Chapter 23
Collapse
The office was quieter than usual that morning.
Aiman stared at his computer screen, but the words refused to stay still. They shifted, blurred, and overlapped until he could no longer read them properly.
He blinked several times.
Still the same.
He hadn't really slept.
Not after the messages.
Not after last night.
Farid glanced over from the next desk.
"You okay?"
Aiman forced a small smile.
"Yeah. Just tired."
He tried to continue typing.
But his fingers trembled.
The letters on the screen slowly disappeared behind a growing darkness pressing into the edges of his vision.
His chest tightened.
Something felt wrong.
Very wrong.
"Aiman?"
Farid stood up this time.
"Aiman?"
The chair shifted.
Aiman reached for the edge of the table.
Missed.
And then—
His body collapsed to the floor.
"AIMAN!"
Emergency Room Scene
The hospital corridor smelled sharp and cold.
Everything moved too fast.
Nurses rushed forward with a stretcher.
Voices overlapped.
"Move aside!"
"What happened?"
"He collapsed at the office!"
"Bring him in now!"
Farid followed helplessly as they pushed Aiman through the emergency doors.
"Sir, please wait outside."
The doors closed.
Just like that.
Farid stood there, frozen.
Then he reached for his phone.
His hands were shaking.
He called Aina first.
Phone Call Scene (Aina Still Doesn't Know the Truth)
"Aina…"
"Abang Farid?"
"Aiman collapsed at the office."
Silence.
"What?"
"He's at the hospital now."
"I'm coming."
Arrival Scene – Aina and Pakcik Malik
The waiting area felt colder than it should have been.
Aina arrived first.
Breathing fast.
Face pale.
"What happened?"
Farid shook his head.
"He just fell. Suddenly."
Not long after that, Pakcik Malik arrived.
The three of them waited.
Minutes felt like hours.
Then—
A nurse appeared.
"The doctor would like to speak with the family."
This is the most important emotional moment of the chapter.
Do NOT reveal the illness yet.
Let silence carry the tension.
Example:
The doctor looked at them carefully before speaking.
"You are his family?"
Aina nodded immediately.
"Yes. I'm his sister."
The doctor paused.
"We've completed several examinations."
Aina tightened her grip on her scarf.
"How is he?"
Another pause.
Longer this time.
His voice became softer.
"His condition is… serious."
Farid looked at him.
"What do you mean serious?"
The doctor glanced between them again.
"As his family, there are some things you need to prepare for."
Aina's voice trembled.
"Prepare for what?"
The doctor didn't answer immediately.
And that silence said more than words ever could.(Hospital Waiting Area Scene)
The corridor felt too quiet.
Too cold.
Too long.
Aina sat at the edge of the chair, both hands tightly gripping her phone. She hadn't said anything since she arrived.
Farid stood nearby, pacing slowly.
Pakcik Malik remained silent the whole time.
His eyes never left the emergency room door.
Then finally—
A nurse appeared.
"The doctor would like to speak with the family."
Aina stood immediately.
"I'm his sister."
Her voice sounded steady.
But her hands were not.
Doctor Explains (Still No Diagnosis Reveal)
The doctor spoke carefully.
"We have completed several examinations."
Aina nodded quickly.
"How is my brother?"
The doctor paused.
Too long.
Farid felt something inside his chest tighten.
"His condition is serious."
The word serious landed heavily between them.
Aina swallowed.
"But he will recover… right?"
The doctor looked at her.
Not answering immediately.
Instead, he spoke gently.
"There are some things the family needs to prepare for."
Silence.
Aina's fingers slowly tightened around her sleeve.
"What do you mean… prepare?"
Still—
the doctor did not say the illness.
Only:
"You need to stay strong for him."
Emotional Break Moment (Aina)
The doctor left.
And for a few seconds—
no one spoke.
Then Aina turned toward Farid.
Her voice was barely above a whisper.
"Farid…"
"Yes?"
"He knew."
Farid froze.
"What?"
"He knew something was wrong with him."
Her eyes slowly filled with tears.
"That's why he kept messaging last night."
Farid didn't know what to say.
Because suddenly—
he realized she might be right.
Pakcik Malik finally spoke.
His voice was calm.
But heavy.
"Aiman has always been like this."
Aina looked at him.
"What do you mean, pakcik?"
"He carries everything alone."
That sentence should land deeply with readers.
Especially knowing what's coming later in the story.
Then he continued softly:
"He didn't want to worry anyone."
Aina looked toward the emergency room door again.
Her voice trembling now.
"He should have told me."
Pakcik Malik replied quietly:
"He was protecting you."