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May Allah save us from any distress, grief, hardship, harm, and make our trials easy. May Allah fill our hearts with imaan, our eyes with imaan, our ears with imaan and make us to follow the path of imaan. May we forever be on the right path.

Jumm'at Mubaraq❤️

•••••••

Fatimah Batool adjusted her seating position feeling a sense of calm wash over her as she watched her husband pray.

She has always loved seeing him pray because he put his mind to it and all his movements were calm and at peace.

Early days in their marriage, she made sure to wake him up every night for nafl prayers even when she wasn't praying, she would sit on her prayer mat supplicating and watching him, that had made them extremely closer and she realized nothing brought a couple together like then coming together and performing an act of ibadah.

That's why sometimes, rarely but it did happen, she sits and think of where exactly they had gone wrong, she made sure to push those thoughts away from her mind by seeking protection from satan, he was the roots of those questions.

That was her test and she took it wholeheartedly, no need to ruin all her patience with unnecessary baseless thoughts.

He said the salam and did azkar before getting up and walking back to the bed, thier eyes met and he smiled at her.

She felt her cheeks heating knowing he still had that effect on her, even after so many years of being together and then the years they spent apart and everything in between, he still managed to make her heart skip a beat.

Farhan greeted him and she was glad his voice was welcoming, he asked about his health and prayed for his speedy recovery.

Hajiya Ladidi was silent watching the interaction and she felt the burn, as always.

She knew him with his other family was a sight that would always hurt her and she had done everything to tear them apart but they were right back again making all her sacrifices go to nothing.

She watched her husband's eyes glowing with love as he conversed with his eldest son, how interested he was in learning every detail of his life, at some point the mother had to pitch in and tell him to calm down with the questions, he wasn't going away.

That assurance had hit hajiya Ladidi because she could hear the determination in her voice, she was there to stay.

"Batoola, you didn't have to get on the road. You know how dangerous it is." Malam Sadeeq spoke in a soft voice, his tone worried.

Hajiya Ladidi looked away, hating him for making her feel hurt, he had a right to care for the woman she was his wife after all, what she couldn't stand was how into it he was.

It was something she couldn't explain mostly because she had imprinted that idea in her own head that he only cared for her out of obligation.

He had never denied it so she went on believing that.

"Let's not argue about this. I couldn't stay calm not knowing how you were."

"I'm fine alhamdulillah, it was just stress." She shook her head, her eyes glistening with tears.

"What stress? I don't know why you keep doing this to yourself Hus–" He stopped her with a shake of his head and took her hands in his.

"You should also rest, it is nothing to worry about as you can see, I am getting discharged soon and we'll talk." She nodded and looked at the chair Farhan was but it was empty.

Her heart lurched wondering just when he would finally forgive his father.

She tried her absolute best to not look at her co-wife, she didn't have any negative feelings towards the woman, she understood her to a degree she might say and she could even say she admired her strength.

It wasn't easy living with someone you don't love, but it's a bigger challenge having to live with someone that doesn't love you, not only that, someone who was in love with someone else.

She guessed that was why she hated her, she had the one thing she has ever wanted in that life, for her husband to love her.

He respected her, he cared for her but he didn't love her and that was all she has ever wanted and when she didn't get it, she lost it.

The worst part was she had the mentality of if she couldn't have him then neither should she, and so she got him, she thought she did or maybe she had since she made him choose her by taking the most precious thing in the world to him.

If he wanted it then he had to stay with her, and he had, only because Batool agreed, she accepted they had wronged her and that was thier retribution because what they had taken from her was a dim contrast to what she took from them, so she had let her win.

The victory had been hers year ago but now she too was ready for a fight and she always fought to win.

********

Malam Sadeeq was on the bed when Khadijah rushed and hugged him, he laughed heartily wrapping his arms around her too.

He couldn't remember the last time she hugged him like that, it reminded him of when she was little.

"Mamana, you can't cry now. You're a big girl." He joked rubbing her back comfortingly.

"I am not," She cried.

Hajiya Ladidi the only other occupant of the room shook her head with a smile on her face.

They let the father and daughter have thier moment while Fahad moved to her and they exchanged pleasantries, she asked after his family and he replied in the affirmative.

