^Idk why but I feel that this pic oozes out Alayna, what do you guys think?
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The contract had been presented before the lawyer and he acknowledged it with a knowing smile.
He had expected nothing less of the young woman that was sat before him.
She worked fast and efficient.
She knew what she wanted and she would get just that.
The needle of clock moved at a steady speed.
She clicked her pen at the same pace.
Everything was in place now, she was just thinking of her delivery.
She needed to ensure that it was perfect.
Everything needed to unfold naturally.
Her mind has been whirring for the last half an hour, there had been no detail she hadn't thought of.
And in 5, 4, 3, 2, 1.
She got up, storming her way out of her office and through the other side of the building.
It was quite bizarre that the two partners had their offices miles away from each other.
But nonetheless, Alayna left her stoic expression on her face.
She bunches the papers in her hand.
The thought, 'it needs to be perfectly convincing'.
She slammed the door open to find a startled Halima, sat up straight like a meerkat.
"Ye kya batameezi hai?" She shouted.
Alayna scoffed the absolute nerve of this woman, did she really think that she wouldn't be able to see right through her disgusting act.
"Explain to this to me", she threw all the statements on her desk.
Halima glanced at the papers, and then her eyes landed back upon me, "Does poor little Alayna not understand how statements work?"
"Did poor little Halima forget who has the upper hand?" She mocked back.
The look of utter surprise yet annoyance was one to behold.
There was glint in her eyes as well, one of acknowledgement.
She knew Alayna knew, but she didn't know how badly Alayna had set her up.
She was about to trip into an intricate trap that Alayna had built and would be unable to get out of it, ever.
Meanwhile, Alayna had grabbed her office phone and had ordered her PA to come into the office.
The young woman came running into the office, only to be sent out again with a hard order: to gather all the shareholders within an hour.
On the extremely short notice, only 2 had managed to come into the offices but she was able to get the other 3 on a video call.
They were now sat in a conference room, all eyes on Alayna.
"Sorry for disturbing you all on this fine day, but something serious has come to my attention but before I would I go into more detail. Please could you all answer my one question that I have?"
They all nodded in agreement.
"Do any of you live here, in Karachi?"
They all shook their heads,. giving mixed responses of Lahore, Islamabad and Faisalabad.
"Ok, so over the last 10 years, according to these statements I have here", she waved the papers in the air, "without fail, the other shop in Karachi has operating in loss. Is that right?"
"Please explain to me, why it is still open then?"
They began to murmur between themselves.
"Would someone please tell me why?" She snapped.
"Halima told us that it wouldn't hurt the business too much and that it would be fine to keep it operating."
"So all you idiots knew then?"
They nodded again, they couldn't say much to her.
She was the main shareholder in the organisation.
The owner of it.
"Then riddle me this: why did no one bother to check the accounts, surely you're all well acquainted businessmen. Explain to me why none of you bothered to visit the store or I don't know maybe look at the fucking statements that are easily available to ALL OF YOU."
Astounded by her anger they all leaned back in their chairs as if that would protect them from her wrath.
"I tell you what's been happening, that shop has consistently been making profits of 2 lakh, but every single year the first Friday of the year 3 and half lakhs have been taken from the account."
No reaction.
"All together that amounts to 59 and a half lakhs. That amount could have been used to save this failing business. Now please tell me who has been doing this, because it only could have been you lot who could have pulled off such a stunt and covered your tracks so perfectly."
"If the person has covered their tracks, then how do you know?" One of the men spoke through the screen followed by a yawn, because of the time differences.
"The accounts associated with the business are all on my now. I can easily check all the money that has both entered and left the business. So if the person who has done this would be so kind as to step forward right this moment?"
Again, not even a tiny response.
"Ok, please kindly explain to me WHY NONE OF YOU GIVE A SHIT ABOUT THIS?"
"Cause we're getting our money, the business is making profit and that's all that matters?"
"Oh is it? Cause all these financial statements state that this business is going to be non-existent within the next year and a half. So please fucking tell me WHERE ON EARTH YOU LOT ARE GETTING ANY KINDS OF PAYMENT?"
Again, silence prevailed but this time there was a few guilty expressions being passed through the room.
"Ohhh, I understand now! I understand?" She bellowed.
She was hoping it wasn't the truth but their expressions and lack of reactions told her enough.
"So all of you have been doing this."
"Wait, what's happening? Why does everyone look guilty? I'm so confused right now?" It was one of the men that was on the video call.
He looked rough, his hair horribly tussled, dark circles around his eyes. His eyes were bloodshot and his posture was horrendous.
"Mr Syed, the reason as to why the rest of your colleagues look guilty is because they have been taking money from the business. They are the sole reasons to why the business has a upcoming tarnishing reputation, employees and suppliers are getting less payment then expected. They are driving this business, the legacy of mother into the ground. So let me ask this question one last time, admit to me what you've done and I won't take any further action."
One minute passed.
So did another.
Then ano-
"I took money from that business because I needed help paying hospital bills for my mother." Halima spoke out.
"The mother that's been dead for over 5 years?" Alayna shot back. (YASSSSSSSSSS GIRL!)
She walked to Halima who was sat in her chair and bent down to get a closer look at her, "If you are going to lie Ms Malik, make it convincing."
"Anyone want to give it another go?"
