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Behind A Smile 114
"Ya Zynah!!!" Ramlah emerged from the kitchen, an apron tied around her waist, and threw her arms around Zynah. "Why didn't you inform me you were coming?" She disentangled her arms from around her and crouched down to Adnan's level. "I missed you so much, Adnan," She embraced him tightly. "How have you been? You've been taking care of mummy, like promised, rig-" abruptly, she cut herself off, as her gaze darted to Bilal who was standing behind Zynah. "I missed you too, Aunty Ramlah." Adnan replied, drawing back her attention. "Daddy brought a lot of toys for me at the mall. Where is granny?" "Aww! Adnan has really grown," Ramlah pointed out, her voice laced with amusement. "He talks very well now." "Of course." Zynah replied with a small smile, playing on her lips. "He's a big boy now. He's going to be four in less than a month." Ramlah's gaze darted to Bilal again, her eyes narrowed. "What's that man doing in our house?" she spat, her voice dripping with disapproval. "
Last Updated : 2024-08-02Behind A Smile 115
"Zy...Zynah." Rashida's voice broke as she approached Zynah. Her eyes always filled with arrogance and disdain, were now replaced with remorse. Omar appeared from behind Rashida, extending his hand to Bilal for a handshake. "Assalamu'alaykum." "Wa' alaykum salam," Bilal answered, taking his outstretched hand. "We were just about to go to your house," Omar said, his gaze shifting between Zynah and Bilal. "I'll just go straight to the point," he cleared his throat before continuing. "In life, we make mistakes, sometimes big ones that cannot be overlooked, while most of the times, small ones that are not even noticeable by humans. Rashida made a terrible mistake - a mistake she regrets deeply. She wishes to seek your forgiveness. Please find it in your hearts to forgive her." Bilal lowered his head, his eyes cast downward. "Frankly speaking," he began, his voice low. "I don't believe I deserve an apology. The mistake wasn't hers alone. In fact, it's more of my mistake than h
Last Updated : 2024-08-02Behind A Smile 116
"Bilal!" Zynah shrilled, darting towards him. "Are you Alright? Is your stoma-" Bilal quickly replied, cutting her off. "I'm alright, Zynah." "Are you sure? I mean, you just..." She trailed off, searching for the right words to express her concern. "Are you sure you're fine?" He forced a smile. "I am. Don't worry." "If you're sick, you should go to a hospital," Hafsa chimed in. "I'm not," he denied, standing up from his seat and moving towards Hafsa. He cleared his throat before speaking. "I know I haven't asked for your forgiveness yet, for what I did to your daughter." He lowered his head in submission, his voice filled with genuine remorse. "I'm sorry, please find it in your heart to forgive me. I truly regret my actions." Hafsa's gaze lingered on Bilal, before darting to Zynah, her expression unreadable. Finally, she spoke, her voice stern. "I can't say I'm disappointed in you, because I never trusted you from the beginning." Her words were like daggers in Bilal
Last Updated : 2024-08-03Behind A Smile 117
Zynah's lips spread into a broad smile. "For real? Oh my God! This is great news. It's the best I've gotten all day! Who is he? Tell me who the lucky man is!" Ramlah blushed, burying her face in her folded palms. "You know him already." "I do?" Zynah asked, tilting her head to the side as she tried to piece together the puzzle. "I don't think so. Who's he?" "It's Doctor Muslim," Ramlah replied, freeing her from her thoughts. Zynah's eyes widened in disbelief. "Doctor Muslim? Adnan's doctor?" Ramlah nodded, a shy smile gracing her lips. "Yes, Adnan's doctor." Zynah's expression shifted, a thoughtful frown replaced her initial surprise and excitement. "He seems like a good man, but..." She hesitated, her voice filled with concern. "How well do you know this man to have agreed to get married already, Ramlah?" "He's a good man, sis," Ramlah's voice held confidence. "I know it in my heart. He's never given me any reason to doubt his intentions towards. me. What do yo
Last Updated : 2024-08-03Behind A Smile 118
