Under That Niqab

50. Abatement

A/N: Before reading this chapter you should know that I have no idea about trials and such stuff, I did all the research I could to write this chapter. There will be some inaccuracies, I apologize for that. Enjoy!

°°°°

Amidst the commotion of a crowded court, the veiled woman sat on a wooden bench, head down, seemingly preoccupied with playing with her fingers. But beneath the surface, she was a bundle of nerves, nervously picking at the skin around her nails, consumed by anxiety.

As a shadow fell over the seat beside her, the veiled woman turned to see Shavez settle down with enough space between them, the soft thud audible to her ears

"What are you doing?" He cast a glance at her hands and darted his eyes to question her.

"N-nothing," she said, trying to cover her fingers with the long sleeve of her abaya successfully.

"I can say that you're nervous." He said.

The atmosphere in the courtroom was tense, with the sound of shuffling papers and murmurs filling the air. Hareem was seated at the front of the room, his laptop open and his fingers typing away at a furious pace. He was clearly focused on preparing for the upcoming trial and didn't seem to notice the commotion around him.

Sitting just one row behind Hareem was Rabi, a concerned expression etched on her face. She leaned forward to whisper something to Hareem, who nodded in response, but his eyes remained glued to the screen in front of him. The two of them were discussing the details of the case and what to expect in the coming hours.

As they talked, the other people in the courtroom began to settle down, waiting for the judge to arrive. The sound of shuffling feet and rustling clothing filled the air, and the tension in the room continued to build.

Everyone was here, Yusra included because Faiza wanted to keep the mood light and apparently she was the only one they could think of to let Haya stay connected to them.

"No matter what happens here today," Shavez said, making her take a sharp breath. "Know that we are there for you, we have your back" He comforted her "I have your back" he whispered at the end.

"I'm afraid h-he will not let me go this easily"

"He already did that, didn't he? Because he had to. And now, you just have to bear with this just a little longer and see him getting what he deserves"

Haya silently nodded, realizing that she had forgotten about the fact that her divorce papers were already signed by Adnan. She had no idea how they had managed to accomplish it, but she didn't want to ask and risk overwhelming her mind with unnecessary information.

Haya was still reeling from the previous trial, as it had left her feeling traumatized and humiliated. She obviously didn't anticipate that Adnan would ever confess to his crimes of violence against her, it stung that he hadn't cooperated earlier and instead tried to shame her.

This time it was different, there was a distinct change in Haya's demeanor, and she couldn't quite put her finger on what was driving it. Perhaps it was the efforts and the support she felt from those around her, or maybe she had simply come to accept that the odds were never in her favor. Whatever the reason, she felt a sense of resolve within her, ready to face whatever the future held.

But the thought that the man beside her maybe, just maybe, could be the cause of her newfound contentment within her, did not cross her mind, yeah it totally did not.

Adnan was escorted into the courtroom by a police officer, his hands bound in cuffs. Despite his predicament, he looked confident and self-assured, with a slight smirk on his lips that seemed to indicate he believed he was already victorious. The air around him was one of nonchalance as if he had nothing to fear from the trial that was about to begin.