Ibrahim's room was a stark reflection of his character, adorned with dark wallpapers and heavy, imposing furniture. The tube light overhead cast a bright glow all over the room.
Ava lay unconscious in the large bed. Beside her Ibrahim had taken on the role of caretaker, a stark contrast to the ruthless figure he had shown before. He checked her vital signs, examining her pulse and breathing. Her pulse was faint. His fingers were gentle as he began treating the wound on her waist. His touch was gentle as he cleaned and dressed it.
On the sofa behind the bed, Aliya, Ibrahim's mother, sat in silence. Her eyes fixed on Ava, and it was looking like she was thinking something.
While working on Ava's wound, Ibrahim glanced at his mother and asked, "What are you thinking, Mom?"
Aliya sighed, her eyes never leaving Ava. "Ibrahim, you didn't have to do all this in front of her. Ava knows nothing of our world."
Ibrahim's however, remained steadfast in his decisions, "It's better she learns our reality. Now Ava won't deny for marriage. I had planned this long before, Mother. Everything happened according to my plan. Kamir was a stain that I needed to erase. It's a perfect setup. Two birds were killed with one stone." , Ibrahim explained.
"Do you truly believe Ava will agree to marry you?" His mother asked.
Ibrahim, now finished with tending to Ava's wound, straightened and stepped away from the bed. He answered confidently, "When she regains consciousness, she will say yes."
Ibrahim moved toward the door, prepared to leave the room. But Aliya, concerned and curious, halted his exit with a final question, "How can you be so confident? What if she says no?"
Ibrahim paused, turning to face his mother, "There are two reasons, mom. "First, Ava loves her brother, and she'll do anything to save him. Second, she'll marry me because she hates me. Take care of Ava, Mom."
With that, Ibrahim left the room, leaving Aliya alone with Ava. Though Aliya was Ibrahim's mother but she couldn't predict anything about Ibrahim's game. Only Ibrahim knew what he had to do or what not.
.....
The new day was marked by a sky covered in a thick blanket of gray clouds. hung in the air, as if the heavens themselves were undecided on whether to weep or spare the world below. Ibrahim slept the night in different room as Ava and his mom were there last night. He emerged from the bathroom, his body glistening with the water droplets. His upper body was bare, revealing a physique sculpted with taut muscles and six-pack abs. Droplets of water clung to his dark hair, tracing a path down his chiseled chest and disappearing beneath the waistband of his boxer shorts.
He moved and opened the closet to select his attire for the day, a knock at the door caught his attention.
He didn't move from his position, instead inquiring from inside the room, "Who is it?"
A familiar voice from outside the room responded, "Ava has woken up. She's asking to talk to you."
Ibrahim smiled at the news and moved to open the door. Samir stepped into the room.
Ibrahim asked while closing the door, "When did she wake up? I checked on her at dawn, and she was still asleep."
Samir settled on the bed and reached for the air conditioner remote. As he fiddled with the settings, he replied, "Just about an hour ago. Mom tried to feed her some soup, but when I went to check on her, she threw an empty coffee mug in my direction. Fortunately, it missed my handsome face this time too."
Samir showed his hand, revealing a slight red mark where the mug had grazed his skin.
Ibrahim nodded in understanding, and a wry smile tugged at the corners of his lips. "I wonder what she'll throw at me when she sees me."
Samir playfully teased, "Maybe a knife?"
After getting dressed in a black suit with a crisp white shirt, Ibrahim made his way towards his room where Ava was. The door was no longer locked, a subtle indication that she was no longer a captive but had willingly chosen to stay. He entered and greeted her with a soft, "Good morning, baby girl."
Ava, sitting on the edge of the bed, held a glass of water in her trembling hands. Her gaze met Ibrahim's, and the memories of the previous night rushed back like a tidal wave. She clenched the glass tightly. The image of Kamir's selfless (so-called) help, the extremely shots from Ibrahim's gun and the haunting sight of Kamir's lifeless body were etched in her mind.
She closed her eyes momentarily, as if trying to dismiss the horror. But the trauma of last night would continue to haunt her for a long time to come.
