All the memories regarding the Ozza family flashed through my mind.
Jazzlin's parents had divorced since she was ten years old. Jazzlin was also Barra's best friend since they were babies. However, a few years after entering college their relationship didn't improve. Barra must continued his studies outside the city, giving a gap between their relationship.
After the divorce, Jazzlin only lived alone with her mother in this mansion. Her mother was always busy with work, making Jazzlin felt lonely.
I concluded that was the main reason Jazzlin had attempted suicide. I didn't know the real reasons because there wasn't the slightest memory of her suicidal intent.
I was trying to blend in with my surrounding. Trying to be nice to all the maids who had been so friendly since I woke up.
Only one thing that always made me nervous, the presence of Barra. That man really killed me with his heavenly smile. My heart was beating messily, whenever he was around.
Tonight, my mother held a dinner as a form of gratitude that I was still given the chance to live. Sometimes I thought I didn't deserve it when I wasn't even the real Jazzlin.
I was sitting in the living room while eating my favorite cookies. My mother was confused because she said that I usually on diet and never ever touched foods that contain glutten.
Wow, Jazzlin's on her diet? It would be a shame if foods this delicious and expensive weren't consumed. Well, I'm not the type to waste food. Clarissa had always taught me to appreciate what we got.
All the maids were busy preparing preparations for dinner. Decoration had enveloped the main room. It was bedecked in sophisticated blue-pink pastel interior.
The floral decoration literally stole my heart, it looked so ravishingly. Nicely decorated.
I let out an embarassing scream when I felt an arms wrapping around my waist, lifting me into the air, "Put me down!" I glared when I saw it was Barra.
"Put me down, you mother of pearl!" He chuckled as he spinned me a few more times before setting me on my feet.
"Wow, you're so heavy." He literally told me I was fat without actually telling me!
"I hate you." I glared at him, making him bursted out of laughter.
"I know." He smirked.
I ignored him as I was about to take my cookies. Wait a minute...
"Are you looking for this one?" He asked while chewing the one in his mouth.
"Give it back." I growled.
My bad idea came up when I saw him off the guard.
I was about to jump at him. One...Two... I jumped before my count was over.
He was suddenly shocked, clearly he didn't see it coming. My cookies package bounced from his grasp. His arms spontaneously caught me right on my waist. My hands was clinging tightly around his neck. Our eyes locked together.
His eyes widened in surprise and studied my gaze like a riddle. I blinked as my eyes adjusted from his exquisite eyes.
He cleared his throat, "Don't you think it's a bit early to flirt with me, principessa?" As if awoken from his intoxicating gaze, I stared brazenly into his eyes.
What did he say? Flirt? "You're so full of yourself." I glared, "Now let go of me."
"Are you sure?" His eyebrows raised, "If I let go, you'll fall and might hurt your nice ass."
I was getting more furious until he put me down carefully. I sent him my dead glare once more, before leaving him.
Later that night...
I was muttering my favorite song 'Pretty Boy by M2M' as I got dressed up for dinner. I let my long hair down and put a little bit of makeup.
Powder? Got it!
Lip Gloss? On point!
I observed my appearance through the mirror. Jazzlin's beauty was no joke. She surely looked so stunning and mesmerizing.
"Knock knock, can I come in?" She asked as she was opening the door, peeked, then entered.
"You just did it anyway, mom." I grinned.
"Dang! Look at you girl." As the word left her mouth, she immediately covered it with her right hand, "Oopsie, I got carried away. Suddenly I felt nostalgic to my youngself." Her eyes looked far away, remembering the events in the past.
"Tell me what you looked like?" I was getting excited.
"Just like you." She poked my nose, "Young and free." She grinned, "I'll tell you later, but now everyone's waiting for us. Come on." She pulled my hand out of the room.
A maids were passing by, busy doing their own work. My jaw dropped as I saw downstairs was filled with everyone, they were wearing formal suits.
My anxiety increased at once.
"Mom, I need to use the restroom."
She looked at me in disbelief, before finally let me, "Don't be too long." I nodded mutely, taking the opportunity to escape.
My body trembled as my fingers getting cold. I looked down with my mouth babbling nonsense things. My sweat began to flow because of the anxious that continued to be stuck in my mind.
A soothing and quieting touch was gently laid upon my shoulders, I gasped and looked up.
Barra was in front of me, spreading his devilish smile, "You should be more careful where you step on, principessa." His voice was smoky and thick.
I was in awe-struck. His manly scent spreaded to my breathing senses, his hair was neatly combed in one direction, looking so dashing in his tuxedo. I got a fever of enthusiasm whenever I was near him.
"Are you okay?" He gave me his warm gaze of curiousity.
I let tenderness breathed from me, "I'm good."
