(The Charles Mansion is unusually quiet. The large doors open as Sophia walks into the house after being away for months. She looks tired, frustrated, and deeply hurt. She drops her handbag on the sofa and stands there for a moment, trying to control her emotions.)
(Mrs. Charles, who is seated nearby, looks up and studies her daughter.)
Mrs. Charles: Sophia.
(Sophia turns toward her mother. Her eyes are already filled with disappointment.)
Sophia: She did it.
(Mrs. Charles slowly puts down what she is holding.)
Mrs. Charles: Did what?
Sophia: Hannah. She actually married Ridwan.
(She lets out a bitter laugh and shakes her head.)
Sophia: After everything. After all the plans. After everything we tried to do, she still married him.
(Mrs. Charles remains silent for a moment.)
Mrs. Charles: Sophia, what exactly do you want me to do now?
(Sophia stares at her mother in disbelief.)
Sophia: You promised me you would help me.
Mrs. Charles: And I tried.
Sophia: Tried?
(She takes a few steps toward her mother, becoming increasingly emotional.)
Sophia: That's all you have to say? She has married him, Mother. She is now his wife, and you're telling me you tried?
(Mrs. Charles sighs and leans back.)
Mrs. Charles: The marriage has already happened. We cannot change that.
(Sophia looks away, trying to hold herself together.)
Sophia: I can't believe this.
(Mrs. Charles watches her quietly before speaking again.)
Mrs. Charles: Maybe we've been looking at this from the wrong direction.
(Sophia turns back to her.)
Sophia: What do you mean?
Mrs. Charles: Maybe Hannah is not the problem anymore.
(Sophia frowns.)
Mrs. Charles: Maybe you should stop fighting over Ridwan.
(Sophia's expression immediately changes.)
Sophia: What?
Mrs. Charles: You are young. Beautiful. Educated. You come from a powerful family. Why are you allowing one man to make you feel like your life is over?
Sophia: Mother...
Mrs. Charles: Perhaps Hannah actually deserves Ridwan.
(Sophia stares at her mother in complete disbelief.)
Mrs. Charles: And perhaps you deserve someone better.
(A long silence fills the room.)
Mrs. Charles: Why should you lower your standards? We know people from powerful families. Wealthy families. Influential families. There are men far richer than Ridwan.
(Sophia's face hardens.)
Mrs. Charles: If you want, I can find someone for you. Someone from one of the richest families in the country. Someone with international connections. Someone who can give you everything.
(Sophia slowly shakes her head.)
Sophia: Are you serious?
Mrs. Charles: Completely.
(Sophia laughs bitterly.)
Sophia: You want me to just forget Ridwan?
Mrs. Charles: I want you to think about your future.
Sophia: No. You're asking me to give up.
(Sophia begins pacing around the room. Her anger is now impossible to hide.)
Sophia: Do you even remember why we wanted this marriage in the first place?
Mrs. Charles: Of course I remember.
Sophia: Then why are you suddenly talking about finding me another man?
(Mrs. Charles remains calm.)
Mrs. Charles: Because plans change.
Sophia: Not mine.
(She stops pacing and faces her mother.)
Sophia: This is Africa we are talking about, Mother. Do you understand what the Badmus family represents? Do you understand what Ridwan's position means?
Mrs. Charles: I understand perfectly.
Sophia: Then why are you acting like all of that means nothing?
(Mrs. Charles looks at her daughter carefully.)
Mrs. Charles: Because I don't want you wasting your life chasing a married man.
(Sophia's eyes narrow.)
Sophia: So that's it?
Mrs. Charles: Sophia—
Sophia: No. You cannot tell me now that Hannah deserves him and that I should simply find someone else.
(She shakes her head, visibly hurt.)
Sophia: After everything we have done? After everything we planned?
Mrs. Charles: I am thinking about you.
Sophia: No. You're giving up.
(Mrs. Charles's expression changes.)
Mrs. Charles: Watch your words.
Sophia: I cannot believe this is coming from my own mother.
(She grabs her handbag from the sofa.)
Mrs. Charles: Where are you going?
(Sophia turns toward the door.)
Sophia: Somewhere I don't have to listen to this.
Mrs. Charles: Sophia!
(Sophia stops at the doorway but does not turn around.)
Sophia: I'm not giving up.
(She walks out.)
(Sophia storms through the hallway, still furious. As she turns the corner, she suddenly bumps into her father, Mr. Charles.)
(She stops immediately.)
(Mr. Charles looks at her calmly. He has clearly noticed the anger on her face.)
Mr. Charles: Sophia.
(Sophia looks away.)
Sophia: Don't.
(Mr. Charles remains silent.)
(Sophia's eyes begin to fill with tears, but she quickly wipes them away.)
Sophia: I hate all of you.
(Mr. Charles watches her carefully.)
Mr. Charles: Sophia, calm down.
Sophia: No! You all watched everything happen.
(She takes a shaky breath.)
Sophia: And now Mother wants me to forget everything and find another man.
(Mr. Charles says nothing.)
Sophia: I can't believe this family.
(She walks past him.)
(Mr. Charles turns slightly and watches her disappear down the hallway.)
(He does not call her back.)
(For a moment, he remains completely still.)
(Then his expression becomes thoughtful.)
(He knows his daughter.)
(And he knows that Sophia's anger is not the kind that disappears overnight.)
(Mr. Charles quietly looks toward the hallway where she disappeared.)
Mr. Charles: What are you planning, Sophia?
(The mansion falls silent.)
(But somewhere beneath that silence, something has already begun.)
------------
(Hannah sits in her private office at home. Several files and documents are spread across the table. Her laptop is open, and her personal assistant sits across from her with a notebook.)
(Hannah carefully studies a document before placing it aside.)