When Ava battled with her recollections, Ibrahim had already taken a seat on a plush sofa in the room. Ava's gaze settled on Ibrahim. She knew what she needed to do. She took a deep breath and uttered the words Ibrahim had been waiting for, "I'll marry you."
A smile of triumph and satisfaction graced Ibrahim's face. He had imagined her decision, and now that it was official, his plan was coming to fruition. He nodded and replied, "Tomorrow is our wedding."
Ava gently placed the glass of water on the bedside table before continuing, "But I have some conditions."
Ibrahim leaned forward, placing his hands on his knees as he listened attentively. "Tell me your conditions. For you I'm willing give my life, baby girl."
Ava gathered her courage, taking a deep breath before she laid out her conditions. "First," she began, her voice steady, "you won't harm Elara or anyone who's close to me."
Ibrahim replied, "As long as they don't pose any threats to us, they won't be harmed."
Ava proceeded with her second condition. "I want to continue my studies. That is non-negotiable."
Ibrahim nodded in agreement, "Of course, you can continue your studies. What's the third condition?"
Ava took a moment, choosing her words carefully, her gaze remained steady, "You won't touch me after we're married. We won't have any sexual contact."
Ibrahim couldn't help but tease, a playful glint in his eyes as he quipped, "So, after marriage, I can't touch you. Does that mean before marriage, I can?"
Ava was taken aback by his response. She looked at him in disbelief. She responded firmly, "Not even before marriage."
Ibrahim leaned back into the plush sofa, a sly smile playing on his lips. "So, you're denying me from the rights of a husband."
Ava leaned her head back against the headboard, a smirk playing on her lips. She responded mockingly, "Well, doesn't that suit you perfectly? You are going to marry me forcefully and it'll be your punishment. You can never conquer my heart, nor my body. I won't let you to use me."
Ibrahim rose from the sofa and approached towards Ava, who sat on the edge of the bed. He closed the distance between them until he stood before her. Then he spoke, "I accept all your conditions, baby girl. But there will be no deceit between us, even though our relationship won't be like a normal one."
Ava met his intense gaze, she nodded firmly, "Deal."
For a moment, they simply stared at one another. As if they wanted to say many things but don't know where to start. Finally Ava broke the silence, asking a question that had been on her mind, "Didn't your hand tremble when you fired last night?"
Ibrahim, now seated beside her on the bed, answered with confidence, "Never."
Ava hesitated for a moment before asking another pressing question, "Have you killed other people before?" It seemed like she wanted the answer as no....
Ibrahim didn't flinch at the inquiry, as if discussing everyday routine with Ava, "So many. Anyone who betrays me, anyone who jeopardizes my operations, they're removed from this world."
Ava felt a chill run down her spine. She had never imagined she would be bound to a man who had committed such heinous acts. "Will you kill me, too, like you did with the guard last night?" Ava's voice trembled when she asked.
Ibrahim leaned in closer, his eyes softening as he assured her, "I'm known as the King of the underworld in Kuala Lumpur, and you will be the queen. No harm will come to you. It's my promise. Though my ways of showing love may seem cruel to you, one day... oneday, you will fall in love with me."
Ava's lips trembled as she was trying not to cry infront of him, not now, "Marrying you will be the most shameful act of my life. Just marry me, Ibrahim Rahman, and I will make your life a living hell. I will never forget how you forced me and threatened me.....I will never forget."
Ibrahim smiled, no one knew what was going on his mind. His gaze shifted to Ava's lips. They were so red. Although they were not physically close, the unspoken tension between them was undeniable. Then he sighed and rose up from the bed, "I like challenges. I never say no to one."
He took the first aid box from the bedside table and puts on Ava's lap, "Change the dressing of your wound."
With that he turned and left the room. As he closed the door behind him, Ava could no longer contain her tears any more. Her cries were heart-wrenching, her hands trembling as she wiped away the salty trails that streamed down her face.
"Oh, brother, where are you?" she mumbled through her tears, her voice quivering. "I'm missing you so much."
It wasn't easy to sacrifice her own life to save Elara's life. But she she did. She had never imagined that her life would take such a dark and unexpected turn. The pain she felt, both physical and emotional, was too much to bear.