121 Her Reason 2

In the backyard, Ginga family house.

"Hey, I'm Daniel Chong. Nice to meet you, Sister Kezia." The boy said as he reached his hand to handshake to her. He expected her to shake back, but she didn't.

She halted her brush paint from moving, glanced at his immature face, and his height which the same as her. She gave him a cold-shoulder and continued to finish her painting.

He smiled wrongly and drew back his hand to his black pants pocket. He said, "I'm sorry Sister Kezia. I couldn't introduce to you properly before, but I'm Sarah's new friend. I will visit this house often. So, please take care of me from now on too. Also, since I saw you yesterday, I want to say you're really beautiful just like your sister." He said as he slightly nodded to her.

Tlack!

Her brushed fell unintentionally and red paint spread all over on her clothes. She paused her hand mid-air and looked blankly on her canvas.

Awkward-silence surrounded them.

Daniel who witnessed it blinked his eyes and, "Pfft...bwahahaha. Red! Red all over! Hahahaha." He laughed until his bead tears fell.

Kezia halted her moist eyes. She felt irritated, her painting was almost ruined! She gripped her fell brush on her laps as she squinted her eyes looking at him. Gritting her teeth, she grabbed another brush and dip it in black paint. Then, she paid him back by sprinkling the black paint to his face.

Hmph!

"Hey, little boy, if I'm working on something, please don't disturb me!" She stated as she raised her voice.

When he heard her, Daniel didn't want to back down easily. He scoffed from her shouting and dashed to her side. He took another paint color and spread it to her face!

Splash!

"Ahh! You!" She roared angrily to him.

He naughtily chuckled and said, "Sorry, sorry, I just want to pay back. I didn't do anything to you a minute ago and you stained me with your paint? Please tell me what did I do wrong?" He folded his arm in front while smirking.

Stunned, Kezia blushed from his sophisticated attitude. There was something different about this eight years old boy. He was childish, of course, or should she say mischievous? In the same time, he had that mature aura which Kezia unconsciously praise him inwardly, but it was just her feeling. She didn't know about this boy true personality.

Kezia was coughing and lifted her head to see Daniel. She stood up from her stool and took out her handkerchief inside her clothes pocket.

She sighed and said to him, "I know I'm being unreasonable but it was your fault that my painting became a mess. If you didn't talk to me, this would never happen. Why have you come here anyway? Aren't you suppose to play with Sarah?" Kezia said as she pointed to her painting.

He paused her questions, glancing to her painting and frowned. 'Why she blamed me?' He asked. But he diverted his confused thoughts and quickly grabbed her handkerchief from her palm. "Thanks." He said as he wiped his face. Though it didn't clean much.

He explained while scrubbing his clothes from the paint stains, "I was waiting for Sarah. She was still bathing, so I wait for her. While walking around I noticed you are in the backyard painting something. So, I just want to say hello as a guest. Is it wrong to do that? Besides, when I talk to you a while ago. You could just talk to me for a second and after that, you can continue your doing. Instead, you...yeah." He said while shrugging.

Kezia pursed her lips. She ignored him a while ago because she didn't have a mood to speak. Thus, her pride halting her down to acknowledge her fault.

In truth, she didn't have a problem, painting while talking, yet his last words when he praised her was too sudden.

She didn't have time to prepare for the upcoming compliment. She was dumbstruck.

Daniel noticed her changing expression and lifted his eyebrows. 'She must be reflecting.' He thought.

He lifted the corner of his lips as he walked closer to her. He brought handkerchief from his hand, gave it to her back, while his other hand was pointing to his nose, he said, "You should wipe your face too."

Kezia reached and took it from his hand. She searched for a clean side from it and wipe her face. She suddenly snickering when she saw the handkerchief was covered with black and red paint.

Her face must be funny to look at now! No wonder he laughed at her!

Daniel knew why she was laughing and he could only smirk slightly.

The two converse more and notice their awkward meeting turn to a friendly atmosphere. Kezia's bad mood turn to normal and she realized she was having a fun conversation with him.

She didn't know why the current situation happened, but this was the first time seeing her with a boy joyfully.

Even her classmates couldn't do the same as Daniel, they felt intimidated from her present.

Kezia neglected her painting and talked to Daniel with inquisitive eyes.

Daniel was an interesting boy. Although he was eight years old, he could master any kind of musical instrument and also singing! He once wanted to be a piano player, but he was an heir of Skyfly Corp. Hence, he knew his dream will never come true.

Kezia noticed he was actually a nice and tolerance boy. Not only that, he was smart, wise, and he wasn't snobby. He wasn't like a typical rich boy.

