CHEATERS CLUB BOOK 2 COMPLETE HAUSA NOVEL

A kind of maddening darkness loomed before Halisa as she stood in a daze, her vision blurred, her head throbbing with an intense ache. Her chest tightened painfully as she stumbled outside, leaving the gate open in her state of confusion, not even turning back to close it.
She walked as if being dragged by unseen forces, her chest pounding like it was ready to explode. Her feet, delicate and bare, touched the ground with little regard for where they stepped as she moved forward, lost in despair and weakness, unlike anything she had ever felt in her life.
Meenal's voice echoed in her mind, the words striking her heart like daggers, leaving her with an unbearable ache, as though flames were consuming her. She had no clear direction, drifting toward the street, pulled by an invisible current, moving slowly but relentlessly.
It felt as if her mind had shut down, her vision flickering as she struggled to stay conscious. She was walking, but everything inside her was numb, immobilized by pain. Scorching tears poured down her face, but she couldn’t draw a proper breath or even think clearly.
She had traveled far from her neighborhood, barefoot, barely aware of the distance she covered. Suddenly, she noticed people staring, some recognizing her, their gazes piercing as they remembered the media scandal that had spread overnight.
Without thinking, she signaled a commercial rider, her movements shaky. He stopped, and she climbed onto the bike without even telling him where to go. They set off quickly, but the rider kept asking where she wanted to go. Lost in her own thoughts, she couldn’t respond, her heart racing uncontrollably.
Finally, with difficulty, she managed to say, “Banana Island,” where her friend Jasmine lived. Despite the short distance, it felt like a lifetime as her troubled mind replayed her entire life, stirring up a storm of sorrow and weakness within her.
When they arrived at Jasmine’s house, she barely managed to pay the rider, leaning on the gate guard for support. He watched her with concern, but she could only stagger forward, leaving him speechless.
Once inside Jasmine's house, Halisa collapsed on the floor, screaming Jasmine’s name, her voice cracking with sobs. Jasmine rushed down the stairs, barefoot and worried, having sensed something was seriously wrong with her friend. She called out to Halisa, but upon seeing her in such a state, she froze in shock.
“Halisa, are you okay?” Jasmine asked, her voice trembling.
Barely able to move, Halisa tried to reach her friend, but a wave of dizziness swept over her. She collapsed onto the floor, gripping the tiles as hot tears streamed down her face, expressing a sorrow so deep it was as if she had lost everything.
Jasmine knelt beside her, wrapping her arms around her friend as Halisa let out an agonized cry. Halisa’s heart felt like it was tearing apart, her whole body burning as if consumed by an unbearable heat.
With difficulty, Halisa found her voice, “Jasmine… Meenal… Meenal betrayed me.”
As she shared Meenal's words and actions, Jasmine listened in silent horror, finally understanding the betrayal that had broken Halisa’s heart. Halisa had never suspected Meenal, who was like family to her, capable of such cruelty. She clung to Jasmine, sobbing, her mind racing with despair and disbelief.
"How can I trust anyone now?” Halisa sobbed. “What have I done to deserve this? Am I really so bad that everyone wants to hurt me? Why do the people I trust always end up causing me so much pain?”
Jasmine hugged her tighter, sharing in her friend’s sorrow, but neither had the words to console the other.
"Meenal was like a sister to me, Jasmine. I treated her like my own blood,” Halisa whispered through her tears, her entire being consumed by agony.
Then, suddenly overcome with dizziness, she began to cough violently, her breaths coming in gasps as past traumas and new wounds surfaced, flooding her with unbearable pain.
Jasmine scrambled to call an ambulance, but as she climbed the stairs to get her phone, Halisa gathered herself, determined, and took Jasmine’s car keys. She left the house, locking the door behind her, and sped away, her destination fixed—the Third Mainland Bridge.
As she drove toward the bridge, a sense of hopelessness gripped her. All she wanted was peace, an escape from the betrayals that haunted her, from the unending suffering that had followed her throughout her life. 
She can do anything for Meenal's sake because of the special place Meenal holds in her heart, a feeling truly indescribable. She believes that this time Halisa might not be able to take it lightly.
Even Jasmine, who foresaw this situation from the beginning, was deeply shaken by it. She fears for Halisa, worried that her friend may need someone to hold her tightly now, especially after Zach troubled her, and now the matter with Meenal has also come up this morning.
Fear filled Jasmine's heart as she drove, her mind not fully on the road. She kept glancing around, hoping to spot her friend, but there was no sign of her.
Meanwhile, on the other side, Meenal and her mother, Hajiya Nadia, were seated in her lavish, air-conditioned bedroom, at ease, thinking that Halisa was still in her room sleeping.
