16~Important guest #2
He wanted nothing more than to flip the dining table over.
How could Dad make a decision like this without telling me?
Hanan is my friend.
I'm the one who brought her into the firm.
Didn't my opinion matter at all?
Taking a slow breath, he pushed back his chair.
"I'll get the first aid kit from the car."
Without waiting for anyone to respond, he walked out of the dining room.
He didn't need the first aid kit.
He needed air before he completely lost his mind and composure.
Meanwhile...
Hanan hurried into the bathroom and shut the door behind her.
The moment she was alone, she let out a heavy sigh.
She turned on the tap, allowing the sound of rushing water to fill the silence before lowering herself onto the toilet seat.
"What... just happened?" She whispered.
Her mind refused to settle.
Did Faruk's father really assign her to work under Najib?
Her enemy?
How was that even possible?
Did Faruk know about it all along?
Question after question crowded her thoughts until she let out a bitter laugh.
"So... this was the real reason for the dinner."
She shook her head in disbelief.
"I can't believe Faruk brought me here just to humiliate me."
She recalled the dining table.
He didn't defend her.
Not once.
"And just because I'm their employee, they think they can decide my life for me?" She muttered bitterly. "Well, I quit."
She stood up.
"I would rather throw my career away than work for a murderer."
Her eyes fell on the napkin wrapped around her finger.
She slowly unwrapped it.
The cut was deeper than she thought.
She winced.
"So this is the reward for trusting Faruk..."
With another sigh, she walked over to the sink and placed her injured finger beneath the running water.
The sting was immediate.
"Ouch..."
She clenched her jaw.
"Ouch..."
Suddenly...
The bathroom door burst open.
Najib rushed inside.
"Habiba!"
His eyes fell on the blood trickling non stop.
"Are you alright?" He held her hand.
"I heard you scream."
Hanan immediately pulled her hand away.
"Excuse me?"
She stared at him in disbelief.
"Have you lost your mind?"
Her voice rose.
"You barged into the bathroom without even knocking!"
"What if I wasn't dressed?"
"I'm sorry." His breathing was uneven. "I wasn't thinking. I heard you cry out and so I panicked."
"I don't need your concern."
He tried to reach for her hand again, she jerked away immediately.
"Stay away from me."
"Habiba..."
"It's Hanan!"
She pointed toward the door.
"Get out."
Instead, he stepped closer.
"Please..."
His voice was calm.
"I need to understand."
"Understand what?"
"Why do you hate me so much?"
His eyes searched hers desperately.
"If it's because of how I treated you before..."
His voice trembled.
"...I'm sorry."
"I know I hurt you."
"I know I failed you."
"But I'll spend the rest of my life making it right if you'll just let me."
"Forgive me... please."
Hanan laughed.
It wasn't amusement.
It was contempt.
"Forgiveness?"
"You?"
She shook her head.
"Najib Aminu Garba..."
"Just hearing you ask for forgiveness makes me sick."
"No amount of apologies can make up for what you did."
Her voice cracked.
"You didn't just destroy my life..."
"You destroyed an innocent life."
Tears blurred her vision.
She tried to blink them away.
But she failed.
"They say time heals."
She smiled bitterly.
"It doesn't."
"It only teaches you how to cry silently."
Najib stared at her.
Confused.
Lost.
"What are you talking about?"
"You hated me."
"You believed I wasn't good enough."
"I was too poor."
"Too uncivilized."
"Too worthless to be your wife."
"You and your precious mistress turned my life into a living nightmare..."
Her breathing became uneven.
"But I endured it."
"I survived it."
Najib whispered,
"I'm sorry..."
"No."
She glared at him through her tears.
"You're not!"
"You don't get to fool me anymore."
"Look at me."
She pointed at herself.
"Do I look like that naive eighteen year old girl you manipulated?"
"I'm not Habiba anymore."
"I'm Hanan."
"And Hanan doesn't forgive monsters."
Silence.
Then she whispered,
"After everything..."
"I lost my mother."
"I lost you."
"I lost myself."
"I was almost giving up on life"
She placed a trembling hand over her stomach.
"Then I found out I was pregnant."
Najib froze. "What...?"
"I was carrying your child."
His face turned pale.
"Our baby was growing inside me."
He staggered back.
"No..."
"But that baby never got the chance to live."
Her voice broke completely.
"Because his own father killed him!"
Najib's eyes widened.
"What...?"
"No."
"No..."
"I didn't..."
He shook his head repeatedly.
"I swear to God..."
"I never knew."
"You expect me to believe that?!" She shoved him hard in the chest.
"You ran us over!"
"You tried to kill me!"
"Our child died because of you!"
"I would never..." Najib whispered before she interrupted him harshly.
"Shut up!"
Her scream echoed through the bathroom.
"You can't deny it!"
"My baby..."
Her tears poured uncontrollably.
"My innocent baby..."
"What did he ever do to deserve dying before he even got the chance to see the world?"
"I had great plans for my baby but you mercilessly killed him... Tell me Najib, were you really satisfied after killing our child?!" She cried out.
In rage she began hitting him.
Throwing her hands and fists at him.
Again.
Again.
And, again.
Her fists landed against his chest and shoulders.
Slaps.
Pushes.
Anything she could manage.
Najib didn't defend himself.
He simply stood there like her punching bag.
Taking every blow and slaps she threw at him.
"I hate you!"
She sobbed.
"I hate everything about you!"
"I wish I never met you!"
"I wish you would disappear from my life forever!"
"I hate your extsience."
When she finally got exhausted, she staggered toward the door.
"I'm leaving, but I swear Najib, you must pay for killing my child. I will never spare you! I will ruin your life, I will steal your peace, I will make you miserable, you will regret knowing me..."
She reached for the door.
Before she could grab the handle.
Najib quickly locked the door.
Click.
Then, to Hanan's horror...
He pulled the key...
Walked to the toilet...
And flushed it away.
She stared.
Speechless.
"Are you insane?!"
"Yes!" His voice echoed.
"I'm going insane trying to understand how I became the man you're describing!"
"I didn't know there was a baby!"
"I didn't know!"
"Liar!" She snapped and turned to the door pounding on it.
"Someone open this door!"
Outside, voices immediately rose.
Faruk.
His parents.
The servants.
"Hanan?"
"Are you alright?"
"What happened?" Faruk asked desperately.
Najib grabbed her wrist.
"Please... Just listen to me."
She bit his hand.
Hard.
He winced.
She shoved him away.
He caught her wrists again.
Not to hurt her, but to stop her from leaving.
She struggled fiercely.
Kicking.
Slapping.
Scratching.
Trying to break free as he pulled her away from the door.
They stumbled backward beneath the shower.
Their movements accidentally knocked the tap on.
Water burst from the showerhead.
Within seconds...
Both of them were soaked.
Hanan suddenly yelled.
"Faruk!"
"Najib locked me in! Please..."
Najib caught her wrist again.
"Please..."
His voice broke.
"I swear on everything I have..."
"I never knew you were pregnant."
"Stop lying!" She scowled and fought even harder trying to get him away from her.
Outside...
Faruk's panic reached its peak.
"Hanan!"
He slammed against the door.
Again.
Again.
Again.
Then...
CRASH!
The bathroom door burst open.
Everyone rushed inside.
The first thing they saw...
Was Najib and Hanan standing beneath the running shower.
Both completely drenched.
Without thinking...
Faruk stormed forward.
He grabbed Najib by the collar...
Dragged him away from Hanan...
And drove a powerful punch straight into his face.
.
.
.
***
A/N