Ameerah pulled her hand back, noting the fact that Rahma didn't plan on accepting the handshake.

Turning around, Rahma picked up her bag before pivoting around to look at Ameerah, "Let's talk somewhere else" Her tone still held the cold edge it had since the moment Ameerah stepped into the room.

Without waiting for an answer, she side stepped Ameerah and made her way over to the door.

"I think you're mistaken here" Ameerah's voice made her stop just as her hand held the doorknob. Ameerah turned around to look at Rahma, who refused to turn. Yet, her merely stopping was all the assurance Ameerah needed to know that she got her attention. "I'm not someone you can just order around. You don't even know why I'm here"

Rahma's fingers lightly tapped the doorknob as she swiveled around, "Let me guess..." She noticed how Ameerah had her arms folded, "...you want to talk about the offer I made Mubarak"

It wasn't a question, it was a statement and they both knew it. Judging by the way Ameerah's cocky façade wavered at the statement was all Rahma needed to know that she was right. Unlike Mubarak, Ameerah wasn't exactly an expert at hiding her emotion.

"That's what I thought" Rahma said after a few seconds of silence due to the lack of response from Ameerah. Rahma maintained eye contact with Ameerah, her expression neutral and her hold on the doorknob steady. "So, do you want to go outside and talk about it?" Her eyes flickered to Zarah for a split second, "Doctor said we can't make noise around her"

Ameerah nodded, letting Rahma lead the way.

Rahma chose a spot far away from prying eyes and eavesdropping ears. She knew it was a bad move to leave Zarah alone but she was certain nothing would happen to her. Maria wouldn't dare if she knew what's best for her. She might be careless, but she wasn't stupid.

She stopped when they reached a clearing in the backyard. From the spot, they could see the other people but they couldn't see them due to the tree obstructing their view.

The two women stood facing each other.

Rahma was the first to break the silence. "What do you want? Why are you here?"

Ameerah scoffed lightly, "Why are you asking when you already know?"

"I'm asking because I'm sure Mubarak isn't on board with this and no offence but..." She resisted the urge to give Ameerah a onceover, so she blinked furiously. "...it's his help I want. Not yours" She didn't mean to sound rude but in all honestly, she has no use for the girl.

Mubarak though. He's her one solution.

Ameerah scoffed, "And here I was trying to cut a deal with you that'll help us both"

"No offence but, without Mubarak in this, I don't want any deal"

"Getting Mubarak on board is not a problem, let me handle it. He would've agreed eventually had you not tried to blackmail him"

Rahma swallowed. She didn't need to be reminded of that. She knew that already. However, she was desperate and desperate times call for desperate measures. "What is this deal of yours?" She asked instead of replying to Ameerah's statement.

"We will help you put Maria behind bars if you help us put Tahir behind bars. Deal?" Ameerah raised a brow, stretching her hand out for a handshake to seal the deal.

Rahma blinked, watching Ameerah up close to see if she could trust her or not. Then again, if the girl will convince Mubarak to help her then what does she have to lose. "Deal" She shook Ameerah's hands.

~*~

Ameerah exhaled loudly, throwing her hands up in the air. She glanced at Rahma, then moved her gaze to Mubarak who sat opposite Rahma. Rolling her eyes, she slammed her hand on the table between them, "Can you two at least talk to each other? We can't actually work together without talking"

Rahma and Mubarak shared a brief glance before both looked away. Determined on staying stubborn in not making the first move.

"Alright! You two should stop acting like kids and apologize to each other. Now" Ameerah glared at Mubarak. "Mubarak..." Her tone held a warning.

Mubarak looked up and glared back. "What?"

"Say something"

Mubarak shook his head. "I'm not saying anything till she apologizes"

"Fine" Rahma exclaimed, fed up by the silence that had been going on for over fifteen minutes. Pivoting her gaze to Mubarak, she sighed, "I'm sorry for blackmailing you. I didn't want to do it but you left me no choice"

Ameerah kept her icy glare on Mubarak, already thinking of 1001 ways to kill him if he refuses to respond to the apology. Mubarak noticed the glare making him move away from her for safety sakes. He had known Ameerah since they were kids, they basically grew up together and if there's one thing he's scared of, is her anger. The girl can shout someone's head off out of anger.

He had seen her anger outburst countless times before. And he did not want to be at the receiving end of it.

