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As soon as they reached the hospital nurses were waiting for them as Mahmud had already informed them.
She was rushed inside the hospital Deedee and Kabeer in tow. The doctor was waiting in the emergency room.
Deedee and Jabeer were told to wait outside as they began working on her.
Deedee was overwhelmed with all that has happened in a short period of time. Due to one of the twins getting ill she decided to not go to the dinner since she attended every other event and Kabeer said he wouldn't be attending without his wife too. They were at home when they received a call that a video was released about Areef's contract marriage. In complete disbelief they opened the link sent and received the shock of their lives.
There was surely a marriage contract, Kabeer would recognize Areef's signature anywhere. Then there was the camouflaged house. There were pictures of the inside. There were some of Areef's personal items there. Some clothes and loads of weed. Pictures of Areef going in and coming out of the house. Amrah even went on to add that.
"Miss Ahmad must have realised what a beast he was and tried to back out of the deal. She was to meet with Areef's brother in law when she had her accident. Who knows Areef could have been behind it to stop her from exposing him and it did turn out well for him since she lost her memories and married him. I'm not doing this to gain anything from it, I just want to expose a very wicked man so that he can be stopped from making anymore damage to anyone. For a drug addict is very unpredictable. I urge the people to make sure this man is judged and punished for his crime."
Deedee heaved a deep sigh. She knows her brother, she knows he definitely did date Amrah but she wasn't sure why they broke up. She knew Areef was a jerk to Airah when she was working for him, she even called him Boss From Hell. Could any of Amrah's claims have elements of truth? Was that the reason why he suddenly told them he was going to marry her? Was a contract really involved? As all of these questions were left unanswered one thing she was certain about. Her brother is not a murderer. There's no way he tried to kill Airah.
Feeling so lost and frustrated she couldn't help herself and bursted into tears. Kabeer who was also lost in his own thoughts was brought back. Seeing his wife in tears he all but embraced her tucking her head under his chin and he hushed her.
"Kabeer, there had to be something amiss, Areef couldn't have done anything like that. He really loves Airah, there's no way he would have married her on contract." She said admist tears.
"Of course Dee, he's your baby brother and your best friend, you know him like the back of your hand. I'm surprised you are actually in doubt of him. Have you forgotten Amrah's father came to Mamy wanting to get Areef to marry Amrah, if what she said really happened why did she still followed him and even brought her parents to get him to marry her. Do you know how many times she had followed him to his office and was sent away? None of Amrah's banter is true Dee, I assure you."
Hearing Kabeer's words she really calmed down. She had forgotten about Amrah's parents coming with marriage proposal to Mamy.
"But what about the house Kabeer, the drugs?"
Jabeer sighed. "I don't know about that, but I'm sure there's a reasonable explanation."
They were seated like that when the doctor exited. They sprang ti their feet.
"Doctor! Is she okay? What about the baby?" Deedee gushed.
The doctor only smiled motioning they come with him as he began walking away from the ER. Kabeer followed him with Deedee hesitantly following behind.
"Please have a seat." the doctor offered.
As soon as they were seated Deedee threw questions at him again.
"Doctor is she okay?"
"Yes, Mrs. Kaseem is okay..... For now, she's stable and yes so is the baby but there still is a risk of miscarriage. She almost went into shock and the baby almost dislodged from the placenta. So any strenuous activity or stress might trigger a miscarriage. So I advice you keep any sort of stress inducing activity away from her."
The nodded all the while as the doctor kept explaining. After a few minutes of advising and warnings they thanked him and asked if they could see Airah.
"Yes, she's been transferred to a ward right now so that should be fine just remember, no stress. "
"We'll make sure of that doctor, thank you very much."
As they were about to get exit his office the doctor added, "You might also want to keep her away from phones and internet. Not good for her at the moment." they only nodded heading out.
They asked the ward she was taken to and made their way there only to bump into Mamy and anty Safiyya. Both moment looked very disturbed. Deedee and Kabeer couldn't help but feel guilty and ashamed as they greeted Anty Safiyya, how can they look at Airah's family.
Deedee held mamy's hands as she mouthed "We're sorry Mamy."
