3
That same day
Safiya sat inside her cubicle going through some files, her head lowered as she studied a case intently while in the corner juniors lawyers were trying to solve a practice case given by her. She had taken too much liberty of enjoying her time and now she was drowning in pending files and work.
Junaid walked in with more files and handed them over to Safiya, who liked them all aside. Junaidd then went back to his desk, to attend other matters. It had not been even 20 minutes before he rushed to her cabin again.
"Ma'am, there's someone here to see you.", Junaid informed .
"Who is it?", she asked not lifting her head to meet his eyes.
"A woman. She says she needs legal advice... she has your card. ", Safiya nodded, and calmly replied, "Send her in. And clear the room."
The office emptied at once.
A woman stepped inside, draped in a long white salwar kameez, her face hidden behind dark glasses and a scarf. Safiya didn't look up from the file she was signing.
"So. You finally gathered the courage to show me your face.... ", The woman stiffened at Safiya's heavy tone.
"You ignored my calls.", Safiya set her pen down carefully and lifted her eyes.
"And yet here you are.", safiya snickered, leaning back into her chair.
"You think this is a game? I can expose everything with one click.", Natasha threatened, her eyes blazing with fear and uncertainty.
A faint smile touched Safiya's lips., "Then do it.", she shrugged.
"I-i have p-proof.", Natasha faltered. Safiya leaned back in her chair, studying her.
" Have? No darling, you had the evidence. I had it removed the instant you got your hands on it. ", Her gaze shifted toward Natasha's purse, which she clutched tightly.
" My staff removed the pen camera before you entered.
The microphone was careless, though. You should've hidden it better.
And that chip you have inbuilt in your bra, I've already commanded the kill signal.
", Natasha's breath caught, her eyes widened and that's when she realised Safiya was watching her every move.
She probably had track of her every purchase and location.
"You need money," Safiya continued, almost conversationally. She smirked seeing the desperation swirl in her eyes, but she remained tight-lipped.
" No, i want my hard earned money. ", Natasha argued. She had already lost her dignity and her job for this, she couldn't destroy herself further.
" You already got paid for what you did. ", Safiya said tapping her nails against the armrest.
" That is not sufficient for the humiliation i went through. I was useful to you, so you can't turn your back on me now ", Natasha approached the table with quivering steps.
" You are useful. That is the only reason you're still alive enough to negotiate. ", Natasha shuddered as Safiya's tone deepened, dangerously low.
" But you give yourself too much credit. You are replaceable Natasha. And knowing me, I am not here to deal with your breakdowns... ", Safiya said propping her chin on her hand.
"You ruined my life.", Natasha wept, holding onto the edge of the table.
"No," Safiya said softly. "Your greed did that. I merely gave it direction.", Natasha stepped forward.
"Y-you promised m-me-", Safiya snickered at that commentm.
"I promise many things.", Safiya folded her hands. " Very few are meant to last.", Her voice remained smooth, almost kind.
"Truth? Justice? Those are your vows. ", A quiet laugh escaped Safiya's lips, low and venomous.
"Do not insult me with such worthless ideals. ", Her gaze sharpened, cold enough to cut. She finally stood up, and rounded the table.
" I do not bleed for such worthless ideals, nor waste my breath on the suffering of insects too weak to save themselves.", She stepped closer, her smile sharpening into something cruel.
" How can you call us insects after using us to your benefits... Th-this is real life n-not some drama. Y-you can't play with people's lives. ", she said hurried, " Y-you are misusing your power. "
" Am I? The world survives on power and power is bought.", Her voice dropped to a dangerous whisper.
" Do you think I dont know how you forged the documents to make that politician win? ", she gritted her teeth, " You don't even care about the people like you claim to. You said no to those people b-because... "
" Because they were poor. Yes. ", Safiya asserted, " Because they couldn't afford me. You're correct. "
" And if their screams cannot profit me, then they are nothing but noise beneath my feet.", She tilted her head, almost amused.
" You are a selfish bitch... H-how dare you play with us like we are chess pieces... Fucking puppets. We are humans you sick woman. ", Natasha screamed, pointing accusingly at Safiya.
" My welfare is the only truth that matters. My fortune, my comfort, my rise. The rest of you are dust, useful onlyy until the moment you cease to benefit me.", The room fell into a suffocating silence.
Natasha stepped forward, her heels clicking against the marble floor. Her expression was unreadable but her eyes gleamed with calculation.
" you call me sick and selfish. But still stand here before me. I wonder whk you are are running from? "
" I-i just need money. I-i will disaopear. "
"Well," she said softly, a cruel smile touching her lips, "at least you're honest.", Safiya's gaze flicked toward her.
"Honesty is expensive these days.", Safiya's expression didn't change.
" What are you exactly here for? ", Natasha's finally saw a ray of hope, her eyes gleaming as she hurriedly replied.
" I n-need money to pay the loan sharks. Twenty lakhs now.", She batted her eyelashes, her smile turning razor-sharp.
" Thirty later... if you want me to keep what I know buried where no one will ever find it. "
Safiya's smile vanished, not at the mention of the money but the sheer audacity of the imbecile standing in front of her to threaten her. The warmth drained from her face so completely that the room seemed to grow colder with it. For a long moment, she said nothing.
Then she stepped forward, close enough that Natasha could feel the quiet menace radiating from her.
Her lips curved faintly, not with amusement, but warning.
"You dare threaten me once more...", Safiya's voice was soft and that made it worse. Her fingers tilted Natasha's chin upward, forcing her to meet her gaze.
"...and I will make certain they spend months searching for what little remains of you.", Her grip tightened, just enough to hurt.
"I have ended lives for far less than your arrogance.", She leaned closer, her breath a whisper against Natasha's ear.
"Do not mistake my patience for my weakness. I'm just not in the mood to deal with the documentation of an unidentified dead-body.", The words landed like a blade sliding between ribs. Safiya released her abruptly, letting Natasha stumble back.
Then she smiled again, the same polished, elegant smile that never reached her eyes.
Safiya pulled out her phone, skimming through the private album in her gallery before turning her phone towards Natasha.
There was Natasha in the video, on a man's lap in a bar.
Natasha visibly stiffened at the sight. Her mind spiralling as she has been caught.
It was Natasha on her step-fathers lap..
the same man she had gotten pregnant with, her mother's second husband.
Natasha planned to get all the property and run away but ended up getting pregnant with the man's child.