He sighed deeply, suddenly a thought shook him, "Didn't think so." His eyes were full of wondering interest.
Our conversation was interrupted when a maid came, "Sorry to interrupt your time, but madame asked you two to join the others."
He smiled politely, "Tell her we're coming." He turned his gaze back to me, "Are you sure you're okay?" He stared dissolve waiting for my response.
"I am." My voice trailed off vaguely. His gaze was searching my face, realizing I was hiding something. My mood yielded, "I'm just not a fan of crowds."
"If you say so." I guess his curiosity was quenched when his hand was reaching mine, "We're on the same path then." I was getting hugely nervous, looking at our hands clasped together. It felt like home.
"Wait, where are we going?" My troubled spirit took over myself, "Are we going to run away?"
"What do you think?" He smirked as he was leading the way.
My soul was screaming triumphantly, but my mother's face appeared in my mind, "Wait, my mom made this dinner for me. Then what's the use of me being absent?" He kept walking, leading my hand, "Barra? Do you hear me or not?"
"Shoot! What's the point of this dinner when you're not comfortable and not enjoying it?" My thoughts galloped at his words.
"I don't care about myself, but mom! She prepared this all for me, how can I—" His lips parted in a good-humored smile. My speech faltered, "Why are you smiling?"
"You keep on babbling like a stray puppy." His eyes danced with admiration.
My mind was dazed. Did he just call me a puppy? "So now I'm a puppy? Then what are you? Lamb?" I snickered.
He chortled, "Lamb sounds good to me, but I prefer a lion." The nerve of him!
"You're such a dreamboat but annoying as hell!" I exclaimed.
"So you find me attractive?" He said with a cocky grin.
Shit, I got it wrong, "I take my word back."
"The 'annoying' part?" He teased me.
He absolutely had an easy way to piss me off, "Let me correct it, annoying as hell becoming hot as hell." He smiled, smugly.
"Sorry, madame called you once again to join immediately." It was the second time the maid came back.
He was noticing a bitterness crept into my face, suddenly asked, "Could you please tell madame that young lady can't come? And, she's with me."
The maid nodded, "And, please tell my driver to bring my car to the back door." The maid nodded again then left.
"Come on, principessa." He took my hand.
I had given up, just followed him instead of being a dead fish in a crowd. We exited through the back door just as the black SUV pulled over. He took the steering wheel when the driver got out, "Thank you." He muttered. "C'mon, get in." He reminded me when I hadn't get in yet.
I hop in, "Ready to go?" He smirked. I clicked my seatbelt as I nodded.
He was getting ready to drive without wearing a seat belt, Oh my Goodness! I wasn't looking to die at least until now, "Wear your seatbelt, silly." I said in irritation.
He rolled his eyes but he did it. "Yes, your highness."
I turned on the radio just as Usher's song, DJ Got Us Fallin' In Love, blast.
"Great song." He commented when I was just humming. It was the first time I heard that song. You know, I just rose from the dead a few days ago, "So what are we going to eat?"
I shrugged, "How's about KFC? I've been craving fried chicken like crazy."
"Cool." He replied simply. I was enjoying the night view through the glass. Quite a lot had changed over the past five years. Of course! Now 2010 not 2005 anymore dummy! I grumbled to myself.
I felt the car moving slower in the middle of the road, immediately looked at him and asked, "Is this just my feeling or is this car going really slow?"
I heard he was cursing beneath his breath, "I guess the car broke down."
"Woah, can you just stop messing with me?" I panicked.
After some distance the car started to literally slow down before finally coming to a complete stop. We were in the middle of nowhere with a dark night, "See? I'm not messing with you."
"Then do something about it!" I couldn't possibly get out of the car. I didn't even know where we were. Bloody hell! I had died five years ago and things had been changing in the past few years.
"Wait here, let me check." He was opening the door then stepped out.
I didn't know whether I could calm down or not as I kept watching him through the windshield.
He looked so leniency. Could he really fix it? His forehead frowned and his mouth twisted. It was obvious he couldn't fix it.
I was breathing hard when he came back again.
His eyes flashed something, "I can't fix it." He paused, "I feel like it's getting worse when I tried to fix it my way." He shrugged, innocently.
Fear overtook my face, "You gotta be kidding me."
"I wish I am." He sat back, looking at me, "And I'm not bringing my phone."
"Isn't a phone important for a businessman like you? Jeez, how can you leave your phone?" I said, biting my nail afraid of the dark night.
He rested his hands on his lap, "I have no idea we're gonna hang out. So I didn't bring my phone with me."
I sighed, "Do you know where we are?" He nodded. "Do you want to walk?"
"What if a bear chases us?" He asked in a deadpan voice, making me rolled my eyes.
At first, we decided to take a cab, sadly not a single cab had passed. There was no other choice but to walk.
