Chapter 18: Chapter 18

The sunlight seemed to blind my eyes, making me pulled the pillow over my face.

Wait a minute ... I threw the pillow away and sat down. Since when had I returned to my room? Oh yeah, I fell asleep last night.

I groaned, "Seems like she's awake." A man's voice made me turn to the right.

Barra held the hand of a little girl, Alia.

"Alia." I shouted excitedly. Jumping off the bed and running as fast as lightning just to hug the girl in front of me. "Have you been awake since earlier?" I asked between my face brushed her hair.

"I even had breakfast." Alia whispered.

"Your hair smells like strawberries." I commented when I let go of my hug.

"Do you like it?" The girl's face lit up. She looked so cute with red hairpin pinning her bangs.

"Uh-huh, you're so beautiful." I pinched her cheek lightly, making her grin cheerfully.

"Barra bought it for me." She told me about her new hairpin while swinging their grips. I couldn't help but looked up to meet those mesmerizing eyes that were already staring at me.

"Have you thanked him?" My eyes turned back to Alia's pure eyes.

She nodded, "He even invited us to go out today."

Alia was pleased, I could explain it through the aura she gave off that morning. She couldn't wait to take a walk together.

I stood up, saying, "Then I'll take a shower and get ready first. You guys wait downstairs."

Alia shouted happily before leading Barra out of my room.

Barra was like his father... A good man who was loving and caring for children. His affection looked sincere without coercion. The way he was treating Alia fascinated me the most.

Fifteen minutes later when I finished showering and getting ready, I left the room. Looking down, I saw Barra and Alia were talking together.

"Tell me more about Janielle." Suddenly my steps stopped hearing Barra mentioned my real name. My heart pumped faster than usual as I bit my lower lip, felt the restless shaking my whole body.

"She didn't like reading but Haytham always insisted on her." Several chuckles shot out of Alia's pink lips.

"Of the many stories you have told me about her, you never told me where she is now." If only Barra knew the truth, the painful question would not be able to escape from his mouth.

Oh no, tears were ready to fall free from my eyes. Alia's voice never heard, making me peek once again.

The girl looked down, her hands on her lap as she occasionally played them simultaneously.

"About that ..." Alia tried to endure the pain in her chest with a small smile that tugged on her red cheeks.

Barra's brow rose.

"She was dead because of me."

Barra's face was tense seeing Alia who was now starting to cry. He seemed confused about what to do other than to hug the little girl.

"Hey, don't blame yourself for someone else's death. It was her destiny, not your fault."

My tears also fell. My legs slipped, making me sat on the sidelines of the stairs. The sound of Alia's crying now bursted throughout the silent room.

"But it is because of me!" Alia insisted, "If only I listened to what Haytham has said! She wouldn't be gone forever."

Barra rubbed the girl's head, "Hey, this is her way of life. You can't keep blaming yourself for what happened. Life is not always what we want. But, believe me behind what happened, there must be something you never thought."

You were right Barra ... there was something we never thought. For example, I was reborn as your best friend. I thought at the end of this story you really need your advice for yourself.

That day would definitely come, it was just that I couldn't bear the pain of imagining you being broken.

And it would be even more painful when I was the cause of it and I couldn't do anything to treat your pain later.

"Janielle doesn't want you to blame yourself continuously. Make her happy there by stopping doing things that can make you sad." He was right. I was happy when Alia was happy. I had the urge to tell Alia the truth when I saw her crying, but believe me no one would believe me. They would think it was all a lie.

"Thank you." She spoke between her tears. Slowly raising her head, she said, "Jazzlin and Janielle are not that different."

Barra looked down with his eyes glittering, "Tell me what side of them they have in common?"

Alia thought for a moment, "The way they called me, protected me from bad man--"

"Woah, hold on. Bad man?" His handsome face frowned in curiousity.

"You don't know that we were hurt by Mr. Salvatore's man?" Obviously Barra didn't know about this. He clenched his jaw a minute after her explanation.

"After playing that afternoon, someone forcibly kidnapped me. Until I opened my eyes and found myself already at a party. I was trying to find out where I was, suddenly two men chased me. Panicking, I ran. They kept following me until one of them disappeared the remaining one was still after me."

She rubbed her nose then continued, "I kept running but he got faster and caught me. He forced me to a room but, there was a woman who was peeking right in front of the door of the room. At first I thought that woman was the one who paid for that crazy man to chase me. But I was wrong. " She explained honestly without realizing the man next to her was already tense. Anger seemed to be taking over Barra.

"According to what I heard from my friends at school that the daughter of the Ozza family is so beautiful like princesses in Disney movies." She chuckled, "When I grow up I want to be as beautiful as her too."

"She is." Barra forced a smile on his face. "Then? She protected you?" He asked with great care.

"Yes, but the bad guy was stronger than us so we flew, boom." She showed a frightened face to the man who was now sitting firmly beside her.

Continuing on, "Luckily in that room there was our hero ... Haytham."

I bit my lip at the mention of his name.

"He will always be my hero." Alia got up from her seat when she saw me coming down the stairs.

Barra was standing up when he found me walking towards them.

"Hi guys, what are you talking about?" I asked as if I had no idea what they were talking about.

"I was just-" Barra interrupted, "Nothing. Let's go." His mood was not okay for sure.

"Come on." I held Alia's hand. Five years ago, I even held this little hand, leading the way when we were about to spending a nice time together at the park.

Pleasure was running through my heart. I couldn't explain how I felt that I could finally hold her hand again, looking at her eyes closely, and be able to play with her again.

Barra walked to his sport car and opened the door for us. This man never ran out of ideas to make my cheeks red like tomatoes.

"Please get in, princesses." He smiled, even so I knew there was something he was hiding behind his smile. Something was bothering him since hearing the story from Alia.

I sat in front while Alia was behind. My eyes constantly stared intently at his hazel eyes, he seemed to refuse direct gaze from me. His beautiful eyes did not even look at me. Every now and then he scratched his back neck, I knew something was bothering him.

"Hey." I patted his lap, "Is something bothering you?"

His eyes twitched before finally catching my gaze. "You didn't tell me what Mr. Salvatore's man did. No wonder you really wanted to protect Alia that night." His voice was filled with bitterness.

"I don't want to worry you." I gave him an apologetic smile.

"I should've known about this." He annoyed knowing something this late.

"I'm sorry." He shook his head, holding the steering wheel so tight. "Do you mad with me?"

He took a sharp breath, "You don't understand, Jazzlin." He said while turning on the car engine.

Jazzlin? Not a principessa anymore?

"You should have told me!" He hissed. "Mr. Salvatore must know he's dealing with the wrong person."

As long as I knew Mr. Salvatore had been loyal to the Ainsleys. If Barra was going to declare war against him ...

"You know, he defended you so much that he was willing to give his life."

Barra chuckled darkly, "Is there a fool who would give up his life without reciprocity?"

He got his point.

It meant that behind the relationship between the two families there was something mutually beneficial.

I forgot that Alia was here, "Alia?" I turned around, she was sitting there, not understanding what we were talking about.

"Yeah?" Her face tensed, "Are you guys all right?"

I grinned dryly, "Yeah. Are you ready for adventure?"

"Of course!" She replied.

I looked forward and found Barra accelerating the speed of his car. "You guys put on your seat belts, and hold on."

The atmosphere tightened, "What's wrong?"

"Two cars chasing us from behind." He answered as soon as possible.

"What?" I gasped before following his order. "Alia, come on." I immediately helped her.