I dare to you comment on at least fifteen paragraphs for double updates tomorrow (ISA)💀

KANO STATE, NIGERIA.

"How's it going?" Lateefa inquired, standing in front of Amirah's desk in their bureau -with Imad- asking her how pursuing Imad is going.

"Terrible." Amirah rolled her eyes, turning on the laptop in front of her since she just came in. Imad is running late and she knows why, he was with Usayma the whole night yesterday so it explains the bags underneath her own eyes. She couldn't sleep, not even a wink.

Lateefa scrunched her brows, nothing would've indicated Amirah's effort is going to waste if the long stares she is getting from Imad is anything to go by. She's noticed a lot from the past week, seeing how professional Amirah is trying to be but failing miserably. But Imad on the other hand won't keep his eyes off his ex wife and Lateefa almost thought they were close to achieving their goals and they can celebrate to their heart's content but nothing is happening. Wow, she's dug her grave deep and now even their silliest idea won't help.

"But weren't you excited just few days ago that he's joked with you about something?" Lateefa recalled, inclining her head to the side again.

"It was just that one between personal assistant and her boss. Imad is showing no interest about our past. I'd be ruined if this doesn't happen, you know that, Tif. My head feels like bursting out honestly, I'm already tired to bones." She placed her head on the table with a small thud of protest from the desk. She is physically, mentally and emotionally tired.

Lateefa sighed, she knows exactly what Amirah means. She definitely will be ruined if it doesn't happen, everything is at stake including her heart. "Just have more patience and we shall see where it goes. Keep trying, I'm sure something is going to happen soon."

Amirah rise her head from the table and shook it in denial. She could feel it, Imad won't ever budge from that high chair he's sat down on. She is going to shoot her shot though and see where it goes from there. They have a past, he could at least think about the good times they've shared and the genuineness of their love. Didn't she succor in everything? She is also pouring her all to make it work, bring it back to it's normal root.

"It won't happen, Tif. I think I should just look for another way to take care of my heart, Imad is recalcitrant and won't ever fall off his chair. Only miracle can help in this case and I don't have that time, it hurts a lot." She cried, touching her arms around like someone who's lost all hopes in good things.

Lateefa suspire again, she is also feeling the hope pouring down the drain. Amirah is deep in abysmal, plethora of problems hiking up like a mountain roaring higher like an active volcano. All that manage to inundate her in their depths. She could only pray this maverick gets the mastery she deserves to come out of this unscathed. No, she's already being in denunciation, she only needs to heal and stand straighter. What she's gone through shouldn't be measured.

"Have hope, Allah is always there for the people with the purest intentions. If this way won't work out, another will surely do so have faith that this is just a trial. I'm with you in every step, you can come for help whenever you want to. You'll be disappointed again and again, but there is a blessing behind every rejection and betrayal. The lesson is, rely on the Almighty." Lateefa gave her a quick hug and left for her own work, sympathy surging through her.

Few minutes later, Imad walked in exhibiting mahogany Corneliani two buttons lapel suit, matching slacks and tie with pearl dress shirt underneath. Her eyes keep taking him in from head to toe, feeling her blood running faster through her veins in hot lava. Her heart started misbehaving raucously in her ribcage, behaving like a woman in heat. He is flouncing his good night right to her face but she didn't say nothing. She wanted to yell but it got stuck in her throat.

Deep into their work, Amirah couldn't help it but stood up and made her way to his table. Today, she is wearing another new set of hands down she bought herself from Mukhtar -she's been buying them with little changes she is getting- brunette peplum skirt that flounced around lethargically from side to side, an oat shirt with boat neckline and short sleeves, head folded in brunette veil she didn't return back to Husna and same boat loafers- and she looked exceptionally good.

She's caught him staring at her when he was explaining how the days work should be. It was not eclectic but he did anyway, checking her out while doing so. It almost bloomed love and more hope in her chest but she deflated it immediately. She can't have her hope getting denounced all the time, she is tired of it already. She's allowed her heart to be at stake but her hopes will shatter her mental focus and she would slip into nadir.

"Sir!" She called out for his attention when she is standing directly on the other end of the desk, wringing her fingers unconsciously out of nervousness. When he rose his head to look at her in question, her breath got stuck in her throat yet again but she is not there to be in love in front of him. "I have a question for you."

He leaned back against the large chair, popping a pen to his lips in concentration. "Sure, go ahead."

She started feeling nervous all of a sudden, her moves a bit jerky and she rubbed her wrist a little to calm herself. She bit her lips and her breathing started coming out short because what she is about to start will either ruin or make her. Her whole love story revolves around what is going to happen after this conversation and the replies she'd get from Imad or if he'd agree to participate in this little debate she has on. She's been dreaming about it the whole night yesterday, she needs to get it into action and reflect her life.