"I'm sorry for acting the way I did"

"Finally!" Ameerah exclaimed, being the ever dramatic queen she is. "Now, let's get some work done" Her expression turned serious that instant as she looked at Rahma. "As you know, I filed a case against Tahir, and just like the last time, I wanted Zarah to be my attorney but due to the sudden circumstances..." She sighed, "...she obviously can't.

Rahma mirrored her movement. "The victim passed away already. How were you able to file a retrial?"

Instead of replying, the two gave her a hard gaze. She was confused at first, but realization dawned on her afterwards, making her nod in understand.

"Besides..." This time around it was Mubarak that spoke up, "...the retrial isn't just about the rape. It's also about a murder"

"A murder?" Rahma's eyes widened slightly, as she squirmed in her seat. She didn't read anything about that in the papers Zarah left so that was news to her. "Whose murder?"

"The girl's mother" Ameerah sighed, "Tahir killed her but he claimed it was an accident"

"You do understand that he can't get away after killing someone right?" Mubarak raised a brow. There's no way he would allow any person like Tahir to go scoff free after all the things he did, murder included. "There's no way I'm letting him go after killing someone. He has to pay."

"But what if it really was an accident?" Rahma wasn't defending him. She was just looking at all the possible angles. Could it be that Mubarak and Ameerah are wrong? Could there be another part of the story?

Ameerah clicked her tongue, shaking her head in the process, "It can't be an accident that her mother, the only evidence we have against him got run over by him a day before the hearing"

"She wanted to testify against him" Rahma didn't ask it as a question. She was only trying to let the information sink in.

"Well..." Mubarak trailed off. "She agreed to testify but she never said on what"

"She obviously wanted to testify against him Mubarak. He raped her fifteen-year-old daughter" Ameerah cut him off, her voice raising slightly from the anger she felt.

Anything Tahir related always irked her to the core. She could barely stand his presence.

"You must hate him a lot"

Ameerah knew the question was directed towards her, and that made her scoff lightly as she leaned back on the chair. Along the course of the conversation, she clenched her hand into a fist. "You hate Maria for ruining your life and having you rot in jail for a decade right?"

Rahma only maintained a hard stare with Ameerah. She didn't need to answer. The answer was that obvious.

Ameerah continued. "I hate him just as much. I lost everything because of him. And if that isn't enough he wants to take my education away from me too. I will do anything it takes to bring Tahir to justice."

Tension filled the once again silent room. It was so thick that a knife could be used to slice through it.

Mubarak glanced at the two women, seeing the anger flare in each's eyes. "Maybe we should--"

"What do you want me to do?" Rahma cut him off, her question directed towards Ameerah. She understood how she felt, and she was willing to help in any way she could.

Ameerah's lips curled into a barely visible smile. "He's fond of you. Use that to try and get information from him. We need as much as we can get before the hearing comes. Tahir has to pay for everything he did. He can't go scot free after raping someone and committing murder"

Rahma nodded, agreeing with Ameerah's words. "I promise you, I'll do everything I can to find out the truth"

Ameerah nodded in appreciation.

"Now moving back to Maria..." Mubarak said, snapping the two away from their mutual stare. "We need to come up with a plan for her"

"I already have one" Rahma said, earning raised eye brows from them. "She found out about my real identity"

Mubarak and Ameerah shared a look. Ameerah lightly chuckled, "Everyone knows your identity then, why bother?"

"Because Maria isn't aware that I know" She said, deciding against telling them how she found out. "Since she's going extreme, I want to beat her at her own game"

"Meaning..."

Rahma pulled out one of the papers she brought with her when they stopped by her house. Since they all decided to meet in Ameerah's apartment, she had to pick a couple of stuff on the way. She slid the paper over to them, waiting for them to look at it before she explained. "Maria had been holding charity events and all for years now. Except, all she money she gets goes into her bank account and only a few were actually given out to charity. And based from what I've seen personally, the least she gets from these events are millions"

"She hosts more than five of those a year!" Ameerah pointed out, thinking of the absurd amount of money Maria must have at her disposal. Her eyes widened as she tried to decipher the information.

"Exactly" Rahma nodded. "She and her husband have a joint account though, so he obviously knows what she's doing"

"But he's a good man and politician" Mubarak said, looking up from the paper that has the total amount of money Maria has. Mubarak without a doubt knew Zarah had to have been the one that got the details. It must've been a hassle to get it but Zarah always gets what she wants eventually.

