Chance: FINAL Chapter

"Yeah....the event is to be held within 4 days. Have everything ready by then." it was none other than Layaan's voice. Alaya heard the voice nearing and eventually the sound of the door's knob turning and she immediately lay on the bed and pretended to sleep. Because she was simply too nervous to face him especially since this would be their official 'wedding night.' But Layaan was still on his call when he got in the room.

"Don't worry about it. We can control him like a puppet as long as we have his father. And now I even have Alaya in my hands. He would transfer all of his shares to me before we kill him at the event." Alaya's eyes grew wide when she heard those words.

"Yup! My assistants will have everything ready by then. Looking forward to it eagerly.....right now I'm a bit busy at home with my wife. Gotta hang up...Bye." Layaan looked at Alaya as he said those words. Alaya had her eyes closed as it was before when he looked. Layaan put the phone down when the call ended while looking at her face. He began to take slow steps towards her not knowing that her heart pounded with the sound of those steps.

When Layaan reached the bed, he kept his phone on the side table and sat on the bed, refusing to remove his glance from Alaya's face. He'd noticed how her eyebrows were twitching and Alaya was right when she thought he knew that she was awake. Regardless, she tried her best to pull off the act.

A half smile appeared on Layaan's lips before he spoke.

"Alaya Mahmood, the first love of my life. Pfft! Who were you to be an important person to me in the first place? It was just my stupidity.....But you see, you still shouldn't have left me to be embarrassed by others. Do you have any idea how I was mocked at even after so many years at the reunion? No one....NO ONE rejects me!...Huh! Its fun to seek revenge anyway. Especially if the person you are revenge from, has a rich lover.....say goodbye to him when you can. You may not be able to see him again."

Layaan said those words and began to laugh, knowing that Alaya heard it. Alaya was disturbed, very disturbed with those words just as he'd expected. But she knew she had to do something. She knew she had to save Raphael, no matter what.

**

The next day, Alaya woke up to the sound of her alarm for fajr. She turned towards to the side and reached out to her phone that was kept on the side table as she remembered where she was. It took her a few seconds to realize that Layaan had come back. The moment she touched her was the minute she remembered the words Layaan had said. She did not get the chance to open her eyes later that night since Layaan came and lied right next to her. As terrified as she was to be lying next to a potential murderer, Alaya had no choice but to be as she was.

Alaya opened her eyes with a start as she realized that he might still be there. But when she turned around, he wasn't. And the fact that she was still the way she was when she fell asleep last night made her realize that nothing must have happened between them.

Alaya let out a sigh of relief with that realization. Never in her entire life, would she wish to be with someone like Layaan. Why had she married him in the first place? Was it to fill in the loneliness she'd felt when she realized Raphael was married? Or was it the charm that she saw in him? Or maybe it was both. The fact that she didn't refuse to marry Layaan outright though she didn't love him, was to not feel alone anymore. And perhaps to even show Raphael that she had in fact moved on. She shouldn't have done so. Especially not as a show. Especially when that's not something Allah would be pleased with.

That thought reminded Alaya of the conclusions she reached last night. She remembered how impressed she was by the message of the Quran. Just then, she had the sudden urge to get up and pray. And for the first time in her life, she liked the idea of praying for a reason she could not comprehend. She felt a kind of peace in her heart as she got up for the prayer, like she never felt before.

The peace only grew, as she began to pray and read Suratul Fathihah. The first words of that surah brought tears to her eyes as her heart filled with gratitude for Allah. She realized at that moment that regardless of the many wrongs that were happening in her life, there were still so many blessings that she could not begin to count. Her eyes with which she could see, her ears with which she can hear, her hands with which she can feel and her heart that's beating non-stop are all by the favour of Allah.

Her eyes welled up with tears as she counted the blessings of Allah and realized how little she was obeying Allah all her life. And yet how He was forgiving her all the while. She began to cry her eyes out as she felt the love of Allah deep inside her heart. She promised herself to live a life that pleases Allah no matter what. And for some reason, that aim was the thing that ever made so much sense in her entire life.

At the end of the prayer, she made dua to Allah, confessing to Him about how far she was from Him all these years. Confessing how far she was from obeying Him not knowing that obedience to Him would only result in good for her. She repented to Allah with a sincere heart for the first time in her life.

She was going to end her dua at just that. But then she remembered an ayah from the second surah. The ayah said Allah responds to the call of anyone who calls upon Him. Just then, Alaya remembered all her worries in life. Her worry about her marriage to Layaan. How she thought Layaan wouldn't be one who cared about her. How she thought that her current husband is going to commit a murder. How she thought that the person she held dear to her heart for so long was in danger. She immediately made dua for him, before she did even for herself. It took her by surprise about how selfless she became when it came to him. It was just then she realized that only with faith in Allah can she truly love the people she claimed to love.

**

Alaya woke up at 9 AM after she'd fallen asleep after the Fajr prayer. She freshened up and went out of the room hesitantly as she expected Layaan to be there. But to her surprise she did not find him. Samantha had told her that he had gone for his morning workout. Alaya thought of waiting for him to have breakfast but then again, had no interest in facing him. And for all she knew, she wasn't sure he would keep her alive after hearing his words last night.

But when he came home about 30 minutes later, Alaya was compelled to think otherwise. He had a wide smile as he walked in through the door wiping his sweaty forehead.

"Hey darling! What's up?" Layaan walked into the dining room where Alaya was having breakfast and took her by surprise as he kissed her on the cheek. Alaya looked at him, baffled. She was embarrassed to realize that Samantha was standing right near the door. She was disgusted, even more so to have smelled of cigarrete along with the kiss.

Layaan gave a light laugh as he looked at Alaya staring at him. He told Samantha to give them a moment jokingly. Samantha smiled nervously and left. Alaya looked away from Layaan's face as she realized that they were alone for the first time where they both were sure of each other's consciousness. Thinking of what might happen made her heart race. But then again it felt normal within the first few moments.