She took another shaky, mouth dry and heart palpitating behind her ribcage. "Do you still love your ex wife?"

His eyes widened a little, but then he shook his head knowing the game she is playing at. She wants to make the matter like third person's point of view and he's been waiting to reject her for a long time so his plan could work through. Nazir hasn't proposed yet and Imad is getting agitated about it, he can't wait for his plot to begin. He wants to ruin Amirah, or he'd regret it for the rest of his life and it all revolves around the marriage.

He will definitely annihilate Amirah in ways she never expected. She'd think he's forgotten about it all when he is only waiting for the other man to rearranged and sheaf his plot. She does not know what is about to hit her!

He gave a majestic smile filled with mystery, a knowing one etched across his face. It is as if he knows all the secrets behind her eyes albeit he doesn't. So his answer came out confident. "No, I don't."

"Why?" Her voice is down to a whisper, coming out a bit breathy due to her irregular heartbeat. Her knees are about to grovel but she held on knowing more hurtful words are going to be hauled her way before this conversation ends.

He shrugged indifferently, shaking his feet beside his knees since he crossed the right leg on the left one. That royal style that always, always brings her to her knees. It is the aristocracy that fills in the swag, makes him look out of place, in a good way. "Because she's done something unforgivable."

"What was it?" She licked her lips, bent on not acting like the wife but his curious secretary. That is the only way to get him to talk anyway.

"Betrayal, fraud and everything in between. She was nothing but a treacherous reptile I didn't notice. She hid it quite well I must recommend." His face gave nothing away but twisted lips in a darkened expression.

It hurts deep inside, it is making her chest hurt. She visibly flinched, her mouth slacking on the floor. "But you've loved her then?"

He chortled, it was vehement but at the same time empty. Sending message that he really has changed from the Imad she knew. "I did. Why else would I have married her if I hadn't? I was blinded ferociously to the point where nothing made sense but having her close. So is there anything more than this? Sacrificing your freedom at a very young age for the so-called lover?"

"You are right. But maybe she has explanations for what she's done." She licked her lips again, slowly shaking her head in disbelieve. "You know, sometimes we all have things we must hide to save our close friends and family and all that."

Her lips are trembling so is her voice as she speaks, brows furrowed to deep to her lashes. Her chest tightened, body shaking slightly from the tremors racking through her body endlessly. Even her eyelids are trembling in fear but knowing she needs to keep something sane, she clutch the peplum of her skirt.

He clicked his tongue, swirling the mountain pen in his hand. "Whether she has explanations or not, I don't care right now. We have gone our separate ways and moved on like it never happened. I have capitulated the minute I heard what I heard years ago, so it's over. It is better this way too, no toxicity and lies beneath it." He grinned widely, eyes hallow and eerie.

"Besides, the marriage would've ended a year ago I believe. It has an expiring date." He laughed hauntingly, the pain almost palpable from the sound.

"Would you ever give her a chance to explain herself though? Maybe she hasn't moved on and the guilt has been taking up her visceras one after the other. And most of the times, we need spiel to move on so I thought you might need one in future." She pushed, displaying poor coordination and balance.

"I don't think so, Ms. Adam. I don't want anything to do with her, I loathe her anyway." She visibly fell back on her knees but with the help of the desk, she stopped herself from genuflecting. But he continued hurting her verbally anyway, without any care. "She has done so many terrible things, left a lot of mess I had to clean up. I am done with that game. I'm sure we've all grown really well and shape our lives from those prepubescent, adolescent mistakes."

She takes more minutes before heightening her courage and mastery over her. She clutched onto her stomach to stop herself from regurgitating the little breakfast she pushed in her tummy. The nausea is hitting harder this time around, taking all her strength to stay standing.

"What if she was forced into doing so? You don't know about her! You are just talking about yourself while I'm sure she is there wallowing in some guilt. Maybe she is suffering too, you know." She croaked, eyes already glossy and any minute, they'd roll.

"Oh, she won't suffer, Ms. Adam. She's got a lot of people around to play those games with for her to be scooped and bored or like you said, guilty. She's landed herself a job in a good company too, who knows how she got it? I don't care anyway, it's her life."

"Do you feel like she's ever loved you in the past? Your time spent together as a couple I mean. Was it genuine or do you think it was all fake too?" Her breath hitched at this and from the look in his eyes, he is going to haul another hurtful word at her.

