I was supposed to update this two days back. Anyway... enjoy!

Muhammad stared into the space as though he was expecting someone to tell him to look away. He couldn't believe ElMustapha was right before him few days back asking him for a business deal and how he acted. The truth was he was being careful lest he would mess up. It was supposed to be one step at a time something.

Remembering that he left his complimentary card with him, he decided he will call him for a brief discussion. So he texted him requesting for a talk after tea session in two days. He was in Abuja hence the interval. He got a reply shortly.

"You're in Abuja, I'm in Abuja too. Can't we meet?" He was shocked to an extent that all he replied was the address because he couldn't believe that.

Was this ElMustapha a magician or what?

****

I was in Abuja for five days. For a backup plan. I felt like the commissioner of police was looking for who ElMustapha was. Especially after Abba's abduction. It was in the media that i was among the suspects. Good thing, even the police men didn't know my face.

As i walked in my Abuja rice mill, I received a message from Muhammad. Well, i put a tracker on his car the last time i went there. There was also a camera in his parlor. Even his phone calls were being tracked by Uthman.

At this rate, i could change my line of production and just join the technical line. I was becoming more technical and engineered day by day.

I walked in to the quality control unit and saw the staff testing the rice for chalkiness and wetability. I watched them do it with true zeal and i was satisfied. Remembering Muhammad was waiting for me, I faltered out of the factory and headed at his address.

As i drove away, my mind geared back to our chat with Maami.

"Your mother is Kauthar, a very bright and lovely woman whom everyone would love to be in her company. She was smart, cool and friendly. The first time i saw her was when you were born. That day, my ex husband walked to the parlour and met me with a cheerful face. You see, he was a very sweet and lovely man too before greed took his heart. He told me about this new friend of his brother and about how him, his brothers, Hassan and Baffa were putting shares in a company owned by your father. Marshal was the name they called him and the name he was known for and i could recall that their eldest brother was the one closer to Marshal. But they kept pushing till they were friends with him too. He told me to make sure i become friends with the wife as that would strengthen the bond. It started like a joke, the business going well, managed excellently by Marshal as though it wasn't a partnership business. The doom began when he wanted to contest for the president of Nigenia. I have little knowledge of it all but I knew the mastermind behind everything was Baffa Kabo. I eavesdropped on their conversations with my ex husband. I had gasped when he said they were going to use me as a bait." Maami sniffed and padded her tears back with her palm.

"While he was there in Nigenia, swimming in politics, all they did was to cheat him. They started stealing huge anount of money that Hassan became suspicious. When he insisted, they'd a fight in which before my eyes, Baffa threw him from the stairs. He sustained injuries that costed his life. Even though it appeared like a normal domestic accident, Both of them knew who did it. Almost a year later, when your father had won the election, and was in the office, they started hatching the plan. The plan behind me befriending Kauthar. Because after your birth, all the company papers and secret codes were in your name. He loved you so much as i heard."

She heaved a sigh.

"Your family moved to Nigeria but they kept planning. And that's how they planned to kill him. They did succeeded. It looked like something done out of political rivalry. He was just a year in the office. They cut his dreams because of their selfishness. At first they offered to take you from Kauthar but she refused so they resorted to the other way. Baffa Kabo set the house you lived in Abuja, on fire. You were just five. But I don't know what happened but i took you in my arms with raw burns here and there. It however didn't affect your face at all. Your hair was gone but you're lucky it grew back. I didn't know how you were able to survive it without sustaining much injuries. The most heartbreaking news was your brother's corpse was no where to be found. Kauthar, however passed out with severe burns that made lifelong injuries to her body. All that beauty was gone and for a moment i was really scared of such brutality. Life moved on after her fake death. I just knew it's fake. On your tenth birthday, because you're so big, they called your father's lawyer, asked him to change your birthday. To change your name from Adeel Marshal to ElMustapha Kabo. And they made you sign those papers, unknowingly to you handing them full authority. Life became tough for me after he'd acquired much of the wealth and i became his enemy because I was always telling him to fear God. He beat me, he cursed me and he finally divorced me because he felt i was a threat to him."

I wasn't shocked because i have read Muhammad's scribblings filled with terror. Maami finished with tears in her eyes and she continued.

"I am so sorry i was part of those who destroyed your family. I'm sorry that your family and childhood was stolen from you. I am sorry that you had to grow up literally alone and knowing nothing but business. I'm sooo sorry that you went through all these. I'm sorry ElMustapha."

I remembered telling her not to worry about what had passed. I left the house with weak knees. Were the Kabos not afraid of death? Of meeting their lord? Did they think death and judgement is an illusion or what? Because if one is a faithful believer, he should be scared of meeting his lord with such sins on them. I had learnt that whosoever kills a single person it's as though he'd kill a whole nation. Didn't they know? Didn't they know that money and children are a trial for the mankind? Didn't they know? Or were they just so drunk with this world? Were they not aware that the world is only a delusion? Were they not aware that no matter how much the wealth they acquired, they would leave it behind and enter the grave alone?

