"So whoever did it had to do something about Masoud before he told anyone" I say.
She nods wiping her tears"After telling me, he added that they'd be coming from him"
"So I told him I could hide him in the castle. I knew about places in the castle that no one would ever find him. He told me that no one knew he was there. I got a call so I told him to come find me in the room as soon as possible".
She huffs taking a deep breath "So, I left. After I was done for the day and making sure everyone was asleep I went to the room but he wasn't there. I got scared and hurried out and that was when I found him—" she starts crying silently.
Huda embraces her, tearing up.
"Sorry, I just—I can't get used to saying it" she says wiping away her tears.
"Anyway I found him. But it was after a few days that I realized that his aid wasn't meant to be there that day"
I nod "And you relayed all this to Najib?"
She nods "Yes but he found everything out. We were supposed to meet at the docks but he called and told me that he'd just meet me at the castle" she huffs "It's been difficult living with myself".
I huff "We found his phone but it was a dead end"
She gasps "You have his phone? How?"
"He sent it to his mother via mailbox. He sent it taped inside a white porcelain"
She smiles "Then you have everything. He told me that was a memory card in the phone. You have to look inside"
"Yeah but there's nothing but your contact information" Huda says sitting up.
"No, I mean inside it"
"Like inside the phone? Inside? As in break the phone?" Huda asks.
"You don't need to break it Hudayya, just dismantle it"
"Ahh"
I abruptly stand "It's at home, I'll go get it"
Huda stands "I'll come with you"
I shake my head "It's better you stay here".
"But I want to come with you" she pouts.
"Huda you're staying"
"Hudayya it's better you stay" Bella advices her.
"Okay, just be safe"
I nod.
::
Hafiz's POV.
I keep having a feeling that Amjad and Huda are up to something, it's not that I don't trust them but—okay maybe I don't trust him a hundred percent.
Everyone knows his father to be the man really controlling everything. The fact that he hasn't done anything is odd. And the issue of a new Emperor being named. I hear all the elders are meeting today for that.
Suleiman barges into my office.
"Hafiz!" He shouts.
I roll my eyes "I hope it's important"
"Your father is being apprehended"
I was shocked, to my very core.
I run out immediately.
There he was getting escorted out of the palace court as uncle Awwal followed behind closely.
"What's going on here?" I ask.
Baba just looks at me and smiles sadly before he continued walking towards the security van.
Uncle Awwal rests his hands on my shoulder "I'm sorry"
"What did he do?"
He huffs "Apparently he knew about the Emperor's condition, he and the Queen were in it together"
I shake my head "That's not possible. He barely leaves his house"
"Hafiz, he doesn't need to leave his house to conspire"
I stare at him unbelievably "So what? You're agreeing with them? You think he'll do that?"
"Boy, it's not about what I think. He was accused and he didn't say anything about it"
"Accused? By who?"
"Alhaji Musa"
Alhaji Musa is one of the court's members but everyone knows him popularly as being Alhaji Hammad's boy. The man literally made him and I think he feels forever indebted.
"So—"
He nods cutting me off "—It has Alhaji Hammad's name written all over it"
So?
Is this what Amjad and his father have been planning?
A way to put all the blame on my father?
"I'll sort all this out" I say.
Uncle Awwal shakes his head "This is out of your control, you're a boy and this is something you can't handle. If you do, then it would mess up your entire family and the ones that aren't here yet".
"So I sit and do nothing?"
"Pray but I'll do all I can, I promise. He's like a brother and I can't let him perish". He walks away.
I immediately call Amjad.
Where are you?
I just left my father's house, why are you asking?
My father was just apprehended.
What? Why?
Shouldn't I be asking you and your father?
What's that supposed to mean?
I know you two had something to do with it.
Look, don't blame my father and I for something your father did.
It was Alhaji Musa that's accused him. My father can't end like that.
I'll be there soon.
He hangs up.
::
I kept pacing around in my office.
"Hafiz?"
I turn around and see Raudah, she looked bothered.
"What's wrong?" I ask.
"I heard about Baba"
I shake my head "Nothing I can't handle".
My relationship with Raudah is complicated. We are husband and wife, we eat, live and sleep together but there's still a lot of formalities between us and I think she's a bit frightened of me. Maybe she doesn't realize I don't care about what she did in the past. Things have gotten way to messy for all that to matter.
I huff.
"What do we do?"
I shake my head "I don't like you tangled in all that mess"
"Why not? I want to help out"
"No, I don't think you need to. Getting involved will put you in harms way"
"And it's fine for you to?"
I nod "It is"
"Amjad let's Huda help"
I stare at her "I'm not Amjad, am I?"
"But you like it when she helps"
I stay quiet.
Honestly, I do.
She's smart and every time she helps it makes me appreciate her more, someone who's willing to risk everything just to make things right. I always found her honorable.
"You see, you're quiet. Let me help this once"
I stare at her.
"With what?"
"Huh?"
I scoff "The reason Huda is always in the middle is because her friends were the ones involved"
She looks at me, offended "They were my friends too"
I smirk "Where they? I'm not talking about the title friends, I've been hearing about them but not from you. Everything they found out they trusted to Huda but not to you, why is that? Because she's smarter? Because we all know that isn't the case being the top of your class and all".
Her eyes were already filled with tears.
I felt bad.
I was hurt and I hurt her, she didn't deserve it.
I huff.
"I'm trying my best. I—really am" she sniffles "I know I wasn't the best back then and I know they're not here anymore but I don't want to continue living like this. It was hard enough living all my life left out and now that I'm trying to make it right I'm still being treated like a pest"
She wipes her tears away.
"I know you still like her and I don't care but you shouldn't treat me like I'm vermin"
I stand infront of her, hovering over her "You don't have to be here because I know you don't want to. I'm also not criticizing you for staying home so—do as you wish but I really don't have time for this right now".
::