I dare you to comment on every paragraph for update later....❤

KANO STATE, NIGERIA.

Imad is really in front of her, he just kissed her. But why? Isn't she married to Nazir? What the hell is going on? With those thoughts rumbling around her head, she sat up abruptly and stood up to leave only to be dragged back by Imad so she sat down in front of him and gulped. He is really in front of her, staring at her in confusion but also denial. That denial is supposed to be her own emotion, she can't believe what is happening.

Did he kidnap her on her wedding day?

What is she doing in the chamber? She looked around again, this was their room and the one no one ever stepped in. She didn't want to give it much importance which is why she never brought it up when she was working as a maid. She didn't want to feel too important and have her hope floating when that is the last thing going around Imad's head. He might have locked the room because he doesn't want any memory that reminds him of her. But why are they there now?

What does he want her to do and what are his intentions for bringing her there?

Most of all, where the heck is Afaf, her girlfriends and Aunt Azima? Why did they permit such a thing? Why did they allow him to take her away or did he kidnap her? Ha, why would he?

The man hated her till she collapsed and fell, she shouldn't expect much from this guy in front of her. But why did he kiss her if they are not married and where is Usayma that she didn't stop such rubbish from happening in their home? What is wrong? Or had she been passed out for years already and Nazir is dead? Oh no!

She gulped, time to ask questions. "Why I'm I here?" Her eyes peered to look back at his, licking her lips again since they suddenly yaw chapped and that reminds her of the kiss they just shared.

Her stomach did this flip and hollowed inside in fluttery. Something is iffy about the whole situation but she kept quiet knowing only his answer could give her the best satisfaction. She is not inane to think Imad would kiss her because he wants her now and she wasn't dreaming, there is more to this than meets the eye. She won't dree the consequences of being quiet anymore, she is going to speak out for herself no matter the situation.

Imad cleared his throat, not sure which part to tell her and decide to go for the truth to avoid further complications in the future. "Lateefa, Afaf and Kamilah came over earlier to talk to my father. I stopped your marriage with Nazir, he really wanted to marry you but how could I permit that when we are still very much married?"

She gasped in disbelieve, scrunched her brows, her eyes squinting to see whether there is an under laced jeer in his voice but other than the seriousness his face is exhibiting, nothing more. It sounds so foreign and that galvanised her even further. Imad and her still married? What a joke!

"You cannot be serious. I asked you whether we can get back together few days ago but you said no. How can you bring that theory now? You divorced me three years ago after concluding whatever it is you concluded!" She didn't stand up, she wanted to but she is not strong enough. She just awoke after sleeping for so many hours and her legs are convalescing.

Imad sighed, another explanation albeit not wanting to touch the past right now. He wants her to be in a perfect mental state before bringing that up like the doctor had said. So much need to be said and with Najla sleeping beside them, it is not possible. Amirah also looks weak to not want to talk about it now so he will try his very best to make it lenient and the malignant side should be closed for the time being. That incubus should be delayed for as long as they can.

Hence, he will divert the whole situation into something else. Her health is his number one priority now, nothing more.

"I'm serious. I never divorced you and if you can replay everything again that has happened that day..." He trailed off. What is there to recall on that inauspicious say? "I only told you to leave. I didn't divorce you, that word never left my mouth or I would've recalled it. Think again, I didn't say it." He gave her the space to remember their last conversation three years ago.

And she remembered because she let out a shaky breath, closing her face with both of her hands as if that fact slipped her head which is very important. Why did she drill the fact that he's divorced her three years ago into her head? What was the use of suffering three years without him if he hadn't divorce her? Oh God!

Warmth radiated throughout her body as if she is going down with a dengue. This made her feel better, Imad never divorced her, she was never a divorcée! Why did she plot that divorce in her head for so many years? Was she desperate to get the words off or is something wrong with her memory since then? She cannot believe this! So many emotions and wild thoughts combing through her head.

She suddenly feels rejuvenated with adrenaline, her whole cells are now awake and on alert. Her heart busy dancing fandango and salsa inside her chest, drumming all the beats she could ever think of. What could she do? She is still very much in love with Imad and this piece of information makes everything feel real all over again. There are so many secrets about to be reaped though. It is now or never!

