Loving the criminal 5 (Bella's journey)

"The face is the mirror of the mind... and eyes confess without speaking the secrets of the heart."- Saint Jerome

- - -

Flashback 5...

 (After around 2 years)

'Isn't she sexy?' 

'I heard she didn't have a mother. I bet her mother left her after marrying another man. Can you believe this?'

2 years... 730 days were enough to see her photos plastered everywhere and in every single commercial, a bright smile pasted on her sunkissed face acting like she was happy and all despite the hellish life she kept living.

'Oh, I knew this bitch was copying Ava Michaels. I hate her.'

'Tsk what? How dare she compare herself with Ava Michaels? She is just jealous, tsk.'

2 years were enough for her to be one of the best models our world had. Enough for her to get the nickname 'the sun-kissed megastar'.

'Bellanca Wright'. The name that kept echoing in the land of Earth.

'Bellanca Wright'. Every magazine was blaring with this very name.

~Copacabana Beach, Brazil~

The scene was set on the magnificent Copacabana beach, with its three miles of mesmerizing golden sand, surrounded by a stunning skyline of jagged mountains. The sky was a dazzling mix of blues, oranges, and reds, painting a picture-perfect afternoon. The sound of waves crashing against the shore provided a calming and relaxing ambiance.

There were people everywhere, the beach bustling with activity. Locals could be seen lounging and sunbathing, or playing volleyball and throwing frisbees around. There were vendors selling food and drinks of all kinds, from shrimp skewers to ice-cold beer and refreshing caipirinhas.

Amidst all the sunbathers and venders, stood a young lady in her early twenties, Bellance. Her beauty was breathtaking, with sun-kissed skin and raven hair flying freely in the breeze. She was dressed in a delicate lace lingerie set that hugged her curves in all the right places. She could feel the warm sand tickling her toes as the sun beat down on her skin.

The photographers gathered around her, their cameras at the ready. "Okay, let's do this," Bellance said with a smile.

They gave her last-minute instructions, telling her to tilt her head up and to the left, to lift her chin a little bit higher, to arch her back just a touch more. Bella obeyed their commands, moving her body with a grace and fluidity that made it clear she was a seasoned model.

As the shooting began, Bella struck pose after pose, each one more sultry and seductive than the last. Her hips swayed sensuously to the beat of The Weeknd's "Often" playing in the background. Her lips parted in a sensuous pout. The photographers snapped away, capturing every perfect angle.

"Excellent, Bella. Now show me more... Yes like that!" they praised her.

Throughout the shoot, the photographers would pause to adjust their lighting, discussing the nuances of their craft. The makeup artist and hairstylist worked tirelessly to keep Bellance looking her best, while the assistants made sure everything ran smoothly.

Despite the heat of the day and the challenging work, Bellance remained poised and professional, her gorgeous smile never faltering. She shone like a star, her beauty and grace captured perfectly against the backdrop of the stunning Copacabana beach and mountain skyline.

...

Of course, he was there.

Of course, he couldn't help but watch her voluptuous sunkissed figure as it seemed to morph into something even more alluring with each passing moment. His eyes, as crystal blue as the ocean on a sunny day, couldn't tear themselves away from her ethereal beauty. As his lips delicately grazed over the rim of his refreshing glass of mojito, his mind wandered to the intricate details of her curves and contours.

Of course, he could see Bella doing photoshoots. Now that her popularity exceeded the peak, she kept radiating under his gaze. She wasn't that far since he could notice the relaxed look on her face. But today, he kept his distance and let his eyes do the work. He wanted her, yes he needed her but he must keep his distance today. He never wanted to risk her life this time because there were suspicious eyes fixed on him from every corner of the open bar.

... But of course, he kept meeting up with Bella secretly everywhere she traveled to do photoshoots. He was also there finishing off his mission, killing as his father's orders, changing his looks in every country he goes to destroy. 

He was 'Giovanni' when he went to Italy.

He was 'Mohammed' when he went to Saudi.

He was 'Vladimir' when he went to Russia.

And he is 'Tiago' now that he is in Brazil.

But still, he was a criminal. But still, he was a professional murderer whom his father adorned. Every country he goes to, it's to kill, spill blood, and finish each one of them whom his father never liked.

But... Bella was still clueless about this. Still clueless about his criminal, hidden, and dark self, filled with toxin. She only knows him when he cuddles her, kisses her, and makes love to her over and over again.

