Salaam readers,

I sincerely apologise for the delay, but I needed some time to sort out my jumbled mind. I thank my readers who were so patient and yet impatient**smiles**

Please leave behind volumes of comments so that I'm motivated to continue writing.

I will update the next chapter only if I get tons of comments.

Loads of love<3

Fee amanillah.

There was a sharp knock on the door.

The young and dynamic looking man, who looked not more than thirty, stood up from behind the desk, adjusted his tie and said, 'Come in.'

The door opened and Zera stepped into the room as she eyed her surroundings with narrowed eyes.

Her left hand clutched her hand bag close to her waist.

The man observed her and made a mental note that she seemed strong, physically. What about her character he wondered? Was it strong enough?

Poverty could resolve all the willpower, he believed, and chuckled to himself.

'I didn't see a sign over the office. People might not even know that you're here,' She looked at him curiously.

Shimaq smiled tighly at her. 'In our business we don't cater to foot traffic. It doesn't matter if people around here know that we're here or not. All of our business is conducted via appointments, phone calls, that sort of thing.'

'I must be your only appointment right now as the waiting room seems completely deserted.'

Shimaq's cheek twiched as he formed a steeple in his hands, 'We stagger our appointments so as to not keep people waiting. I'm the only member of the firm in this location.'

'So you have got other places of business?'

Shimaq ran a hand through his silky mane of her hair, which a part of his present disguise. This woman was giving him a headache and he wondered whether it was a wrong idea to consider that he could manipulate her so easily.

Unfortunately, he couldn't let her go. He had witnessed thufail speaking to her during his final hours and shimaq never left behind any potential evidence for the police.

If this woman knew anything then he would find immense pleasure in ending her life and if she didn't possess any knowledge, then she would be of incredible value. Zera had easy access to the home of well known bussiness man Izaan Ahmed, who was thufail's brother.

Shimaq still hadn't yet finished his assignment with the family.

'I will pay you fifty thousand per week.'

Zera's mouth hung wide open.

'I will pay you without any delay if your work seems promising.'

Zera quickly did the arithmetic in her head. It was an obscene amount of money. No one she ever knew had earned so much money. Doctors, lawyes, successful business or movie stars earned such gigantic sums not a student who had just stepped out of university.

As if responding to her unspoken thought, Shimaq spoke up, 'Do not worry. I'm not asking you to do anything illegal. We want bright candidates to carry out a survey for our company.'

'What kind of survey?'

'You'll be sent to the families of billionaires to do a research on how they became successful and what motivated them, during which you will make a detailed study of the family history.'

'But I don't think that I'm apt for the job.'

'You will be trained, Miss Zera.'

Zera looked around the room nervously, not knowing whether to cry or laugh at her situation and yet she wished to do both.'

~*~*~*~*

Izaan sat in daze.

A week had passed since the incident and all were still trying to adjust to the worst nightmare that they had been subjected to. Izaan's mother had been totally heartbroken to see her dear child in such horrible form, even though Izaan had requested the medical examiners to cover the skull and the deep wounds, the body had still been a heartwrenching scene to watch.

The funeral had been kept strictly confidential and no outside member was allowed to attend it.

A sudden movement at the door made Izaan gaze upwards towards the source.

'Izaan the media wants to have a word with you,' Aahil said softly as he patted Izaan on his shoulders, 'We know how much you loved thufail, stop blaming yourself.'

Fresh tears started pouring from Izaan's eyes and he exhaled a deep breath, 'I should never have been so engrossed in business. Wasn't it my job to look after my younger brother,' He shook his head sadly and bowed his head, resting it on his hands.

'We work day and night for our family, there is nothing to feel guilty about it. Izaan there was nothing you or I could do to stop it. Have faith on the Almighty.'

'Thank Aleena for staying behind and helping sameera and mom. I wouldn't have been able to console them.'

Aahil smiled fondly, 'She knows perfectly well about the pain of loosing a person close to one's heart and I haven't seen anyone more braver than her.'

For the first time in several days, Izaan's lips curved into a faint smile, 'You are so smitten.'

'That I am.'

'Aahil I'm not ready to face the press or answer their irrelevant questions.'

'I totally understand. I'll have a word with them so that they stay away from the house and allow us to live in peace.'

'I don't know know how to thank you.'

'Stop being formal, Izaan. After all, what is family for?'

