A MOMENT OF DESPAIR

The next day.....

In the room,Suraj sat beside Leylah while holding her hand in his. She hasn't woken up or shown any signs of waking up yet. And that really left him devastated and broken.

"Leylah please wake up already.....stop scaring me like this" he kissed her hand tenderly and gave her a light peck on her forehead.

"Ya Allah please don't take my wife away from me. Please Lord of lords and the King of kings" Suraj cried.

Nabeela was seated outside Leylah's hospital room,she was making a few calls about work outside. Suraj's phone which was with her has been ringing for some time.The callers keeps calling non stop,so she decided to go give the phone to Suraj thinking it might be important.

"Hey bro,how are you feeling?" Nabeela asked in a low voice when she entered the room,and Suraj just gave her a plain look and went back to staring at Leylah.

He was looking so worn out and tired. He hasn't slept a wink since last night and he wasn't intending to. He just keeps praying for Leylah,crying and begging her to wake up.

"There is this certain number that has been calling your phone for a while now.I thought it might be important,so....here" Nabeela said passing the phone to Suraj.

"Thanks" He said,collecting the phone and tossed it aside. His voice hoarse from all the crying he's been doing.

"See,the person is calling again. you should go answer it, I'll stay here with Leylah" Nabeela said and Suraj nodded in understanding.

He took one last glance at Leylah,he kissed her hand lovingly before he slowly placed it gently by her side and walked out of the room to take the call.

"Hello" he said on the phone with an unknown expression on his face.

"Yeah hello sir,this is inspector Hafiz Abdulraheem. I am calling from S police station in Lekki. Am I speaking to doctor Suraj Al kassem"

"Yea" Suraj answered dully.

"Good,we have the culprit of your wife and child's attempted murder. We need you to come to the station right now".

"What? You mean.....you found....".

"Yes,you should come to the station immediately". The inspector said before Suraj could complete his sentence.

Suraj quickly ran to his car and drove off to the station. He called Nabeela on his way and told her about the situation.

The director reported the case to the police,when they found out that it was a murder attempt by someone. The police were quick to trace the restaurant who delivered the poisoned small chops to Leylah.

They found the delivery guy who later told them that he was asked to deliver the package to Leylah,by a lady they recognised as Zara.

They caught Zara easily by tracking her phone, when she called the delivery guy. They took her and the delivery guy to the police station for interrogation.

Zara denied the accusation even when all evidence were pointing to her. She threw a fit and asked them to let her see Suraj.

The director was in a room,discussing Leylah's condition with other doctors when the police called him. Suraj wasn't in the right frame of mind to listen to it and his parents were at the NICU,watching the baby.

He thought for a while then told the police to call Suraj. He decided that it will be better for Suraj to go since the culprit was Zara. The police also mentioned that Zara has asked to see Suraj,so he thought to let Suraj go and handle the situation.

Suraj arrived at the Police station and they explained everything to him. Then they brought him to Zara who have been begging them to bring Suraj there.

Seeing Zara after a long time,he remembered how she had stabbed Mrs Karina. How hasn't been able to understand how she could do such a thing. And now she tried to kill his wife and child? He felt an enormous amount of anger towards her.

He continued searching through her eyes wordlessly. Wondering how the innocent and kindhearted Zara he used to know turned into such a monster.

"Suraj....you're here....Get me out of here please. I didn't do what they are accusing me of" Zara said and Suraj didn't react. He remained nonchalant,but his fingers curled into fist.

"You probably believed what the police told you right?"

"Are you mad at me?" Zara asked when he wasn't saying anything but just gave her a frosty gaze.

"Okay....okay,am sorry. I didn't mean to cause Mrs Karina's death or that b**ch's ........" before she could complete it,Suraj lunged at her and wanted to strangle her. But the bars in between them restrained him and stopped him from reaching her.

