KANO STATE, NIGERIA.

Imad grunts trying to relax his muscles after getting off the plane with his wife of one year, Usayma by his side. They board down from the plane and made their way to the waiting cars just outside the airport. There are guards trying to guide him to the black tinted SUV while he guide his hand around his wife's shoulder to get her into the car safely. A lot of things have changed and having Issues in his arms is one of it which is surely going to drop a huge impact on a lot of things and people.

There are too many people in the airport since it's weekend so the news about him coming back will already circulate the state before he reaches the palace. Not to forget about the woman beside him seeing as everyone has been keeping tabs on what he does which only makes him tired and suffocated. That is why he never wishes to come back if not for so many personal reasons he has.

He didn't come back to Nigeria in all those three years. He was back there in Chicago for a year finishing his course which was the hardest thing he's ever done then left the country to just roam around for a year. To see other traditions, try some weird new food, act as though he understands when some foreigners are telling him stories and not to forget the endless roams with females.

Going back a year later to Chicago, he got married to Usayma after some complications. Not that he has any problem getting married to another woman, he is just into more women outside and drinking away his problems to have any need to bring another woman in his life to cause more damage than the one inflicted. He is confident that no one could do what his first wife did.

He is a full blooded man of twenty two approaching twenty three who has needs that should be tamed all the time he wants. Women ain't problem, he gets to release all his tension, stress and everything through them then bury his eyes into work. He's got alot of freedom since he isn't under his parents or the scrutiny of his guards, he is a free bird.

He just finished his internship in that year, he is back to start working in one of his father's friend's company before he fully gets his father's. None of his brothers are into business except for the older one, Shaddad and now he is too busy with his growing family and also being a great renowned Cardiologist takes all the time so running the business is the last thing in his mind.

He needs to work for six months in that company then fully take over his father's technology company. There are a lot of things he has planned for his father's company having gone through so much companies with different strategies to last him a lifetime. The company he worked as an intern makes him work in many other companies due to his father's request. He wants him to expand his brain into business so they won't have to teach him any more strategy.

He has spent those years doing everything he likes doing. After graduating with his masters in business administration, he left the country to roam around Asia and Europe. He got to see so many women, so many things, too many adventures he couldn't keep up with. His life got better when he never sits to think about anyone and only try enjoying his present life. He always keeps his past aside and never worries about what the future holds for him, he doesn't care about the future. All he wants to do is try surviving the present as life hasn't been his best friend since forever.

He's lost hope of life a long time ago having being betrayed for the first time, by his first wife, first lover. It still stings big time whenever he thinks about what happened years ago which happens once in a while.

He stops caring, some say he is colder than his elder brothers even though they haven't met him yet. Yes, he will admit that he is way too frigid and aloof, but he is still a sweetheart just not to everyone. Trust is not found in his library nor written in his dictionary or maybe it was erased, either way, h trusts no one. And love, he has no love for just anyone, he loves no one but himself.

Selfish, that is what his elder sister described him as. He never cared about what his mother feels not seeing her son for two years straight. He hardly takes their phone calls or return the missed ones arranged in his laptop and phones all the time. It's gotten to the extent were he had to change his number when he got tired. That is how he vanished from the earth for a year, then called them back last year telling them he is ready to start his internship. His father was quick to give his name to a company in Chicago so he could know where his son is.

Girls flaunt in and out of his rented penthouse every blessed morning. He lost counts on the girls he's used for one night stands. He just needs to take away that void certain someone has created, what better way than the way his friends introduced him to? Once he was forced to do it while drunk but then he found out that he liked doing it seeing it makes him forget not that he's stopped moaning her name. He just enjoy the little time alone with his peace.

He changed friends too, none of the from Nigeria and none of them were Muslims. There names goes with Jake, Elliot and Tyler. He cancelled all his Nigerian Muslim friends and hung with the atheists. No one to preach him about his religion or tell him what he is doing is wrong. He's met some Muslims that waste away their time like he does, those are his friends.

He is going to miss that country like damn, but is sure to visit soon when things gets unbearable in his hometown. He knows so much is going to happen back here and in all honesty, he is not ready to take in everything that will come his way just because he is back. Going back is in his top list, as soon as it gets suffocating, he will run away from his responsibility to continue where he stopped. He needs to do a lot of things then go back, he is going to do that.

And about Usayma, he didn't marry for love, nope. He knocked her up in one of their nights and got her pregnant. He hardly spends night with either her or Wafa and when it happened, they came to celebrate him being an intern even though he protested against it then things move on their own. He knocked her up.

There is one thing about pregnancy that won't let him just discard her. They got married the day she miscarried the baby in her womb, Allah took his thing when she was still in her first trimester. They weren't careful and that lead to her miscarriage, it was not something she liked. She wanted to give birth to a baby, even if it is from any other person.

Imad just happens to be the one to knock her out then some complications happened, she won't be able to give birth. Because of that thought, thinking he was the cause of her complication, he vowed to stay married to her no matter what. If a woman hears that she won't ever be able to give birth with only one percent assurance from it, then that alone is enough nightmare for her. Even with his selfishness, he stayed married to her but not loyal.

He didn't marry her out of love, neither of them are in love with each other. They are all wild young adults wanting to explore life but got tied down, none is allowed to stop what they want. He gets to mingle around with more girls outside, drink what he wants and do everything he wants to do like any single man would. He also gave her that freedom which she uses all the time too, they can't stay loyal when they are not in love.

"Your country is beautiful." The Afghanistan complimented staring around the city of Kano in awe and glee shining her brown orbs.

Seeing the bridges, the red and white surrounding the whole place, it's so beautiful.

