KANO STATE, NIGERIA.

Imad is all smiles and whistles the next morning knowing there is no burden on his shoulders anymore. Whatever it is that is ruining his life, he's tackled it except for one which he won't bother thinking about anymore. His family are with him now and he is definitely going to be extra occupied these days, with his sisters in-law, nieces and nephews all over the palace. He didn't know they got that much and didn't notice them the first time he came.

The breakfast yesterday was eventful with his whole sisters in-law there and their children except for the men, most of them are not there like Shaddad, Harith and Masrooq, the doctors in the house. Maybe they all have some emergency but why is Falak at home? She usually is hot on her husband's tail everywhere they go but not that day. His lips thinned after finding out she was encouraging his brothers to beat him up with a cable.

"Ah, who is this stranger with us, Mom?" Falak had questioned when she walked in with three maids behind her holding her children while she held onto one. The triplets are already walking but they will slow her down.

Imad glared at his sister for halting his conversation with one of his sisters in-law, Jabrayah. She didn't even give him a second glance and instead tuck her children on the dining chair, sat herself comfortably on the other side of her mother and his father took the other side. Imad didn't get to talk to the man, he was too busy answering his subjects even on the dining table to get the aperture to bring his own cries.

"Full family, huh." Marawiyyah who just walked in smiled widely seeing Imad, she gave him a quick hug then settled herself on the other side of the table.

Falak scrunched her brows and glared at her best friend stroke sister in-law. "Why are you hugging stupid strangers? Have you forgotten about your manners or do I need to inform Yazid about it?"

Marawiyyah had rolled her eyes at her friend's drama, she won't let Imad slip off this one very easily. "Stop being so harsh on the little guy, he's apologized."

Falak scoffed, wiping the drool that went down Fakhir's face then huffed out breath to look at Imad squarely in the eyes, the guy passed the time she's given him to come apologize. She wonder why their mother easily accepted the mutinous brat like he didn't break their hearts and disappointed them. If she were in her mother's shoes, she'd lock him up for a whole day in a dark bathroom before forgiving him at the last minute. That is if he didn't asphyxiate in the bathroom.

"Well, he didn't apologize to me and I don't want his stupid apology. He thinks he can crawl up his mama's thigh whenever he wants and do all sort of nonsense. Not with me." She blocked him out the whole breakfast and all his attempts to talk to her.

He's messed up big time since she gets that mad at him. She was the only one who bothered about going to his office to talk to him, no one else but she is enraged by none other than him. He gulped, her anger is something he does not want to face so she will do anything in his power to halt that fury. He nodded mentally then offered her a ride to the hospital, the quelling glare she gave him was enough proof that this won't be easy.

"What's wrong with my hands?" She'd asked in a pontificating way, hands akimbo on both sides of her tawny designer palazzo pants.

A sigh of suspense left his lips, she won't be easily placated. The woman that fed her husband latrine on their first night for revenge should really be given an award. And she loves that husband, just needed to get out her wrath on him. Then who is he to think he has a chance just by offering her a ride.

"Good, now disappear from my sight." She had sashayed out of the palace to their own side to get into her car.

Upon arriving at the building, he made his way inside his bureau knowing his next obstacle might be in there waiting for him. He thinned his lips and entered, she was sitting there lying her head on the table as if she is sleeping but then she stood up abruptly as if he's startled her. In those quick seconds, he's already taken in her outfit and because it was somewhat tight, he took in just how wraith and emaciated she looks.

"Good morning, Sir!" She gave a small smile, yawing around to face him like a serious student. Her hands are behind her back in a professional way, he almost raise a brow mockingly but stopped. Not willing to terminate his cheerful mood.

He started walking to his desk before he answered. "Morning, Ms. Adam." He sat down, opening his MacBook and checking the files on his table. They've finished most of their work so he will have to go get some from Salim later.