"HOW DARE YOU?HOW COULD YOU EVEN DO SUCH A THING?" Suraj shouted at her,shaking the bars between them.

Zara's eyes widened in horror as she stepped backwards in fear. She has never seen Suraj like this before. He looked at her with a deathly glare and his chest was heaving up and down, breathing heavily.

" Su....suraj you...."

"DONT YOU DARE SAY MY NAME" Suraj shouted at her again. He was barely holding the last shred of patience he has in him. he clenched his fist and gnated his teeth.

"Why are you behaving like this? Why are you here if you are this angry with me?" She shouted at Suraj feeling annoyed.

"How Zara? How could you even do such a thing?" Suraj asked baffled.

" How could i?" Zara scoffed.

A glint sparked in her eyes seeing Suraj's handsome face. She thought he looked very attractive when he is angry. Her anger subsided just seeing his handsome face.

She took a few steps close to him and asked in a calm and sweet voice,ignoring his question. "Why are you here? Why did you come to see me?". Suraj didn't react and she smiled lightly and continued.

"Let me tell you. You came to see me because you missed me right?and you want to tell me how much you love me"

"Why don't you just say so,instead of shouting and getting angry at me?mm". Zara said and her expression turned soft,looking at Suraj with longing in her eyes.

Suraj just shook his heard realising that she isn't just suffering from erotomania but could also be mentally demented.

"Am sorry,but I didnt want to do this either. I thought that was the only way I could have you" Zara continued.

She told him that she did everything she did,because she wanted to have him. She doesn't mind doing it all over again if it means she would have him all to her self.

Suraj was speechless he couldn't believe how despicable she has become. How did things get like this?she wasn't even feeling remorseful.

"What wrong did I ever do to you Zara? I never gave you any false hope or led you on in any way? So why the he** did you do this?" Suraj said frustratedly.

"Because I thought you loved me. I thought you knew I loved you and why I always hang around you" Zara said and Suraj shook his head in denial to her claim.

"Why did you let me stay by your side if you didn't love me?.....why Suraj?" Zara asked in exasperation

"Because I cared about you. I felt pity for you because of the kind of life you had, which was devoid of love,family and friendship" Suraj rubbed his beards roughly then he continued.

"I thought I could help you overcome your disorder. I thought it was the right thing to do as a doctor and a fellow Muslim. You were just like a sister to me and that was why I didn't hesitate to help you..."

"Sister.....sister my foot. How can you see me as your sister?" Zara scoffed. Suraj looked at her with a gaze full of regret. He regretted ever caring about her and being nice to her in the first place.

"But I guess I was wrong.....no, I am wrong. I should have listened to my wife. Perhaps my mother in law would still be with us today and Leylah wouldn't be in this situation now". A sharp glint sparked in the depths of his eyes as he continued

"I hate you Zara,I detest every single thing that is related to you. I curse the day I set eyes on you.I do hope and I will pray everyday for the rest of my life that you suffer a lot".Suraj said in a cold and distant voice and Zara's expression stiffened.

"I'll pray you feel the same pain you've inflicted on others and I will make sure you never get out of this place. You will rot in prison for all the atrocities you've committed". Suraj promosed and turned immediately to leave.

"No Suraj don't say that.....I love yo..."Zara cried out in desperation when she saw Suraj leaving.

"I said don't ever call my name again you mentally deranged person" He stared at her ferociously before he turned to leave again.

"No....No....No, Suraj please don't...don't leave like this.....I will die if you leave me please.....don't go I beg...you....." Zara cried as Suraj walked out of the cell she was held in.

"I have survived all these while because of your love and care Suraj. if you leave me here now alone,how will I survive?"She slumped on the cold floor and wept for a very long time. Her shoulders shook violently and her heart shredded to pieces.

She felt broken,lost,rejected and abandoned. She was in despair. "I hate you Leylah, I really really hate you a lot. I pray you die,I pray you never wake up". Zara shouted angrily as she cried.