Shadow of Doubt

Chapter 23

Important Note at the end of the chapter, your opinions needed.

Chapter 23

Iram's POV

I couldn't believe my eyes when I saw Sa'ad standing outside my place of primary assignment just as I closed from work, I immediately took two steps backwards and moved back into the building and he stood there without making any move to follow me or stop me. Typical Sa'ad.

I wasn't surprised that he knew my PPA or any other information about my stay in Lagos, I was just surprised that he knew I'd be around on that very day because it was my CDS day. I happened to be in the office by chance because I couldn't get my monthly clearance letter on time. How did he know this? Or was it just a coincidence?

I sat back in the reception trying to put myself together before dialling Hidayah's number. She picked on the first ring and I immediately told her "I just saw Sa'ad."

She was quiet for a few moments before asking "How? Where?"

"At my office, I'll be late for CDS if I don't go out now." I told her, my breath still coming out in pants. "How is he even here? Why is, oh my-"

"Hey, calm down." She said gently into the phone. "He's not going to hurt you."

"I know." I answered in a heartbeat because if there was one thing I was sure of is the fact that Sa'ad won't hurt me, he had the chance to hurt me when he thought my father orchestrated his parents' murder but he didn't. "I just want to leave."

"Well, how about you call an Uber and leave your car there until later? You can still follow the back gate right?" Two heads are definitely better than one because with the way I was hyperventilating, I never would've thought of it. "Should I order one for you?"

"I'll appreciate that." Seeing as my hands were shaking, it'll take me a long time before I order. "But why is he here? In Lagos? After all these months? Just when I'm starting to breathe without him?"

"You're on speaker phone." She said with a low voice. "I'm trying to order the ride as I listen to you."

"Sorry." I murmured. "Apologies to your cubicle mate." I said and I heard a slight male chuckle.

"It's nothing, princess." A male voice said and I ignored him, I didn't feel like listening to a stranger give inputs on my love life.

"The ride is just two minutes away from you, I know he'll contact me now, I'll let him know where to meet you." Hidayah said and I nodded as if she could see me.

"Thank you, I'll see you at home." I said as I hung up and made my way outside of the building, changing my route this time around.

The past few months in Lagos have been nothing short of draining. Before we started our service and before Hidayah arrived in Lagos, I was just surviving and not living. I laughed, socialised, cooked and cried when nobody was watching. Eventually I realised the only way out of my situation was by constant dhikr and keeping myself busy. I did enroll in a culinary school and I attend the classes daily on weekdays before my service. They adjusted my classes to twice weekly and on weekends when I started serving.

Apart from my visits home, daddy visited me twice in Lagos excluding his first visit and on both visits, Sa'ad's name didn't grace our conversation. I wanted to ask or hear about him so badly but I didn't know who to ask and I was fighting with myself not to go against daddy's clear orders. The messages Sa'ad usually sent me had died down and I was grateful that they did because they were messing with my mind and I had a reply typed up for each one all the time before I changed my mind and deleted it.