For two consecutive days, Bilal was being sedated at the hospital for his wounds to heal properly. It was a request from Nazmeera. She told her dad it was a mere accident and oblivious to the truth, he bought her story. Immediately the last sedative given to him had worn off, Bilal sprung up from bed. His held his head as he instantly felt dizzy again. He attempted to get down from the bed, but out of nowhere, Nazmeera appeared and stopped him. "Where is my phone?" He asked her. "Here." She handed it to him. He collected it and the first thing he did was to check the date and time, before going through his messages and call logs, with the hopes of finding Zynah's messages or call, but to his disappointment, he found none. "You were expecting her call, weren't you?" Nazmeera asked, shaking her head. "Too bad she didn't call or even send any messages, and you know why? That's because she doesn't care about you. She clearly doesn't want you to return." "Can you please ex
I will be back, don't move a muscl-" before she could finish her statement, he pushed her off his lap violently. Zynah fell to the ground with a thud. She winced due to the excruciating pain in her ankle. Before she could comprehend what was happening, he had already stood up, jerking her up by the collar of her blouse. He wrapped his hand around her neck and pushed her to the wall. "How dare you!" he gnashed his teeth, venom dripping off his tone. "Bil...Bilal," Zynah managed to croak out, hitting his hand and trying all she could to get his hands off her. Her breath labored. Clenching his jaw, Bilal began to wriggle her neck. Was it his intention to kill her? He also didn't know, but what he knew for sure was that he wanted her to feel the exact pain he was feeling in his heart. He wanted to make her suffer for cheating on him, and deceiving him for so long. Zynah began to squirm and hit his hand in an attempt to stop him, but her efforts were futile. Just as her eyes
"Nazmeera, he still isn't back," Zaahida informed, pacing to and fro in the living room. " I'm getting extremely worried now. It's midnight. Where could he have gone?" "Have you tried called him again?" Nazmeera asked from the other side of the phone. "Yes. I have tried calling for over fifty times now and he still isn't picking up. Don't you have any idea where he could have gone to? You're his sister!" "I do," Nazmeera yawned. "But I don't think you would want to hear it. Should I spill?" Zaahida gritted her teeth. "Where? Tell me right now!" "He is definitely at Zynah's," Nazmeera responded. "I mean, where else could he be if not there? He's probably begging her to take him back." Zaahida chuckled, a humorless sound that masked the turmoil within her. "That's impossible. He can't possibly be there 'begging' her by this time of the night. Don't say what you're not sure of." "Maybe spending the night there?" Nazmeera's annoying voice provoked Zaahida even more, but sh
Zynah tried to swallow the painful lump that stuck in her throat, but failed woefully. She couldn't breathe properly as she continued to speak. "I was so excited when I found out." Her lips lifted in another smile that didn't reach her eyes. "I couldn't wait to tell you. I knew you'd be happy... That was why I kept asking you when you'd return. I didn't want to deliver the good news to you over the phone. I wanted to see your reaction, the excitement on your face when I'd break the news to you. I was surprised when you suddenly showed up at the door a few hours after our phone call. Do you want to know how I found out?" Bilal couldn't respond. He couldn't move. He could do nothing. "I was always alone at home, the neighbor, was the only visitor I used to have. She had visited me just a few minutes before you showed up at the door unexpectedly. Even without saying a word to her, she could tell that I was pregnant, so she advised me to go to a hospital and confirmed it. I was just a
Zynah's breath hitched in her throat, her hand flying over her mouth involuntarily. "How? When..." They had their differences, but she would never wish bad upon him. Especially since he was her son's father. "He isn't in a critical condition." The man gave her the reply to her unasked question. "But he is hurt. We've been asking him questions, but he doesn't seem to talk." Zynah heaved a sigh of relief. "Please who are you?" she inquired. "And where are you?" "I'm a vigilante," He responded. "We were busy in our nightly duty routine when we saw his car collide with the roundabout concrete." "Alright, Sir... Kindly take him to a nearby hospital." It was the most she could do for him. She couldn't leave Adnan all by himself even if she wanted to. "He doesn't want us to help," the man's voice dripped with a mix of anger and frustration. Zynah heaved another sigh. How could he be stubborn even in that situation? "Where exactly did the accident happen, please?" "Cl
"Who the heck is this?" Zaahida's face scrunched up in confusion. "I'm sorry for picking—" "I asked you a question!" Zynah swallowed. "Bilal got into an accident. It's already too late and he won't be able to drive back home today. I just wanted to inform you." "What!" She exclaimed. "Oh no! How did my husband get into an accident? Where is he right now?" Her voice as laced with extreme worry. "Is he alright? I want to speak to him, please." "Don't worry," Zynah replied. "He isn't badly hurt. He will go home tomorrow by Allah's grace." "And who are you to tell me when 'my husband' is going to be coming home?" Zaahida scoffed. "Who are you?!" Zynah was about to reply, but before she could, Bilal beat her to it. "Give me the phone, Zynah." Hearing his voice, Zaahida's eyes almost bulged out of their sockets. She couldn't believe her eyes. Zynah? Bilal? That late? In the same house? "I will be back tomorrow," Was all Bilal said to her before ending the call.
Zynah was still in the living room, pondering over the things Bilal had disclosed to her the previous night, when she heard the sound of the gate opening. "Why is he back?" She hissed and went to the window to take a peep. To her surprise, it wasn't Bilal's car. It was Mrs. Hafsa's. "Why are they back so early?" She wondered as she walked out of the house to welcome them. Immediately after Mrs. Hafsa and Ramlah hopped out of the car, Zynah moved forward, ready to approach them, but stopped abruptly in her tracks when the back door swung open, and Rashida came into view, her usual composed demeanor etched with grief. A tide of heat flooded her face, her eyes narrowing. Zynah's hands balled into fists as she looked at her. In that moment, she didn't pity her anymore. The pity had vanished a while ago. All she felt was fury. Standing before her was the person she considered her sister who'd gone behind her back to destroy her life. Why? Simply because she was a bitter and jealous per
In the midst of packing her stuff, Ramlah rushed into the room, standing in front of her, her face etched with concern. "Please, just take a minute to think this over, sis. Hasty decisions are always dangerous." Zynah shook her head. "I will have to leave sooner or later, so it doesn't matter when I do." She gently pushed her out of her way and continued folding her clothes into her suitcase. "Don't worry about me, Ramlah." "What did Ya Rashida do to you? Please tell me, sis." Ramlah beseeched, her voice trembling. "She told horrible lies to Bilal about me - that I was cheating on him, and a bunch of contemptible lies." Ramlah's hand flew over her mouth. "Are you sure? Who told you?" Zynah scoffed, ignoring Ramlah's questions. "Do you want to know the exact 'contemptible lies' she told him about me?" she hummed. "She told him that I aborted a child. Can you imagine? What have I ever done to her to deserve such treatment from her? I loved her like a big sister, and even t