"Are you nervous much, my love? Too bad you were fast asleep when I came home last night. You missed out on a lot I must say...." Layaan said flirtingly as he took his seat near Alaya. Alaya's hands and feet turned cold from the shock she received from those words. She couldn't have possibly......could she? Just as she thought of it, Layaan gave her a look and laughed.

"Just kidding....was very tired myself and ended up looking at you all night. You were smiling a lot while you were sleeping. Who were you dreaming about?" Layaan asked, as he spread butter on a toast and began munching on it. Alaya lowered her eyes and sighed. She remembered that she'd dreamt of Raphael. It was one of the usual ones where she saw that she was back with him. Alaya closed her eyes tight together not wanting to remember it. What kind of a wife would she be if she told her husband that she was dreaming of some other man? She needed to snap out of it. If Layaan was a decent man, that would have been easy. Forgetting her past love would have been her first priority. But remembering who Layaan was, and knowing that she didn't want to be with him for long, she spoke.

"It was nothing really. Nothing worth sharing." Alaya said casually as she dug into her cereal. She was surprised that she couldn't bring herself to lie even in a tight situation like this. As she was just about to think of the power of the Quran, Layaan spoke.

"Really? I thought it was about your dream of becoming a lawyer." Layaan said, looking at her with careful eyes.

"I don't dream much about a career anymore. Guess that's the effect of marrying too early." Alaya said honestly.

"But I really thought you wanted to serve for justice and all that! Feels too much to do in such an unjust world doesn't it? Which reminds me.....do you happen to know about a person who committed suicide on a train station....about 4 months ago at the New York train station?" Layaan asked, as though curiously wanting to know about it. Alaya paused for a moment, as she remembered that day vividly. That was the day she took a leap of faith and decided to leave home. She remembered herself sitting on a bench at the train station. She remembered the stick thin man who were baggy shirt and jeans. She remembered the hopelessness on his face and the weakness with which he walked. And how he stepped on the train track and got himself in that accident.

"Did he die?!" Alaya ended up asking. Layaan pressed his lips together and nodded.

"He did...just a few days ago. He was in a coma since that accident and passed away last Thursday. Really sad...his family doesn't know why he'd do such a thing. He was in such a good shape when he went to the station didn't he? Or do you happen to remember what he looked like?"

"He wasn't! He wasn't in a good shape. It was as though some kind of situation had over-run him. Or some people had to have blackmailed him. Heard such a thing on the train that day..." Alaya said, trying her best to reach a conclusion. She remembered clearly how the first thing she heard that day about that man was that he was the hotelier of Raphael's company. She had assumed that he committed suicide because the company he was working for was in such a bad shape. But then she'd heard some other rumours on the train to which she hadn't paid much attention. There were rumours that the man was kidnapped before he ended up at the station.

But then again who was she to be thinking about such rumours? This isn't a movie where she was the Head of Intelligence in CIA. Though it would have been cool if she was. Right now she is the wife of a man she never thought she would love. It would be best if she came to terms with it. What a fate she has! Alaya thought as she looked back. For the first time in her life, she took a chance to take a risk for her 'freedom.' She even eloped from her engagement and yet she ended up marrying the person she ran away from. She facepalmed herself in her thoughts as she realized that.

"Hmm....blackmailing is quite a thing these days isn't it? Sad to hear what happened to the man....anyways I'd be leaving early today. Love ya!" Layaan said as he got up and planted another kiss on her cheek. Alaya just sat there forcing a smile on her face as he left the dining room.

Life became quite mundane for Alaya as she spent day in and day out with Layaan. For some reason, Layaan never stayed in the house at night saying that he had a project to work on. Alaya began to doubt those words the third time she heard them. It hurt her just a bit to even think that Layaan was cheating on her. But then again she hasn't seen their relationship as one with love. Despite the charisma Layaan had shown her weeks before their marriage. Layaan's lack of interest in her reminded her of Raphael every once in a while. The way his father had described about how he'd planned for their future still gave her shivers. She couldn't bring herself to even see Raphael's father though he lived in the same house because she knew what he would ask her to do. He would ask her to help him which leaves her clueless on what to do. Though she knew Raphael was in danger, she simply wouldn't know how to fight against Layaan or whoever his assistants were. And though she had multiple confrontations with Layaan about it in her head, she couldn't bring herself to do it for real as she was always afraid of taking any chances. What if Layaan made it all a lie? What if he came with puppy eyes saying that he can't believe that his wife doesn't trust him? Her gut told her that that's exactly what he would do but that's the last thing she wanted to see. She doesn't want to show even an ounce of sympathy to Layaan, knowing what he was up to against Raphael.

She was restless as the days passed by. The words 'within 4 days' kept ringing in her her head all day and all night. What was going to happen to Raphael, within 4 days? No one knew, except Layaan and his assistants. And one more person who was going to foil his plan without him even realizing.

**4 days later**

It was Thursday night and Raphael was in his room, getting ready for the shareholder's meeting to be held that night. The meeting was made into a grand event, as he would be selling his shares to some influential people whom he was forced to make agreements with. That kind of forcing doesn't even come to him as a surprise anymore. In fact, he has even decided to give up all of his wealth, if that's what would cost him peace of mind. The only thing stopping him from doing that was his father who was in need of him. He knew that if he submitted even just with his wealth, it wouldn't end there. His enemy hated him too much to let him be and earn another living. So he was utterly stuck in between.

As Raphael took his tie and tucked it underneath his collar, he heard someone entering the room. He looked back to find Laana in a blue dress that reached up to her knee. Laana would usually wear something fancy and would often do touch up of her make up when she is about to go to events such as the one she'd be going tonight. But for some reason, Raphael found her face groomed with dull colours and unusually she wasn't on her phone either when she walked into the room. Her facial expression was the same since the past 5 days. She was acting different and gloomy ever since Raphael found out that she was having an affair with Layaan and Raphael had reminded her of everything he'd done for her. He didn't mean to make her this way though and he'd never even thought Laana would act as though she came to her senses. Little had he known.