"He is much better now alhamdulillah. Just stress." She replied giving her husband a pointed look, he only smiled and turned away holding Khadijah's hand.

"How are you?" Malam Sadeeq asked his last daughter, she smiled and replied in the positive.

Fahad greeted him too and he answered with so much happiness it warmed his heart.

He knew Khadijah was her father's favourite, it wasn't a hidden fact even from the way they interacted.

"How is work and your parents?" Fahad replied with they were fine and they sent thier regards and prayers.

He sat for a while and they conversed about many things before he excused himself and walked out with a single destinations in mind.

He knocked and entered the office of Dr. Sakinah and he found the person he was looking for sitting on the visitor's chair.

They exchanged pleasantries and asked about his wife which he told them she was with her dad and he wanted to give her privacy.

"How is everything now?" He sighed and took the free seat which happend to be next to Fatima Batool.

"It is fine, a bit calm but I don't expect much." She studied him closely and noticed the bags under his eyes, he hasn't been sleeping.

"You should take care of yourself Barkindo, you can't lead with your back bent. It has to be straightened and you need rest to do that."

"I know, it is just so hard to rest."

"You need it." She stated in finality and he nodded, with the hope that he could be able to keep his eyes closed for at least an hour.

"Where are you staying? At the house or..." She let the question hang.

It would be pointless to stay in their family house because it was too big for just two people and heavens know he wasn't going to let Khadijah step foot into his house in millennium city that was raided once, he might gamble with his life but he wouldn't dare do that with her.

"I'm not sure right now but I'll figure it out."

"I can fix something up for you, I'm sure she would love to stay close to one of her sister's. There's this bungalow around rabah road if you're okay with it. Three bedroom if I recall correctly."

"That would be so much help aunty Fatima, thank you." She nodded with a smile on her face.

He has his security and all but she knew no one could get in or out of that house without her knowledge, and it didn't matter if that doppelganger has his fingerprints, he wouldn't be able to enter the house.

"Your mother said your siblings are coming, are they staying with you?" He looked thoughtful for a moment before nodding.

"Yes, that'll be the best and Khadijah likes living with them though with everything that's happening, I'll ask her first and see how she feels about it."

"I'll let you two speak, I need to make rounds." Dr. Sakinah stood up, she patted him on the shoulder before waving her sister goodbye.

Fahad looked at the both of them, noting their similarities again. How two people could look the same and different at the same time was beyond him.

When you first look at them, it's the same person but when you see them apart they are completely different because each person has his unique features. Indeed, Allah created man in the best design.

"How did you know?" Fahad asked her after a few minutes of silence, he didn't need to elaborate because he was sure she knew exactly what he was talking about.

Fatima Batool smiled and turned to her best friend's son, her own son if she wanted to look at it that way.

"A lot of things go way back."

Fahad pondered on before tilting his head a bit his eyes curious.

She smiled seeing his expression.

"It is nothing to worry about." She looked at her wrist watch and got to her feet. "I have to meet with someone right now, you should check on your wife." She left after that and he closed his eyes to get his bearings right.

How did his simple, okay not exactly simple but his less complicated life get this bad?

Khadijah being in the middle of it all, he knows how those men were and they were not above using her to get to him and he'll be damned if he let them touch even a hair on her head.

He would not let her end up like Nai'a and he would do anything to make sure that didn't happen.

Just then his phone pinged with an incoming message, he picked it and his blood boiled when he saw the contents. He didn't have time for that.

*Khadijah is mine!*

He rolled his eyes at whoever thought that was funny, who could it be anyways?

He didn't let his mind wander when he left the office, closing the door like Dr. Sakinah had said.

He went back to the private room Malam Sadeeq was admitted in and was a bit surprised to see Farhan outside as though he was contemplating entering or just turning back. He placed a hand on his shoulder and watched him jump a bit.

"Sorry, I didn't mean to startle you." Farhan glared at him making him smile.

He hadn't meant to scare him but since he did, he wasn't very sorry about it.

"What are you doing out here?"

"I...erm...I...the thing is–"

"You've forgotten how to form a coherent sentence?" Fahad helped, raising a brow.

