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"Maria?" Tahir asked in disbelief. "No" He shook his head, eyes narrowed at the man. "Maria is capable of a lot of things but not murder"
The man scoffed, satisfied that he had spit out every drop of water Tahir forced in his mouth. "You of all people should know that money can do a lot of things" The man raised his head and looked at Tahir, exhaling loudly as his shoulders rose, then slumped. "She can't get her hands dirty, but she can get others to do the job for her"
Tahir looked away, trying to let the information sink in. It was hard to believe considering he had known Maria for years now, and never had she shown any sign of being capable of murder. She had always been a good person and she liked Rahma.
What could be the reason she was trying to harm her?
He didn't look into why Rabia was imprisoned, so he didn't know who she apparently killed. All he knew was that she was in prison for murder.
"Why does she want to hurt Rahma?" He turned to the man, drown drawn in deeply.
The man shrugged, "I don't know. I just follow orders"
Tahir pinched the bridge of his nose. "You were also responsible for what happened to Attorney Zarah, right?"
The man nodded.
Tahir had other questions, but he wanted to ask Maria it instead. By the looks of it, he would only get so much from this man. Sighing, he walked back to his original chair, leaving the cup beside the man on the table. "The police would arrive any time. I don't care whether you'll tell them who ordered you to do it or not, just admit that you were the one responsible for accident that happened to Zarah"
The man scoffed slightly, chuckling in the process. "And what about you? Do you think they'll let you go scot-free after attempting to poison me? Not to mention you kidnapped me!"
Tahir chuckled, sitting on his previous seat. "No. I didn't abduct you. I simply caught you when you tried to break into my house. I tied you up because you were being too violent and wanted to hurt me. I did everything out of self-defense"
The man's eyes widened slowly, "No one would believe you"
Tahir's smile widened. "You said it yourself didn't you. Money can do a lot of things. And for a hitman, you really are stupid"
The man stared at Tahir obviously offended by his words. "What?"
"The water" Tahir nodded at the cup, "It wasn't poison," He snickered "It was sugar"
"What..." The man's eyes widened. "No..." He shook his head. "You're lying"
"Do you want to taste it again?" Tahir chuckled. "You know it's true when they say people care about their lives to the extent that they can't even think straight when they think they're in danger" His smile fell, "You tasted it, you should've known but your fear didn't allow you to. Or did you think poison tastes sweet?"
The man smiled bitterly, anger clouding his vision as he glared at Tahir. He tried to wiggle his way out of the ropes but they were too tight, he could barely move his hands without it hurting. "You tricked me" He muttered.
"Of course I did" Tahir's smile returned. "So tell me, how can I get in trouble when I did nothing to you?"
The man clenched his eyes shut, fisting his fingers as much as his hands would allow him to. If he was free of the ropes, he really wouldn't think twice about severely injuring Tahir. The man simply made a fool out of him.
And all for what?
"Why are you doing this?" He asked the one question that had been on his mind since.
Tahir knew the answer, but he didn't want to say it. How would he tell the man-a stranger at that-that the reason was because Rahma is one of the two people that trust his innocence. That he wanted to repay the kind gesture?
After his conversation with her, he thought about it. The message he received days ago had to be from Ameerah. She somehow must've managed to hide her identity to the extent that even Mubarak couldn't trace it.
And Rahma, she's one of the two people that didn't judge him and actually seem to trust that he is innocent. Something that even his mother didn't. And he felt like he owes her for that.
He didn't feel the need to pretend like he likes her anymore. It was strange how everyone believed him when he claimed to do so. Was he that good of an actor? They should know otherwise. He was simply intrigued, but never liked. Her case seemed so similar to his, so he wanted to get to know her more knowing that she was the only person that would trust him there.
Of course, she can't help him in the court but the assurance was more than enough.
It might seem unnecessary but he needed the assurance that someone went through similar thing and they believe his innocence.
He didn't know who Ameerah really was, not even three years ago when he saw her in court, glaring at him with so much hatred. Back then he assumed she's a sister to the sibling. He didn't think she was the same girl that resulted in his mother leaving him.
He wasn't angry at her for that. No, he blamed himself. Yes, back then he used to stay out late but that was simply because he wanted to avoid coming home to his parents fighting. There's only so much he could take back then. He never did anything bad, but he also didn't stop them from thinking otherwise.
Why bother? It wouldn't have changed a thing, or so he thought. He should've known otherwise.