The day Raphael dragged Laana into the house and reminded her of the favours he did as her husband, she'd gotten a call from Layaan. Hearing the harsh words from Layaan at that moment did make her heart incline towards Raphael. But she didn't want that to happen. So she tried hard to forget about what Raphael said and remember all the happy moments she'd spent with Layaan. She went to the club all by herself in hope that a few drinks would help her do so. But as she sat at the bar and gulped down her third drink, she thought she heard Layaan's voice. She looked to the side and saw him just 4 seats away from her. At first she thought she was imagining things because of her drinks. But what she saw wasn't changing even after she squinted her eyes and opened them wide. She still saw Layaan sitting at the bar with a bright smile. Wondering what Layaan was doing without any other person related to business, Laana got off from her seat to go to him. But just then, she saw another woman stand right next to Layaan calling him 'Babe.' As Laana's feet stopped just where they were, Layaan grabbed the young woman by her waist and brought her closer and gave her a light kiss. Laana immediately felt her eyes well up with tears as she saw the scene. Her sight blurred and she felt like throwing up then and there. She remembered the number of days she'd asked Layaan to marry her and yet he refused every single time. They'd met through their fathers one of whom is a lawyer while the other is a judge. They happened to like each other's company when they met each other at her house while their fathers were having a meeting of their own about 3 years ago. Since then, they were friends and soon Layaan had proposed and she'd gotten in a relationship with him. Through that relationship, Laana got to know all about Layaan. Beginning from his first love Alaya to his rage and jealousy towards the well-known business tycoon Raphael. Layaan shared with Laana about his passion to get revenge on Raphael by getting all of Raphael's business on his own fingertips. Since they both didn't have any sense of morality or justice just like their fathers, Laana got her hands dirty just for Layaan's planned revenge against Raphael. She'd gotten married to Raphael against her will a few months ago as part of the plan too. She'd proposed Raphael just so she would know about his weaknesses and she could keep Layaan informed about them. She was touched by Raphael's character from the first day though. He'd told her honestly about how he'd loved just one girl all his life and how he was having a difficult time forgetting her. He only agreed to marry Laana on the condition that she was okay with that. Laana tried to test Raphael's patience after marriage by getting close to him. But never did Raphael raise his anger with her though he was clearly disturbed by it. Laana had gotten to know that the Alaya Raphael loves is the same girl that Layaan wanted revenge over. After that point, Laana began to raise her voice with Raphael as she only saw Layaan's side of the story. From Layaan's perspective, Raphael was the bad guy trying to steal the love of his life.

But as Laana stood there in the club that day, with music blasting in her ears and tears rolling down her cheeks, she realized who of them was the bad person. She realized that she was crossing the oceans for a person who wouldn't give her the time of the day while turning her back on the one who could have shown her what true love is.

With a pain and a rage building up in her chest Laana began to take steps towards Layaan with her fist clenched as she tried her best not to break down. But just then, she heard him speak.

"Oh Babe! You don't know much about me do you. When I hate someone, I do it till the very end. I don't just hold a grudge. I make sure they regret what they did or if they don't.....I still don't stop until they stop breathing the same air as I am." Layaan said, as he arrogantly looked into space with a half smile. Hearing Layaan's words reminded Laana of what he had planned against Raphael. That would literally be his last and final blow on Raphael. Laana felt shivers down her spine as she saw the plan coming to be. She couldn't bring herself to imagine Raphael in that position so at once, she went out of the club knowing which side she was going to take this time.

"Laana...what's wrong?" Raphael said with a blink as he looked at Laana who was staring into space longer that he'd expected. Laana looked at him as she brought her thoughts back to the present. She gave Raphael a smile.

"Its...nothing. Just feeling a bit sick within the past few days. Must be because I was just too busy with the hosting script for the event...may I?" Laana asked as she reached Raphael and grabbed the two sides of the tie. She began to tie it as Raphael nodded surprisingly at both her gesture and what she said.

"Scripts aren't supposed to be that hectic for you though....as a writer at a TV station." Raphael said doubtfully. Laana gave a light laugh.

"Who knows? Things you usually find easy could become hectic. Just like the people whom you loved so much, could become a reason for a major heartache." Laana said while tying the knot on Raphael's tie, then again losing herself in her thoughts. Raphael furrowed his eyebrows trying to figure out what was up with Laana. He was about to say something when she spoke again.

"Can I ask you for something, Raphael?"

"Yes?"

"It's just.....I think that I'm not going to be around here after a while...when I'm gone, please go back to Alaya will you?" Laana said, as she slowly tightened the knot of the tie around Raphael's collar.

"What? Why are you saying this to me? Wh....where are you going?" Raphael asked curiously, partially thinking that all of this could be part of an evil plan.

"Can't tell you that Raphael....to be honest I don't even know. I just know that you are one of the best men I have ever come across my entire life and you deserve happiness like no other. And Alaya deserves to have your love since she wouldn't be one to cheat on you...."

"What is this about, Laana?" Raphael asked again, clearly knowing that Layaan would never want him to be with Alaya. He wondered what he was planning with Laana.

Laana laughed again.

"Can't trust a hell of a woman like me anymore can you? Damn! If you would, I would have eloped with you somewhere far away right now and pretend like no one else existed. But I guess it's just too late and I lost my chance..." Laana said and slowly slid her hand down Raphael's chest before moving away, turning her back on him and walking out the door. Raphael was still left in wonder about the words she said.

**

An hour later, Raphael was seated on the front row of the huge hall in which the shareholder's meeting was going to be held. He shared the row with Laana next to him and other the notables of the event while other guests were still arriving from the main door of the hall. Raphael looked at the stage with the podium in the middle and fully lit with the unnoticeable lights hung at the top and decorative round lamps, large and small that were arranged alternatively around the stage except for the front edge where the podium was kept.

"Pretty lamps aren't they?" Laana asked out of the blue.

"Pretty....but I guess it's too much light though don't you think?" Raphael asked.

