KANO STATE, NIGERIA.

"You haven't called me in how many decades again?" Wafa kvetch from the other end of the line, smiling softly at an older lady that just walked past her.

"Wafaa, stop being like that. You know how I told you things are here so I'm still trying to adjust. How have you been?" Usayma took off the whine from her voice when she asked about her best friend's wellbeing.

Wafa is still in Chicago where she married a Chicagoan with her small kid Anil. No one would've thought Wafa would settle down but when Thaur came into her life, everything started off fast and then they were happily married. She is proud of her friend for not ruining her life like she did, she wouldn't advise anyone to be like her. That track she's took years before didn't make her life any easy, it tricked her into believing she'd be happy changing men.

"Yeah, the everyday excuse. I only called because Anil won't stop rambling about you. He is currently sleeping but I might call you a bit later when he awakes."

"Aw, tell him Aunt Usayma misses him a lot and send my kisses too." She grinned happily, standing off the bed to start her day and set her mission into action. "What have you been up too?"

"Nothing really. I am trying to go back to school for my masters then work in Thaur's company. For the time being, I've started my intern there in his company."

"Oh, I'm so happy for you. I'm thinking about asking Imad where I could start working too. Maybe when he starts working in his family's business." She thought the last part out loud, shrinking her brows because she really enjoy staying at home and being a mistress. It is more fun feeling like a princess than working her ass off.

"You should definitely do that." With a pause. "I gotta go, Thaur is back home and I haven't made no dinner." She hung up with a take care and kissy sound, it was enough to get a smile from Usayma. Her friend is always by her side, she could conquer the world with that succor.

She planned on going to meet Jannah Mia that afternoon so as soon as her breakfast got served by the maids which was chicken chow kein, she hit the bathroom. Her bath was filled with so many thoughts on how to approach Jannah Mia with what she has in mind. Would she accept that? She looks too comfortable with Imad and seems like she considers him nothing short of a friend, no strings attached. She don't like it, she will have to change the girl's mind as soon as she can.

Amirah is hellbent on ruining Imad but she won't let her win this time around. Imad should be cherished and from the little amount of time she's spent with Jannah Mia, she knew the woman will do that with her pure real innocence. She knows façade innocence and real one, or so she hopes. Amirah's was more blinding than Jannah Mia's so she can't exactly judge them now. She might be more malignant than Amirah could ever be.

That is why she is going to play her game well. It is like a game of chess, it's either the King or the Queen and in this case. It's either Amirah or Jannah Mia.

Dressed in apricot maxi dress seasoned with bishop long sleeves, scoop neckline and a belt around the middle, Usayma is almost ready to go. She added a lever back earring that has small diamond attached to it, adjust her chain bracelet. She slipped her feet into nude kitty heels, measuring how comfortable they are then marveled to her closet for a veil. As soon as the veil is tied around her in an Afghanistan way, she left her room with keys and phone.

"You lots know where Jannah Mia stays right? It is said not to be far from here." She questioned the maids, eyes trying to cavil her own outfit but found no flaw.

One of them moved forward and bowed, it was Jihan. "Yes, your Highness. If you will follow me." And she made her way to the door while the other three girls stay behind to be her entourage. She didn't ask for Ameena thank goodness, she should be there any moment.

They arrived at the chamber guests are usually ushered to and showed her the door to Jannah Mia's chamber. She appreciated that with a smile and knocked on the door, Jannah Mia opened the door herself looking sleepy but beamed at the sight of Usayma. That is enough to take the uncertainty off her shoulder and the determination endorsed it fully with eclectic energy through an invisible fistula.

"Ah, good morning. Come in." Jannah Mia cheerfully ushered her inside, her smile widening with each word. She can't get over just how pretty this woman is though she seems to be hiding something all the time. Not her place to question. Everyone has his or her secret, you can only respect them.

Usayma made herself comfortable inside the chamber and ask her entourage to stay out, that what they will talk about is quiet personal. It got them curious because at that moment Amirah came barrelling to where they are breathing heavily. The guards must've told her where they followed, it is not that far from their master's chamber. Her makeup is yet again fixed to perfection, they have to give it to her.

