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Dina immediately thought of Aliyah. “Send me the files. I love you, Lisa. You really went above and beyond.”

“It was fun; I enjoyed playing spy. If we play our cards right, Arshad will be out of your life, out of the firm, and dumped by his girl all at once,” Lisa said, cackling.

“Inshallah,” Dina said.

There wasn’t much left for close family and friends to do at the end of the night other than gossip, pick at the wedding cake, and wonder how soon they could make their excuses and leave. Aliyah sat by herself at a table in the back, looking bored, when Dina settled down beside her.

“How did it go with Lucky?” Aliyah asked. “He left with his family.” She made a face. “Was he big mad when he found out Arshad lied to him about you?”

Dina stared at her, and Aliyah shrugged. “Lucky filled me in on a few things. I figured Arshad had lied from the start and set this whole thing in motion. I was married to an Arshad, a long time ago. I know how they operate.”

“I’m not sure where things stand with Lucky,” Dina said slowly. After her conversation with Lisa, she was having trouble processing it all. “I told him I was divorced, and he said he needed space.”

Aliyah winced. “I’m sure he’ll come around. But even if he doesn’t, you’ll be okay.”

Dina smiled. “I will. Thank you, for before. You helped, and you didn’t have to.”

“If it gets you crazy kids together, it will have been worth it.” Aliyah sighed, stretching. “I think I’m done with weddings for a while, though, so please don’t schedule yours anytime soon. This was fun, but I am exhausted.”

Dina laughed. “I promise.” Her expression turned hesitant.

Aliyah looked over, concerned. “What’s up? Spill, Dina,” she said.

“I know you’re tired, and you’ve already done so much,” Dina started. “But could you summon the energy to look over some financial records?”

Aliyah straightened, a gleam of interest in her eyes. “Financial records for what?”

“It might be better if you just take a look first,” Dina said, and handed over the phone, the pdf scans Lisa had sent her already open.

Aliyah stared at the records on Dina’s phone, squinting at the columns of tiny numbers, and then turned to her. “If these are from Haq Law, you’re in very big trouble.”

Chapter Thirty-Four

Her parents had rented out an upscale Indian restaurant for the wedding brunch. It seemed excessive considering only a dozen people or so were invited, but Dina knew her parents were eager to impress upon Hania’s new in-laws that they could keep up. But the small number of guests served her purposes as well; fewer witnesses when she confronted Arshad about what he had been doing to Haq Law. According to Aliyah, who had driven to Crescent House that morning to pick her up, and who was currently in the passenger side examining more of the financial statements Lisa had emailed overnight, her ex-husband was planning some sort of coup; it had been in the works for over a year.

When Dina and Aliyah joined the party at the restaurant, the mood was festive; now that the wedding was over, everyone could relax and look forward to a return to their normal lives. They were grizzled desi wedding veterans, blessedly unscathed from any major catastrophes. Hania and Samir held hands at the table, and Dina noticed that Ambreen was back to documenting every moment.

When Lucky walked in, trailed by his family, Dina caught his eye. He gave her a tight smile. They hadn’t spoken since last night, and as much as she wanted to run after him, to demand to know what he was thinking and whether they still had a chance, she had some unfinished business to take care of first. She zeroed in on Arshad, who was seated at the table, looking nonchalant and not at all as if he had been plotting the downfall of everything her father had built over thirty years. Her expression grim, she approached her ex-husband and tapped him on the shoulder.

“I need to talk to you. Now,” she said.

Arshad smiled at her, expression lazy. “Whatever you say, sweetheart.”

She stared back at him stonily. “We’re not doing that today,” she said, then pivoted on her foot. Arshad followed her to a quiet corner of the restaurant, still smiling. His expression grew even more amused when he noticed Aliyah was waiting too.

“Ladies, to what do I owe the pleasure of your joint attention this morning?” he drawled. Dina resisted the urge to slap the smirk off his face. Instead, she got straight to the point.

“You’re trying to destroy Haq Law. I know you plan to leave soon and that you’ve been trying to take clients with you,” Dina said.

For once, Arshad seemed shocked, which gave her no small satisfaction. “What are you talking about?” he said, trying to brazen it out, but his expression gave him away.

“We have proof of that and more,” Dina said. “Aliyah worked as a forensic accountant before she started at Crescent Construction. Someone has been embezzling from clients. Not so much to make it obvious, but enough to have an impact.”

Arshad looked nervous at this. “Dina, let’s talk this through. I admit I’ve been making plans to leave the firm and strike out on my own. You didn’t think I’d stick around once our divorce became public knowledge. But I swear, I never stole from Haq Law. I wouldn’t know how to cover my tracks.”

He sounded so sincere, Dina felt herself waver. She exchanged a glance with Aliyah, and Arshad saw his chance. “Let’s get this brunch over with and then sit down and talk with your parents once we’re back in Toronto. I’ll tell them everything. Please, Dina. We didn’t have a good marriage, and I know that was my fault. Let’s keep this next part civil.”

She let Arshad scurry ahead. Aliyah stared after him. “There’s no proof Arshad is the one who embezzled the money,” she said. “Whoever has been skimming off the top knows what they’re doing. If I had more time and access to the full records at Haq Law, I could do a proper audit, but without that I can only give you a partial view.”