She knew all the people within this room like the back of her hand.
She had practically memorised the information she had collected, she knew them all, all their strengths, weaknesses, the highs and the lows of their lives she now knew it all.
"Ok, I guess I will see you all in court. You may all lea-"
"Hang on, I'm not involved in all this, I want to continue investing in the business. This business has a lot of potential, I just have been unable to put my input into decisions recently."
Alayna knew that he wasn't involved and she knew handling the business alone would be difficult.
She had to allow him to stay.
"Wait, before all of you go. Stay sat here for 5 minutes."
She had drawn up contracts for this situation, it just enclosed that she would be taking back the shares that they previously owned and they are in no way to try and attempt to repurchase any shares in the future.
She emailed the other 2 it and grabbed 3 physical forms, they all needed to be taught that she wasn't going to be a pushover.
She shoved them in front of the ones sat in the room and informed the others of the steps involved in getting the contract back to her in the correct form.
She collected all the contracts, all signed and dated. Both physically and electronically.
"I'll see you in court then."
Everyone began to leave.
"And don't forget, I don't intend to lose. I'm going to get everything back."
That was it.
One matter done.
She then spent the next 2 hours talking with her new partner. Creating various plans on how they could possibly get all their stores to operate and maximum capacity.
After agreeing on a plan, they cut the call.
Alayna's heart felt a bit better, there was hope for her and this business.
She had some sort of an upper hand here.
She had the money.
She was sat in the lawyer's office yet again.
She explained to him everything that had happened, all that she had said and she showed him the contracts.
He sat there proud.
This young woman sat in front of him, was smart and careful.
She was making sure that anything that were to happen would be in her honour.
And he was proud, she was making her dead mother proud.
She was the person her mother needed in her life. If only she was alive to actually see her daughter grow and prosper.
She was now en route home.
Where she was going to unravel a new drama.
Her stomach growled loudly.
Making Dilawar laugh, whilst Alayna was reminded that she was meant to be growing another human within her.
Sh*t.
She hadn't eaten all day.
If she was like this right now, how badly was she going to neglect her child when it was born?
She made him stop the car and grabbed food for herself and him.
Their new found friendship was strange sometimes they found themselves arguing like they had been married forever, and sometimes they'd act like complete strangers, not even a word.
Since that day, neither of them had bothered to pry into the other's life.
The occasional checking in with each other and then a random topic would start up.
She had gotten home, showtime!
Yet again.
She walked in and as expected he was sat on the sofa his arms spread over the top of the sofa and his feet resting on the table in front of him.
His eyes immediately caught eye of her.
He stayed still watching her walk over to him.
When she was near, he grabbed onto her arm and lightly pulled her over to him.
"Come sit with your dear husband," he called out.
She hesitantly sat next to him.
He instantly wrapped his arm around her waist, he was keeping her in place.
He knew.
"What did you get me to sign last night, my dear wife?" He asked, snuggling his nose into her hair.
"A contract which says we are together just until the birth of the child. That we are not together under the obligation of a nikah."
"Really? I remember reading something about an orphanage." His grip tightened ten-fold. It was hurting her but she wouldn't admit that, she would never admit her defeat to him.
"Oh, so the news reached you quite quickly!" She sarcastically taunted. "I was ensuring that that orphanage doesn't fall into the wrong hands."
Ignoring everything she had just said, he spoke absurd words, "Give it to me babe, I need it more than those stupid orphans. I have other ways don't forget."
"If you have other ways use them then, why is the great Zunair begging his wife?" She jeered. (<don't think that's grammatically right I'll sort it out when I'm bothered :] )
"Because my wife, you don't want me to kill all those orphans and obtain the land do you?"
A slap landed on his cheek, "That is my mother's legacy something you can stomp on when I'm dead. Those kids deserve the world. Dare touch a hair on their head, don't forget I'll kill your child. You can say goodbye to a heir carrying your name."
A glint of pain passed his eyes when the words left her tongue.
She had won again.
She remained sat next to him in complete silence.
"Zunair, the revenge you are out for. It does not exist."
"What are you on about woman?"
"Your mother told you that your father, Armaan Malik, cheated on her and that he was the reason of her downfall."
"Yes." He said stiffly.
"She was lying, you aren't his son. She slept with someone else blamed Armaan and he was dragged into her mess. Her family got the two married but he never accepted your mother. She was madly in love with him and she didn't want to lose him through her stupid drunken mistake. But she never got the love she received, he found an escape to leave her for a while and that's when he met my mother, already around 3-4 months pregnant. He fell hard only to get rejected and after her death he disappeared."
"How do you know everything?" He asked dangerously.
"The diary of your mother and research let's say."
He snatched the book from her hands and skimmed the pages and when he found the one he wanted to read, he snapped the book shut.
"No one was at fault, just your mother. She made you watch her kill yourself, she left you all alone at the ripe age of 10."
She watched his eyes turn glossy, and then after a few blinks they were back to stoic.
He stood abruptly and rushed to his room.
She had gotten through to him.
Or had she?
******
If there's anything that you guys don't understand about the story, please ask me, I'll happily answer your queries.
Life update: I don't think anyone cares it even read this but I've got one exam left and it's Friday.
I don't know why but I feel like I've done awfully on the past exams. Please give me tips on how to deal with this anxiety please.
Anyway, how are you guys?