Mag-log inOn the other hand, Fatima didn’t give a damn about either man. Sure she would have felt a little bad for Ian because of how sweet he had been to her, but that goodwill vanished the moment he threatened her children.As for Raphael, who would want a man who used and threatened her daily? Deep down, a dark part of her hoped one of them would get hurt badly. Maybe even killed. That would finally end this nightmare.Fatima had never wished death on anyone before. That wasn’t who she was. But right now, if either Raphael or Ian died, her life would become so much easier.“It’s not my business,” she told herself firmly as she dialed Leslie’s number instead. “Come to my house,” she said the moment the call connected.“Alright. I’ll be there in an hour.”“Great.” Fatima ended the call, then sat down at her computer and started her therapy session.“Mrs. Ashford, I was expecting your call,” the therapist said warmly. “I’ve heard what’s been happening in your life. As a fellow woman, I’m truly
They say the devil you know is better than the angel you don’t know. Right now, Fatima was starting to believe whoever came up with that quote knew exactly what they were talking about. Because as she stood looking at the man before her, fear coursed through her veins.“You showed up with a bullet in your arm,” she began, her voice low. “When you invited me to the club, I had to do my research.”“That’s how you met Raphael?” Ian asked, watching her closely. She shook her head. “Don’t lie to me.”“I have kids. I had to check you out. I needed to be sure you were safe.”“Understood. So you’ve been working for Raphae, how long now?” He was only interested in that.“I hired a detective to run a background check on you. He flagged your enemies… and Raphael came up.”“Okay. So…?”“They say keep your friends close and your enemies even closer.” As a doctor, Fatima was smart and quick.“I don’t understand.”“When we got married, I had to know who Raphael was. I’m sorry. I was just looking out
Just as Fatima had guessed, right at the bottom of the gallery were photos of Leslie and Ian. They appeared to be in a club, judging by the background.The pictures were crystal clear, whoever had taken them had been very close. It was obvious from the images that Ian and Leslie had no idea they were being photographed.“When was this?” she asked.“Two years ago. But that’s not even what will shock you.”“What do you mean?” Fatima was already shocked. She hadn’t expected this from Ian. Sure, he was a player, but this was different.“Remember the big contract Nicholas was working on? The one that required Leslie’s partnership?”“Yes?”“Well, guess who nominated Nicholas for it.”Fatima didn’t even have to guess. She remembered how excited Nicholas had been that day, saying a friend had put his name forward. It had been Ian all along.“Ian?”“That’s not all. From then on, he planted Leslie in Nicholas’s life without either of them knowing.”“No… this is too much. I can’t…” Fatima pushed
One thing Fatima had noticed was that Raphael was evil in the sweetest way possible. And before you think she had lost her mind, remember how he had taken down Leslie’s father for her, how he had always lent her an ear, and how, even now, while threatening her, he had still listened to her first. Yes, he was evil in the sweetest way.“Okay.” Fatima placed her cup down and reached for her phone. She knew exactly how much power Raphael held over her.If she didn’t have kids, she was sure she wouldn’t be dealing with any of this. But her children were the best things that had ever happened to her, so she didn’t regret that part. It was just an innocent thought.“I’m so sorry about last night,” Leslie said as soon as she picked up. “Isabella is the worst.”“You don’t have to pretend to be nice to me, Leslie.”“No, really, I’m not just pretending. You’re a good woman and—”“I’ll text you the details. I think I can find a position for you,” Fatima interrupted, not wanting to hear the fake l
Meanwhile, Fatima went straight to bed after taking some sleeping medication. She didn’t want to deal with herself or with what she had just done, apologizing to Nicholas right in front of Ian. Strangely enough, she wasn’t regretting it either.Leslie might have entered their relationship and ruined it. It might not even have been Nicholas’s fault, and Fatima knew that. But she had to stay with Ian, or else Raphael would deal with her. That was why she refused to drive herself mad with guilt. Besides, the kids would be fine with Mrs. Wilson and Ryan. Feeling stretched and exhausted, she simply went to sleep.The next morning, Fatima woke up with surprisingly few thoughts. She headed straight to the shower, got ready for the day, and went downstairs. The kids were having breakfast with Ryan and Mrs. Wilson.“How did you sleep?” Bonnie asked as Fatima greeted them, planting big kisses on their cheeks.“Eat your food, baby. I have to rush and take care of something,” Fatima replied. She
The dining room contained six people, yet it was so quiet that you could have heard a pin drop.Everyone was curious about what would happen next. They were all adults and knew exactly what usually followed an apology.While Ian panicked at the thought of losing his wife, Nicholas sat in disbelief. Fatima had just apologized, and even he knew what that meant. A reconciliation was possible, but given the situation they were in, with Isabella’s psychotic behavior, he knew it wasn’t.“Excuse me,” Fatima said suddenly. She stood up and walked away. No one stopped her or said a word, not even Raphael. As frustrated as he was that Fatima was about to ruin his plans, he was too shocked to speak.“Well…” Ian said quickly as soon as Fatima disappeared. “I think this concludes our dinner.” He didn’t want them there any longer.“Yes, stand up now, Nicholas,” Isabella agreed immediately. She had seen what she’d done by pushing Fatima into Nicholas’s arms, and that was never her intention. She lov
Ian said he had to take care of something while the police drove away, and Fatima went inside. Now that she even had Nicholas’s permission, she saw that as a step closer to coming back to her home.Inside, she only found Mrs. Wilson, who informed her that Bonnie was fast asleep. Since most of her t
If it had been years ago, or even a few months ago, Fatima wouldn’t have hesitated to pick up the call. In fact, there would be no call to pick up. She would already be at the station with Nicholas, sorting things out and standing by his side, assuring him everything would be fine.But today… she n
She shouldn’t, but she did. Fatima felt bad for Nicholas. Not only was Leslie fooling him, but he also had to pay for a crime he might have not committed. Sure, he betrayed her, but there were good moments. And really, as long as she wasn’t taking him back, she didn’t see any harm in supporting hi
The police department said they were on their way after Fatima’s call, and of course she had to drive there so that when they took Nicholas, her kids wouldn’t be left without a parent.Ryan promised to watch Madelyn and call if anything changed while Ian drove her there.“Is your sister sure?” Ian







