Chapter 81 : Frustrated Elara.

The midday bustle in the Kuala Lumpur police canteen echoed with the clatter of cutlery and the lively chatter of officers. Elara and Michael secured a corner table, trays laden with the day's offerings. As they dug into their meals, Michael commented between bites, "The menu today is surprisingly good."

Elara nodded in agreement, "Yes, finally some decent food after all the complaints."

Michael acknowledged, "They seemed to have listened to us for once."

"Indeed." Elara replied. 

The conversation shifted gears as Michael casually mentioned, "Your sister and Ibrahim appear to be having a good time in Malacca."

Elara was momentarily surprised. He set down her fork and fixed Michael with a curious gaze. "How did you find out about them going to Malacca?"

"Social media is buzzing with their pictures. Haven't you seen them?" Michael responded. 

Elara admitted, "I'm not much into social media."

Michael pulled out his phone, navigating to the CelebrityFanPage account on Pinstagram. He showed Elara the series of pictures capturing Ibrahim and Ava's activities in Malacca – from exploring Jonker Market to sharing a meal in a cozy restaurant. The third image froze a moment in time along the Malacca riverbank – Ibrahim holding Ava's hand, both laughing looking at each other.

Elara's features tightened with a mix of concern. He pondered silently, When did they become so close? Though he warned Ava about Ibrahim but this pictures painted a different narrative.

Michael noticed Elara's reaction, "Why do you seem unhappy about your sister being happy?"

Handing the phone back, Ava dismissed the notion with a sigh. "Ava is young; she can't see through him. But Ibrahim... he's manipulating her to get closer." 

"Maybe they're just getting along well. Ava looks happy in these pictures." Micheal suggested.

Elara disagreed, "No, Michael. I'm trying to rescue Ava from that forced marriage. If Ava starts to love Ibrahim, then—"

Michael interrupted, "Starts to love? Elara, she's clearly in love with her husband. You can't dismiss it. Look at the pictures again. There's another kind of glow in Ava's face."

Elara shook his head, "Ibrahim married her forcefully. Love can't bloom under such circumstances. He's manipulating her emotions."

"Maybe things have changed. People can change, Elara. You should talk to Ava, understand her perspective." Michael suggested. 

Elara looked at Micheal with a blend of frustration and reluctance. "I don't want Ava to get hurt. If Ibrahim is playing with her emotions, I won't stand by and watch."

"Elara, you're her brother, and you care for her. But be open to the possibility that Ibrahim genuinely love her. If Ava's happy, you should support her. " Michael replied.

"I can't, Michael. I can't tolerate the fact that my sister is falling in love with a criminal, a mafia like Ibrahim, even if he's her husband." Elara replied. 

Michael tried to simplify, "Elara, you know Ibrahim doesn't have any motive to hurt Ava. Maybe he genuinely cares for her."

Elara's eyes reflected frustration, "Even if his intentions are not to harm her, the foundation of their relationship is based on manipulation and force."

Michael asked, "What will you do now? Will you send Ibrahim to jail? You don't even have a single proof of his illegal businesses." 

Elara affirmed confidently, "I will. I will send Ibrahim to jail."

Micheal cautioned, "Be aware, Elara. Don't create such situations. What if Ava starts to see you in another way? Like if she starts to hate you? Handle this with a cool mind."

....

It was another evening in Malacca. The hotel room bathed in a warm, golden glow as lights twinkled, casting a soft ambiance. 

Ava stood before the mirror, preparing for the evening to go outside. Ibrahim, leaning against the wall, watched her with a admiration in his eyes. The golden glow highlighted Ava's grace.

Sensing his gaze, Ava turned and questioned, "Why are you looking at me like this?"

Ibrahim's response was casual, "Won't you let me watch you?"

As Ava applied lip balm, she remarked, "You always watch me like that."

Ibrahim grinned, "And you should be comfortable with it by now."

Securing her long hair in a messy bun with a strong hair clip, Ava teasingly replied, "I haven't thought about that. Maybe I still find it uncomfortable."

Ibrahim insisted, "You shouldn't be uncomfortable now."

Ava innocently asked, "Now means? What changes?"

"We are getting along. And our relationship is getting stronger." He asserted confidently. 

Ava went to pick up the scarf from the bed and stood near it. 

Without looking at Ibrahim, stated, "I don't think so. I still see you as a Poison who forcefully married me."

She was trying to hide her smile though Ibrahim was now behind her. He couldn't see her face. Ava was waiting for Ibrahim's response. She was well aware of his playful attempts to elicit a confession, but she was determined not to make it easy.

As she bound the scarf around her neck, she finally looked at Ibrahim, raising her eyebrows. He continued to gaze at her, his eyes filled with an intensity that spoke volumes.

Breaking the silence, Ibrahim posed a rhetorical question, "Would you marry me if I didn't force you?"

"Never. Why would I marry a man 12 years older than me?" Ava replied with a touch of defiance without any hesitation. 

Ibrahim sighed, "Now, at least, I can stop blaming myself for that act. What I did is right."

Ava's eyes widened in disbelief, "It wasn't right, Mr. Ibrahim. You shouldn't—"

Ibrahim seized her hand and pulled her closer. Ava's reaction was a subtle gulp. It was not new for her. But standing so close to Ibrahim, Ava still felt nervous. 

Ibrahim offered a smirk, "Without those actions, I wouldn't have won you over. I'm still sorry, but look at us now – together."

Ava accused him with a playful smile, "You are so shameless."

Ibrahim chuckled, "I'm not shameless. But for you, I can be shameless and more."

Raising an eyebrow skeptically, Ava inquired, "Oh really?"

Ibrahim nodded and leaned to give a soft kiss on Ava's left cheek. Ava instinctively lowered her head as she was feeling shy. Her eyes were now looking at Ibrahim's shirt.

In a soft whisper, she asked, "You like it when I'm shy, don't you?"

"I like everything about you – your shyness, your anger, your hair, your lips, everything..." Ibrahim added, "I love the way you challenge me, your intelligence, your kindness. And your laughter—it's my favorite melody."

Ava met his gaze, "I'm stubborn too."

Ibrahim chuckled, his finger tracing along her cheek. "Especially your stubbornness. It keeps things interesting."

Curiosity sparkled in Ava's eyes as she questioned, "Don't you find it annoying?"

Ibrahim leaned in, "No, Baby Girl. It's one of the things that makes you, well, you."

Ava grinned, appreciating Ibrahim's acceptance of her quirks. But her thoughts suddenly shifted to Tasha, the kitten they had rescued previous night.

"Tasha? Where is she now? The hotel staff didn't give her back after bathing her." Ava inquired. 

Ibrahim sighed, "Do you know your mind divert so easily with a second?"

Gently releasing her, Ibrahim moved toward the bedside table to retrieve his wristwatch.

Ava asked, "Didn't you just say you like everything about me?"

Ibrahim, now adjusting his wristwatch, turned toward her, "I like everything about you, but when I talk about us, I want you to think about me, not anyone else."

Ava lowered her head again, "It's not that I don't think about you. I think.... I think about you." 

Pleased with her response, Ibrahim closed the distance between them. He gently lifted her face by placing his hand on her chin. "Very good. I wanted to hear that. Now, let's go."

"Did I make you angry?" Ava asked timidly.

Ibrahim shook his head in no. 

"Then, I'd like to see Tasha before going outside." Ava requested. 

She shot him a pleading look, her version of a puppy face, a tactic Ibrahim found impossible to resist. 

A soft smile played on Ibrahim's lips, "Okay, baby girl. Your orders are at the top."