Asiya's POV

Devastated was an understatement to what i felt. I felt betrayed, unwanted, unloved, angry at the world, i felt like my whole world had come to a halt, as if nothing was working again. Deep down i had this fear, but i refused to let it overwhelm me after all Khalid kept on reassuring me. I felt cheated honestly, like everyone turned their back against me for a single crime as they'd call it. Maybe it is indeed my fault, maybe if i didn't let my fear and trauma overshadow me we wouldn't have come to this place. Maybe if i had just put all that had happened before in the past behind me, this wouldn't have happened.
If my baby had survived then, would he have ended up here? Would i have lived with the fear and trauma of losing another child and let it stop me from trying for another one? Is a child the only purpose of marriage?

———

Tears were streaming down my cheeks, I couldn't control them. I sat up on the couch i was laying on after passing out. I started at Khalid and he did the same. I couldn't believe he had done that to me. I then got up and headed to the bathroom without saying a word to him, all he did was call out my name softly but I didn't reply. I washed my face 5 times and stared at my weak self in the mirror. I came out walking sluggishly towards Khalid standing on the same spot i had left him.

'You promised me, you assured me, you told me all would be alright, that you'd take care of everything and calm Baba down, what changed huh?' I said really softly because I didn't have the energy anymore.

'Asiya please sit down i need you to listen to what i have to say please, i am as hurt as you are and believe me when i tell you I totally understand what you're going through. Sit let's talk plea—,' I cut him off as i looked away.

'Save it! I don't want to hear it. All I know is you betrayed my trust, you broke your promise to me, and decided to go behind my back and get married again!!!!!' I stomped my foot on the floor and grunted angrily. Sweat was coming down my forehead, i was very angry.

'You know what? I should have seen the signs earlier but i was too blind by the love i thought i had for you,'

'Asiya please stop saying things like this, you're really hurting my feelings,' he said as he tried to hold my hands in his but I retreated and hissed.

'Oh really? What about my own feelings that you hurt? Or is that going under the radar? The trust and promise you broke? I see you're the only one with feelings Mr Khalid Bande! Tsk!!,' i was really boiling. I didn't want to be anywhere around him, i just wanted to go away somewhere where I'd be alone.

'In fact, who is the woman that confused you so much? Who is the idiot?' I yelled at him.

'Asiya please believe me when i say i do not know her, all i know is she is Baba's friend's daughter. Mama said something about sending me her picture,' he said.

I then sat back on the couch staring at him. 'Since when did you start lying to me? How can you tell me you do not know her and expect me to believe you?' I asked in a defeated voice. Just as his mouth opened to say something his phone chimed and he rummaged through his pocket to get it. Seconds later as if after seeing what the message was, i saw his mouth remain wide open, he looked in shock, he almost lost his balance, he then began to muttered an Innalillahi wa'inna ilahi raji'un'.

'It's th-the g-girl's p-p-picture,' he stuttered. I got up and snatched the phone from his hand to see who it was.

Immediately i saw the picture, i felt my life came to a standstill, i felt even more cheated than before, i felt like Khalid and his father had just played with my feelings and it felt so unfair. Tears i fought back streamed down, my head began to ache so badly, my chest felt so tight...this can't be.

'K-khalid of all people?' I looked up at him showing the image on the phone to him as i cried. He engulfed me in a hug, i wanted to free myself but i was to exhausted to fight, i was knackered.

'Asiya billahil azeem none of this happened with my knowledge, i promise you,' he insisted.

I let go of the hug and wiped my tears.

'You know what? I will not stay here and feel betrayed and cheated. I refuse to stay with a man that lies to me and breaks his promises!' I yelled.

'No no no wait my love, I promise i will make everything right, i will find another accommodation for her and—,' He started.

'I do not care about where she will stay or not. Have you forgotten the whole point of the marriage, you'll have to make her pregnant and once she is, you'll be with her most of the time, I can't share my husband, I'm sorry i can't. I know i sound demanding but it's who i am,' i sniffled and went into the bathroom.

I washed my face and performed ablution. I came out and found Khalid sitting on the bed in deep thought. I picked up the hijab i had worn earlier and wore it back. Then i carried my small bag and put my phone in it. When he realized i was getting ready he jerked out of his trance.

