Sitting beside her unconscious husband, she asked the doctor for the sixth time since he arrived "How is my husband, doctor?"
"Like I said before, Mrs Henia, what your husband needs is a lot of rest. He also needs to cut down on the tobacco he's been taking in and to reduce his drinking. Instead of taking alcoholic drinks, water is more hygienic and safe and that's exactly what your husband needs now because he's also dehydrated". The doctor replied her for the sixth time, the same thing word for word, but it still doesn't convince Tina that her husband is fine.
He's been so engrossed with his work nowadays, he rarely has time to sleep or even talk to her. He doesn't even have time for her, nor the Children. She already knew this day would come. A day when he'd work himself to exhaustion. What she didn't know was that he passed out from rage.
"I'm afraid I must take my leave now, Mrs Henia. You don't want me replacing your husband, do you?" The doctor joked but was replied with an ice cold frown from Tina.
"That was meant to be a joke... I'll just...take my leave". The doctor said, leaving her matrimonial bedroom, so she could watch over her unconscious husband who doesn't seem to be having a peaceful rest, as he has been sweating profusely and been jerking his head to each sides of the bed from time to time. Her continuous patting on his chest didn't seem to bring him any peace as his jerking only became worse and worse.
"Dure?" She called but her voice wasn't strong enough to wake him up so he could realize he was having a nightmare.
She was getting scared, she didn't want to lose her husband as she watched her husband shaking vigorously like an epileptic patient. She stood up and was just about to run to get the humorless doctor when she heard a hard gasp from her side and boom...her husband was back to life, shaking from top to bottom like he was bathed with cool water in a chilly weather.
This was why he hated sleep. The same fear that he'd see something he had been running away from. A fear that questioned his existence. A fear that even he, didn't understand.
Beads of sweat rolled down his face and neck, his roughened breathing still haven't found a pace of their own, and his eyes fluttering like the wings of a butterfly, he was looking round to be sure that the monster he saw in the dream didn't follow him out of his dream. The relief that washed over his heart when he realized that it was all a dream was like a burning body being put into cold water. But like a quenched burnt body, the pain was still lingering.
He looked at his wife, who had been trying to get his attention now for good few minutes. Whatever blocking his ears gave way to sound, so he could hear again. At least, hear the cries of his troubled wife who looked scared out of her wits.
"Are you okay?" She asked him, holding his face in her hands, one knee on the bed while the other standing.
"I'm fine, love". He replied, shrugging it off like nothing happened, his breathing become more stable than before.
"Dure, you were shaking vigorously like an epileptic person! And you say you're fine?!" She said to her husband, her worried eyes pinning her husband's in place.
"Where's Ameed?" He asked her, totally ignoring her care and love. Obviously her care couldn't find the missing trailers, or would it?
"Why are you looking for Ameed? Are you trying to get yourself busy again? I wouldn't allow it!" Tina said, stomping her foot on the ground to show her disagreement to his intentions.
But he pushed her away from him and she landed on the floor. He rose to his feet almost I'mmediately, walked to his wardrobe and picked up a random shirt to cover his naked abs. Then he packed his golden hair to the back. He needed to pay someone a visit.
"Dure?" Tina said in disbelief. "Did you just shrug me off?" She asked her husband, hoping he had an explanation for the earlier action. But he turned around, holding the door handle and said "I'm sorry, love. But looking at you or staying in your arms wouldn't bring six hundred million dollars back to me". Then he walked out, cause she was the definitely the last person he wanted to see. She just sat down there. Embarrassed, hurt and dismayed.
Dure walked into his father's office, running into Ameed who was already waiting for him, on his knees.
"Seeing you on your knees, that means the trailers haven't been found". Dure confirmed as he walked up to his father's little bar to get himself a glass of whiskey.
"The doctor asked you to stay away from that, boss. Let's listen to the doctor this time". Ameed closed his eyes and said to his boss. Not expecting his boss to listen anyway but at least giving it a shot.
"Instead of lecturing me, Ameed, why don't you get us ready to move". Dure replied, putting back the whiskey where he had taken it.
"To where, boss?" Ameed asked.
"Where else? To the root of my problems!"
"But could it be, Phillips?"
