Khalid's POV

It's been two days since the whole drama unfolded. I hadn't gone to work, I couldn't think straight, it felt like I lost everything, like I didn't have a purpose anymore. It was traumatizing, difficult and lastly very very painful. I tried reaching out to Asiya but she wasn't picking my calls or replying my messages. The day after it happened, i locked myself in my house, i refused to pick calls from my mum, dad, brother and sister. I was just in my zone, weak, defeated and exhausted mentally. A day after, which was two days later, I finally called my mother as i knew she'd be worried sick. She just informed that she'd be coming over to see how i was doing.

At around 11am i heard the sound of the gate opening, I checked from the balcony in my bedroom and saw Mama's car. I heaved a long sigh as i headed downstairs to receive her. Apparently she was with Ya Musa and Ameerah.
I opened the door and left it slightly ajar for them so they'd just walk in and I went to sit in the living room with my elbow on the arm rest, palm on my forehead and my back completely against the single chair almost slouching.

"Assalamu alaikum,' Ya Musa said and I answered in a low tone.

'Mama ina wuni,' i greeted and she simply stared at me without saying a word as she sat on the couch to my left. Ameerah sat on the second single sitter by my right.

'Ya salam! Ya Khalid, what have you done to yourself? Have you been eating at all?' Ameerah asked as she held my arm with worry written all over her face. I didn't even answer her because everything was just so obvious.

Mama adjusted her body to face me completely, i locked eyes with her and all i saw in her eyes was helplessness...she hated everything that was going on and there was little or nothing she could do about it. Baba is very stubborn and what had to happen has happened.

'Khalid my son i hate to see you like this, I don't want you to punish yourself for what is happening right now. It's nobody's fault it's just a difficult circumstance we're in right now and—,'

'Blame who we all know is at fault mama, my only crime is that I promised Asiya, i made her trust me and she believed everything will be fine. All she wanted was a little more time and for me to be hers alone. In fact we were already about to start trying again just for baba to do this,' i clenched my fist and squeezed my face in disgust.

'I totally understand what both of you are going through. All this is wrong and the approach your father used wasn't right,' she added.

'Mama do you know even know who the lady is? That makes matters even worse,' i hissed.
'Who is she?' Ya Musa chipped in.

'There was a woman Asiya met at her store about a year ago her name is Hafsa. They became friends, even visited us once in a while...i kept noticing something fishy about the lady, but Asiya being gullible didn't see it. Fast forward to your wedding Ameerah, you remember she gave you a gift, but she wasn't present at the wedding. This was around the time Asiya was still on medication and had almost completely recovered. Hafsa had sent a lady over to the house during the wedding to swap Asiya's medicines so she'd have complications with her health and possibly even die so she'd have me. Because apparently she wasn't too happy with her husband with whom she had a daughter and was about 2 months pregnant in fact. We got to the bottom of it and confronted her. I think she and her husband separated afterwards and little did i know her dad was baba's friend and now we're in this mess. I'm sure she knew what she was getting herself into and would pretend not to know me after-all she'd always liked me,' I let out a loud sigh after narrating the story. They wouldn't understand the extent to which I hated Hafsa for everything she did.

'Subhanallahi is this the type of woman your father found? Innalillahi! What about the pregnancy then?' Mama asked.

'I do not know,' I simply replied.

'Oh Allah please let us out of this difficult situation,' Mama prayed. 'Now I can't imagine how difficult it must be for poor Asiya, she won't be able to take it infact no woman would. I need you to give her space Khalid, don't bombard her with texts or calls...let her breathe,' Mama suggested and i simply nodded. Just then her phone began ringing and she informed it was Baba. She answered and put the phone on speaker mode.

'Tell Khalid, his new wife was taken to her house since yesterday and he hasn't gone to see her at all. I know you're with him so tell him to better go to her today and sort out whether she'll remain in the flat her father gave her or she'll move in with him' And he ended the call. I shut my eyes in frustration and tears threatened to fall.

'Khalid i think you should do what Baba said—,' Ya Musa started.

'No brother! I never want to see that stupid woman in my sight!' I growled.

'You need to calm down and think well otherwise the situation gets worse than it is,' He added.

'We brought some food for you. Musa will be with you for a couple of days, I know you're not planning on bringing her here,' Mama said. 'Now go and take a bath, eat and relax,'.

I listened to her and went to take a bath. Every-time I walked into the room i felt like i was missing something, my beloved wife's presence and aura. I took a shower and wore a black short sleeved half kaftan. My family being around me made me feel a lot better. I went down and Mama fed me herself and for a short while it felt like everything was alright.
After a while they left, but Ya Musa was going to come back by the evening. I decided I'd go see the excuse of a woman and make everything crystal clear to her and also, i'd resume work the following day.

I drove down to a nearby mosque to pray asr as from there I'd proceed to Hafsa's house. I checked the address that Ya Musa had forwarded to me which he got from baba, it was an area i knew, my friend Faruk lived there. I then decided when I'm done with her i'd visit him. The house was just about 20 minutes away from mine which I didn't like because I felt they were too close. I drove slowly because I was dreading the moment I'd see her. I resent her so much. By the time i was approaching the gate, my heart felt heavy. I was feeling guilty and the only person on my mind was Asiya. Here i was seeing the woman she hated the most when I haven't even seen or spoken to her in two whole days. I really felt i was doing something wrong and I wasn't being fair to her at all. I got to the gate as i stared at it. It was an estate with about 10 units. I honked on the gate and it was opened by a security man. I drove down to house number 10 as all the houses were numbered. A black Corolla was parked in front of the house which I guessed was her car. I parked beside it and waited for a moment in the car. I shut my eyes and said a silent prayer before I mustered the courage to step out of the car.  As i came down I scanned through the estate and couldn't help but notice the great landscape of the compound. I walked up to her front porch and pressed on the bell button. About a minute later, the door was opened. I was looking away when the door was opened.

'It's you,' i heard a voice and i turned around.

Hello guys!! Sorry for the very late update...life's just been happening anyways please enjoy this chapter...i hope you enjoy it as much as i enjoyed writing it! Love you guys!

Asmaa out!