Paths; why our paths crossed

He's back, Bryan is back

CITY HOSPITAL

Nessa was rushed into the emergency room, and Dr. Leo, Diana's husband who is a doctor sprang into action, attending to her wounds with precision and care. Once he had stabilized her condition, he stepped out of the room to address Nadia and Dickson, who were pacing anxiously in the corridor.

Nadia rushed to Dr. Leo, her eyes brimming with tears. "How's my baby?" she asked, her voice trembling. her poor child.

Dr. Leo's expression was calm and reassuring. "Nessa is going to be fine. She lost some blood, but she's stable."

He offered Nadia a comforting smile, his grip on her hand firm. Then, he shot Dickson a stern glance before heading to his office. He knows Dickson will be responsible for the brushes on her face and the state Nessa was in.

Nadia collapsed to the floor, overcome with emotion. "Everything is my fault!" she wailed, her body shaking with sobs.

The sound of her anguished cries echoed through the hospital corridor, a heart-wrenching testament to the turmoil that had unfolded.

*

*

Ariel asked Bryan, "Why did you ask me to join you in your room when I could have slept elsewhere?"

Bryan removed his shoes, his eyes locked on hers. "Aren't you comfortable with me?"

Ariel shook her head, a grin spreading across her face. "No, I'm happy to be with you."

Bryan stood, ambling towards the shelf to remove his hoodie. Ariel sprang up, taking it off for him, her gaze admiring his every move. As she helped him, she couldn't help but notice his chiseled features - his sharp nose, plump lips, and piercing eyes.

As she handed him the hoodie, their eyes met in the mirror. Ariel's thoughts were interrupted by Bryan's question, "What's on your mind?"

She smiled, her face flushing, and wrapped her arms around him from behind. Bryan was taken aback for a moment before adjusting to her embrace.

Ariel whispered seductively, "I want you, all of you..."

Bryan's eyes locked onto hers in the mirror, his voice low and husky. "I'll give you what you want."

Immediately their lips met in a passionate kiss, and Bryan swept Ariel into his arms, carrying her to his king-size bed. The night was filled with love-making, and Ariel couldn't deny the intensity of their connection.

*

*

Dr. Leo paced back and forth, his brow furrowed in concern. "Why isn't Diana answering her phone?" he muttered, trying her number for the seventh time.

An hour ago, he was sitting across from his wife, Diana, in his office as he asked. "Are you sure you want to go through with this abortion?"

Diana nodded, her eyes downcast. "Yes, Leo."

Leo sighed, trying to reason with her, but she had made up her mind. He reluctantly agreed to proceed, calling in a nurse to attend to her. As they left, Leo's thoughts turned to the unexpected arrival of Dickson and his family.

What if Diana encountered them? They couldn't know about her pregnancy. Leo's anxiety grew as he tried calling her again, his mind racing with the potential consequences.

She wasn't picking so he decided to check on her himself and walked out of his office. Nadia approached him when she spotted him, concern etched on her face. "How's Nessa?" she asked.

Leo reassured her with a gentle shake of his head, then turned to Dickson, his gaze lingering on the scars on Nadia's skin.

"I'll be right back, I need to attend to a patient," Leo said, hurrying towards the abortion ward.

Just as he reached the door, Diana emerged, tears streaming down her face. "I...I can't do it...I can't kill our baby," she sobbed, collapsing into Leo's arms.

Leo held her "It's okay, it's fine," Leo comforted her, but their intimate moment was interrupted by Dickson's menacing tone.

"What baby?...Diana, are you pregnant?"

Diana's eyes widened in fear as she faced her brother, her mouth opening but no words coming out. She dissolved into helpless tears, her body shaking with sobs.

"Dickson, it's not what you're thinking... I can explain. Diana is not pregnant," Leo spoke, trying to calm the situation, but Dickson's skeptical gaze made him nervous.

"So, if she's not pregnant, why is she coming out of the abortion ward?" Dickson crossed his arms, his tone accusatory.

Leo's breath caught as he scrambled for a convincing excuse. "That's what I'm trying to explain... I asked Diana to assist me with a patient undergoing an abortion. My schedule has been hectic, and I haven't had a chance to check on her so Diana went in place of me"

Dickson snarled, "As the nurse, right?"

Leo nodded, hoping Diana would corroborate his lie, but instead, she surprised him by speaking up.

"Leo, stop lying," Diana said, her voice shaking. "I was going to have an abortion, Dickson. I'm pregnant, and I didn't want to keep the baby."

Leo's eyes widened in shock, his mind racing with the consequences of Diana's revelation.

"I am sorry brother" Diana wept with he knees on the floor.

Dickson's face twisted in anguish, his eyes brimming with tears. "You're mad, Diana! Do you know what you've done to yourself? You want to die, is that it?"

Leo knelt beside his wife, his voice filled with desperation. "If anyone deserves punishment, it's me. Please, forgive Diana."

But Dickson's anger boiled over. "Shut up!" he bellowed, his voice echoing through the hospital corridor.

The scene was chaotic, with onlookers frozen in shock, unsure of what to do. The tension was palpable, and it seemed like the situation could escalate at any moment.

"You should have thought of this before laying with my sister!" Dickson spat, his fury boiling over. "And as for you, Diana, you will be sentenced to death before sunrise tomorrow!"

Diana's eyes widened in horror as she begged for mercy, wrapping her arms around her brother's legs. "Please, brother, don't kill me! I don't want to die! Save me, please!"

Nadia joined Leo and Diana on her knees, pleading with Dickson to spare her life. "Please, Dickson, forgive her! She's your only sister! Don't do this to her!"

Dickson's face contorted in anguish as he rubbed his palms over his face. He wished he could help his sister, but the curse was clear: if he don't kill Diana, he would die in her place.

"I'm sorry, Diana... I can't help you," he said, his voice heavy with sorrow, as he dragged her away from the hospital.

Leo and Nadia chased after them, begging tearfully for Dickson to show mercy.

Subconsciously, unexpected Diana hurled on the floor, poking out blood.

Dickson eyes widened as he knelt on the floor, cradling Diana's fragile form on his thighs. "Diana, what's happening?!" he exclaimed, horror etched on his face as he gazed at her bleeding nose and lips.

Leo, beside him, broke down, overcome with emotion. "Diana, love, please don't do this to me!" he sobbed, scooping her into his arms and rushing her into a nearby ward.

Dickson stood up weakly, his mind reeled in confusion. "Why is Diana bleeding from her nostrils and mouth?" he wondered, knowing this had nothing to do with the curse. What was happening to her?

Nadia's ominous words cut through the chaos. "He's back," she whispered, her eyes fixed on Dickson. "The battle has just begun... If we don't get Nessa married to him, everyone will die, one by one."

Dickson's exhaustion and confusion deepened. "Is Bryan really back?" he muttered, scratching his scalp in despair.

The situation was spiraling out of control, and Dickson felt powerless to stop it.