Mamy didn't say a word they just walked to the ward Airah was in. Entering they saw her lying down on the only bed in the room looking peaceful and pale. Hooked to an IV and machines just like she was sometime back.
Anty safiyya was quick to reach her side. She brushed her pale cheek then pecked her forehead. Mamy was by the other side holding her hand.
Both Kabeer and Deedee looked on. They weren't the ones that wronged Airah but they felt so guilty.
Kabeer felt if only he paid more attention to what Areef was doing or going through, he could recall a lot of times Areef wasn't at the office, at home or any meeting. Like the day Airah had her accident. Could Areef really be doing drugs? Could any of Amrah's claims be true? Although a part of him is beginning to suspect Areef he was praying with all his heart that none of Amrah's statement are proved true.
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"How could we have missed all this, how could we have believed she was going to get 3 million naira from an office contribution. So we are responsible for her accident, responsible for her current situation. And that good for nothing sna....."
"Haba Alhaji, don't say such things. We have known this family for so long now we can't just agree to whatever we hear on the internet."
"knowing the family doesn't means knowing the boy. He his under the facade of a good man, and pretense of being a generous man and practically bought my daughter! Had I known my daughter was going to end up like she is now I would rather beg on the streets than ever let him get a meter close to her." Abba burst into tears lamenting ever knowing Areef and ever agreeing to marry his daughter to him.
"Alhaji, all this was decreed, nothing would have stopped any of it from happening. You should have faith and accept Allah's decree. And as I've told you I do not believe any of the things that girl had said. It might be a ruse to get back at Areef for not marrying her."
"Why are you defending him? Don't you care about your broken daughter? She didn't get into the contract for herself! She did it because I failed my family! I wasn't smart enough to realise that I was getting duped......"
".....Alhaji! Enough please. She is my only daughter and the only daughter I'll ever have, don't accuse me of not caring about her. I can swear on the Holy book that what does kids share is love if it's truest kind. I can see it in both of their eyes. Something must be amidst but there's no way what that girl said will be true. I firmly believe that.
She turned and walked up the stairs before she broke down then and there.
She doesn't know what had transpired between her daughter and her husband before the accident but what she knows now is that Areef loves her daughter and her daughter loves him. She can never stand in the way of her daughters happiness. If Areef is what her daughter needs to be happy she'll have him and if she's what she doesn't she will pray for her daughter. She closed her eyes reminiscing the day she first laid eyes on the child she'll ever have. Her pregnancy came with alot of complications and after a very long and difficult labour she gave birth to Airah only to receive a life altering news that she may never be able to conceive again. And she hasn't up till now.
She wiped the tears that were cascading down her cheeks just as her phone began wailing. She picked up quickly seeing the caller.
"Sofiey? How is she? Is she okay? Please tell me she's okay."
"She's okay anty. Though she's not awake now. Do you believe this people? Her so called husband isn't even here just his mother, his sister and her husband." Hearing that gave a jab at her heart but she ignored it.
"Since he's family is there it's okay. He might be busy trying to salvage his family image. Make sure Airah is comfortable and okay sofiey and call me when she's conscious."
"Hmmmm. In sha Allah Anty. Are you sure you won't come see her. I don't see why you won't come." She complained.
"Sofiey just do what I said." Before she could get a word in ummee ended the call.
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"Areef I'm dying...............Areef I'm dying....... Areef I'm dying."
That was all that running through his mind as he drove aimlessly.
'I'm a monster.' he thought
'I ruined her.' he accelerated.
'I don't deserve her.' he turned right roughly ignoring the red light.
'I don't fucking bet deserve her.' He turned a left.
It was until he saw cars and sirens up ahead of him that he realised he was absentmindedly driving to his safe haven. He released the accelerator pressing on the brakes.
Police were everywhere, surrounding the camouflaged flat. The door has been broken down. He was about to drive away when his phone began ringing.
It was Deedee. His heart rate accelerated. What if she tells him something that will shatter him? What if his Airah was.... He stopped himself unable to take the piercing pain his chest gave. He clutched his torso. The phone began ringing again. With blurry eyes he saw that it was Deedee again. Mustering up enough courage he picked up.
Silence greeted him. He waited for several seconds still silence.
