ABDEEN PALACE, EGYPT.

"I don't know where to start from but I know all this is because of your father's selfish motives. You wouldn't have had to marry him because of his wealth and I thought you guys were so in love when I saw you coming in. He was all over you, you know?" Tanisha smiled gently at her daughter because there is no way she will be the only one that saw the chemistry between the couple. Even Suhayr is in denial, they have something special going on that she don't want to admit.

"I told you, he confessed his feelings for me but didn't say he loves me. Our relationship is way too complicated for me to give it a chance and I don't want to give us a chance either. I don't want to catch feeling which is why I'm going to leave him sooner than I thought. It all started from wanting to kill each other..." And she ranted everything that has ever happened between her and Sa'eed. Though there are some places she kept hidden especially the kisses part, that'd be inappropriate to tell your recently discovered mother.

"Wow! You both went to jail because of your egos? He almost lost a great deal because of your pride and you did that to your mother in-law?" Tanisha laughed loudly while clutching her stomach to not make any wrong move and she will vomit blood next. She can't remember laughing like that in a long time but she can't help it. This girl really got her fierce and stubborn nature from hergrandmother, the first person to hold her.

"What can I do? The woman got under my skin without even trying to do so and her daughter too, that one is complete public nuisance." Suhayr rolled her eyes, enjoying the sight of her biological mother laughing so heartily even with death hanging on her head.

When she told her she wants to rest, Suhayr knew what that means because her foster mother, her aunt said the exact same thing to her when she was dying. She said the fever is getting worse and she is tired of taking medicines and injection, she wants to put everything to rest. So now hearing her biological mother talking about resting only brought back horrible memories that will haunt her. She just wants sometime with her real mother after finding her, she don't want to lost her. Not after losing her aunt, her once favorite person on earth.

How can life be always cruel to her like that? Whenever she gets comfortable with someone or is trying to find happiness with that person, something just had to ruin it all from the scratch. She always falls back into that dark pit of fathomless depths that no one could reach out for her. First, it was Sa'ad who left the world before they even have time to flourish their young beautiful love together. Second it's her aunt who thought it's best to leave her in the sadistic vicious world to fend to herself and ended up getting married to someone she doesn't love and someone she married for his wealth to save her own skin.

Suhayr is selfish and she will always agree to that anytime of the day. Her selfishness lead her to marrying an innocent man without telling him the real reason behind the marriage. If she had told him, she is darn sure he would still agree to marry her but will be more than careful with his wealth around her. He deserves to know the truth about their marriage, that is the least she could do to him. The man proves to be love worthy but just not to Suhayr who has lied to him right from the very beginning, he deserves someone better. Yes, someone greater than she could ever be to love him fearlessly.

Tasneem is right, he needs someone behooving that will love him hopelessly but just not Najaah. That woman is more vile than she thought she was, she slept with her husband's younger brother after getting him intoxicated because her friend told her she enjoyed it. That woman is psychotic, seriously, she needs to get checked by a good psychologist. If there is anyone out there for Sa'eed, she prays this person is more good than she ever will be. She is so jealous of this person but what can she do? For the first time again in her life, she is going to be selfless and give him what he truly deserves.

"I can see that but from everything you told me, you have some feelings you are trying to suppress. Why are you keeping your feeling away, huh? Has he done something you don't like or does he have some bad habits you despise?" Tanisha questioned, her eyes warming up with concern for her. The girl deserves the world, she has gone through a lot the moment she graced the world with her presence. Her own grandmother made her suffer.

After everything she's told her, she has no doubt that her daughter is a rebel and does what she wants to do without feeling remorse. Though everything she does it to people is because they crossed her or something that has to do with them being in the wrong. She is her mother, even if she does it for her selfish motives, she will still think she is the best out there. She will love her forever and ever, stand by her through thick and thin and make sure she lacks nothing her whole life. If only she will be able to live longer than the years written for her to show her the way through life.