"Well, it could be and it could be not. Phillips isn't that smart to know that we're shipping out drugs and even if he's that smart, he wouldn't be so daring as to snatch them from my hands. But it could be if Phillip's desperation has reached a whole new level". Dure replied Ameed, sitting on the arm of the couch as he talked to Ameed.
"What about Enzo, boss? Should we call him back?"
"Leave Enzo out of this. Let him fulfill his Daddy duties. As for you, get the car ready. I'm moving in the next five minutes". Dure ordered which Ameed obeyed immediately.
____________________________✍️
Humming and leaping like the idiot that he was, Justin laid the omelette on the plate beside the strawberries and the raspberries he had used to humbly decorate the plate. He was more than happy doing this, even though he knew there was a possibility that Nora wouldn't eat what he cooked but if he enticed her with wine, she almost definitely will.
His legs still weren't healed and he needed support from time to time so he could stand straight without feeling much pain from his wounded foot. He smirked at his expertise as he put a pair of mint leaves on the omelette, he put the plate in the laid out tray and walked with great difficulty to the dinning as he didn't want to leap for fear of spilling what he had so carefully prepared for her.
Justin, the fool. Whoever made the quote 'Love will bring out the fool in you' made it just for Justin.
After miraculously managing to not scream in pain and yet get the tray to the dinning, he leaned to Nora's room which was his old room, of course and knocked the door, and without being asked to enter opened the door.
"I knew you were a coward but I most certainly didn't think that you were a pervert too. What were you hoping to see behind closed doors?" Nora asked him as she pulled her gown over her head in front of the dressing mirror, adjusting her gown over her hips.
Justin closed the door immediately, realizing he had just seen her accidentally almost naked. She was only wearing a bra and panties underneath the gown. His heart raced and he was praying that his planned dinner wouldn't go wrong.
"I forgot. You've seen me naked before. That's why you feel you have the liberty to walk in on me naked". Nora said to him, knowing quite clearly he could hear her, she sat on the edge of the bed, tapping her foot and looking towards the door.
"That night was a mistake and wasn't supposed to happen". Justin defended, when he remembered that one passionate night both of them shared.
"But it still happened. So don't be such a hypocrite". Nora replied, reaching out for her pillow to cover up the royal seal well.
"Can I come in now?" Justin asked, not knowing what she was up to this time around.
"You already have. Why bother ask?"
Justin sighed and leaped into the room, closing the door behind him.
"I'm guessing you're here again to get your second foot smashed". Nora nonchallantly said.
"I'm actually here to ask you to lunch".
"Lunch? I'm sorry, I'll pass. I don't eat with backstabbing cowards and perverts". She replied him with a voice so full of resentment.
"You don't actually have a choice". He said to her as he leaped closer to her.
"You're over exerting your abilities, old man. How can a one legged incompetent man make someone like me go against my will?"
"I don't mind if I feed you. You'll eat whether you like it or not. Like I said before, you got no choice. You're not the only stubborn person around here". Justin replied her, leaping further towards her.
"Do you think we're on talking terms just because I'm talking to you? Well, I'm sorry if I might have given off the wrong impression".
"If Green sees you like this, he wouldn't be so glad to-" Nora shut him up with a quick, sharp and loud slap.
"Still in the habit of shutting people up with your hand, aiyyy?" Justin asked, recovering from the slap almost immediately for he was expecting it.
"Listen and listen good. Let this be the last time you mention his name!" She warned, fuming like the mouth of a boiling kettle, she could feel her temper rising.
"I'm sorry for going towards a touchy subject but I needed to convince you to eat". Justin explained to her, saying it in his defense.
"Get out!" She spat at him, her not so warm face becoming history.
"We need to talk, Nora". He told her, not moving from where he was. He was so determined to get her to eat and talk to him. He needed her to open up to him once more like the old days.
"We have nothing to talk about". She replied, with that same cold voice and walked to the door, opening it up for him.
"Like I said, I'm not going anywhere till we talk this out once and for all".
"And what makes you think I want to talk to you? Your very existence annoys me, not to talk of your presence in this place".
"I know my very existence annoys you but whether you like it or not, we need to talk. And I'm sure you're gonna talk to me because I'm ready to tell you everything you want to know".
She scoffed but decided to hold him by his word. After all, it's a good deal anyway.
"What secret do you want me to say?" He asked her as he took his seat on the bed. Nora closed the door shut and walked towards the pillow, removing the pillow aggressively and bringing out the royal seal.
