Matthews exhaled sharply, her patience wearing thin. "I don't have time for this." Without another word, she ended the call without giving Elinor's father the chance to finish.
Elinor's father froze, staring at Delores's cursed phone in disbelief. Unable to believe the audacity of Matthews to hang up on him when she was clearly in the wrong.
"That bitch—did she just hang up on me?" His face twisted in sheer rage, but Delores could see right through him. He wasn't just angry—he was embarrassed. And instead of dealing with it, he turned on his heel and shot off toward the city, disappearing in a blur.
Ace watched him go before stretching his arms with a lazy yawn and uttering, "Welp, that's enough drama for tonight. Let's go home."
He didn't bother commenting on Elinor's father or the mess they'd just witnessed—he was too damn tired to care.
However, Delores was far from done, but she eyed the direction Elinor's father left and was not totally sure that he had truly left; she could only postpone interrogating Ace for later. Then, giving Ace a sharp glance, she took him in her embrace and set course to his home at a neck-breaking speed.
"What the hell? Delores, stop!" Ace shouted as they were about to fly over the Lansky Manor, his eyes widening at the sight of people in dark suits moving furniture inside.
As Delores hovered, Evil Eyes flew over. Nodding at the Delores, he asked, "Took you guys long enough. What kept you?"
Ace barely spared him a glance before snapping, "What the hell are you guys doing to my house?" His mind jumped to the worst possible scenario. "Was it Mandy? Is she behind this?"
Not waiting for an answer, Ace wrenched himself free from Delores's grasp and leapt off her board, landing in a low crouch before sprinting toward the house. His thoughts raced as frustration bubbled over, 'I basically begged her to wait. Why does she keep pulling this kind of stunt?'
He could barely contain his anger. Mandy had actually gone behind his back and pushed forward with her ridiculous plan to turn Lansky Manor into a bed and breakfast.
Evil Eyes hurried after him, explaining, "Ace, hold up! I don't know what you think is happening, but Janice rented the house from your parents—she's moving in."
Ace came to a sudden halt. His stomach dropped.
"What the fuck? That's worse!" His voice rose in shock, his mind reeling. Janice? Moving in?
He whirled back toward the house, thinking out aloud, "Why the hell would she do that? What could possibly make her think this was a good idea?"
Evil Eyes sighed, stepping in front of him, trying to calm him down, "Ace, calm down. Your family is inside. Whatever it is bothering you, we can talk about it later."
His voice was firm but cautious—he knew Ace's temper, and the last thing they needed was for him to lose it and accidentally expose the 'World of Curses' to his family.
Ace halted abruptly, exhaling sharply as he tried to rein in his emotions. He was pissed—at Janice, at his family, at this entire situation. But he also knew that, legally, the house belonged to his parents until he turned twenty-one. It was their decision what to do with it.
As for Janice… she better have a damn good reason for this. Because if she knowingly put his family in danger, they were through—permanently.
With the Sole Princess's countrymen and the Monarch's people hunting her for the Sole Ring, Janice was a walking disaster zone. Anywhere she stayed could turn into a battlefield at any second. And now, she had moved into his family estate? Right next door to his parents? This was the worst possible scenario.
Ace would rather let his mother and aunt turn the house into a damn bed and breakfast than have Janice move into it and put his family at risk.
"Bring her outside. I need to talk to her—" Ace started, but the words caught in his throat when a loud, too-familiar voice pierced the air.
His entire body tensed listening to that voice. It was Sonia. His mortal enemy. In his heart, he knew that if he didn't find a way to kill her, she was going to be the death of him.
'What the fuck is she doing here?!' he screamed internally, resisting the urge to shout "Damn you, Janice McSuile!" at the top of his lungs.
Then, as if to make things worse, Danny's voice rang out, confirming his nightmare, "Ace? It's really Ace!"
His blood ran cold. Meanwhile, Sonia smirked triumphantly as she stepped down the front steps, sauntering toward him.
"You have a beautiful fami—" Before Sonia could finish her sentence, Ace grabbed her by the neck, his grip tightening as he growled, "If you so much as think about hurting them, I will personally hunt down every person you've ever cared about."
Sonia smirked, "Now you know—ugh!" Seeing she wasn't taking him seriously Ace's grip tightened further with his jaw clenched. Sonia gagged, struggling against his hold. But just then, catching a glimpse of his parents stepping into the doorway from the corner of his eye, he released her.
Sonia staggered back, coughing dramatically—milking the moment for all it was worth.
"Sonia, honey, are you okay?" Mary rushed to her side in concern, gently rubbing her back trying to easy her.
"Thank you, Mrs. Lander, I am fine now," Sonia said sweetly, then threw Ace a subtle, playful wink, but to Ace, it looked like a silent warning. She was showing him, loud and clear, just how easily she could take the most important thing in his life away.
Ace forced himself to ignore her, knowing this wasn't the time or place for him to deal with her. His mother's voice snapped his attention back, "Young man, you are in so much trouble. But first—what are you doing here this late at night?"