His gaze darted to her disdainfully. "Why haven't you served her anything yet?" He questioned, gesturing towards his sister with a jerk of his chin. Here it goes again, a familiar thought whispered through her mind. "I was busy cleaning up her room." "That is not an excuse!" Bilal's voice rose a notch. "Had it been your mother in her place, would you have ignored her the same way?" Instantly, Zynah felt a pang in her heart. Whenever any of her parent's were mentioned, the pain and regret of what she did to then surged back into her in full force. She knew what he was doing - he mentioned her mother intentionally, because he wanted to add salt in her injury. He had a motive. He knew exactly how to inflict the most damage. "Just let it go already." Nazmeera smirked. "She was probably busy, like she said." "No, I won't let it go." He snapped. Through the corner of Zynah's eye, she could see Nazmeera smiling in satisfaction. "She needs to be taught a lesson. It seems
"What in the world do you think you're doing?" Zynah shrieked, her heart hammering frantically against her chest. The amount of blood oozing out from the fresh cut made her dizzy. "Exactly what you see." She smirked and within few seconds, her face scrunched up in pain. "Bilal!!" She bellowed. "Please save me!" The sound of Bilal's heavy footsteps sent shivers down Zynah's spine. Bilal appeared in the doorway, a whirlwind of concern. His gaze darted towards his wife first, taking in her trembling form, before averting to his sister. His eyes widened when he saw her bleeding arm. "What the hell is going on here?" He boomed; his brows tightening. Silence, thick and suffocating hung in the air. "Will someone give me an answer immediately?What's happening?" He moved closer to Nazmeera and grabbed a hold of her hand. "How did you get injured, Nazmeera?" Whimpering, Nazmeera spoke. "It's nothing, Bilal... I don't want you to get mad at —" "Nothing?" he roared. "You're bleedi
Flashback begins Miserable and exhausted after trying to convince her dad, but to no avail, Zynah ran into her room and began to cry her eyes out — she just wanted to be happy. Why was her dad so against the man she had chosen? Did he not want her to be happy? — she couldn't help, but have these thoughts. Entering into the room, Ramlah felt so bad, seeing the condition her sister was in. She also did not see anything bad in Bilal, she had made her stance clear to Zynah. Why did their father despise the idea of him so much then? Shaking her head in an attempt to get rid of the thought from her head, she rushed towards her sister and started rubbing her back soothingly. "Everything will be fine, ya Zynah. Trust Allah to make everything right again." "Nothing will be alright, Ramlah." She sniffled a sob. "Dad will never accept him. He told me so himself." Ramlah's heart plummeted as she gazed at her sister. Deep within her, she also knew that it would be almost impossible fo
Due to the call to prayer, Zynah broke out of her trance. She wiped a lone tear from her eye and swallowed a lump in her throat. She was tired of living like an outcast in a house that was supposed to be her home. The regret of the decision she made years ago was eating her up. Momentarily, she contemplated on leaving the house and going very far away from all of her worries and problems - away from her marriage. Away from her monster of a husband, Bilal, but the big question was; would she be able to succeed? Ambling to the bathroom, she performed wudhu (ablution) and emerged afterwards. She spread the prayer mat by the corner of the room and began to pray to the creator of the universe. Like always, she cried in sujood (prostration) and pleaded with Allah, the most merciful and compassionate to make a way for her. A way out of her sham of a marriage. She wanted to be strong - she really tried, but her courage and patience had been exceeded. She couldn't fight any longer. She was
"Hey!" Nazmeera called, making her jump a little. Not bothering to turn around, Zynah totally snubbed her. "My room is a mess." She said. The urge to give her a befitting reply was insurmountable. For that one time, Zynah didn't want to be silent. She wanted to make it clear to Nazmeera that she wasn't her slave. "So what?" she retorted, finally turning to face her. She chuckled humorlessly. "So... You have to go in there and tidy it up." "Why should I?" Zynah asked, standing daringly in front of her. "It's your business. Take care of it!' "Because," she scoffed. "That's what you're here for. Don't you dare act smart with me." Realizing that she was only wasting her time talking to Nazmeera, Zynah turned back to what she was doing before Nazmeera interrupted. "Did you just snub me?" She squeaked; her voice laced with disbelief. Silence. "I'm talking to you." She boomed, exasperated. Silence. All of a sudden, Zynah felt Nazmeera's hand on her shoulder,
"What! Me?" Nazmeera's demeanor contorted in astonishment. "She did this to you?" Bilal asked in a soft, yet profound voice. Zynah nodded. Deep within, she was scared of what his reaction would be. If he ended up believing her, it would be a miracle on his side and if he did not believe her, she wouldn't even be surprised. Her expectations were zero. Glaring menacingly at Nazmeera, he questioned; "is this true?" "Of course not!" She was quick to deny. "She's accusing me and you know it. How can I possibly do this to her? She doesn't like me and I'm sure this is her way of getting back at me for what happened the last time and you..." She trialed off, a calculated sob escaping her lips. "... Don't tell me you actually believe this liar over your own biological sister." Bilal remained silent, his gaze flickering between Zynah and Nazmeera, seemingly searching for the truth in their eyes. It was as if he was stuck between a rock and a hard place. "Your silence says it a
