IN THE CAGE

17. SUSPICIONS

...ACE pov's...

..........

Jemaine Emery showed up in front of my house today, like a kitten out in the rain. All three bodyguards appeared in the same condition, equally drenched. I, who welcomed his arrival at the door, shook my head without a sound. I'm not criticizing him that's so absurd, but this isn't the first time he's been acting so stupid.

"Come in and change your clothes." I let Jem in. Water dripped from his body, leaving traces as long as he stepped. Felix comes and hands the towel over to Jem.

"Carcel, take Louis and his partner for a change." I was referring to bodyguard Jem standing outside. Loyal to take care of his master without regard for their own health.

"Good, Boss." Carcel nodded then took Louis cs in through the side door. The door was connected to the headquarters where the Hunter family bodyguards rested and stored all their equipment and attributes. The bodyguard kitchen is also there.

20 Minutes later, after I gave Jem time to change his clothes and clean himself up in the guest room, he said, Jem finally came out with a set of red training clothes with white strips on his arm and pants. The towel was still hanging on Jem's neck, worn to dry his hair which was now sticking out like porcupine spines.

"Sit down" I commanded, allowing Jem to sit on the matting bench facing the main gate. The rain had died down that afternoon, but the sky was still gloomy.

"Is this for me?" Jem raised a cup of hot tea on the table. It was my tea, but I nodded and let him have my drink.

"So, what's the reason for your stupidity today?" I crossed my legs, resting my chin while my eyes were fixed on Jem who was smiling foolishly again.

"I'm rained."

"Am I blind?"

Jem laughed immediately. "Ah, that's not what I meant. You know, I was so worried when I heard the news about Margot's assault. I kept thinking about his condition, so after the airport I decided to come straight here. Unfortunately, the road was so jammed that I decided to come here on the bike I met on the road."

I frowned, my confusion growing higher upon hearing Jem's current description. I understand she cares about Margot, I just don't understand she's gonna act that stupid.

"You know you can wait for the streets to get here, right? Look at you right now, you're a real mess. If you get sick, I'll be blamed by your grandmother."

"My grandmother won't be angry, after all.., this is all your fault!" Jem turned my back on me. "Why don't you have a helipad here? If you have a Helipad in your house, I don't have to bother riding in the car anymore. I can go home from xxx and come straight here."

"Do you think I care about that kind of thing. If you want to request a helipad, ask Margot. He's in charge of organizing this house."

"Oh, speaking of Margot, where's my Princess?" Jem looked at me seriously. "Is he okay?"

"He's very good to the annoying stage" I said. 

The worried Margot Jem is now in my room, taking over my pet's focus by forcing him to do this. My room, which was previously private and only for me, is now accessed by bodyguards and Margot every day. They even play plays in rooms using LED projectors, parse a fur carpet on the sofa and provide a pile of pillows and snacks everywhere.

Whenever I rebuked Margot and denounced her to stop bothering Fawn, Margot would grieve. Reasoning he was uncomfortable living alone in his room, disliking being at home and a million other reasons that entailed one: Margot was not at home, she managed to beat me. Damn it, please take Fawn if she loves that girl so much.

"Have you found the culprit yet?" Jem leaned his back on the bench. "If this is not taken seriously, this bad situation will probably happen again, Ace."

"I know," I said. "Me and Uncle Jack are working on a search for the culprit immediately. Also, besides this I need to find out who the spies are among our workers."

"I think you're handing the job over to Margot."

I nodded again, but then heaved a heavy sigh. "I thought it would be resolved if Margot was looking for him, but she wasn't. Three weeks passed without a clue. I can't keep hanging hope to him. I'll find that guy on my own."

"Is it possible that the rat was related to Uncle Harkin's accident?" ask Jem back.

"Likely. For now, I can't draw any conclusions. There were too many enemies wandering around and trying to chop off my head. I'll just know that the fucker's moving."

Three years ago, when gas exploded in the kitchen of the cafe where my father and mother used to stop by, the police in charge of investigating the case said that the death of my father and mother was an accident. That, in addition to my father and mother, there were many other victims who also died.

The case was closed as a form of negligence for cafe workers who also died in the explosion. I initially thought it was just that, until finally Margot came to me. Clutching my arm tight. Declaring that all was no coincidence.

It all started with Margot, and Jack's uncle also declared his approval. I-I who was not present in my parents' lives at the time, I who was busy with my own world, went home and accepted their words as truth.

I had no choice but to believe. I have no right not to trust Margot and Uncle Jack, not after my selfishness brought my family into misfortune. I left Mom and Dad for my own sake, and without me noticing, I had already left them for a sudden collapse.

All this is my fault. The only way I could make up for it was to find whoever it was that was trying to get rid of my parents. 

"Look at.., Ace..," Jem's voice hesitated. He looked at me and the awkwardness implied in his pair of brown eyeballs. Then, when I returned his gaze, Jem immediately confirmed his seat. "I was just curious, I mean...,"

"What wonder?"

"You, Margot and Uncle Jack suspect the perpetrators of the blasting are hiding between the Spades and the Clubs, don't you?"

"Yes" I said sure. I have no doubt at all that the two great families in the South are doing disgusting things behind us to reach the highest position. I've been targeting them since the beginning. Just need to lure that mysterious figure out and actually show himself.

"Why don't you suspect our family?" Jem's question made me laugh. My eyes looked at him wittyly before returning to normal flat mode.

"Emery's family has stood in a neutral position for a long time, even before my father became a leader. You've always been like that a long time ago and of course, you can change your mind. But Jem, I knew the bastard when I saw him."

"Ah, yes.., that makes sense." Jem mangosteen. "I'm not asking this because I want you to suspect us or anything, I'm asking this purely because I'm curious. I hope we have no reason to suspect each other in the future."

"Of course." I said. Soon, Felix entered our conversation and handed him a cup of chamomile tea on the table. He glanced in confusion when he saw Jem drinking my tea.

"Mr Jem, that's Mr. Ace's drink." Felix reprimanded.

"Eh, what?"

"Leave it," I rebuked and smiled boredly. "I want a new tea."

"You son of a bitch, you made me drink your marks."

"Just relax, I'm not spitting in it."

Jem kicked the leg of the table and stood up. "Forget, Felix. Take me to see Margot now!"

"Eh, that's.., but Miss Margot is watching in Mr. Ace's room."

"Then, what's the problem?" Jem didn't understand. Felix is still worried about Fawn's whereabouts.

"Take him there, I'll be there soon." I sipped tea on the table while staring at Jem's departure with Felix.

Of course, I wouldn't suspect just anyone to be a suspect in the perpetrator who was abusing my father and mother, I had my own reasons.

Jemaine Emery too, although he stands in a neutral position, he can be a suspicious figure at any time. She may not have the potential to be the one to try to get rid of my family, but that doesn't mean she'll be forever white.

Jemaine Emery, Anggara Rashid and Evan Caspian, I won't trust you so easily.

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