MY KILLER

CHAPTER 45

"... I really don't care anymore. Whatever happens, happens."

"You have surely lost your mind Jadwa. You have always been a fighter. Whatever happened to you?"

Silence.

"You always wanted to challenge me then, always showed your spite towards me. Why aren't you doing it for Sahiba? And it's worse now. News is going around saying she'd soon be a concubine and rise to the position of Sultana. Why're you keeping quiet?"

"What do you want me to do?" Jadwa asked nonchalantly.

"Kill her Jadwa. Kill her. That's the only way."

"And you hope to achieve that?" Aliyyah asked coming out of a dark corner. They both stood up but Laila did so in fear.

"Your highness," they both chorused.

She walked past them and took Laila's seat while she stood there trembling.

"Y-your h-highness, it's not what it seems," Laila tried to explain.

Aliyyah looked up at her.
"Jadwa honey, send someone to tell Asad's staff to get me my special tea."

"Yes, your highness," she said weakly and walked away entering the house.

She stared at her and didn't stop. Laila trembled more as she tried to avert her gaze and stop her trembling self. Her body wasn't obeying her will.

"I uh, actually uh. I-I was just speaking metaphorically. I didn't really mean she should kill Sahiba. It was just a joke, a f-funny j-joke," She stammered.

"I recall the first day you came up to the palace," Aliyyah started saying. "You were so young, so innocent, so naive, so ambitious. Too ambitious. Your ambition lead to your greed and greed lead to your family's death. You had always wanted things you couldn't attain, took advantage of things that weren't yours and you picked the wrong side."

Laila just stared at her not saying a word.
"That's why I've never liked you. Not your looks, not your family who only ever lusted after my mother's position and power, not your unnecessary greed and ambition towards the wrongest of things and the fact that you, an insignificant plain human had the power and audacity to hurt my brothers. I'm glad my brothers have finally seen you for who you really are. If it weren't for my nephew, I'd have you killed even before you left Arabia for America those many years ago."

Laila was immediately overcome by holy fear. She never thought Aliyyah would hate her as much as she did. Worse even, she didn't think Aliyyah knew about her leaving for America.

"And now, because of that relationship, I want to advice you for the very last time. Stay away from my family, Sahiba included."

She shot her eyes wide open as she briefly looked up at Aliyyah before looking down again.
What in the name of Allah did everyone see in Sahiba, what did Lady Aliyyah see in Sahiba that she had decided to adopt her as family, something she had never and would never be able to do.

"And yes, Sahiba would become Sahib's concubine and nothing is going to stop it. Nothing."

She stared at the floor and wished she was this Sahiba. Sahib and Asad were on her side, Ameena was on her side and now, even Lady Aliyyah was on her side.
There was nothing she could do and if she even hurt a single hair on her head, the little she had would be taken away from her.
And for the first time, she wished she was someone else. She wished she was an African servant.

"Whatever you do from now love, you should do carefully. You wouldn't want to lose the little you have now, or would you?"
How could she read her mind.