It gave her some sense of security, seeing people of different skins mingle around when you could hardly see many blacks back in America. She loves that half and quarter of those people are black, the fair ones amongst them are little to none. And she thought the place will look like some village she researched on google, thank God for that. She loves the new place, new people and new emotions that are developing in her chest.

"I know." Came his brief reply as he gaze at his phone impatiently. He wants to reach home as soon as possible to rest and take things off his mind with his wife.

Coming back to that place is only bringing more moments he doesn't want to think of. There is no place he didn't go around with his first wife in that state, he went everywhere with her and now all of it is coming back to bite him. He doesn't want to stare out the window, he buried himself into ordering more suits for him to start working the next day. He is expected to be there by 08:00AM the very next day after coming back, he needs all the rest he can get.

Upon arriving at the palace, Usayma perked up from where she is and gawk in awe. The Royal Palace was opened by the guards guarding the gate, they are many and she didn't bother counting. Even the gate itself looks like it weighed a ton so the huge men opening it didn't surprise her. The gate is intimidating, it oozes the power that rolled off that Palace.

Inside, they made a long journey straight to an eagle fountain then made a u-turn to drive deeper into the home where many wings separated themselves. There are so many buildings and the place is extremely big, the green lush and beautiful flower surrounding all the walls. The cleaned interlocks, everything is just burnishing without sight of anyone.

Maybe the place is private seeing as Palaces have maids and guards.

"Wow!" She breathed in, still sucking everything there is to offer in the Castle.

"Yes, wow. Let's go in. I need rest and we have to eat dinner with my whole family." He made his way out of the car, not even trying to act like a gentleman and let her come down herself.

There are five maids standing outside waiting for them, guards surrounding the place like everyday. There is a corridor with chocolate brown tiles that has scarlet carpet displayed on it. The little way he needs to pass through has guards standing on each end, some few other maids that are definitely not his chambermaids.

The door got opened by one of the maids who wouldn't look up, not that he actually cares. Making his way inside the Chamber, another sense of loneliness washed over him by the feeling of betrayal. It seeped deep into his bone rendering him speechless, he flinched not expecting to feel the impact of her betrayal even after so many years.

Brushing it off, he took Usayma in his arms and gave her a punishing kiss that has her knees weakling, her heart thudding in her chest while the breath got knocked out of her. She likes how he kisses her like he is punishing her for something.

That is what he does whenever he feels like his thoughts are about to travel to somewhere impassable. When he kisses any woman, he totally forgets about it so he does that all the time. Which is where Usayma came in handy, he can use her and she can use him with no hard feeling, he loves their relationship. The thoughts slowly vanished, taking away his body from hers, he raked a hand through his full hair.

He can't remember when was the last time he barbed. Seeing that he has those good Fulani hairs, his hair isn't too stubborn to make him barb all the time so he let them grow. And he likes to admit, he looks much more handsome with full dark hair, little scruff on his cheek. He loves his beard which he doesn't let grown too much, just little shadow is alright for him.

The maids are standing by the door waiting for them to throw their orders but they never did. They could only hear the sounds of his wife as she moans into his kiss, gripping his hair in her fingers. They are jealous of the foreign beauty in front of them who gets to stay in that Chamber and also cocoon herself in the youngest Prince's arms, such lucky woman. One of them is burning with jealousy though, she can't stay there for much longer.

He showed her around for a bit then made his way to their room to take bath. Nothing has been changed, not a single thing was taken away except for his first wife's clothes which he was grateful to, he can't afford seeing them laze around his home. He took a quick bath, changed into sweat and lie down on the bed to sleep away the jet lag. Not actually looking forward to the family dinner that is to take place few hours more.

"Which one is the main Palace?" Usayma asked from beside him, clasped in an amber jallabiya, kimono sleeves and plunging neckline showing her neck. The veil is wrapped in muffler but it still shows her fair neck complimenting the amber colour.

She has her legs enclosed in sandals while her hand held a small envelope clutch to put her phone and chamber keys she collected from Imad earlier. She can't believe she is now a princess living in a castle with maids at her disposal. Her parents aren't rich even back in her home before they die but the money they had is enough to get her food, let her study in good school and all that. Still, nothing surpass being royal.

"The one in front of us." He gestured to the white colossal building in front of them separating itself from all others.

There are those traditional paints of red, blue, green and yellow by the vast umber oak door that looks to be made from the finest timber. There are so many windows shining with orange hue making the ambiance much more calming but the authority, power and dominance oozing from that three storey building is enough to have her heart shaking like a leaf during summer. She could feel the mastery and vigor rolling off of it in waves, she is not sure about meeting his family anymore.

With tentative steps, they made their way into the palace. She looks around the guards, the golden canary empire chandeliers lining up the ceiling in a long line to the end of the long hallway. Eye-catching golden vases with statues of some kind are also hung on the walls. Maybe, she thought the house was not going to be modern, that is why everything she sees took her by surprise. She didn't know Imad is this wealthy though she knows he is Royal.

When they finally turned to another hallway where a rectangular dining table is set with more than thirty chairs, that is where her legs haltered. Imad didn't stop walking so she continued, not wanting to be embarrassed about the matter. She also didn't expect to see so many pairs of eyes staring at her, from two geriatrics, to adults back to children. Woah, they are just too much for her to stomach.

Is she to learn their names of whose wives they are? He told her he has seven brothers and one blood sister, but what?!

Sup?!
How've you been? Hehehe, this Imad sai ahankali o. The man is what he is and wait, who remembers Usayma and Wafa? Don't tell me you've forgotten about Amirah's supposed new friends.

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Aishatu
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