Aria's new secretary introduced herself to Aria before brushing her up on everything she needs to know. Aria loved how nice the woman seemed. The woman, who happens to be about a decade older than her treated Aria with utmost respect she could give to anyone she works for. And in return, Aria gave her the same amount of respect.

But not even her conversation with the woman could tell Aria's mind off heraile (family). She had a feeling that something is wrong, despite a part of her trying to brush it off that it's probably nothing.

Maybe they are busy. The part of her suggested.

And for the benefit of not getting worried, Aria decided to try to reach out to them later assuming they are busy at the moment. However, if she still can't get a hold of them by then, she would take further advances.

When the secretary left, Aria went through the work of arranging the documents given to her in order. She was told that she will be announced to the others after break as they are all occupied at the moment, and despite knowing she ought to feel nervous being the new worker and all, she was perfectly calm.

Except for the part of her that wondered whether she is wrong to think her family is busy at the moment and not that something is wrong with them.

Pushing the thoughts aside, she unbuttoned the jacket and went to work. It took about an hour to sort out everything but she managed to do it with no disturbances. When she was done, she slumped back in her chair, throwing her head back. The sound of the intercom buzzing had her sitting up. Sliding the chair closer to the desk, she pressed a button on the intercom. "Attorney Aria speaking"

"Attorney" Came a voice that sounded a bit familiar to Aria. "There's a delivery for you at the reception" The woman added, and that was when Aria recognized the voice as that of the receptionist she met earlier.

But after that realization her brows furrowed, as she thought of what she was told again. A delivery? She wasn't expecting any delivery from anyone.

"A delivery?" She voiced out the question in her head.

"Yes" She could imagine the woman nodding her head when she said that, "There's a delivery man here saying he was asked to deliver something to you"

Aria blinked, cracking her brain to see if she could think of anyone that would send her a delivery. As far as she is concerned, only Aali and Hudayya knew she has started working in the law firm.

Could the delivery be from her husband?

She released a sigh, her index finger lightly tapping the glass table. A couple of seconds later, she made her mind up. "Alright. Send it up"

"We can't do that ma'am. You have to come get it yourself as no one is allowed on that floor without a written permission"

"Okay" She agreed without any argument. She didn't see the point in going through all that when she can get it herself.

Ending the call, she got out of her chair and fixed back the buttons of the jacket. Picking up her phone, she headed out of the office before making her way over to the elevator where she pressed the ground floor button.

She hummed lightly as the elevator went down, the only sound heard being of the soft classy music being played in the background. A ding sound came, indicating that she has reached her destination. The doors slid open, and Aria is once again met with the sound of voices from every angle as the people went about their work.

It's so different from the quiet floor where she works. This floor is filled with life, as some people were littered around the place while some passed by, either alone, talking to a colleague, or on the phone. Shaking those thoughts off, she made her way over to receptionist where another man stood by the table, dressed in a grey sort of uniform—probably from a delivery service place. Her thoughts were confirmed when she saw the delivery service badge on his shirt.

In his hands were her delivery, along with a writing pad.

Hearing her footsteps approaching him, he lifted his hat covered head to look at her. "Mrs. Bello?" He asked, genuine curiosity shone in his eyes.

Aria nodded, her face emotionless. It wasn't like she's getting any bad energy from the man, to be honest he looks pretty normal to her. She just couldn't bring herself to act nice around him without knowing who sent her what had just been delivered.

He handed the writing pad over to her, which she signed before he handed her a deep red rose bouquet which had a note sticking from it. She took the rose with one hand, and reached out to pick up the note with another.

-To Askim. Stay safe.

It was a simple note, that would've had her suspicious if not for the endearment. A smile made its way on her face knowing that undoubtedly, it's from Aali. Looking up, she offered the delivery man a smile. "Thank you"

The man nodded, offering her a smile of his. "You are welcome ma'am" With that said, he turned around and walked out.

Aria turned around with a smile plastered on her face as she observed the roses. Leaning down slightly, she took a whiff of its scent which had her smile widening. She strode over to the elevator where she came from, attention wholly focused on the roses when someone bumped into her. She steadied herself before she could fall, just like the other person.

Before she could say a word, the other person beat her to it. "I'm sorry. Yi haquri. I'm so sorry" The woman muttered, before she turned around to hastily walk out.

Aria who was unable to reply shook her head, eyebrows drawing in as she tried to figure out where she heard that voice. Yet again, it sounded so familiar but like earlier, she couldn't place where exactly. However, there was something about the voice that had her whipping her head in the direction the woman went.

