"Anybody going to speak up." I walked around the room and looked them in the eyes. Yasmin had a look of complete and utter anger while Aisha was on the verge of tears. Junaib was pale with fear.

Something inside me popped just them and I thought of something. Aisha seemed to be hiding something and Yasmin and her don't look like they're on good terms. There's a million reasons why, but only one seemed the most logic to me.

I walked back to the front of the room and sat down on the chair, resting my hands on the cold stone table.

"Aisha. How about we start with you." Her blue eyes instantly locked with mines with confusion and surprise in them.

"Wh-what?"

I looked at her face and realized that out of everyone in the room she seemed like the innocent one in this situation. She looked down and sighed.

"I lied to you."

I frowned and nodded for her to proceed even though she caught me completely off guard.

"When you asked me if Yusuf and I had ever gotten in an argument; I lied. I lied because I was afraid what would happen if anyone found out." She looked directly at me and looked back down at her lap. I noticed the slight shaking in her voice as she continued.

"It started a month ago when Yusuf changed. He went from being a kind, and outgoing guy, to someone who couldn't stand the sight of me. He would leave early in the morning and come back late at night only to ignore me and complete the cycle again. I felt like I didn't even know who he was anymore. My friends started coming home more often since he was never there, and they told me about a rumor that was going around town."

I sat forward and rested my hands on the table. I also notice that every time she would look up, she'd only glance at me and try her best not to glance at Yasmin or Junaib. "What was the rumor?"

She ignored me and looked down. Ahmed frowned and watched. I gave her a confused face and nodded my head. "Aisha. Tell me please."

She looked up and inhaled before continuing. "The rumor was that Yusuf was seeing another girl."

I held my breath as she spoke. Searching her eyes for the truth, I realized just how much pain it took to say that.

She glanced at me and gave out a dry laugh. I could see small tear forming in her eyes as she spoke. "Of course I didn't believe them. I loved him. He was the first guy ever in my life, and I didn't want to believe it. So I started to investigate."

Ahmed came to the front of the room and sat down on the desk staring intently at Aisha's face. Something inside me irked when he did that but I quickly shook it away as she spoke.

"I followed him and left Huda at her grandmothers house. He would usually go to work and straight home but this time her passed the house and continued on. I was confused and drive after him. He drove for nearly an hour before we reached a house. I-I knew the house was familiar. I should have realized then b-but I didn't want to believe it. I didn't want to believe was wrong."

I watched her face drop and all color fade as she looked down and wiped the tears that fell. My eyes darted to Junaib and Yasmin and I frowned in anger. Ignoring them I focused back on Aisha.

"Aisha, what did you see?"

She sniffed and wiped her eyes while looking up at me. She gave me a pleading look before she broke down into tears.

"He died while I was mad at him. I never got to say sorry, or that I forgave him. He never got to say goodnight to his daughter an-and it's all my fault. I'm so selfish."

I wanted to comfort her for some odd reason but I shook my head and tried to reason with her. "Aisha, it's not your fault. Just-just tell us who the lady was."

She kept crying and everyone in the room listened in silence. Her rosy cheeks became even redder as her blue eyes poured down all the tears she's been holding back. I leaned back and watched her cry until she stopped and pointed a cold and shaky finger to the seat next to her. She pointed to Yasmin.

"H-he cheated on me with my own sister."

My eyes widened as I watched Yasmin cower from all the eyes watching her in disgust and astonishment. Anger suddenly filled me as I shot out of my seat and leaned towards her.

"Speak. Now." Her blue eyes widened as she tried to remain calm.

"I didn't do anything." I shook my head and got out of my seat.

"I don't think so. You want to know what I think?" Her face immediately turned to me as I circled her and Junaib who looked like he was dying inside his chair. I turned to Ahmed and gestured for him to escort Aisha out of here. The killer wasn't her and now I was most definitely sure of it.

Ahmed stood and talked with her in her ear before she looked up at me and locked eyes. For a moment I stopped and nodded my head once. She wiped her tears and gave me one last glance before she walked out of the room. I tried to memorize her face because I knew it was the last time I'd see her.

"I think you three plotted to kill him and succeeded."

Suddenly, a cry erupted in the room. I swiftly watched them when I noticed that Khadijah was balling in tears. Her hands shook, and black tears went down her face because of the Khol she had worn before hand. I found it odd that she was crying.

"Khadijah." She looked up at me startled and glanced wearily at Junaib and then Yasmin.

"I-i have nothing to do with this I swear. They were there when I came an-and she kidnapped me. I still hadn't ate and my sugar levels are down. The lowest they have ever been. I have-I have to eat. I'm diabetic sir, and she held me captive since the night I caught them at Aisha's house. I can barley see let alone walk. P-please, believe me."

