The air in Nadia's bedroom had become suffocating. The walls felt too close, the room too small for the storm raging inside her, it was currently afternoon and she couldn't for the life of her get that damning conversation from the morning out of her head.
She paced, hands trembling, the sting of betrayal still fresh. Married off like a bargaining chip. Like she was nothing more than a contract to be signed, some little chick that needed a man to protect her....okay maybe she did need him, but it didn't make her feel any better.
Ayla sat stiffly on the bed, arms crossed, eyes blazing. "I swear, if I had a knife—"
"Ayla." Mama's voice was sharp, but even she looked shaken. She was pacing, her silk robe flowing behind her like a ghost.
Ayla scowled. "What? She should stab someone for this."
Mama sighed. "This is not the time."
Ayla huffed, then turned to Nadia. "You have to talk to him."
"What's the point?" Nadia bit out, stopping near the window. "He's already made his decision. My opinion doesn't matter."
Mama hesitated before stepping forward. "That's not true."
Nadia let out a cold, humorless laugh. "Isn't it? He's already signed me over to Zayn Alaric like I'm a business transaction." Her voice cracked. "Why? Because he thinks I can't protect myself? Because I need a powerful man to shield me?"
Mama exhaled, her eyes soft with something close to sympathy.
Before she could answer—
A sharp chime cut through the tense air.
Then another.
And another.
Nadia frowned as her phone buzzed violently in her palm. Not just hers—Ayla's and Mama's too.
Something was wrong.
Nadia's stomach twisted as she reached for her phone, dread clawing at her throat. She unlocked the screen—and felt the blood drain from her face.
Ayla inhaled sharply. "No way…"
Mama's expression turned cold as she read through her own notifications.
Nadia's fingers trembled as she scrolled through the news alerts.
BREAKING NEWS: AF GROUP UNDER FIRE AS CEO'S DAUGHTER, NADIA AL-FAYED, ACCUSED OF EMBEZZLEMENT
Leaked documents show Nadia Al-Fayed illegally moving millions through shell companies
Exclusive: Shareholders demand answers as AF Group faces financial turmoil
Her breath hitched.
Her hands went numb.
"No." The word came out as a whisper, barely audible.
Ayla's voice was tight. "This is a setup."
Nadia sucked in a breath. The room blurred around her as she stepped toward the door.
Ayla followed immediately, fire burning in her gaze. "Who the hell would—"
She stopped.
Because there, standing outside Nadia's door, was one of the maids—face pale, hands gripping the sides of her apron like she had witnessed the world ending.
"Master has called for you, Miss Nadia." Her voice wavered. "It's urgent."
Mama and Ayla exchanged looks, but Nadia was already moving.
She stormed down the marble hallways, every step like a drum against her pulse.
The doors to her father's office were already open, and inside was chaotic, his Phones ringing, stock tickers flashing in red. The air was thick with barely contained panic...how did all this happen in between the two hours after her marriage had just been announced.
Zafir Al-Fayed stood behind his desk, a pillar of control amidst the storm. But Nadia knew him. She knew when he was furious. And right now, his silence was more dangerous than any shouting could ever be.
He ended a call the moment he saw her, his dark eyes locking onto her like a hawk spotting prey.
"Nadia." His voice was razor-sharp.
She barely had time to take a breath before he grabbed a thick stack of documents and threw them onto the desk in front of her.
"Explain."
Nadia stepped forward, fingers brushing the papers.
She scanned the contents...
And the ground was ripped from beneath her feet.
Bank statements. Transfers. A web of stolen millions, siphoned into offshore accounts.
All under her name.
The words blurred. The numbers didn't make sense.
"This… this isn't real," she choked out.
"The shareholders believe it is." Zafir's tone was cold, but beneath it, something dangerous simmered. "Investors are pulling out. The company is crumbling. And do you know who is making the move to buy it?"
Nadia's pulse roared in her ears.
Zafir lifted his phone and turned the screen toward her.
Aslan Holdings—Kareem Aslan to finalize AF Group takeover.
Her stomach dropped.
Kareem Aslan.
Not just some rival businessman. Not just an opportunist looking for an easy win.
Sara's ally.
The man she had connived with. The one who had been circling AF Group like a vulture, waiting for the perfect moment to strike.
And he had struck now.
Because of Sara.
Because of her.
Nadia felt the blood drain from her face.
"You let yourself get played." Zafir's voice was like steel. "And now, the company I built is falling into the hands of a man who would see us ruined."
Nadia couldn't breathe.
The betrayal—the sheer weight of it—crushed her chest, suffocating her.
She had thought she knew betrayal. Thought she had experienced the worst of it.
She had been wrong.