'Where are you going to?' He asked.

'Leaving,' i said.

'Well I won't allow you go anywhere especially not at this time of the night, what if—,' he got a bit agitated.

'What if nothing!! I'm no longer yours so I won't listen to you this time, you can have a good time with your new wife and oh, tell your father that he did a great job...' she paused and her face turned gloomy as if she wanted to cry.

'Asiya, please don't do this, you leaving will worsen the situation, please stay, i know we can solve this issue together, come on we've come this far, we've been married for about a year and a half now,' He lamented.

'That's the problem, if i stay, the problem will worsen. See, i never imagined that our love life would turn out like this, I still wish deep down in me that someone would pinch me and tell me it's a ll a dream, I trusted you to not let this happen Khalid. You of all people know how attached i am to the people i love, you of all people know how scared i am of losing the people i love and—,' i paused and shut my eyes to push back the tears.

'You haven't lost me me my queen, I'm still yours, I'll forever remain yours I promise no one will separate us,' he tried to hold my arms but I retreated.

'The fact that she is the other woman, I seriously can't bear it, it's going to be too much for me to handle. Maybe this is where our story ends. Khalid, if you love me like you claim you do, please don't stop me from leaving, it's for our own sake,'

With that, I turned and left. The deafening silence was loud, i left him standing like a statue, shocked to the brim. I descended down the stairs and grabbed my car keys from the console table and headed to the car. Immediately i  was at the gate about to leave, i heard him scream my name but no, I wasn't going back. I felt like just disappearing into a new world that no one knew me and i knew no one, to start afresh. My environment was to toxic and suffocating. I couldn't bear it.

Where do i even go to? I thought. The only place i had was my Maa's home and i took the route. I drove so slowly as i absorbed everything. What will i tell Maa now? I hope she doesn't get worried and then fall sick. Oh Allah please show me the right path.
I was standing on the porch and slowly knocked and immediately the house maid opened the door for me. The main living room downstairs was dark just the ante room light was on which indicated Maa and Ya Rahma were upstairs and watching something because i heard the TV on, i was about to start crying, I stayed by the stairs to wipe the stairs away but I couldn't, they just kept streaming down so i went upstairs. Immediately I opened the door to the second living room and both their gazes fell on me, i ran to my Maa.

'Subhanallah Asiya what has happened to yoy?' Maa asked all agitated and confused. She was sitting on the carpet and I buried my head on her bosom and cried my eyes out.

'Ya Salam!!! Asiya what is going on? Did you have a fight with him?' A heavily pregnant Ya Rahma moved to sit on the chair Maa and I were sitted against as it'd me difficult for her to sit on the carpet.

She kept consoling me by tapping my right shoulder.

'Get up, get up now and tell me what's wrong? You were here just a couple of hours ago and you were so happy, what then happened?' Maa asked as she got me off her body and wiped my tears. I kept sniffling and shaking until I managed to get a hold of myself a little bit.

'Maa, my biggest fear, he and his father...' i shut my eyes, it was so painful.

'He married another woman Maa,' i broke it out.

'Innalillahi wa'inna ilahi raji'un,' Ya Rahma and Maa exclaimed.

'How could they do that? What kind of man is that Alhaji Bande?' Maa was angry now. I explained to them what happened according to what Khalid had told me and added that i refused to believe him because there's no way he wouldn't have known and he and his dad were in it together.

'Amma basu da mutunci, who did he get married to?' Maa questioned and i dreaded thinking of it.

I kept mum for a moment before speaking up.

'Maa you remember that Hafsa we had issues with? Her. Apparently she's Alhaji Bande's friend's daughter.' I looked down and played with my fingers.

Maa and Ya Rahma consoled me for a while before i fell asleep with my Maa in her warm comfort.

Phew!!! What drama that was! I know i know some of y'all didn't see that coming but it only gets better from now on. Sooo incase some of you forgot who Hafsa is, she's that lady that wanted to break up Khalid and Asiya because she was infatuated by Khalid. And now she's Asiya's co-wife. Well we need to hear how all that happened...so stay tuned for the upcoming chapters.

Please don't forget to keep voting, leaving me comments and sharing the story as well, i love you all.

Asmaa Out❤️