"I believe you, Jadwa" Hannan said cleaning the tears off her face "And trust me, we might not know how, but we'll figure this out. Tell Ya Ahmad. He'll involve the authorities. This isn't a joke."

Hope sparked in Jadwa's eyes, then died just as quickly. "Ya Ahmad is going to be angry at me," she whispered, shame burning in her chest. "But even worse, he's so excited about the baby... I can't bring myself to do this to him."

"You can't let them control you, Jadwa!" Hannan exclaimed, her voice tight with anger. "This is exactly what this person threatning you wants, for you to not tell anyone and bury yourself in this mess, and even worse! We'll fight this together. But you have to tell him."

Jadwa slumped to the floor, the weight of the situation threatening to crush her. "I don't know what to do," she choked out.

Hannan knelt beside her, her touch a grounding force. "We will figure it out," she promised. "But first, you need to calm down. Pray. Trust in Allah. You are strong, Jadwa. They are trying to break you and you can't let them!"

"I don't know how to tell anyone"

"Well you can't keep shoving threats down your throat!" Hannan's voice was tinged with anger now, her frustration mirroring Jadwa's own.

Lost in a mess of fear and uncertainty, Jadwa could only nod in agreement, her mind reeling with the enormity of the situation she found herself in.

"We will figure it out Jadwa," Hannan's voice was a soothing balm to her frayed nerves, reminding her that she was not alone in this battle.

"What do I do to get this off your mind for now?" Hannan sighed at the sight of Jadwa.

"I am okay" Jadwa chuckled getting up to wash her face again.

"I'll figure something out you can't remain like this, unless you want everyone to know what's happening"
And as she felt her sister's reassuring hand on her shoulder, Jadwa knew that no matter what lay ahead, she had her sister and her family.

They walked back to the room to find the couple discharged from the hospital and preparing to leave. Jadwa, with the thought of telling her brother later, muted the messages and tried to get the whole thing off her mind.
***
Abdulhakeem's call came in, and she stepped outside to answer. Feigning cheer, she said, "Hi baby."

"Babe! I've called several times. Where have you been?" His concern was evident.

"I'm so sorry, babe. I'm at the hospital. I got busy," she apologized, switching to a video call.

"Everyone okay? You are good?" He scanned the screen, worry etched on his face.

"Just came to visit my sister-in-law. She wasn't feeling well, but she's great now. We're heading home," Jadwa explained.

"Oh my bad, darling. I'm so sorry. May Allah grant her quick recovery. We'll meet some other time, okay?" Abdulhakeem apologized, his tone apologetic.

Jadwa, having completely forgotten about their planned meeting, blurted out, "I am so sorry, InshaAllah during the week."

"Alright, baby. I love you so much," he said, his voice warm.

As she was about to reply, a wave of the beautiful oud cologne announced Muhammad Imran's presence. He stood in front of her, leaving Jadwa confused. Lost in her conversation, she hadn't realized she was blocking the doorway.

"Excuse me" he walked past her, not sparing her a glance as he stepped into the room.

He closed the door behind him, and Jadwa's attention returned to her phone. "I love you too, darling. Take care," she ended the call before he could respond.

Opting to wait outside, she joined them as they emerged. Hannan, ever the enthusiast, dragged her towards the car, saying, " Jadu, we're having desserts Let's go!"

"Why? With who?" Jadwa whispered,bewildered. Seeing the car she was dragging her to.

"Because you need some fresh air, I'm not letting this ruin your day"Hannan declared, ushering her to the car.

"I'm really okay Ya Hannan" Jadwa groaned.

"No you are you are not! Don't spoil this please I made Ya Imran cancel his work plans for this" Hannan scolded.

Jadwa watched as Muhammad opened the doors for them. Jadwa took the back seat, leaving Hannan to occupy the front passenger seat. She got lost in her thoughts until their conversation grabbed her attention stealing glances at him as he discussed forensics with Hannan.

The topic was over Jadwa's head, and uninterested, she listened quietly as he expertly explained computer forensics to Hannan. By the time they reached the destination, she hadn't spoken a word, only impressed by the intelligence he exuded. His explanations, though on a subject foreign to her, made it understandable to her with ease.

Getting out from the car, Jadwa realized she didn't recognize the restaurant. It was either new or cleverly hidden. When they walked inside, the interior, with its vintage charm, was breathtaking, but the outdoor seating truly stole the show. Designed in a Japanese style, the restaurant had stunning views of Abuja, complete with an artificial waterfall that looked deceptively natural.