Farhan rolled his eyes as a reply before turning the knob and walking in.

Khadijah was still beside her father, the position he'd left her in earlier while hajiya Ladidi was nowhere in sight, Malam Sadeeq was taking a nap.

"Khadijah, how are you?" Farhan greeted smiling from ear to ear.

She returned his smile and greeting with the same enthusiasm, they were both happy but for different reasons.

It took a lot for him to not walk up and just hug her, he held back knowing her husband would not appreciate that, at all.

Fahad was silently studying the two, his eyes taking of note of things he knew he wouldn't let anybody know.

"I'm stepping out for a bit, do you need anything?" His voice was soft when he spoke, his eyes unblinking on Khadijah.

After the events of the last few days, he paid more attention to everything about her, he couldn't help it sometimes he just finds his eyes drifting to her hands, he noticed she liked playing with her fingers when she was nervous.

She hated eye contact that was for sure and she couldn't keep up with it for more than ten seconds, yes he counted.

"No I'm fine thank you." He smiled to himself when she turned away, her eyes moving around the room. Eye contact was not her thing.

"I'll be back in a few, you call when you need anything okay." She nodded and he gave Farhan a single nod before turning in his heels.

"You left Kaduna and forgot me, I really miss being a hero you know. I'd even gotten fitted for my Cape." That made her chuckle lowly.

"And I thought I was keeping you unoccupied and work free over there."

"I like my hands full don't worry. How is work?"

"Alhamdulillah, yours?" He gave the same answer and silent ensued, not that he wanted it.

He had a lot of things he wanted to talk to her about, he wanted to find out her likes and dislikes, everything but didn't know how to go about it.

Heck, he wanted to tell her how much he loved her because she was sister, how much he'd wanted to a part of her childhood and watch her grow, how much it hurt him to miss every little moment of her life but he couldn't do it.

Not when their father couldn't handle so much stress anymore, but he will let her know soon enough.

There was a knock and the other siblings entered, Sadiya looked at Khadijah feigning betrayal which she pretended not to notice.

Farhan watched them interact and his heart lurched, he was there but it felt like be was on the outside looking in, he wanted so badly to be one of them, since when he'd found them he just wanted to one of them.

Not the stranger who helped Khadijah, not Layla's cousin, not Kamla's suitor and not the other woman's son because that would be the first title he would get, the other woman's son, he didn't want it, he just wanted to be their brother.

Right from childhood, that was all he has ever wanted.

That was way it was hard for him to forgive their father because he felt he'd deprived him from having the one thing he wanted most in life, sisters, siblings, anything, being an only child had it perks but it wasn't satisfying when he knew he had sisters but the were unreachable.

"Where's my namesake?" He asked Sadiya when they settled down.

"I left then at ya Baraka's, I cannot deal with her overactiveness, she wants to make me old." She chuckled.

"You have nothing to worry about, stress has nothing on you." She glanced at her husband with a sickly sweet smile when he turned away.

Farhan noticed the act and that made him chuckle, he knew he was bordering on a very thin line with Abdulrahman, the man was extremely possessive though he seemed calm and cool headed, you wouldn't want to be caught on his bad side.

"I should go, I have a meeting."

"That'll be great, bye." They erupted in laughter at Abdulrahman's quick agreement.

He walked out and Baraka smiled at her brother in law.

"You know he has eyes only for Kamla right?"

"But he doesn't seem to know to keep his eyes off other people's wives." He mumbled making Sadiya laugh happily.

She loved getting on his nerves.

"Please, it's just I am hard to resist." She tskd and he gave her a look. "Oh get over it babe, you are safe."

The noise woke their father up and they apologized but he was happy to see them all together, though someone was missing but he was still happy for this.

******

Fahad considered going to the Aliero's first but he changed his mind and made for L'arte dei sapori to meet with Dahlia, he dialed her phone not sure she was in, she picked on the third ring and he connected it to the car's Bluetooth.

"Barkindo, this is a pleasant surprise." She teased the moment she picked.

"We'll argue when I get there, are you in?"

"Come over, I'm almost there."

"Do you even know where I'm talking about."