Kezia couldn't help to admire once again.

Suddenly a voice shattering their enjoy moment. Kezia looked at behind him and notice Sarah was there staring both of them with an annoying feeling. Daniel turned his head following Kezia's gaze. He lit up his eyes when seeing her, he called, "Sarah! Are you finished bathing?"

Sarah looked at the two of them with frowning expression. She asked him, "Why is there paint on your face?" Her tone was slightly vexing as she pierce-glared to him.

Daniel explained to her what happened a moment ago slowly, he could feel her horrible mood.

After he finished, Sarah walked forward to his side, pulling him and went inside the house. Sarah felt irritated that her playmate was playing with her sister! Daniel should only play with her!

Kezia didn't have time to say one more word to Daniel as he disappeared from her sight.

Kezia suddenly felt hollow and hatred to Sarah for interrupting her.

Kezia looked at her unfinished painting while she sat back on her stool. She continued to paint with furry feeling.

Splash! Splash! Track!

The brush snapped to two.

She vented all of her anger to the painting until it smudged to chocolate due to various color mixing.

This painting was her last because she knew in the future she'll not have time to paint anymore.

...

...

A few years later, after the pond incident.

Kezia had been requested to live with her grandfather due to her own request. She wanted to learn about business, so she asked her grandfather, the late CEO of Ginga Corp, to help her studying about it. She didn't want to lose to hateful Sarah.

Another reason was because of her father. Every time they were together he only cared and pampered cutely to Sarah, yet she never once being treated like that. Unfortunately, it wasn't the first time or second time, almost every day he acted like that. It was all started when she threw a tantrum to her father.

She felt suffocated inside when he was around. As she growing up, her mother's words became much clearer than before.

She was certain that her father was a bad man. She thought he shouldn't deserve love from someone. Even from her.

She swore someday she would make her father pay everything he had done to her mother! She would investigate carefully and open his hideous cover!

She would be 'the cursed' which her mother wished in her diary. Soon she would find out about the truth about her mother, father, and that wench woman!

...

Meanwhile, her conversation to Daniel was lessened down when she moved to his grandfather's place. She missed Daniel's jokes and warm smile. She recalled the time when they were having a conversation once again. She learned a few things from him.

Sometimes he talked to her about the school subject. He was like a teacher teaching his students. Despite he was younger than her, in such a young age, his knowledge was surpassing of that university level.

Sadly, his talent was dimmed due to Sarah's selfish reason to go to regular school. Daniel deserved a better school than that. But he chose to be with Sarah.

Kezia felt peeving inside. She didn't know why. She didn't know how to differentiate this feeling.

Whether she hated Sarah because she was happy with someone? Or herself, Kezia, like the boy? She guessed it, perhaps both of them.

She didn't like it. She didn't like the fact that her sister could get anything she wanted while she can't!

Sarah had her parents' love and also Daniel's love. She was beautiful and a lot of people admiring her. Although she was spoiled, she was the real example of a tough princess. She worked harder every day so people could admit her efforts and sweats, not the rich her. This was something Kezia afraid of.

She had everything, was she going to take her succession for Ginga Corp too?

She didn't have anything besides this company to be hers someday. She felt anxiously threatened.

One day she was notified by her family to come back home and study in the city. She didn't go to the same high school or middle school as Sarah and Daniel. Her pride in coming to commoner school was a big 'NO' for her. Along those years until graduated, she didn't have a chance to talk to Daniel. She saw him sometimes visited the house, but he was too preoccupied with Sarah. He didn't even take a glance at Kezia.

'Daniel? You didn't remember me? Or you didn't see me?' She mumbled irritatingly. It kept happening until Kezia felt tired of herself, yet her heart couldn't calm down.

Why she always searching for his figures? Why his face always in her mind? She tried to forget about him once, but abruptly he came again!

His baby face changed to masculine. Although he was still in a teenager, the manly aura he showed was too conspicuous.

It turned out she knew it all along what this feeling about.

In the university years, she graduated and joined Ginga Corp immediately. Her parents told her to come to the big banquet for celebrating something. She didn't know what kind of the banquet it was, due to her neglect asking and forgetfulness. She thought it was the usual banquet she took when she began working with Ginga Corp.

Therefore, she came with her formal white-cream dress and came to greet the people inside while smiling obliviously.

She noticed Sarah and Daniel were here too. 'Why are they here?' She thought.

It turned out it was their sweet and beautiful engagement party!

Kezia could see Sarah and Daniel were kissing in front of all people as they exchange their engagement rings on their ring fingers.

