"This is all your fault!" He yelled, making the woman standing in front of him flinch from the tone had used. He didn't care about her reaction though, too caught up in his furious state to give an ounce to care towards her.

She swallowed hard, putting a safe distance between them, "My fault?" She asked, unable to hold back her words. "How is this my fault?!" She half yelled.

She had enough of all his wickedness. How could things have gone down the drain in a matter of days? She had tried to be patient, but how could she when she is at the receiving end of the downside of it all?

He stopped his furious pacing, turning around to set his narrowed eyes at her. "If I didn't make the mistake of marrying someone as worthless as you, then I wouldn't be in this position!" Muneer yelled, the veins in his forehead popping out as his light skin turned red.

Maya stopped, scoffing lightly as she let out a small nod. "Of course. I'm the worthless one" She muttered, "I regret the very minute I agreed to marry a devil like you. Not even someone as worthless as I am deserved to be married to the Satan himself!"

Muneer didn't make a move towards her. He remained in his position, glaring at her as he breathed heavily. The very sight of her irks him to the very core. It was times like that which makes him wonder how hard it was for him to pretend to be affectionate towards her all those years just so she could be his wife. To think he spent lots of money on their lavish wedding in hopes that she will be his key to getting what he has always desired.

And what happens after he did that? He realized that she is a nobody. At least, she wasn't important in his plans in any way. In his words, she's worthless and now, he can't even divorce her because people view them as the perfect couple.

Even more than people think of Aali and Aria.

The thought of Aali had Muneer scoffing. Of course that ingrate went ahead and snagged Aria for himself and his motives; rendering him to be his second like always.

He hated being seen as asecond to Aali, and that was how everyone viewed him for years.

"Don't you dare talk back at me" His tone was warning, as his words came out low. But him speaking lowly had always been scarier than when he is yelling. Maya knew that first hand.

"Or what?" She finally got the courage to speak up. Usually when their everyday argument and fight reached to the point that he says that, she keeps shut in order to not upset him but not anymore.

She had kept up with this man that she doesn't even know who he is anymore since after the first two weeks of their marriage when he suddenly changed. He wasn't the same Muneer that she loved. He wasn't the man that promised to give her the world.

No. The man she married was someone different and borderline insane. For as far as she is concerned, she sees him as a mentally unstable man because the things Muneer had been doing...they were things she never expected from him.

Her words must've ticked him off more because he strolled towards her, closing the space between them before he rose his hand high, almost as if ready to strike her.

But Maya didn't look away. She held his gaze fiercely, never once cowering from him and the abuse that never came. "Are you going to hit me now, Muneer? Go ahead please. That's the only thing you haven't done yet" Her voice came out oddly strong. Internally, she was shaking and because of that, she was hoping that he didn't notice it when she spoke. "Go ahead and become the complete Satan that I know you are" She added.

Muneer swallowed hard, breathing harshly as he dropped his hands yet his gaze never faltering away from her. He gritted his teeth, his hands fisted by his sides. "Tell me Maya. Did you tell Aria that I was the one who had her husband poisoned?" He asked through gritted teeth.

"What? Are you scared that Aali can see past your 'best friend and brother' façade?" She taunted, never once breaking eye contact with him. "I think it's established already that he knows who you truly are, Muneer"His name felt like venom on her tongue and she was sure that she hated it more than anything.

Except him as a whole. The loathe she had for Muneer was beyond words. And what? It has only been a couple of weeks after their marriage out of love.

The irony.

"Did you tell Aria that I poisoned her husband?" He repeated his question, much slower this time whilst disregarding what she stated.

Maya maintained his gaze for a while, before she gritted her teeth. "No" Her voice was barely above a whisper. She hated herself for that decision that she made seeing how everyone blamed Aria for something she had no hands in when really, her husband was responsible for it. She was too shocked the first time she overheard him making a call, admitting to it. When she confronted him, it led to another inevitable fight between them. "I don't have to do that. The truth will come out Muneer. And when it does, I'll be there to watch you suffer the consequences of it"

Muneer took a step away from her, before he stormed out leaving her all alone.

Once Maya heard the front door slam shut, her legs gave out on her and she found herself on the floor taking deep breaths to calm herself. This time around she was really scared that Muneer would go to the point of hitting her.

The man hasn't done anything to hurt her physically. But emotionally, she was a mess beyond fixing at that point.

That was why Aria thought there was something up with her when they met earlier. She knew her sister would see right through her façade, which was why she put off meeting her for so long. The guilt and shame of Muneer's action being blamed on the poor girl was more than she could take. Then there's her life with Muneer, which wasn't getting or showing any sign of getting better.

She was tired of going through the same thing over and over again. Yet every time she thought of that, she is reminded that her days as Muneer's wife just started. And her date of leaving the man wasn't any time near because he made it pretty clear that he will not let her go.

Muneer showed her his true face.

