One Hundred and Twenty Five

CHAPTER 125

"I'm going to go check on Ace's case, but you don't have to worry because I brought a policeman to look after Brittany here," Noel explained.

And Brittany nodded in agreement. She looked at everyone and explained, "My parents will also be here later tonight. I think I'll be fine. You guys just focus on finding evidence or anything that can help me get out of this accident."

Nicholas nodded. He waved and said goodbye, before taking Alicia away with him. The two of them then drove home in a car driven by Nicholas.

"This is for you," Nicholas said, handing Alicia a plastic bag of sandwiches. Playing with his eyebrows up and down, Nicholas smiled happily. "I told you that I would buy these sandwiches again, didn't I?"

"Tsk, gosh, Nic." Alicia accepted the sandwich and they had breakfast together in the car.

After finishing the sandwich in less than ten minutes, Nicholas started the engine and drove away from the hospital. Alicia fastened her seatbelt and looked through the car window.

"Do you think we can help Brittany?"

"Brittany's alcohol level is so high, it's risky." Nicholas turned the steering wheel to the right, entering a larger road. "We need to find witnesses who saw that Brittany wasn't driving, and how Kevin moved her to the passenger seat. Kevin's actions were very dangerous, he was premeditated and knew what he wanted with his future."

"Why did Brittany meet a bad guy like him?"

Nicholas looked at Alicia for a moment, then focused on the scene before him. "Kevin has a way with words, Alicia. All women melt and fall under the spell of his sweet words. I've also heard that Kevin has done this many times, it's not the first time and Kevin's actions mean that it's growing."

Alicia furrowed her brows and gave a long mumble after hearing Nicholas' words. "Speaking of which... we should go back to my house first, I need to take a shower and change clothes."

"Can't we just go to my house?"

"You're worried, um?"

Nicholas shrugged, although ashamed to admit it but Nicholas still couldn't help himself. "I'm worried because Ace is still missing. The media will be releasing the news soon and when the news is released, Ace might get depressed and start carrying out his actions. He could kill you, Alicia."

"That won't happen as long as you're with me, Nic."

Nicholas' heart warmed when Alicia said that. They arrived at Alicia's flat and Alicia immediately went downstairs. They were about to unlock the flat when Alicia realized that the door knob was unlocked. But Alicia chose to keep quiet and not talk about it to Nicholas. She said that maybe Nicholas should wait for her outside.

"What? I'll come in with you."

"But, Nic!"

Nicholas walked past Alicia and entered the flat first. But before Nicholas could turn on the light, a punch landed on the back of his head and Nicholas fainted instantly. Alicia rounded her eyes when she saw that the person who had just hit Nicholas was Ace. Ace turned around and looked at Alicia with his cold gaze.

"Ace."

"Alicia..."

Alicia's heart skipped a beat when she saw Ace. His presence was unexpected, his eyes had an intensity she had never seen before. "What are you doing here..."

He didn't respond immediately, instead, his gaze flickered between her and the unconscious Nicholas on the floor. "You shouldn't have brought him here."

"Ace, please, you're not thinking straight," she pleaded, taking a cautious step forward. Raising her hands in the air, Alicia said, "You have to go back inside the prison or things will get even bigger!"

"Don't you know that I still love you very much, Alicia?" Ace lowered the baseball bat in his hand, then looked at Alicia straight on. "I did let you go, but it's hard. I can't let you go. So, come with me."

"I... that's not possible!" Alicia shouted. "You're a fugitive now! And I'm not leaving Nicholas."

Ace snorted, then stomped on Nicholas' body with one foot. "You want to defend this heroic man now?"

Alicia's eyes widened in horror as Ace's foot made contact with Nicholas' body. "Stop it, Ace! You're not thinking straight," she pleaded, trying to reason with him. "It's not you."

Ace's gaze flickered between Nicholas and Alicia, a mixture of anger and despair evident in his eyes. "You don't understand. You'll never understand. He will destroy everything, Alicia. Everything!"

"He won't! Please, listen to me." Alicia stepped closer, her voice trembling. "I know you're scared, but hurting him won't fix anything. We can find a way out of this together."

Ace shook his head, his grip tightening on the baseball bat. "There's no 'together' anymore. You have to choose, Alicia. Him or me."

Alicia glanced at Nicholas who lay unconscious on the floor. Fear gripped her heart, torn between the man she once loved and the man she loved now. "I can't leave him like this," she whispered, her voice breaking.

"Then you've made your choice." Ace's expression turned sad.

 Without warning, he swung his bat at Nicholas again, but Alicia lunged forward, gripping Ace's arm in a desperate attempt to stop him.

Alicia took the opportunity, pushing Ace away and rushing to Nicholas' side. She checked his pulse, relieved to find it steady, then faced Ace, her eyes glazed over. "Please, Ace, this isn't the solution. Let's find a way to fix this mess together. Our relationship is over and you can't do this to Nicholas."

For a moment, Ace faltered, torn between his emotions and the chaos around him. His shoulders slumped, and he dropped his bat to the floor. "I don't know how," he admitted, his voice laced with defeat. "All I know is that he was going to take you away from me and it made me so angry. At first I thought it was just a bluff, but after I saw it for myself... it really hurt, Alicia."

"Ace, we ended a long time ago. What do you want again?"

"Us. You and me."