Justin was so shocked that he couldn't hide his gasp.
"We could start with this. What on Earth is the royal seal doing with you... A mere commoner?"
_______________________________✍️
Phillips walked into his apartment, exhausted from the meeting upon meeting he had been attending, he was ready to lay down on his couch to sleep without even bothering to put off his clothes.
"Tired, right? Welcome to the team, bro". Phillips heard the voice say before his head could touch the pillow and in fear, he froze, his eyes darting to where the voice was coming from.
His eyes widened the more when his fear was affirmed. It was his brother Dure, seating and waiting for him already on the two sitter couch next to the LED TV.
"You were so tired you didn't notice your door was unlocked. No place like home, bro. No place like home". Dure said, huffing smoke into the air as he put the tobacco pipe back into his mouth.
"What are you doing in my apartment?" Phillips asked his brother, not understanding why his brother was here in the first place.
"I got this place for you, remember? I'd be a fool to not have my own key to it".
"I don't mean that. I mean, why are you here?"
"I feel insulted. What's wrong with an elder brother visiting his younger brother?"
"You're not my brother". Phillips deadpanned.
"Rejection. Ouch. That hurts". Dure said, putting his hand to his chest in a very dramatic way before jumping to his feet.
"I understand bro, I also don't like the fact that I'm your brother but what can we do? It's fate". He began. "Now to the main reason, I'm here". Dure said as he picked up the bat he had placed on the center table earlier, walking up to Phillips who cowered down to his feet and crossed his hands over his head in fear.
"Oh, I'm not here for you yet. But I'm still coming for you". He said before sitting on the center table. Phillips looking up in fear to see what his brother wanted to do.
"Three trailers are missing. They were supposed to be shipped two days ago but they suddenly disappeared". He began.
"And what has that got to do with me?"
"Each trailer has in it something worth two hundred million dollars. Now multiplying that by three that makes it six hundred million dollars-"
"I still don't understand what you're driving at?"
"How could six hundred million dollars disappear into thin air was the question I was expecting from you". Dure said, rising to his feet, his bat already in his hand.
"Are you trying to insinuate that I'm the one who made it disappear?"
"Can't think of a better person bro".
"Well, if that's the reason you're here, you may take your leave because I don't know what the hell you're talking about". Phillips replied his brother, rather rudely.
"I may take my leave? Just like that? You think the bat is for fun? No, no, brother". Dure said to his brother, smiling and before Phillips could realize, Dure smashed the glass center table with the bat, the broken pieces flying everywhere.
"WHAT THE FUCK ARE YOU DOING?" Phillips yelled in surprise and anger.
"Getting back at you. Why else?" Dure replied before walking to the large screen TV and hitting it three consecutive times with all his might until the screen was totally broken, and all the broken pieces were on the floor.
"GET BACK AT ME? I DID NOTHING WRONG!" Phillips yelled in anger but more of frustration for he couldn't do anything at the moment.
"I know you did nothing wrong. I'm the maniac here, remember?" Dure replied before smashing the glass lamp that was standing beside the couch Phillips just stood up from.
"WHY THE FUCK ARE YOU TREATING ME THIS WAY?"
"Like I said before, I'm a maniac". Dure replied his brother before walking towards a glass art that was standing at the corner of the living room. It was a glass sculpture in the shape of a neighing horse. It was a gift his father gave him for his birthday at age eighteen. Phillips had always valued the piece of art. But within seconds, Dure smashed it to the ground, the flying pieces cutting him in the process, but he didn't care.
Since his beautiful art piece was gone, there was nothing to protect anymore, Phillips just stood still, dumbfounded and lost. He continued to watch as Dure used the bat to break everything breakable. Tears rolled down his eyes and anger brew in his heart.
When Dure was done, Dure walked up to him and smiled "Don't cry brother. This wouldn't have happened if you didn't burn down my house. Even though you do know that none of this would have happened also if you continued to remain the good little innocent that you were. Next time, listen to brother. Brother knows best".
With that, Dure smiled, threw the bat on the couch and walked out of his house were Ameed was waiting for him.
"He's not the one". Dure told Ameed who handed over to his boss, the document he had earlier received from Phillips place.