"I'm mostly not in Abuja so yes I do, bye." She hung up the phone making him shake his head. She was a complicated human being quite alright.

She arrived just in time and they met by the door, she took her shades off and gave him a once over.

"Marriage did you good." She commented as he opened the door for her.

"What can I say? My wife is a good cook." She chuckled and sat in a corner of the restaurant that was mostly away from prying eyes, Fahad slipped in opposite her.

"Beauty, brains and gifted. I love her." She complimented recalling Khadijah, she did like her a lot. "Well I am happy for you."

"Thank you. How have you been?"

"Good, real good actually, Kaduna has to be my paradise." He shook his head but didn't say anything.

They sat and spoke catching up on lost time, they talked about business, something they were both familiar with.

"How is she?" He was confused when she asked out of the blue.

Dahlia rolled her eyes before replying. "Khadijah."

"She is fine, why do you ask?" He asked skeptical but she only shrugged.

"I know her and I know you, that's enough don't you think. Besides, we still need to hang out, I have a few stories I would like to share with her."

Fahad studied her relaxed features before shaking his head.

"Good you told me, I won't let her near you then."

"Oh don't get so scared Barkindo, only good things." He nodded and looked around the place.

There was a nagging feeling at the back of his mind, as though someone was watching him and he couldn't tell if he was just being paranoid and skeptical or his sixth sense just became overly active.

"Everything alright?" Dahlia asked noticed his squared shoulders.

He nodded absently, his eyes fixed on the man that just entered the restaurant. He was dressed in all black, be had to give him zero for the attention seeking clothes, something just didn't feel right about him.

He knew he was right to think that when after he left, another man entered dressed in a similar way, he'd thought he was just seeing things first but when Dahlia made mention of it, he knew all wasn't right.

"Does this happen often?" He asked when she muttered not again under her breath.

"Not very often but a few times, yes." His brows furrowed in question, he didn't need to voice it because she read it in his features.

"Family members are sometimes the bane of our existence. Excuse me." She stood up and walked to the other man standing at the counter.

He couldn't hear what she was saying except a few words here and there and she was speaking extremely fast in fluent Italian, it was rare to hear her speaking in her native tongue.

She returned and sat back with a sigh.

"If you need muscle back up, I'm game." She chuckled softly before shaking her head.

"I believe you're good but they'll break you in half Barkindo. Also, I don't want to make Khadijah a widow because I really like her." She tried to make her tone light but there was seriousness to it.

"Who are you Dahlia?" He asked when she finished.

"I would rather that stays between me and my family Fahad, wouldn't want to drag you into my mess, you have a lot on your plate already."

He let it go then but not because he was actually going to let it go.

Then realization dawned on him that maybe he was the one that liked inviting trouble but he couldn't help it, he sees someone in need of help and he feels the obligation to help, even if it meant going out of his way.

Nai'a came to his mind and he tried to push the thought away but it was proving difficult.

He closed his eyes hoping to God it would go away but it didn't and the image of her that kept hunting him popped up behind his closed lids, bloodied battered and bruised with a letter in hand, only one word was written on that piece of paper.

*Fahad Barkindo*

"Fahad?" He Blinked multiple times to clear his vision and when he could focus on her he nodded.

His phone vibrated with multiple incoming messages and he groaned before finally picking it up, about ten messages from the same unknown number, he hissed and dropped the phone back on the table, hard.

That made Dahlia look up at him and she saw how his face was hardened with his brows pulled together in a frown.

"Now what's wrong?"

"I don't know. You know what we'll get back to this another time I need to go." He picked the phone up and walked out, not waiting for her reply. He made a mental note to call and apologise later but he just had to go.

Where? He didn't know.

He got back in his car and started the vehicle, completely missing the black SUV right behind him.

He made three turns before taking note of the car, he sighed and closed his eyes for a brief moment before making a deliberate left when he was supposed to keep going straight and get back on the road that'll take him to the house his aunt was talking about.

The car was still behind him, this time he rolled his eyes because whoever it was had to be a novice to tail someone so close.

He changed course deciding to just go by the Aliero's or his parents residence, his phone rang before he could make that decision and he saw a private number, he considered ignoring it but the multiple messages and the car made him change his mind.

