If I Take a Chance [Unpublished]

|2| Three is a Crowd

"What happened to you?" Noor's eyes widened with alarm as her gaze fell on Khaleed's swollen face.

"Nothing," he responded, hiding his hand behind his back.

"Khaleed Al'amir Muhammad Hafiz Belko I demand that you tell me what happened right now," she stalked towards him, keeping her ice cream tub on the island.

"I..."

"He cut his hand dicing the chicken," Nadia interjected, pleading with her eyes that he follow through with her lie. She knew that Khaleed was going to tell Noor the truth but she couldn't risk her finding out, it wouldn't end well for either of them.

"Oh yeah," he nodded, offering her a smile. "And then I slipped because the water was running, Nadia being a dummy had forgotten to turn off the tap."

"Hmm," she nodded, wanting to say something but decided not to as she picked her ice cream tub. "But if it was something else you would tell me right?"

"Of course," they affirmed together, crossing their fingers behind their backs in silent plea. "We would."

"Okay," she nodded again then spun around and left the kitchen. Their story didn't add up but she had no time to dwell on it. Strange things happen when the two were alone so she half believed what was said. What reason would they have to lie to her anyway?

"That was close," Nadia muttered under her breath, turning the stove off.

"Yeah, it was."

He stalked out of the kitchen to answer his phone which had begun to vibrate nonstop again, leaving Nadia with her thoughts.

As she dished out their dinner, her mind went back to the event that had changed their lives. She wondered if there would ever be a time when the three of them would be able to breath normally again without fearing about the consequences of doing so. Maybe someday, she thought as she sat down together with them, watching TV and eating the food they had prepared.

Maybe it wasn't impossible for things to go back to normal, she thought as she threw her head back and laughed hard about something Khaleed had said. It wasn't a forever thing, things would go back to normal in shaa Allah.

{••}

Khaleed Belko was a spitting image of his father, Al'amir Belko. Right from the curly Fulani hair, the upturned nose and the serious expression that never slipped from his face except for his eyes which he got from his mother. He was as ruthless and cunning when it came to business but a big softie to the women in his and that was the major difference between the two Belko men; family always came first.

He was used to getting everything he wanted, be it in the board room or at home, he was able to sweet talk himself out of any situation he found himself in.

That's why as he sat back in his chair and stare at the faces of the board members, he couldn't help but wonder if he had made a mistake, being overly confident in himself.

He had no idea why they wouldn't agree with his proposal, it was decent and with the decrease in the exchange rate of the dollar, he was sure it would bring Belko Enterprises so much profit they wouldn't be able to count their millions.

His face was relaxed, a crying contrast to what was brewing in his heart. He needed their approval so he couldn't mess up the meeting.