Chapter 24

ACE left the cabin to ask the neighborhood if they saw someone suspicious. He said not to open the package until they found out where it came from. He was suspicious, and she felt the same. Who could have left the box on the front porch just like that? Sybil tried calling Sonja to inform her and to ask as well. But it had been an hour, and she still couldn’t reach her. Perhaps she was busy taking care of her sick mother, so she decided to just send her a message regarding the incident. She was sure Sonja would reply once she had read her text.
Sybil went to the kitchen and made coffee. After a few moments, Ace return to the cabin.
“Sybil?” he called upon entering.
“I’m here in the kitchen,” she yelled. She poured coffee into two mugs and brought them to the living room. “Did you find out anything?”
She handed him a mug, and they sat across from each other on the sofa.
“Mrs. Collin and Mr. Paterson said they’re waiting for deliveries as well, but no one’s coming yet,” Ace informed her before sipping his coffee. “That makes me more suspicious of that package.”
Sybil cupped her mug with both hands and looked at him.
“I’m feeling the same. Who could’ve sent that package? What was the intention?” She heaved a sigh. “And we don’t even know for whom it was for.”
“Perhaps Sonja?” Ace said with furrowed brows. “Well, she’s the owner of this cabin. We’re less likely to receive an unknown package when we’re… both strangers here.”
He had a point. She assumed Sonja’s sister’s identity, but she kept a low-key profile since she did that. Sybil seldom communicated with the outside world.
“Let’s just keep the package hidden in the storage room and wait for Sonja to come home,” Ace suggested.
“I think it’s the best thing to do right now.” She fished her phone from the pocket of her cardigan. “I already told her about it, but it seems she hasn’t read my text. She’s not replying yet.”
“I see.” He took another sip of coffee.
“Aren’t you supposed to be at work by now? You could’ve called or texted me, you know.”
“I’m worried about leaving you here alone. I’m afraid something might happen to you while I’m away.” Ace let out a long sigh. “I told my boss I won’t go to work today, and they understood the situation.”
“Ace…” She appreciated his concern. “I can take care of myself, so there’s no need to worry about me. And besides, we didn’t know yet if there’s danger—”
“Which made me even more anxious, Sybil.” Worry was evident in his voice. “We’re not sure about what kind of life we’re leading back then. What if that package’s meant for one of us?”
He had a point again. Now she could feel fear creeping through her system. Sybil uttered a silent prayer that their hunches were wrong. She wanted to think someone was just trying to pull a prank.
Ace put his mug down on the coffee table and left his spot to sit beside her. He then wrapped his arms around her and pulled her close to him for a tight hug. It felt really comforting whenever he would embrace her like that. It was a beautiful feeling that she would keep remembering as well.
Ah, she wished they could stay that way forever…
“Don’t be scared, Sybil…” he said as he gently caressed the back of her head. “I’m here… I will protect you from any harm.”
She raised her head and met his gaze. His concern was genuine. Not only was it written in his eyes, but she could also feel it. She and Ace have this special connection that she couldn’t explain. Perhaps it was what people often call a soulmate thing. Sybil was less likely to believe in such things, but there was no harm in believing in it sometimes. It was always a matter of perception about things.
“Thank you.” She buried her face in his chest and breathed in his invigorating scent.
“No. You don’t have to thank me.” Sybil felt him plant a kiss on the top of her head. “I’m doing this because I want to.”
She didn’t really pay attention to what Ace was saying at that moment because her focus was on the sound of her heart beating. Their hearts seemed to beat in one rhythm, and she found it special.
And then, she heard her phone beep. She moved away from him immediately and checked the message. As expected, it was a reply from Sonja.
“Is that Sonja?” Ace peeked at her screen.
“Hm.”
“What did she say?”
“She said not to open the box and keep it in a safe place.” She looked at him. “She also said we should be extra careful. She said this could be about you or me.”
Sybil suddenly reminded the incident Ace was in not too long ago.
“Ace…” She grasped his arm. “What if those who did that to you are back and…” Sybil paused and shook her head hard.
He held her hand tightly.
“I-if this is about me… then we must open the package to see what this is all about,” he said firmly.
She bit her lower lip and stared back at him.
“T-that could be dangerous, Ace…” she muttered. Sybil then framed his face with her hands. “Let’s just wait for Sonja to come back….”
He cupped her hands and sighed.
“Alright. If that’s what you want.”

HE waited until Sybil was deep asleep and sneaked out of the cabin. He went to the storage to check the package. It kept bothering him for some reason. Holding his breath, he picked up the box and shook it. It was light, and he could hear a rustling sound inside. Ace was about to open it when he heard footsteps approaching the storage room.
*Shit!*
Did Sybil wake up and notice he wasn’t there?
He immediately looked for a place to hide and saw a space in the corner between the door and the cabinet. Ace ran toward it and hid.
It took a few moments before the sound of the footsteps disappeared. However, he didn’t come out yet and waited for a few minutes more. Then he heard the hinges creak. He saw a silhouette of a man come in and approach the package.
*What should I do?*
His first thought was to jump at him and see who it was. But even before his mind could process what to do, the man turned in his direction. Ace’s eyes widened when he suddenly approached him. The next thing he knew, he was being dragged out of hiding.
“Who are you?” he asked through gritted teeth while trying his best to take his mask away.
He caught the man’s hand fished something out of his pocket. It was a syringe that he immediately injected into his neck. Ace felt dizzy and slowly lost consciousness…