"I hope you still remember what we talked about yesterday?" Bilal asked casually as they drove home after Zynah's discharge from the hospital. A curt "Yes" escaped her lips as she turned to stare out of the window. The cool air washing over her face made her lips curve into a smile. Just a little longer. Then, freedom. She couldn't wait for them to get to the house to execute her plan. The mere thought of having to live with him for a second longer was unbearable. A life without Bilal in it seemed promising. She couldn't wait to have her former life back. For a fact, she knew her parents, especially her dad would find it almost impossible to forgive her, but she was ready — more than prepared to face them and beg, till they eventually accept her back into their lives and forgive her for not realizing it sooner that their decision was the right one. Tears instantly prickled her eyes. In a way, she felt she deserved all that she got, but she had reached her breaking point. Hasn't she
Ferociously, Zynah opened the small drawer in the bathroom and fumbled around for a pregnancy test strip. The first time she suspected she was pregnant, she had bought the test strips in bulk, so she believed she would be able to find an extra one and fortunately for her, she did. Without wasting a second more, she peed on it and the next few minutes felt like forever. Time seemed to be moving slow. Too slow for her liking. Her heart thumped painfully in her chest as she awaited the result. Her breathing labored and her eyes, tightly shut. It was over ten minutes, yet Zynah couldn't bring herself to take a look at the result. She was afraid of finding out she was pregnant. She was about to start anew, but if she was pregnant, she would never truly be able to forget Bilal, because the child would be a connection and she wanted to sever all connections and ties with him. Mustering all of the courage in her, she decided to take a look at the result now. A small part of her mind wa
I'd like to start by thanking every single one of you for being with me throughout this journey. Thank you for the love and support. The comments 🥺, the gemssss 🥺, the gifts 🥺. I don't take it for granted at all 💞 This book has come to an end, so I'd like to hear your thoughts about it. Did you enjoy it? Did you cry at any point? Did you laugh? Were you disappointed at certain turn of events? I bet it was an emotional rollercoaster for you. Please leave a review and rate this book :) Support me more by sharing and recommend the books to your friends and family. Thank you once again, and expect more interesting stories from me ❤️❤️💕💞🥰😌🫠 deey_jah
Zynah rolled her eyes. Just who would prefer to be lied to? "Yes," she replied, her voice a soft whisper. "It's true," he replied, his voice deepening. "I came for some work, and..." He drawled. "To make use of the opportunity to meet your family." "To meet my family?" She asked, surprised and totally oblivious to the fact that her mother was still sitting in the same room as her, listening to her conversation. "The kids," He clarified, his voice filled with amusement. "They are your family, aren't they?" "Oh! Okay," Zynah replied, recoiling a little. "Where are you right now? I will send you the address or have someone show you the way." "I don't really know. I will ask around and text it to you," With that, he ended the call, leaving her heart racing as usual. Zynah's lips stretch into an unknowing smile. Realizing what she was doing, she slapped herself on the face. "Who was that?" Mrs. Hafsa asked so suddenly, her voice sharp, catching Zynah off guard. "And why
When Mrs. Hafsa opened the door, she did not expect to see her daughter and grandchildren. Her lips spread into a smile and she hugged Zynah first, her arms wrapping tightly around her daughter. Then, she crouched and showering many tender kisses on Adnan's face then picked Bilal Jr, showering just as many kisses on his face, he had to pull away, slightly disgusted. "What a pleasant surprise," Mrs. Hafsa exclaimed, her voice filled with excitement. "Why didn't you inform me that you were coming? Come in. Come in, my babies." Mrs. Hafsa ushered. "The kids must be exhausted. And you too." Zynah smile, her eyes crinkling at the corners. "If I had told you, then it wouldn't be a surprise anymore, would it? I didn't want to ruin the surprise. I wanted to make it a special moment." "I'm so excited!" Mrs. Hafsa said. "Rashida and her family are also coming to Nigeria to spend the Eid with us." "Really?" Zynah asked surprised and excited at the same time. "It's about to be a full ho
