His Niqabi Girl (Book 2)

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                                    HIS NIQABI GIRL

Elham.

I woke up the next day with a pounding headache. I barely had enough sleep because I was too busy catching up on all the gist and gossip with Yasmeen. We also ended up binge watching on Netflix until it was time for Subh prayer. I only got a couple hours of sleep until I had to race to work again. This time, 30 minutes late.

Yeah yeah I know, I need to be a bit more punctual.

I stepped out of my car, banging the door closed hurriedly.
The receptionist greeted me as I headed into the elevator. It was a quiet ride upstairs and as I walked to my office, I wondered why the entire floor was a little bit quieter than usual.

Picking up my phone, I decided to dial Rahma's phone number but halted when I noticed I had missed 7 calls from her. My eyes widened, hoping everything was well with her.
I then proceeded to call her and as she answered, she whispered 'come to Mr Khaled's office right now'.

What could be the problem? I wondered, fixing myself as I headed to the end of the corridor.
This was the first time I was going to step into the CEO's office room and I wondered if I were to knock on the door.

Yes stupid! Or do you wanna keep standing there?

I knocked reluctantly, and proceeded to twist the door knob. I was trying so hard to not think about what could possibly happen or the tension that would be in the air if Asaad was in that room.
I peeped in first, before fully stepping into the room.
Multiple heads turned to face me as I greeted them all, while I stood in embarrassment. Apparently, it was a meeting with the directors and the CEO and my secretary, had decided to represent me since I was absent.
She stood up and smiled at me before excusing herself from the room.
I blushed in embarassment as I walked to take a seat, clearly trying to avoid any embarrassment.

"Miss Sulayman, why're you almost an hour late to work?" A voice said in a low, warning tone.
I looked up to him.

"I-I apo-l-logize" I stuttered, surprised at his words, tone, and facial expression. However, a part of me reminded me that this was the real Asaad, cold, rigid.

But Elham, you are actually in the wrong. You ARE late to work.

I shut my thoughts out as I slowly sat down.

Asaad or rather, Mr Khaled, simply nodded before carrying on with what he was saying to them before I had interrupted.
Throughout the meeting, I struggled to communicate or even concentrate properly. I was disappointed at myself for allowing that whole thing to have happened. The rest of the day was dreadful and immediately the clock struck 5pm, I closed from work. I needed a little laugh and distraction so I had texted Imaan that I'd be coming to her place if she was already back from work, which she was.
Yasmeen was with Sufy because they had a meeting with their wedding planner.

"Salam alaykum" I said stepping into my best friend's apartment.
I noticed her laying on the couch in the sitting room, but she didn't seem too well. There was a pile of tissue papers all around her. I fastened my pace towards her after seeing the condition she was in.
"Subhanallah, what's wrong ?" I worriedly asked. Her eyes were red and puffy and she was still in pyjamas.

"You didn't go to work today, did you?" I asked. However, it was a rhetorical question as I already knew the answer.

"What's wrong?" I asked her, seating beside her. She shook her head, unwilling to open up. It was unlike her to cry or be too emotional, I was the big baby amongst the two of us so whenever she got like this, it was pretty much something really serious.