So close, yet so far

33

ABUJA, NIGERIA

When Safar realized no one was letting her off the hook, she opened her mouth and began speaking. Her voice was low and husky, laced with a mixture of defiance and desperation. She told them that Mardiyya, their cousin, was never in love with Sa'eed, and that she had manipulated Mardiyya into pretending to be in love with him instead.

Safar's eyes locked onto Sa'eed's, her gaze burning with an intensity that made him shift uncomfortably in his seat. "I'm the one who's in love with him," she spat, her voice venomous. "I'm the one who's been in love with him for years."

The room was silent, the only sound the heavy breathing of the people around her and that of the AC. Mami and Baba exchanged a shocked glance, their faces pale with horror. Sa'eed's eyes narrowed, his jaw clenched in anger.

Safar continued, her voice dripping with malice. "I manipulated Bilal into thinking I loved him, so he would become close to Sa'eed. I knew that once Bilal was in Sa'eed's inner circle, he would be able to influence him, to make him do my bidding."

Fahad's eyes widened in shock, his face pale with disgust. "You used Bilal?" he whispered, his voice barely audible.

Safar nodded, her eyes glinting with triumph. "Yes, I used him. And it worked. Sa'eed became bad, just like I wanted him to. He started to change, to become the kind of man I knew I could control."

Adda Bahijja's face was a mask of horror, her eyes wide with shock. "Safar, how could you?" she whispered, her voice trembling with emotion.

Safar's gaze locked onto Adda Bahijja's, her eyes flashing with anger. "I did what I had to do," she spat. "I did what I had to do to get what I wanted."

Mami's voice was barely above a whisper, her eyes filled with tears. "Safar, what have you done?" she whispered, her voice trembling with emotion.

Baba's face was a mask of sadness, his eyes filled with regret. "Safar, my daughter," he whispered, his voice cracking with emotion. "What have you done?"

Safar's gaze locked onto Baba's, her eyes flashing with defiance. "I did what I had to do," she repeated, her voice cold and hard.

The room was silent, the only sound the heavy breathing of the people around her. Sa'eed's eyes narrowed, his jaw clenched in anger. He knew that he had to do something, to take action against Safar. But what?

As the silence stretched out, Mami's voice broke the stillness. "Innalillahi wa Ina ilaihi rajiun," she whispered, her eyes filled with tears.

Baba nodded, his face a mask of sadness. "Innalillahi wa Ina ilaihi rajiun," he repeated, his voice cracking with emotion.

The room was silent, the only sound was the heavy breathing of the people around her. Safar's gaze locked onto Sa'eed's, her eyes flashing with defiance. She knew that she had gone too far, that she had crossed a line. But she didn't care. She was willing to do whatever it took to get what she wanted.

As the silence stretched out, Sa'eed's eyes narrowed, his jaw clenched in anger. He knew that he had to do something, to take action against Safar. But what? He looked around the room, his eyes locking onto the faces of his family members. They were all shocked, all horrified by Safar's confession.

Mami's voice broke the silence, her tone trembling with emotion. "Safar, where is Bilal now?" She asked, her eyes filled with tears.

Safar's gaze locked onto Mami's, her eyes flashing with defiance. "He's being held captive by my men," she spat, her voice cold and hard.

The room erupted into a chorus of gasps and whispers. "Innalillahi wa Ina ilaihi rajiun," the occupants muttered, their voices filled with shock and horror.