Chapter 79: Chapter 79

He felt how his world was slowly slipping out of his hold. Like a baby learning how to walk, Adyan held his hands firm on the wall for support and toddled to Dad's room. All his life, he had always been going to Mom for whatever problem he has, but today; he just felt like she's going to add more salt to his wound. He needs a man to man conversation.

He knocked on Dad's door and knelt on his knees. It's too much, he couldn't bring himself to stand upright for what he heard was eating up his organs in a swift.

"Who's that?" He heard Dad's muffled voice as he walked over the room.

The knob turned as Dad nagged, "Ni'imah I told you to stop worrying yourself about this. If you act like this, then what do we expect from Adyan?" Dad's jaws almost fell to the ground the moment he set his eyes on Adyan. He quickly lifted him up and guided him to his bed.

Dad closed the door, brought out a bottle water from the fridge and helped Adyan gulped a churn. He sat beside him and took off his glasses. He pinched the gap between his eyes and heaved a sigh; the expression on Adyan's face screamed affliction that Dad even got afraid of the words that would come out of Adyan's lips if he asked.

"What happened? Have they called?" Dad asked, dreading for the answer that would come out of Adyan's lips.

He was trying so hard not to cry. Trying so hard not to beat his chest until he could see the bare beating flesh of his heart. His eyes roamed around the room to see where he could find something that could suck up the grief in them. He's devastated.

"No Dad, they didn't. Can I sleep with you?" He asked with a cracking voice. How could he start? Just how could he start telling their father that his brother he loved the most in his life is the person that kidnapped his wife and daughter and made their ransom to be a divorce? It sounded so unbelievable to him not to talk of their Father.

"Listen Adyan, if something is bothering you; I'm here, and would forever be there for you. Just voice it out you hear? I know what happened is enough to crush the mountain of happiness you have, but have faith_everything will come to past." Dad stroked his back as he hugged him to his body. Adyan closed his eyes and felt as the tears he had been trying to flicked back rolling down his cheeks. He looked as they dripped on Dad's pajama and wetted it; and all he could see written was the word 'Betrayal'.

How could Kassim do this to him? How could he kidnap his wife and daughter and made divorce to be their ransom? What does he want from him or Hayfah? What is it that he has ever done for him to deserve this? Isn't he the big brother he had always looked up to? The only friend he has and would ever have in his life? Is this what brothers do?

He didn't know when he burst into tears! It's just too much for his heart. What could he think of? The fact that Kassim made Hayfah's life a living hell and she've never spoken a word about it or the fact that Kassim is the person that kidnapped Hayfah? The question here is: what does he want? And why?

None could answer this question to him but Kassim himself. And he don't think he's ready to tell anyone about this, neither is he ready to talk to Kassim about this, he isn't ready to loose his Rania as well! What a life he's living!

Dad lifted him up from his shoulder and put his two hands on Adyan's shoulders. He looked deep into Adyan's crying eyes and smiled fleetingly. What he saw wasn't just the pain of his wife and daughter being kidnapped. It's something that surpassed all this, and he would make sure he finds out.

"Adyan, you aren't crying for Hayfah and Mysha. Tell me what is wrong?" His fatherly tone arose the undying love of a ten year old boy towards his father. He lifted his eyes that looked like a mountain vomiting out a volcano; and set them into Dad's orbs. He felt the urge to vent out his pain.

"He kidnapped her! He kidnapped her Dad, and he wants me to divorce her; why?" The name Kassim seemed so deep and slippery that he felt his tongue might choke him if he uttered it.

Dad looked puzzled, he looked at a crying and vehemently shaking Adyan and spoke "What are you talking about? Who kidnapped her? Have you found out something about her whereabouts? Shall we call the police and report?" Dad spoke in a brisk tone and started scavenging for his phone around his bed, but what baffled him more was how Adyan gripped his hand and shook his head.

"He's me, and I'm him. The same blood that runs through my veins runs in his too. I look up to him in hardship and time of ease, The worst; I call him my bestfriend. Having him in the custody of force would only deepen my pain and I would be ashamed for the rest if my life. Leave him; let him bring her back in peace. He's Kassim, and I love him." He ended his sentence with a lone tear rolling down his cheeks, closing his eyes as tight as he could, so he could deafen Kassim's voice in his ear as he was telling the culprits what to do and what not.

Dad felt as his limbs gone too weak he felt he could lift a vein. He felt as the tissues of his face felt so hard to squeeze, not to even look at somewhere than Adyan's face. "What did you heard or saw?" He finally heard his voice, for he knew something huge definitely happened.