As they sat, Hajiya Nadia lowered her voice and looked at Meenal, saying, "My baby, I assume your husband isn’t around yet? I wouldn’t want him overhearing us and accusing me of interfering in your marriage…"
Meenal chuckled, saying, "Oh, Mum, you worry too much. Even if he hears, what can he really do? Lately, he's changed completely, and I suspect his mother is influencing him against me."
With a sigh, Hajiya Nadia replied, "Please, Amina, let’s set that aside. We have more pressing issues than trying to control a man; we need to focus on making money. There's a big reason I asked you to meet me here in Lagos, as explaining over the phone just wouldn’t have been clear."
Curious, Meenal sat up straight and looked at her mother, saying, "So, what’s going on with Khaleel in Abuja, Mum? I noticed he’s become more arrogant, speaking to me without respect."
Hajiya Nadia replied, "Well, Amina, this behavior is expected from him, given what’s happening in Abuja. But I don’t want to discuss it where Khaleel could overhear."
Without responding directly, Meenal picked up her phone and dialed his number. After a while, he answered.
In a gentle voice, she asked, "Hey Khaleel, are you almost done with your gym session?" He replied reluctantly, "Nope, why are you asking?" She rolled her eyes and said, "Oh, nothing. But when you finish, are you coming home soon? You see… Mum and I…" He cut her off, indicating he didn’t want to continue, saying, "It’s okay, don’t stress. I won’t be coming home. I’m heading over to my friend Engr. Hafeez’s worksite."
She replied, "Okay, just let me know when you’re coming home." He hung up without further words, putting his phone on silent mode.
She felt annoyed and sighed in frustration. Meanwhile, he stepped off the treadmill, grabbed his towel to wipe off the sweat, and went to the washroom, where he removed his gym shirt and splashed water on himself, feeling refreshed.
He drank from his water bottle, feeling calm afterward. Then he put on a new white Calvin Klein shirt, matching his lightweight sneakers, picked up his bag, and headed to his car.
He unlocked the car, placing his phone and bag in the back seat without even noticing. 
Khaleel didn’t hesitate as he continued to attempt to save her life. In the end, he turned her around like a piece of paper and laid her on her back on the ground. To stimulate her brain, he needed to massage her veins through her spinal cord, a trick he often used when a patient’s body was unresponsive to other treatments.
Gently, he removed her tight-fitting blouse from the back and positioned his fingers along the spine, closing his eyes as he began to massage her softly, moving from the top to the bottom of her back, concentrating on the nape of her neck, just at the point where the spinal cord is most vulnerable. This location, at the small gap between the neck and the head, was where he focused, pressing slowly down to the lower spine and giving extra attention to the lower back near her waist.
After five rounds of massaging this area, Halisa finally gagged and vomited water from her stomach in a powerful, forceful stream, coughing violently and startling everyone around.
Disoriented and terrified, she clutched onto his shirt tightly, as if she would tear it apart, her body trembling from the shock her brain had endured.
The eyes of the entire rescue team were fixed on them, their attention caught by Khaleel’s intense dedication to saving her, as she continued to vomit uncontrollably, gripping his body for support. Even as they reached the road, Halisa still couldn’t stop vomiting.
Eventually, she passed out in his arms, unconscious but alive, though Khaleel took her pulse just to confirm, breathing a sigh of relief as he felt the faint beat under his fingers, murmuring words of gratitude with his eyes closed.
When the police arrived, Khaleel quickly removed his soaked white shirt and put it on her, leaving himself in just a singlet. They were given life jackets and a blanket, which he wrapped around her.
Hafeez rushed to the scene, clearly shaken and trying to ask Khaleel questions, amazed and confused as to why he’d risked his life for a woman he barely knew.
Without answering, Khaleel and Hafeez placed her on a medical emergency gurney and connected her to a breathing machine in the ambulance. Khaleel sat beside her, taking oxygen in short breaths to regain the strength he needed to keep watching over her.
The emergency ambulance was supposed to go to LUTH, but Khaleel insisted they go to his hospital instead. He explained that she was his patient and that he wanted to avoid any media publicity at the larger hospital, knowing that the media could sometimes sensationalize things with little regard for the patient’s wellbeing. The supervising officer agreed, understanding the chaos that could arise if she were brought to a public hospital in such a situation.
By 10:30 a.m., they were en route to NISA Premier Hospital with Hafeez following closely behind.
<hr>
Meanwhile, Meenal and her mother, Hajia Nadia, were sitting in the bedroom as Hajia Nadia revealed new information she had uncovered in Abuja.
