As Calm as The Sky of Love

Chapter 18

The days continued to pass slowly, with Shira faithfully by Farhan's side at the hospital. Each moment felt like endless torture, waiting for the man she loved to wake up. She had never imagined going through something so heartbreaking again after losing her mother. Every morning, she woke up filled with hope yet weighed down by an overwhelming fear.

The doctors reassured her that Farhan was stable, but his recovery was taking longer than expected. Shira knew there was nothing she could do but wait and pray fervently for Farhan.

One afternoon, as Shira sat in the hospital lounge reading Yassin, Lieutenant Malik and Naim came to see her. Lieutenant Malik, a close comrade of Farhan and Naim, had been on many missions with Farhan and was one of the few officers Farhan trusted.

"Miss Shira," Malik greeted her softly as he approached. His face looked weary but filled with sympathy.

Shira managed a weak smile, trying to conceal the worry weighing on her heart. "Thank you for coming, Lieutenant Malik. Is there any new update?"

Malik took a deep breath before replying, "Captain Farhan is stable, but he hasn't regained consciousness yet. The doctors say he might need more time to fully recover." Naim nodded in agreement. "Stay strong, Shira. InshaAllah, he'll come back to you."

Shira nodded slowly, though her heart felt heavy. "I'll keep waiting for him. I can't leave him, and I won't leave him until he wakes up."

Malik and Naim exchanged looks of admiration. They could see how deeply Shira cared for Farhan and how strong she was to remain by his side despite the trying circumstances.

"Farhan will be proud of you, Miss Shira. He's strong, and I believe he'll come back," Malik said, offering her words of encouragement, as did Naim, who had been there for her along with his wife, Isha.

Yet, behind those words of comfort, Shira couldn't shake off the lingering fear. She knew Haniff was still out there, possibly plotting something worse. Hanif wasn't the type to back down simply because Farhan was critically injured. He would see this as an opportunity.

Elsewhere, Haniff was, indeed, preparing his next move. Farhan's injuries had not satisfied him; he wanted to shatter Farhan's entire life and ruin his relationship with Shira. As long as Farhan is with Shira, I won't stop.

Haniff knew Shira was in a vulnerable state. He had already planted seeds of doubt in her mind, and all it would take was one final push to break them apart completely. If Farhan fell, Shira would collapse with him.

A few days later, as Shira was sitting by Farhan's bedside, something unexpected happened. Farhan's hand, motionless for so long, began to tremble slightly, and his eyes moved beneath his closed lids. Shira, who was gently cleaning his hand, immediately noticed the change.

"Farhan?" she whispered, her heart racing. "Can you hear me?"

Farhan's fingers weakly squeezed hers. Shira nearly burst into tears, feeling an overwhelming wave of relief and gratitude. Ya Allah... thank You... He's fighting to come back.

The doctors were quickly summoned, and the room's atmosphere shifted to one of cautious optimism. Although Farhan hadn't fully regained consciousness, it was a promising sign. The doctor told Shira that Farhan was showing signs of awakening, and they would need to monitor his progress over the next few hours.

Shira sat beside Farhan, tears of joy streaming down her face. This was the beginning of a new chapter. I knew he would come back. He's keeping his promise.

Though the news brought her a brief moment of relief, Shira knew their struggle wasn't over. Haniff was still out there, and he wouldn't stop until he destroyed what they had. Shira realized that she needed to take steps to protect Farhan—not just from physical threats but from Haniff's dangerous schemes.

Shira knew she couldn't face Hanif alone. The first people she thought of were Naim and Lieutenant Malik. She reached out to Naim and shared her growing concern about Hanif.

"Naim, I have a strong feeling that Haniff has darker intentions. He won't stop until he gets what he wants," Shira said, her tone filled with urgency.

Naim paused on the other end of the line before he finally spoke. "I understand, Shira. We can't let him continue with his plans. Malik and I will try to investigate and see what he's up to. But right now, your focus should be on Farhan. He needs you now more than ever. Let us handle Haniff for you. And if you need anything, Isha is just a call away."

Shira exhaled slowly, acknowledging the wisdom in Naim's words. Farhan was still recovering, and she couldn't let her emotions be overwhelmed by fear of Hanif. Yet she also knew that Hanif was a threat they couldn't ignore.

As the day wore on, Shira remained close to Farhan, whispering words of encouragement and hope. She knew that this was only the beginning of the fight, but she was ready to face whatever came next. With Farhan by her side, no matter how fragile he was right now, she felt stronger than ever.