Naina (Al-Ameen Family #4)

Guilty

I spent a big chunk of the next day begging Namrata to let me off the case. I couldn't do it. I couldn't lie to these people. I couldn't lie to Nazeeha. I couldn't face Armaan again.

But Namrata was right. I had to do it. Taking me off the case would mean a report would have to be submitted of a conflict of interest. And Patrick wouldn't miss any opportunity to get his own agents involved and get a hand up on us.

Plus, I'd be fired for life and would go to jail for breach of contract, and maybe even treason. I was stuck and I had to suck it up and get the job done.

We just had to be extra careful that Nazeeha wouldn't be around when I was with everyone else. To her and Ali, I was still Laila.

------

So here was the plan: I would call Safiyana up, let her know I was going to Dubai for some work, so I'd like to meet up. Their passport history showed her and a couple other family members had just landed in Dubai. It was a risk, but we hoped they were staying there for a couple days.

I gave her a call and she picked up right away, sounding really happy to hear from me. I apologized for calling so suddenly but told her I just had an emergency and needed a hotel to stay in right away.

"I'm so sorry, I know it's so last minute, but I'm about to get on my flight and just found out about the over booking at the hotel. And everywhere I've called is booked up, I'm so sorry-"

"No, it's totally okay, I'm so happy you called. I'll call Yusuf, my cousin, and he'll pick you up from the airport. You'll stay with us," she insisted.

"Oh no, I can't impose like that please. I just wanted to know if you could get a room confirmed for me," I fake pleaded with her. The guilt of being so cunning was going to eat me alive. I opened the window and stared out at the gorgeous Dubai view.

"Oh nonsense Naina, no hotel should be an option when my house is here. Plus my mother is here as well, she's been wanting to meet you because we talked about you so much," she chuckled. No! No one's mommas please.

"You guys are sweet," I laughed nervously. Namrata gave me the signal to wrap it up. "Okay, I'm about to board so I'll have to hang up now."

"Sure, go ahead honey. But give me a call as soon you land okay, no exceptions!"

"Alright, I will, thank you. See you soon," I said gratefully and hung up. I sighed, throwing my phone on to the couch. Namrata rubbed my back soothingly. "It's for the greater good," she reassured.

"Sure," I mumbled, falling on to the couch. "Well, I have six hours to kill till I have to show up at the airport and pretend I just landed. Shake Shack anyone?"

------

Yusuf, who I vaguely remember seeing at Sanam's reception, was waiting in the parking lot of the airport beside a matte black Audi R8, just like Safiyana had described. His arm was around a gorgeous woman, who I remembered seeing leaving Nazeeha's apartment a few times was Inayah, his wife.

As I got closer, they both walked towards me. "Naina?" Inayah greeted me. I nodded, making formal introductions.

"Well, let's get going home."

------

Their family was lovely. The wealth, the grandeur of their lifestyle did not for one second take away from their humility, their reverence of God, or their value of each other. I was humbled. And feeling guiltier and guiltier.

Before I left, we made sure Nazeeha nor Ali would be coming to Dubai in the two weeks that I was here. In fact, there was a team of dedicated agents that were there to intercept any situation that would lead Nazeeha or Ali to be here and call me out as Laila.

Safiyana led me to a guest room. She was showing me around the room, subconsciously rubbing her stomach. Shit. She was pregnant. And if Safiyana was the girl Enzo wanted to come for, I had to do everything in my power to protect her.

She left me to settle in and then it was time for dinner. Before going to sleep, I did wudhu and read namaaz. I also prayed istikhara. I didn't know if I could go on with this mission. Not when there was children involved. I prayed profusely that God protected the innocent and helped me find the guilty without anyone else getting hurt. Too many lives, too many families were wrapped up in this.

And I couldn't find the strength to do anything that may hurt Armaan the way I've been hurt.

------

I woke up the next morning feeling a million times better, which was God's answer to my prayers. I had to finish this mission, even if it meant lying to these people. As Namrata said, it was for the greater good.

I had breakfast with Safiyana, her mom, and Inayah before I left for the day for "meetings." I went to the hotel where the team was set up. Our days were spent monitoring the hotel guests, rifling through bank statements and international transactions of the Al-Ameen enterprise. It was a lot, and there were less hands than necessary.

I went home for dinner time. I had to keep up pretenses that I was just here on diplomatic work. There was no political meeting in all of Dubai that would go on past Maghrib time.

Dinner was a busy affair, with all the kids of the house and their spouses around. There were even a few cute little kids running around. I changed into something more shareef and then joined Safiyana and Zinat in the kitchen.

I was just sitting at their kitchen counter, listening to them talk with a smile on my face, when Zinat turned to me.

"Finally. Go ahead and wash up for dinner Naina, it seems Armaan is finally here," she shook her head lovingly at her husband who had just walked into the kitchen.

I stiffened. Oh shit. He was here?

I didn't tell Namrata, or anyone else on the team that he was the biggest conflict of interest for me. No one kept tabs on him and now he was here.

"Dad bought cake!" Safiyana squealed excitedly and waved me along as everyone exited the kitchen. I slid off my bar stool to follow.

"Naina?"

Armaan stood in a hallway to the left of me, a light somewhere down the hall casting enough brightness for me to see him.

Anyone else hear violins playing in the background...?

"Armaan."

He slowly walked towards me, dropping his bag on the ground. He stopped less than a foot away, my heart beat more pronounced than usual.

"Lagta hai kismat milaa ke hi chori gi (Seems like fate will do anything to reunite us)," he smiled lopsidedly, leaning against the wall.

"Sach mein. Jitni door jaati hoon tumse, utne hi paas aajate ho (For real. Seems like the further I go from you, the closer you end up)," I smirked, pushing his chest with my finger to create some distance between us.

He smiled sheepishly, taking a step back. "Mere ghar mein aana hi tha toh bata de ti. Khushi Khushi le aata (If you wanted to come to my house so bad, you should've told me. I would have brought you, with pleasure)," he grinned.

"What are you two doing here?" we both got startled, hearing Safiyana's voice from behind me. "Mummy ne dekh liya toh yeh na samajh jaaye ke kuch pyaar vyaar ka chakkar chal raha hai (If mom sees you, she might think there's some love thing going on here)," she crossed her arms over her chest. Her face was totally serious, and I was a second away from shitting my pants.

"Apaa," Armaan warned her.

She laughed, dropping her intimidating stance. "Acha chalo, sab khane bhet rahe hai (Alright come on, everyone's about to eat)," she gave us both a look before walking away, before stopping again. "Waise kuch chal raha ho toh bata hi do, kuch baat chala doon (If there is something happening here, you might as well tell me, I can pass some words along)," her tone was teasing but I was still freaking out.

"Apaa stop," Armaan groaned, walking in the opposite direction of her. He turned around and gave me a wink when she turned the corner, and I quickly ran off behind her before I got in any more trouble.