"Deedee?" he carefully asked. Still not a sound on the other side. At that moment if he was hooked to an EKG machine his heart rate would have been as high as the machine can measure.
"Deedee, Where's Airah?" He tried again his voice completely loosing it's composure.
The line went dead. Like a mad man he punched in Kabeer's number and dialed. With each dial tone his heart breaking. As soon as Kabeer picked up he was quick to asked well more like shouted into the phone.
"Where the hell is my wife Kabeer?! Tell me where she is right now!"
"Areef you have to calm dow.."
"Don't tell me to calm down. Just tell me where my wife is."
Jabeer heaved a weary sigh. "Where else would we be? The hospital of course .." Kabeer didn't complete his statement as Areef ended the call reversing out of the lane with dangerous speed.
Reaching the hospital just as he entered the building two men dressed casually walked up to him.
"Mr Kaseem, good evening. I'm special agent Mathews this is my partner Agent Bello. " the taller of the two men said.
"I don't fucking care who you both are. You are in my way get the hell out!" Areef's little outburst was drawing some attention to them.
"Right. I'm sorry sir but you are going to have to come with us." Agent Mathews told him.
"The hell I am. Didn't you hear what I just said I have to see my wife now! Get out if my f**king way."
He tried to push past then but they held either side of him not allowing him to pass.
"Sir you are a respected man, we wanted to do this quietly but you are giving us no choice." Agent Bello tried to reason.
"You have five seconds to get your hands off me or you will regret it. "
"Sir just come with us. We are making a scene already." his words were accentuated with a sickening sound as Areef's fist collided with agent Mathews face. He let go of his hand and seeing what happened to his partner agent Bello didn't need to be told as he let go of Areef too.
Areef walked past them heading for the reception. He was asking the bewilded receptionist of Airah's ward when he heard footsteps coming from behind him. About five men dressed in black were coming towards him.
Without a single word one of them tackled Areef putting a handcuff on him. Just then Deedee exited the elevator. Seeing the scene unfolding at the reception she ran towards them seeing her brother handcuffed like a criminal.
"Excuse me? What are you doing? Why is my brother handcuffed? Where are you taking him?" Deedee rushed out in one breath.
"Ma'am, we have a warrant to arrest him."
"Arrest him? On what charges?"
"Possession of illegal drugs, exploitation of an employee and attempted murder." Deedee sucked in a breath.
The men room the struggling Areef as Deedee followed pleading with them to uncuff him.
"Do you even have proof of all this charges. How can you arrest him without an investigation. He has his right."
Agent Bello seeing a disheveled Deedee trying to follow Areef into the car walked up to them stoppping her.
"Ma'am, you can't go with him now. But you can come to agency with his lawyer." Deedee threw him a glare but his eyes pleaded that she does as he advised.
She turned on running back into the hospital where she found Kabeer.
"Kabeer! They took him, some men just took Areef. In cuffs Kabeer..... Charging him of attempted murder." She cried into his chest.
"I know. I heard. Nurse Rose just informed us." He told her.
"That means Mamy knows too. Jabeer she hasn't spoken to me since she came. I feel so guilty, I feel I have a huge fault in all this. I was the one who introduced the idea of getting those two married and look where it has landed them. One is an amnesiac and one is currently arrested." Deedee lamented as her sobs intensified.
"Sssshhhhhh Dee don't you blame yourself. You only had their best interest at heart when you did that and believe me they can't thank you enough. It's just that all this is part of destiny Dee. Just keep on praying for the both of them." When she had calmed down a little. He took her to the waiting room on the floor Airah's ward was.
"Dee, I have to go now. I'll have the police find that devil Amrah and I'll get Mr. Imran and some other lawyers so we can start clearing Areef's name."
She nodded as he kissed her forehead before heading out. He bumped into the bride and groom at the entrance of the hospital.
Kabeer told him what he was up-to and Mahmud offered to come with leaving Amal to go in alone after wishing them luck.
"I'm so sorry all this happened on your big day."
"Come on, don't do that Kabeer. It's none of your faults. Beside what's a wedding without a little bit of a drama. " Mahmud tried to ease the stark atmosphere.
"This Is no little drama you know. But thank you for all you've done and you are doing. "
"What are friends for." Mahmud simply said.