Discrete moves were heard from where Amirah is sitting and knowing they don't have any work, he raised his head to look at her questioningly. Her eyes are unblinking as she stared at him, it made him feel uneasy but also a little bit astonished. Amirah wouldn't even look him in the eye few days ago, what has changed now? Why does it look like she has a whole lot to say through her eyes? Why were her eyes so expressive?

Amirah on the other hand is just thinking about her own feelings. Her eyes on Imad were like binoculars, wanting to see just the extent she would go for the love of her life. Her feelings came back so suddenly that she didn't have time to analyse the consequences of loving her ex husband. She doesn't want to think about them, she just wants to act on impulse like autopilot. Nothing should matter but her love, feelings and the jeopardy her heart is in.

His pulchritude today is different and suave, she can't point out what is it but something has changed in him. He's raise his head few seconds late to see her parted lips, slackened jaw and soft expression, her pupils enlarged, she was frequently moistening her lips. It was the sigh of appreciation that caught his attention and before he could look aloof, she's mastered her expression.

Her eyes are bright and glossy, like a new found lover seeing her future with her partner. Realising she has also changed that very day and the tension wrapping the room is getting surfeit and myriad, she exhaled. Her mouth dried, her pulse in her throat but she had to talk or lost it all together and act on it. The province won't give it to her.

With promiscuousness, she parted the seam of her lips and whispered in a breathless euphonic tone, softened with emotions. "You look more handsome today..." She wanted to let it at that but the best side of her Jedi kicked in and she added, "...Sir."

Her heartbeat quickened to the point of breathlessness after realising the mistake she's made. He could easily fire her for trying to flirt with him if he's been looking for the chance to do so. But that was beside the point, the way her nerves tingles at edge and the way her body temperature arose is.

Imad on the other one didn't hide the flabbergast that took over his features, his eyes rounded. And that only made tingles and goosebumps to appear all over his goddamn body. He despise and loathe the power she has on him, it is always this sentient and contain hefty spoonfuls of mastery. At that exact minute, he couldn't even see the flaws she has marring her all over. The deceits, lies and betrayals that he'd seen on her forehead before is all gone leaving a pretty, adorable cute lady in front of him.

She does not have the right to do that to him anymore!

He cleared his throat to avoid all sorts of distraction, he won't permit her to see the vulnerability and insecurities in his eyes. She even called him sir which means she meant it in a professional way, secretaries or personal assistants compliment their bosses. Right? But her eyes were speaking completely different language that is protuberant in front of him. He dismissed it though.

He gave a flirty smile, acting like those cruel flirty bosses too. If she can flirt with him and make it look professional, he can also do that. "Why, thank you, Ms. Adam."

Amirah bit her lip in annoyance but what did she expect? For him to suddenly jump off his chair and come envelope her in his arms because she's complimented him? The old Imad would give her that lopsided smile that'd always, always ruin her for everybody else. He knew her like the back of his hands, he will know exactly how to react to pooch reactions he want. The buttons are in his mercy.

"You are welcome." She timidly replied, staring at her hand in self pity. What was she freaking thinking telling him how handsome he looks that day? Was she nuts or did the sudden feelings coming back screwed her cranium?

Imad won't let it slip like this, he had to hurt her one way or the other. It was a vow he took to make her pay for it, and he will go through. He might not be able to show her his hatred for her now but will do that very soon. He has so much in plate for her, he is just waiting for the right time before he strikes. Not even that Attorney lover of hers can save her from him, no one can.

"I hope you are not flirting with me, Ms. Adam. I have a wife." He gave a smile that shows he is not dealing with any nonsense and she better let this slip.

Oh, the rejection!

With elevated body temperature, difficulty swallowing and pain in the back of throat, she nodded meekly. She suddenly felt nauseous, skin prickling in abandon. Her jaw clenched, grinding her teeth to stop herself from lashing at him and talking about their past to get it over with. She won't ever tell him what is wrong, just go through that she still loves him and that might help.

It reminds her of her conversation earlier in the morning with Afaf, she hates to admit but her sister is right like always.