But then she remembered something along the lines of what he's said. "You said they came here, Lateefa, Kamilah and Afaf to see your father. The King? Why?" She furrowed both brows, swallowing again when she saw him staring at her as if he couldn't believe she is still sitting there with him. He is making her flustered and flushed, he should stop with the doodly eyes.

He sighed. It won't be as easy as he thought after all. "They told them I asked Nazir to marry Afaf and actually blackmailed him into doing so too. And that you collapsed because of it and so much more. He forced me to bring you back and pay off all your debts. I did as he said."

Amirah mulled over what he says and slap her forehead again. How could she think everything is now over because she is back in the chamber? So much more are left unsaid and the tension will be there until those matters are acknowledged. This is not a tryst or liaison, his father forced him to bring her back and that is why he did. Not because he wanted to bring her back himself or because they are still married to one another.

They have their past to talk about and now they must talk about why he asked Nazir to get married to Afaf instead of her. Him still being married to her is not an excuse, he knew about the marriage before anyone else, he could've stopped her then but he didn't. He has planned all these, there is no other excuse for his behaviour. Which was why he acted so nonchalant about it and send her so many gifts as wedding souvenir, huh? Yeah, Nazir told her about it but she said she didn't want them.

"Why didn't you stop the marriage the moment you found out about it? I told you about it in the office but you congratulated me later on." The floor suddenly looks more intriguing to Imad, face marred with guilt. "You had all these planned for your revenge, didn't you? You wanted to hurt me like I did you?" There was no accusation in her voice -he is reprehensible anyway- she is just sure of the veracity of it.

He nodded reluctantly, Amirah had always been smart from the beginning and he expected her to find it and figure it all out, she did. She got the scholarship in his school because of that too. In just a few seconds, she's calculated everything, the frivolous and minutiae of them all in a sheaf and concluded what he doesn't need to say. What he does not want to say. He would've felt more guilt had he opened his mouth to say anything about it. It's better that she did it herself.

He saw her standing up from the bed and made her way to the door, he stood up too and brought her back to his arms. She won't leave that chamber ever again, she is back and no one will take her away from him. How could she think leaving will be this easy now? They have a lot to talk about and she didn't even acknowledge the big elephant sitting on their laps. She is evading it which she shouldn't, they will come to that with time but just not then. He is not ready for more heartbreaking news.

"Where are you going to?" She is still in his arms, her head on his chest and she didn't struggle, she just stood still relishing the feeling of being in his arms again. After three long ass years. The adrenaline rushing through her again with vengeance.

"I was going to leave. I can tell your father that we shouldn't be together and he will understand. Forcing two adults is not the way." She shrugged, not leaving his arms again but felt his body tensed once her words spewed from her lips.

"What?" It was barely above a whisper and she wouldn't have heard had she not being lying her head comfortably on his chest. Their hands are both by their sides making it maladroit but they don't want to leave the space.

She shrugged again, knowing she's got him dancing to her tunes now after a while. "Yeah, he will understand. It is that easy, as long as our debts are paid off, I don't have any other problem. He wants me here and not you, it is alright." This time, she did retract herself from his arms and stared at him in the eyes, hands crossed underneath her bosom.

He glared at the space between them, there shouldn't be any.

He frowned cutely, asking so many questions with his suddenly expressive eyes and expression. She stayed stoic though. His answer is going to be the aperture of her next decision. If he says something stupid, then Amirah will forever be done with the adolescent man that is now too cute to look away from. There are words she wants him to say, he knew exactly what she wants whenever she throws tantrums like this.

How could they have separated for three long years and lived without one another? At one point, she thought she wouldn't be able to pull that off but the days are short and dragged by really fast.

He cleared his throat three times as if a rat got stuck there. "I want you here with me." His eyes, oh shit, his eyes are making her knees weak. "We are still married, this is where you belong." He tugged her back in one hard pull into his arms, already missing the heat of her body away from his.

"Was that hard to say?" She teased, feeling good that she could do that again to Imad and in his arms. He feels a bit more bulkier and taller but she didn't mind, more safety and security for her.

He grumbled something underneath his breath which she didn't catch but she looked away to the side to find Najla sleeping on the bed. That is when she noticed the girl in the room and Imad must've felt the change in her body language because he moved back a bit to see what got her tensed and followed her line of vision. He sighed, their past won't ever make them rest and have peace of mind. It will always catch up with them no matter where they run off to. They cannot work it out like that.