Well maybe his stalker has decided to make a show, he almost laughed before connecting the car's Bluetooth.

Compared to what HSM has been doing to him, that had to be child's play.

No one spoke on the line and he didn't hang up waiting for the person to give up and speak because the whole anonymous thing was kind of pathetic.

Soon the voice came and he found himself rolling his eyes.

"If you want to know the truth about Khadijah, meet me in twenty minutes."

He considered ending the call at that but thought against it.

"You're right behind me, why don't you pull up and we'll have the talk?" The line went silent, the person was either considering pulling up or was surprised that they've caught on his amazing spying skills, and that robotic voice ruined any effect his comment might've made on Fahad.

"Okay." He replied and Fahad parked the car, he stepped out the same time the other man did.

He was dressed in a leaf green colored getzner with a cap in a lighter shade, he looked like the painting of a small child and Fahad almost told him that.

He cane closer and Fahad could tell he looked familiar, he brushed the thought off deciding he has probably seen him at meetings or events.

"You didn't see my messages." That was the first thing the man said and Fahad raised a single brow.

"I....I mean aren't you interested in knowing the truth?" Fahad decided to give him a listening ear seeing all the trouble he has gone through to get to him.

"Go on, I have somewhere to be." He glanced at his wristwatch before fixing his gaze on the man.

He didn't know what it was about the man but he didn't like him at first glance.

"Just make sure you go through everything I sent. You'll know why she can't have children."

"Is that it?" Having dealt with the press for most of his life, he knew people use what you said to thier advantage and they could twist literally any word you spit out so he was very careful with what he said around people.

"You should know that she is a green snake and I want to help you. Man to man you understand right?"

"Thank you for your consideration."

"Erm...you can talk to me with the same number. I have all the answers you need." The man turned and left and Fahad got back to his car, throwing every single thing he had said in the trash because he couldn't deal with such baggage in his brain.

That little encounter made him change his mind about going to either places, instead he drove to the hospital needing to see Khadijah.

He called his aunt and told her he would check the house later and get everything ready before Khadijah decides to leave the hospital.

She told him to not worry everything would be ready and he could either stop by Farhan's and get the key or she'll give it to Farhan if he was going to the hospital. That was much better and he thanked her before hanging up.

He met Baraka's husband and their three daughters, he remembered seeing them during the wedding but then he wasn't so very calm as to remember them but he could tell the exact replica to her mother and Kamla's lookalike too.

She was the one getting married and the second he guessed had to be his sister in law, he almost laughed at the image of Ja'afar watching her picture in a daze, when he'd taken the phone away from him, he'd panicked and it was extremely comical.

"Good evening uncle Fahad."

"Good evening uncle,"

The greeted at the same time and he replied picking up the youngest that was holding her father's hand.

"What's your name angel?" He asked her, she held on to him before replying shyly.

"Nanah."

He smiled, "That's a beautiful name you have there Nanah. Is it Nanah Aisha or Nanah Khadijah or Nanah..." He intentionally drawled earning a giggle.

"Nanah Aisha,"

"Even more beautiful, I have a sister with your name." That excited her and she started telling him everyone she knows that has her name, conversing with her calmed him and he forgot about everything that was bothering him.

"Aunty Dee," She squealed immediately they got the room and she saw her aunt.

Manal shook her head with an eye roll then proceeded to hug her aunt first.

"Hey that's cheating!" She called out to her elder sister who stuck her tongue out. She pouted then faced Fahad with a smile. "Uncle Fahad please can you take me closer to aunty Dee?"

"Nanah you have legs." Her mother chastised but Fahad shook his head motioning it wasn't much of a problem, the little girl was elated.

Instead of keeping her on Khadijah's lap, he leaned and let her hug her aunt before standing back up.

He had to move a few feet away to stop himself from leaning in again because of her scent, a mix between vanilla and oud, one word, mind-blowing.

"Grandma, I missed you." This time Fahad kept her down and let her run to hug her grandmother ignoring her mother's warning to stop running.

Sadiya and Abdulrahman left a few minutes before their arrival, the former insisting she would be the one to bring dinner to their father so hajiya Ladidi could rest.

