Chapter 207

207 Fortunate Mistake

If what I’m seeing was a mirage, then I was more than willing to be tricked.

“Where is Karina?” Ace asked.

I froze at the mention of my name. Before I knew what I was doing, I had retreated back behind the van as I tried desperately to hide. I felt the hardness of the van against my back as I pressed myself against it. Of all the places that I thought that Ace could be, I never expected that he would randomly turn up here. It didn’t seem like the other staff members knew that he was going to turn up here either.

My eyes closed as I thanked the heavens that he was here before I let out a long sigh as relief flooded every cell in my body. If Ace was here, then it meant that Kyle and I had been worried about nothing at all. It was a long ride to get here so Ace was probably driving here all the while I was trying to get in contact with him. I wasn’t sure why he didn’t pick up my calls, but it was enough for me that he wasn’t with Elizabeth as I had thought.

Why am I still hiding?

I knew that I should go out there and see Ace; however, the guilt that I felt at doubting him made it feel very difficult to face him. All this time that I was doubting him, he was on the way to see me all along. I doubt that he was here to really check on the production team, although that might be one of the byproducts of his efforts. It was obvious enough to me that he had come to pick me up and he came a very long way at that.

I’m such a fool...

I allowed Kyle to manipulate my feelings. Maybe Kyle really was having issues with Elizabeth but that didn’t mean that my relationship with Ace was facing the same problem. I still couldn’t explain what I saw in his office the other day, but it felt more than enough that he was here now.

“Ace...” I called his name softly as I stepped out of my hiding and approached him.

.....

“Rina, where have you been hiding?” Ace greeted me with a smile as he waved me over to his side.

He probably didn’t mean that literally, but I had really been hiding from him in every sense of the word. I tried my best to smile as I made my way to his side while thinking of what I should say to him.

“Are you here to pick Rina up?” Jeremy asked with a straight face.

“Oh no...why would he have to do that?” I replied immediately before people started getting the wrong idea about us.

There’s absolutely no reason why the CEO would need to come out here in the middle of nowhere in the evening to pick up his secretary.

“I just wanted to surprise you guys and also see how we’re doing on the filming. The scenes here are quite crucial,” Ace explained smoothly.

“You sure surprised us. It’s been quite a long time since you came to an offsite shooting like this,” the director said.

“I really miss it. Working outdoors can be fun,” Ace replied casually.

“I agree with that. As long as it doesn’t rain, it’s all good...” the director agreed before turning to bark some orders for his team members to keep on working after everyone seemed to have lost focus at Ace’s sudden appearance.

The source of this content is nov/el/bin[./]net'

“This place is really far away. I didn’t think that it was this far at first. Honesty, the route is also complicated. I think I got lost a couple of times...” Ace started complaining playfully.

“Weren’t you using GPS?” the director asked with a laugh.

“I was using it but then one of our clients called and wanted to discuss something urgently. I got distracted and got lost and then I couldn’t focus very well so I had to stop by the side of the road and talk to the client until he was satisfied. It was a mess, really. It’s great that I still made it here in time to catch you guys,” Ace told us his story quite cheerfully despite all the complications that he had been through to get here.

While the other people laughed along with Ace, I began piecing together the various reasons why Ace might have missed my calls. If he was talking to an important client on the phone, then it was probably given that he couldn’t answer my calls and if he was heading here anyways to surprise us then everything seemed to make sense.

I should have trusted him more. He even came all this way for me...

“Rina, are you ok? You’re suddenly all quiet. Are you tired?” Ace asked as his attention shifted to me.

Because of all the ungrateful and untrusting thoughts that I had towards Ace, I found it difficult to even meet his eyes or look straight into his face. If I stared into his eyes, would he find out my dirty and guilty secret?

“Rina...” Ace called my name softly from right beside me.

“Y-Yes? I’m fine...it was just a busy day...and all that...” I managed to reply.

“Should we head back?” Ace asked.

“Umm...I can ride back with the team in the van...” I replied before smiling what I hoped was a polite smile at him.

I came with the team, so it was probably best that I rode in the van with them back. Even if, I wanted so badly to go back with Ace, it might become suspicious.

“I actually have some things to talk to you about regarding some VIP client visits next week that you should prepare for...” Ace said before he furrowed his brows.

“Just ride back with your boss, Karina. There’s no need to feel guilty about leaving all of us men to ride back without the company of a lovely lady,” the director said before winking at me.

–To be continued...

My other works: The Alpha Prince’s Purchased Maid, Love Slave to the Mafia Boss’s Passion, Forbidden Heat, Lust Contracts, Conquering the Emperor.

Thank you for reading!