I instantly noticed that her face had paled and her hands shook like crazy. Sweat outlined her forehead as she gave me one look and looked down. Wondering if I should believe her or not, I suddenly watched as her eyes rolled back and her body fall to the ground.

My heart hurt as I watched Ahmed rush under her and picked her up bridal style. He hooked his arms under her head and legs and gave me a look before taking her away. Just another another person they traumatized.

I instantly turned back to Junaib and Yasmin. "From what I gathered through from the information I was given, both of you were there the night he died weren't you?"

Yasmin looked at Junaib and back at me with a worried face. She opened her mouth to speak but closed it instead. I raised and eyebrow and sat down.

"If you don't speak up both of you are going to be charged guilty for killing Yusuf Umar and will be sentenced to life in prison. Are you sure you want that?" Yasmin grew frantic as she looked down and I noticed a panicked look on Juniabs face as well. Ahmed walked in with a sad look and nodded at me.

When neither spoke I stood and closed the files. "Ahmed, take them away."

Ahmed left the door open and walked towards them when Junaib suddenly exploded. "It was me, I killed him."

He looked defeated as he slowly gazed at Yasmin and sighed. "Just, please let her go."

I glanced between Yasmin and him and looked to Ahmed who held the exact same confused face as me. What was going on?

Yasmin suddenly bursted into tears. "No it wasn't. It was me, I killed him. He was going to leave me, and forget everything we had. I-i panicked and- I'm so, so sorry."

Junaib stood with his cuffed hands and went on his knees in front of her. "No, sweetie, it was me remember?"

He looked into her eyes and with a pleading look cupped her chin. He gave her a small message and it only confused me more. After a few seconds Yasmin shook her head and wiped her tears.

"Junaib, you can't take the blame. I won't let you." Junaib closed her mouth with his hands and shook his head. He looked back at me with a determined look.

"Please Ibrahim, arrest me and let my wife go." His eyes were blackened with sorrow and sadness but everything in his starture was determined to fight for her. It suddenly clicked what he was trying to do.

Yasmin shook her head and stood wiping the last year off her eyes. "No, Jumiab. It was me. You were always so busy with work that I-i felt alone and not loved. Every night you'd be working and staying up late. I finally had enough. Yusuf, Yusuf had the same problem and w-we just couldn't handle it anymore. Soon, he told me he loved me and even gave me Aisha's ring as a gift. It was the first item he gave to me, and it was the beginning of our relationship. It was three weeks into our affair when he decided I wasn't worth it anymore. He-he cut me off like I meant nothing to him. I tried everything to keep him but he just wanted her." Her voice was filled with venom and hatred as she mentioned her own sister. I clenched my hands and decided not to speak.

"I couldn't let him do that. Soon, he wouldn't even come near me. He'd tell me that he loved her and would threaten to leave me and I-" she clenched her head and I watched her eyes grow huge. "I went crazy! I couldn't let him just leave me like that, so I started the rumor and went around town telling everyone. He-he would be humiliated and his dear wife would finally crack."

She laughed venomously and let out a evil smile. "Days passed and soon I made sure that everyone in town knew. I watched Aisha and watched her slowly start to follow him. The last day I met him at the store. H-he couldn't believe I was there and started yelling at me and went home. I-i followed him."

A huge smile appeared on her face as if she was reliving her memory. "He went to cuddle with his wife and found the house empty! Aisha had finally seen and my plan worked. I tried to help him but he started yelling and I couldn't handle the yelling. He had to stop but he wouldn't. It had surrounded me completely. The yelling kept getting louder and more fierce so I-I had to stop it."

She froze and fell on her knees. I glanced at Ahmed and seen him completely shocked and frozen in his spot. Junaib was constantly shaking his head as if he couldn't believe this was his wife.

I came and stood in front of her. "So you shoved the ring in his throat."

She looked up at me and I could see the red veins covering every inch of her eye. Her breathing was heavy and saliva ran down her chin.

"The noise finally stopped and I tried to say sorry. I tried to comfort him when he tried to call the cops. H-he started to crawl around the room away from me when all I wanted was his comfort and love. He was trying to get away from me again. When I went to stop him J-Junaib came as tried to stop me. I didn't even know he knew where I was. He was trying to stop me from getting what I wanted." Junaib completely collapsed and we watched as he gave up and let the tears flow down his cheeks. The thought of having to watch your wife do the things she did made me sick to my stomach.

"I had to get him away from him before he tried to hurt Yusuf. I-I loved Yusuf and he wanted to hurt him-"

"So you stabbed him."