She regretted to come to this place tonight. She should never agree when her parents invite her. She should never listen or believe to Ranbo and Lucy Ginga!

She knew the fact but why?! Why?! She still stupidly followed their instruction? Trying to be filial? No, she was just neglectful. It was her unconscious mistake. That was her apprehension she wanted to believe.

Stab! Stab! Stab!

Recalling the scene where the loving couple hugging each other when they got their platinum rings. 'F*ck! All of them! F*ck! All of them!' She cursed inwardly.

Her ached heart was screaming to herself to get a grip! But she didn't know how to stop it! It just happened.

Once again, in reality, she noticed her hidden feeling years ago. When she first met him, when he showed his gleam eyes and confident demeanor. It was a moment where she would never forget.

Kezia became obsessed about him and subconsciously followed her eyes to Daniel's movement. She vowed that she must marry this man. But she also knew, he will never love her back.

So, what should she do? What should she do to have his heart?!

The answer was her sister.

She would use her sister to achieve her goals. Besides, it was also a chance to witness her sister suffering, wouldn't it be exciting? She laughed when she thought about that.

Not only Daniel would hate her, her father too would have no choice to break their engagement as well. It was like killing two birds with one stone. Thus, it began her despicable plans which were stupid for people, yet for her, it was quite satisfying.

Not until her plan ruined from underestimating Daniel's intelligence. He noticed right away, damn it. She felt foolish. Her plan may have flaws, but she didn't expect he will notice in a short time. Plus, that car accident which gave her other plans unused.

Sarah was gone missing or died. She didn't know and she didn't care. She thought her chance to be the successor finally fruitful. But she didn't like the thought Daniel was still in life and death situation. She didn't feel content at all.

Her father was also against her leading the company. Reasons due to her past conflict about her mother, his wish for Sarah to be the one who led the company, and also her marriage.

'One must marry first to succeed in the company.' Grandfather told her about Ginga's family one of the policies.

Her grandfather urged her to marry if she wanted to become the heiress right away. She asked him, "Grandfather, why marriage?"

He elaborated, "When you become the leader of the company, you will have a little time to find boyfriend or husband as you began busier each day. So, before that, you must have a love partner. It prevents you to become lonely when you hit the age of thirty. It was our Ginga family rules from the past time. I can't change it abruptly. Our ancestors will be mad at us. Kezia, you must think it over again."

"..."

If you marry, you will have the lead. If you don't, say goodbye of the title.

She understood what he was trying to say. But she was conflicted. She didn't want to marry anyone she wasn't interested. She had ex-boyfriends before but it was just in a short time. She never really love them or giving her chances to open up.

Seriously, the only boy she opened up to her heart was Daniel since she was a little. If she could get a chance to tell how she felt to him, probably she would reveal it again with open arms. He was special. She was fascinated by the boy or now a manly man.

When Kezia looked at him laying on the bed in the hospital, she was crying silently. She wasn't like Rioko who choked to tears and sobbing until her snots all over her face. She buried her bitter feeling. She felt wrong. If only she didn't give him the drink, this accident would never happen.

Her decision was clashed, what would happen if he would never wake up? Would she marry another man? She knew the company was more important to her love life. But she didn't want to think the worst possibility.

No one knew but her and her heart for she prayed and hoped for his health inwardly.

She muttered, "Daniel, please wake up."

.

.

.

.

Kezia woke up from the sunlight which fell to her sleepy eyes, she squinted from it and glanced at her surroundings, it was dawn to morning.

She reached her hand to wipe her tear stained face. She frowned why she dreamed about the past because there were barely good memories from it.

She was still in the car, butt naked. She was laying on the car seat which had been bent down like a mattress. She noticed her body covered by red-purple rashes and bite marks. Her lips were crack and she could feel the dried blood from it. Her body was all sore and she couldn't help to grunt slightly.

She felt freezing, yet warm at the same time. She noticed one of her hands was touching a heated human back. She turned her body and saw Daniel's back shoulder facing her.

His broad back was red due to her leaving scratches. She deep nailed him to pay back his rough behavior. Though she didn't hate it, it was still a painful s*x experience. She subconsciously curved her lips recalling last passionate night.

She drew her face closer to his back and silently enjoying his body odor, sniffing and slightly licking it with her moisten up tongue until it reached his back head. She wrapped her arms to his waist and buried her face to his hair.

In this cramped seat where they lay side by side, Daniel unconsciously frowned from the sudden movement. He had no energy and hoarse throat. He felt someone touching him and whispered to him slowly. He didn't hear all of it, but he could grasp a few words from her saying.

"....Daniel...you...mine"