Chapter 144 : "But what if Ibrahim finds out you helped me?"

Ava understood the hidden meaning of Aqil's words, "I know why you're saying this. And yes, I was shocked to learn those truth. But I won't succumb to self-harm. I will live."

She took a deep breath, "It took me a long time to fall in love with that monster. And it will take time to Remove him from of my heart. I will forget everything related to him. I refuse to be like the heroines in those films who end up happy with a toxic hero, accepting everything they do. I won't be like that."

"It's your life, Ava," Aqil said softly, "I'm no one to tell you how to act or to advice you." 

He reached into his backpack and retrieved a thick bundle of Thai baht. Earlier, he had approached Somchai and exchanged his Malaysian currency to Thai baht. 

Holding it out to Ava, he explained, "Elara asked me to give you this for your daily expenses. Let things settle down a bit. He'll send you more. This is 200,000 ringgit. Somchai changed this into Thai baht." 

Ava accepted the money. A single question escaped her lips, "Does Ibrahim know now that I'm gone?"

Aqil shook his head, "I don't know yet. If I contact anyone in Kuala Lumpur, it'll catch attention so I didn't. But I imagine Ibrahim must have figured it out by now. He'll probably be searching for you everywhere."

Ava's face paled, her fists clenching as fear threatened to consume her. "Will he find out I'm here? Will he come for me again?"

Witnessing her rising panic, reached out and gently patted her head, "The chances are low. At least, he won't find you easily."

The truth was, he couldn't guarantee anything. Ibrahim's reach and resources were vast, and underestimating him would be a grave mistake.

Ava's voice trembled as she spoke, "But what if Ibrahim finds out you helped me?"

Aqil told with a heavy sigh, "Even if he finds out, don't worry about me. He wouldn't touch me. My wife knows Ibrahim well and she thinks of him as a brother. And recently he paid my son's hospital bill. Ibrahim is a that kind of man who chooses people before killing and before helping ....most of the time."

Ava's gaze dropped to the floor. Yesterday, she had heard tales of Ibrahim's ruthlessness, of the sixty lives he had taken. Even about killing his father. And her scholarship..... 

Now, she was hearing about his acts of charity. It felt as if Ibrahim was an enigma, a walking contradiction. Inside him, it seemed, resided two distinct entities: one, a monster capable of unspeakable acts of violence, and the other, a seemingly compassionate soul who extended a helping hand.

Aqil reached into his backpack once more, this time pulling out a thinner bundle of cash compared to the previous one. "Look, Ava. I know you don't want to be beholden to anyone, especially not Ibrahim. But if I try to return this money to him, he wouldn't accept it. He's like that. However, I wouldn't want my son to grow up feeling indebted to a man like him. Please, take this. You'll need it here."

Ava's gaze shifted from Aqil's sincere face to the outstretched money. How could she, in good conscience, accept money from the man who had risked so much to help her escape, a man struggling to support his own family?

"I can't take this," she replied, "It wouldn't be right. You and your family need it more than I do. If you want to use it, then return it to Ibrahim. But I can't take it from you. It's not my money afterall."

A tense silence descended upon the room. Aqil remained standing with the wad of cash in his hand. Suddenly, Ava rose from her chair and surprised Aqil by reaching out and gently taking the money from his hand. He watched in stunned silence as she fumbled with the olive green scrunchie holding her braid in place. With nimble fingers, she removed the elastic and proceeded to bind the stack of bills securely.

"Consider this a gift." she declared, "You gave me the money, and now I'm returning it, not as a debt, but as a token of my appreciation. This money is no longer Ibrahim's. It's yours. Use it for your son's education, for his future."

A genuine smile spread across Aqil's face. He was touched by her gesture, a testament to her selflessness and her unwavering spirit even in the face of adversity. "Ava. You are an extraordinary woman. I promise, I will tell Sahil about you when he'll grow up. And, I will use this money for his education, just as you wished and I'll make sure he grows up knowing someone as pure and good-hearted as you exist."

However Ava shook her head, "I'm not good. If I were truly good, none of this would have happened to me. I'm just a burden, now, to everyone."

Ava's words tugged at Aqil's heart. He knew the path to healing was long and arduous, but he couldn't stand by and let her drown in self-pity.

"Don't think that way," he said gently, "You are not a burden, not here, not ever, not to anyone. You are not defined by the things that have happened to you, but by how you choose to move forward."

Time was running out, and he needed to ensure her safety before his departure. He walked to the bedside table and retrieved a pen and a piece of paper, "I need to leave soon. But before I go, I want to make sure you have a way to reach me if needed."