He called the person he knows in the university Ameerah is in to correct everything he and Noah did. He knew it was wrong right from the beginning, but he didn't care about being seen as the bad person back then.
Now, he cares. How could he not when he's about to lose the one person that matters to him most because of it? The person isn't his mother. It's the one person beside Rahma who believes him because the person was there. The person is the only witness he has to prove his innocence. But, he doesn't plan on bringing the person in for safety reasons.
He'd rather suffer the consequence of a crime he didn't commit than to lose the person. That's how much the person means to him.
So to answer the man's question, why is he doing all this?
To correct what he can before the trail. He doesn't have an ounce of fear in him anymore knowing they have no evidence against him. He's innocent, they can't pin the blame on him just like that. They have no evidence because he never did it.
Tahir blinked, staring at the man as he carefully picked his words. "To protect someone" Was his only answer.
The man stared at Tahir in confusion. He had questions at the tip of his tongue, so many that he desperately wants the answer but he refrained from doing so. Simply because as he opened his mouth to speak up, the doorbell rang, resonating round the room.
Tahir offered him a small smile, "The police are here" He stood up, and headed towards the door. Exhaling lowly, he held the doorknob and twisted it open, coming in sight with the police men that stood outside.
"Sir. We received a report that someone broke into your house?" The policeman that stood a couple of inches ahead of the others spoke.
Tahir nodded, "Yes, there he is" He stepped away from the door, pointing at the man that sat tied in a chair.
As the police untied the man and cuffed him, Tahir knew that he has questions he'll answer from them and he was ready for it all. He would stick to his story of the man breaking into his house. He didn't want to say anything about the man planning on abducting Rahma and he doubts the man will speak about it too in fear of having his sentence increased. He didn't want to put Maria in a difficult situation without hearing her side of the story.
He wanted the truth out of her, and he'll get them come what may.
He found out who is behind it, now he wants to know why.
A policeman approached him as the others took the man out. He stopped in front of him, "Sir, you have to come with us to the station"
Tahir nodded, unfolding his hands, "Okay"
~*~
Lena exhaled lowly, extending her hand out to pick up the bottle of cold water that was on the table. She uncapped the bottle and tilted it over the cup that was beside it. Once the cup is filled to her content, she kept the bottle aside and picked the cup, taking gulps from it.
The cold water going down her throat calmed her worries a bit. She sighed in content once she drank everything it up, placing the cup back where it was originally. She then sighed, running her fingers through her hair as she flicked her eyes close.
She simply couldn't wrap her head around how much Maria has changed and what made her change. Maria was no longer the same woman she saved back then. And in a way, if she was being honest with herself then she'd say that she regrets helping Maria.
The Maria from 22 years ago isn't the same one she knows for she could still vividly remember the first day she met her.
13th August, 1995.
El Jadida, Morocco.
Clothed in ragged outfit sat a 22-year-old woman beside a trashcan. Her long dress barely reached her feet, doing nothing to hide her feet that were covered with dry mud from having to work in a building site a few miles from where she sat at the moment. She wasn't allowed to do anything tedious at the place, considering she's a woman. But, she was allowed to help move bricks from one site to another after much pleading from her.
She didn't have shoes, that was a luxury she couldn't afford so she walked barefoot under the scorching sun for hours. At a point, she had to walk over muds as some of the pathways were yet to be renovated.
The money she earns from moving bricks were barely enough to provide food for them. She also had no means of earning more money as everyone shun her away after what happened to her husband. Like a plague, she was avoided.
Her husband died a few days ago after being sent to prison. He was accused of being a drug dealer. She knew it wasn't true for she believes her husband's innocence but they weren't rich, they had no means of proving his innocence. He was sick originally before he was arrested, of which the police regarded as the side effect of the drugs he uses and pushes around, but she believes otherwise.
All she knew was her husband was sick to the core. So, she took upon the weight of being the breadwinner in the family. It wasn't an easy task, but she managed to give them something to live off by working day and night.
Her husband meant the world to her, he had always been ever since they were kids. They both grew up as orphans so they never had someone else to call a family except each other since they grew up in the same orphanage. Being there for each other only seemed natural and not once had he made her feel any less.
He was the picture perfect husband and man. There's no way he could be guilty of the crime charged against him.
However, she never found out the truth since he died. Was he guilty of the crime or innocent? It's a question that still bothered her.
She pleaded with each and every person that passed by her from the spot she sat beside the trashcan. It wasn't the best and most hygienic place to be in but it was the only spot she could stay without being sent away. Obviously, no one believed her husband was innocent.