We got out of the car, "Let's just go home." I said in a slightly disappointed tone that I wouldn't get my fried chicken.
"Umm— principessa?" I ignored him and kept walking as he was just following me from behind.
I didn't know how long we had been walking, "Principessa?"
I grumbled, "What the heck?" When I was about to turning around, a building was standing firmly beside me. I stunned, "Why didn't I realize that we had already passed the place?"
He chuckled, "Let's go inside." I tee-heed and swatted his shoulder in embarassment for disappointed of nothing.
He had been sitting there with a look that didn't recognize me at all. His eyes gleamed as the corner of his mouth quirked up.
The sun rays was piercing my eyes, made me cover them with my pillow. I grumbled still in a sleepy position."Wake up, dear." Ah, it was my mother's voice, "It's morning, let's have
I didn't know since when I fell asleep, but the announcement from the flight attendant was enough to wake me up. Vaguely, I listened still with my eyes closed and this damn body that didn't want to move an inch.
It was the fifth time I yawned but never get out of bed. I wasn't willing to leave this soft mattress. "What time is it?" I whispered. Enjoying the insanely magnificent scenery was enough to dissolve my mind until an hour had passed.
One of my bad habits. If there was something that bothers me, it would plague on my mind.Questions always popped in my head about them. Are Barra and Niki really dating or is it ju
I wasn't sure that my second life would run smoothly without a hitch. My thoughts branched off to form a conspiracy of its own. I understood why Barra's mood suddenly changed yesterday, it wasn't because of a question about Niki. However, one question that offended the Sanders family.
After troubling of turned off all CCTV, we finally got a bright spot."I ask again, are you sure we won't be caught?" Elsa and I were descending through the back balcony door."Yeah, so sure." I whispered half shouting.After successfully descending, Elsa directed me to immediately go into the bush. Several guards passed by but didn't realize we were there. "Follow me."I never knew that under these bushes there was a secret door that could take us directly off the highway. Elsa told me that way was used in danger time. I was a little confused by what she meant because Barra wasn't one of the criminals, let alone the leader of mafia, right?"You wait here, I'll stop the cab." Elsa walked into the dark street until she managed to get the cab. "Hurry up and get in."We got in the car, "We did it." I shouted happily accompanied by Elsa who was giggling at my behavior.
The struggle was real when I had to run in high heels. My feet almost tripped, but a strong-unknown hands grabbed my waist. Tears spilled down my cheeks as his jaw tightened."I-I—" I stammered, "That guy—" I pointed behind, "He—he tried to—" I couldn't continue my words, knowing how dirty I became. My heart was thrilling and I started to crying.He wiped the tears from my face, "Shushhh, you're safe now." He said, holding me and I didn't let go his warm hug."Listen to me, wait here with my men." His deep voice filled with a sense of demanding.I shook my head, "No, don't leave me." I sobbed, looking up into his eyes, "I'm sorry."Those enticing eyes filled with anger like a burning fire. His expression so emotionless like he was ready to hunt. It was the first time I was terrified looking at him."No, please. Let me coming with you."He did
Years later...The wedding vows that had been taken, would always be the binding between us. We had built a prosperous and peaceful family together during our ten years of marriage.I am grateful to have two children, Adrian and Skylar.Adrian Ainsley, aged nine, had become an older brother who loves his younger sister, Skylar. He really became a big brother for her.His face is not the same bit as mine, but with his father. Sometimes I got annoyed by comments from people who never realized my resemblance to him.They often said that none of my children look like me. Even my lovely baby, Skylar. She's 99 percent like her father, only different genders."Look mom, I have a new word to tell you." Adrian came over to me with his favorite basketball between his right arm.I don't know where his hobbies come from, but he really likes playing basketball. Barra and I don't
He doesn't understand!He doesn't get it at all!My thoughts about marriage had changed. If I used to think of a beautiful wedding like in the world of fairy tale, now I wasn't thinking the same anymore. I became to think differently. I was terrified just thinking about marriage.Especially after clearly knowing the details of what happened in past. My own parents' marriage did not go smoothly.It was so toxic and full of cruel twists. Rose Ozza, my mother, or Yolanda may be strong in facing their ordeal, but it was different for me. I got fragile easily and now I scared so much.I was afraid that Barra would leave me for a better and worthy one. I got so fed up just thinking about other women had the edge over me.I'm a woman and of course, wanting the same thing all women wants, to get married.A sacred event that I wanted to happen once in my life and with the ri
All problems had found a bright spot. Then what now?Haytham and Alia had returned to their mansion and living their lives as before.I gave Ronald and Elsa a day off as a token of gratitude for helping me all this time, while Jake ... that guy was busy running his single life by becoming a player. He dated different women every week, I didn't even know their names.As for Jazzlin, I asked her to stay with me, in the mansion. Everything felt lonely when she was not there, around me. So, we decided to stay together from now on.I looked at her whole face. She looked innocent with her eyes closed. I pushed aside the strands of hair when it covered her face, then looked at her again.A smile appeared on my face, imagining how lucky I was to finally with her again.I put my head on the pillow, tilted my face closer to her.Her breath blew to me as her hand was right in
