Chapter 20

A rose-pink sunrise trickles in through the window, gradually bringing her awake. She glances at Ahmad, beaming. 'You're up already?" She slurred, trying to keep her eyes open. She was still sleepy. He nodded as he flashes her a half smile. 'Hope you slept well." He said, moving closer to her face. He looks into her eyes as she draws close to him, cupping his cheeks with her warm palms. 'Hmm?" He hummed, still waiting for her to answer his question. It didn't actually matter how she slept, what mattered was knowing she still had control over her husband and things were going to be back to normal. Not after that fiery intimacy they had last night. She moved in for a kiss but he moved back and picked up his phone that was ringing. 'Hey, Layla..." He briskly glanced at hidayah same time her facial expression soured. A look of great bitterness swept across her face. 'I know, I'm so sorry about that." Was he apologizing to her about last night? She clenched her fist angrily. His whole attention was completely back to that worthless girl. Nostrils flaring, she got off the bed and stormed out of his room, banging the door hard. Ahmad couldn't help but laugh out loud. It amuses him how Hidayah keeps on claiming she hates him yet she's grudging whenever he's talking to other girls but her or her siblings. She paced back and forth in her room, having a flashback about last night. She thought everything was going back to normal? Was he really going to marry that girl? No! He might be messing with her mind or testing her patience. She couldn't just insert it in her mind that he was going to get married to someone he loves. And it meant he'd no longer give her attention or even show her respect. She let out a loud growl of annoyance, as she threw her bed pillows all over her room. 'I hate you both! I hate you Layla... I hate you!" Her voice was so loud that she could feel a pain in her throat. She couldn't hold the tears any longer. She fell to the floor in a disheveled heap as her grief poured out in a flood of uncontrollable tears. She was so distressed and bewildered to the extent of actually thinking of giving up on him. She couldn't be fighting for a man she wasn't even sure if she hated less. Only if Adam hadn't turned his back on her. She would've been with him; happy and free. Feeling light headed, she briskly got to her feet and sauntered into her bathroom to freshen up. She wouldn't kill herself over a man that didn't even give a damn about her existence. It was time she changed her ways and level up her game. It was war they wanted, it's on! In the hush of deepening blue comes evening to the city, ever lit, ever awake, ever with pulsing heart. He grimaced and hissed. His consciousness had warned him not to go to work with that car but he chose to be ignorant and did what his brain told him instead. Now he was stuck in a place far away from home. Hidayah was the last person he'd call and ask her for help. He heaved a sigh as he scratched the back of his head. His only alternative now was Layla. He fetched his phone and dialed her number. Without wasting time, Layla came to his aid. They had to wait for his mechanic to come pick up his car before they left. 'So, how is everything going on between you and... your wife?" She asked, turning to glance at him. He smiled instantly at the mention of hidayah. He filled her in about what has been going on for the past five weeks. Hidayah had totally changed since the last time they shared bed together. She was grumpy and easily enraged. She no longer tolerated him or any of his attitudes he puts on towards her. 'Losing her wasn't the plan, Layla. I don't think I can keep up with this," he spoke, referring to their wedding which was in less than a month. Layla gapped her eyes, almost stepping on the brakes on a highway. 'What? Why? Just because of that silly excuse? No, Ahmad..." Layla continued to rant until they were at Ahmad's house. They both step out of the car same time hidayah was coming back from work. She briskly stepped on the breaks not caring if a car was behind her. She couldn't help herself. Her jaw dropped as her eyebrows shot upwards. Her tummy churned as she gaped at the two people before her. It had reached to the point where Layla would follow him home? They were laughing together, almost hugging. Layla flashed her a smile before hopping into her car. Ahmad went inside, acting as though he didn't see hidayah by the gate. Hidayah briskly reversed her car and took a path to their house. A tear tickled her cheek. What has she possibly done to deserve such kind of harsh punishment from him? Was it because she has loosened her hatred on him? Or was it because she showed concern about him? Hidayah kept driving as she kept asking herself multiple unanswered questions. Barging into the house, hidayah collapsed before her mother. Sobbing uncontrollably. Ummah approached her briskly, 'Hidayah? Menene? What happened? Did something happen to Ahmad? Where's he?" Ummah bombarded her with questions as she tried to hold Hidayah still. 'Ummah! Ahmad is getting married. And he has been humiliating me ever since. I can't take it anymore, ummah. I can't." Her lips trembled as she cried. Ummah hissed, letting go of her. 'So what if he's getting married? Are you not the one that humiliated yourself in the first place to the extent where he could also disgrace however he wanted? So this is the reason why you came here acting as if something bad happened to him? Hidayah I pity you if you don't change. You'll completely lose this man you're going crazy about if you don't change your ways of living with him." Ummah walked out of the living room without a back glance. He had just finished having his dinner and did the dishes, plus the one hidayah left before leaving for work that morning. He checked the time, it was past 10pm. Perfect timing to go pick her up. He wasn't going to show up as though he was desperate. If he would've listened to Layla's advice, he wouldn't even go till the next day or never. He got dressed and drove to hidayah's family house, where he knew she had obviously ran off to. And as he expected, he spotted her car parked in the house parking lot. He met the whole family in the living room, excluding hidayah. 