The Last Laugh novel Chapter 32

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Heather's POV:

The days slowly went by and Ace and I greeted each other often. He was nice but I still kept a little distance. He was quite courageous and would approach me when I didn't approach him. I could say we were sort of friends? I didn't really know yet. Maybe just colleagues.

"You're kinda funny." I giggled after he'd had told me a little joke. We were drinking our espressos close to the machine down the hallway of our floor.

"Kinda funny? That's it?" he asked playfully.

It was the Thursday of that same week.

"Okay, okay. You're funny." I looked at him and when he stared back, I felt my cheeks go red and I looked away. But he didn't look away. He was still staring at me.

"Always so shy, miss Heather." he said slowly, taking a sip of his espresso.

I smiled shyly but still didn't look at him.

"Have always been." I said.

"Do people often complain about it?" he asked. I finally looked at him.

"Yeah. But I can't help it."

"Even your boyfriend?" he asked. I stared at him.

"How do you know I have a boyfriend?"

"I work here now. Of course I know."

True. I drank from my mug.

"He does complain at times." I admitted.

Ace was silent for some time, just staring at me.

"What? You want my picture?" I teased him. I was shy but a little sassy at times. My question surprise him.

"Oh, not so shy after all." he stated and I laughed.

"I find shy girls very attractive." he added with a smirk.

I felt goosebumps take over my skin. I was more than nervous but I tried to play tough and not show it. People shouldn't take my shyness for weakness.

"Good for you." I teased again with a smile too. He smiled back.

We continued sipping the hot drinks and that was when Sawyer passed by.

"Hey Heather, hey Ace."

"Hey." we both replied. She then turned to me.

"Mom said we should leave work by five PM to go and prepare some food. Visitors might be coming tonight."

I rolled my eyes.

"Okay, okay. I've heard ya."

She walked away and I dropped my mug.

"Now that I have to leave the office earlier, let me go finish my work." I told Ace.

He looked at me.

"You're twenty two, beautiful and independent. Why are you still living with your mother?"

"Oh, I'm packing this Friday into my own apartment."

"Oh, nice."

"Yup. I can't stay in a house that does not belong to us and pretend it's ours."

Ace frowned a little.

"What do you mean not yours?"

I shook my head.

"Forget what I just said. Bye." I walked away.

Ace's POV:

Heather was clearly not comfortable staying in my father's house. She had the conscience that it wasn't right. She did not want to profit from what wasn't hers. Her clothes, money, and expensive things she had, she'd bought with her own money from her pay as a top model. She didn't want to have anything to do with what was not hers.

The fact that she was packing into her own apartment, pleased me. She would be free from her mother and Sawyer. Good. That kept her out of the way. I still had to win Sawyer's and Christina's trusts.

I finished my drink and made my way back to my office. On the way, I met with Sawyer.

"Hey, handsome." she stopped in front of me.

"Hey, beautiful." I smirked and pocketed my hands.

"What were you and my sister talking about? She seemed to be laughing with you."

I raised a brow.

"Why? Jealous?" I teased. She smiled and stepped closer to me.

"Ace, she's no competition for me."

her answer almost gave me a heart attack. Was she serious? Did she see herself? Did she compare with Heather? Not like she was ugly, she was very beautiful, but compared to Heather?

"Wow. You seem so confident." I replied.

"I am. Anyway, since you don't want to answer me, tell me something."

"Yeah?"

"Is she your type?"

Totally!

"No." I lied to reassure Sawyer.

She gave me a satisfied smile.

"Great."

"Why ask? I thought she wasn't a competition."

"She isn't. The thing is," she put a hand on my chest and stared up into my eyes, "...I like keeping really good stuff for myself."

Hum!

"Oh." my brows shot up, "So, I'm good stuff?"

She bit her lower lip and looked at me from head to toe.

"Yup."

"But you can't keep me if you don't even have me yet." I teased.

She giggled.

"It's just a matter of time." she stepped back and folded her arms in confidence.

"I'd like to see that." I smirked at her. She smiled.

"I've chosen a day for you to invite me over to your place. And I won't take any of your excuses this time."

"What day?"

"Saturday night."

"Deal." I replied casually. She smiled at my answer.

"Hm, hope that dinner's gonna be good. I eat a lot of different things." she eyed me.

Dirty minded witch.

"It will be."  the only thing she'd be eating would be rice!

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Heather's POV:

That night after Sawyer and I had cooked, I went upstairs to my room. I took out all my boxes and bags and began packing my stuff.

Some minutes later, Sawyer came in. She looked at me, confused

"Why are you packing?"

"Just needed to arrange and put my things in order."

She folded her arms.

"Why don't you just leave them in your closet?"

I stopped what I was doing and looked at her.

"And can I know what your business is?"

"All you do, is my business. It's not wrong if a little sister cares."

I rolled my eyes.

"You don't care, Sawyer. You've never cared. I've always been the caring one. Even when you stab me in the back, I forgive. I've told you, one day it'll all change. I won't be this lenient and at least you won't take me for granted."

She smiled, not at all caring about what I'd just said.

"Stop with the shish talk, sis."

I shook my head in disbelief.

"Get out." I said firmly, staring at her.

"Excuse me?"

"I said get out." I picked a stick by me, "Get the hell out now." I stood up. She stepped back.

"Fine." she left.

Sawyer knew me. At times she would disrespect me and even insult me. I would do nothing and even sob at times. But when I got angry, she knew better than to try me. I'd just gotten angry and had picked up a stick. I was slow to anger but when I got angry, not even she could stop me. She couldn't dare.

I remembered in my last highschool year, when she was a class below me, she'd humiliated me and insulted me in front of my class. I'd left it. And a lot of people didn't understand why I was so tolerating.

The next time she tried to humiliate me in front of the school. I was so angry and so in a bad mood that I ended up beating her to a pulp. I was quiet, she wasn't. I was strong she wasn't. That made the difference. From that day she knew better than to try me when I was angry.

I sighed and continued to pack.