She should start the business as a makeup artist, she'd blow if what she does to her face is anything to go with.

After catching her breath and patting her face to keep the foundation in place, she stood straighter and threw with eyes filled to the brim with colossal curiosity. "Why are we here?"

Aidah shrugged her shoulders. "The mistress wants to see Ms. Jannah Mia and we are asked to stay out because they want to talk about something personal."

And like all others, her eyes sparkled with more curiosity on what is going on behind the doors but she don't want to be pushy about it. When had they become friends to want to talk about something personal like that? Imad just introduced them to each other few days ago and she is darn sure they've never talked after that. So what is so personal that Usayma want them out before speaking about it? She is now more curious than ever since her guts is onomatopoeically whispered the word 'Imad included' and wherever he is influx, she is there.

"Seems like I woke you up?" Usayma grimaced seeing the slight drool by the side of Jannah Mia's face, frivolous. The lady must've been sleeping her afternoon when she interrupted.

"Oh, no no! Don't worry about my sleep because I'm always sleeping like a log." Jannah Mia's words are emancipating as she trudged her way to the kitchen to serve some refreshment for her guest. She don't want to leave that chamber and go home, it is fully stock!

"You look pretty by the way." She dropped the mint tray on the floor and sat down there in front of Usayma. She always loved the floor and with that expensive rug, she fell in love instantly.

Usayma gave her usual smile when complemented, the one that says how bighearted and magnanimous she is. "Thank you but you look bad right now." They both chuckled at that.

Feeling the tension hanging in the air, Jannah Mia turned on the thirty two inches thermadore television sitting on the Derwent TV stand. No sooner, the sound filled the room and they lapse into comfortable silence. Jannah Mia extra curious to find out why Usayma is there and banishing her maids while Usayma is thinking about ways to bring the topic up for discussion.

At long last, she decided to make it look semantic and quibble so she won't feel more slackened. There must be semblance that she likes Imad one way or the other enough to agree to marry him after she's given her those theories she thought will do them good. She might get suffrage from the girl, she likes Imad as a friend and look out for him. She remembered how she was sizing her up when he introduced them if she deserve to be his wife or not.

"Will you ever marry Imad to help him?"

Mouth falling open, Jannah Mia gasped in shock, yelped and gave a small squeal of surprise. She then peered up at Usayma again to double take and see whether she is really talking about what she just heard. The other woman looks somber which confirmed her thoughts immediately. Her stomach suddenly felt heavy with the food she ate before going back to sleep, her breathing coming in shock rasps then she reacted.

"What? Heck no!" Jannah Mia jumped off the rug to her feet as if she got injected there by the devil for keeping her small bum there. But seriously!

"Calm down, Jannah. I am not trying to see whether you love or like my husband or not, that is not my plan. I just want to help him and I thought you would be able to do the work. You both look close and you have this protective look whenever Imad is concerned so I jumped into conclusion that you alone can help him..." She trailed off, her eyes glossing over but she blinked them back. This is the time she will tell her her own share of secret and hope she takes it well.

"Why not other girls and why do you think Imad needs help? The man is capable enough to take care of himself and fight his own battles like a macho. So pardon me for not getting where this is going." Jannah Mia is breathing hard now as she sat back but this time, on the royal couch.

Usayma suspired in anguish, not wanting to say it out loud but had to. "You see, I am going to..." She told her everything that is wrong and the secrets she's kept hidden from Imad the whole time they are together.

If Jannah Mia was surprised before, she is in full shocked mood now. Her jaw fell to her chest in a hideous way, a sudden coldness hit her core in the most negative way rendering her paralysed. Out of her catatonia, she slapped her palms over her mouth to stop the sharp cry from startling Usayma who looks thoroughly worn out by everything she's said. She now understand why the woman always looks haggard from secrets, there are a lot of them meandered.