Baraka wanted to argue but a pleading look from her sister let it go.

Khadijah had simply let it go not knowing where she was going to stay and she didn't want to interrupt Fahad's work with unnecessary calls.

She knew it wasn't true even as she'd told herself that, speaking to him on the phone had been calming before but now it just felt strange and she did everything she could to avoid having to call him.

It was almost maghrib so they'll be back in a few hours, probably less than an hour if she calculated correctly.

He watched the family interact feeling a lot more relaxed the more he watched them.

"Aunty Dee yeah I wanted to ask if you still have that red Chantilly veil, it matches a gown I'm wearing and my mum doesn't want to give me hers." Afnan asked when the men left for maghrib prayer leaving only their father that was also praying.

Since there was only one mat they were taking turns.

"I think I brought it with me, it's in the car though maybe when Fahad gets back we'll go and get it." Her eyes moved to the door. "When do you need it?"

"On Saturday Insha Allah."

"Saturday? Where are you going?"

She looked down her cheeks tinged pink, Manal laughed loudly and whispered something to her aunt.

"Ya Baraka it's nothing, her fiancé is coming to the house to see her."

"Subhanallah, I've totally forgotten and why didn't you remind me, we're all out of snacks because your brother has turned it to his lunch and dinner." She shook her head. "Afnan you are not serious honestly."

"Oh mummy, she's just shy." Manal teased annoying her elder sister who was still refusing to meet her mother's eyes.

"Don't pressure the young girl Baraka, you were much worse. You refused to come back home after your wedding because you were shy." They all laughed when thier grandmother spoke.

Even Nanah joined in the laughter though she didn't know what they were saying, too engrossed playing game on Fahad's phone.

There hajiya Ladidi started telling them of thier mother's antics when she was younger and Manal was living in the moment because they were so alike and she felt she now had a leverage over her mother.

Being with her family made Khadijah feel more at home and at peace, a different kind of peace.

"Aunty Dee, I think I opened a message." Nanah tapping her hand make her look down and she found the girl with a confused look on her face.

"What's wrong baby?"

"I swiped up like I do on mummy's phone to exit but I don't know what happened." she stated with a pout.

"Let me see," Khadijah collected the phone and saw she had mistakenly tapped on the message icon, she was used to her mother's iPhone the Samsung settings had confused her.

She wanted to exit and hand it back to her when a message caught her eyes and she felt her body heating up.

"I'm coming." She stated absently and left the room, no one noticed her distressed state.

She didn't know where she was going but she just kept on walking, her throat feeling clogged.

She rested against a wall and brought the phone up to her eye level wanting to confirm what she had seen but the message was still there.

She tortured and herself and scrolled back reading the first messages, Fahad hadn't opened any of it which calmed her but she was still in panic.

*I know the truth about Khadijah*

*She is not as innocent as she let on*

*She is a murderer, if you don't believe me ask why she can't give birth. She had multiple abortions and one went wrong.*

*I'm just trying to save you from ruin.*

Khadijah stopped reading from there but there were a lot more under it. She held the phone tight in her hands to stop from throwing it against a wall.

She clawed at her neck hoping to release the tightness of the high neck because she couldn't breathe.

She felt arms around her and she tried to move away but she heard a familiar voice.

"It's just me," She calmed against Fahad's touch and she let him lead her to an office, she heard a click and knew that he locked the door.

Fahad had been on his way to the room when they got back to tell Khadijah he was going to go and get the house ready when he met with Manal and she told him she had left the room and his phone was with her.

He didn't know where to go so he headed for Dr. Sakinah's office so she would help him locate her when he found her crouching and gasping for breath.

He moved to the examination bed in the office and held her to him until she was calm and breathing normally.

For the first time since their marriage, Khadijah held on to him too like her life depended on it.

"I didn't do it, I promise I didn't do any of those things." She started sobbing confusing him.

He was blubbering multiple things at once he wasn't sure she knew what she was saying.

He let her cry it out thinking it was just then things were catching up to her, she was going through a lot and he understood.

"He is lying, he is just lying. He wants to ruin my life, he won't stop until he kills me. I don't know what he wants anymore, he has already taken so much, what more does he want?" She cried in his arms her body racking with sobs.