She only knows that cute, passionate man, Kerry.

... Today, he had taken on a different persona than his usual suave and sophisticated self. Donning a thin, white t-shirt and shorts, his back adorned with a guitar and a fake mustache on his handsome face, he resembled a sexy musician to anyone passing by. His long, brown hair was concealed by a tastefully decorated hat, causing people to stare in awe and wonder. He also wore sunglasses that covered his eyes.

"Adicione mais por favor. (Please add more)." Kerry requested the bartender in a flawless Portuguese accent he could master, after relishing the taste of his favorite mojito. He had to maintain his cover, even if it meant perfecting his Brazilian accent and disguising his true identity.

However, he wasn't only there to bask in the glory of Bella's body. He was there on the orders of his father, who was a notorious mafia leader. Brazil was swarming with his father's enemies, and it was Kerry's job to eliminate them from the picture. His father had attempted to introduce his drugs into Brazil, but his Italian enemy had somehow managed to beat him to it, controlling the networks in Germany and Mexico as well. His father was infuriated when his nemesis managed to pilfer his property and sell it as his own.

... Kerry hates himself whenever he thinks about these very hands who took many lives without consideration, whenever he thinks about these very hands that choked many necks without apprehension. And now, these very hands caress the body of a woman who was the sunniest and the sweetest... Now these stained hands dared to touch Bella without remorse.

He wanted to run away with her... But how?

He felt like he needed to leave this forsaken bloody life before he lost all of the things he had... And those things were: her love, her love, and her love. Her love was his home, her love was the air he breaths, her love was the food he eats, her love was the water he drinks... Her love was every fiber of his being.

He felt like he never deserved her.

And the guilt was driving him insane. The guilt was killing him slowly... So he misses her warmth, her body whenever he feels guilty.

So he will fly to her when whispers of his sins make him restless. So he will fly to her when he wants to hide, to forget his dark side. He never cared if she was in Italy, Brazil, or wherever... He never cared if she was heaven or hell. He will fly to her when he wants, misses her, or needs her.

Like he did now.

How cunning?

...

Bella and her team gathered up and left as they were done with the photo shoot. It has been a long tiresome day and Bella decided to enjoy herself in a club near her hotel.

Since she felt sweaty and dirty, she decided to take a quick shower and dress nicely now that she was out of her cage provided by her 'caring' father who was now busy chasing cash and too occupied by spending her money as he wished. And what about the part where she got the chance to fly to London and meet her dear friends, Aurora and Celine a year ago? She was happy with their little reunion. They are friends now like they used to be when they were in middle school then high school then college. Except Aurora who dropped high school with the reasons Bella and Celine never knew. A lot happened within a year, just within 365 days.

"Sigh," her amber eyes closed letting her enjoy the serene and successful, not just days, but also years. The breeze of the beach was rejuvenating with it's freshness now that the sun was heading to her home, saying goodbye to everyone, The sound of the water wave soothing her and the cold air putting her mind at ease... Ah, Life could be easy and satisfying without her father's presence...

"Miss-" a man dressed in an ebony suit, as he usually does, appeared out of nowhere killing her out of fright.

"Ah you scared me, Simon." even if her father was away, his trusted minion, Simon was here following her everywhere she went. Even if she attempted to hide, he would find her sniffing her scent just like a dog.

"Sorry," he had his pair of bright forest green eyes fixed on her face, which seemed to give life to his face that was decorated with various scars, screaming the ten years he spent guarding the devil (her father) and watching over her.

"No worries." she felt exposed whenever her eyes met his. His forest green eyes held emotions: was it worry? Fear? Longing? She couldn't figure out. "What's up?"

"Here," he handed her card keys from his pocket. "Your hotel room keys were with me," he told her, his tone gentle and warm like it had never been.

"Oh, yeah thanks."

"I am giving you some space since you worked hard today," he smiled making her surprised.

It was very very dissimilar of him. Giving her space? Her father would kill him if he learned about it.

She nodded her head excitedly, showing her thanks with her full smile inflated on her lovely face.

"Take it as a bounty of two years of hard work." he patted her head, making her amused even more. "But it's a secret between us. If your father knew about this, he would punish us both, got it?"

"Simon. I get it." she winked at him. But his expression saddened... Why? Why was he sad? Before she found a juncture to ask him, he grabbed her hand putting something on her palm.