She nodded her head and shoved her face into her lap while rocking back and forth. Ahmed slowly bent to Junaibs arm and uncovered it to show a 6 inch stab wound covered with a fresh scab. He never even went to the hospital.

Ahmed's face fell as he watched his friend slowly wither away in tears. I turned back Yasmin when I remembered that Yusuf was shot to his death. Did she kill him?

"Did you shoot him as well?"

She suddenly started to laugh and looked up at me with a toothy grin. "I finally got Junaib away from him. Yusuf was safe. He was mine again. I-i tried to help him stand when he pushed me away. He was still chocking on the ring and turning blue. He still didn't want me. All I wanted was to help him but he was still getting away when I-I grabbed Junaibs gun and-" she suddenly stopped and froze. Her eyes looked to the ceiling and she fell back into the chair.

A small tear trailed down her sweaty cheek as she looked down her voice suddenly getting stone cold. "I killed him. He was leaving again, and I-I couldn't handle watching him happy with his wife. He deserved to die."

Completely disgusted and shocked I shook my head and grabbed my phone. I dialed Mustafa's number and spoke. "Mustafa. Come into the interrogating room. We have a suspect who pleaded guilty to the murder of Yusuf Umar, attempting to kill her husband."

I watched her rock in her seat before Mustafa walked in and hand cuffed her hands and escorted her away while reciting her Miranda rights.

I turned to the back of the room to Ahmed who was holding Junaibs arms and speaking to him.

His face was streaked with tears as he looked up at me with red swollen eyes. "I loved her. She was the only women I ever loved and now she's gone."

I instantly softened as he tried to control his emotions.

"Junaib I'm sorry about your wife. Please stand up, you have to go home."

He shook his head. "It's all my fault. If I hadn't neglected her she never would've looked else where for love. None of this would have happened."

I gently patted his back when I felt his hands move. He went to his gun buckle and pulled out his gun. Everything went in slow motion after that.

"I don't deserve to live. I don't deserve it." Putting the gun on his head, he went to pull the trigger when I grabbed it. I threw the gun across the room and pulled him in for a hug.

"Junaib, I know you think it's your fault but you have to know that it's not. Your wife decided that on her own. She decided to disobey Allah, and she decided to leave. Taking your life isn't going to answer your problems. Allah guides whom he wills, but ultimately your actions are up to you. You don't want to die now, trust me. Everything is going to turn around for you, I promise. Loosing her may be one problem, but it's not worth loosing Allah." Junaib clenched my jacket and sobbed into it.

Ahmed watched from a distance and slowly shook his head.

"Subhana'Allah."

I nodded and slowly stood along with Junaib. I led him to the bathroom and opened the door. "Wash your face and meet me out here."

He walked in but stopped mid step and turned to me. His placed his hands on my shoulder and gave me a smile. "Go home, I'll take him to his house and stay with him. You need to rest."

I smiled and took off my gun belt and handed it to him. "I don't think I can sleep after what I just witnessed."

He nodded when I remembered his arm. "Hey what happened to your arm?"

He gave me a smirk and shook his head. "Mom asked me to fix the roof and I fell down and scraped down my arms. It's okay though now."

I laughed and gave him a quick hug. "You and your clumsiness. I'm going to go home and finally try to get some shut eye. Salam."

He nodded and walked into the room to collect his things. I sighed and strolled to my car while trying to get all of the things I seen out of my head. Junaib had the saddest of all stories with his wife gone permanently both mentally and physically. Yasmin is completely gone after what she did, it's probably been eating into her mind since then.

I started the ignition and suddenly remembered Aisha. She's probably still crying. Huda's smiling little face came to mind and I sighed. Her father cheated on her mother and died with that in his chest.

I sighed and tried to move on from it all. It's time I had caught on to my sleep. Thinking about that wouldn't help me at all.

Driving down the road I frowned when my mind went back to it again. It all became clear to me and a thought stuck with me. Our investigation, Yusuf's death, their affair; they all started with Aishas's Ring.

****
Six Months Later:

"Ibrahim, are you even listening?"

I snapped out of my thoughts and hid the picture in my lap. The passed hour my mind was jumbled and I couldn't think straight. Ahmed waved his arms in front of my face and chuckled.

"Day dreaming again?" I sighed and ran my hands across my face. The office had been quiet for a while with occasional purse snatches and stealing. I smiled and shook my head.

"What were you saying?"

"Oh, the chiefs retiring and he asked if you'd like to take his spot." I frowned and wondered. He didn't tell me he was leaving. He's had been here for years, it's probably time to step down.

"Sure, why not. It'll be a pleasure." Ahmed nodded and stood to exit the room when he spotted the picture.

