Chapter 20: Chapter 20

Father.

One person furthest away from Jazzlin.

Their relationship was never on a good line. Since the divorce, her father still frequently visited Jazzlin. However, she refused to meet him.

Jazzlin hated his father. Hate was a strong word for her, she never messed with the word if she didn't really dislike someone. So when she expressed hatred for her father. You know that she didn't lie, let alone play around when she said it.

Based on what was sliding in my head, Jazzlin's father was rumored to be having an affair. It was likely that he was now married to another woman and had a new family.

The relationship between father and daughter was fine at first. Her father loved her so much and always treated his daughter like a little princess.

However, his relationship with Rose Ozza was stretched out for some reason. Every day, Jazzlin had to hear the great quarrels between her father and mother. Her heart was broken to pieces with the greatest fear had been crossing her mind.

Every night the little girl cried in the darkness of her room. She cried like there was no tomorrow.

She was just a kid, hearing her friends said that her father was having an affair ... she was consumed by the rumors.

Jazzlin was no longer the same. Day by day, her annoyance with her father turned to hatred.

Barra was by her side all the time but she continued to drive away those closest to her from herself. Her mindset was that the people she cared the most would go away sooner or later. Leaving her alone...

Her parents divorce was inevitable.

Entering high school she began experimenting with what they said naughty teenagers did. Smoking, trying to enter a club or bar and so on.

However, Barra was always there to accompany her even though she had thrown him out many times.

She had known for being stubborn, but who knows this stubborn girl had a golden heart. Jazzlin would be at the forefront when helping others. She had known that many of her friends were fake to her, but she didn't pay attention to them but always there to help them when they needed her help.

"I know the relationship between you and your father ..." I closed his mouth just to make his eyes widened in surprise.

"I'll come with you." My eyes met his eyes that were full of questions. I was sure he didn't believe what I just said, "I want to see my father." I went into more detail.

It looked like he still wanted to ask more, but he let it be. Taking my hand out of his mouth, he grasped them and held them to his chest.

"If you feel uncomfortable, you can tell me and we won't go to see him."

"No need to. I'm fine and I want to." I shrugged simply.

I was looking forward to meeting Jeremy Ozza. Last time Jazzlin's memory of this man was just his eyes staring at her sadly.

There was a memory between them that I could vaguely remember but it was not entirely. I was hoping by going there to see him, I would get more information.

Regarding the agreement letter between Sumedh Ainsley and Jeremy Ozza came back into my memory. I knew they were best friends since they were in college, maybe I could find the memory fragments about the letter when I got there.

"Hey love birds, don't forget we're still here." Mr. Sumedh laughed softly followed by the guards who smiled seeing our hands were clasped together.

Woah right! I pulled my hand back, which made Barra laugh too.

"Let's go there." Mr. Sumedh reminded us.

We walked back to the car and found all the guards injured. They were lying on the road, so that those who were sitting, fell down. Blood never stopped running down their heads to their faces. It was not a gunshot wound but rather a blow wound.

"Bastard!" Barra ran when he saw Jake who was already holding his stomach. He was badly injured, blood flowed from his stomach for a moment I realized a knife had been stuck between his hand.

I was following Barra until I realized I didn't see Alia's presence.

"Alia!" I ran over to the others then shouted, "Where's Alia?!" I pulled their T-shirt one by one, not caring anymore about their helpless condition. "I fucking asked you! Where's Alia?!"

I was reading the way they looked at me then it hit me, they couldn't protect Alia.

I hit one of them in the chest until Barra's scream was now heard getting closer, "Jazzlin stop! They're badly injured!" Barra's hands tried to get me away from that man. I didn't just give up, I groaned, "You all suck! You can't protect Alia as much as you can! Alia could be in danger right now."

The fear of losing the people we care about was the most terrible fear in my opinion. I was willing to lose my life for them but, I was not willing if I lose them.

If the kidnapper was Haytham I could still be calm, but I knew that the Ainsley family was not an ordinary family. It was possible that their other enemies kidnapped Alia.

Bad thoughts were filling my head. I wonder if Alia was getting hurt.

"Let me go!" My words sounded harsh and terrible until Barra released his grip from me. "You don't know what it's like to be afraid of losing someone! All you know is to set me up for this or for that without telling me all the reasons!" My anger was completely out of control.

"I'm sick of all this! You never think about my feelings, at least ask how I feel rather than asking if I'm okay!" I screamed until my voice almost disappeared. "Because no, I'm never okay."

For the first time, not a single word came out of his mouth. He stood there with his eyes piercing mine.

"Kids, we better go now." Mr. Sumedh approached us. Barra's other men had helped the injured guards and Jake as well.

They were immediately brought in for treatment.

"It would be better if you two come with me." Mr. Sumedh said then standing between the remaining distance of the two of us. "I'm sure you can take your minds off this all." He tried to extinguish the fire that had burned me.

I sighed, broke our eye contact.

My heart cursed him. Stupid Barra! He didn't saying anything, not a word. At least he could say sorry or whatever. I didn't care if he yelled back! I just hated his silence.

I followed Mr. Sumedh who now directed me to get in the car. I snorted and leaned my head against the back seat.

I could only pray that Alia was all right. My eyes went out looking for him. Barra was busy talking to one of his men. I didn't know what they were talking about. Not a single damn.

From my sight, I could tell that Barra was angry. From his cold expression while speaking and his eyes flashed a warning.

"That kid isn't great at expressing his feelings, but believe me what you've told him will be an order for him." My eyes turned to Mr. Sumedh who was sitting next to me. His eyes were closed, drawing in the air as pleasantly as possible.

Slowly those tired eyes opened, "He never intended to hurt you, when all he wants to do just to protect you and makes you happy. I know, he puts you above everything. He even gives his full trust in you."

He glanced at me, "Keep one's ears open, don't ever lie to him or hide something from him. Sooner or later he will find out ..." His gaze jerked away from me. "And when he finds out, it won't be easy to get his trust back."

I tried with all my might to control the dread inside that made me tremble. He was totally right.

Every time Barra gave me a smile, there would always be a burden on this heart.

He didn't know the real me,

He didn't know who I was,

He didn't know how I truly looked like,

He didn't know I was ever exist.

All he knew was Jazzlin, his best friend.

I was not the woman he thought he wants to spend time with.

"It's a short distance from here to your father's penthouse." He informed me again before his eyes fixed on my side.

I nodded in response.

Barra opened the car door and sat right in front of my seat. He was silent with his head leaning against the back seat and his hands rest on his lap.

I played my fingers, restlessly. The car started to moving away from the first place. The sight to the next views continued to alternate past my gaze. My reflection in the glass was clearly to be seen before finally I glanced at the windshield.

I clearly saw Barra's face who was also staring at them. His lazy eyes showed expressionlessness. He stared, but his soul wasn't there. It seemed to be out from his body.