Tomorrow was Christmas, and Kuala Lumpur was alive with last-minute buzz—shops were busy, streets a little chaotic, and people were rushing to finish everything today so they could relax with their families tomorrow.
Farah, Ava, and Mahi had started their journey to Malacca in the early morning hours, hoping to skip the traffic. Mahi had a check-up scheduled, and since she was pregnant, Farah insisted on accompanying her, not wanting Mahi to travel alone, and Ava tagged along mostly to avoid staying home, wrapped in her own overthinking.
Ava had been surprised when Farah casually mentioned that Mahi was expecting. She didn't even know Mahi was in a relationship. Naturally, she had asked who the father was but Farah casually replied, "It's her boyfriend," and brushed it off. And every time Ava tried to dig deeper—ask his name, his job.... Farah would cleverly change the subject. Ava sensed something off—it felt like there was more to the story. Maybe Mahi was having issues with her boyfriend. So Ava chose not to push, at least not in front of Farah.
Now, with Farah snoring softly in the front seat, head tilted against the window and mouth slightly open, Ava glanced at Mahi beside her in the backseat.
The moment felt right.
She leaned in a little and whispered, "Mahi… how many years have you been with him?"
Mahi turned her face slowly from the window, "There's… nothing off between us.. Actually, there's nothing between us at all. It was just a one-night stand."
Ava's eyes widened. "What?" she blurted, then immediately glanced at the driver and Farah in the front seat. The driver was focused on the road. Farah was still snoring. Ava leaned closer, "You had a one-night stand… and now you're carrying a child? Mahi… you're ready to carry a baby for someone who doesn't even know? Or… does he know?"
Mahi shook her head slowly. "No… he doesn't."
Ava's brows furrowed in disbelief, "You can't just go through this alone. He has every right to know. And more than that—he has a responsibility. You didn't make this baby by yourself. He was part of it, and he can't just walk away like it never happened. You're carrying a whole life inside you now, and whether it was one night or one year, he has to face it. You should tell him. Give him the chance to do what's right. He might surprise you, Mahi."
Mahi looked away, out the window at the blur of trees, "I'm sure he won't take responsibility, Ava. That's why I'm keeping it a secret. I've already imagined every version of how he'd react… and none of them are good. It's better this way. Quiet."
Ava didn't say anything after that. She leaned back quietly. But her thoughts were loud—louder than ever. To her, most men didn't love women—they just wanted them. Wanted their bodies. Their softness. Their silence. Their surrender. And once they got what they wanted, they vanished. Like it meant nothing. They made women feel special, only to later blame them for feeling too much. That's how it always was.
She hated Ibrahim. She hated every man in the world. And now... now she was even mad at Farah.
Why does Farah always hide things from her? Why doesn't she share everything? Aren't they close enough? Doesn't she trust her? Ava felt like maybe she was never really important to Farah.
After an hour, the car finally pulled into the driveway of Rahman Specialist Medical Centre. Modern glass walls, tall white structure, clean surroundings, security guards everywhere… but Ava felt nothing except disgust.
As Ava stepped out of the car, she narrowed her eyes at the bold silver sign above the entrance. "Out of all hospitals in Malaysia," she muttered bitterly, "you couldn't find a single one that's not owned by Rahmans?"
Farah followed her out and let out a sigh. "There's a long story, Ava… We didn't have a choice. We had to take Ibrahim's help."
Ava kept her anger bottled up and quietly walked beside them as the three of them entered the hospital and made their way to the gynecology department. The hospital was so clean and shiny that it looked more like a hotel than a place for sick people. The floors were spotless, the lights were bright. The waiting area had comfortable couches, air-conditioning, and a large screen playing health tips. It took some time for Mahi's turn as there were other patients waiting too.
Before meeting the gynecologist, Mahi had to complete a few pre-checkups like blood pressure, urine test. Since only one person was allowed with the patient, Farah went in with Mahi, and Ava sat alone at the lounge.
She was busy on her phone, scrolling and replying to texts. The area was filled with quiet murmurs and footsteps — some women sat with their husbands, others with mothers or sisters.
She felt someone sit beside her, but didn't bother to look, assuming it was just another patient's family. But five minutes later, when she suddenly felt a hand rest behind her back, fingers brushing the cushion just a little too close—her body stiffened.
She quickly turned her head.
And her breath caught for a second—it was Ibrahim. He was sitting far too close. His face was near—too near—and she instinctively pulled her face back a little, as his breath lightly touched her cheek. A teasing smile played on his lips, as if he was fully aware of the reaction he just caused.
Her eyes narrowed in shock. "How come you're here??"
Ibrahim looked ridiculously handsome in black tailored pants and an ivory shirt. The top two buttons of his shirt were undone, and it showed just a bit of his chest and sharp collarbone—just enough to get her attention without even trying.
Ava noticed it. Her eyes had gone there without permission, and it made her angry. She quickly looked away, scolding herself in her mind. Why the hell did I look at that? she thought, biting the inside of her cheek.
Ibrahim's hand—the same one that had been resting behind her back—shifted slightly, now gently toying with the ruffled sleeve of her blouse. The blouse was light beige chiffon, slightly sheer at the arms, with small ruffles running from shoulder to elbow. The gentle movement of his fingers sent a strange ticklish sensation along her back, making her tense without meaning to.
"I heard you were coming here with your friends…" he said slowly, "So I thought—why not have a little meet-up with my wife? Been missing you more than I should."
She turned her head just slightly toward him, "When will you stop stalking me? I'm not going anywhere, Ibrahim. Please stop this nonsense. I already know—too well—that I can't hide from you… you don't have to keep reminding me."
Ibrahim let out a quiet chuckle, brushing his fingers one last time across the soft ruffle before resting his hand casually on the back of the sofa. "Relax. I didn't stalk you. Last night, Mahi asked Sameer about the doctor's appointment, and Sameer told me you're coming. That's all. Now don't go thinking low of me every single time."
"Oh sure," Ava said sarcastically, "because my previous experiences with you are such a shining example of trust and normal behaviour—how silly of me to doubt you."
Ibrahim casually picked up the thin black file from beside him and handed it to her. "Here. Choose one."
Ava frowned, confused, and flipped the file open. Inside were high-quality printed pictures of luxury penthouses across KL—interiors, floor plans, balconies with skyline views.
"What is this?" she asked, looking at him, half-narrowed eyes. "Do any of these need renovation? Or am I supposed to study these for practice?"
Ibrahim exhaled softly, ran his fingers through his thick black hair, then leaned in, elbows resting on his knees, "No, baby girl. I'm not asking you to design or fix anything. I'm saying... I think it's time we live on our own. Just you and me."
His eyes didn't waver from hers. "Away from the noise, away from everyone. I want a space that feels like ours. Somewhere you can come home and feel at peace, and I can come home to you."
He tapped the file gently. "So pick whatever suits your taste. You want big windows? Garden terrace? Soft lighting? Tell me what you like. I'll handle the rest."
Ava's fingers froze on the edge of the page.
"W–What?" she stuttered, "W-why will we suddenly start living alone?"
She blinked rapidly, "Wait… are you—are you planning to lock me up in one of these fancy bedrooms and then just—throw me on the bed and…"
She gulped, her eyes growing even wider as the words slipped out.
"…and use me however you want? While pulling my hair like—like you did in that cottage?"