"Apparently the people who prepared the stage didn't think so..." Laana said. With that, silence fell between them. Raphael was at ease, still looking around the hall making sure everything looked okay. While Laana was hesitantly looking at Raphael as though she was considering to say something.

"Aren't you going to tell Alaya, Raphael?" Laana asked.

"About what?"

"The truth, that is keeping you away from her."

"Which truth are y....." Raphael's words paused there as he realized what Laana was talking about. Within an instant, he pictured Alaya's father giving some instructions to a group of men. Raphael sighed as he remembered what he was doing that day.

"I know its hard Raphael, but you can't keep it from her. The more you do, the more it will hurt her. And after a while when I'm gone you have to go to her anyway. You have to help her through...."

"Can we not talk about this?!" Raphael said, frustrated to a certain point. He would have been utterly furious if he hadn't the hint of realization that what Laana was right. He needed to tell Alaya the truth. He should have told her, a long time ago. But he didn't, out of fear. Fear of losing her for good, if she thought that he was accusing her father. He'd thought that she would absolutely hate him, if he spoke the truth. And that was too harsh of a reality that he didn't want to face. That was a chance that he wasn't willing to take.

Laana was about to say something further, when her phone rang. She took her phone from her small handbag and as soon as she saw the number, she looked at the side of the hall. There was a young man all in black, with a cap, shirt, jacket and jeans. He carried a laptop bag as he walked by. Laana excused herself from Raphael as she began to walk in the opposite direction as that man through the middle of the hall. When Laana reached the main door, the man disappeared into the back stage. Laana answered the call as she stood near edge of the door.

"Are you ready to do what I told you to do?" Laana asked. She immediately received a positive answer from the other end.

"Good! All you have to do is make them work right at the end of the hall event when people start leaving. That way, you won't be in trouble either...just say that there was a malfunction and it happened to get delayed." Laana said. Then again she got a yes from the man and she ended a call with a smile. Just then, she got startled when Layaan appeared from the outside, right in front of her. She was overwhelmed with fear as she saw the smile on his lips but a rage in his eyes. Just as she wondered if he heard what she said, he spoke.

"Hi!" he said.

"H..Hi.." Laana said nervously.

"It's been a while. How have you been babe? How about catching up after the event?" Layaan asked with a wink.

"Y...yeah let's do that." Laana said, trying not to think about how she'd seen Layaan with another woman and hoping he didn't hear her just now. Layaan smiled and gave her a light peck on the cheek.

"You go ahead...I'll come right behind you. We can't be seen together now can we?" Layaan said putting his hands in his pockets. Laana agreed and began to walk back in, trying to steady her breath.

As Laana went out of his sight, Layaan picked out his phone from his pocket. He dialed a number and put the phone on his ear with a furious look on his face.

"Don't you dare! Don't you dare do as that woman said if you want to be alive...I've changed my plans too. Press the damn button when the host of the event gets on stage. I better see that happening tonight!" Layaan said in a lowered yet enraged voice. His teeth gritted as he disconnected the call and angrily took it off his ear as he went into the hall.

Slowly as more and more guests gathered, the hall was getting full and everyone knew it was time to begin the event. Just as every event held by Raphael's company, the event began with the recitation of Quran. As Laana listened to the verses being recited, she was reminded of how fond Raphael was of Quran. He would often be found with a translation of the Quran or a detailed explanation of it. He would often ask her if she would want to listen to something and she would act harsh towards him every time he began to explain an ayah.

A guilty conscience built up in Laana's heart as she heard the recitation coming to an end. As the man who recited the Quran began walking down the stage, Laana knew it was her turn to go up. But before she stood up, she spoke with Raphael.

"When we get home, can you tell me about what he recited? I want to learn more..." Laana said, genuinely wanting to learn. It was as though taking just one step in helping someone, made her heart turn towards Allah's word. But Raphael was taken aback by what she said since he didn't know the risk Laana was taking. He just ended up saying 'sure' as a response and Laana stood up to go on stage. As she walked past the guests in the first row, her eye caught Layaan's. The glare she saw in his eyes made her heart tremble in fear. Especially as she realized that she was walking right into the middle of the trap that Layaan had made. But she got on the stage, convincing her heart that everything would go just fine. Little had she known.

However, as Layaan was just about to call the man hidden in backstage when Laana got on the podium, his phone vibrated as someone called him. He rolled his eyes to see Alaya's name on screen. Yet he picked up in an attempt to not make her more suspicious of him. He somewhat knew that she knows about his plan as she might have heard him talking on the phone. He doesn't need another headache after he is done with Raphael. So he answered the call.

"Hello darling I'm at the event I told you about. Call ya later!" Layaan whispered and was about to disconnect the call immediately.

"Wait! I...I need to ask you something....wh...which company's event are you at?" Alaya asked and Layaan frowned even more.

"You probably guessed it right....I'm at the event held by Raphael's company. Can't believe you still talk about him, love." Layaan turned his voice into an emotional one in an attempt to give the impression that he was sad thereby making Alaya guilty. And he'd assumed that right. Alaya did feel guilty at least for that moment.

"Well I...." as Alaya was just about to say something, Layaan heard a beep and he knew he was getting another call. He realized even before looking at the screen who was calling and spoke to Alaya.

"Darling I'm gonna call you later. I need to pick up this call." Layaan said and was about to end the call with Alaya before picking up the next one. But without realizing he kept Alaya on hold as he spoke with the man.

"No need to call me you fool! Just press make those work!" Layaan said. The man on the other end got upset and disconnected the call immediately and this time, Layaan didn't hear the sound that came with it since the audience was clapping.

"Press it right now. I must see her burning in the fire within the next 10 seconds. Don't worry about Raphael. I'll make sure he doesn't get out of here and no one calls the fire station!" Layaan said and put an end to the call without even looking at the screen. On the other end of the phone, was Alaya who was holding her breath the entire time. It took her a while to catch her breath and the moment she did, she called the fire station at once.

