I dare you to comment on each paragraph for an update laterrrrr...

KANO STATE, NIGERIA.

Amirah sighed again, tired of walking around the hospital room and waiting for Imad's friends to come out. She did walk out to go get some coffee so the energy will be back in her blood and she can talk things out with Imad. She'd be damned if she doesn't talk to him about their past that day, she woke up with the zeal to do so and nothing can stop her now. They should know where they stand and stop toying with one another.

It's been four days since the incidence and Imad is slowly convalescing but his mother wants him to stay a week more so that they can make sure he is fine when he leaves. Amirah appreciated that, she wants him there so they can monitor him, he won't allow her to do that back in the chamber. His mother on the other hand doesn't need to talk twice before he sighs and nod his head in acceptance. Their relationship is so cute that she wants one for herself.

He is always sleeping so they didn't get to have their own moments or personal talks. It is mostly about Jannah and Najla. The girl is so clingy to her father that Amirah feel like she loves him more than she does her. But the feeling is mutual, they share this connection in a matter of few days. Amirah is definitely jealous of all the attention they are getting from one another.

Jannah is currently in a psychiatry due to some mild mental issues but will be sent to jail straight in Chicago as soon as she is done with her sessions. Imad wants her there so she could be close to her mother, he can do that much for her. If she leaves, she won't ever be able to come back to Nigeria again and he wants her out. Any danger lurking around him is not welcomed so she should also be annihilated once and for all.

His family cannot be watching their backs wherever they go in fear of someone watching and ready to attack. Albeit sporadic, he's managed to get bodyguards for Amirah without her knowledge. Seems like all attention is on her now and one of them reported that she's got a stalker but they've taken care of him already.

"Why are you standing out here? We chased you away?" Jabir laughed and she shook her head, she saw them walking out of the room teasing Imad. He's got such real friends, seriously.

She shrugged, a small smile auditioned on her lips. "Just wanted to give you guys sometime." With another grin, her face perched with concern. "How's your elbow?"

Yeah, one of Jannah's bouncers dislocated his elbow but thankfully, it wasn't too much of a hassle getting it back in place. He has a cast there though but he said he does not feel any pain and anything for his friend. Besides, that earned him sympathy from Lateefa and she visited him three times already. He killed two birds with one stone and don't regret helping his friend at all. He'd do that again and again if it means saving his loved ones.

"Oh, I'm fine." He winked, his white teeth stretching further at the thought of Lateefa. He cannot wait to go see her again.

"Stop flirting with someone else's wife. Go get yours." Salim hit occipital before they bid her goodbye seeing how she badly wants to be with Imad instead of them.

She ferried into the room, nervousness creeping back to her bones but she pushed it away, this is not the time.

The room has pale walls, a television that is currently showing the news, LED heart monitor, chest drawer beside the queen sized hospital bed, a sink by the farther end of the room close to a door that leads to a five star hotel worthy bathroom. It smells astringent hand sanitizer placed right beside the door for everyone that walks in or goes out. The smell of the coffee she's made him the whole time there still lingers too.

Imad is staring at her the whole time as she stood by the door, a smile is on his lips too. He beckoned her with his hand, his lips mouthing 'come' to her and she took tentative steps to him. When she was in a safe distance where he could crawl his hand up to her waist, he hauled her to the bed only to grunt when the pain jabbed his side. Amirah sat on the wide bed and check whether the wound is bleeding again. Thank God, it wasn't a big hit but she did what she had to.

"Stop acting like Romeo when you are hurt." She scolded, her eyes reprimanding him to apologize and he found his mouth moving before he could make sense of it. It has been like that before, she scolds and he apologises.

"I'm sorry." She beamed then lie down next to him on the bed, her head placed on his uncased arm, his fingers massaging her forehead.

After a few minutes, she remembered why she's been nervous and she stirred a little. It is now or never. "I think we should talk about the past now, Oreo. I don't want you to say anything but listen to me. Hm?" Her head raise to look at him, his shoulders had tensed. He wants to delay but he knows they don't have time.

"Okay." He breathed out, ready to listen so she took deep breaths and started.

"So. . . that phone call? It was actually about my father. Yeah, everyone thought he was dead but we got a call that he is held captive by some kidnappers in our village. He was supposed to be there for traditional treatment to some disease but they got him through my father's older brother who set it all out because he found out I was dating a Prince. My mother got hopeful that finally, her husband is going to come back home and we will get our father. I mean, we've long forgotten about him but we still want to meet him, you know? We were so happy but the man tarnished that with his own rules set out." She adjusted herself on the bed again, licking her chapped lips.

