Chapter 33: Weight of Memories

Silence reigned, broken only by the sobbing of Third.

"There's a video recording made by Mafia Queen that she wants you all to watch," said Second, pressing a button.

"Is there more? Damn, I don't know if my mind can take this, this is too much," someone murmured.

The Mafia Queen appeared on the screen. In the video, she removed her mask. It was really Zarri.

"Hello, my fellow gangs and mafias. You must be watching this now that I'm dead," she said coldly, with no emotion in her eyes. She was sitting on a sofa, the camera placed on a table.

"Now you know that I'm the Mafia Queen, Zarri Xemisha Fordalish. Being your Mafia Queen is the happiest thing that ever happened to me since I was bor—"

"AaahhH! Mam Zarri!"

"BOOOMM!"

"BOOOGGSSSHH!"

Even I was confused, watching the video with a frown. There were explosions and screams. The video shook as if there was an earthquake.

Third paused the video and I listened to what he said.

"Sorry everyone, we just saw the video earlier, so we didn't have time to cut out some parts. Let's just listen and watch it all."

The video resumed. Everyone was focused on the screen, eagerly watching and wondering what was happening.

"Oh f*ck! Right now?!"

Zarri armed herself and disappeared from the camera view. The video continued with the sound of gunfire, screams, and breaking objects. Eventually, Zarri appeared on the video again.

I thought it was over, but I was wrong.

She was standing with her hands up, her cold eyes staring at the man pointing a gun at her.

I looked around, seeing the shocked faces.

"There's no escape, Mafia Queen," the guy said in the video, smirking.

"Oh really? I don't think so," Zarri replied coldly.

"You're so arrogant! You're about to die, and you still have the nerve to boast!" the guy retorted.

"You know me, right? I'm not a Mafia Queen for nothing," she said, her eyes still cold.

"I know! If I can't kill you, what about your brother?" the guy said, grinning.

"Try to touch my brother, I'll kill you," Zarri said.

Is she talking about me? I never thought she was protecting me.

My gang mate and others who knew me glanced at me, but I focused on the video, feeling increasingly guilty.

"Hahaa! You're being treated like trash, treated as worthless, and you still care about your brother?! I thought you were merciless," the guy sneered.

"Don't act like you know me," Zarri said coldly.

"At first, I didn't believe you were the Mafia Queen... being shouted at, ordered around, slapped by your brother and cousin, but you just bowed your head... Impossible. The Mafia Queen is known for killing without mercy, especially when being shouted at and ordered around. So, I thought my men might have made a mistake."

"Then why are you still here if that's the case?" Zarri stood still with her hands up.

"I knew the Mafia Queen was smart, so I sent a stray dog. Your brother, being a fool, took it in and cared for it as planned, not knowing it had a bomb. Hahahaa! You killed the dog and deactivated the bomb, confirming my suspicion. But what happened? Your brother got angry, locked you in the basement for two whole days without food or water. Haha! I couldn't believe it."

"Tss. So you're the one spying on us," Zarri said coldly.

I felt Aaron pat my back.

"If I can't kill you, then I'll kill your brother or your beloved Aaron," the guy said, grinning.

Zarri took out a gun and aimed it at the boy.

I looked at Aaron, seeing the guilt and longing in his eyes as he called out to Zarri while staring at the screen, almost on the verge of tears.

I took a deep breath and refocused on the video.

"Oh, why? Do you love those two men that much? Your life has become hell, and yet the Mafia Queen is kind? Hahahaa!" the guy laughed demonically.

"Tss. Yes, let's say I'm merciless, cold, brutal, have no regard for anyone, and have killed a million people with these hands. But that's the Mafia Quee and Zarri? She's weak, always crying, unable to protect herself. Are you happy now knowing that?" she said coldly.

The boy's expression turned serious, his brow furrowed.

"Yes, I'm happy. Now, why don't we end your life?" the guy said, grinning.

Then we were shocked when the guy fired his gun, but Zarri dodged it.

In a flash, the guy's head was rolling on the ground, blood splattering on Zarri's clothes.

So fast! She beheaded the boy with such ease.

Not content, she repeatedly stabbed the boy's chest, eyes, and severed his limbs.

She picked up the guy's head.

"I'm more than a demon. See you in hell, and I won't let anything bad happen to my loved ones, even if I die," she said, dropping and stomping on the head until it shattered.

She picked up a phone and made a call.

She's so brutal, I can't believe that's Zarri.

"Clean this trash over here," she said coldly.

Many vomited from the video.

Our eyes widened while the perverts in the room were thrilled when Zarri removed her clothes in the video and put on loose ones.

I frowned at the scars on Zarri's body. There were many, especially on her side, as if made by a katana.

