DECE-P-TION

DXVIII

I walk towards my office as sultana stands up from her table to talk to me. "Good morning." She takes my files. "Morning." I glance at the watch, keeping track of my next meeting. "You have a visitor." She informs with a wide grin on her face which makes me narrow my eyes in suspicion. "I'll let you see it for yourself."

I nod, opening the door to see Mr Lawal sitting on the chair with the confidence he had before zapped away. Like I said, he'll come back with his tail between his legs. I saunter to my rack, gaji gong my blazer. "Mr Nadeem, a pleasure to meet you."

"Good to see you, Mr lawal." I sit down, placing my clasped hands on the table. "You too." He sits probably unsure of where to start from and I lean back in the chair, looking at my watch. "You came by without an appointment so there's a very limited time to spare, I presume you are aware of this."

He sighs, clearing his throat. "I'm here to apologize for my lack of professionalism, I acknowledge that and I'll change it."

"I don't care if you to change it, I want you to let me do my job." He smiles, nodding his head. "Okay, I'll let you do your job. My life is in your hands."

"I am confident in this case if you haven't withheld anything. If you have and you don't come to me, whatever happens will be on you. So come forth if there's anything." He nods, standing up. " of course, im glad we were able to talk about this." I stand up as he extends his hand to shake. I shake his hand, putting my hands back in my pocket.

He walks out of the room and I take a folder on the table and my blazer. I walk out of the office, looking at the name on the paper. Safiya Al-Basit.

********

"They are filing a lawsuit against you for breaching your contract." She sighs, looking at the trees that swayed from side to side. "They are requesting for 30million or three years in prison. I believe it is best we pay the fine because all evidence including mine shows you are truly guilty of it. If we take a plea-".

"Do you remember when we sneaked out to go to prom? It was peaceful and nice back then. The consequences were little." She slurs, smiling. "Safiya, there are other charges but I managed to reduce it to that alone, don't throw it away."

"I thought life was hard, frustrating but now, it's unbearable." I sigh. "The time when we were in love and free. Now, the society won't let you be free. I am now." She turns to look at me with her bloodshot eyes.

"You were deeply in love with me and you were heartbroken when I broke up with you." I smile, remembering it. "I remember it."

"Why did you move on so easily?" She asks her smile dropping. "Safi-".

"I thought I had all the time and opportunities in the world. I did. Not for long though."

"You're breathing, healthy and still beautiful. You have the time and can make choices that will present the perfect opportunity." She scoffs, her body shaking. "Like I'm going to believe that. I've heard that tons of times and that never happens."

"Maybe you've never stood up and done it." She raise her eyes to look at me with her brows furrowed. I exhale, sitting up right. "I guess no one has never told you and I know this might seem cruel but it's essential. From your statement, a lot of people cared for you enough to tell you what I told you the polite way. Have you ever heard the reality?"

"No, tell me."

"You've always been beautiful, smart, strong woman and I know you've been saddled with a lot of pressure but you're a complete opposite of the girl I knew. The pressure shouldn't have made you resort to alcohol and drugs. You had this job going on and you ruined it because of the same thing you're ingesting that's harming you. You've lived for the longest time with doing this with no external conflict, now there is and it will get worse if you don't get yourself together. You still have time to redeem yourself for yourself."

Tears roll down her eyes with her eyes still on me. "Im tired of this life, honestly. I don't care whether they throw me in prison or not." She shrugs, smiling weakly.

"If you're not going ti do it for yourself, do it for your parents who have and sacrificed all they could to give you a good life. They say their only child spiraling and they died seeing her this way."

"Falah."

"The least you could do for them is pray for them. Consider it paying then back for all their services and love." She stands up, wiping her hand down her face. "They don't deserve even a whisper from me! They left me here broke! With nothing! They have it to charity instead! They didn't care about me!" She widens her arms, shouting.

"They should leave money for you so you can take more drugs?" I stand up as she lunges at me. "You don't get to say that." She stands in from of me, reeking of alcohol and cigarettes. "Do you know how they struggled to get you to school? I remember if you don't. They worked tooth and nail to get you to graduate from that school for the scholarships to make your life successful. I can remember all the stone they were working so hard to get you there and now you're complaining?"

I furrow my brows. "Safiya, look at us. Do we look like kids? We're getting old already and it's been five years since your parents died." Her eyes widens, tears welling up in her eyes. "You remember?"

"Ofcourse. All I know is if this doesn't get to you, I don't know what will." I hand her the envelope. "I hope you comply." She take sit fro me. "How will get I get thirty million?"

"Leave it to me. Think about it." I take my blazer and walk out of the balcony.

**********

I push the answer button. "Falah, I call bearing good news." Sultana says with excitement in her voice. "What is it?"

"There's good and bad news. The good news is Zulaika has decided to work with our firm." I smile, tapping the wheel. "That's terrific, what's the bad news?"

"The company that lost to you by a miracle is the same law firm Alya is working at. Did you know?"

I raise my brows, taken aback by the news. "I didn't, I'll call you back." I hang up. Did she know?

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