On the other end, the clock began to tick on the laptop of the man in the backstage. Laana was still at the podium, explaining the agenda for the night with light smiles. Without her knowing she was passing the last few seconds of her life. The timer on the laptop screen showed 3, then 2 and then 1. Next thing the people heard were loud explosions of the lamps arranged on the stage. Raphael along with others in the audience got up in an instant as they saw Laana getting startled and tripping on her heels onto the stage floor. The sparks from the lamps spread fire all across the stage as though there was fuel already on there. As people were just about to go rescue Laana, more such lamps exploded from the side of the hall and fire began to spread wild all around the hall. Screams filled the whole place as people began running towards the emergency exit but the door happened to be closed from the other end. The two people who knew that, Layaan and his father headed to the backstage and found their way out from the exit door in the back stage along with the man who caused the explosion. Raphael who was still looking all around and back at Laana repeatedly began to run towards the stage. But just as he reached the stage, fire that had caught on the curtains reached the huge lights on the top which ultimately fell right on Laana.

"Laana!!!" Raphael's voice echoed through all the screams that filled the hall.

**2 months later**

It was the beginning of a new year. Raphael stayed in the house on that snowy day since it was a day off. He looked out the window of his apartment as snow fell while he sipped on his coffee with the mug in his hand. He was hearing the news on the TV in the background as he stood there.

".....due to the continuous requests of the victim's father, the investigation on the fire incident that occurred during the shareholders meeting of the Lightspeed business', which is now named as Layaan and co. is still being continued. Rumour has it that the victim had contact with the one behind the incident just minutes before it occurred and thus many are assuming that it was a suicidal act disguised as an accident. Her close friends testify that she was unhappy with her married life...." Raphael heard those words for the umpteenth time that month. So it did not come to him as a surprise. He knew from the start that the people who were behind the incident will manipulate the news too. And they would take advantage of the fact that he didn't love Laana as his wife.

That thought reminded Raphael of something and he looked at his study table right next to him. He pulled the drawer and found a paper neatly folded in it. He took it out and unfolded it before him. It was a letter Laana had left for him on the table just before they'd left for the event.

"Dear Raphael,

I know I've not been the best wife to you and now you know that I sided with your enemies. So what I'm about to say may appear unbelievable to you but I want to save you from their clutches and I have a plan. I hope that this plan will work in saving you but it will put me in trouble. I don't know what Layaan will do to me if he found out. And I can't believe I'm risking myself to save you. But I think you are worth it. You are definitely the best husband anyone can ever have. I was the one wretched enough to not have seen it before. So I wish you all the happiness in the world as I say this goodbye.

Love

Laana"

The emotions that built up in Raphael's heart as he read that letter for the eighth time in the past few weeks was the same even at that moment. That night, he'd seen Laana's burnt body being taken to the hospital in an ambulance. He had rushed to his car and followed the ambulance all the way to the hospital. But it happened to be that Laana was already gone before she reached the hospital. Raphael found himself in a shock as he heard the news. He wasn't sure what to feel at that moment. He felt numb at the loss of someone who he thought at least was beginning to care about him. A tear fell from one of his eyes when he was at Laana's funeral as he remembered the last moments he spent with her and as he blamed himself for her death because her grieving father was saying the same thing.

But he knew from that very moment that he wasn't to blame. And became sure of it when he came home to find this letter. From the moment he read the letter, he thought long and hard about what Laana had asked him to do. Should he tell Alaya the truth about her father? But what if she doesn't trust him? It's not like he has solid evidence on it either. The only person who could have given the evidence died in a train accident months ago.

Raphael's thoughts reached a dead end at that, like always. He still missed Alaya as though she'd just left him at the station. It still pained to realize that she was with someone like Layaan. He clearly knew that Layaan was still having affairs with other women. Raphael thought of speaking to Alaya's father about it multiple times. But then again her father has something against him so he wasn't able to.

Where must Alaya be, right at this moment? Raphael thought as he touched the window and looked at the crowd down the street. Just at that moment, he got a call from his co-manager who was looking after the estates he was renting now that his business was out of his hands. His father was thankfully with him and he was getting him treated with the rental money he was getting. He thought to himself why he hadn't given up the business sooner. But then again he didn't think Layaan's need for revenge will end with just getting the company. Perhaps he thinks that keeping Alaya with him is enough of a revenge. And he would be right if he thinks that.

"Salaam...what is it Naveed?" Raphael asked since he didn't think Naveed would call during an off day.

"Sorry I had to call at this time, sir. But the lady who rented your special cottage in Cairo to have a Quran class wants to have a small celebration at the house tonight. She said she wants to keep such celebrations weekly to celebrate the kids who are able to tell the meanings of the ayahs...she said she'd do all the preparations on her own." he heard the man say. Raphael closed his eyes as he remembered that house. That was the house he'd built in order to start a living with Alaya once they were together. He'd decided not to rent that house no matter what else he rented but he couldn't refuse when he heard that a woman wanted a place in Cairo to start a Quran class for kids. He'd asked Naveed to find out about the woman and since Naveed told him that the woman seems to be decent, he didn't ask much. Because he trusted Naveed and he knew Naveed would observe the house just as much he observes his estates in New York.

"Yes....let her do so. She hasn't violated any of our conditions in the agreement and is only using the study of the house for her activities. So we must let her, since she is doing something good." Raphael said and Naveed agreed.

Alaya's POV

Alaya hurried out of the house with bags full of things need for the night's party. She opened the door of the taxi waiting outside the house and kept the bags in the backseat. It was a chilly night in Cairo though it wasn't snowing so Alaya wore a long brown coat on top of the black abaya and shawl that she wore.

"Don't forget this! The kids are going to eat you up if you do!" called out Asma as she handed out a medium-sized paper bag to Alaya. Alaya took it with a smile as she realized that the bag has the gifts.

"Call me if you need any help!" Asma said as Alaya got in the car.