Adyan closed his face with both palms and took in a deep breath. "I read her diary, and that was I saw the pain my brother instilled on her life. She worked in our company as his secretary..." Adyan told Dad about everything she read, how she became the girl they rescued the day he was back. How Kassim was the reason she got bethroted to Malik, the slap, the insults, humiliations and all he have read. He told him about how he walked out of his room and went to Kassims' so they could discuss about the things he did to Hayfah, and the mind jumbling conversation he overheard before he even entered the room.

"I need to see you, come to my room." Was all Adyan heard as Dad ended the call and wore his unusual expression that Adyan have never seen his whole life. Dad was shaking with rage.

Kassim entered the room with a faint salam, and Adyan looked up; as their eyes met_he felt he couldn't look at him anymore. Kassim sat down on the resting sofa and flashed Dad a puzzled look.

"Dad you called for me. Did they called him again? What did they say?" He asked innocently, flashing Adyan a look of empathy.

Dad internally scoffed, and Adyan clutched his fist. "Yes they have, and hopefully; she might be here with us tomorrow morning." Dad answered sarcastically snd thrusted his hand towards Kassim.

"Can I have your phone for a minute?" And Kassim hesitated before handing Dad his phone_if he hadn't saw the hard expression on Dad's face, he wouldn't have given it without enquiring for reason.

Dad entered his call log and called back the last number that was being called; 10 minutes ago. Naturally, Kassim have the same voice as his; and he have never being this grateful in his life.

"Oga Kassim, do you have something to say? Or do you want to talk to her yourself? She isn't taking the food we gave her. And that small baby is sick from all indications." They heard a vulgar voice boomed through the speaker of the phone, and Dad looked at Kassim that was shaking and hoping for a miracle to happen so he could vanish into a thin air.

"Give her the phone, let me talk to her." And the thug obeyed without a second thought, for no one could ever tell it wasn't Kassim.

Hayfah was crumped into a fetus position at the end of the room they kept her. She hide Mysha into her hijab as though she could put her back into her stomach. He handed her the phone and she took it with shaking hands; all her thoughts_she thought it was Adyan that called to divorce her so she could finally be free, and that made tears started cascading down her cheeks.

"Hayatee," they heard her crooked voice, and Adyan lifted his head up and looked at the phone with the most heartbreaking stare Dad had ever seen.

"Listen Hayfah, this is Dad. Adyan would talk to you now; but don't show them we're the one that spoke to you. We'll get you tomorrow Insha Allah, be good in hiding your emotions my dear. I wish you safety." And the sentimental part of Dad spoke, as he removed the phone from speaker mode and handed it to Adyan, whom collected it with a hand that was shaking like a strand of hair in a windy night.

"Rania..." he couldn't find his voice again, because his voice got choked up with tears, he couldn't believe his own brother did this to him.

"Are they together with you?" He asked, and slowly, as if he was seeing her_she shook her head.

"No. The man has gone out, but he'll be back soon I know." She wasn't crying, for there isn't more energy left in her to do so. All day long she haven't ate anything apart from water.

"Don't worry okay? How's Mysha doing? They said you aren't eating your food and that Mysha is sick. Take care of yourself for us, Rania. Eat the food please, they won't poison you." He was crying as he was talking, he doesn't even want to think of the person that put him into this situation is sitting right opposite him as a brother.

"I think he's back. I love you Hayatee, please pray for me!" And the phone was snatched away from her ears, she looked at the man with tears rolling down her cheeks.

"Oga Kassim, should I bring back the food to her?" The man's vulgar voice roared through the speaker.

Before Dad could answer him, they heard as someone came into the room and called his name as 'Bullet' but he probably noticed that he was on phone and kept quite.

"Yes bullet, give her the food. I'll transfer you some money to buy her new clothes tomorrow so she could bath and change into them. Also, get her a sanitary pad please. I'll call you tomorrow morning, goodnight." Dad ended the call and kept staring at the phone without being able to form the right words he could use while addressing his monster of a son.

Adyan looked at Kassim's position and their eyes locked. He shook his head and looked away; slowly shimmering around the bed until he laid down on the other edge of the bed. What else does he have to say? Nothing.

"Why do you do this? Why do you make divorce with three talaqs to be her ransom when you can ask for billions of nairas and it shall be given to you? What's your reason behind all this?!" Dad clamored and flinged his phone at him.

Adyan closed his eyes and drew the duvet up to his chest, he dread the words that were slowly coming up from Kassim's throat up to his lips_he wants to know his reason, at the same time doesn't.

"I love her, and I don't think I can live without her!" These words made Adyan's heart jumped out of its enclosure and he could surely feel it floating comfortably in the pool of his mouth.