"This is beautiful!" Ana exclaimed.
"Do you like the place?" Prachi asked, smiling.
"Yes aunt." Ana said and smiled.
"Aunt, is this my mom's mall? You told me you would buy one for her before you leave." Ana asked.
"Yes dear, it is for her." Prachi answered slowly.
"Thank you aunty." Ana said and hugged her. She was very happy.
"But aunt, where are you going to? You still haven't answered that question." Ana asked staring at her. Like she was looking for the answer in her eyes.
"Somewhere dear. When you are older, you will understand." Prachi said. She can't reveal the truth to her.
"I'm not a child, I can understand anything." Ana said and folded her arms angrily. She hates it totally. No one should call her a child.
"I know you are not. But when you are like fifteen or twenty years, you will understand better." Prachi explained while Ana held her jaw as if thinking of something.
"Come on, let's check everywhere before your mom gets here." Prachi said.
"Yes, I want to inspect it personally." Ana said smiling.
She jumped around as they went inside. Jelly carried the heavy box full of artistic wallpapers. Ana had painted these and she wanted them to be in her mummy's office. Now they abandoned the box for her to carry alone.
She felt bitter about it but what can she do. She struggled to the door of the mall but her weight failed her, her body coaxed and she trembled knowing she might fall anytime soon.
She tried to balance herself but even nature seem unfair as she stumbled on something and the box fell from her hand. A hand gripped her, preventing her from falling.
"Careful." A masculine voice was heard from behind.
Jelly tried to balance herself while thinking about the voice. It sounds familiar but she wasn't expecting this person soon.
"Are you okay?" He asked staring at her back side.
She widen her eyes shocked. It's him. It's him, the person she never wanted to see again for the rest of her life. She turned to see his face. At least she has to confirm it. She can't just conclude with the voice.
Standing in front of her was a young man of about twenty eight. His hair was Achilles gold and coiffed to perfection. His eyes had the same startling clarity as a mountain stream and the lineaments of his face were in perfect proportion to each other.
He seemed moulded from a different cast as he had an androgynous look uncommon to most people. Lacquered and enamelled by the sun, he radiated energy and brio. His mountain peak cheekbones appeared chiselled into shape by a master craftsman.
They were of such sharp contours, it looked as if they were sculpted and pared to perfection. With eyes as bright and spellbinding as lode stars, they bewitched all those who fell under his steady gaze. They were a sparkle with mirth and shone like two eternity blue jewels enwrought in snow.
His handsomeness and elegance emit riches. She stared at him vividly. He has changed a lot. If not for his voice, she wouldn't have recognized him. She turned her head and made an attempt to walk away but he held her back.
"Jace Norman, I hope nothing is wrong with you." Addressing him fully and the rudeness in her voice startled him.
Though he wasn't expecting praises, her eyes kept poking every part of him indicating disdain and total hatred. She can even kill him now if given the chance.
"Nothing is wrong with me, Jelly Norman." He answered reluctantly.
Looking at her eyes. He wanted to hug her, kiss her and never let her go again but a lot of things were wrong now.
"How can he address me like that? He's so shameless and heartless. Abandoning his wife and daughter in the mercy of that wicked man. Did he even know how I left that place? How I escaped? How I have been struggling hard to survive?" Jelly thought.
She won't forgive him no matter what. Jace could see the pain in her eyes. He wished he could take away her sorrows and give her all the happiness she deserves. Though he had no choice but his betrayal was still fresh in her memory and she felt like strangling him right now.
"Let go of my hand. You are not even allowed to touch my hair. How dare you touch my hand Jace Norman?" She asked, pulling her hand from his grip. Calling that name was making her sick inside.
"Sorry Jelly Norman, I won't do it again." He said and smiled.
He wished he could apologize for everything he had done but it seem too late.
"Excuse me." She said and bent down to pick her scattered things.
He joined her reluctantly. Though she was angry about it, she didn't say anything. He saw one of the paintings and smiled. He knew his daughter did this.
Tears gathered in his eyes but he prevented them from falling. She mustn't know he is crying. She suddenly held the paper and looked at his face.
"I want it." she commanded.
The look in her eyes were stern and hatred could be read on her face. He handed it over without saying a word. She got up and carried the box
"My daughter, where is she?" He asked in a rather too embarrassed or too emotional voice.
She looked at him and laughed, dropping the box. She wasn't expecting that from him. Looking at him again, she laughed more.
"You are funny Jace. Has anyone ever told you to join comedians?" She asked, still laughing.
He felt embarrassed as he stared at her.
Mia stared at him, bulging her eyes. She couldn't believe what he said. The necklace with her was the heart of Mila, his chosen bride and she died when the shell was taken from her.
"Wait a minute, you mean it or you are just telling me this to....
"Will I lie to you?" He asked with a straight face, looking at her. He turned his head as his lip curve a mischievous smile.