Hannah: Have you confirmed the information I asked for?
PA: Yes, ma'am. I was able to confirm some of it, but there are still a few things we haven't been able to trace.
(Hannah looks up.)
Hannah: Which things?
PA: The properties connected to the old transactions. Some of the records don't match what we found in the original documents.
(Hannah becomes more attentive.)
Hannah: Don't assume it's an error. Check again.
PA: I already did.
Hannah: Then check a third time.
(The PA nods and writes something down.)
Hannah: I don't want assumptions. I want evidence. Every transaction, every company, every property. Find out who owned it, who transferred it, and where it ended up.
PA: Understood.
(Hannah leans back in her chair, thinking.)
(She looks at the documents again.)
(For months, she had barely seen Ridwan. They could go weeks without speaking, sometimes almost an entire month without seeing each other. Their marriage existed on paper, while their real lives remained completely separate.)
(Hannah had accepted that arrangement.)
(It gave her something she valued more than companionship.)
(Time.)
(Time to work quietly.)
(Time to investigate.)
(Time to build her own position.)
(Her PA closes the notebook.)
PA: Is there anything else?
(Hannah pauses for a moment.)
Hannah: Yes.
(She looks directly at her.)
Hannah: Find out everything you can about the companies connected to Badmus Holdings.
(The PA looks slightly surprised.)
PA: Everything?
Hannah: Everything.
(She returns her attention to the documents.)
Hannah: But make sure nobody knows we're looking.
(The PA nods.)
PA: I understand.
(She leaves the room.)
(Hannah waits until the door closes.)
(She slowly opens another file that she had kept underneath the others.)
(Her expression changes.)
(There was something she had discovered.)
Something that did not make sense.
(Hannah stared at the document for several seconds.)
Hannah: So what exactly are you hiding, Ridwan?
(She closes the file.)
(The room becomes quiet again.)
------------
(Ridwan sat quietly in the back seat of his car, glancing at his watch. He was already running late for his flight.)
(The driver kept his eyes on the road, trying to make up for lost time.)
Ridwan: How far are we from the airport?
Driver: We should be there soon, sir. I'm trying my best.
Ridwan: You said that ten minutes ago.
(The driver remained silent and continued driving.)
(Suddenly, a young woman stepped into the road.)
(The driver immediately slammed on the brakes.)
(The car stopped just in time.)
Driver: Oh my God!
(Ridwan's eyes widened.)
Ridwan: What the hell was that?
Driver: I'm sorry, sir. I almost hit someone.
Ridwan: What do you mean you almost hit someone? You were supposed to be watching the road!
Driver: Sir, it wasn't entirely my fault. She suddenly—
Ridwan: Just stop.
(Ridwan quickly opened the door and stepped out.)
(A young woman was crouched beside the road, hurriedly gathering the things that had fallen from her bags. A few books, papers, and personal belongings were scattered across the ground.)
(She looked frightened and embarrassed, but she was more concerned about gathering her things than arguing.)
(Ridwan walked toward her.)
Ridwan: I'm so sorry. Are you alright? Did the car hit you?
(Hazeemah shook her head while continuing to gather her belongings.)
Hazeemah: I'm fine, thank you.
Ridwan: Are you sure?
Hazeemah: Yes. I'm okay.
(She picked up another book from the ground.)
Hazeemah: I'm sorry. I wasn't looking properly before crossing.
Ridwan: No, no. Please don't apologize.
(He bent down and began helping her gather the remaining books and belongings.)
Ridwan: This was my driver's fault. He should have been more careful.
Hazeemah: It's alright. Nothing happened.
Ridwan: Still, I'm really sorry.
(He handed her one of the books.)
Ridwan: Here.
(Hazeemah took it.)
Hazeemah: Thank you very much.
(She placed the last item back into her bag.)
Hazeemah: That's really kind of you.
(Ridwan gave a small smile.)
Ridwan: You're welcome.
(Hazeemah finally raised her head properly.)
(Their eyes met.)
(For a brief moment, Ridwan said nothing.)
(Hazeemah adjusted her eyeglasses gently.)
(Ridwan noticed her modest appearance. Her clothing was simple, neat, and properly covered. There was something calm about her presence that he could not immediately explain.)
(He found himself staring for a moment longer than he intended.)
(Hazeemah noticed.)
(She gave a polite smile and adjusted her bag.)
Hazeemah: I should go.
(She turned to leave.)
(Ridwan suddenly spoke.)
Ridwan: Excuse me.
(Hazeemah stopped and turned around.)
Ridwan: I'm sorry for stopping you. My name is Ridwan.
(He hesitated briefly.)
Ridwan: Ridwan Badmus.
(Hazeemah looked at him politely.)
Ridwan: And... may I know your name?
(Hazeemah paused.)
Hazeemah: I'm sorry, but I don't usually give my personal information to strangers.
(Ridwan was slightly surprised.)
Ridwan: Of course. I understand.
(Hazeemah gave him another polite smile.)
Hazeemah: It was nice meeting you.
Ridwan: Likewise.
(She turned and walked away.)
(Ridwan remained where he was, watching her disappear into the distance.)
(The driver looked at him through the open car door and quietly smiled.)
(Ridwan finally noticed.)
Ridwan: What are you smiling at?
(The driver quickly looked away.)
Driver: Nothing, sir.
(Ridwan shook his head and returned to the car.)
(He sat in the back seat and glanced through the window.)
(Hazeemah was already getting farther away.)
(For some reason, Ridwan found himself smiling.)
Ridwan: What are you waiting for? Start the car.
(The driver smiled to himself and started the engine.)
Ridwan: We're already late.
(The car drove away.)
(Ridwan looked through the window one last time.)
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