"He is actually a very nice guy but I fell in love in three days with none other than his twin brother two years ago. I vowed not to ever fall in love since then and I can't just fall in love with his other twin that is alive. I just can't!" She shuddered visibly because even though her words justified what she feels at heart, it doesn't mean it made sense when she slipped them out. It was too stupid of her to even say that but what can she do? That is the only thing that makes sense in her head, nothing else.

There is no doubt her relationship with Sa'eed is much more spicy and thrilling to keep adventuring further inside but it doesn't mean she wants to continue with it. It was good while it lasts but now, they need to part ways before they get seriously hurt with the devastating outcome. They both won't like it at the end so why waste time growing something that could never be notched? They are two different people from equally two different worlds, far apart from one another. Them thinking about being one is just absurd, they hated the sight of each other the first time they met and have egos size of mount. Everest. Who would believe them being together with such habits?

And when he comes to find out about why she married him, he'd be mad at her all over again and she can't have that when she is almost willing to give herself to him. Even though when they got married they weren't in love, not even close, it doesn't mean he won't be hurt after finding out the truth. Nobody wants someone they love to be with them because of something else. Him thinking about the dare is the reason he is willing to make it official but as soon as he gets the reason behind their marriage, he'd run for the hills.

"That is not a reason to not want to be with him, it sounds stupid." Her mother narrowed her eyes the exact way her aunt used to do when she wants to know something deeper. Suhayr find it hard to open up but with eyes like that showing her they know exactly what is amiss, she just talks.

"Oh and because I don't want to fall in love in general. Seriously, I'm afraid of heartbreak more than anything in my life. First, the woman who thought me how to play piano, I got attached to her but she left me back to her country. Second, it was Sa'ad, Sa'eed's twin brother and third mom, uh, I mean, aunt Varisha. I don't want to take no more and he'd definitely leave me if he finds out why I married him. I am saving us both from heartbreak, seriously." She shrugged, that is the entire truth about her life. There is nothing that she has as secret anymore about herself, all is said out in the open.

"Those who are scared can never fall in love. You are not looking for perfection in love, perfection is all about ego and pride. True love is when you know what happens when disappointment sets in and you are willing to deal with it maturely with the disappointments. Time is free, but it's priceless. You can't own it, but you can use it. You can spend it, but you can't keep it. Once you've lost it, you can never get it back, use it wisely.

"I'm not saying you should do something you are not comfortable with, no! I want you to follow the right way your heart is showing you which is the best. You know the truth you are hiding for yourself, you don't like feelings but you want to risk it for him. You want to do all you can to keep him safe, that is what you are doing. But the truth is, you are only saving him and not yourself in this situation. And since he confessed his feelings for you, you are to reciprocate them with what you feel. Don't be pressured, give it time to think." Tanisha placed her hand on her daughter's. This is the first time she's talked this long, she never had a daughter to talk like this to but she is back, she will use it wisely.

Her co-wife's children, the twins Rasha and Raniya never come to her for advise because their mother told them not to. The girls were questioning why they can't talk to their other mother but they stopped after finding out she is to be known as their mother's rival growing up. She tells them whatever it is she wants them to believe and Tanisha stopped trying long ago and focus on her two sons. Whether she likes it or not, she is the owner of the throne having the crowned prince her son along with his younger brother while she on the other hand have only girls, not the way to the throne.

That is what makes her jealous all the time, she wants her position which is never possible now. She's had so many miscarriages in the past because she badly wants to give birth to a baby boy but Allah has already planned their lives, who is she to go against fate? Tanisha on the other hand stopped trying to give birth after giving birth to Suhayr and thinking she died right after birth. The experience she's had then was scary, frightening and alarming. She slipped into depression for someone who is alive and living somewhere with her twin sister.

All of that is her husband's fault and she won't ask or force her daughter to forgive him for what he's done. She's forgiven him though, she don't have much time on earth and the love he's shown her throughout her life is something she can never repay. She is grateful for everything he's done, but she is not supporting the grave mistake he's done ruining so many lives for a throne that would've been his no matter what. That throne is written in the will of their forefathers that it goes straight to the former Pharaoh's eldest son and if he does not have any, it could go to his immediate brother but the former Pharaoh has a son, him!

