Chapter 165 : Revealed..

"The woman was bundled up in a thick jacket, and she wore a scarf covering most of her face. But the one thing I remember clearly – her eyes. They were a bright blue even in the moonlight." Mr. Najmi informed. 

Ibrahim's brow furrowed. Blue eyes? Ava's eyes were a dark, rich brown, almost black in certain lighting. This detail didn't sit right with him. "Blue eyes?" he repeated.

"Maybe Ava was wearing contact lenses, Ibrahim." Samir suggested.

Ibrahim seemed to accept that possibility for now, "Alright. Samir, show Mr. Najmi those photos you edited." 

Earlier, Samir had taken Aqil's picture and edited it subtly, adding different hairstyles, beards, and mustaches to create a series of disguises.

Samir pulled out his phone and flipped through the images, handing it to the villager. "Take a look, Mr. Najmi," he said politely. "See if any of these men resemble the one you saw on the beach."

Safwan squinted at the screen. He swiped through the images slowly, examining each one carefully. Finally, he stopped at a particular picture of Aqil with a slightly longer beard and a dark, neatly trimmed mustache.

"Yes! This is the man, without a doubt." He tapped the screen again, pointing at Aqil's face. "He had this kind of beard."

Ibrahim pressed Mr. Najmi further, asking detailed questions about the woman's appearance. The villager's description – her height, body type – closely resembled Ava. With each detail that matched, Ibrahim's conviction grew. There was no doubt in his mind now. Turning to Faisal, he issued a curt instruction, "Take Mr. Najmi back to his village safely."

He exited the warehouse, leaving the rest of the arrangements to Samir and Faisal. As he approached his car, Faisal rushed up to him. 

"Where are you headed, Ibrahim?" Faisal panted, "Are you going to Elara?"

Ibrahim shook his head, a slight smirk playing on his lips. "No. Dealing with Elara can wait. The last thing I want is to give him the impression I have any updates on Ava. Sometimes, the best way to outsmart someone is to play dumb. Let them think they're fooling you, when in reality, the joke's on them."

A slow smile spread across his face. He had a plan brewing, and Elara wouldn't see it coming.

Faisal's eyebrows shot up in understanding. "Ah, I see."

 ( Half an hour later ) 

The soft hum of the fluorescent lights contrasted with the gentle breeze drifting through the open window, creating a strangely peaceful atmosphere in Nayla's hospital room. The room wasn't cold, nor was it hot – a comfortable neutrality that soothed her tired body. Nayla lay propped up in bed, her phone casting a warm glow on her face as she scrolled through endless pages of baby clothes on a shopping website.

The quiet of the night was broken by the soft creak of the door opening. A familiar figure, the nurse who had been by her side since the C-section, entered the room with a gentle smile.

"Nayla," she said softly, "there's someone here to see you. His name is Ibrahim. Would you like him to come in now?"

The hospital had a policy for female patients – male visitors required explicit permission before entering. 

Nayla's eyes softened at the mention of Ibrahim, "Of course. He's my brother. Please tell him to come in."

The nurse nodded and disappeared back out of the doorway. A few minutes passed, and then the door creaked open again. Ibrahim entered, a large shopping bag clutched in his hand.

Nayla managed to sit up a bit straighter in the bed, "You finally remembered me after all these days? I was starting to think you'd forgotten about me."

Ibrahim set the bag down at the foot of the bed. "Busy," he muttered, avoiding her gaze. "I wanted to come sooner, but things came up." It wasn't a lie, exactly, but it wasn't the full truth either.

"Busy enough to secretly settle my hospital bill, but not busy enough to visit your supposedly 'forgetful' sister?" Nayla teased.

Ibrahim sank onto the stool beside the bed, "Honestly, Nayla. I have no idea what you're talking about. Settling a hospital bill? Don't be ridiculous. Why would I just give away my hard-earned money?"

Ibrahim was a creature of habit, and his habit was control. He preferred to act silently. He wore his stoicism like a shield. It was classic Ibrahim – stubborn, unwilling to admit even the smallest gesture of kindness.

Nayla knew him too well. She'd known Ibrahim for over fifteen years, and his transparent attempts to hide his emotions never failed to amuse her. "Alright, alright," she conceded with a chuckle, "you win this round, Brother Ibi. I-never-do-anything-nice-for-anyone."

Ibrahim cleared his throat and shifted the topic, a question finally escaping his lips, "So, how are you and Sahil doing?"

Nayla's face lit up at the mention of her son. For the next few minutes, the room was filled with her voice. She talked about the hospital routine, the constant monitoring of Sahil in the NICU, and the rollercoaster of emotions that came with being a new mother – specially for the second time.