The man, once out of his home shoved his hand into his pocket and pulled out his phone. He dialed the number of the person who had been his partner for years, using his hand to swipe down his face as if that would calm him.

After a couple of rings, the person at the other end picked up. "Muneer"

Muneer released a sigh, "Aunty Zarah" His voice came out strained, from having to hold back his anger.

An annoyed sigh came from Queen Zarah's side. "Let me guess, your wife is giving us a hard time again"

He nodded, even though she couldn't see him. He threw the house he just came out of a glance, before she spoke. "She hasn't told Aria anything yet. But Aali..." He tutted, shaking his head. "...that son of yours hasn't made a move yet but we both know him well. I have a feeling he is onto us"

"Of course he is" She stated without a hint of doubt, "Why else would he marry Aria out of the blue" She scoffed, her tone starting to become clipped. "He must've known that she is the one. And now, he is toying with us, waiting for the right time to strike"

Muneer swallowed hard. The one mistake they made of thinking Maya is the one and not Aria had made them lose the easiest chance they had of getting what they want with the Turks. "I wonder where he got that attitude from" He was being rhetorical, since they both knew the answer.

However, it irked the Queen for she let out a warning, "Careful how you speak to me Muneer. Do not forget that I made you who you are" She never missed a chance to remind him of his roots when he starts to cross the line.

Muneer's mother married the Calipha's elder brother due to a bit of strings pulled by Queen Zara. Her family and the royals were close then, and a promise of marriage was made between the two family.

Her younger sister got fortunate to get married into the family first, where she had her only child, Muneer. A short while later, his father remarried another woman that his mother detested to the core. The woman also had a child with his father.

His mother though wanted nothing more than to see the two out of her life. And that was what happened, with the help of her elder sister Queen Zara who happens to be the devil's sister herself.

The woman eventually got married to the Calipha, which is another story for later, and got the power she wanted while her sister had the peace she had always yearned for. She would be lying to say she wasn't glad she got her sister's co-wife out of existence for good, because the woman happens to be close to the Calipha.

A bit more than she would've liked.

There was no sort of wrong feeling between them as she is married to his elder brother but they grew up together, so they were close friends. And Queen Zara didn't want that one bit.

Nonetheless, both her sister and Muneer knew they owed her because if not for her, they would've lost everything to that woman.

As the Calipha announced that his throne will be handed down to Aali, the story went on, and at the end, Muneer became envious and greedy. He wanted the position Aali would get because he believes that is just as good to be the Calipha. Queen Zarah, who is also power hungry was also more than willing to help Muneer in his quest.

After all, the Hausa people say Da arziki a gidanwasu, gwara a gidan ka. A gidankan ma, gwara a dakinku. And that right there is their situation.

Muneer took in a deep breath. He is scared of the woman because he knew what she is capable of. But in times like that, when all rationality in his head has disappeared, he tends to speak regardless of what her reaction would be. "I'm sorry Aunty Zarah but I also have to remind you that Aali is not your son. And we both know that it's only a matter of time before he disregards you as that too. So when that happens, I am all you have left. I am the only resort to staying in power"

~*~

Hameed.

Hameed TayyuSafwan. The owner of the bracelet Aria holds so dear to her. Also, the one-person Aria was closest to in her family. The young man was the pride of the Tayyu family for he had always been the one to keep them together no matter what.

Sure, just like other families they've had their ups and downs. Hameed always made sure they are back on their feet standing firm as a family. He was a good son and brother to the girls, especially Aria who had grown closer to him more than anyone in the world. It was always "Hameed this" "Hameed that"

That was why, when he suddenly came to Nigeria; Aria wondered why. The man had always fancied the country, and because of that he visits it often. When Aria asked him about it he said he had made friends there, and even made a promise to bring her there one day.

Of course, she was elated to hear the news because she loved the country back then. Hameed spoke of how good it is, how nice the people are, how intriguing the culture is and whatnot.

That of course, all disappeared into thin air when after that particular trip to his to Nigeria that Aria seemed out of the blue, the next news she heard of him is that he died. "It was a timely death" They said. They expected them to believe that Hameed died because it was his time.

Apparently, he was feeling feverish so he drove himself to the hospital. When he got there, he passed out and that was it.

It was strange how the family accepted it as fate but not Aria. She hadn't for one second ever believed that life. How could she when nothing sounds right?

She found it hard to believe that Hameed just died like that. And as such, she had a lot of problems back then, mostly mentally. Those times were a difficult stage for the family that took them years for them to get back on their feet.

Because of Aria's obsession with finding out the truth, one thing led to another and she found herself unraveling something that broke her more than she already was. That also broke their family and since the person keeping them together was no more, they struggled.

It wasn't until when Maya's wedding came did Aria finally get an ounce of truth about her brother's death. And that was that he was murdered by one of the royals. Hence, why she agreed to marry Aali so she could become one of them and find out the truth.

She hasn't gotten far though. But as she stared at her husband and what she just discovered, she knew that she was finally about to learn something from him. And she could not wait.