"What exactly are you trying to say?" She asked, her nose flaring with anger. Somehow, Hannah was able to calm her down and to tell her that the least she could do is, listen to all he had to say. But Yusrah was furious, she only stayed calm because she knew right now, no matter how she hated to admit it, she needed Musa's help more than anyone else's. He was the only one that was capable of bringing her old life back to her, without omitting anything.

"I said I'm going to bring back all that I've taken away from you, but only on one condition." She stared quizzically at him, making sure that her eyes sent him the profound hatred she had for him, but he seemed unbothered. He acted as though he knew she had no other choice, and she hated to think that he was right.

"And what is that your condition?" She wrapped her arms around her chest as she stared right into his eyes. She wanted to know, so that she would know what to do. Just that, this new Yusrah was selfish, especially when she had a taste of poverty and knew it was never the kind of life she would be able to live, she'd die.

This new Yusrah, whom he had masterfully crafted, thought about nothing but herself. She wanted no one but herself and she would do everything to make sure she gave herself the life Abla wanted for her and the kind of life she wanted for her self.

"First, I'd like you to take this." She watched as he handed her her car key, and she nearly screamed with joy. Her car, her precious darling. Then she saw the letter of appointment as the COO of the company, he gave her her position back! A letter from bank, and from the heading she knew it was a notification to unfreeze her account, roughly remembering how much she had in that account, Yusrah felt tears stinging her eyes and while at that, she heard a notification on her phone, it was her monthly salary, but with an increment.

She looked up at his smirking face and decided that he wouldn't buy her with this, knowing so well that he could dispose her anytime he wanted. She knew that whatever condition he had would have to take a toll on her life and she may not be able to do it. He may just want to punish her for what she had done to his daughter, and only after giving her everything just to snatch it away one more time, would he be satisfied.

She chuckled mirthlessly. "Do you think you could buy me with all these, Musa?" She had removed the mister from his name, because he didn't deserve that from her. All he deserved was her hatred and for her to bring him down to his knees right in front of her.

He laughed, "So, not even the Mr Musa? Well," he shrugged and pulled out the last thing in the file, "that's not all, at least. You could go back home and stay for as long as you want. I know life hasn't been easy and you'd love to always be around where Nazli had once lived-"

"I'd really hate to hear her name from you again. So, so long as you want this to be between us--" she pointed between them and shot him a solemn look, "You should refrain from anything that would have you to mention her name. Because we all know you don't expect me to forgive just because you've given me back this, do you?" She dismissively pointed at all that he had kept in front of her and he nodded his head with a knowing look.

She knew she would be hard to deal with. That's why he came fully prepared. "Okay, I won't mention her name again. Here," he gave her the paper, and unlike how he used to keep them on the table between them, he waited until she took the paper from his hand.

"What-" her next words became guttural when she saw what the paper entailed. No, it couldn't be. He had signed for her company to be opened and funded by his company? For Nazli Parfüm to come alive right before her eyes. She wanted to scream, she wanted to hug someone and never remember the kind of life she lived.

"What do you want to gain from this? We all know you won't do this just for the fun of it, will you?" She asked, softly fondling the paper. She had to be smart while dealing with Musa, she knew. She had to also be selfish, because she had never seen a more selfish person like himself.

"I want you to get married." She burst out laughing, because that was the most uncommon thing she had ever expected from his mouth. "I can't remember saying something funny. I mean it, I'm going to marry you off to someone. And you have to do everything I said in that marriage. He's someone I hate, and I have to bring him down as fast I could."

She looked squarely at him, having seen the seriousness on his face. She thought for a moment, what had she been thinking? That the condition he wanted would be easier to do? Or that he could bring all these back to her, with Nazli Parfüm included, and expect little to nothing in return?! Of course, he would want something huge, she knew. Of course, he would assign a thing to her which she would have to choose between living in poverty or that.

"You can't be serious, right?" She asked, just to confirm it. The smile she saw on his face was enough to tell her that he was indeed serious and there was only two options left. Take these and get married. Or reject this and get to live in poverty, maybe forever.

"We all know I'm serious. So, let's just get down to the bottom of things." He said and lifted his hands to began listing what he was going to say, "First, you'd get married to him in a week. Don't ever let him know that I was the one that sent you to get married to him, okay? Show him the good side of you, I'd be letting you know of all the things you'd do, just be by his side and know his whereabouts."