For Nayla, Ibrahim wasn't just a brother – he was family. An orphan herself, she found a home and a fierce protector in Ibrahim all those years ago. And although he might not say it out loud, she knew his gruffness masked a deep well of love and loyalty.

While he listened attentively to her, Ibrahim's gaze towards the little wooden bedside table. There, nestled amongst the clutter of magazines and water bottles, sat a seemingly innocuous scented candle. It wasn't lit at the moment, but the soft light of the lamp cast a warm golden glow on its surface.

 But it wasn't the candle that truly snagged his attention. Resting on the rim of the candle, seemingly as a decorative piece, was an olive-colored scrunchie. The color was unmistakable. Ibrahim knew that scrunchie – Ava had a scrunchie exactly that shade.

His brow furrowed slightly. He had an almost photographic memory for Ava's belongings. He was a particularly observant person by nature, but when it came to Ava, his focus sharpened to an almost superhuman degree. 

He could list her favorite perfumes by scent or differentiate between the dozens of hair clips and ties scattered across her dresser.

It wasn't a conscious effort; it stemmed from the countless hours spent observing her. He could tell you the exact shade of blue in a scarf she'd worn once, describe the intricate design on a pair of black heels she'd only shown off for a night, or recall the worn leather of a particular handbag she favored. He could even tell the exact heel height of her favorite red pumps, the brand of her most-worn denim jacket, the way she preferred a silver necklace over a gold one. It was an obsession, a possessive tendril that had wormed its way into the very core of him.

Ibrahim yearned to see her again, to possess her completely. And the presence of that simple scrunchie - only intensified that yearning. His hand reached out and discreetly lifted the candle. His fingers brushed against the scrunchie, detaching it from the glass in one swift motion. Nayla, engrossed in searching for Sahil's ultrasound pictures in a drawer on the opposite side of the bed, remained unaware of his actions. And Ibrahim slipped the scrunchie into his pocket.

But there was something else. As he pocketed the scrunchie, his eyes darted down to the glass candle again. He casually rotated the candle towards him, taking a closer look. Etched onto the glass in elegant black lettering was a message: 

"To my dearest Nayla, congratulations on becoming the most beautiful mother in the world, and for making me the proudest father. I promise to take care of you and our little Sahil, always. With all my love, Aqil."

Below Aqil's message, a different inscription caught his eye, written in a more decorative font.Ibrahim squinted to read it:

"Hope this candle helps to create a warm and loving atmosphere for your growing family.

Warm wishes,

The Smiling Lotus Candle Shop - 6th December, 2023."

Oh, Thailand! He also knew the shop name. The Smiling Lotus Candle Shop, a famous old shop in Thailand renowned for its beautiful, homemade scented candles. Years ago, When Zainab was still alive, she used to order frequently from this very shop. The Smiling Lotus offered a unique service - personalizing candles with custom messages inscribed right in front of the customer.

Ibrahim deftly replaced the candle just as Nayla turned back, a triumphant smile on her face as she held out the ultrasound pictures. He forced a faint smile as he glanced at the images. But all he could think about Ava. The scrunchie , the message on the candle, the shop in Thailand – it all confirmed his suspicions that Aqil was really in Thailand in 6th December. 

Ibrahim wanted a perfect lead and now ....HE GOT THAT. Ava must be in Thailand! He clenched his jaw. "How long does she think she can hide my little runaway girl?" He thought. 

Aqil always brought Nayla a small token from his travels abroad. It could be anything from perfume and candles to bangles or even a traditional dress, depending on the budget. He always made sure the gifts captured the essence of the place he visited.

In fact, the candle itself was a souvenir from Aqil's trip. He'd bought it on the evening of December 6th while going towards Suvarnabhumi International Airport, a last-minute present for Nayla before his return to Kuala Lumpur.

The olive-colored scrunchie was the very same one Ava had used to tie the money she gave him. Little did Aqil know that both the candle and the scrunchie would fall into Ibrahim's observant gaze.

Returning the pictures to Nayla, Ibrahim inquired with a seemingly casual tone, "Where's Aqil?" 

"He shouldn't be long," Nayla replied. "He just ran out to get some medicine that ran out yesterday."

Ibrahim nodded. "Alright, well, I should head out then. Take care of yourself and Sahil."

"But won't you wait until Aqil gets back, brother Ibi?" Nayla pressed.

As he stood up from the stool, Ibrahim shook his head. "No, maybe another day. I just came to see you."

However, before leaving, he paused at the doorway, then turned back to Nayla. "Nayla, when you have some free time after you've healed, you should go see Aidan. He must miss you terribly. He wants to see his mother sometimes too."