One Hundred and Twenty Six

CHAPTER 126

"Ace, we've been over for a long time. What more do you want?"

"Us. You and me."

"That. Is. Impossible!"

At the emphasis from Alicia, Ace grew furious. He lunged at Alicia, causing her to stumble away from Nicholas, who was still unconscious on the floor. Alicia tried to crawl away from Ace, but he persisted. He grabbed Alicia's arm and dragged her out of the flat. Despite Alicia's efforts, she managed to free herself and stood up.

Their eyes locked, but Alicia no longer saw the Ace she once knew. She caught her breath and hastily ran to the kitchen, searching for a way to protect herself from Ace.

Ace rolled his eyes lazily and walked after Alicia casually, as if his prey wouldn't escape. Alicia found herself cornered, and as a last resort, she pulled a knife from the rack and pointed it at Ace.

"Stop right there, or I'll kill you, Ace."

The taller man tilted his head, observing Alicia's trembling grip on the knife as if she were a cold-blooded killer. With a condescending sigh, Ace said, "I've killed more than you. It's pointless. Let's resolve this properly. Come with me, live with me until the end, Alicia."

"No!"

Ace's words echoed in the air, laden with a weight that made Alicia shiver. She tightened her grip on the knife, her hand shaking with a mix of fear and defiance.

"Live with you? After what you've done?" Alicia's voice trembled, her eyes searching for an opportunity to escape. "You're insane if you think I'll—"

Before she could finish her sentence, a sudden crash reverberated throughout the apartment. Ace and Alicia turned to the source of the sound, only to find Nicholas, previously unconscious, now stirring on the floor.

Nicholas groaned and slowly lifted himself, his eyes taking in the tense scene before him. His gaze fixed on Alicia, who trembled holding the knife, and Ace, standing nonchalantly nearby.

"What's happening here?" Nicholas demanded, trying to make sense of this chaotic situation. He stood up and surveyed everyone in the room. "Stay away from her, Ace!"

Alicia's heart raced. This might be her only chance. With a swift motion, she darted past Ace towards Nicholas. "Nick, we need to get out of here. Now!"

But Nicholas stood firm. He pulled Alicia behind him and stared at Ace with a challenging expression. "Stop following, Alicia! You should go back inside the prison."

"Is that your idea? You want me back in prison so you can sleep with my girl, hm?"

"She's not your girl anymore! She belongs to me now, and I won't let you harm her an inch!"

Ace's laughter echoed in the room. He looked at Nicholas with disdain and a demeaning gaze. "I'm sick of this. Let's settle it here, Nic," he said, then grabbed a knife from the rack, pointing it forward. "I'll take Alicia with me, so step back."

The tension in the room was suffocating, palpable as the three of them stood in deadlock, each with their own motives and fears.

Alicia's mind raced as she gripped Nicholas's arm, feeling the weight of the situation pressing down on her. "Nick, we have to go," she urged, her voice filled with desperation. "We can't stay here."

Nicholas embraced her, his protective instinct kicking in. "I won't let you take her, Ace. She's not your property."

Ace's grin felt icy. "You both don't understand what this means." With a swift move, he lunged towards Nicholas, aiming to incapacitate him, but Nicholas reacted quickly, avoiding the attack.

As the struggle ensued, Alicia scanned the room, her mind recalling the cell phone in her pocket. With a surge of hope, she lunged towards the phone, her fingers fumbling as she dialed Noel. "We need help! Please, Ace is here! There was a fight-" His plea was cut off as Ace snatched the phone away, ending the call.

Nicholas and Ace were locked in a fierce struggle, each refusing to budge. "It's over now, Ace," Nicholas groaned between his clenched teeth. "You have no idea what you're up against," Ace retorted, a wild glint in his eye. "Alicia is mine, and I'm going to make sure she stays."

"I'll kill you if you keep insisting like that! With that kind of stubbornness, you still won't win."

Ace laughed again, he was amused by Nicholas' superhero-like attitude in front of his girl. And Ace spat there, finding Nicholas' actions very disgusting. "You're just the third person in our relationship, Nic. You're just an outlet when I'm not around. But see? I'm free, and now... I'm taking Alicia with me!"

Nicholas was angry and pulled a gun from his pocket, but Ace quickly kicked it away. He sent it flying away and it fell in a circle on the floor. Ace shoved Nicholas and they got into a fistfight on the floor.

Nicholas writhed under Ace's unrelenting assault, struggling to deflect the blows that rained down on him. He caught a glimpse of Alicia, wide-eyed and terrified, his heart racing with fear for both of them. Determined, Nicholas rolled over, breaking free from Ace's grip, his breath coming in gasps as he staggered to his feet.

"You're not taking him anywhere," Nicholas gasped, his voice sounding like a mixture of defiance and desperation.

Ace smirked, his eyes flashing with hatred. "You're so blind, Nicky. She's always been mine. You're just a pawn in this game."

Alicia, her hands shaking, looked around for a way out. She locked eyes with Nicholas, silently urging him to find a way out. But with Ace blocking the door and other potential exits, their options were dwindling.Nicholas' mind was spinning, searching for a strategy. He lunged at Ace, aiming for a hold, but Ace dodged with almost unfathomable agility. As they grappled, Nicholas saw a flash of metal - a shard of glass from a broken vase.

With a quick movement, Nicholas grabbed the shard, holding it defensively. "Back off!" he warned, his voice resonating with newfound determination.

Ace chuckled. "You're not going to use that. You're incapable." He took one step forward, a menacing glint in his eyes.

"Let's see!"