She weighed his words. She had little to nothing to do, she would just have to do what she was asked and at that cost, she would have her lovely life back. But what would she get out of this? It's pretty obvious, her life back. And she'd lose nothing from this. "Will I be able to get out of the marriage after you've successfully brought him down?"

"Yes, unless you're willing to stay with him after that. I don't care, just help me in bringing him down to his knees and that would be all." She smirked at that, if only you knew how badly I wanted to see you down, Musa. "Will he be killed in the process?"

He gasped, but she knew more than anyone to believe the shock on his face. "Of course not, how could I kill him? He's only going to lose his job and everything he has ever loved, that's all." She had once lost her job and everything she had ever loved too, right? And she didn't die, he would bounce back from it after everything was over.

"Is he rich? Because I can't imagine getting married to a pauper."

He laughed at that, "If he was poor, would I have bothered to use tactics to bring him down? Of course not. He's wealthy, extremely rich and once everything is done, you'd get a commission out of this, something that would make you independent that even if I was going to take back all the I've given you know, you'd have enough to get yourself wherever you want in life."

Yusrah thought for a moment, right now, she wanted nothing but financial stability. She knew she was once financially buoyant and she thought that nothing would ever bring her down, but with a snap of his fingers, Musa took everything she thought she had. He took off the financial security she had basically being born with. But now, she knew better. Before her job was over with the man, she'd have to make sure she got herself secured financially that even if he repeated what he did, she'd have nothing to lose.

And then, if she wanted to take her revenge on Musa, she'd have to have money, lots of it. If she wanted to also bring him down from the CEO chair he was on, she had to be powerful and power in Lagos meant money. And then the other thing on her agenda was to find her father and know all the story of Abla's life. She wasn't going to get that from Musa, he may not even know all that since it was obvious that he didn't know she was Abla's daughter, she had to get money to be able to do that.

And he said he wouldn't be killed, she had nothing to feel guilty about. And right now, she knew she had no other choice but to accept this. She stood up and paced the room for some time, she wasn't sure if what she was going to do what the right thing but she believed it was he only way out of the current predicament she was in.

"I'll marry him," she said, her eyes blazing with fire. "I don't care about what will happen to him, so long as you'd keep your promise, I'll even kill him if you want." And she meant it. Life had not been fair to her, and she believed she wasn't the only one that should feel this kind of ache.

He smiled at her and brought out a paper from his breast pocket. "You have to sign this, then. It's a confidentiality agreement. It should be between us no matter what happens."

She sat back and without even staring at what was written in the paper, Yusrah signed and handed it back to him. "I'm hopeful that you will keep your end of the bargain. Because as much as you wouldn't want to believe it, I have over a thousand ways to get back at you, Musa. And we all know after what had happened, I wouldn't be so careless with my wealth for you to have so much access to it like I once did, right?"

He smiled, nodded his head and got to his feet. "You should get back home, then."

"Make sure you evacuate my chamber off of all those parasites. And they should keep everything they know I own where they saw it." She didn't give him a chance to reply when she stood and walked to her room. She wanted to ask him why he wasn't going to get one of his daughters into this, but she knew it would be foolish of her to ask that.

Of course he wasn't stupid to involve his daughter into this. But he thought she was foolish, right? This would be the beginning of his end, she would make sure of that. He had just began to dug his grave and she wouldn't rest until she make sure he had been buried, with no space for air in it. She would bury him alive!

She met Hannah seated on the edge of the bed, she seemed restless. The moment she saw her, she immediately got to her feet and rushed to her. "What did he say? Did you agree to get back to the company?"

Yusrah smiled at her, she was happy. Just that she was bothered with the way she had gotten everything back. She had to get married, that was the bother. "I'm no longer broke, girl. After the work, he gave back everything, even signed for Nazli Parfüm to be opened and funded!" She screamed excitedly and Hannah embraced her tightly, laughing so hard.

"I can't believe this! I told you, Miss Bawa, ease will find you!" She said amidst screams and Yusrah laughed, getting a bit emotional. She may not like the way she had gotten everything back, but she was over the moon about that.

"Allah has surely came through for me, Hannah. I've gotten my life back, Alhamdulillah. At the expense of so little from my side, I'd be done with everything so fast so I wouldn't have to be stuck."