Pushing herself in that direction, she hastily made her way over to the receptionist, asking the woman to keep her bouquet safe before she returns, then she headed after the woman that bumped into her.

The woman is fast, Aria has to give it to her. But by the time she stepped out of the building, she caught the sight of the woman's pale blue hijab as she tried to hail a cab.

Aria quickly headed towards her, jogging over in the process. "Excuse me, ma'am!" She called out, her breathing heavy slightly. It wasn't an easy job too jog in a high heel boot.

Luckily for her, the woman turned around and when Aria's gaze met hers, recognition quickly flashed in those orbs of hers. "It's you..." Her words came out barely above a whisper, as if she couldn't believe her eyes.

"Your Highness" The woman gasped in recognition, her eyes welling up immediately. Her voice came out hoarse, and from how puffy her face looked, Aria could tell that she had been crying.

"What..." Aria paused, blinking as she tried to make sense of what the woman could be doing there of all places. Finally figuring out the right words to use, she let out a small breath and stared at the woman, brows drawn in. "What are you doing here?"

The woman looked down, shaking her head. Her silent sobs reached Aria's ears. She couldn't find herself to say a word to the woman out of fear. For all she knows, Aria is a royal and those royals are nothing but a bunch of heartless killers.

Discarding the thought that the woman is a stranger aside, Aria made her way over to her. She placed a hand on the woman's shoulder, giving it a small squeeze hoping that it will at least calm her down. She had always been wary of people, but the woman seemed harmless and even...hopeless. At a point, Aria pulled the woman into an embrace, hoping that would calm her down.

She is unaware of how much time passed while they stood there, but eventually the woman calmed down and Aria asked her to come along with her to her office so they could talk. The woman declined, letting Aria know that she can't step foot in the law firm.

Aria didn't push her, instead, she asked if she would be comfortable at the diner she spotted opposite the law firm. The woman agreed to that, seeing as she was safer there than in the law firm. Together, they went there and settled on a table far away from prying eyes.

The diner is small, but had that homey feeling that made Aria's tensed shoulders slump slightly. She had known right from the moment she saw the woman the first time that there was something wrong. However, seeing her at the law firm she knew it has to be bigger than she ever expected it to be.

Aria offered to buy the woman brunch, but she nicely declined only asking for water to soothe her parched throat. About a minute or two later, the water was brought and the woman gulped it down. When she was done, she dropped it and fixated her eyes on the table, unable to look at Aria in the eyes.

"You are..." She trailed off, never getting the woman's name. She didn't get it the last time either.

"Aminatu" The woman replied, still not lifting her gaze to meet the Princess's.

Aria nodded, offering her a small smile.

Aminatu. The woman that was dragged out of the front room about three weeks back because she requested for justice over the murder of her husband. The woman that had Aria making a decision that she wants to help people, unlike the old council had been doing. The woman that Aria tried to look for because she wanted to help, but couldn't find her.

Yet there she was. At the law firm she now works.

"Aminatu" Aria repeated, keeping her voice soft. "Do you mind telling me what is wrong with you?"

If possible, the woman that seemed to be not much older than Aria shrunk in her chair. The hijab she had on seemed too big for her size, but it was better than the old rag she came with to the palace the other day. However, this one is also faded. Her face was hollow, and her eyes the same as Aria remembered that day.

Full of pain and sadness.

The woman shook her head. "There's nothing Your Highness" She replied, not once meeting Aria's gaze.

Aria let out a small sigh, blinking as she thought of another way to get the woman to talk. "Tell me then, how are you holding up? After everything?" She could tell at first glance that the woman wasn't holding up fine. But she assumed the question will have her talking.

It didn't. All she got from her was silence.

Aria didn't give up though. She lightly tapped the table between them with her fingers, the wheels in her head turning. The silence was eating her up, and she yearned for nothing other than to know what happened to this woman to make her like that. "Do you have a child?" She asked again.

This time around, Aminatu looked up for the first time, her gaze meeting Aria's. For a whole minute she said nothing, other than examine the Princess's face up close. She was waiting to see a hint of malice in there, a hint of anything that would make her resemble the royals but there were none.

All she saw in her eyes was sincerity, and nothing more.

Her lips curved up into the smallest of smiles. "Yes" She nodded, her voice low. "I have a son"

Aria's shoulders slumped slightly in relief. She was glad the woman was finally speaking. "Really? How old is he?"

For the first time, Aria saw a spark of life in the dull eyes of the woman, and it was only there because of her son. "He's three, but he's the cutest child" Her eyes weren't trained on Aria anymore. It was on the empty space behind her that made it seem like she was lost in her own thoughts. "He was so close to his father" She added after a while, her words ending up being nothing but a whisper. Her eyes welled up again.