"Trust me I wouldn't. The kids won't let me do a thing. And I have ordered food from Mariyam's. So they are going to bring them and arrange them on time. Gotta rush! Bye!" Alaya said as she closed the door. She waved a final goodbye to her sister.

Alaya got lost in thoughts as she looked out the window to see the darkening sky. So much has happened within the past few months that sometimes she keeps forgetting who she was 2 months ago. She still remembered the night of the fire like it happened yesterday. She'd heard Layaan saying to press a button and that he wouldn't spare Raphael. She'd called the fire station immediately and had gotten on a taxi though she didn't know the address she'd had to go to. She'd just told the driver to take her to the event held by Lightspeed businesses and to her luck, the driver happened to know. Her heart pounded heavily during that journey and her heart stopped when she saw the building on fire. She got off the taxi with tears in her eyes, imagining Raphael in the worst possible condition. As she was about to run into the building, she saw him looking at an ambulance. She heard him call out by the name 'Laana' as they both saw the ambulance's door closing. He had at once run to his taxi and before Alaya could make a single move and sped up his car to follow that ambulance.

Alaya still remembered how exhausting that moment felt. The moment when she truly realized man towards whom she held feelings for so long, and she hoped would 'rescue' her from her miserable marriage was now not hers at all. It felt heavier on her heart when she returned home and had to face Layaan who was all smiles even after that huge catastrophe he had caused.

"Well well well.....look who's here? Where had you gone? To rescue your long lost love....I'm afraid he isn't coming back. I don't think many people would survive that fire." Layaan said, when he still didn't know that Raphael had survived. Hearing his words, while having a heavy heart and coming to terms with the fact that she has lost everything anyway, Alaya rose her voice for the first time before Layaan.

"Who are you to decide who survived and who didn't? Its only Allah Who protects His slaves. The people whom He decides to protect, no one can harm them." Alaya found herself saying. She surprised herself with the words she said. Where was she getting this from? Then she remembered how she'd read some of the meanings of some ayahs. Just then, Layaan spoke.

"Whoa! Look whose become the sheikh of the house. Haha! Really? Those that Allah protects will not be harmed? Well then are you one of those who is protected? Lets see what your God does!" Layaan said that and grabbed Alaya's hair through her hijab. Alaya screamed in pain as tears came to her eyes. Layaan laughed at the scene.

"Look who's been protected by God! Tell your God to wipe those tears for you!" Layaan said that angrily and he pushed her down onto the floor, crying her eyes out.

Layaan's torture on her continued for days and Alaya almost believed the mockery Layaan was making on her. Her already weak faith became even weaker when she didn't see the Help of Allah coming right away. She tried calling her family or even the police multiple times but Layaan broke her phone into pieces and won't let her go near the landline. She cried desperately in her room and she called out to Allah though her faith in Him was weak. Because she realized she didn't have anyone to turn to besides Him.

Then one day, just as she was about to give up all hope, Samantha came into the room she was locked in. Samantha called her and woke her up as she lay on the floor.

"Madam...please wake up and leave this morning. The man left to go to LA just now and he wouldn't be back for a while. I'm going to be leaving this house today too as I wouldn't be left to live if I help you. So lets go together and leave with the first train we catch." Samantha had said and Alaya still remembered how that lifted her spirit.

So that day, Alaya packed her things and left the house along with Samantha. Alaya had asked about Raphael's father but she found out that Layaan left him to Raphael as soon as Raphael gave all of his businesses besides his estates to Layaan. Layaan wasn't able to take the estates as they weren't registered under the grand business that Raphael handles. Alaya was relieved to hear that, partly because Raphael would still be able to make a living through those estates and partly because she realized that those estates include the house Raphael had built to live with her.

After a few hours of a ride with Samantha, Alaya got off at a station in New York. She went back to her house without any second thoughts. Like every other decision in life, she hesitated to tell her parents that she immediately wanted a divorce from Layaan. That she didn't even want to be even in the same country as his because she feared that he will find her out. In fact she didn't speak a word after going home even when everyone asked questions. She just got in her room and locked the door. Her parents rose their voices but she was too overwhelmed to say anything. Never in her entire life did she think that she would be tortured by her spouse and she would need to flee away from him. The thought brought her to tears and she ended up crying. After a while when she stopped, the voices from outside had calmed down. And someone unlocked the door from the outside and came in. It was none other than her sister Asma. Alaya looked at her and then again hid her face on her knees as she sat on the floor. She had expected nothing more from Asma, as she was the most religious. Alaya thought that if Asma heard her story, she would tell her to go back to her husband. Because Alaya had heard from her mother that in Islam, a girl has to obey her husband no matter what.

Hence she was quiet for a while, even when Asma began to ask questions. She didn't budge even by an inch.

"Not saying anything isn't going to help Alaya. Tell us what happened! Is it Layaan? I swear if that Layaan guy did something terrible to you, he's so dead!" Asma said that in rage. Alaya looked at her in shock. That's the last thing she'd expected her sister to say. At once she said that he did do something horrible. And told her the whole story from the beginning to the end. Asma heard the story and without even saying a word, she went out of the room. Alaya called out to her but she wouldn't stop. When Alaya came out of her room, Asma called out mom and dad to the living room. When they asked what happened, Asma spoke.

"Alaya needs to get a divorce from Layaan!" that's the first thing Asma said and it equally shocked Alaya as everyone else.

"What happened though?" Mahmood asked worriedly.

"The guy has tortured Alaya the whole time while going out with other woman and Alaya is only able to inform us about this just now!" Asma said angrily.

"But....but I'm sure there is a misunderstanding. A girl shouldn't ask for a divorce for petty things Asma and you know that!" Waleeda said, worrying that her daughter's future will end if her first marriage ended.

"Petty? You call torture petty, mom? Just look at her mom. Look at her eyes. Does that tell you that something just so petty happened. She couldn't even open her mouth after coming miles away from him because of how much she feared him!" Asma said, defending Alaya.