I was really crying for them. Because they're so misguided. They had allowed their hearts mislead them.

Ya Allah, forgive my father. That's the only prayer that escaped my lips.

I parked my car and sighted Muhammad.

When i reached him, I couldn't help but hug him. He only stared.

"I'm not in the mood for tea brother. Lets go into my car?" I asked, like the little brother i was. He nodded and i smiled.

"Brother?" He repeated after some minutes of silence.

"Yes." I waved his diary in the air.

"Adeel Elmustapha Marshal." I said, extending my hands for a shake but he was reluctant. I knew the situation was so awkward for a brothers reunion but that's the only way i knew. I was tired of all the games.

"Are you really my brother?" He asked, acting like the younger one.

Sadly I didn't have much memories of us that i could recall to make him know i was the one.

"Our mother's name is Kauthar. We lived in the States before we came back here. We had a fire accident but you were missing. Our father was assasinated." I said, reading his eyes.

"Muhammad Marshal." He shook my hand but by Allah i was in tears.

"I had always feel this connection to you. Everytime i see you, my heart stops in recognition but i was in denial. Blood is really thicker than water. I'm so thrilled to have my baby brother back." He said, then i removed the shades on my face and the nose mask. The shape of our lips was the same. Our nose were totally different as well as our eyes.

"This is really awkward. It seems too matured, too casual you know." I complained.

He chuckled. "If we were girls, we would have been hugging for the tenth time while we squeal. But we are gentlemen. Plus we have to continue acting like strangers till we clear the thorns in our farm." I laughed at his first statement before i stopped to ponder on the second.

"You know about the Kabo treachery too?" I asked.

"Yes." He shortly replied. Silence took over before he made an attempt to open the door. I could tell he was trying his best not to cry here.

"My wife, Adeelah is safe with me." I saw shock flash before his eyes before he released the handle and faced me again.

"First, why are you calling her your wife? Because i wrote that i married her for you? You know that's crazy right and haram? It's just a way to console myself."

I became cold. "You mean?"

He laughed.

"I mean i love her. I have always loved her so much that I didn't want to believe it and i had been monitoring her for a while. True, i knew you love her. I only tell myself that i did it for you over and over so I wouldn't be in love further. I wanted her to fall in love with me but if she doesn't, i will be left with no option but to let her be. If she chooses you, it's fine. For now, let's not ruin this moment. You make sure you drop her in my house by next week, last. Next time, don't believe in whatever you see in stolen diaries. Else, Noah will laugh at you."

We laughed but heaven knows that my laughter could choke me.

"Her father is safe with me in case you would hear that he's missing. I transferred him to a more skilled hospital, and yeah i had been processing his visa since the day he was found. He's currently receiving treatment at Cairo. His son, Ameer is with him."

I still had my mouth open even after he walked out of the car.

Shocked for the third time was an understatement!

Anytoute Muhammad wanted it, the fact was, Adeelah was my wife. She would forever be. Because she was married to him out of ignorance. There's no way a woman could marry again when she's already married. She'd always been my Mrs and i knew even if i confess the truth, she would always be on my side in sha Allah.

She would choose me over him in sha Allah. I mean, she wouldn't ask me to divorce her.

I called Celine and asked her nit to give Adeelah that paper. Everything would be better in person!

Adeelah here i come!

*****

Adeelah had became friends with the Chef in such a way that for the first time in her life, she found cooking interesting.

"I noticed you do not have a hobby. Cooking is an art of no rules." One of them would tell her. So as she knead dough for doughnuts for the first time in her life, she couldn't help but believe. Especially with the way she was punching the dough, pinching, beating and dancing with it on her hand.

She found it interesting and like an escape. Convinced that it was kneaded, she rolled it back to a large ball and covered it to rise.

"Bravo!" She loudly said, washing her hand. She removed the apron she was wearing and decided to go and watch some movie. Well, she didn't have a phone and she didn't miss having a phone because it was never her thing.

Adeelah remembered that it's been two days since she checked that room so she found herself in the direction and soon her hand on the knob. Surprisingly it opened. Her eyes went big in surprise as she tiptoed in.

She was halfway into the room when she heard the door close. She turned around and right there she found a lean, muscular man standing with his hands on his chest.

She opened her mouth to scream and she did screamed out wildly. The second time she opened her mouth, he was standing before her.

"Shhh, calm down Dillaliya." And she did calm down because that voice, would forever calm her nerves. She rubbed her eyes, not believing the voice belonging to the face standing before her.

Adeelah heaved.

"I am surprisingly calm. Who are you?" He smiled.