Mostly, she blamed her mother in-law for thinking so psychotically, it was a stupid move to wipe away her stupid reputation. She only has one son then and she was afraid someone can come and yank them away from the throne so she used her daughter as the sacrifice. She has made her suffer throughout her life in the palace and if not for her husband, she wouldn't have survived. What she did is following her now, karma is a bitch!

"Thanks... M-mom." Suhayr stuttered while looking away, that is the first time she called her mom and it felt nice saying it. She could feel her mother's eyes on her but she didn't make that eye contact with her, she can't.

"You should not be awkward with your mother, sweetheart. I know we haven't been together your whole life and suddenly, you are back in my life. Don't be forced to call me mother, I will understand." Tanisha smiled again, her eyes wincing but she enshrouded it away gracefully like she always does.

"But this is too much to be just coincidence. It can't be just that, I mean, the sudden visit to Egypt and finding out about my parents and all. You knew about this with the their majesties don't you?" She asked the question nagging her brain the moment everything transpired in the banquet hall. Something was fishy about the visit and their so called honeymoon, this is it!

"Yes. His majesty called Muhammad few days ago talking about his granddaughter in-law that looks exactly like me. I knew Varisha was pregnant when she suddenly disappeared so my first thought was, you are her daughter. Muhammad knew about it, he wanted to find you since but can't do it because of the guilt of taking you away from home and risk me finding out. So as soon as they sent the photo, I knew we were blood related so I told them you were my daughter and that was when Muhammad told me everything about you. I thought I found Varisha but heard she is dead, I really miss my sister." Tears gathered at the corner of their eyes at the mention of Suhayr's foster mother. She missed that woman more than anyone.

"I miss her too. She never talked about her family, you know? She said they never wanted her and she is really happy to finally be free from them all." Suhayr smiles at the memory of the woman that brought her up, her role model.

"Fight till you bring the earth down, love till the world don't understand the definition of the word, blast the universe till there is nothing left but smoke" She'd said to her on her death bed, the woman and her energy never seize to amaze Suhayr.

"She knew I always loved and looked after her even if no one does, she should've contracted me. She didn't even tell me about what happened in Nigeria with her husband only came back with nothing but hatred for Nigeria and Nigerians!" Tanisha swallowed a lump in her throat relishing the story behind her twin sister's abhorrence for Nigerians, she has every right.

How can a man be intimate with his blood sister? That is just preposterous, incongruous and ludicrous! They once heard that Nigerians and most especially, the Hausas don't even play around with one another only for them to hear this inconsistent story about them being intimate all of a sudden? She would've gone to Nigeria and make sure the man is emasculated, he is not supposed to have what he is proud of. It was too late when she heard, just few months ago and the man is dead after suffering from an unknown disease for twelve years.

Serves him peremptorily right!

"She is dead now." Suhayr shrugged, she don't want to talk about her foster mother to her biological mother who happens to be twins.

"Yeah." Tanisha still sniffed, she felt betrayed by her own younger sister. They were inseparable then, how could she do that to their relationship?

"You should take some rest now, you look tired and worn out. I will be here in the morning, we shall have breakfast together." Suhayr promised, adjusting her on the bed after removing the heavy royal cloak. She repositioned her tank and nasal tube as she lie her head on the pillow. She smiled at the woman, a genuine smile that stretch till her ears.

"Promise?" Tanisha asked, her smile expanding to that colossal blinding one, you'd think she is not sick. When Suhayr nodded, she beamed again and said, "Don't be late, I have my breakfast seven in the morning then take my medications."

"Hmm, I don't like waking up early but there is a first time for everything right?" Suhayr beamed whilst standing up from the couch close to the bed. She can't wait for the next morning to come back and spend some more time with her foster mother's lookalike and also biological mother.

"Yes. Good night and I love you." Tanisha blew her a smile which she caught with a look of surprise and chuckled.

There is really no other best feeling than being with a loved one, it makes you do so many unreasonable stuff.