Adnan!" Zynah hollered, her tone a mix of exasperation and impatience. "Where are you? Hurry up, otherwise, it's going to get dark before we get to Kaduna." Zynah could not stop glancing at her wristwatch. "Yipee! We're going to see granny and grandpa!" Bilal Jr jumped up and down, excitedly. "Yes, sweetie," Zynah replied, her voice softening. She smiled, reaching down to caress his chubby cheeks. Her mother, Mrs. Hafsa had been requesting to see them for a while now, she figured it would be a good idea to surprise them a day before Eid al-Adha celebrations. "Are you excited? You're also going to see your cousin, your aunties and uncle Muslim too." "Yes, Mommy!" He squealed, his laughter infectious. "I'm going to see all of them." "Yes, you are," Zynah said, kissing his forehead. Then, she stood upright. "Adnan!" She called, her voice rising again. "What on earth are you doing in your room? I'm going to leave you behind, and I mean it." She threatened. "You're the one we're w
Khalid waved a hand over her face, snapping her from her reverie. He cleared his throat before speaking. "Are you okay?" In that moment, Zynah wanted to speak to him, to tell him what his sister in law came to discuss with her, and most importantly, to tell him that she didn't feel the same way about him if at all he had any feelings for her. But something held her back. What it was? She had no idea. "Why would I be?" She asked, finding her voice. "What do you want?" "Easy!" He said, lifting his hands in a gesture of surrender. "I'm not here to fight with you." Realizing that she had indeed been rude for no reason, Zynah swallowed. Then, she face palmed. "I'm sorry about that. I just... Woke up," she lied. "It wasn't my intention to be rude." "Alright," he replied simply, his voice laced with understanding. "Are the kids inside?" A surge of protectiveness swept over Zynah. "Yes, why? Where else would they be if not at home?" "School?" Khalid questioned, his brows furrowing. "The
As soon as Aysha left, Zynah walked back into the house, her heart heavy. She picked up her phone, her fingers hovering over Ramlah's number. As if sending her intention, Ramlah's call came through. Zynah heaved a sigh of relief before answering. "Hello, Ramlah, how are you doing? I was just about to call you." "Really? That is to say we're thinking about each other. I'm fine. How about you? How are the kids?" "They are both fine, Alhamdulillah. How's my little princess doing? I'm sure she's as impatient as we all are to see our little prince." Ramlah chuckled. "I also can't wait to hold him in my arms, ya Zynah. It's taking too long." "Three more weeks and your wish will come true," Zynah said, a smile spreading across her face. "You're right. Thank you for always lifting my spirit with your words. I want to visit Mom and Dad soon. How about we go together, with the kids?" "That's a good idea. The kids haven't seen one another for a while now," Zynah reasoned. "It'd be fun."
Zynah's tears escaped her eyes and ran down her cheeks. All she could imagine, was the pain she must have gone through before she finally gave up the ghost, how hard she must have fought to save her unborn baby. "Ho...how did it happen? Was she the one driving?" Aysha nodded in affirmation. "She was returning from the hospital, after finding out the gender of their baby. I guess she must have been overly excited," Hajara wiped the corner of her eyes and took a moment of silence, before continuing. "She called Khalid to inform him of the news. That was when...when she ran into a trunk. It was terrible. I wasn't there at the time it happened. I had not even met his brother then, but when he told me this story, for a whole day, I cried. I felt affected. It was like I had known her my whole life. I have seen pictures of her, heard only good things about her. I sincerely pity Khalid. Since her death, he prefers to be in seclusion. We've all done everything in our power to make him move o
Zynah's eyes widened as if they were about to pop out of their sockets. She knew Adnan liked Khalid a lot but that was the last thing she expected him to say. She couldn't even imagine herself being with anyone else. Bilal still resided in her heart. She couldn't see anyone replacing him anytime soon. "No!" she exclaimed, her voice rising. "Why are you even asking me that? Where did that come from, Adnan?" "Are you mad?" Adnan asked, his voice quivering a little. "I didn't mean to make you mad, Mommy." Zynah breathed, trying to calm her racing heart. "I'm not mad at you, Adnan," she reassured. "I just want to know why you asked me that. Do you feel I'm not enough for you? What have I not been doing right?" Zynah asked, a pang piercing through her heart. What if it was the case? She would understand, but it wouldn't reduce the pain. Deep down, she thought they were doing just fine, but apparently, Adnan wanted a father. He wasn't okay having only a mother. Adnan lowered his he
While Bilal Jr was busy playing with other kids his age, Adnan walked up to where his mother was seated on a bench, and sat beside her. He always did that whenever he sensed she was deep in thoughts or worried about something. The little boy had slowly become her confidante, her best friend. "Mommy," he called softly, his gaze fixed intently on her. "Are you fine?" He asked, his voice filled with worry. Zynah reached for his delicate hands and caressed them gently. "Of course, darling," she smiled, and placed a lingering kiss on him on the temple. "I'm fine. What makes you think I'm not?" "Because," he began, his gaze still on her. "You've been sitting quietly over here for a while now. It's unlike you. You didn't even notice when Jr fell off the swing." Zynah's heart jumped, her eyes widening in apprehension. "What? He fell? When?" she stood up, ready to rush to his aid, but Adnan was quick to stop her. "How didn't I notice?" "...wait, Mommy. He is not hurt at all," Adn