CHAPTER 17

"Hey gal," I entered the ICU room quietly despite the doctor's warning. "Jasmine?" She was not in the room. I checked the toilet to make sure she hadn't gone there and fainted. "Where's Jasmine?" I pulled the nurse that just walked into the corner.
"I don't know."
"You are a nurse and you don't know where your patient is? Don't even think about lying to me. You've been coming in and out of this room consistently and you're trying to make me believe you don't know where she is?"
"Please calm down, ma'am. This is a hospital."
"Don't tell me to calm down!" I yelled. "Where is Jasmine?"
"I have no idea."
"You know what," I pulled her long hair very hard.
"Let me go. This is wrong." She cried. Her face had already turned red and tears were rolling down her fat cheeks.
"This is the only language you understand. Are you ready to speak now?" Inflicting pain on someone wasn't something I was comfortable with but all the same, I needed to know about Jasmine's whereabouts.
After a long while, she spoke up. "I know."
"You know what?"
"Jasmine discharged herself yesterday morning. A man had come to see her yesterday morning and after that, she left with the man. She told us not to tell you anything till she returns. Please let me go, I was just doing my job."
"Do you know where she went?"
"No. But I know someone who saw her leave." She replied inaudibly.
"Who?"
"The same men that brought her here with you."
"What were they doing here?"
"Please leave my hair." She begged.
"Sorry." I released my grip. She rubbed her scalp with her palm while glaring at me angrily. "Get going before I change my mind."
"Madwoman." She mumbled then left the room.
I rushed out of the room, filled all the formalities, and stormed out of the hospital. I entered my car and drove off.
When I arrived at Diana's home, I got out of the car, walked up to the two men, and pulled one of them by the shirt.
"Where is Jasmine?"
"Now hold on," he removed my hands gently. "What Jasmine?"
"I know everything. Don't lie to me."
"Yes, I was at the hospital yesterday only because my mum wasn't doing well. I know the nurse told you that."
"Your mum?"
"Get your facts right next time."
"I'm sorry, I didn't know your mum...."
"Hmmm. Yes, I saw Jasmine at the hospital. She left with one ugly dude. Your friend has no taste."
"Is it this guy?" I opened my phone and showed him a picture of Jacob on her Instagram post.
"No. This one's handsome."
"Could you describe the guy?" I pleaded.
"I'm not good at describing people. He comes here once in a while to see the owner of that house." He pointed towards Diana's house. "By the way, how many people live in that house?"
"Why?"
"Nothing. Even if there was a reason, I won't tell ya. We ain't close and I still hate you for making me do something against my will."
"Do you perhaps know where they went?" I asked, completely ignoring his cold attitude.
"I hate the fact that you pretend my hatred for you doesn't bother you. Nevertheless, I'll help you." He put his hand in his pocket and brought out a squeezed paper. "Have this. The dude dropped this earlier on their way out. There's an address written on it. I'm sure it's where they are right now."
"Thanks. Hey," I turned back while I was about to leave. "Do you know anywhere I can buy petrol?"
"The rich also cry." He gave out a mockery laugh "Yes, I do. But it ain't close to this place. Leave your car here and take a cab. On your way back, buy some petrol for your car. Don't worry, no one will steal your expensive car."
"This isn't a street, I can just see a cab. I still need to walk down."
"Fine. I'll drive you." He got up from the ground, wore his shirt, and brought out his car key. "But it will only cost you 200dollars."
"200 dollars!" I screamed. "I ain't driving to the President's house."
"Look, you need to save your friend or whatever and I need money. You could either wait here for petrol to fall from the sky or, pay me the 200 dollars. The choice is yours. I ain't in a rush. I could make the money out of someone else if you leave."
"So rude," I muttered beneath my breath. "Okay. 200dollars it is."
"I'll get the car." He entered his garage and drove out with something that looked like a car. There were no windows on the car. The car or whatever was very dusty. I closed my nose with the back of my palm.
"Where is the car?" I asked angrily.
"You're looking at it."
"200 dollars for this! I can't enter this thing. It's not even a car."
"What has steering and four tires? A car of course. Get in or get lost."
"I'm only doing this for Jasmine." I climbed into the car and placed my legs on the chair to avoid stepping on something disgusting. "Washing your car won't hurt a bit."
"You could help me wash the car."
"Dude, I'm a married woman."
"And where has that gotten you to?" He took a glance at me through the dirty mirror in front. "If I were you I'd walk out of that marriage."
"You don't have any right to speak about my marriage."
"Rolling my eyes."
"You know, you don't need to say rolling your eyes. You do it."
"You have no right to speak about my rolling eyes." He stopped his car in front of an old building. "You can come down now."
"Is this the place?" I asked politely.
"Do you wanna go for a ride? This is the place."
"Thanks." I pushed the door but it didn't open. All the while, he kept looking at me like I was going to steal something from him. "Your door ain't opening. How am I going to go down?"
"You are cursed for sure. When you are around me, something bad happens. Let me see what I can do." He jumped down from the car and pulled the door with force. "Hey, my door ain't your husband. Why did you have to close the door so hard?" He clapped.
"All the money you've earned from innocent people like me should be able to get you a new car."
"200 dollars hurts you so much. That's why the door isn't opening. Selfish woman." He pulled the door again and it opened. I got down quickly. "I hope I never see you again."
"You can't leave. Who's gonna take me back?"
"Fine. That's gonna cost you 500dollars."
"500 dollars!"
"Yes. I don't think you'll come back now, so 300 dollars is charges fee, 100 dollars for my patience, and the other 100 dollars in case you don't return alive."
"Give me your number."
"Why? So you could hook me up with your sister?"