"Mila was my chosen bride. I rejected her because I felt I needed to fight to woo a lady. I need to go through all odds for her. Not someone who just accepted me for royalty. But that doesn't mean I hate her. Her rejection made her frustrated and she turned to a pine at the extreme of the kingdom hoping to find peace. Why did you kill her? Were you so desperate to have the shell?" He asked. Though he wasn't shouting, she could hear the anger in his voice.
This made her more scared. Recalling what Mira told her about this shell, she swallowed her saliva hard as if a lump was in her throat. Her sister did all these things but in ignorance. She didn't know it was a mermaid.
She knew Celine was proud, arrogant, rude and even wicked somehow but she would never kill anyone. So it isn't her fault.
"Tell me, don't just keep quiet. It's making me lose my mind." He said angrily.
"Sorry prince Amir but it wasn't my....
"How can you say that? It wasn't your fault. Then whose fault?" He shouted.
She looked at him surprised and shocked. Not for his shouting but for the fact that he was mistaking her for Celine, didn't he know her? Or is he venting his anger here because the shell is with her? The more she thinks about it, the more confusion she get.
"Well, I'm sorry." She managed to say something. She will just play along for the fact she likes him.
"Sorry for yourself." He scoffed.
"Well, nature has agreed to punish you. The girl who killed Mila was destined to be my mate." He added and looked at her.
"The girl who killed Mila? Does that mean he's aware I'm not that girl?" She thought and pinched her cheek.
"And luckily, it turns out to be you." He blurted out.
She looked at him shocked. He didn't know her. He don't know who she is, she smiled
"Thank goodness, I thought he knew Celine. I was wrong. The look on his face shows confusion. He has never seen her. This is my opportunity to make him my possession. I won't leave him no matter what." She thought and smiled.
"Well, if I'm your mate, what will I get?" She asked reluctantly.
He looked at her wondering what she meant by that. "What will she get? What else if not my wrath? What is she expecting anyway? At least I found her on time. I don't have to wonder around looking for her. That's a relieve." He thought.
"What do you want?" He asked, staring at her.
"I want you." She whispered and draws closer to him. He adjusted himself a little but she pulls him closer.
"Don't go anywhere, you are mine now." She said, holding onto him.
"Says who?" He asked slowly. She let go of him but draws closer to him.
"Says you." She answered and smiled.
"Weren't you the one who says I'm your mate?" She asked and stared at him vividly.
"Of course you are but I'm yet to know you." He said slowly.
"You will know everything soon." She said, still smiling. Her joy knew no bound.
"I heard your name is Mia." He said, looking at her face.
"And you are a slut." He widen his eyes at her, making her feel embarrassed.
"Well, I needed money and there's nothing I could do so I chose this." She lied trying to explained her stupidity though it doesn't sound sensible.
"There's nothing you could do?" He mumbled.
"I don't know anyone then and I didn't really understand the language." She said slowly. She needs to give him a solid excuse so he could stop questioning her.
"I understand but that's not a good excuse." He said and stood up.
"Where are you going?" She asked, staring at him.
"I want to look around the house. You said I can stay here so I need to study it." He said and curled his lips.
"Okay but don't you think we should....You know...
Amir looked at her confused. He wasn't sure if he knows what she was saying. She stood up and face him. She don't know why she suddenly became shy. She couldn't even said what's on her mind. She put her hand on his chest and looked at his eyes.
"Let's do something dirty, you know." She said rubbing his chest down. With her action, he knows what she want but he refused.
"We are not married yet, remember?" He said and removed her hand from his body.
"Oh sorry!" She exclaimed, feeling embarrassed.
"Later then." He said and left.
She looked at his backside smiling. "No matter how you try to run or hide from me, I will still get you Amir." She thought and laughed.
Folding her arms, she looked at the portrait on the wall.
"I lied, not just a simple lie but I deceived a confused person. Well it's not my fault. Celine isn't the right person for him anyway so she should just be wherever she is." She said smiling broadly.
"What else do you want from me? Haven't you done more than enough damages to me?" Jelly asked angrily.
Jace stared at her motionless. Did he commit any crime by asking after his daughter?
"Stay away from us. We don't need you in our lives." She added with a stern look.
"I don't want to come back to you Jelly. I just asked after my daughter." He said and folded his arms.
"Your daughter? Since when did you care about her?" She asked angrily.
"I always cared for her. I wanted a good life for her. I did everything for her, I.....
"Oh please! Spare me the rubbish." She interrupted rudely.
"You are the worst person to be in her life. You are the demon in her past. You ruined me Jace." She yelled, hitting him hard.
He could feel all the pains in her but why can't he do anything about it.
"You are not supposed to be a father. You don't deserve anything not even that bitch. That bastard fool." She shouted more. The pain was too much for her to endure.
"Excuse me, you don't have the right to touch him." A lady said from behind.
They turned to see who it was. Jelly was shocked, she never thought Skylar could return soon. She was very scared as she panicked.
Her heartbeats could be heard by anyone standing close. She wondered if her secrets will be exposed now. "Will I be imprisoned? Will I be killed?" She thought as Skylar walked closer to them.