"Mom, where is Dad?"
"Don't worry, my little one. He went far away to work and bring you the toys you want."
"Are you sure he doesn't hate me?"
She smiled at him and hugged him, saying: "No one hates you, my dear."
---
This time, the roles were reversed.
Nadim is the one who feels pain in his head because of the hit, but he finds no blood — as if it was already treated.
Nadim cried because he was betrayed twice on the same day.
Ghofran was the one he loved and tried to do everything for.
He said:
"Why does no one love me? Why doesn't anyone become my friend? Why am I alone in the dark?"
He said it with tears and deep sadness and a pain in his heart as if it was badly wounded.
His heart couldn't take it anymore.
---
Khaled and Ghofran entered the dark room where Nadim was sitting on a metal chair, tied with scary-looking chains.
Suddenly, the lights turned on. It was a wide and white room.
Nadim, with sadness and regret:
"Why did you do that, Ghofran? I truly loved you and did so many things for you."
Ghofran:
"Honestly, you did everything for me."
And then Khaled smiled and said:
"She's my half-sister. Same father."
He laughed loudly and continued:
"Even her name is not Ghofran. Her name is Reem..."
Nadim stayed silent for a long time, like a dead body.
Nadim, trying to speak and finding it hard:
"But how... and why?"
Khaled:
"You'll know how and why, but not now."
Khaled, with anger and pride:
"All I want to know is, how did I faint when you hit me on the face?"
Nadim, looking at the ground:
"In the disco, when you went to the bathroom, I put a sleeping drug for you. It starts working after a while."
Khaled:
"Alright, it doesn't matter. I have a surprise for you — a new device that you'll like."
He brought the device.
Nadim:
"What is this?"
Khaled:
"A device that sends electric signals into the brain to activate and stimulate all its parts. It makes you remember the worst things that ever happened to you.
Some armies use it to make their soldiers more violent and strong.
After using it fully — which takes a few days — you'll be a violent version of yourself, full of pain."
Nadim:
"Why all of this?"
Khaled:
"Because you destroyed my prostitution network. Isn't that enough reason?
And honestly, there's another reason — you'll know it soon.
Also, I want to try the torture methods my father used, but in modern ways."
Nadim cried hard and said:
"Forgive me if I did anything wrong. I'm just a guy getting therapy from a psychiatrist. Have mercy on me!"
Khaled smiled and said:
"Dr. Walid? He's an old friend of ours."
Nadim was shocked again and continued crying.
Reem:
"Sorry, Nadim, really, but it's for the greater good.
But I did enjoy my time with you."
Nadim:
"So your father didn't sell you?"
Reem laughed:
"Of course not. I told you that for the drama."
Nadim kept crying.
They placed the device on his head, closed the room, and from outside they heard him crying and screaming like a child.
But they clearly heard one word from his scream:
"To hell with you, Dad!"
---
After a few days, Khaled and Ghofran entered the room and removed the device from Nadim's head.
Khaled:
"How are you feeling?"
Nadim didn't respond, then he said:
"I will kill you both, you bastards. Believe me!"
Khaled:
"Now you've become wild and angry."
Reem:
"I'll tell you something that happened in the country and turned things upside down. Tell me your opinion."
Reem:
"A writer is accusing the ChatGPT program of stealing his novel?"
Nadim:
"That's the dumbest thing I've ever heard."
Khaled:
"He's holding a press conference today with the makers of the program."
Nadim:
"Sounds like a crazy man — just like you."
---
They brought a big TV into the room and chairs.
Khaled:
"We'll watch it together."
Nadim:
"I'm not interested."
Khaled:
"Come on, man, enjoy a little."
The press conference started.
Mukhtar went to the mic and thanked everyone for the support.
Nadim looked at him for a long time.
His head started hurting badly.
Khaled smiled and said:
"What's wrong, Nadim?"
Nadim, crying:
"This idiot... is my father."