Jannah Mia touched her forehead with her forefinger and thumb to ease the growing migraine currently hitting her cranium. "You shouldn't keep such secrets away from your husband, Usayma. Whether you've ever loved him or not, you were once friends and still are before the marriage so please, solve your problem and don't involve me in this."

She got cut off by Usayma. "You need to understand that my secret does not matter in this, I'll be gone soon enough! What matters now is stopping Amirah from wrecking Imad's life again. You don't know what he's gone through after she left and what he is still going through, Jannah but let me tell you. It wasn't pleasant!" She took a deep breaths to summon more energy. "His heart is currently not safe in his ribcage and it'd soon be permanent if we don't step in and help!" Jannah gasped at this, not believing what Usayma is saying.

"No, this is a lie. How could a heartbreak touch his heart like that?" She downright denied all the truth she is seeing in front of her.

She's first met him when he was drunk outside their shop and he was mumbling about chest pain along with his arms and shoulders. She is not a fool to not know what that means after finding this new piece of information related to Imad.

"Believe it or not, Imad's heart might suffer permanent damage in few months if he doesn't get back to his feet. That is why I want you to take my place, I cannot stay here and you know that. Imad is happy with you, always cheerful when talking to you and even opened a door for you in his life which he never did me. I am sure no one can help him like you can, please."

"I'll think about it and get back to you. For now, please leave before I lose my fucking mind in front of you or on you. Excuse my language but there is no cessation on me when it happens."

*~*

"Subhanallah!" Was what rushed out of Jabir's mouth after listening to the horrendous story Imad just finished narrating. It feels like he was talking about some sad book and not his life three years ago.

"Subhanallah indeed. What the actual heck!" Salim jabbed his fingers through his hair, eyes lowered to the table to hide away his misty glossy eyes. Ah, he's always been emotional but hide it quite well from them all.

Imad's eyes are now haunted, no emotions or anything in sight unlike when he's said it to his mother because this time around, he's found his goal and what to do to succor his suffering. His fists are shaking slightly on his thigh and his eyes are intense with fevered stare into the unknown. He does not want to see the sympathy in his friends eyes, his mother's was enough. His neck is corded and few veins around his forehead are throbbing and pumping blood hefty with sackful of hatred for one person.

The more hatred he is filing in for Amirah, the more his body tenses. His nostrils flared in an ugly way, mouth curling into a perfected snarl. Oh God, Amirah had ruined him for good but this time around, she won't escape his clutches until he made her genuflect and grovel. If she thinks he's permitted everything to slip when he is still suffering from a disease she caused for him, then she must be sickly mistaken with his nonchalant act.

And the first step is allowing her to get married to this man, the nightmare will follow soon after.

"What about the stress cardio-shit?" Salim yet again asked, his back supine against the chair after schooling his expression enough to look up at them.

Imad let out a sarcastic smile filled with myriad and surfeit pain. "I'm still suffering from it, what else?" They winced slightly at the scathing, turbulent and uneven tone he's used. "It's still not permanent like Shaddad had said but it doesn't mean it won't be in a few months. He's told me if I don't recover in six months, then I'll bid my heart good bye and learn to cope with heart problem myself." He shrugged it off as if it was nothing, all a façade.

"I'm sorry about that, man." Jabir slapped Imad's back in a way to stand like an endorser behind him which he is. Albeit the question mark cultivating in his head.

"Yeah, me too. That was indeed not something you will want to tell your kids in future. I mean, seriously!" Salim shuddered to lighten the mood and it did, Imad chortled albeit reluctantly. The guy will forever be a maverick, he won't give up his revenge.

"Now what is the plan? Why do you want her married to Nazir knowing he is going to shield her away from everything no matter what?" Jabir got back to the matter at hand, his hand lying unconsciously, supranationally.

"I want it to be a surprise guys. And if I tell you, it won't be. Just ask him to propose to her as soon as possible and then my own plan will be set to motion." Imad drummed his lean well manicured fingers on the table while executing and charting more of the hidrosis and rheum he wants to see rolling down Amirah's face.

He's imagined that countless times in his head, it is finally coming true. He is sure that will be the cure and succor his heart needs to be at ease.