His face softened as he gave me a sly smile. "Her again. Man, why not just go talk to her or something?"

I took out the picture and shook my head. Her face had buried itself into my mind and I couldn't let it go. I had cut the picture so it was only her and kept it as a memory.

"I don't think I can, it's been months since the last time I seen her and you know how that went."

Ahmed shook his head and went to the door and looked back at me. "You better man up before it's too late man. Girls like her only come once in a life time and you sure done want to miss it."

He closed the door and left me to my thoughts. I stared back at the picture and trailed my finger down her smile. He was right.

I had to find her before it's too late.

***

I got out of the car and took the box with me. It was a hot day so I shrugged on a pale blue shirt and jeans. Locking the door I sighed and watched the house with a weary face.

Finally. I walked up the steps and sighed. It's now or never.

I knocked on the door and waited. I said Bismillah under my breath and held it when someone opened the door. A tall man with a beaded smiled at me and nodded. His shirt was all wet and clung to his chest.

Instantly my heart hurt.

"Yes, can I help you?" I realized that I had froze with shock and cleared my throat.

"Oh, I'm sorry. Wrong house. It's nothing." He gave me a confused look and nodded before closing the door. I stood there in shock and disappointment. I was too late.

I turned and walked away with my shoulders down when someone screamed behind me. "Uncle!"

I frowned and turned when a little girl with brown hair came running at me with open arms. It was Huda.

Forgetting what had just happened, I smiled widely pulling her into a hug and twirling her around. She gave out a breathy laugh before I stopped and kissed her forehead.

"Hey sweetie, long time no see."

She laughed and hugged me. "I missed you. Mommy said you were never coming back."

Mommy.

I stopped smiling and set her on the ground. "Don't tell mommy and daddy I came okay?" She frowned.

"Daddy?"

Before I had the time to question her I heard footsteps behind me. With a slight confused face I turned and came face to face with the most beautiful blue eyes.

"Ibrahim?"

Her eyes widened as a red blush crept up her face. With a black hijab, her eyes shined in the din sun. I averted my gaze and grabbed Huda's hand.

"Mrs. Umar. I'm sorry. I just came by to say hi but you guys seem busy. I'll just leave."

She frowned in confusion when she realized something. "Oh. Okay. If you ever want to stop but again, we moved houses." I halted again and turned with new found interest.

"Moved houses? So that wasn't your husband." Another blush crept up her cheeks before she smiled and shook her head.

"No. We live two houses down now. That was Adam, my friends husband." I nodded and smiled while looking into her eyes.

"That's great." She grinned and matched mines when Huda cleared her throat and spoke. "What's this?"

She picked up the boxes before I stopped her. "Oh, I brought you a toy. Here." I took out the doll and handed it to her while discretely taking out the small box beneath it.

She jumped up in joy and wrapped her arms around me. "Thank you! Thank you! Thank you!" I laughed and stood up.

Huda ran across the side walk and into her house leaving me and Aisha to ourselves.

I looked down at the box in my hands and cleared my throat. "So, how have you guys been."

Aisha shrugged and smiled. "Okay I guess. Huda finally wrapped around her head that her father wasn't coming back." I nodded and looked away when she asked, "Why are you here Ibrahim."

I sighed and looked up at her face and remembered everything she went through just a couple of months ago. Was it too early to ask?

I froze and tried to come up with something when she eyed the box and instantly looked up into my eyes.

"Ibrahim?"

Panicking, I stuffed it into my pocket and closed my eyes and spoke from my heart. " Aisha, ever since you left I wanted to come but I stayed away. I stayed because I thought you needed space. You and Huda both took over my thoughts and I-I had to come today before it was too late." She held her breath as I continued.

"I was just wondering if maybe we could...talk sometime." Suddenly she broke into a grin and smiled widely.

"Talk?"

I felt my face redden slightly before I shoved my hands into my pockets and nodded while swaying on the balls of my feet.

"Umm yah. But only if you want to I mean it's okay if you're already talking with someone else. I'll be fine I promise-"

"Sure Ibrahim." She gave me a sincere smile before gesturing to her house.

"Would you like something to drink and maybe talk?" She smirked and I rolled my eyes before smiling.

"Sure." She turned to walk away before I looked down at the ring in my pocket.

"Aisha?" She turned with a nodded and waited for a response before I gave her a full smile.

"Thank you. For everything."

THE END.

~~~

So how was it?not too bad I hope. I know the ending was bad, I suck at endings. Sorry! This book was originally a book I wanted to write fully but I changed it to a short story for a contest. Please give me back any kind of feedback because anything help! Jazaka'Allah and Salam :'D