Aria swallowed thickly. "I'm sorry about that" She stated lowly.

Aminatu threw her a glance, before chuckling humorlessly. There were tears streaming down her face when she said that. "You have nothing to do with it but you're apologizing" Her voice was barely above a whisper, and Aria only caught bits of it.

"You know you can trust me, right?" If anyone else said that to Aria, she would throw him the stink eye and walk away. But there she was, saying it to a woman hoping she would trust her because she genuinely wants to help.

The woman nodded, "I know. You aren't like them" For the first time since she met Aria she offered her a genuine smile, and Aria found herself offering it back.

She could see the beauty the woman has underneath that broken demeanor.

"I can help, if you tell me why you were at the law firm. You need help, don't you?" Aria continued, placing both her arms on the table as she leaned forward. "Were you there because of your husband's murder?"

Without hesitation, Aminatu nodded. For some weird reason, she had ruled out that Aria is a good person compared to the others she had met. Since the first day she saw her, a part of her trusted the Princess. "Yes. I wanted justice for me and my son who is forcibly made an orphan"Aminatu said, "This law firm is the best there is so I thought of trying here since the others didn't work"

"Did you get a lawyer then?" Aria asked, mostly because she doubtedAminatu would be able to pay with how expensive it is to get a lawyer there. Besides, the woman didn't seem to be like the one that's well off.

Aminatu shook her head, "None even paid any heed to me" She stated, bitterness coating her tone. "I guess they are all scared of going against him" She let out a low scoff. Tiredness, anger, and pain masked her features.

Her words had Aria's lips tilting down into a frown, her brows drawing in. "Him?" Who could the woman possibly mean by that? Could 'He' possibly be the one behind the murders? Is he that powerful that even her law firm fears going against him?

"Who else?" Aminatu asked, her expression blank. "Other than the person behind it all. Alhaji Umar Shettima"

~*~

Aria stepped out of her office, after keeping the roses with one goal in mind. She wanted to meet Fahad and asked if of all the cases filed against the head council member who she had promised to bring down herself. Sure, she might not be allowed access to the files but she was hoping Fahad would let her in just this one time.

He of all people should know how important it is.

So, with that thought, she knocked on his office door and waited till she heard the 'come in' from the other side. She turned the doorknob, and stepped inside. "Assalamu alaika. Fahad I was wondering if--" She stopped her words mid-way, as her gaze moved from Fahad to the guest that sat on the chair opposite the man, legs crossed and gaze solely on her. "What are you doing here?" She asked, taken aback.

He rose a brow, "Don't tell me you've forgotten our brunch date already?" He could tell from her facial expression that she was genuinely curious on why he would be at her place of work like that.

"Oh" Realization dawned on her, and despite the thoughts in her head, she pushed them aside and offered him a small smile. "Sorry, it slipped off my mind"

"Well, are you still free?"

She nodded, "Yeah we can go, I just need to get something from my office first"

"Didn't you want to ask me something though" Fahad asked, once the couple were done deciding their date. He could tell from her statement when she came in that it is serious.

Without sparing Aali, who is undoubtedly curious to know what she wanted to ask, a glance she shook her head. "Don't worry. It's nothing"

"Are you sure?"

"One hundred percent" Her smile widened to finish off the lie. She was tempted to say it in front of Aali but she wasn't sure how he would react to her taking a case that he will undoubtedly claim is 'dangerous'. A part of her knew that Fahad would tell Aali if she asks, but she is willing to deal with it later once she had gotten what she wanted. "I'll just pick up my phone and purse" She said to her husband, finally turning around to stare at him.

He shook his head, getting out of the chair. "I'm coming with you. I have nothing to do here anyway"

The two bid Fahad farewell before they walked out, wordlessly as she led them to her office which was quite close to Fahad's. She pushed the door open, letting him close it behind him as she made her way over to her table to pick up the phone and purse.

"Roses, huh?"

"What?" Aria asked, not getting what he said. When she looked up, Aali was staring at the rose that she had put in a vase that she had found. "Oh the roses. How did you know that I love them?"

Aali hummed.

"Thank you by the way. But I don't see the reason for having it delivered when you were coming anyway. You could've brought it yourself you know, if you were really aiming for the whole gentleman thing that is" She teased, offering him a small smile.

"What are you talking about?" He asked, lips tugged into a frown.

"The roses" She stated like it's the most obvious thing as she slipped her phone into her purse. "The ones you sent me"

"I never sent you any roses. Or any flowers as a matter of fact"

"What?"