TURN OF FATE, cl16

42.

CHAPTER FORTY TWO.
ABU DHABI.

Alisha woke up and walked into the kitchen, finding her daughter already awake. But in reality, she didn't get a wink of sleep because of the events of last night.

Dariyah didn't even bother to glance at her mother when she walked in, continuing to stare at the floor blankly.

"Hey, baby. Slept well? I didn't see you sleeping beside me." Alisha wrapped up her hair in a clutch, moving to give her daughter a hug. Her face turned into confusion when she saw her daughter moving away.

"What happened? Why are you looking so gloomy? Where's that friend of yours?" Alisha ignored their interaction and walked towards the fridge to make something for their breakfast.

"You'd like to know, wouldn't you?" Dariyah chuckled humourlessly, confusing her mother even more.

"What're you talking about? If he ran away because he couldn't do a simple condition, then that's just shows his true face. He doesn't love you. He's using you-"

"Yeah, you're the best judge of character, aren't you?" Dariyah sarcastically smiled at her mother. Alisha's eyes turned cold, the usual bubbly self gone.

"Dariyah. I know what I'm doing. All I ever did was for—"

"For my good. I know." Dariyah stood straight and began to walk out of the kitchen. She halted, "I'm not 15 anymore, mumma. I know what I'm doing. So, I'd be happy if you just stop making decisions for me." With that Dariyah walked out of the kitchen and headed for a desperate needed shower.

Dariyah got out of the shower and dressed up for work. She headed for the main door but then heard her mom calling. "Have some breakfast before going!"

"Lost my appetite." And then she walked out the door, slamming it hard which startled her mom. Alisha sighed, massaging her head. Frustrated, her daughter wasn't understanding the situation.

•••

"Ay! There's my favourite lawyer— Who hurt you?" Layla turned from a kid to a criminal in seconds after noticing the frown in Dariyah's face.

"It's nothing." Dariyah brushed her boss off but Layla wasn't the one who you could get rid of easily.

"You tell me now and I won't lessen your salary." Dariyah scoffed in disbelief.

"Seriously? Blackmail? You wouldn't do that." Dariyah tried to call her bluff.

"Try me." Layla Connor turned on her lawyer mode, her posture radiating with confidence and pride.

"Fine." Dariyah gave up, knowing her boss well enough to never doubt her threats. "We broke up."

"You're kidding?" Layla's confident gaze turned into disbelief. "It's only been 2 months! What happened?"

"My mom." Dariyah sighed. "She surprised me with her visit yesterday and Charles as well after a while. My mom told him something which made him doubt our relationship. So, he just... left." Dariyah swallowed hard at the last word.

"Honey..." Layla's gaze softened, inching forward to give her a comforting hug but Dariyah stepped away.

"I love you, Connor, but I don't need pity right now. I've got cases to solve." With that, Dariyah rushed to the bathroom. She locked herself in a stall and kept her hand on her mouth to not let the sound of her crying be heard from anyone.