SALMA
Now that Wasim had broken through all of my barriers and gained a place in my heart in a matter of months, I waited for him in my room and prayed for his safety.

Allah sent Wasim, the only person I have ever been this close to, when I had even forgotten how to smile or experience love.

Though he has shown me what love is all about, fulfilled a lot of his promises to me, protected me, and even threatened to hurt me physically, these people still do not know Wasim's plan, and neither do we.

I instantly got to my feet upon hearing a knock, adjusted my hijab, and completely hid my hands under my long sleeve shirt.

"Please come in," I said in a low voice, suddenly feeling apprehensive and bashful.

"Hello," he said, and I responded in an Islamic manner without looking at him.

"Assalamualeikum."

"Waleikumsalam," he replied, and there was total silence.

His presence changed me, as if all those feelings awoke in me that I had never expected to feel, Astagfirullah.

"How did you get all the way here again?"How do you manage these guys, and do they let you?" I questioned him because I was curious as to why they feared him so much.

"That is my charm, my princess; I have my ways," he said with a smirk, and his head must have grown twice. He is full of himself today.

"I have brought something for you," he said, and my eyes widened. First, dress. Now what?Why was he spoiling me so much?

"I do not need anything," I told him truthfully, and he arrived safely, Alhamdulillah.

"This is for us to stay in touch," he handed it to me, and I just stared. The phone appeared to be costly.

Now that we were seated across from one another, I whispered, "It is s10."

"It is the newest model in the S series," he said, as though I knew anything about phones. I feel like such an outsider sometimes.

He turned on his phone and said, "Two weeks till our marriage but I still want to make sure you are safe."

He said as he entered a number and saved it, "I will teach you how to use it."

"Thank you for everything," I had to express it before it was too late.

It is rare these days to find guys who are willing to accept a girl after learning about her past.

He showed me how to use the WhatsApp app and said, "This is just the beginning, my dear."

"I am eager to call you my wife. I just need two more weeks to let you move into my mansion and two weeks to destroy them," he said, his sad smile fading into a nod as I nodded and wiped away my happy tears. I had no one, and now he is my life.

He was going to leave.

He stated, "Stay in touch," and turned to open the door, but I hurried over because I had a strange feeling that something in my heart was stopping him from leaving. I am not sure why. I felt uneasy.

"I will call you," he assured me, but I did not respond. He just comforted me, and I agreed, but in my mind I began praying for him.

*****

"He is leaving now, just be careful and aim at him; no one else should be harmed," someone said harshly over the phone as Wasim opened the door to his car and someone was chasing him from a distance.

"Do not worry, sir, this time he will be gone from your lives," the other guy said in an assuring tone, while there was laughter in the room and someone in the other room prayed for his safety.