| Life of a fraudster | ✔

•LOAF32°

Anisah's point of view.

I wake up in Mohammad's arms. I must've slept off yesterday while they watched their game. I can't be blamed.

I look at Mohammad who slept peacefully. I slowly roll out of bed. I remembered the first night I spent here around five months ago.

The irony.

I brush my teeth, looking at myself in the mirror. How am I supposed to handle this? I am going to call Abdallah so we could meet up.

I miss them already, I miss my life before I was busted but it had only one problem, Mohammad wasn't there.

I walk out of the room scrolling through my phone to call Abdallah. I head to the kitchen so I can prepare something, noticing how the house is awfully quiet.

I place my phone to my ear, hearing it dial when it clicks.

"Hello, Abdallah?" I sit down in one of the stools in the kitchen, backing the door. "Hello, ya Anisah? Good morning, sorry I didn't call you. I have been so busy."

I smile, happy he isn't angry with me. "It's alright, I want us to meet up. Talk about some things if its alright." I say playing with the ropes of my sweater.

"Of course, le ruse?" He suggests and I scoff. "The park, we are not going for official purposes. Why do you like being extra?" I joke around, standing up while he laughs. "Okay, what time?"

"Um, 1pm is fine." I say smiling like a donkey. "Okay, see you there." I hang up and I turn when I saw mansur.

He smiles at me. "Don't worry, I didn't hear anything, its alright." He tells me, walking to the sink.

"It happens I guess." I shrug keeping my phone. "There are some people who enjoy seeing others in pain, anguish. Don't let them get the best of you, they would want to see you on your knees. It's not easy but keep your head up high. Don't let them get the satisfaction, it'll soon pass."

He says all of a sudden, I knew what he meant. "Thank you." I smile weakly. "You're welcome." He opens the fridge, taking a water bottle before leaving the kitchen.

Ismail's point of view

Mohammad sits down beside me, dropping a file in the table while I watch the news. "I didn't know you came, welcome." I try to aggravate him.

I glance at the file. "What is it that?" I ask still partially focused on Mohammad.

"This is a contract you're going to sign." Mohammad says focusing on the tv. "What makes you so confident that I'll sign it?"

I ask smiling at his confidence. "I know you would want to gain some shares." He starts and I stopped watching to look at him.

"What do you want?" I ask curious.

He cocks his head to the side. "It seems you blew Anisah's cover and you're the one behind the sudden plummeting of deals."

How does he know? Who told him? Is it that Ashruf? Did he throw me under the bus?

He turn his head to look at me with a stoic expression. "If you want to be able to have access to what is yours and probably gain more, give me the names of your accomplices and disappear."

I chuckle. "You're serious?" I ask furrowing my eyebrows.

"You can come back when I ask you to but If you come back on your own will, I'll take back all of it, even yours." His face shows how serious he is, I look back at the tv.

It is either I lose everything or have everything in another country. I'll choose the sensible option.

"I'll send their information to you. That Faisal boy left on his own. He said he wanted out." I stand up, shoving my hands in my pocket.

Mohammed scoffs, nodding. I sigh, walking out of the room.
******

I call Ashraf in a hurry so he wouldn't do something stupid. "Its Ashraf." He answers.

"Stay away from them, the deal is off."

"Why would I?" I close my eyes trying to conceal my anger. "Mohammad threatens to sink your company. You know he can."

Mohammad never said anything about his company.

"I expected him to threaten me, he didn't disappoint. I don't care. I'm tired of cowering in fear, I have a few tricks up my sleeves."

"Don't do anything stupid. Face reality," I warn. "You will be losing more than he will."

"Let's see about that."

I scoff hanging up, stunned at his idiocy. I've done my part.

Anisah's point of view.

I sit at the bench waiting for Abdallah. He said he would be here at any minute, I hope he meant it.

I pull out my phone playing candy crush, I can't remember the last time I played the game.

"Ya Anisah?" I hear Abdallah's voice. I look up and saw him wearing a bkue kaftan. I stand up before i hug him. "It has only been a day." He smiles hugging me back.

"Keep quiet." I say, we sit down. "So why did you ask us to meet?" He asks looking at me.

"I'm here to tell you why I did it. Not to convince you to comeback but at least go somewhere, not that house."

My throat closing because of how nervous I am. Am I ready? Isn't it better to keep it from him? He might become hysterical. No...i need to do this.

I look at the kids playing with a ball to avoid eye contact. "The reason I ran away was because our step father raped me."

"He raped me more than once and when I told mama, she ignored me and said that I shouldn't say a word. I couldn't let you and the rest especially hadiza to be dragged into that toxic environment so I ran with you."

I sigh, glancing at him. He placed his elbows on his knees, clasping his hands tightly. His eyes fixated on the grass. "I had to burn the kitchen so I could convince you all. I later met our mother in the shopping mall I worked at but she just left, without a word."

He raises his hands to his lips, shaking his foot. "I'm not saying that you should come back to me but at least get away from there because Hadiza might be in trouble right now." I look my hands that were shaking. I hold it, raising my head up.

"That bastard had done that to you and he has the guts to even come to the house. It is my fault for letting him in in the first place. It's my fault for not listening to you. I'm sorry." He turns to look at me, veins popping out of his forehead.

"Don't worry, I had the help I needed." I smile, patting his shoulder. "I'll head there right away." He stands up, sliding his hand in his pocket. "Don't fight him...you know what? I'm coming with you." I stand up, hanging my bag on my shoulder.

"No, I don't want you to look or meet that, imbecile. I'll handle it, I'll go get them and I can't promise but I'll try. If he does anything to irritate me, I will lunge at him."

I chuckle. "Just try, I don't want you to get hurt or anything." He nods, looking at me. "You had to go through all that alone, with no one by your side and as of yesterday, we all left you. Alone."

I scrunch up my nose, shaking my head. "For the first time, I wasn't. You were there and Mohammed was there as well. I have you two, the rest are still young and hadiza is going through her rebellious phase. I am not alone."

He smiles weakly at me before hugging me. "You're being weird." I feel a tingling sensation in my nose. "Enjoy it, I might never do this again." Abdallah says making me laugh, a a few stray tears rolling down my cheeks as I hurt to wipe it.

I pull away, holding his hands. "I'm happy you understand me, the minute you get them, call me. I should've found somewhere for us to say in the meantime." We walk to the parking lot.

He shakes his head. "I have an idea of where we can stay, you just rest. I'll handle it." I grin, proud of how much he has grown.

"Okay, waiting for your call then. Please be careful." He nods, smiling. "I will." I get into my car, driving off while looking at him through the side mirror before I take a turn.

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