DECE-P-TION

DXXV

Falah's point of view.

The water is poured into a glass of ice before the man takes a gulp. "I presume you're not interested." He looking away. "Presume away."

"Shouldn't you be in your office, packing your boxes out of that building since you know you're going to fail." He mocks with a smirk on his face. I smile, noticing the ant on my blazer. "I believe you're apart of the people that voted lawal out and even testified that he's a fraud."

"Believe away." I scoff silently at his behavior of a toddler. "How can you betray someone that confided in you when he started embezzling then went on your different paths afterwards?"

My question making him freeze in his seat for a few seconds before playing it cool. "Where are you getting to?" He leans back in his chair, tapping his foot on the floor. I place a photocopy of the ledger lawal kept that proves as evidence of his involvement of the embezzlement with a few other shareholders.

He takes it, his eyes widens the minute he starts reading it. He glances at me then back at the paper. "Let's get to the point since I have proved that I'm here to reach a decision whereby both you and me can gain." He tears the paper, throwing it inside the fireplace.

"You can't prove anything." He sits back and I bring out another copy, placing it on the table. "What do you want?"

"I want you to withdraw your statement and falsify every negative information within your power or jurisdiction that has to do with lawal's case. Relay the message to the rest of your partners on the list. The same applies to them and no information about your embezzlement will be released to the media if you comply."

I stand up, buttoning my blazer. "I thought this was a negotiation." I take a deep breath. "It was never a negotiation." I walk down the stairs. "Your Nadeem's son." He states making me halt.

"I know your father and he only has you as a child. I believe he would like to you to grow old." I smile. "Just like I believe you want to see your children without bars standing between you. Have a good day." I walk away, admiring the species of flowers mixed.

*********

I shut the fridge, taking a chocolate bar and eating it. I turn to look at the table full of papers that belongs to lawal's case. Discarding these papers from my table is motivation enough.

I chew, closing my eyes. The goal is to win the case and Alya apparently convicted him of being a felon. The door opens, sultana walking in.

"Lawal is here, he's requesting to see you."

"If he has no appointment, he should leave. I can't let him make me look unprofessional." Sultana exhales. "I think you should give him a listening ear. I mean it's the number one priority here." I sit on the sofa, nodding to let him in.

"I'll send him in." She kisses me on the lips then walks out. After a minute, he walks into the office. "Falah Nadeem, how I wish I could kiss you." Lawal cheers. "He called me complaining and threatening. He's going to give in."

He takes a seat comfortably, occupying almost all the chair. "With what?" He shrugs. "I don't know. I think he presumes that I haven't told you everything but I'll protect myself just in case. These men are dangerous."

"....I believe he would like you to grow old." His words playing in my head as I try to ignore my growing paranoia.

"Leave my wife out of your plans, whatever they are." I warn him out of the blue as gis grin disappears. "She told you what happened?"

"What happened?" He stands up. "It's best she tells you." He attempts to walk away. "I'm asking you right now, not her. What happened when you met him last?" I stand up, looking at him.

Alya's point of view.

The coffee's aroma diving it's way into my nose as I feel the heat from the cup burning my palm. I take a deep breath and let out a sigh. "Alya." I snap my head to rayyan who stood with Khalid. "Yes?"

"Are you listening?" I nod, placing the cup on the table. "Thank you, Khalid. We'll talk later." Rayyan dismisses him and he leaves. Rayyan sits on the chair beside me. "You're zoning out frequently." I take a sip of my coffee.

"I'm fine, I'm thinking about solutions." He sighs, looking at me. "What?" I set my cup in the saucer. "It's your third cup of coffee today, what's going on?"

"Nothing, you know I love coffee."

"Don't, don't do that. You take coffee when yours stressed." He leans forward, his elbows on his knees. "What's wrong?" He asks softly making me bite my inner lip. "It's just this case and my brother." I admit hesitantly.

"We'll solve all of that. I have to tell you something though." He sits up, feeling tense. "I'm listening."

"We have dirt on lawal but it's not enough." I stand up, getting anxious. "Including the files I brought?" I lean on the chair and he nods. "We have to dig deeper." I bite my lip, brainstorming where to infiltrate to get information.

"There's a solution, I'm not sure you'll be interested."

"I getting desperate so go ahead." He stands up, walking to me as I stand straight. "If we have dirt on both lawal and Falah, they will lose their credibility which will make the case ours." I shake my head, turning away from him.

"Doing that to Falah is.....inhumane. Losing the case is enough so there is no need to dig something up."

"There's nothing else to do that will guarantee our success like this."

"I won't be doing it, Rayyan." I firmly say as he stands looking at me plainly. "Are you in love with him?" I furrow my brows. "No, I feel like it's crossing the line."

"He forced you to get married, you don't owe him anything."

"I won't do it, rayyan!" I shout making him suck his teeth. I compose myself, standing in front of rayyan. "I'm sorry but I can't do it. Trust me on this." I look into his eyes and he looks down to look at mine. He hesitantly nods as I smile weakly. "That's all I need. I'll get the information that'll bury lawal for good."

He holds my hands in his. "Don't fall in love with him, Alya. You'll just get hurt." He warns out of the blue before Rayyan places a kiss on my forehead. I pull away, taking the cup of coffee.

"See you later." I walk out of his office for mine.

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