She said, “Meenal, my baby, trust me. I was part of that project seminar your husband attended in Abuja, and I managed to gather some relevant information about it.”
Sounding uninterested, Meenal leaned back on the pillow, her face scrunched up in disinterest as she replied lazily, “Mum, was this whole project the reason you dragged me into this conversation? I thought it was some major billion-dollar deal he opened up over there. But, mum, you know there’s no real money in hospital work, especially in the kind of thing Khaleel does. He’s just a regular doctor, and I don’t even know what his specialty is…”
She spoke with a heavy sigh, clearly uninterested, while Hajia Nadia watched her with frustration.
“Mum, all I know is he did his studies abroad, but he’ll never be wealthier than me. Let’s just chill and talk about other things.”
Sighing with frustration, Hajia Nadia replied, “You’re wrong, my dear… totally wrong. Just because you’re here in Nigeria, you’re missing how valuable a medical career can be. Go to developed countries or even Kenya, and you’ll see medicine is a multi-billion-dollar business worldwide.”
Rolling her eyes, Meenal replied, “So what, mum? I know Khaleel doesn’t have the kind of money it takes for a billion-dollar deal. I don’t understand why you’re so obsessed with this… It’s really boring to me.”
Cutting her off, Hajia Nadia replied with a serious tone, “Will you listen, or do I need to make myself clear? Do you think I came here to Lagos to talk about irrelevant matters?”
Pouting, Meenal apologized, “Sorry, mum, go on…”
“I absolutely can’t stand this careless attitude of yours, Meenal. You’re too stubborn to see what’s right in front of you… You don’t realize that something that seems small now could become a serious thorn in your side later.”
Meenal sat up without saying a word.
Hajia Nadia continued, “Amina, focus and listen. This conference was organized by influential dignitaries from around the world, hosted in Saudi Arabia. A group of seven billionaire investors from Arab countries are looking to launch a major project on human psychology and mental therapy, aiming to find solutions for mental health challenges affecting soldiers, elderly people with Alzheimer’s, and pregnant women facing depression and anxiety.”
But Meenal, with little interest in medical topics, found herself even less engaged, preferring instead to talk business.
Pulling out a file from her Michael Kors bag, Hajia Nadia placed it in front of Meenal, displaying a document bearing the seal of the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia. “The CEO of King Faisal Specialist Hospital and Research Institute organized this event in collaboration with Riyadh Military Hospitals. In addition, they brought in America’s John Hopkins University and Toronto Medical Service. In Saudi Arabia, Suleiman Al Habib Medical Service Group and Mouwasat Medical Service are involved, and the chairman of this entire project is Dr. Asim Khan, your husband’s mentor.”
“My dear, focus on these documents. Never mind what’s written here, just think about the money. It’s a huge investment.”
With reluctance, Meenal picked up the document, her face a mixture of jealousy and frustration as she stared at the immense sums involved, knowing that she could never benefit from them.
She couldn’t even finish reading before she threw the papers on the bed, deeply annoyed by the thought of a project she couldn’t profit from.
Hajia Nadia didn’t notice Meenal’s reaction, continuing with a sly smile, “Dr. Asim Khan already brought Khaleel into the project. He’s one of five doctors worldwide selected to compete for this opportunity. If he succeeds, Amina, this could change his life completely. In fact, the Suleiman Al Habib group alone has a $20.3 billion investment portfolio in medicine.”
Meenal sighed with jealousy, muttering under her breath, “Is this what brought you to Lagos, mum? I don’t care about his success… How does this news even concern me?”
Hajia Nadia fell silent, noticing Meenal’s growing jealousy and realizing her daughter’s inability to rejoice in her husband’s potential success.
Meenal silently fumed, calculating and wishing for nothing but for Khaleel to fail in this project entirely.
Then, laughing with bitter confidence, she said, “Mum, this is a dream that’ll never come true. Khaleel will never succeed in this competition. He’s just an ordinary doctor, and there are many more skilled people in the world. I’ll never sit back and watch his life improve while mine stays the same. Khaleel will never surpass me in wealth; I’m sure of that.”
Interrupting her, Hajia Nadia responded, “Oh, so you think you’re in control of everything… Well, listen, Meenal, it’s that feeling of superiority that will bring you down. He wasn’t chosen just by luck.”
Sulking, Meenal looked down as her mother stood up, ending the conversation with, “I’m not here for empty talk, Amina. I’m here to take you to Alfa Oluwalekan’s for a strong charm to keep your husband in the palm of your hand if he does succeed in life. That way, he’ll never look down on you.”