asked despite seeing the shopping bags they were carrying inside the cabin. “It’s already—”
“We went out to shop for supplies and… well, had a little fun, I guess,” Ace told her giddily.
Sonja’s eyes widened out of shock.
“F-fun?”
She wanted to laugh upon seeing how horrified Sonja was after hearing what Ace had just said.
“You should be laughing by now if you only know his definition of fun.” Sybil’s gaze reverted to Ace, and she smiled as she remembered how they ran after each other inside the supermarket. They turned the aisles into their little playground and only stopped when they got called out by the guards.
“Anyway…” Sonja cleared her throat. “Take everything to the kitchen so we can eat dinner.”
“I’m sorry, but I have to pass on tonight’s dinner.” She smiled apologetically.
“Me too,” said Ace.
Sonja looked at them back and forth.
“Did you eat dinner at Mrs. Collin’s?”
“We had lunch there,” Ace responded. His tone hadn’t changed. “But I think we’ve eaten so much after that, which is why we’re still full.”
“Ah.” Sonja tilted her head to the side. “I guess I waited that long for nothing. I’m eating dinner alone tonight.”
Sybil suddenly felt guilty. She should’ve called and told her they couldn’t join her for dinner.
“But we can join you at the table and have some tea,” she suggested.
Sonja waved her hand dismissively and turned around.
“Never mind,” she said as she strode to the kitchen.
Ace nudged her to the side after Sonja disappeared from the living room.
“What?” She gave him a side-way glance.
“Do you think she’s mad at us?”
“Well, I guess she is now.” She slowly let out a sigh.
“We must make it up to her, don’t you think?”
“But how?”
“Let’s go out with her one of these days and have some fun.” He grinned. “Let’s dine out, watch movies… something like that.”
Why did it feel like he was asking her on a date, but with Sonja?
“Well, it’s not a bad idea. Though I’m not sure if she would come with us. She’s not too fond of stuff like that.”
“O-oh.” His grin disappeared.
“Let’s take this to the kitchen so we can both rest.”
She walked ahead of him, and he followed after a few moments.
SYBIL was getting ready to sleep when Sonja entered their bedroom. Their gazes met through the mirror as she climbed up to the bed.
“Are you sleeping already?” Sonja asked.
“Why?” Sybil cocked her head to the side. “Is there anything you want to say?”
She knew it. Of course, Sonja would comment again about her forming an attachment with Ace.
Sonja looked at her intently for seconds, but she backed off immediately. And she didn’t know why. Did she change her mind, or she decided to let her decide for herself?
“If you don’t have anything to say, well… I have.”
She saw her raise a brow.
“And what is it that you want to tell me?” Sonja plopped down on her side of the bed.
“I-it’s about Ace.”
“Did you find out something about him? Was it something terrible?”
“No.” She shook her head. “It isn’t like that.”
“Then what? Come on, Sybil… just cut to the chase.”
“Mrs. Collin advised me to… report the incident to the police. We haven’t done that… and it’s been a while.”
Sonja heaved a deep sigh.
“Actually, I reported the incident to the police the next day you found her, Sybil.”
“W-wait, what?” Her eyes widened. “And you didn’t mind telling me… us?”
“I’m sorry. I’m just being cautious,” Sonja countered.
“Look…” She scooted over so they could be close. “He’s been with us for this long and hasn’t done anything wrong. If Ace is capable of doing something bad… he should’ve done that from the start.”
“And you trust him that easily just because he hasn’t done anything yet?” Sonja’s eyes narrowed.
“A-am I wrong?” She met her gaze, and they had this staring contest that lasted for a few minutes.
“You know what’s wrong with you, Sybil?” Sonja brought her palm to her chest. “It’s here. You trust your instinct so often and trust people so quickly.”
She heaved a deep sigh. Sonja told her from the start not to give her trust away to people the way she was giving it out now.
“Perhaps I should distance myself from Ace from now on—”
“I’m not telling you to be distant. Just… don’t trust him fully. You’re smart, Sybil. I know you know what I mean.” Sonja patted her cheeks. “Rest now.”
She was about to lie down when a sudden thought crossed her mind.
“H-how about my case?” she asked somberly. “Did you report it to the police, Sonja?”
“W-what? Are you seriously doubting me now—”
“Don’t feel offended, please. It’s you who told me not to give my full trust.” Sybil let out a long sigh. “Don’t get me wrong… what I mean is that I’ve been feeling quite doubtful about you sometimes.”
Her lips twitched.
“And what made you feel that way?”
She didn’t respond instantly and left the bed. Sybil then sauntered to the window and opened it to get some fresh air. Suddenly, she felt suffocated.
“Because we haven’t talked about what really happened to me… What happened that night, Sonja?”
She turned in Sonja’s direction and caught her looking pale.