➺Chapter Thirty-Eight
It was well past midnight and Aaida could no longer deny the burden of guilt in her heart. The first time around, she had told herself she would never make the mistake of going behind her husband's back. Yet, the more logical, rational part of her brain pressed for her to make this decision. The only person of any power over Lord Usman was Azrael and it was clear he wasn't willing to go head-to-head with him for fear of his own secrets being exposed. But there was one secret of his that Aaida knew as well. One that could shatter his entire reputation, destroy his marriage, and turn their country against him. A secret that threatened to take the throne from him.
Aaida felt no sympathy for Azrael. Yet, she knew her actions could also harm someone else. Someone innocent who trusted her wholeheartedly. Someone she could not bear to betray.
She promised herself she wouldn't have to.
And so, she made the call well after Zaeem was fast asleep. The car arrived in the dead of the night and she slipped away after pressing a kiss to Zayden's forehead and ensuring, with a few well-placed pillows, that Zaeem would not notice she was gone. The chauffeur greeted her with a nod of his head,
"Lady Aaida."
She tried to ignore the queasiness welling inside her and the pressing ache in her chest that she was doing something wrong. If she wasn't in such a desperate situation, she would've considered a different option. Unfortunately for her, and her family, she had none.
The drive took a bit of time and she opted for resting her head against the cold glass of the window. Her eyelids drooped and her shoulders slumped as the exhaustion of the day caught up to her. She might have nodded off in the time it took for them to arrive at her destination. Finally though, the car came to a halt and the chauffeur stepped out to open the door for her.
"Allow me to escort you, milady," he said with another nod. She wasn't given the chance to ask where, exactly. He rushed off to the entrance of the grand building in front of her. She followed after him, walking from one corridor to the next, passing through doors and archways. He was always a few steps ahead of her, making sure she didn't have to open anything herself. Aaida would've asked him to stop if she wasn't in a hurry to meet the man she had called at such an ungodly hour.
The room they stopped at was already occupied. Aaida took a moment to gather her wits, inhale deeply, and square her shoulders before she stepped inside.
"Aaida. Why did I have a feeling you would eventually see the light?"
She folded her arms over her chest.
"Azrael."
The King turned around to face her, tilting his head with a satisfied smirk playing on his lips.
"I'm glad you don't use my title. It would've been annoying having to get you out of that habit. Now, the divorce-"
"I'm not going to divorce Zaeem, Azrael," she pursed her lips in distaste over the mere thought of it, "nor am I going to engage in an illicit affair with you. I'm here to discuss something completely different."
"The will," Azrael rolled his eyes. "Must you ruin my mood, Aaida? Why don't we let Leo and Tasawar handle that unpleasant business?"
"Because they don't hold anything over Usman's head. You know his secrets."
He shrugged his shoulders as if that little factor held no meaning for him. "And he knows mine. Which is why I am not going to step into this matter."
Aaida's tone grew sharper. "I did your bidding to get him a death sentence."
"I appreciate that but I will not willingly sign up for my doom."
"Zaeem could die," she all but shouted.
Azrael released a small sigh and whirled on his heels to stare into the fireplace. "Leo and Tasawar will handle it," he repeated calmly. They both knew very well that neither of the two men held anything over Usman and they had no way of evading the will.
"No." Aaida's hands clenched at her sides and her voice demanded authority. "Leo and Tasawar will not handle it. You will."
"I won't do-"
"Because you do not want the world to find out about Aya."
Azrael's breath caught in his throat. His entire posture stiffened as his palms went slack. Tentatively, he turned around to face her- blue clashing with blue. His complexion had become a tone paler.
"What did you say?"
"I don't know which secrets Usman holds over your head but I can guess at least one." Aaida, for the first time, did not falter in her speech although she would've never done something like this before. She was threatening the King of her country and she refused to stutter.
Azrael cleared his throat, tugging at the sleeve of his white button-down. "I have no idea-"
Aaida tilted her head. "What I'm talking about? You know nothing about Aya Abdul-Rehman and her four children?"
Azrael studied her. His eyes narrowed. A second ticked by.
Then he threw his head back and let out a loud laugh.
"Goodness, Aaida, who are you trying to fool?" There was a glint of amusement in his eyes as his lips curled into a half-smile. "Do you think I feel threatened by you? The same woman who could not stand up to her husband after months of abuse and forgave him after a sob story? The woman who would forgive her mother without a moment's hesitation regardless of years and years of torment? The woman who endured horrifying torture at the hands of a man she hesitated to put behind bars? What have I even done to reach that level of hatred as that heinous trio? I gave you a voice, didn't I? A pedestal. Respect. Power. Do you really think you can use Aya against me? Do you really think you could drag Aya into this?"
A chill raked down Aaida's spine at his words. Her hands tightened into fists at her sides. She fought down the tinge of helplessness spreading over her chest.
"You know me so well, don't you? Do you know Zaeem that well too?"
The smile vanished.
"You're playing a very dangerous game right now, Aaida," Azrael's tone no longer held any mirth.
"I realized that the moment I was told who my father is."
"You would allow your husband to involve a harmless woman and her four children?" Azrael took a step toward her.
It went against everything Aaida ever thought she was. An image of Aya flashed before her eyes- alone, with only her four children in that dreary hospital room. Her heart cried out. She couldn't bring another mother down in her desperate attempts to save her own family.
"You involved her the first time you touched her." Aaida realized what she was going to do. She wasn't going to harm Aya. "You're right. Leo and Tasawar will handle this. In court. I hope you're ready to lose your claim to the throne, Azrael." She was going to help her. "A King involved in an illicit affair resulting in an illigetimate firstborn son has dishonored his lineage. Not only will he have to forfeit his right to appoint the Crown Prince, he loses control of the executive functions of the throne. In other words," Aaida tilted her head, "you'll lose your bureaucracy, won't you?"
A moment of stunned silence passed.
Azrael gaped at her.
"You- you will take me to court?" He spluttered.
"For so many years, you did what you wanted with Aya and she remained silent because she couldn't go against you. But I can. And I will."
"Fine," Azrael snapped. He cleared his throat and straightened his shirt. "I'll tell you everything about Usman's underground affairs. Under one condition though. You allow him to die first."
"And risk the will being leaked?"
"Even if he exposes Zaeem's misdeeds, you're a relatively newer player. People aren't as interested in you yet. There are still speculations as to how Qayser's long-lost daughter came out of nowhere. Usman has a much larger following. More popular, so to say. And with the crimes he's committed, Zaeem will look like a puppy in comparison to the hellhound. But I will not risk having my own secrets being exposed if I am to aid you."
Aaida took a minute to think over his offer. She didn't want to get more entangled in this mess. She only wished her family could get out of it all unscathed. If Azrael was willing to help, she had no reason to make another unwanted enemy. As for matter concerning Aya, she would wait for things to die down before she challenged Azrael. She would do whatever she could to ensure Azrael never harmed her again.
"I'll come by with Tasawar and Leo in the morning."
Azrael let out a small chuckle, shaking his head. "Of course. The technicalities." He looked at her, his eyes hardening. "And congratulations, Aaida. You've stepped up to your name, it seems."
He had no idea how true his words would prove to be.
A/N: Quick question- how many of you want to see Zaeem pay for what he did? Or do you think it should all be forgiven and forgotten?