Chapter 139 : "I'll remember this gesture."

Farah's phone vibrated, shattering the silence. It's was Ibrahim's call. Glancing at Ava, she held up the device. "Maybe Ibrahim got your phone switched off. He's calling me."

Ava took the phone and answered the call. Her voice held a sweetness that was almost deceptive, like a wife playfully scolding her husband. "Ibrahim? What a surprise. Didn't even bother picking up any of my calls, did you?"

A weak voice came through the receiver, "I was swamped with work, Baby Girl. Are you alright? Why is your phone off?"

Ava's hand tightened around the phone, her nails digging into the plastic back cover of the phone. She had to act, to keep him clueless that she knew everything.

"My phone slipped," she lied, "Right into the ocean while clicking pictures. And I ..... I'm fine. This place... Langkawi... it's magical. Thanks for insisting me to come, otherwise I wouldn't have known..."

Taking a deep breath, she forced a laugh, "Wouldn't have known how truly beautiful it is."

Ibrahim's voice came again, more weaker now, "Glad you're enjoying yourself. I'll send you a new phone tomorrow."

"No need," Ava cut him off, "I want to enjoy these two days phone-free. To Live a Little. And there's a staff member keeping an eye on me from the moment I reached here. For him, I'm right by the bridge so that the staff can update you that I'm enjoying."

Farah's eyes darted around, spotting a uniformed man standing at a distance, observing them. Had Ava already noticed him? When? 

Meanwhile, in his hospital bed, Ibrahim felt a pang of guilt. Ava's sharp words had hit their mark. He cursed himself for asking the staff to watch her, "I'm sorry, Ava. I'll tell the staff to leave you alone. I promise, no more guards. Sorry again"

"Thank you," Ava said, "I'll remember this gesture."

The goodbye she longed to say choked in her throat, replaced by the simple, "I have to go for dinner now." Ibrahim had become the hardest goodbye she'd ever face. He was the storm that had uprooted her life, yet the sun that had warmed her days. The man she loved, the man who betrayed her. His identity was unique to her. 

"Okay, eat well, enjoy with your friends," he replied, "And sometimes… remember me for a few seconds. I'm missing you a lot, baby girl." 

A silence followed. Tears, long held captive, welled up in Ava's eyes. She blinked furiously, refusing to let them fall, "I'll miss you too."

The call ended.

Farah spoke softly. "Ava, Ibrahim's in the hospital. Elara and he had a fight, and... Samir accidentally stabbed him. He was trying to hurt Elara, but Ibrahim intervened." 

Ava's brow furrowed. That's why Ibrahim's voice was so weak. But her expression remained stoic.

"Who's Ibrahim?" she asked, her voice flat. "I don't think I know any Ibrahim."

The line between love and hate is often a blurry one. One moment, you're basking in the warmth of affection, feeling your heart soar with joy. The next, a single betrayal, a harsh word, or a cruel action can send it plummeting into the abyss of anger and resentment. It's a delicate balance, easily tipped. What triggers the shift can be different for everyone.

The revelation of his monstrous acts – the murder of his own father, the fire that claimed innocent lives, the theft of her scholarship – had shattered her world. The man she had loved, the one she had given her heart to, was now the source of her deepest hatred.

In the sterile silence of the hospital room, Aliya carefully read the prescription, preparing the medicine Ibrahim. He was there lying there on the bed. 

Ibrahim's weak voice confessed, "I wasn't doing right by caging Ava like that, Mother. She needs space to breathe. I've already done her so much wrong."

"It's good you finally understand my words." Aliya said, handing him his medication. "Freedom is essential in any relationship, Ibrahim. Now, take your medicine."

For days, Ibrahim had manipulated Ava. But now, the tables had turned. Ava had played him like a well-worn instrument, knowing full well he wouldn't dare break – no more guards. And perhaps, the statement "love makes people blind" held a grain of truth. Ava really made Ibrahim blind for the night. She had the power. 

Meanwhile the night air held a chill as Elara parked his bike outside the hospital. After admitting Ibrahim in the hospital in the morning, Elara went yo police station because of his duty. And now, he had come to visit Ibrahim before heading back home.

However, as he was about to enter the hospital, his phone buzzed – a phone call from Farah. Elara answered the call expecting to hear Farah's voice but it was Ava on the line, "Elara?"

"Yeah, Ava," he replied, settling onto a chair infront of the entrance. "I was..."

"Are you angry?" she asked. 

Elara sighed. "Of course I was," he admitted, "but you're my sister. I can't stay mad at you forever. Do you know how much I love you, Ava? More than my own life."

There was a heavy silence, then Ava spoke again, "Elara, please... send me away from here. Somewhere Ibrahim can't find me, somewhere I can't see him anymore."

Elara's brows furrowed. "What! What happened, Ava? Just this morning, you were hugging him before leaving for Langkawi. What changed?"

He paused. "Listen, Ava, I know I can't stand Ibrahim, but you don't have to leave for me. I won't ask you to stay away from him anymore. If you are happy with Ibrahim then .... Then I'll accept him."

 "No, Elara," she insisted "I want to leave him. Please, send me far away. How long can I just watch my rights get snatched and stay silent?"

Elara's alarm bells blare. "Ava, what happened girl? Is everything okay? Did something happen? Tell me, and I'll fly to you right now."

Ava's reply hung in the air. "I don't know what I'm feeling right now... it just hurts a lot. A lot."

 "Give the phone to Farah," he mumbled. 

Twenty minutes later after knowing the whole incident from Farah, Elara ended the call. He sighed again, the sigh deeper, more burdened. He knew, with a bone-deep certainty, that Ava needed to get away from here, and fast and tonight. Tonight, she had to leave anyhow. If Ibrahim recovered, leaving Malaysia would become an impossible dream for Ava. 

But escape wasn't as simple as booking a flight. Elara knew time was of the essence. Being a notorious underworld mafia kingpin, Ibrahim wouldn't be easily outsmarted. Elara needed a flawless plan. If there was in wrong move, Ava could find herself deeper in Ibrahim's clutches than ever before. So Elara's first priority was securing a safe haven for Ava where Ibrahim couldn't reach.

Elara also knew the risk was immense. Ibrahim wouldn't hesitate to unleash his wrath on anyone who dared help him. But the thought of Ava's pain spurred him on. He wouldn't let his fear paralyze him. He would fight for his sister, even if it meant playing a dangerous game with the devil himself.

.....

The next morning. 

The clock ticked past 11 AM. Aliya sat by Ibrahim's bedside, immersed in a book, her brow furrowed in concentration. After the surgery for his stab wound, Ibrahim had spiked a fever last night, forcing doctors to administer strong antibiotics pills. He slept peacefully now, his face pale and drawn.

Suddenly, the door swung open and Samir burst in, his face etched with worry. He signed to his mother to follow him outside.

In the corridor, Samir's voice was hushed but urgent, "Mom, the resort staff said they didn't see Ava going inside their tour bus this morning. All the students went for sightseeing but the staff didn't saw sister-in-law."

Aliya frowned. "Maybe there's a misunderstanding," she replied calmly. "Ibrahim told them not to keep an eye on her anymore, so perhaps they simply missed her by not continuously watching her. Or she maybe went inside the bus previously or later. Don't worry everything must be alright."

Samir shook his head, his brow furrowed. "I know Ibrahim called off the surveillance, but the staff swears they haven't seen Ava since this morning. They even had breakfast together in a nearby restaurants but sister-in-law was absent."