Chapter Three

After the marriage

Abdul-Dayyan Mohammad

After mixing the chemicals in a test tube, he left it on the rack and exited the lab. Once outside he pulled out his gloves and dumped them in the trash bin, before walking through the long hallway and going up the stairs to his bedroom.

It was as dark as he had left it, so he proceeded to remove his lab coat before switching on the lights. He didn't expect the sight that graced him, his wife Amal was sitting on his bed in a sexy night gown that exposed her curves.

He sighed and faced the mirror backing her, "What is it Amal?"

From the mirror he saw her walked towards him before he felt her wrap her arms around his back.

"I missed you Dayyan." She said standing on her tip toes to peck his neck, then she rested her face on his back.

"I missed you a lot." She said.

"I'm not in the mood for this" He deadpanned but she hugged him tighter and letting a soft moan escape her. He gently removed her hands that were wrapped around him, then turned to face her.

"Amal, please stop"

She flared, "stop what? It's been months you touched me, you don't even look at me like a woman. You... You make me feel ugly like I don't deserve even a glance from you"

A lone tear escaped her eyes, "I want you to make me feel like a woman, make me feel loved. Please Dayyan, is that too much to ask?"

"I'm tired" He said and then walked to his bed

"I didn't stop you from marrying her, I accept it but even the holy book said to treat your wives equally. Why then do you make me feel inferior to her?"

"Please don't" He begged.

"Don't what? Don't say the truth? You love her, you love her so much it hurts. I've been with you all your life, where was she when you had nothing? When you'd hide behind the tree close to my house and wait for me to bring you breakfast, lunch and dinner?"

"I'm just going through a phase now, please understand" Dayyan said in a pleading voice.

"What phase? She divorced you three months ago, she doesn't love you and she never will. That woman is incapable of love, she's a manipulative cold hearted..."

"Stop it! Stop it right now, not another bad word about Munawarrah or else..."

"Or else what? Are you going to hit me? If you're going to then do so, do so if you have no shame"

He didn't reply her, he simply walked out and went to the guest room where he went to lie on the bed and thought of her.

••••• ••••• •••••

Munawarrah

Her mansion was to put it simply was picturesque. It had a contemporary view to it and stood proudly as a giant would, a five story building with a beautiful garden and a pool. It's interior was exquisite depicting the elegant taste of it's owner. A seemingly endless hallway at it's entrance that let to it's sitting room, in there had very finely tiled floors, a beautiful chandelier dangled lowly from it's high ceiling. The walls had decor of what could be correctly guessed as the best displays of a museum giving the house both an ancient and modern feeling to it.

In the middle of the sitting room was the staircase, it's marble floors shone beautifully as if only the feet of royalty were to be placed upon it. It's first floor had another sitting room that also proudly expressed the millions spent on it, it stood there proudly as if it waited the gushing of everyone that sets eye upon it.

It had the miscellaneous room of six in it, all grand and beating that of a five star hotel. The next floor had a ridiculously massive library with stone foyer as it's floor design, it had so much books that anyone interested in books will choose to live in for the rest of their lives, with a huge glass door that looked out the view of the pool that had been designed to look nothing less like a beach. It's chairs were very soft and designed beautifully, this floor had four rooms.

The next floor wasn't short of elegancy nor the exquisite nature of the rest, with four rooms also and a huge gym with everything needed for one to stay fit. The last floor had her bedroom, her massive office with a balcony that gave the outlook of the beautiful house, the floor had in total five bedrooms.

Her bedroom was exactly how she had wanted it to be, fit for a queen that she considered herself as, it's floor was of bamboo material and looked beautiful, the walls were painted white and a dinning area by the side, the bed was a queen sized and the headboard was designed with real gold.

She wore a black straight skirt and then a deep neck beige colored blouse, before wearing a black and grey stripped kimono. Her black veil was tied as a turban on her head, she sat on the bed before wearing her stilettos on her feet. She went down the stairs and sat on the table waiting for her food.

And as soon as she sat down, her food was served. Her chef was one of the best in the country.

She quietly ate her food before heading out where her car a black Mercedes-Benz, with the driver waiting for her and Usman, her bodyguard at the passenger's seat glaring ahead. The butler opened the door to the backseat and she went in, sitting next to Khairatu.

"Good morning ma'am." Khairatu greeted with a slight bow.

"Good morning ma." Her driver and bodyguard greeted.

She didn't acknowledge their greetings, "Khairatu what's my schedule for today?"

"For this morning, a survey of the scientists working on the cure for ebola. Monthly shareholders meeting by 10am, lunch with foreign investors by 1pm, Meeting with the head of department of environmental health under NAD(National Agency For Drugs), also..."

"Wait... Wait, why am I meeting with head of department of environmental health?"

"I don't know ma'am."

"Go ahead."

She listened as Khairatu recited her schedules for the rest of the day, it was going to be hectic. She got to the company and took her private elevator to her office which was on the last floor, the building had seventeen floors.

"Tell Aliyu to meet me in my office now." She instructed Khairatu and the girl hurried off to do as she was instructed. Munawarrah sat o her chair which was behind her computer. The chair was fit for a king, made of pure gold, it tall frame stood proudly overshadowing everything else in the office.

Aliyu Umar walked into the office, "Assalamu alaykum."

Not one to trust people, Aliyu Umar was the one person who had come close to gaining Munawarrah's trust. She didn't fully trust anyone and she was suspicious of the slightest of things. Aliyu Umar was among the two scientists that had been hired by Mr David Adebode, they had come a long way together and not once has he failed her.

She was aware of his feelings for her and she made sure to use it to her full advantage.

"Why am I meeting with someone from NAD?" She asked and his face paled before he settled himself on the couch in the office.

"The new malaria drugs we released into the market has proved to have severe side effects."

Her face had hardened as she asked, "what side effects?"

"Itching, abnormal swell of body parts and for kids, death! Two children have died from it's usage."

"Get it out of the market as quick as possible, get the broadcast statement ready I have a statement to make." Khairatu was almost at the door when Muna said.

"And also apply it on a handkerchief and bring to me."

Khairatu nodded knowing what her boss meant

To Aliyu, "get me the names of the family who has suffered losses."

In few minutes Munawarrah was sitting in front of the camera at her broadcast room, she dabbed the handkerchief on her face and soon tears began to pour out.

"Ready ma'am?" The head of the broadcast team asked and she nodded.

"We'd be live in 3...2...1"

She dabbed the hanky on her face again before looking straight at the camera a sad look enveloping her beautiful face, making her look not just pitiful but vulnerable.

"Ever since I heard the news of the side effects of the new malaria drugs we released last month plasmodyl I haven't been able to sleep nor eat." She sniffed and then dabbed the hanky on her face again.

"I am deeply sorry and my words cannot take back what has happened. I express my deep regrets to the family of Alhassan and Bukola and I sincerely sympathize with them over their loses. May the Almighty grant the deceased paradise."

She dabbed the hanky on her face before breaking down into a full blown sob and resting her head on the desk in front of her, there was utter silence and the only sound heard was her sniffing. She raised her head to look straight at the camera and even Aliyu who knew it was an act gasped, her eyes were red and she seemed to have aged

"I'm sorry." was the last thing she said before the cameraman's announcement,

"And we're out."

She stood up and collected the handkerchief Khairatu handed her, she cleaned her tears and blew her nose before throwing it with the previous one she had been using into the waste bin. She strike a match and when it had fire brimming from it's stick she threw it into the bin with the two handkerchiefs and exited the broadcast room and went to get ready for the shareholders meeting.