"Principessa?" Barra's voice assured me that I'm still alive.I was so limp as I opened my eyes. My hand had its way to my face. I shut my mouth closed while I yawned."Glad to see you wake up again." His words made me chuckle."Hmmm, you're still waiting for me? I thought Moorah already stole you from me."His face frowned when I mentioned Moorah's name, "I'm just kidding." I laughed out loud, "Besides, I know who you love. That person is me and not another woman."He gave me his best smile, "Oh yeah?" His finger poked my nose."Auch! Stop it." I tried to reach his finger. The more I couldn't get it, the more he kept teasing me. He kept poking my nose, every time I tried to stop him.He chuckled, "I win and you lose." He told me then showing me his thumbs down."I hate you." Hearing my answer, he moved closer to me. He pulled the strands of my hair
It was like dejavu. I brought her back to my mansion. It was like the old time, I sat waiting for her to wake up.The last time she was unconscious was because she attempted suicide. I didn't realize she'd woken up again, but with someone else's spirit, Janielle.Now she was unconscious again, and I gripped her soft hand with hope filled my heart.The doctor said she was just passed out, but it had been hours and she hadn't opened her beautiful eyes yet.I remembered how terrified I got when I was told that she was unconscious because she had tried to kill herself.At that time the feeling of regret got me. I wasn't there when she needed me. Then now, I was by her side and still couldn't take care of her.(Flashback to chapter one from Barra's point of view)It had been a long time since I met my old friend, Jazzlin Ozza. The news about the woman was circulating in
I had to tell my truth to Jazzlin's father, so he would forgive his daughter. He used to love her so much, but because of this ... everything had changed.Haytham insisted on joining us to Jeremy Ozza's penthouse, even though at first Barra didn't want him there. They both tried to dominate each other, but they just ended up falling in a cold war for a moment.When I was right in front of the penthouse, my palms got cold. I rubbed my itchy eyes then prepared myself once more.I was so restless and it really made me want to pee. Before the others got inside, I had already rushed in there to find a restroom.I went into one of the restrooms and immediately peed. The sound of footsteps made me stop my next action."Jazzlin, are you in there?"My lips pouted when I noticed it was Moorah.For God's sake, I don't like her so why does she keep walking around in my life ?
Now we were at The Ozza's penthouse. Her mother and her father were now sitting at the living room, ready to hear the story from Jazzlin. As for me and Haytham, we were just watching them.It was Ozza family business, so only Jazzlin could explain everything from the start. I had no right to interfere.I could clearly see Jeremy Ozza's discomfort. Naturally, because it had been a long time since he had sat across from his old family. Rose Ozza and of course her first daughter, Jazzlin Ozza.It was such a conquering sight. They got a little awkward, but still trying to get along.I leaned towards the door, I just looked at them from here while Haytham was silent with his own thoughts. I never thought I would be with him here, standing next to each other.Maybe if Janielle wasn't reborn, we would still be enemies."Looks like we have to wait for them outside." Haytham said then walked
Two months had passed, I knew it, because every day I was busy counting the days. I wanted all this suffering to stop. My only hope was for a good days to come.And from a distance I kept praying for him.Days passed, did Barra miss me like every day I was thinking about him? It so cold when there wasn't his touch. My body ached for him.Even though Haytham was always with me, I still couldn't deny that he couldn't give me the feeling and flying butterflies that Barra gave me.It was not Haytham I wanted, then why does fate keep bringing me back to him when my heart has stopped elsewhere?A few days ago, I went to sleep and had a dream, a very strange dream.In that dream I met the real Jazzlin. She told me that it was her destiny to let my life live in her body, as a retribution for what she had done.Her face was happier than when her soul was still alive. She lef
Two months passed without her as I kept myself busy again as before. I intended to move back to my father's place to calm my mind, but business affairs always preventing me from leaving.People kept saying that my attitude turned cold after her departure from my life. I didn't care what all the media said or even calling me like that.They didn't know how messed up I was even though two months had passed. All her memories left behind all deep wounds that had no cure.I was still thinking about her, but I got so much pride after my words. I got it, she wasn't my Jazzlin but, her character and the way she cared so much about me, making me believe even she was a stranger... she truly loved me.I told myself eyertime that I hate her but, I couldn't. My feet always wanted to find her and my arms always missing the warmth of her body.Every day felt the same, there was no change whatsoever. Only meetings,