Zarri's eyes widened, looking at the camera.

"Goddamn it! I thought I turned this off!" she exclaimed, pulling her hair and collapsing onto the sofa.

All this time, she forgot the camera was on? Seriously?

"Tss.. never mind, I'll just have it cut. Ehem, ehem, ehem, where was I? Uhmmm I forgot, I should drink my medicine…" Zarri said.

Medicine? Zarri is sick?

As she seemed to be thinking, Zarri's gang members spoke, surprising me, and I stared at Zarri's appearance.

"Uhmmm, we want you to know that Zarri is sick. She has a tumor in its last stage, with only two years left, but it came early," they said.

Many were saddened.

Zarri spoke again.

"As I said, I'm happy being your Mafia Queen for the past nine years. Please respect your new Mafia King and forget everything about me. Think of me as a passing breeze. I hope everything goes well now that I'm gone," she said.

She said more until the video ended. I didn't know what to say.

I sighed deeply.

Many were crying, and the atmosphere was heavy. I took a deep breath, the sobbing of Third was loud.

"Ekie! wait! Dude! Where are you going?" Aaron stopped me as I tried to leave.

I sighed, brushing off his hand from my shoulder.

"I'm tired," I said and quickly walked out, hearing my gang mates calling after me.

Before I left, I glanced back and saw them looking at the glass I drank from earlier.

I headed straight to my apartment. I didn't know; too much had been revealed, and my mind was struggling to process it. I was consumed by guilt, my body felt heavy, and I sighed deeply, collapsing onto my bed.

Staring at the ceiling, I felt dizzy before I could react, and darkness swallowed me.

When I woke up, I was in another person's body, in Icakie's body.

I remembered everything that happened in this life that now belonged to me. So, I wasn't surprised.

Flashback end

"Hmm."

I looked at Azemia as she woke up and sat up.

She scanned the surroundings and her eyes widened when she saw me.

" B-Brother Icakie, where are we?" she asked, lowering her head.

"Dorm," I said curtly, staring at her. I felt something for her.

"Ahh," she nodded.

Silence prevailed.

"Who's Ekie?"

I was so curious. I didn't know if my suspicion was correct. Was it possible?

" Brother Icakie, if I told you Princess Azemia was dead and someone else was using her body, would you believe me?" she asked, avoiding eye contact.

Her gaze was so familiar.

I frowned, and she sighed before speaking again.

"I-I'm not Azemia."

Was my suspicion correct?

"I came from another world or my past life. Can you pretend you believe me?" she asked.

I didn't answer, just looked at her, thinking my suspicion might be right. I was surprised when she pulled me to sit beside her. I was even more puzzled by her actions.

Azemia took my hand and played with it. I was about to pull away when I remembered our past life. I s-should change, right?

I sighed deeply and listened to her.

" I know you won't understand some things I'm going to tell you because they haven't happened here yet. In my past life, I was a famous chef and model. I had a mom and dad who had no time for me, always working. My cousin was treated like their child. I also had a brother, Brother Ekie. He didn't like me; he hated me so much. But even though he was like that, I loved him. Brother Icakie, you look just like him," Azemia said, She continued to play with my hand; I find it comfortable.

"I'm Ekie, will you believe that?"

She looked at me as if clarifying my face and then shook her head. What?

"Impossible. If you were brother Ekie, you would have slapped me by now because brother Ekie hates it when I look at him. Also, Brother Ekie always yelled, but you, I don't even hear you yell at me. If you were brother Ekie, I wouldn't be able to talk to you now and be this close, hold your hand, face, and hug you."

She held my face and hugged me, burying her face in my chest.

"I can't even touch a strand of brother's hair. I feel like a virus to brother Ekie. I admit you have a lot of similarities with brother Ekie: the way you look at me, the way you speak, the way you move and walk. But you are not him because you are my brother, brother Icakie."

She hugged me tightly, and I felt guilty again about what I heard.

She hugged me for several minutes until she let go.

I flinched at what Azemia did and couldn't resist. She kissed me on the cheek, rested her head on my chest, and played with my hands again.

My heart beat faster because of what she did. Is she really like this? I'm not used to this kind of physical contact.

I admit I was a womanizer in my past life, but I just fcked them and left, no strings attached, just fck.

I came back to my senses and looked at Azemia, who was just staring at my hands. I smelled her hair, and it was fragrant.

"I know you won't understand this, but I was a mafia queen in my past life. I got into the habit of killing; I had no mercy. That's what they say about me, but I can't blame them. Killing is my hobby. But do you know, brother Icakie, even though I was known as merciless and without regard, I couldn't kill brother Ekie after all he did"

Why is that?

"Why?" I ask.