"We're only haunted by the things we refuse to accept."
Chloe's eyes widened as she spotted Ace by the grocery cart, her hand instinctively gripping its handle for support. "Ace?" she exclaimed, surprised by his unexpected appearance. "What on earth are you doing here?"
Ace flashed her a grin, an air of self-satisfaction evident in his expression. Chloe couldn't fathom what had him so pleased.
"I came to chat, so I sent you here," Ace replied smoothly.
Carefully placing a bottle of tea in the cart, Chloe turned back to him, trying to maintain her cool. "Gina didn't send you?" she inquired. "We could've talked there. Why here?"
"Nah, she didn't," Ace confirmed with a shrug, casually picking up a box of tea from the shelf. He inspected it briefly before wrinkling his nose in distaste and tossing it back.
Frowning slightly, Chloe shook her head. "I don't get why we couldn't talk there, but fine. So, what's on your mind?"
"Hmm, let me think," Ace mused, tapping his chin and leaning against the shelf. "Tell me, Chloe, when is a monster not a monster?"
"Huh?" Chloe tilted her head, puzzled by the sudden question.
"Come on, give it a shot. You've probably heard this one before," he urged, a mischievous glint in his eye.
Chloe racked her brain, recalling where she'd heard the riddle. With a resigned sigh, she replied, "When someone loves them, right?"
"Exactly. But you're wasting your love on him," he interjected, his arms folding across his chest as he spoke with conviction.
Chloe's gaze sharpened, realizing the target of his words. "What do you mean by that?"
He let out a heavy sigh, his expression turning grave, a rare sight except for the time he urged her to travel back in time to save her father.
"Do you understand what you're getting yourself into?" he asked softly, his voice laced with concern.
Confusion creased Chloe's forehead. "What are you talking about, again?"
"I think you know exactly what I mean," Ace replied calmly.
She stared at him, her face a mask of bewilderment. "No, I really don't."
Ace ran a hand over his stubbled chin, his eyebrows lifting with curiosity. "You might want to cast your mind back to the moment when HE swooped in and saved you."
"Huh?" she squeaked, her hands shooting up to cover her mouth. "W-What do you mean?"
A sly grin spread across his face. "Ah, there it is. The memory's starting to surface, isn't it?"
Her mind flashed back to last night, to the flood of emotions that surged when he pulled her to safety ... when he touched her. Those feelings had lingered, unacknowledged, until now, when Neil emerged from the shadows, stirring them up again.
"But... you can't read minds!" she protested, jabbing a finger in his direction.
He chuckled. "No, I can't," he assured her, "but I can certainly read faces."
Oh no, this couldn't bode well.
She attempted to come up with a clever retort, but all that escaped her lips was a strange mix of gasp and yelp, leaving her feeling utterly exposed.
"I can tell that your feelings for him are a little more than just for a savior," he said, sounding oddly formal. "And while I have nothing to do with love, I know what happens because of it."
Her pulse jumped and quickened, and her palms were starting to get sweaty. Ace did not seem like the type of guy to screw somebody over on something like this, but she still could not help but feel very, very afraid.
What was he hinting at?
"What do you mean, be more specific please?" Chloe said slowly, biting her lip.
Ace took a step forward, closing the distance between them, and lowering his voice. "Think about what you're doing. You may not know it yet, but you will in enough time. The repercussions of your actions might be more than you bargained for."
She took a sharp breath, feeling her head spin, and grasped the edge of the shopping cart tightly to steady herself. Questions surged in her mind, ready to burst out at the guy standing before her. Why was he bringing this up now, of all times?
If he wanted to stop her or whatever his motive was, why did he even bother to open up in the first place?
"Listen, Ace, I'm not convinced you fully understand-"
"Excuse me, Miss?"
The sudden interruption by the shopkeeper at the aisle's end only added to the chaos. He wore a perplexed expression as he glanced over at Ace.
"Is this man causing trouble, Miss?" He approached, eyeing Ace with suspicion, likely due to his unconventional appearance.
She brushed off the shopkeeper's inquiry, focusing her attention on Ace instead, searching his face for any sign of impending disaster.
She stood there, her voice shaky, her hands trembling. "Anything else you want to share before you go?"
He grinned, his gaze fixed on the figure lurking behind her. "Nah, spilled it all, I reckon. Catch you later."
With a swivel on his heel, he strolled away, hands buried in his pockets.
Alright then.
"Miss, it ain't wise to keep company with that sort," the man warned, sending shivers down her spine.
She spun around, her cheeks blazing red. "What do you mean?"
"Crime's on the rise in our town, and a young lady like yourself ought to watch her step," he said, giving off an unsettling vibe.
"He's... family," Chloe replied, shaking her head. "No need for concern."
And with that, she marched off, leaving the man behind to stew in his thoughts. She needed a moment to compose herself; the last thing she wanted was to burst into tears in the middle of the store.
Because deep down, she sensed that things were about to take a turn for the worse.