Phillips just sat down there in his broken apartment. More hurt and angry than he had ever been in his life.
____________________________✍️
Well, that wasn't what he was expecting. He was expecting her to ask questions about her children or about Nanny or ask why she didn't see him during her most darkest times. But instead, she brought out the royal seal.
How did she even find it anyway? It was stored safely in the lamp? Justin thought aloud, unknowingly to him, Nora heard him.
"Well, I'm guessing the royal seal recognized it's rightful owner and came out on it's own. Is that a good explantation?" She asked as she took her seat on the floor, with the royal seal in her hands and her concentration on Justin.
"Well, since I gave you a good explantation, I want one in return". Nora said, calling drifting Justin back to reality.
"Why do you want to-"
"I'm listening, Justin. Why on Earth do you have this with you?" Nora asked him again.
It took a while before Justin opened his mouth to speak. He had already decided against it but if he wanted Nora to work with him, he might as well be honest with her on everything.
"Fine. I'll tell you" He began. "Your grandfather, King Azad, of blessed memory, kidnapped me a few days before his death".
"He's more Noble than that".
"You asked for what happened, so I'm telling you. So can you try to keep silent throughout? It'll help both of us". Justin snapped at her, annoyed at her constant interruptions. She didn't like the way he said it but she kept shut anyway.
"Somehow, we got into the restroom of your grandfather and he told me how he was captured by his second wife who forced him to marry her. He said he married her because of his grandchildren, so she wouldn't make them suffer. I'm quite sure you know who that is, right?" Justin asked but got no answer. He was the one who asked her to keep shut. "So...umm... He brought out the royal seal and asked me to give it to you when the time was right. But when I wanted to talk to you about it, you announced your then pregnancy, and that had an effect on me so I just kept silent on it". He confessed.
"Is that why you were mad at me when Grandpa died?" Nora asked him, remembering the day Justin walked up to her house with an angry face shoving off everyone else until he saw her.
"Well...Yeah. That should be the reason". He replied, not wanting to tell her the other reason.
If there was one thing Justin feared, it's to spoil the relationship between them.
"So, Grandpa gave this to you, knowing quite well that we were Friends and that witch named Mary wouldn't even think about you because she knew you. For an old man like him, that was quite smart".
"Do not curse the dead"
"He's my grandfather. Not yours". Nora stared like it was the most obvious thing in the world.
"So...I told you that". Justin said, totally ignoring her rudeness. She has always been rude. "What other secret do you wanna know?"
Nora sat up, putting the royal seal beside her, she said "How did you find out about Tina and Dure's marriage? And why didn't you ever tell me?"
Still not asking for her children. Justin thought as he faked a smile at her.
"What I need from you is an explanation. Not a fake smile which obviously defines your life". Nora rudely commented.
"About that..." He began "An anonymous person had been contacting me right before I met you in Dubai. He never liked Dure and seeing that we had something in common, we both decided to work together. Even though I don't understand what he wanted from me till now but he was the one that told me the marriage of those two, sending me a picture as confirmation. But I wanted to hear it from his mouth, Dure that is, so I came over to fight him but ran into a party at your place instead and you know the rest of the story"
"No, I don't know the rest of the story. Why didn't you tell me?"
"Eleanora, I came back and found you almost dead if not dead at the bottom of a swimming pool after I found blood everywhere in your apartment. How do you expect me to tell you that at that moment? We barely could even keep your life!"
"But after I lived-"
"There was no time for us to talk. Series of crazy things happened afterwards and it was all so energy and mind demanding that I didn't even understand myself anymore". He reminded her.
If she could understand him, it was that he didn't have the time to tell her the truth. She sighed and got up on her feet.
"Any other secret I need to know?" She asked him, ungrateful of the one he had just said. Justin swallowed hard and shaked his head.
"No". He replied her. Her emotions weren't stable and she definitely had only revenge in her life. If she knew about the Children, she could influence them, abandon them or even teach them what's not. So until she's ready to think straight, he won't tell her anything about. And as for Mary, now wasn't a good time.
"Good. Where's the food you asked me to eat?" Nora asked as she walked towards the door.
"I thought you weren't gonna eat it". Justin teased.
"I'm hungry and I need to get my revenge. I was going to eat it anyway but I needed to take in the truth first. Besides, there's wine beside it". She replied before walking out.