"You are impossible." I dropped my phone in the handbag. "I'll be back soon. You can't leave."
"It's not like I have anywhere to go. I'm always available."
I walked a few steps then entered the building. Jasmine's handbag was at the entrance. I climbed up, avoiding the broken bricks on the floor.
"Help me!" I heard a faint male voice coming from a locked room.
"Who's there?" I whispered.
"Hannah? Liam's wife?" How did this person know me and Liam? I removed my hairpin from my hair and put it in the padlock.
"I'll get you out."
"You have to leave. If she sees you, she will kill you."
"Diana?" I whispered. Could she be behind this? Who was this man and why did she keep him locked up? Did he know about her secrets?
"You need to get out of here now." The man's deep voice snapped me out of my thoughts. There was a small noise in the padlock and it opened immediately. I removed it from the door and opened the door.
"Jacob?" I stood at the entrance and stared at an injured Jacob. His legs and hands were tied and blood was flowing from his head.
I quickly untied him and sat him up. I gave him the bottled water I had in my bag and cleaned his face with my handkerchief.
"What happened?" I struggled to say those words. Honestly, I never expected it to be him. He was in so much pain.
"Leave this place. She will kill you if she sees you."
"Who?" I asked worriedly.
"Just go."
"Is it Diana?"
"No. Jasmine, my wife."
"What!" Jasmine. How could she do something like this to her husband? She said she loves him, so why? What was going on? Why was he telling me to leave? Why did she want to kill me? "Why? Did you fight?"
"She's not who we think she is. Jasmine has been pretending this whole time."
"How?"
"Jas...Jasmine is in love with Liam. She wants to be with him. She's obsessed with him. She is willing to kill anyone who stands in her way." He coughed.
"But, you've been married for so long. How could she do this to you?" I brought out my phone and started recording.
"She knew about my illness all these years. She knew I was going to die soon that's why she didn't do anything. But, when she found out yesterday at the hospital that I had a chance to live, she got furious. She, alongside her brother, kidnapped me. She hates the fact that you are married to Liam. Hannah, she's a lunatic. You have to leave this place."
"We'll leave this place together." I paused the recording and sent it to Liam immediately. "Put your hand on my shoulder and try to get up." I held his waist and pulled him up. We walked out of the room slowly. He wasn't able to walk properly because of the pain inflicted on him.
When we alighted the stairs and turned to leave, Jasmine shouted his name and pulled the trigger. She pointed the gun at Jacob. Diana was standing at the corner observing everything quietly.
"Isn't it too early, darling. Where do you think you are going with another woman?"
"Leave Hannah out of it. She hasn't done anything."
"What are you saying? Hannah," she walked up to the both of us and pushed Jacob. "Don't believe him. He's the one who tried to kill me. I got scared and that's when I tied him up. The police were supposed to come here but you came instead."
"Liar. Don't you feel any shame?" Diana echoed. "You tried to kill me and your husband. You are a monster. You deserve to die." Diana brought out two guns from her bag, threw one at me, and pointed the other at Jasmine. "Hannah, do not hesitate. Shoot this woman or she will kill you."
"Hannah, you have to listen to me. I'm not guilty. Jacob and Diana...."
"Enough!" Diana shouted. "Don't you ever get tired of lying? You'll die today."
"I won't die! I won't." Before I could say anything, a fight broke out between Diana and Jasmine.
"Hannah, shoot!" Diana yelled from the ground. Jasmine was on top of her with a knife in her hand. They were both struggling for the knife. I held the gun firmly, trying to aim at Jasmine.
"I can't! I might hit you." I cried out from behind.
"Coward." She pushed Jasmine to the other side. Jasmine picked up her gun. "Do it now!" Just as she was about to shoot, I pulled the trigger. There were three gunshots. One from my gun, the other two from Jasmine and Diana. I looked at Diana to know if she was alright.
"If we are all alive, who's dead?" I knew I didn't aim my gun at anyone. I wasn't capable of murder but one thing was certain, Diana and Jasmine fired their guns. Jacob! I rushed to where Jacob's bloody body lay. He inhaled and exhaled rapidly. He was trying his best to survive. I raised his head and placed it on my lap.
"Hannah,"
"Everything will be alright. Liam will come. You'll get better." I sobbed profusely.
"Take care of my children. I want you to be the best mother to my twins. Tell Liam, I love him so much. Thanks for everything he's done for me. It's so sad that we never got to spend quality time as planned. I just hope Jasmine makes the right decisions from now on."
"What are you saying? You'll be the best father to your kids and I know it. Jacob, please live for them. Jacob, Jacob!" He had gone. He didn't even get to see his children before dying. "Why Jasmine, why?" I got up and pulled her. "What did he ever do wrong? You could have filed for divorce. If you wanted, you could have run away but you chose to kill him. Are you satisfied?"
"Take care of my kids like he's asked you to. Hannah, I have no answers to your questions as I have also been fooled. But I promise that one day, you will find those answers yourself. Bye, pal." She bent over, kissed Jacob, and left the building. The sound of gunshots and moving vehicles clouded the place. Liam had arrived with the cops. He rushed in and knelt in front of Jacob's dead body.
After a long period of silence, some men walked in and carried Jacob's body. Liam got up from the floor, signed a document the cops had brought for him, and held my hand.
"Let's go."
"Sure. Diana,"
"Coming." We entered his car. Diana and I sat at the back. I glared at her subconsciously. Was Jasmine the one who killed Jacob or was it Diana's bullet that hit him?
No one said anything while on our way home. I looked out and saw the guy I had given 500 dollars. The cops were interrogating him. He looked at me pitifully and waved.