"Who?" He managed to ask needing to get a name so he could deal with whoever it was that hurt her like that.

She didn't say anything, she probably didn't hear.

Her breathing was coming out in ragged pants he was scared she would pass out because she didn't look like she was breathing well.

He stroked her veil covered head, they stayed like that for more than ten minutes before Khadijah finally got her bearings right but still she didn't move from his embrace.

Fahad moved back wanting to get off the bed but she held him tighter so he sat back and wrapped his arms around her, resting his head on hers.

"Please don't leave me." She pleaded, her eyes closed and he nodded against her.

"I won't, ever."

Her breathing evened out he'd thought she had fallen asleep so he adjusted his sitting position so he rested his back against the wall.

His phone ringing in her hand reminded Khadijah of the device, she handed it to him and he sighed in annoyance when he saw the same private number calling him.

He rejected the call and switched the phone off completely.

"You need to rest Dee." He spoke softly.

She didn't make any move to show she heard and he let her, deciding she needed more time to calm down.

What had happened to her?

She looked so happy with her family, he couldn't wrap his hands around it.

One thing he was sure of though was, no matter how many times she breaks down in his presence he could never get used to the image of seeing her so hurt, and by Allah he wanted to do anything to keep her happy and safe.

First things first, he needed to know what exactly made her have a panic attack like that, she was talking about a certain 'he' and he had a hunch who it was, he just needed confirmation.

"Come on," He took her hands and helped her up before opening the door, Dr. Sakinah was standing outside with her eyebrows raised.

"Well hello," She greeted with a smile before her eyes drifted to Khadijah and she took her hands her face contorting into that of worry.

"What's wrong Khadijah? Fahad?" He shook his head.

"It's nothing, we were just leaving she's feelings a bit under the weather." Her expression showed she didn't believe him but she agreed and let them leave.

With his arms still wrapped around her they walked out of the hospital and towards his car, the man he saw earlier was standing against the car and he felt himself getting annoyed.

Khadijah stiffened against him and that caught his attention because she stopped moving.

"What's wrong?" She shook her head tears forming in her eyes.

His eyes drifted back to the man that was now making his way towards them, the closer he got the more Khadijah moved into his body, realization dawned on him them and he almost hit himself for being daft.

Having a family lawyer as a mother he should know quite a lot about crazy ex husbands.

He ignored the man's existence and tried to move but Khadijah was rooted to the ground.

How scared she was surprised him, he wondered how one man could destroy such a strong woman.

"Fahad please," she called holding his hands and he looked into her pleading eyes, he didn't like seeing the fear in her eyes.

"He won't touch you, trust me." He assured and she finally relaxed before letting him lead.

Fahad's blood was already boiling and he hoped deep down the good for nothing man would pretend he didn't see them and just pass.

"Khadijah! Khadijah! Tell him the truth, tell him how you killed all my children. How many times you let men into my house when I wasn't around. You forced me to divorce you so you could marry your lover isn't it?"

They let him rant because he was the one looking like a crazy person, that wasn't enough for him though.

After his father and brother's warning he still went ahead and did what he wanted to do.

Every other thing he did would've been fine, mistakes definitely but they were mistakes Fahad could overlook, he crossed the line when he reached for Khadijah and dragged her, eliciting a yelp from her lips.

It was like every single demon that he inhabited and kept under control broke out of their shackles, the murderous look in Fahad's eyes scared Suleiman and he found himself moving back but it was too late.

And for the first time since he decided to leave his house that morning, he actually felt like he made a mistake.

••••••

Assalamu alaikum my darlings.

How are you all? This update took a bit long don't mind me, I have a lot on my plate but I hope it was worth the wait.

Well Suleiman has finally met his match, Fahad will take him to school and who else can't wait!!!!

A little break from psycho HSM and Fahad number two but they'll be here soon enough.

Again, thank you all for 10k votes, i wouldn't be here without you and this is to each and every single one of you that took their time to vote, I love you guys so much and I appreciate the love.

I'll try and update early next time so in the meantime, vote comment and share.

Please disturb me with your comments, I love reading your opinions.

Have a great weekend

Amyrah