Broken Hearts, Hidden Secrets

Chapter Six

"Read the rules, Ms Hussein, and don't think about breaking any of them".

It has been a few days ever since Zianna started working for Azhar. But he didn't like the way she was at the office.

Zianna has always been a bubbly, goofy and rule-breaker type of woman. This didn't go well with Azhar, so the best way to 'tame' Zianna was to write down a few rules for her and just her.

He understood that she would question why specific rules applied to her.

"These are the rules that you need to follow and remember not to break any of them," Azhar tells her, giving her a folder.

She looked at him with her eyebrow raised trying to understand him.

Zianna has just started working for almost two weeks now and he has given her a bunch of rules to follow.

"Does every secretary have rules?" Zianna asks him. "Or is it just me?" She added looking at his face without blinking.

"Read the rules, Ms Hussein, and don't think about breaking them". And next time, I won't hesitate to fire you, okay? Now, get back to work," Azhar says, leaving no room for arguments.

When Zianna wanted to say something, Azhar already left to go into his office leaving her feeling confused as to what just happened.

"Time to read the useless rules," she tells herself, returning to her desk to read the obnoxious rules that her boss has just given her.

She opened the folder and started reading from the first rule.

Office Rules.

1. Always be at your desk.

2. Take a short time for lunch.

3. No goofing around in the office.

4. Don't talk back to your boss.

5. Be sure always to be there when the boss needs something.

6. Check with the boss before leaving.

7. No office romance.

8. No having lunch with a male co-worker.

9. Don't fall in love with the boss.

When she saw what number 9 said, Zianna was more confused than shocked because love wasn't on her agenda. She has her plans and they don't include falling in love.

Zianna closed the folder and put it aside, to finish her pending work. She knew he might be watching her through the glass window as he always did whenever he gave her work.

Meanwhile, Azhar debated with his mind as he couldn't stop thinking about her. The secretary hired by his uncle believed he needed support in filing and writing reports.

It has been a week since Zianna Hussein was hired and she has turned his entire life upside down without even lifting a finger.

Azhar looked at his secretary through the glass window, he couldn't help but notice that she threw the folder of the rules he had written and printed for her beside her desk.

"This woman will drive me insane. Why does she do this especially when I told her to follow them?"

He knew the only thing to do was to try and ask his uncle to transfer her to a different lawyer in the firm.

But that would be unfair to her as she didn't do anything.

Azhar was torn about keeping or even firing her. He couldn't do that to her especially when his uncle hired her to help him.

Zianna Hussein was a sufficient worker who knew what needed to be done and she was someone Azhar needed especially when he would be required to be in court.

How can I fire her when I need her? She is the most efficient secretary that I have ever had. Sometimes I wonder what if I didn't become a lawyer like she wanted me to, what if I became someone she picked. Would this happen?

Azhar knew the one person who could give him advice was his mother Hayat. She would know what to do.

After work, Azhar talked to his mother, hoping his father would be busy with Azaan and the company.

"Sir, you have a phone call in line one. It is the client from last week's case," Zianna says through the intercom.

Azhar did not bother to answer her and just picked up the phone.

"Asalam Aleikum, how are you doing Azhar?..."

It didn't take long for Azhar to recognize that this person was not the client he had dealt with the previous week. They belong to his past, and that's where they'll stay.

"Could you never call here again and the next time you call here, I won't hesitate to tell everything to him," he says to the caller before he disconnects the call.

Azhar was furious at the caller but calmed himself down before his uncle entered the office.

"What's wrong? Did something happen with a client?" His Uncle asks as soon as he sees Azhar's face.

"Its nothing Uncle..."

"Or is it someone else...like Zianna," His Uncle says with a mischievous smile.

"Uncle, stop with your plans. Miss. Hussein and I will never be because I am not interested in having anyone in my life who will..."

A knock interrupted their conversation and then the door opened revealing Zianna holding a folder in her hands.

"I am sorry, I will come back later. Excuse me..."

"No, its okay. Come in, we are done talking," Khalid tells her and then turns to face his nephew. "I will see you later and your aunt is also expecting you to dinner tonight," he added before leaving the office.

"Miss Hussein, what is the matter? Or didnt you read the rules I gave you?"

"Sir, this came to you via a courier. But it has no sender and they said that I should give it to you and no one else," Zianna explains and then hands over the folder to Azhar.

"Okay, you may go back to your desk".

"Okay, Sir".

Zianna walked out of the office leaving him with his thoughts about whatever was in the folder.

Azhar opened the folder to find pictures of his family in private functions alongside a letter that was typed and not written, unfortunately.

Stop your investigations now before anything happens to your family. And if you dont there will be more consequences of whatever you decide to do. But this isn't just any warning,

"Who could this be?" Azhar asks himself as he goes through the folder again just to see if the sender made a mistake. But all he could find was nothing that was out of place.

Maybe I should make my investigations about the cases I take from now on because of this threat and the importance of them. I could ask Dad, Uncle Zahir, and also Uncle Khalid. But for now, I will need to put whatever case I have aside.