Hannah broke their hug and stared into her eyes, "what do you mean by that?"

"He gave all this back on one condition, and it was a tough decision to make."

"I knew it! He'd never be kind enough to do this for free. What does he want?"

"He wants me to get married to one of his enemies. I'll help him in bringing the man down," she said and later shrugged her shoulders, "I'll do it, I have to do it, Hannah."

Hannah hugged her again, gently this time, "You have to do it. But don't be so cruel, okay? Don't be fed with so much cruelty that it consumes you to the point that you'd look back and wouldn't recognize yourself anymore."

Yusrah hugged her back and nodded her head. "I'll be married to him in a week. I'll make sure I do everything in a month and be done with it. While in the background, I'd do all it takes to secure my life and my finances, I won't be stupid anymore."

"You know that whenever you need help I'm here, right?"

"I know," she said and chuckled at the tears that were already cascading on Hannah's face. "I told you to buy a PT strip on your way home. You're surely pregnant, Hannah!"

•

He stared between Abbi and Fatima that sat beside him on the bed. He may not be able to look at their faces, but he could imagine the look on Fatima's face now. He was proud of whatever he was called to discuss about here, she must have insinuated it. "I don't understand what you're trying to say, Abbi. Get married, you said, I understand. But in a week? With who?"

"I believe we've been going over this conversation back and forth and I know clearly enough that you have no girlfriend. That's why your mother..." He stopped him midway, he hated nothing more than he hated it whenever Abbi addressed Fatima as his wife.

"She's not my mother, Abbi, and we all know that."

"Get a hold of yourself, boy." Abbi said sternly. "Anyways, she got you a wife, and I've already approved and sent my people to her father's house. It has been done already, we just have to wait for the day now."

Hammad didn't know when he got to his feet and with a shocking expression, he said, "You don't mean this, Abbi!"

"Yes, I do and it's going to happen. Now, get out of this room before I lose my temper on you..."

"Abbi, why wouldn't you in the bit understand me?! This woman would never bring something with any good into my life, Abbi! She means to destroy my life with this new tactic of hers. How could yo ever trust such a cruel woman and think that something good will ever come out of her..."

"Get a hold of yourself and know what to say pertaining her, Hammad!" The highest he had ever heard Abbi's voice sounded since when he was reported sick.

"I'll get married to every woman in Lagos, but never the one she brings."

"Unless you bring me a wife today, whom will get married to you tonight, consider yourself a married man, and to the woman she brings to me." Hammad opened his mouth to speak again when he cut him off, "Get out of my room before I lose it on you."

Hammad couldn't believe that it was his Abbi that was speaking to him this way. His Father was the loveliest man he had ever known in his life, they had never had a very serious fight with him until today. He bowed his head softly and nodded his head. He knew the tone of finality he had heard in Abbi's voice wasn't something he would take lightly, he was hell bent on his words and Hammad knew the only way to get out of this trap Fatima had set him in, was to get himself a wife that was willing to get married to him--tonight.

He walked to his car and sat down, thinking so hard of what to do and what not to. He had no girlfriend, and even if he had one, none of them will be willing to get married to him tonight. It would be ridiculous!

He thought of his female friends, but he had no female friend whom he had her number but Madina, she was the only one. And when he dailed her number, he thought for a moment how she looked like. She had been the only friend he had in his life, they were some sort of best friend since their university days and even though they weren't in contact for long; he was aware of her long crush on him and he may use that now.

"Hammad Idi Labo, what a pleasant surprise!" Her voice boomed through the speaker and he slightly smiled.

"Madina Ahmad Tijjani, what a voice you've got." She laughed at that, he had always liked her voice.

"To what do I owe this call? It's been ages since when you last called me." She said, after her laughter had subsided.

"I called to fulfill one of your longest dreams, I want you to marry me tonight." The kind of laughter that rustled out of her chest was enough to tell him that he might as well be a clout if he wanted. It sounded ridiculous to his ears.

"I understand that being a bachelor is very hard, but we can get a nice hotel and chill if you want. But marriage? I know you're joking, too." That was it, he knew she hated getting married at a young age, like she had always said. She wouldn't get married until she was around thirty years, after she had lived her bachelorette days to the brim. He knew he was doomed, for he had no one to turn to.