Muhammad and Hannan sat side-by-side, while Jadwa faced them. Scanning the menu, she went straight for the desserts and mocktails, ordering her favorite dessert, tiramisu and a lychee raspberry mocktail, along with a brownie and ice cream. She listened as Hannan and Muhammad placed their orders.

"I thought we were just getting desserts" Jadwa asked as she listened to them order almost the entire menu.

"You are not hungry?" Hannan asked and Jadwa nodded her head negatively.

A hint of a smile played on Muhammad Imran's lips but he hid it well. "You have to try the sushi here at least" he said.

"She has never tried sushi, she's such a picky eater" Hannan responded with a playful jab.

"Is it that good?" Jadwa asked, a hint of challenge in her voice.

"It's really good" Muhammad answered, his eyes meeting hers for a brief moment before flickering away.

"Okay I'll try it and be the judge of that" she surprised even herself by saying.

Hannan's eyes widened. "I can't believe you're actually trying it," she said, genuinely shocked. Hannan had tried everything to get her to eat sushi before, but she'd always refused.

"What's the best one?" Jadwa continued, excitement bubbling beneath the surface.

"Let's see," Muhammad said, taking the menu from her. He expertly navigated the options, ordering a selection of nigiri sushi with salmon, tuna, and shrimp, along with a sashimi platter. Jadwa couldn't remember the names of most of them, but the descriptions sounded enticing.

Their food arrived in stages, each dish a visual masterpiece. Starters were devoured in comfortable silence. As the sushi arrived, Jadwa was speechless. The presentation was flawless.

Jadwa picked up the chopsticks, feeling a surge of nervousness. Muhammad, sensing her hesitation, asked gently, "Let me help?"

Jadwa, caught off guard by the offer, simply nodded. He took the chopsticks from her and carefully selected a piece of salmon nigiri, dipped it in soy sauce without wasabi, considering that was her first time, and brought towards her to hand her the piece.

Jadwa couldn't help but feel a surge of adrenaline coursing through her veins as Hannan by the side was making dramatic remarks and urging her to take the piece.

She watched with bated breath as Muhammad expertly picked up a piece of salmon nigiri, dipping it into the soy sauce with practiced precision.

Before she could even process her own actions, her instincts took over, propelling her forward in. She leaned in, her mouth opening instinctively as she reached for the offered piece of sushi.

Muhammad, taken aback by the unexpected gesture, didn't hesitate for a split second before gently feeding her the morsel with a look of mild surprise. Their eyes met in a brief, electrifying moment, and in that instant, Jadwa felt a rush of warmth spread through her. But as quickly as it had begun, the moment passed, and Jadwa found herself leaning back.

Jadwa chewed slowly, surprised by the burst of flavor. "That's actually not bad," she admitted with a surprised chuckle.

"It's really good," she conceded with a satisfied nod, looking at Muhammad. His lips curved into a small smile.

The rest of the dinner unfolded in a comfortable haze. Hannan and Muhammad discussed work and recent projects, their voices creating a soothing background melody. Jadwa listened intently, occasionally catching him staring at her when she tried to steal glances.

When dessert arrived, Jadwa was pleasantly full, but the sight of her tiramisu reignited her sweet tooth.

"The only sad thing about this restaurant is how small the serving of this tiramisu is!" she complained playfully.

Hannan, happy with Jadwa's mood, snatched a bite. "Really? Let me try it!"

Jadwa didn't protest, her stomach already satisfied. She watched Hannan take a bite and sigh in delight.

"Better than the sushi?" Muhammad teased.

"Almost!" Hannan said.

"Way better, this is my favorite thing ever!" Jadwa chimed in, her voice animated.

"This is honestly really nice," Hannan agreed, her cheeks full of dessert.

A playful pout formed on Jadwa's lips. "Ya Hannan," she whined.

Muhammad chuckled, his amusement evident. "Let's order another one," he offered.

Before he could call the waiter, Jadwa stopped him. "As much as I hate to say no, I am honestly so full, and it's almost Maghrib. I'll come back for it though."

Despite the disappointment across his face, he graciously accepted her decision. As he settled the bill, Jadwa couldn't help but admire his calmness. He dropped them off first at Ahmad's, since it was closer to the restaurant, before taking Hannan home.

Back at the house, Jadwa found Ahmad engrossed in conversation with his wife. Not wanting to intrude, she checked her phone again. Her heart sank as she saw the muted messages from the blackmailer over twenty of them, threatening to expose her photos.

Remembering Hannan's earlier words about facing the problem, Jadwa took a deep breath. She wouldn't let this blackmailer control her life. With newfound resolve, she pushed the worry aside deciding to deal with it later, She slept her worries away.

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