With hearts, Destined.

Chapter 48

Karim held Zaira close to him as he stared out at the calm waters.

He had no idea what he was going to do. Fight or give up. Both came with their own consequences. Consequences he didn't want to go through.

He heard his phone's notification go off.
He thought of ignoring it like all the other notifications he had been receiving since the day everything went down hill. But he pulled it out when Zaira looked at him willing him to check the message.

Dad: Is Zaira with you? You need to come back now.

Karim read the message again. What had happened now?

"Who is it?" Zaira wondered.

"My dad. He said we should return." Karim stood up first whiles helping Zaira to her feet.

"What happened?"

"I don't know. It seemed urgent." Karim revealed and took her hands in his as they made their way back to the house.

**

"What's going on?" Karim asked the second he got into his father's office.
Aziz and his mother were already there.

"James' lawyer. He sent Aziz an email. Said he wanted to talk again. Come to an agreement he believes will change our minds so we give up Samia." Tawfiq announced.

"That's not going to happen." Karim frowned.

"That's what I sent back to him. But he sent a follow up email claiming he had new evidence he'd share with the court if we made it get to that." Aziz replied.

"I don't care what evidence he has. I am not giving him Samia just like that. Whatever evidence he has we will counter it. Fight it if we have to. It's that simple." Karim voiced out, the anger dripping from his words.

"You don't understand. It's evidence that suggests you endanger Samia."

"I would never put Samia in danger. She is always safe. No one would believe that. What evidence is that?" Karim frowned. Why would he put Samia in danger? All he cared about was keeping her safe at all cost.

He frowned further when his parents and Aziz had their gazes trained on Zaira. It was impossible.

"No." Was all he said.

"We don't know if it's a bluff or not, Karim. But he says he has solid evidence tying Zaira to the terrorist group Yasmine formed."

"That's bullshit! No one knows that!"

"But Jafar did." Zaira spoke.

He was getting revenge on her. He wasn't going down alone.

"What are you saying?" Karim looked at her with confused eyes.

"I was a part of them, Karim. It's no lie. The only reason I'm not in jail is because you don't want me there." Zaira poured out.

"Another bullshit! You're not in jail because you did nothing wrong! You were lied to. And even with that you never actually did anything to us. You saved us. You saved everyone."

"Yes. I know that. Your dad can even grant me amnesty for my bravery if I'm ever accused before the court. But you don't get it. Even if I don't go to jail, the jury will find more reason to take Samia from you. You're married to a former terrorist. Someone who brought the highly protected palace on its knees without even knowing about it." Zaira paused. "You thought there was a possibility we'd lose before? Now we will lose."

"We don't know that." Naima spoke up.

"I admire your optimism. But let's not lie to ourselves. Samia isn't Karim's child in the first place and he still endangers her life by being around me-