Immediately Bilal's gaze met Zynah's, he shoved Zaahida away, almost reflexively, and wiped his mouth with the back of his palm. Before he could find his voice and say something, Zaahida beat him to it. "Oops..." She drawled, her voice dripping with feigned embarrassment. "I'm sorry you had to see that. We couldn't wait to—" Zynah cut her off, her voice as cold as ice. "It doesn't concern me," She deadpanned, then turned to leave. Bilal, taken aback by her reaction lunged forward, his hand grasping her arm in a desperate attempt to stop her from leaving. But Zynah wasn't having it. She peeled his hand off her, and headed straight to the kitchen. "Bil—" "Hey!" He barked, pointing an accusative finger at her. "Don't you ever pull a stunt like that ever again." He warned. "The next time you do it, there's going to be a price to pay." Undeterred, she met his gaze. "And why not?" She asked, raising a brow. "In case you've forgotten, I'm your wife and Allah will hold you
Last Updated : 2024-08-04Behind A Smile 119
In as much as Zynah wanted to keep being in denial of his genuine feelings towards her, she knew she would only be lying and deceiving herself. She had been doing it for far too long now, she couldn't keep up with it anymore. But did she still love him? She strongly doubted it. Not after everything he put her through. Tears prickled her eyes as she recalled the good old times when they used to be so in love with each other. She had been so willing to do anything and everything just to make him happy. She had given him everything — her heart, her soul, her life. She didn't even realize she was lost in a trance, until she felt Bilal's warm palms on her cheeks, caressing her soft, flawless skin. She had already began to forget the feel of his touch. It was a reminder of what they had lost. "I will love you forever, even in the hereafter. I promise never to hurt you ever again, Zynah." He vowed, his eyes holding nothing but sincerity. "You have my words. I just want you to give me a
Last Updated : 2024-08-04Behind A Smile 120
Throughout the night, Zynah couldn't sleep. She kept tossing and turning. Her mind had been constantly railing over Bilal's words. What did he mean by making the statement: let's make unforgettable memories? She swallowed as a wave of paranoia washed over her. The ethereal call to dawn prayer broke her out of her trance. Her gaze softened as it landed on Adnan, who was peacefully sleeping beside her on the bed. She planted a tender kiss on the forehead, before getting out of bed and sauntering to the bathroom to perform her ablution. Emerging from the bathroom, she put on her hijab, spread the prayer mat and began to offer her prayers. With the prayer completed, she took the holy Qur'an and began to recite suratul yasin. As the final verse echoed in the room, she lifted her hands in supplication. Her heart poured out in earnest prayers for the prophet, peace and blessings upon him, for her family, including Bilal, then finally, for the ummah at large. • Bilal returned fro
Last Updated : 2024-08-05Behind A Smile 121
"Zaahida..." Bilal's voice trailed. He couldn't bring himself to form a coherent sentence.The scene before him was terrifying. Another cruel smirk twisted Zaahida's lips as she tightened her grip on the knife. "Too bad you're going to witness 'the love of your life' die." She emphasized, her voice as sharp as the knife she was holding. Tears rolled down the sides of Zynah's face - Zaahida was acting like a total psychopath. It scared her, but she was even more scared for Adnan. She silently prayed for him to remain sleeping in the room. "Zaahida..." Bilal called again. "Let's talk about this, okay? You're acting like a lunatic right now. Drop that knife, let's talk!" "There's nothing to talk about," She boomed, her voice echoing across the room. "You've already made my stand in your life clear to me, all because of this nuisance! I'm going to kill her today. You can kill me afterwards, I don't care. In fact, I'll be happy that none of us will have you. Since she's decided
Last Updated : 2024-08-06
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Behind A Smile Author's note
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
Behind A Smile 197
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
Behind A Smile 196
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
Behind A Smile 195
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
Behind A Smile 194
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
Behind A Smile 193
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."
Behind A Smile 192
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
Behind A Smile 191
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
Behind A Smile 190
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