"There was a man, his friend actually, who wants to marry me." Imad narrowed his eyes but she only thinned her lips, indicating that he shouldn't talk. "He has already given my uncle fifty million naira, he literally bought me from my uncle. He was supposed to send my father back home after I leave for Chicago but he didn't, my mother kept persuading him to do so. He kept giving excuses up and down and the man, Alhaji Malami, the one with the fifty million was supposed to marry me after two years. The years you heard me talking about?" When he nodded slowly at that, she continued.

"My mother lied that I'm going to Chicago to study under scholarship to which I've already signed and can't back out from. My uncle didn't agree, he was creating fuss but then Alhaji Malami agreed that I should finish studying and by then, his wives will be sent home. He had three wives then and all his children are way older than me and his last born was my senior back in primary school. I couldn't believe my fate but I put that at the back of my mind and focus on only you for the time being. I mean, I was so in love that nothing mattered." She shrugged.

"Then my mom called me one day to talk about the issue, before we got married. She told me that why won't I just ask you for the money and they can pay back Alhaji Malami and we don't have be tied with them and my father will be back home sooner than later. I told her you don't have the money and that will only make us look like we are with you for your money and that is the last thing I want. I love you for who you are and not your title or wealth, you knew that! I even liked you before you told me you were a Prince, haven't I? Then why would it change because you are blue blood?" He rubbed her naked arm from her shoulder to her elbow. The gown she is wearing is sleeveless and the veil around her fell on the bed, she is smelling her new hair cream.

"Well, I told her no and we should abandon that thought and think about something else. We got married, half forgetting about the problem lurking behind us but she didn't. She was so hopeful that her husband will come back that she didn't even enjoy my wedding much. She was busy trying to sell out some of the expensive items you guys put in my boxes just to bail my father but ended up with merely ten million -because she broke them down and didn't ask for the actual price.

"She's been up and down the whole time during my wedding. My uncle wasn't having it, he said I must get married to Alhaji Malami after those two years so my mother surrendered. She didn't want to ruin my life, I knew that but she had to do so. Things are jumbled and saving my father was her first priority because of so many reasons she's listed out to us. A long spiel at that.

"And those ten million she managed to sheaf were stolen by my uncle, he sent his people to come get them from my mother on her way home from the bank that day. We were so terrified since it was three days before my marriage. We almost thought about postponing it but she stopped us, she said she is no weakling and the wedding shall take place like it was initially planned. We trusted her and that was what happened, no one suspected a thing.

"My uncle won't only ruin my father or kill him, he'd come for us because the said man he took money from won't leave him just like that too. So things got more and more tight when our wedding got much closer. My uncle pressing down on our necks to get things right. He's finished the whole fifty million he was given so clearly, he won't just relax without getting me married as per their contract.

"And then Alhaji Malami wants to come and see me, it is not a good idea. My mom even tried setting him up with Afaf, to buy more time for those two years but the man easily caught up. For some odd reasons, he wants no one but me. He wants to marry me and no one else. I couldn't believe it! I was not special, I'm just plain Amirah from a middle class family or should I say poor? What did he see in me?" His eyes are scolding her for saying that but she shrugged and went on.

"I've never seen him but the man knew me so much that my head hurts when he describes me on phone once. Well, to cut things short, it leads down to when you heard that phone call. I was not planning on leaving my marriage because of some nasty old man. I knew we were going to do something together to stop him but you weren't listening. I was going to tell you about him and we can see it together like we've always done but sadly, my fate isn't just that bad. It was about to get much worse and nauseous." She shook her head because remembering those things makes her head hurt. She was just sixteen!

"I am not blaming you, it was my fate and don't even think you could've done anything to stop it. I've long forgiven you for that, don't say anything about it again. I just want to tell you so we can see whether we can build back our trust again."

With a lick of her lips, her mouth stampeded. "So when I went back home, my mother was going in and out of the hospital after she's finished shouting her frustrations on me. She didn't want me to come back no matter what. She doesn't want Alhaji Malami to see me and bring the wedding closer but what else could I do? Stay in Chicago where I don't know anyone or what? I told her I had to come back home for both my sanity and yours, you needed time and I will reach out to you when the time is right.

"She told us about her cancer, and that she wants our father to come back before she dies so we won't be alone. We cried that day holding one another. Few weeks after that, my mother got admitted to the hospital and that is when we found out that our father was long dead and my uncle was bluffing throughout. She couldn't believe her ears and almost wanted to go down to the village but we stopped her. She was in no condition to go there neither can she fight that monster all alone.