'Our latest groom," Nafisa cheered, wiggling her brows at him. He nudged her head and settled down beside her on the two seater. He greeted ummah first before turning his attention to Nafisa. 'Continue calling me that until my wife hears you and knock your teeth out." 'You should've seen the way she came here earlier. We all thought you died." She murmured and clasped her hand over her mouth supposedly hidayah was behind her. 'Really?" He said out of amusement. He chuckled, and it was light, laced with a hum of amusement at the matter. Hidayah panicked that much when she saw him with Layla? 'She has been in her old room for hours now," Aisha chirped in. 'Really, enjoying how miserable she is now, to be honest. She deserves it." Aisha spoke again. Ummah couldn't add in to their conversation. Yes, she wanted Hidayah to be punished, more than any one but there were times that she couldn't handle how she felt sorry for her sometimes. 'Is she inside?" Ahmad lowered his voice while talking to Nafisa. She nodded, 'let me go get her." She got off the sofa and headed to hidayah's room. Hidayah had been listening to their laughter and gleeful chit chat while she buried herself in her quilt. It was devastating for her to hear them converse happily while she was here wretched. 'You should really start paying attention to your environment more. You might not know what will happen while you're deeply absent minded." Hidayah glared at Nafisa. 'What?" She questioned. She didn't acknowledge when Nafisa had entered her room. She was lost in the ocean of his thoughts. 'Well, you should come out now. Ya Ahmad asked me to come get you. You guys are going home now." Nafisa informed her. 'And who told him that I was here? You did right? Why do you always have to be a snitch? And who even told him I'm ever going back to that hell hole of his?" Hidayah thundered, she was so loud that nafisa had to step back. 'C'mon Ya Hidayah, you should really stop it with this behaviour. This might be one of the reasons why he's adding another wife. Look..." Nafisa settled down on the edge of the bed. 'I know you guys didn't start off in a good path, nor how things are going now is great, but all I know is Ya Ahmad is really trying..." 'Trying? By adding another wife? Treating me like garbage?" Hidayah cuts in because she couldn't stick it in her mind how everyone is actually supporting Ahmad instead of her. 'I understand you. And I know how you're feeling right now. You might think life's unfair. Oh why is everyone backing him up, why this... what that... why you?" Hidayah felt like her sister was talking absolute rubbish. How could anyone possibly understand what she was facing or what she was feeling? 'Have you ever asked yourself if you've ever been fair to him, Ya Hidayah? Have you ever just sit and think of everything you have done and how he has tolerated you for longer than you expected? I don't know the complete reason why he's adding another wife. I don't even want to know. And before you claim that ‘there are no good men' make sure you're a good woman. Sometimes you attract the life style you live." Hidayah heaved a deep sigh, not wanting to meet Nafisa's gaze. She was right. She cheated on him. She has been so unfair to him even when he was being fair to her. She wanted to leave him even after all he has done for. How did she repay him for all his kindness? By aborting his baby and still having her head high as though she did nothing wrong. 'He's waiting." Nafisa said softly and gently before getting up and leaving. Hidayah looked out the window, looking pass every building they drove pass. She heaved a sigh and bite her lower lip, trying to hold back the tears but she couldn't. She was so hurt and wanted to mend things with him even if he doesn't want to. She knew if she keeps screwing things up with him, her mother wouldn't take it lightly with her. They were home now. He parked the car at the parking lot before stepping out. She followed him into the house to his room. He looked at her in awe. 'What?" He asked sternly and uninterested in whatever she has to offer to him. It pained him to see her in tears but she caused everything on herself and there was nothing he could do about it. 'Why did you stop loving me?" 'Because you never started." He spoke nonchalantly. She felt like a knife was stabbed into her chest the moment his words hit her ears. 'Can we at least talk about this? Why don't you respect me anymore? Is it because of Adam or the baby? I said I was sorry. Please..." He threw back his head and let out a loud, humourless laugh. 'Now she wants to make things right. Well... for one thing I know is, you never apologized to me about your scandalous affair. And whatever reason it was that brought you here, it's too late. Shut the door when you leave." 'Can you for once respect me and accept my apology. I'm trying to make things right here." He was heading to the bathroom but briskly paused. 'I'm trying to mend things between us but you're being so stubborn, Ahmad. Can't you see how hurt I am?" Her chest was heaving up and down when she blurted those words out to him. That night, he just snapped. All that rage came out faster than magma and just as destructive. 'Now you want to MEND things? Well guess what... If you want to be part of my life, you're gonna have to f*cking PROVE IT to me now. NOBODY gets a F*CKING free pass anymore. You want my trust EARN IT! You want my respect, F*CKING EARN IT! You want my f*cking love and time and energy F*CKING EARN IT! Nobody gets to ride this ride for F*CKING FREE ANYMORE!" There was something in that shout, a pain behind it. Hidayah watched. She watched his eyes. Then she kew. The anger was nothing but a shield of pain, like a concerned soldier randomly throwing out grenades, scared for his life, lonely, desperate. He breathed in real slow. What if nothing blew up? What if there were no consequences? Wouldn't he have to calm down? Wouldn't the shield clatter to the ground and let the pain tumble out?