He began scribbling on the paper, "These are two phone numbers," he continued, holding up the paper once finished. "They belong to Alam, my neighbor. Mr. Somchai will be bringing you a phone and a local SIM card soon. You can use these numbers to call if you need anything, understood?"

He paused, "Also Remember, don't open any of your old social media accounts. Your location can be easily traced. Additionally, never answer calls from unknown numbers, except for these two. Even Elara will contact you through these numbers only. Don't call her directly with your new phone number, or anyone else for any matter. Only in these two numbers."

His gaze held hers, "If you want to use social media, create a new account, one that doesn't use your real name. And most importantly, keep your fake passport safe with you at all times. It's your lifeline here." 

Ava accepted the paper, her fingers tracing the numbers with a hesitant touch. Looking at his genuine concern, she saw a reflection of Elara, her brother, in Aqil. He was a stranger, yet he had gone above and beyond to help her escape a nightmare. 

Somchai, Pimpa, and Tanin entered the room. Somchai told warmly, "Car is ready, Aqil."

The room buzzed with hurried conversations as they finalized details. With a final nod towards Ava, Aqil left the room with Somchai and Pimpa. Tanin started to follow his parents, likely to see Aqil off. However, his gaze fell upon Ava who was still rooted to her spot. "Won't you go see him off?" Tanin inquired. 

Ava slowly left the room, stepping into the corridor. She watched as Aqil made his way towards the garage situated at the back of the house. Somchai and Pimpa stood nearby, bidding farewell to Aqil.

Tears welled up in her eyes as she realized that Aqil's departure marked the end of her ties to Kuala Lumpur. No longer would she have anyone close to her from that city. Kuala Lumpur held significant memories for her—it was the place of her birth, where her parents tragically lost their lives in a car accident. It was the city where she and Elara grew up alone after their parents' passing. Kuala Lumpur was also the city where Ibrahim had forced her into a marriage, and ultimately, the city she had bravely escaped from, finding refuge in Thailand.

With each step Aqil took away from her, a tear rolled down Ava's cheek. The engine roared to life, pulling away not just Aqil, but a part of her past and a connection to the life she had left behind. She was alone, adrift in a foreign land. She leaned against the wall, her sobs echoing in the quiet hallway.

The sight of Ava's tear-streaked face caught Tanin off guard. Ever since her arrival, she had been a silent observer, responding to his questions with curt nods or one-word answers. Even during lunch, when he'd tried to make conversation with her about her hobbies, her reply of "tennis" had felt more like a robotic echo than a genuine conversation. He had almost convinced himself she was devoid of any deeper emotion, a silent figure like a robot. But now, witnessing her as she wept openly, shattered that perception. 

He stammered, unsure of how to comfort her, but wanting to offer any help he could. "Oy, why are you crying? Do you want something? Chocolates? Lollipops? Ice cream? Gums...? Hey....yyyy tell me what you want? Stop crying like a baby."

Meanwhile, Pimpa and Somchai returned after seeing Aqil off. Witnessing her distress, Pimpa rushed forward, her arms outstretched. In an instant, Ava found herself enveloped in a warm embrace.

"Ava, what's wrong? Is it your brother you miss, dear?" Pimpa cooed softly, "Don't worry, he'll call you soon. Just be patient, a little bit longer."

Ava shook her head wordlessly, tears continuing to stream down her face. And Pimpa tightened her embrace.

"We'll take care of you here, Ava," Somchai said gently, placing a comforting hand on her back. "It'll take time to adjust, but you'll feel at ease here. I'll treat you like my own daughter."

Tanin leaned towards Somchai and whispered, "Papa, why do girls cry so much? Is it like a special talent God gives them?"

Somchai's gaze snapped towards his son, his expression hardening in an instant. Internally, he screamed, "What kind of son did I raise? Did he spend his childhood living under a rock?!"

Taking a deep breath to control his rising temper, Somchai simply muttered through gritted teeth, "Shut up, Tanin."

Tanin's brow furrowed in confusion, "That's not fair, Papa! You're treating Ava like your own daughter, but you won't listen to your own son's opinion!"

Somchai stared at his son in Disbelief. Whatever Tanin was, it was clear he wasn't like other children. Tanin, with his endless stream of insensitive remarks and uncanny knack for pushing buttons, was a constant source of amusement and frustration for his parents. Sometimes, Somchai secretly prayed to the heavens, "Thank you, Jesus, for only giving me one child, because I'm pretty sure I couldn't handle another one of them."