~*~*~*~*~*

India, delhi
Thufail Ahmed suicide investigation

At the national headquarters, an interrogation was taking place. The owner of the hotel in which thufail's body was discovered, was being questioned by the detectives.

Tuesday, April 20
12 a.m
Subject: Deepak Sharma

Detective Hamilton: Mr Sharma, we have reason to believe that the body found in your hotel, was murdered.

Sharma: Murdered? But the press said that it was suicide.

Detective krishna: He could not have possibly jumped from so much hieght, broken his skull and then returned to the hotel by himself.

Detective Hamilton: We have established that the victim wasn't suicidal. He had elaborate plans for his future. He has even won awards for his bravery.

Sharma: I'm sorry, officers, but I don't see why I was brought here.

Detective Krishna: To help clarify a few matters. When the victim returned to his room at midnight who was working at the registration?

Sharma: We usually have another employee taking up the job at night. But on that particular night as there were no guests, I asked them to take a nap.

Detective Hamilton: Did you close the security camera's too?

Sharma: I don't understand what all this is about.

Detective Hamilton: There are no tapes of thufail entering or leaving the hotel.

Detective Krishna: We would love to have a word with the person who is incharge of the surveillance.

Sharma: So would I. Inform me if you find him.

Detective Krishna: I beg your pardon.

Sharma: I'm tired of calling his personal and residential number. There was no answer. Then I was informed my his landlord that he has moved out.

Detective Hamilton: Isn't it mandatory to leave behind a forwarding address.

Sharma: I don't know. He has just vanished into thin air, hasn't even bothered to stay behind to claim his salary.

~*~*~*~*~*

From the moment people had heard of thufail's death, the Ahmed family had been flooded with phone calls, bouquets and E-mail.

None of them had made an attempt to clarify things with media or to an outsider.

Things had been very awkward in the household. The whole house seemed to be dead and the silence was like a huge gloomy cloud that engulfed each one of them.

Izaan had opted to stay in the darkness of his room and get immersed in prayers to calm himself, whilst his mom hadn't shed any tears until now, she was still in shock.

Zera stood in the corridor engrossed in conversation with Aleena.

'Aleena, you need to take some rest, the baby has been acting cranky. I'll look after sameera and Aunty for the time being.'

Aleena covered her mouth with her hand, as a huge yawn escaped her, 'Are you sure?'

Zera nodded her head solemnly.

Aleena hugged her in response. 'You are a godsend. Thank you for coming by.'

'Please don't thank me. I just couldn't stop myself from coming over. Sameera sounded so distressed over the phone.'

Aleena shook her head sadly, as she rocked her crying baby to sleep, 'It has been a hard time for the family. Thufail's death came as a blow to all of us. Could you please take food to Aunt Hala's bedroom.'

Zera nodded her head and made her way towards Hala's bedroom, where she lay heartbroken from losing her young son in such terrible fashion.

'Mrs Ahmed, how are you feeling this morning?'

Hala just kept staring at the white walls that surrounded her.

'I'm sorry to interrupt you. I think you need to eat something.'

Hala turned her watery eyes towards Zera, 'How can I? When they say that my son committed suicide?'

Zera winced slightly at the intensity of the question. 'Please don't subject yourself to such distress. We all believe that he could never end his life.'

Hala extended her hand, which zera took softly and knelt down in front of her, 'You know your son more than the rest of the world. Listen to your heart and none else.'

Hala began sobbing hysterically, 'My son was the most brave man I have ever seen. He wasn't ever interested in making money, all he wanted was truth and justice. And the world repays him by throwing allegations?'

Zera enveloped her in warm embrace, 'The Almighty never allows even an atom's wieght of good deed to be lost. His creator will repay him with good InshaAllah.'

Hala nodded her head as hear sobs subsided slightly.

Zera scooped a spoonful of rice and lifted it to hala's mouth with a tender smile.

She mumbled a, 'Thank you,' as she swallowed it, 'I feel a little relieved after speaking to you. Could you come here daily if it isn't too much to ask. I can offer you a job if you are willing to take it.'

Zera's mind wandered back to the interview she had given the previous day. The second round was tommorow. 'I would love too, but I have already applied elsewhere.'

Hala dismissed her claim with a wave of her hand. 'I'm not going to buy your excuses. You will come here without further argument, or else I will go back to depression.'

'Please don't say that, Mrs Ahmed. I'll be there InshaAllah.'

'Believe me you'll be glad to be a part of our family.'