She just finished getting ready into another set of hand downs, clay wrap skirt she tied around her smaller narrow waist then tucked a cider coloured button up shirt she's worn once in Italy, they don't have the detergent to even wash the clothes they wear once. They will have to at least wear them twice or thrice before it got washed. That same brunette veil Husna gave her and boat loafers took over the last bits of the outfit.

Afaf took that moment she was coating bits of glue-y diaphanous lip gloss to talk. "Have you thought about what we talked about yesterday?"

Amirah sighed, she knew she won't escape this matter, she settled the lip gloss that is already ruined with bits of foundation and other cheap lipsticks -she has miscellanea of them- all around, inside her small makeup stuff bag then yaw to look at her sister. "I haven't given it much thought, I slept."

Afaf had rolled her eyes knowing that is a lie. "You didn't sleep yesterday, you were awake till dawn. So tell me. I hope you are not going to do anything foolish?"

Amirah scowled, why does her sister always like this guessing game of hers. She didn't sleep yesterday, it was true because her thoughts were all entailed around Imad. Her sister was sleeping, she is sure of that but whenever Amirah couldn't sleep, Afaf always notices one way or the other. She's pestered her into telling her how she always finds out but she will roll her eyes and say she is her sister. That is not all, there is something else.

"Right, I didn't sleep but neither thought about it. I had this migraine that won't permit me to sleep." This isn't a lie, that is the truth and Afaf believed.

"Just don't bring up the matter if you can't close it all together. This could ruin your whole chance working with him and also jeopardize Ya Aminu's position in the company. Just think things through before jumping into conclusions that won't help anyone. Najla and I depend on you albeit it hurts me to say this but that is the truth. Even if you don't help me, Najla needs you as she's just an infant." Her last words were pointed and stern.

"Yeah, I know." But she didn't because she almost slipped later on and complimented him. Oh why!

They all were quiet in the room filled with maladroit and sexual tension. They busied themselves with the laptops in front of them but none doing anything close to working. Amirah is just moving her hands around the keyboard as if writing a message and she was, she just didn't know what it was. Lunch time rolled and she had to leave the office to get them lunch, forgot to delete the message and closed the laptop to leave. Imad never checks on her things.

After bringing his own lunch, she left back to the cafeteria where she met Lateefa and Kamilah slurping their coca-cola. She ordered her own food albeit slothful and still in that moment inside their office with Imad. The way his eyes expressed different language his mouth delivered. Or was she just seeing things to calm her raging heart and balm up the seam that cracked there? That must be it, his words were too businesslike.

"What is wrong with you?" Lateefa was the first to talk, not taking this new Amirah in front of her. They just came back from Italy, she should be all exuberant and not nadir.

Amirah blinked, forced the muscles on her face to constrict. "Oh, nothing. I think I'm just sleepy and tired." She lie her head on the table, taping her finger lowly on it.

Lateefa opened her mouth to talk only to keep it shut when she saw Nazir making his way to their table looking every inch handsome. She is also trying to figure out what had happened back in Italy that Imad didn't go to see Amirah after looking extra worried. She was billion percent sure he was there with Amirah only for it to blow on her face. It is not debatable that it has something to do with this aforementioned Attorney, it has to!

"Hello, ladies!" He charmingly greeted which they replied with equal amount of grace and elegance. Oh, they make the perfect pair.

"Can I talk to you for a sec?" He directed the question to Amirah and she stood up to follow him out of the cafeteria, just around a corner.

"What is it?" Her eyes are darting around as if someone is watching them, her skin is prickling in that weird way of being watched by Imad.

Just when he was about to talk, someone pushed her from behind, a janitor was running to check on something, he didn't stop to apologize. She went barrelling in Nazir's arms, her eyes closed because she thought she was going to hit the wall behind him. She suspire, eyes still close before moving back and adjusting herself while muttering a lot of apologies underneath her breathe.

Imad had seen it all but took it the wrong way because her eyes were closed when he arrived there like Nazir was doing something sensual to her and she couldn't keep her eyes open.