Amirah only flinched while staring wide eyed at the little girl that didn't as much as stir on the bed. Imad knew what she is thinking and honestly, he wants to forget about their past for the time being and just enjoy being in one another's arms so he took her elbow and they made it out of the room. Her feet feels heavy now, weighed down with so many explanations she needs to give. Why is life getting so hard on her now? Just when she got her husband and the love of her life back?

"You must be hungry. I asked the maids to get something from Uzair." He mumbled quietly, dragging back a chair for her to sit in the dining room.

"I'm famished." She forced a smile, he grinned back and made it to the kitchen to bring some food for her which he microwaved for a minute.

Shortly after, he brought the sweet potato toasts. One topped with almond butter, banana, chia seeds and hemp seeds, the other topped with mashed avocado, boiled eggs and sausages and the last one is with onion dressing, red pepper flakes and fried egg.

Her mouth drooled and her stomach growled really loudly. This is no doubt the best food she's seen in three years even though she's been eating Uzair's for a long time -she gives her sister and Najla most of it.

This is what she calls food. No more abstinence or abstemiousness, that should be kept aside now that she is back with Imad and her debts are paid off. She can eat to her heart's content because how could she not? Imad is the one feeding her, and this is amongst her top three favorite food when they were together. He remembered, he didn't forget! Her eyes glossed over, she dabbed it with her hands and blinked fast to clear away any sign of tears.

"This looks amazing." She complimented then dug in with the fork and table knife given to her by Imad. He could only stare while she ate without a care of the world unlike the Amirah he's seen in the office trying to be sophisticated. It's always been like that, she is too comfortable with him and he likes that she never changed that. Except when he is acting like CFO bastard.

Amirah is almost done with her food, sipping tentatively at the rambutan juice when she remembered something she needs to ask Imad. "What did you blackmail Nazir with?"

Imad scratched the back of his head uncomfortably. His occipital is suddenly itchy, he doesn't want to tell her that in case he's made any other mistake. But he remembered what he advised himself, no more lying! There won't be anything except veracity and honesty between them now if they don't want more complications in their married life. It is currently hanging on a thin thread, another lie will fall them back to square one where they are not sure is possible to reawaken.

More throat clearing, he's done that a lot that afternoon. "It is more about his past. A girl had an abortion of his child -it was just a scandal honestly- but I promise you, he is a good man and won't do anything bad to your sister. I had to thoroughly investigate him to make sure there is nothing that will hurt your sister if the marriage happens. And... your sister had a crush on him few years ago."

Amirah's jaw cleaned the whole dining table before she closed it, so much air is getting inside and next it will be a fly. There are no maids around which she's noticed now that her stomach is filled up. But this piece of information really did get her flabbergasted and her eyes won't shift away from Imad's who is trying his best not to gaze back. What could he do? He had to dig out the man's skeleton.

"You mean to say, he got a woman pregnant before?" Imad shook his head at this, slowly but she's seen it. "And my sister crushed on him few years ago?" He nodded his head this time. "And you know about it I don't?" Her brow raise in question, not accusation again.

She is making him feel bad, she should accuse him of something and haul insults on him. She shouldn't be this calm and all dotty, that is not how she is!

"Her friend told my private investigator about it. Afaf diminished that crush a few years after she's search him up but no luck. And when you told her about him, she backed off some more." Imad shrugged and Amirah nodded.

It now makes sense. Afaf has been acting weird since she found out they met and had a date in Italy, she never said anything though. Even when she called to tell her about it on phone, she was quiet for awhile which didn't sit well with Amirah. Why didn't Afaf tell her about it and permitted her to use her crush as a rebound? Would she have just gazed from the sidewalk her sister married to her crush?

Afaf is really one selfless woman, she deserves the best. "But if he hurts my sister in anyway, I won't forgive you." She declared, disregarding any other thing other than her sister's safety.

"He won't, I promise." He wanted to add something but the door to the chamber jiggled and in came Usayma with her five maids behind.

Lalllai!
Amirah is calm. Me I would've throw you out of the chamber and lock you out.

Sha sha, what were you expecting? A fight to break out? Amirah is way more mature than Imad😂 Imad ka Shiga uku.