"But still.....we can still talk this through with Layaan I'm sure." Waleeda said, looking at Alaya. Asma couldn't believe her ears.

"Wallaahi mom if you don't help Alaya get out of this mess, I will! Because all of us need to answer to Allah about anyone who asked for help against torture. Let alone a family member!" Asma said and began to walk away. She held Alaya's hand as they both walked back into the room.

Due to Asma continuously fighting for Alaya and her not giving up on her claim, Mahmood and Waleeda eventually gave in and within a couple of days, Alaya signed the papers of divorce. Alaya told them not to inform Layaan of this before she got out of the country. So she left to go to Egypt just on that day. For some reason, she did not hear from Layaan even after she heard that he'd even signed the papers once he was back. Why would he care anyway now? He had the company and the 'cowboy' he was trying to bring down was now beneath him and his 'success'.

So Alaya got a chance to start fresh in a place she'd never expected. In the beginning, the life she began in Cairo was boring. She just helped her grandmother with some chores and just sat around the house taking care of a small garden she began to make in the backyard. Asma had asked her to go back to New York but she didn't want to. She just wanted to be left alone, especially with the thought that Raphael was not hers. Though she heard from the news that Laana passed away during the fire incident, she still didn't want to go back to Raphael. She assumed he would be grieving the loss of his wife who perhaps attempted a suicide because of him. So it would be too much for him to even remember Alaya exists. She probably didn't have a space in his heart anymore.

Alaya fell into a kind of depression with that realization. She didn't know why she didn't feel like going out much and why she stayed in her room. She didn't know that it was because of her heart that was grieving and eating her up ever so silently. As she was just about to drown in those feelings, she got a call from Asma.

"Why don't you start learning Arabic with me?" Asma had asked her on the phone. She said that she recently joined an online Arabic class and would love to have some of Alaya's help as she was always the 'smart head' of the family. Alaya puked at the idea of joining at first. Of all languages in the world, why did it have to be Arabic? She doesn't even like anything about Arabs except the city of Dubai and its tall buildings. But then again, she realized who she was talking to. It was Asma, who'd started wearing Arab clothing and began to use Arabic words even before learning Arabic. Little had she known that it wasn't a thing about Arabs. That it was about a faith that was sent down to all of humanity.

"I thought you'd said you wanted to know what Quran says..." Asma reminded her. And just then, the thought clicked and Alaya agreed at once. When she began the course, she thought it wouldn't amount to much. But within a few weeks, Alaya began to know the meanings of ayahs she was reciting in Quran. Eventually she even began to look up lectures about the Quran and listen to them. The explanation of literally every single ayah brought her to tears. When she realized that the Messenger (SAW) was sent as a mercy to all of mankind. That the Quran was sent down as a healing for what lies within the chests. She cried even more as she realized the peace she'd felt just after beginning to learn about the Quran. How all of her worries would disappear into thin air every time she engaged with the book of Allah.

Then came the time in Alaya's life where she truly turned towards Allah. This time, with the intention of never turning back. As a result, she found herself becoming more firm with her decisions. She no longer hesitated to make any decision, as long as it was pleasing to Allah.

So she changed the way she dressed, though she knew her grandmother would criticize when a young girl like her dressed that way. She began to recite the Quran out loud, though her recitation was not so good. She took a leap of faith, and decided to teach what she learned. Since her house was small, she needed to look for a place where she could keep classes for kids. In the beginning, she'd never thought she'd ever even get a place or any kids would show up. But bit by bit, she saw all of her duas being answered one by one.

And today, there she was in her second home. Alaya told herself as the taxi stopped at a house with an up to date attractive design yet small enough to call it more of a 'home' than a mansion. Alaya got out of the car and just then, the older kids that had volunteered to help her came to her. She handed them the bags and told them what to do. She reminded them over and over to not let anything fall anywhere else except the study room. The kids ran into the house before her as Naveed opened the door for them. Naveed gave her a smile and she walked past him. Alaya took her time walking through the narrow path that lead to the house. She loved the flower plants of different colours that appeared on either side of the road and all around the house. The smell of the flowers make her take a deep breath every time she'd walked that path. When she got into the house, she found her dream living room, with a fire place and a small fridge right near the cozy sofas. She found herself smiling every time she saw that. This place was something. She thought every time she took a look around any corner of that house. It was as though it was her ultimate dream house. She'd completely forgotten about the house Raphael's father had told her about.

Nonetheless Alaya came out of her dream out to work when she got into the study. She began to decorate the place with balloons along with the 5 kids. She joked with them as usual as they worked together. But for some reason, Alaya felt a tension in the air. There was a new kid named Maiman. Maiman had joined classes just last week and his face was serious ever since he heard Alaya's full name. Alaya wondered why. She clearly knew that Maiman was talking about her with other kids behind her back. Alaya tried to jokingly find out what it was about but she failed. Maiman seemed like he had something serious against her.

Even that night as they were working, Alaya gave him a wink and that 13 year-old looked away. Alaya's smile faded as she tied up a balloon.

"Maiman, let's step out a bit and have a talk shall we?" Alaya walked up to him and said. To her surprise, Maiman didn't even look at her.

"Couldn't you hear me dear? Let's go have a talk. If we are mad at each other we must work hard to solve the problem. As muslims, when we hurt one another its like hurting our own selves." Alaya said and even then, Maiman continued with the work he was doing without looking up. Alaya, still trying to hold her anger called out his name and at once he stood up and shouted.

"Don't you dare say my name again you daughter of a murderer!" Maiman said and dead silence fell in the room.

"Wh....What did you say? Murderer?" Alaya said, picturing her further and thinking that this was a heinous joke. Or a misunderstanding.

"Yes! Mahmood killed my father!" Maiman said and Alaya's eyes grew wide. She could not believe her ears.

"Are you sure about which Mahmood you are talking about?" Alaya asked with a shaky voice.

"Sure I do! I followed you home and found him out. He's that fat old man with thin white hair!" Maiman said. Alaya looked side to side with her heart beating fast against her chest.