"I won't be surprised if I find out that her name isn't the real name she's told me so even her love cannot be too genuine. That's how life is. Some can fake their whole identity while some can fake whole years of relationship for their selfish and ulterior motives. They don't care whom they hurt along the way. As long as they could reach their goal set." He continue to shake his leg, as if enjoying the topic and not going through the traumas she's going through.

She nodded her head after a while, as if finally coming to terms on something. "You really do hate her, Sir. But there is no way what she's done does not have an explanation behind it. You just need to calm down and keep the hatred aside to listen. You never know, you might even get back together."

The tears rolled down her eyes at that exact second, she looks so vulnerable and weak. She could feel all her resolve flowing down with the tears into nothingness. Imad does hate her and nothing she does will ever bring him back to her. She feels hopeless and tired to bones. It hurts so much, her chest is aching and the most disheartening part is that, he is not at fault.

"That's where you are wrong, Ms. Adam. Had she explained everything beforehand, we would've worked it out but she didn't. She was going to leave the marriage after two years too. She's reassured her own mother about not getting pregnant during her stay. Tell me, what does that imply? How would you have looked at it?" He's hit the nail right where he should. The way he spatted the word mother had her jumping on her feet. There is no doubt he despise her mother more than he abhors her. Does he know about her death?

"Well, since you don't have an answer, let me tell you what it means." He sat up again on his chair, as if ready to execute felony. "It means, she is going to be with another man after my time is off and she cannot take the baggage of a baby along with her. Or do you have any other explanation for that? For not wanting to have a baby with your husband whom you claim to love?"

"You are right. But maybe you both agreed to not having the baby along the way." Because she knew that was what they agreed upon right before their marriage when her mother insist that she is not going to give birth without telling her the reason.

He couldn't hold back a scoff and huff, she is trying to make him look like the bad person now. "We did, but because she was persistent about finishing school in two years then we can start a family afterwards. Can you believe that? She was going to leave after she's finished studying! Using me to bag her MBA and then run away. Now tell me, will you forgive such a person? And not to forget, you were hopelessly in love."

"I wouldn't but I'd listen to the other side of the story in case if something is amiss. Maybe she was even trying to protect you, who knows?" That's a lie, she was doing nothing but ruining his life.

At this, he rolled his eyes in disbelieve. "Bullshit! Don't give me some sappy story you've been reading during your free time, Ms. Adam. This is reality, real life and that was my life too."

"I understand. Will you give her a second chance though?" She dropped the other part, he isn't the vile one amongst them.

"Second chance? I don't believe in second chances, sweetheart. Those are for people in love while me on the other hand, I'm not in love anymore. My heart is actually dying every minute so there is no use giving second chances." He stood up, removed the buttons of his suit and made his way to the coffee table not to see her crying. His resolve is weakening at the sight and he won't permit it.

"Your heart can't be dying if you've ever been in love. If you've loved her like you claimed, then I'm sure you won't mind giving her a second chance if she asks for it. Maybe you are being hypocritical, Sir. Maybe you also never loved her like you are forcing out." There is accusation in her tone, but he didn't turn around. The trembles and croaks of sobs is enough to tell him that she is still crying.

"Ms. Adam, Ms. Adam! You might not know how it feels getting heartbroken by your own one day old wife but I do and when I say it hurts to even think about it, you've got to believe me. I was a victim." He turned on the machine, leaned his thigh on the counter not to look at her.

Still with his back to her, he continued. "I've got a heart problem because of it. Ruined my life because of it. Became a womanizer, adulterer and also someone who disrespected and abandoned his parents for three years trying to gather his own pain and cure myself before they find out, just because of it -im not blaming her for all these, I couldn't hold myself. So no, I won't ever forgive her nor give her a second chance. She does not deserve it, does she?"

Amirah's palms raced to her lips in pure shock, she wouldn't believe what he is saying. "Are you serious?"

"Have I ever lied to you, Ms. Adam?"

"I didn't know, I swear I knew nothing about the heart problem! Oh my, God! When did that all happened? Why didn't you sought out for revenge on me, Imad? Why didn't you do something to get back at me instead of doing those things? Please kill me if you have to, but forgive me after burying me. I-I..." She was cut off with a glare sent her way, she scrunched.

"This conversation is over, Ms. Adam. It was really nice talking to you about my ex-wife."

"Ima-"

"Back to work, Ms. Adam!"

Back to commenting my people😹 Imad is brutal mehn, so bestial Allah.

You guys are in for the ride o.
Shey you know about my plot twists? Oh yeah, buckle up.

What do you think will happen from here though?

Tut-tut, I'm offff.

Sayonara...