*BismillahirRahmanir-Raheem*
Sara Mata lifted her head slowly from her laptop as she heard a knock on her office door. The name Abaas was on her mind as she opened the door and welcomed the visitor, Sarah, with a nod. She blinked her eyes and paused her work, placing her water bottle in the fridge to cool. She opened a bottle of Tasha’s water, taking a sip, and then asked, “Sarah, is there something you need?”
Sarah sat down on the couch, glancing at Najma, who was waiting for her to speak. Saidata Dan also took a deep breath before explaining, “Before you arrived, I visited Chairman Abaas’s office, and his condition didn’t look good at all. In fact, it seemed quite the opposite.”
Najma Abdullahi Bela, with tired and worried eyes, looked at Sarah for a moment before speaking softly, trying to conceal her anxiety. She asked, “What’s wrong with Abaas now?”
Sarah replied, “From what I observed, it seems he hasn’t changed his stance from what he said yesterday when Dr. Sa’id visited your place twice.”
Najma remembered the doctor’s visit the previous day, which had led her to leave the office early to attend her child’s school meeting. Her heart sank as she picked up her phone and tried to call him. However, Abbas didn’t answer. She called him two more times, but he still didn’t pick up. Frustrated, she turned off her phone and turned to Sarah.
“He’s not answering. Is he still in his office?”
Sarah shook her head. “I saw him leave the office before I came here. He passed by his secretary on the way to his office.”
Najma’s gaze shifted to her phone, and when it rang, Hanifa’s name appeared on the screen. She closed her eyes and let out a slow breath. Sarah looked at her curiously.
“Did Chairman Abbas come to look for me this morning?”
Sarah chuckled and said, “I’m sorry, ma’am. That was just my curiosity.”
She left the office, closing the door behind her, and the smile on her face faded as she left. Sarah quickly moved aside as Abbas approached.
“Welcome, Chairman.”
Abbas opened the door to Najma Bela’s office and entered, closing the door behind him. Najma continued to read and didn’t turn around as she listened to his footsteps. She knew he was watching her through the window, his gaze filled with admiration.
Abbas couldn’t help but admire her beauty and composed demeanor, which combined to captivate any man’s heart. Despite his efforts to find a wife, he hadn’t come across anyone quite like her. She was beautiful, poised, and exuded a certain grace that even royal blood couldn’t match. His search for a wife had been in vain so far. He had broken up with Najma due to his family’s pressure, even though she possessed honor and wealth. He could spend all he wanted, but her lineage made her an unsuitable match. She was the daughter of a gangster, and that label overshadowed everything else. Despite his wealth and position, he was still a stranger to her. It pained him to see her with someone else, even though he knew she was cautious and observant, not sitting idle. He watched her closely, yearning for her attention. Despite their marriage, his status didn’t protect him.
The silence became palpable, and Najma slowly raised her eyes to look at him, her gaze questioning, as she finally broke the silence with a soft voice.