"Sure he didn't point a gun at my dad. But he was the one assigned to keep him quiet. Because my father was going to report how that evil Layaan was blackmailing Raphael bro using a girl he loved. My father worked at Raphael bro's company and also Layaan's house part time so he had collected evidence from cctv on the night Layaan blackmailed Raphael. He had brought a guy near that girl and Raphael brother was willing to do anything he said....my father knew all this and he was going to report it to police. But when my father went out of town to New York, Layaan's father informed Mahmood who was also in the same city to 'take care of him'. So the first thing Mahmood did was he bribed some men to kidnap my father. Even after he was escaped, some men found him at the station and blackmailed him to get on the track to make it seem like a suicide!" Maiman shouted out and Alaya eyes had reddened at that point. She remembered the man at the station. How that had happened right before her eyes. She had a hard time coming to terms with the fact that it was because of her father. But if it was, her father will need to answer to her. With that thought, Alaya looked at Maiman.

"Let's go to him with me, if you want justice for your father." Alaya said. In the beginning, Maiman disagreed. But Alaya assured him that even she will be against her father if Maiman was proven to be right. With that assurance, Maiman left the house with Alaya in the taxi.

Since it was the holidays, everyone in New York had come back to Cairo for the vacation. Alaya was glad they were because she wouldn't rest until this news was clear to her. Till the very moment she came in front of her father along with Maiman, Alaya wished her father was innocent. And Mahmood had even denied the first time Alaya told him the story in the middle of the living room when everyone was there.

"I...I don't know anything about this." his voice came out in frustration and at once it gave away to everyone that he was hiding something

"Liar!" Maiman had shouted out. Alaya held onto him and spoke.

"Dad please....please tell us if you are guilty. Even if you aren't caught right now, you will be caught later on. If you don't get caught in this world, Allah still Knows." Alaya said, as she came close to tears. Mahmood looked down with a sigh as he realized that he had no way out. There was no way he could lie to his family without them knowing that he is. So finally he spoke.

"I wasn't the one who killed him though. It was Ahmed who told me to. And it was those men who blackmailed him. I never wanted him to be killed. It was Ahmed who helped me years ago to get a good job in New York. That was how I was able to take the family back to New York from here Alaya. So I couldn't just turn back when he asked me to do something...." Mahmood confessed and the whole family was brought to a shock. Mahmood realized that and spoke in desperation.

"Please.....please forgive me for this. I did it to provide the best for the family. Ahmed was helping me all along." Mahmood said, as tears welled up in his eyes.

"No! You wont be forgiven! You must pay for killing my father!" Maiman shouted out and Alaya still held him back.

"He's right, dad. The best thing to do now is paying for the mistake you did. And speaking out against those who made you do this. Only then will you be able to live in peace." Alaya said. With those words, Mahmood fell onto his knees, crying.

Within the next few weeks, Mahmood confessed that he helped Ahmed, the lawyer in kidnapping and attempting to murder the hotelier of Lightspeed businesses. Soon after that, both Ahmed and Layaan were called to court. Layaan was already being arrested at a jail in New York for overdosing girls with drugs. He himself was overdosed with a drug when he got in jail. Ahmed tried to escape court hearings but Raphael heard about the hearings from an Egyptian channel and he informed the police. Ahmed was caught and a lifelong sentence was passed on him along with blood money while Mahmood got a 3 year sentence along with a fine.

Alaya and her entire family cried the day they saw their father being taken to jail. For one moment, Alaya regretted for speaking against her father. But she calmed herself down by telling herself that she did the right thing standing up for justice. Even if it be against her family.

With time, Alaya and her family came to terms with the fact that their father was in jail. Even her father came to terms with the fact that he made a mistake and he no longer cried about it ever since he made a sincere tawba with the help of her daughters who visited him regularly.

Alaya decided to resume her Quran classes, weeks after her father got in jail. She visited her father that evening, then headed back to the house where her class will be held. To her surprise, the door was opened and the kids were already in the house. That was odd because Naveed would only open the door when she came. Thinking about what was going on, Alaya got into the house and heard the kids laughing from the dining room. Her heart nearly jumped out of her chest as she realized that the kids better not step in any other room other than the study.

"Kids! What in the world are you doing you need to get out of there!" Alaya said in one breath as she walked across the living room into the dining room. To her surprise, all kids were seated around the dining table and there were tea and short eats for everyone.

"How....who opened the door for you? What are you doing here?" Alaya asked, not being able to make sense of the situation. She didn't know that someone had appeared from right behind her just then.

"The owner of the house let us in." Maiman said, with a smile.

"The owne....dont tell me Brother Naveed let you in. Brother Naveed never opens the door without telling your sister here." Alaya said, a bit frustrated.

"Its not brother Naveed. He's right behind you." a younger kid said.

"Behi..." Alaya said up to there and turned around. Just then, a balloon was popped on top of her head like a party popper and glittery bits of papers fell on her head. When the kids began to laugh, she opened her eyes to blurt out at anyone who did that to her but she froze, when she saw who it was. It was none other than Raphael, who had that smile that captivated her heart so many years ago. Whom she had feelings for for the first time in her life and she never really stopped.

Alaya just stood there, frozen not knowing what to say. Just then, Raphael's father entered the living room on a wheelchair and he spoke.

"Are you just going to stay there or are you going to say something?" Hamidh said.

"Look at the cake Alaya sis! Brother Raphael made the cake for you!" a teenage girl called out. Alaya looked at the cake in the middle of the table and back at Raphael. Raphael looked down and brushed the back of his head nervously as though to say he had nothing to do with it. Alaya looked at him suspiciously and went to take a look at the cake. "Will you marry me?" were the words written on the cake. As she looked at those words, her eyes blurred with tears, as her heart reminded her of how she had missed Raphael all this time. Raphael walked up to her and said "Well?" and she ended up saying "Yes!" with tears rolling down her eyes and knowing for sure this time, that this wasn't a chance she wouldn't take.

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=THE END=