It's one of the reasons she had won every case she had been on, except the first one that is.

"He is" Rahma agreed, "But he isn't completely saint either. His good character didn't stop him from constantly take more money than he is allowed from the government's money. Besides, no good person would allow his wife to stay with that much money. With the money they both have in that account, it would be the end of them once EFCC finds out. Plus, Maria has other accounts under his name where she keeps more money"

"What would she do with that much money?" Ameerah still couldn't wrap her head around the fact.

Rahma shrugged.

"Maria would be in a lot of trouble if she gets caught" Mubarak wanted to find out if that was the way Rahma planned to bring Maria down. Yet, from whichever angle he looks at it, it wouldn't help her if she wants to stay out of prison.

Using this against her will definitely put Maria behind bars, but Rahma would go back to prison too.

"I don't want her to go to jail just yet. It's too early" Rahma shook her head. "She likes getting rid of the people that a person who crosses her cares the most about. And the one person that she cares about at this moment the most, aside from Noah, is her husband"

"So you mean..."

"We'll make her husband take the fall for it all" She completed the sentence Mubarak started. "Without him by her side, it will only take a while before she shows her true colors"

Mubarak slowly nodded in agreement. "You have evidence of this all, right?"

Rahma handed him the envelop of papers regarding that. "Can you have him arrested within 24 hours?" She could try but she wouldn't get anywhere. Only Mubarak can get it done as fast as she wants.

"It would usually take a while but if I turn it in, it might be done as soon as it's verified" He nodded, letting her know that in 24 hours, they might be able to change Maria's life with just one move.

Rahma smiled, elated that something is finally going as she planned.

While Mubarak places the other paper back in the envelop and pulled his phone out to make calls regarding the issue, Rahma's phone pinged.

She brought it out from her bag and swiped across the screen to see the message.

"What is it?" Ameerah asked, noting how still Rahma had become after reading the test.

Rahma sighed, darting her tongue out to wet her chapped lips. "It's Noah" She breathed out, placing the phone on the table. "He wants to meet and talk"

"Do you think he wants to talk to you about the truth?"

Rahma shrugged. "I don't know honestly"

"Are you going?"

"Yes" She nodded. "Whatever it is, I have to face him sooner or later anyway" She stood up, picking her phone and bag along the way. "I'll get going now. Call me when anything comes up"

"Okay but..." Ameerah blinked, exhaling loudly as her brows drew closer; her face tightening. "...how sure are you that Maria killed your adopted father? It could be anyone"

Rahma's face remained stoic, somehow managing to hide the anger she felt. How could they think that Maria is innocent? "After everything that she has been doing so far..." Rahma scoffed lightly, "...I have no doubt that she's guilty. A person wouldn't go to the extreme she's going when he's innocent. Innocent people have nothing to hide but Maria...she has something she's hiding and I will find it out"

"But...."Ameerah paused, she then nodded deciding against saying anything again. She knew Rahma was right. "Take care"

"You too" Rahma left, not getting the chance to say farewell to Mubarak as he had gone somewhere quiet to make his call.

At least, they weren't trying to get on each other's throat anymore. She wouldn't consider them friends, but they are her partners. They were more like unfriendly partners. However, at the very moment, the state of her relationship with them was the least of her concerns.

Rahma's thoughts couldn't stop darting far to Noah. She wondered what he would say.

~*~

Rahma glanced at her phone before she looked up, moving her eyes across the park to see if she could spot him. Honestly speaking, she was taken aback by the meetup location he picked. She assumed he'd pick a restaurant, coffee shop or something similar but a park, was not part of her imagination.

Regardless, she showed up.

She took a couple of steps further, eyes still roaming about the park that's packed with people—mostly parents with their children. She still couldn't spot him.

"Hey"

She pivoted around, only to see him standing a couple of steps away from her. She mustered up a smile, hoping it was enough to mask away the nervousness she was feeling at the moment. "Hi"

"I'm glad you showed up"

~*~

So, an update finally!

Yall should thank Hauwakamilu527
For this🥺 She actually went out of her way to make sure I update. And that involves calling me, which she never did before btw😂😂

Anyways, have a good night!

Love, Jannah.