They arrived at the police station. Kabeer sighted the D. P. O's car and sighed in relief. He had called and pleaded with him to come to the station to meet them.
"Kabeer, Your brother in law is in a huge mess and I'm not so sure I'll be of any help. Right now all evidence point to him. The house has been raised and they found drugs to last the thugs of this city a month. They found a bloodied contract and guess what? The blood on it matched his wife's. They were absolutely no other finger print other than his found in the house. With all that I think nothing can save him unless you know the judge is bribed and he disappears to an island to live out the rest of his life there if not he's doing that in prison. "
Kabeer and Mahmud looked at each other.
"But that video is just full of lies. Well except may be for the house and may be also the contract but I assure you that girl is an A grade liar. She wanted to marry him so bad she made her parents come propose to Mamy, she followed Areef to his office countless times only to be sent away. If anyone is to be suspected for attempting to kill Airah it should be that liar." Kabeer tried rambled on.
"You see Jabeer we can not make a case with that. That's just some girl jealousy stuff which won't have any impact on Areef's dilemma. If we do anything to Miss Kaita we might be doing more harm to him. Before we can approach her we need strong and solid evidence like the one they have against Areef."
"Mahmud, He was your roommate I'm college and you were his closest friend. Was he in anyway involved with drugs?" Kabeer turned to Mahmud.
Mahmud looked like a deer caught in the headlights. He looked outright guilty. "It's okay you can tell Hassan he's in our side." Jabeer urged on.
"Well after his father passed away we got involved with bad company he started doing some but when I threatened to tell Mamy he promised to stop. I actually believed he did but I'm not so sure anymore."
Kabeer felt his heart drop. So Areef was really doing drugs all those times he disappeared. How could he ever look at Mamy when he has failed to keep an eye on Areef. And now he was locked up. How in the world did every turn upside down in the blink of an eye.
"Well, that said nothing can be done about the drugs then. Now the attempted murder charge and the exploitation." Hassan broke the eery silence.
Jabeer knew deep down if they are to start investigating the exploitation they wouldn't find anything that will help Areef because he knows how terrible of a boss he was. One thing he's certain is that Areef did not attempt to end the life of the love of his life.
"I've called his lawyer. The one that handles all his contracts. He's in France right now but he will be here tomorrow. Meanwhile we really need to locate Amrah. We won't approach her just to know her location in case the need to bring her in arises. And I hope you will reopen Airah's case, her accident. we'll need to dig deeper ti really find the real culprit."
"Remind me what you studied in college again, because right now you sound like the cop more than I do." Hassan joked.
They laughed a little before Kabeer and Mahmud thanked him and left. This time it was Mahmud that drove.
"Well, do we go back to the hospital now?" Mahmud asked.
"No we're going to Airah's parent's."
"Okay, are we picking them up?"
"No, I have to ask her father if there's anyone that he isn't in good terms with that might try or tried to harm him or his family. " Kabeer told him.
"No we are not doing that! Do you want to give the man Iscahemia? If I was him I'll smack you on the head with a stick the moment you come to me at midnight with that. For all they know what they saw in that video might be true and I'm sure they might be regretting ever marrying their daughter to her boss after going bankrupt. It just makes them look like money hungry parents and now that their daughter is on a bed in the hospital in danger of miscarriage and going into shock you ask him that. Think before you act Kabeer even during critical conditions."
Although Kabeer felt like smacking Mahmud he couldn't help but see his point. It was definitely not a good time to add to the Ahmad's dilemma. But he just can't sit and do nothing as Areef is under custody charged with a crime he most definitely did not commit.
He was about to say something when his phone rang. Seeing the caller he was fast to answer.
"Yes, Mr. Imran?"
The is the longest chapter in the book. I spent weeks writing it. I write, I delete, write, delete. I was just not okay with the way it kept coming out.
But then I want to be done with this book this month so I can focus on my exams coming up this month so I finally went with this.
The chapter is over 3500 words. Almost the length is two chapters because a chapter is usually 2000 words for me.
Well enough to banter.
See you next chapter where the final show down will take place.
Please ignore all the typos. This is the just the raw draft until I finish the book then I'll look for an editor and edit it.
Thank you lovelies dint forget, as usual
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