Unfortunately, that also meant no one took pity on her.
"Please" Her pale lips parted, uttering the one words she could make out without feeling like she'd pass out any minute from exhaustion. On her laps laid a sick three-year-old child, shielded away from the scorching sun by the old veil she had. From the corner, you could see the sickly looking child's legs peeking out, looking nothing more than bones were thin flesh covering it.
The child happens to have the same sickness the father does. And she feared she'd lose the child too by the looks of it.
"Please..." She muttered again with great difficulty, one of her skinny hands tapping the small silver bowl she uses to collect money that some of the kind people give her. It was never much, but it was better than nothing. "Help...us"
The sun shone brighter, making her cover her view with her hands. The scorching sun wasn't any better, the heat that accompanied it was another issue entirely.
The sound of someone dropping money in the bowl had her looking up, moving her hand away from her head where she was shielding herself and her child away from the sun. Her gaze fell on the woman that stood infront of her, offering her a small smile.
"Maria?" The woman said. "Your name is Maria, right?"
Maria nodded slowly, as it was all she could offer at the moment. She was still shocked by the amount of money the woman gave her. It wasn't excessive, but it was certainly more than she had ever been given. Maybe about the same amount she'll get after begging in the same spot for a month or two?
She couldn't help but stare at the woman. She didn't look familiar, probably one of the tourists that visit the place.
"I'm Lena" The woman smiled, showcasing her pearl white teeth as she struck her hand out for a handshake.
Maria hesitated, wondering if the woman wa splaying tricks on her or something.
Lena saw the hesitation in Maria's eyes and actions. Her gaze briefly wandered to the child Maria tucked away, wanting to shield from prying eyes. This made her smile widen, hoping that it would show Maria she was harmless. "Don't worry, I only want to help you"
And that was exactly what she did.
When Lena first arrived in El Jadida for work, she saw Maria moving round with bricks on her head. Same thing happened the next day, and eventually for the next few days. So, Lena asked around about Maria and that was when she heard her story.
She didn't care about whether Maria's husband was guilty or not, all she wanted to do was help the woman. She knew that no one should be treated in such a way. Though she and her husband didn't have much, she didn't hesitate to offer help when it was needed.
That was what she wanted to do back then, to help Maria. And the only way she could do that was by taking Maria away from Morocco, to have a fresh start after losing her loved ones.
It took a while to get Maria everything she needed to move to America with Lena, but when she did, Lena believed it was the best decision she had ever made in her life.
At the moment though, she wondered if that was right. She couldn't help but wonder what happened to Maria?
Lena sighed deeply, slumping back on the chair as she briefly closed her eyes; feeling a headache resurface.
She seemed to be getting a lot of that because of Maria.
~*~
Rahma typed the code, then twisted the door knob to the apartment. After meeting Mubarak and Ameerah, she decided to go home and rest. Mubarak left before she did, while she stayed back with Ameerah for a couple of hours more. But, it was getting late so she opted to leave.
Stepping into the apartment with a salaam, she reached her hand out where she switches normally are and flickered it on, the room illuminated only a few seconds afterwards.
With slumped shoulders due to exhaustion, she blinked and looked around, making her way further into the quiet apartment.
A gasp escaped from her, as her bag dropped from her hand the minute she reached the living room.
With widened eyes, she stared at the living room. Her hand flew up to cover her mouth which hung open from shock. For the first few minutes, she did nothing other than stare and let the image sink in.
After a while, something clicked in her. It had her running towards her bedroom as fast as she can. She threw the door open, making it hit the wall with a smack but it was the least of her concerns at the moment.
The minute she stepped in, she staggered, taking a few steps back as she took in everything. She breathed in, then out. Her breathing came out loud and forced. She swallowed in fear, hands flying to her chest that rose and fell as she heaved.
Her other free hand reached out to hold the handle of the door, to steady her on her feet so she wouldn't fall. She felt her knees buckle, and at the moment she feared they'd give up on her ad have her crashing on the floor.
Her whole apartment ranging from the living room to her bed room was completely wrecked.
Everything was wrecked into pieces.
Someone broke in.
Who? And most importantly, why?
~*~
Aishatu and I started a new book today, please check it out. It's on my account.
I'm tired of publishing books this year Wlh but there's a book I so badly what to publish ðð
Anyways, hope you don't eat too much meat and get an upset stomach.
Have a good day.
Love, Jannah.