"That was the other reason why she gave up her own life from the start, she was too hopeful that he would come back before she dies but then found out he was gone since before. She told my uncle that I won't marry Alhaji Malami and that she will take him to the police. She didn't have to do that though, Alhaji Malami himself found out what a fraud my uncle is and took him to jail himself. That is where they found out so many skeletons from his drawer. He's killed our father!" Her eyes are glossy, she is about to cry any minute. Remembering those things hurt. It hurts a lot.

A sixteen year old going through what a seventy year old didn't go through. Seriously, she still is surprise how she managed to get there. That Alhaji Malami was not willing to give up, he almost forced himself on her but she cannot tell Imad that. She got saved by a good Samaritan and that is all that matters.

"The doctor said something about you getting few hundreds for your mothers treatment. Who helped you then?" Imad massaged her head, caressing her trembling chins to stop her from crying. He talked because he doesn't want her to cry, his Amirah is not weak anymore and she took care of herself all these while without him. He feels both guilty and proud.

"Those hundreds I got were from Alhaji Malami. He didn't ask too much but gave me five hundred thousand to come pay for my mother so they could treat her. He wanted to use me for his own selfish needs but then found out I was pregnant and brushed it off as a joke. I wasn't offended. I mean, does a beggar have any choice? I didn't so I took the money gratefully and left his office in a hurry afraid he might change his mind. You never know with people like that." Her hand unconsciously got wrapped around Imad's waist, just below his bandage.

He is so mad, he wants to ruin someone but pressed down. This Alhaji Malami will have to go down or he'd change his name! He wanted to use his wife?

Imad didn't want to ask this but he did, to get past that too. "Why didn't you reach out to me or my family?"

"You think I didn't reach out for you? I did! Countless of times. I was afraid to go through your parents but then found out they cannot get ahold of you too so I gave up. I kept praying that you come back but a year passed without any trace of you and I gave up. I started working in the palace, a maid in disguise." Imad's eyes widened in shock but she merely chuckled. Her hands trace his face, closing his eyes a bit to keep off the surprise there.

"Don't be too galvanised. I've worked in your chamber too and even cooked your food once that you asked about who did it?" He nodded, still in galvanisation. "I use lots of makeup so people won't recognise me. The whole money I get always end up in the hospital so I couldn't pay Maman yan biyu her share."

He finally found his voice when she kept quiet. Seriously though, he is out of words. This woman in his arms has suffered enough but she is still there standing on her own two feet. She's suffered all because of him but he had to add more share of that. He deserves to die, seriously.

"I don't know what to say." He pushed his head to her neck, breathing in her scent. He is out of words, he is nervous, afraid, guilty and shocked.

She worked as a maid? Had seen him with Usayma that day? Double crap!

She laughed, people are always surprised. "So let me tell you about the way I gave birth to Najla. That is the last bit of our past and you deserve to know."

Imad perked up, knowing this is where he will get on his knees and apologise. He's been waiting to ask that.

"It was abruptio placenta. Premature separation of the placenta, that's it. The doctor said it is because I was malnourished and had hypertension then. Preeclampsia if you want it all in one word but abruptio placenta is different. The signs were there but I didn't know. Fetal heart sound decrease and vaginal bleeding but I thought it was just normal for every pregnant woman. My mother wasn't there and my sister is mostly busy studying, Arwa, I didn't want to tell her about it."

"Why not?" His voice raise a bit, as if that will change the past.

"What? She was going through a lot too after finding out she only has five percent chance of giving birth so talking to her about it will look like blowing things to her face. Well, I didn't give birth just like that, it was labour induced and then after that, I had post partum hemorrhage." His grip on her tightened, almost creating a bruise there. He is afraid to listen to more, he wished he could just keep her quiet or wake up from the incubus.

"I didn't know it was that hard but the doctor told me the ECG thinned and my heart stopped beating for eleven good seconds before it spiked up when they already gave up. I don't know about that, I was unconscious."

Imad sat up on the bed, his eyes wide as he stared at Amirah hoping she won't disappear. ECG thinning? Was Amirah dead?!

"It was primary PPH. That was what took most of the money and the debts all revolved around Najla's birth. It was tough, honestly." She shrugged like it was nothing but Imad already had his back on her, his head inside both his palms. The wound is bleeding but it doesn't matter, the pain inside of him is tenfold.

Finalllllllyyyyyyyy!

Now you know kiloshele😹 Su Amirah an wahala o! Even with Alhaji Malami, tashin sense o. Las las, we found out everything.

That post partum hemorrhage na bastard, the thing is shit so I really hope no one goes through that. Amen!