Beautiful Disaster (Complete)

6. Suspicion

Chapter 6. 

      Early morning in the Cade mansion area, Ace is taking a morning run with One. After ran a few tracks inside the mansion’s gate, along with a few push ups, training with his boxing bag, and some other training routine before it, Ace decided to have some breakfast.

      He went to the main kitchen which placed in the back side of the mansion. When he opened the door, he didn’t expect to meet anyone especially someone who’s been in his mind since the first time he looked at her.

      Leanne who’s holding a lot of tissue paper roll, jump in surprised when she heard the sound of the kitchen door was opened. It caused the tissues--that she’s about to organize inside the shelves—fell all over the floor.

      “Sorry, I didn’t mean to scare you.” Ace said while helping her collecting the tissues back.

      “N-no its fine.. I got c-carried away in my thoughts.” She said, lying. She hates to be jumpy, but it’s not something she can control.

    Ace stood up and put some of the tissue rolls on the island kitchen table. He noticed that Leanne is wearing a white shirt with a lavender vest, and a black skirt. Her red hair is tied up in a bun-style, made Ace’s attention was on her neck for a second.

    Then, Ace heard a vibrate from an android phone on that table. The phone’s screen is cracked, and Ace can see the message from the pop-up notification that said from; Unregistered number, the message is only; ‘check in!’.

    Leanne also heard her phone vibrate, she quickly stands up and put all the tissue roll on her hand on the table, especially to cover her phone.

    “Can I get you anything for breakfast, Mr. Cade? Perhaps, a coffee?” said Leanne. She’s trying to distract his attention elsewhere, while managing the tissue on the table and in between taking her phone and put it inside her skirt-pocket. She’s trying not to obviously hid her phone away.

    Be my breakfast on the bed? – Great! His dirty-mind came out instantly. Ace looking at her and noticed that she’s a lot shorter without her heels, before clenched his jaw—not liking the fact that he pays too much intention on her, and feels too much urge to bring her in bed with him.

    “Call me Ace.--” He said briefly. “—coffee and breakfast would be great.”

    “And your fella..? What can I get for One?” said Leanne, while pouring the coffee before preparing the breakfast for Ace.

    “Dog food.” Ace looking at One who’s whimpered a little. “Uu-uh, you’re not getting my food. You ran a little bit slower this morning.”

    Talking about a puppy’s eyes from a grown dog such One! Leanne smiled looking at their interaction. Ace’s body tightened instantly when he looked at her smile, he had to look away before obviously stared at her with his darkened eyes.

    “Is there any dog food here..? I’m gonna give it to him myself, and spare you the effort.”

    “Yes, bottom shelves..” said Lean while put Ace’s coffee and full plate sandwich on the island table. She then took all the tissue roll and organized it inside the closet. Ace noticed that her phone is not on the table anymore.

    Not long after that, Calvin and Cheryl came inside the kitchen and take seats on the kitchen’s dining table, which is a smaller table than the one in the prior dining room. They both are already prepared to school, for Cheryl and to the office for Calvin.

    “Leanne, can I take the cereals for my breakfast? I don’t feel like eating sandwiches, or eggs.” Said Cheryl with frowny face.

    “I guess you can.. as long as you eat it with a few piece of bananas..?”

    “Yes!!”

    Leanne prepared the cereals and take another plate of sandwiches for Calvin, while after Ace washed his hand near her, Ace joined Calvin and Cheryl at the table.

    “Tonight’s still going on, right Ace?” Calvin asked about the dinner with Ace’s date, while eating his sandwich.

    Ace slightly took a glance at Leanne, at the same time Leanne glanced at him too. But Leanne quickly looked at plate and bowl she held, and placed it on the table in front of Calvin and Cheryl.

    “Yeah. She’ll be here by seven.”

    “Okay, I’m will be home before then.” Said Calvin.

    “Who will be here at seven? Is there something I need to know about tonight?” Cheryl speaks in curious, with her full mouth. Leanne is trying to keep herself busy, denying the fact that the conversation is actually influenced her. She took some water and give it to One’s bowl.

     “Your uncle will introduce his friend to us—it’s about time he’s doing it.” Said Calvin, teasing his brother again.

    “That’s real nice. Are you being late, or something..?” Said Ace being sarcastic. He’s supposed to be excited, right?—Ace’s thought inside. He just can’t help to feel annoyed when Calvin talks about her date in front of Leanne.

    “Changing the subject are we..?”

    “Uncle Ace is right dad! We’re almost late.. Let’s go!” said Cheryl. Calvin looked at his watch and quickly took the last piece of his sandwich, while stood up from the table.

    “I always right.. I’m going to pick you up at school okay?” said Ace to Cheryl.

    “Awesome!” Cheryl shouted in joy. “Leanne, you’ll pick me up too, with uncle Ace right?”

    Leanne mildly gasped before answer, “I’m sorry baby, today I have some preparation to do..” They looked at each other for a while, Ace and Leanne-- since Ace knows exactly what preparation that Leanne mean.

    “Okay let’s go baby.” Said Calvin.

    Every morning, Calvin drop off Cheryl to school, and Leanne will pick her up with the driver, but today Ace is going to pick up Cheryl from school.      

    Leanne handed them, each of their bags and followed them outside to the car leaving Ace in the kitchen, with his own thought. What kind of message is that..? Check in—what’s to report? Or is it just a message from a wrong number..?

    Ace ruffled his hair not liking the fact that his brain kept working on cases or suspicion that’s not really there, or the fact that he kept thinking about her. Something about her just making him crazy. Ace finished his meal right away and decided to take a bath.

    A moment later, Leanne goes to Calvin’s workroom. She closed the door quietly, and took her phone from her pocket. She goes to Calvin’s desk and checking his schedules written in a big calendar sheets on the table, before turn on Calvin’s home-Laptop and searching thoroughly on the screen every information she could find to report it to G-boss.

    Nothing’s seems to be important for G-boss to know, but she has to do it anyway. Hoping along the way, she would know what G is up to. Her phone is vibrating again, this time a call.

    “I can’t talk right now.” Said Leanne.

    “You’re late giving in the reports.” Said the voice in the phone, it’s not G but his trusted guy.

    “And you’re being reckless by calling me.” She whispered but speak out of anger.

    “Don’t be late. Boss is still waiting.”

    “I’m on it. Just tell him to be patience.” Leanne hung up.

    Leanne is typing every schedule on her phone, suddenly she heard a mild footstep outside the door, in the hall. A four legs footstep. She types her phone faster, and preparing herself so she would not anxiously looked guilty or as if she’s doing something bad.—Well, even though she is doing something bad.

    The door suddenly opened.

    Ace looking at Leanne who’s seems to do what a secretary’s usually doing—calmly—way too calm. This time she’s not even surprised, or looked to know who’s at the door at all.

    There are only two explanations for Ace; either she’s not as jumpy as he thought she was, or, she’s already heard he was coming. Because it doesn’t make sense, either you’re pretending to be jumpy, or not, but no body can perfectly hide their behaviour. Now, how can she become both so emotionlessly-calm, but anxiously very jumpy at most of the time too?