"Ah," a gasp escaped her lips as her eyes met with a photo of an elegant woman, smiling widely and staring back at her. The woman looked around her mid-twenties, her long hair was braided into many, and she looked fashionable with the long earrings and the lipstick that circled her lovely teeth. She had beauty marks under her right eye and her lower lip just like hers. Even if the photo was black-and-white, she could guess the woman had light brown skin, amber eyes, and black hair.

Even if the photo was black-and-white, she never failed to notice this elegant woman was her mother.

Bella was unable to stare at the photo anymore because tears clouded her vision. But no. These tears were different... They were different from the tears that used to rain from her eyes... These tears were never to yell her sorrow when she loses the words to speak... These tears were different.

Because they are yelling bliss when her lips are unable to describe her joy. Words were not enough.

"Bella? Are you alright?" Simon's concerned voice reached her ears.

Simon.

This man.

Why is he nice to her today?

But now, she didn't care. He gave her the excitement she never knew it could exist.

"Simon. Thank you. Thank you." she sobbed loudly as her tears kept wetting her mother's photo.

"Thank you." unexpectedly, her arms folded at his torso, her sudden tight hug painting an astonished look on his face.

"I stole it from your father and kept it until today..." he whispered loud enough for her to hear, with a warm smile on his face.

"Um?" with a questioning face, she looked up to his face.

"Happy Birthday, Bella," he whispered, that unusual smile still radiating. "You are already a 22-year-old woman." he chuckled, clear amusement masking his tone.

Her eyes circled with disbelief as a gasp made its way out of her lips.

"May 29." she let go of his torso and gasped for herself. Yes, today was her birthday. She forgot about it.

She was already 22.

22 years of misery.

22 years of searching for a key to the gate of joy.

22 years. It was way too long.

'22' was not just a number.

"Be careful. Your father doesn't have to know about this one too." Simon was watching her, his hands were in his pockets. Seems like he was enjoying how her emotions shifted within seconds: excitement and joy then surprise and shock then disbelief and concern.

"S-Simon, how? W-Why? How?" words were toiling to come out without stammering but the struggles went to no avail.

"Have fun tonight but since we have a flight to Miami, you shouldn't drink that much. You have other photoshoots to do." he was still speaking with that tone making her think he wasn't just her father's cold pet.

He wasn't just her father's most trusted and obedient guard who she detested and feared.

He was also a human with emotions.

He could also be a brother and a friend.

He was also someone else's son.

He even could be chained by the shackles of sour life or even caged under her father's cruelty just like her.

He was like her... A human. A helpless being struggling to be free. Just like she was.

"Thank you." she thanked him over and over again feeling there was nothing she could offer for his kindness.

"Don't. I did all of this with my will. Now, I will head to my room. If anything happens, just call me. I will be there." then he strode to his hotel room, his shoes making a sound as they stepped on the sand.

... Her eyes kept studying the photo like it was going to tell her some secret. She kept examining it and she noticed something strange.

Her mother's left hand was resting on her chest, showing the ring that was tied on her finger, screaming she once belonged to someone who made her feel special, who once loved her judging by the look of her bright smile that shone on her brown skin. But that wasn't the strange thing... It was her right side that looked torn. Bella couldn't see what was on her mother's right side but still could notice the arm that looked like a man's, clinched on her left shoulder... Why was the man torn out?

Then again she couldn't see her mother's belly and lower body. She now noticed the lower part of the photo was also torn like the right one. The photo left her upper body visible and removed her lower. Why? 

Looking for an answer to her questions, she examined the back of the photo. Then her eyes noticed written words and numbers.

'May 20, 2001' it says at the top but left side of the photo. Her eyes widened out of realization... The year she was born and eight days before her birth.

'Ethiopia, Go-' an unfinished word more like location, was written below, which looked like it was also torn. Likewise, the country where she was born.

Then another handwritten word in the middle pulled her attention toward it...

'Saamara and-' it was also torn.

'Saamara' is her mother's name. And who?

Who was the man? Surely if he was her father, he would never tear his photo out and keep her mother's. No, he wouldn't. When he despised her mother that much...

She was told her parents got divorced when she never saw them together or had any memory of them together. As if what she was told was never true. As if what she was told was just a tale created by her sick father.

Then who was the man?

Why was it torn?