Kano State, Nigeria.
2018.

"I promise to give you a warm hug after each surgery. I already have your week's schedule." Falak grinned at Shaddad who looks worn out after he was done with another heart surgery.

She wrap her arms around him and place her head on his chest not caring that there are more nurses and doctors back in the room and they are standing at the doorway of the surgery room blocking anyone from entering or leaving. Shaddad hesitantly wrap his arms and let his shoulders slump and take in the warmth of her body. She just knows what to do and what not to do at the right time. He hid his face in her dove hijab and inhaled before moving away and she took his hand to take him to his office.

"Thanks." He curtly appreciated and sat down on the swivel chair to get some work done.

"I'll be back around twelve with our lunch. Wait for me!" She kissed his stubbled cheek and made her wait outside the office her heels clicking loudly.

Shaddad is now patiently waiting for Falak to bring their lunch like she promised. She told him to wait for her till around twelve in the afternoon and it is already thirty minutes late making him concerned. She is never one to be late and especially not for their lunch or anything that is related to them. She values their time together which makes him think why the heck is she late that day. He has a bad feeling about all these.

After his last surgery for the day, he went back to his office and sat down waiting for Falak to come in and demand why he left for his surgery when she asked him to wait for her but that didn't happen and he felt the emotion he's never felt before. Uneasiness started seeking through his blood and veins, he don't even know what to do so he look around the office wanting something to give him clue if what to do then his eyes landed on the intercom next to his right hand.

"Where is Falak?" He asked his mother in-law and also stepmother without waiting to exchange any pleasantries not that it was needed. She knows who he is and how he likes things to be done.

"I haven't seen her since she left to come see you, two hours ago that is." She explained through the phone, also feeling the uneasiness he is feeling at that time.

"Well, she is not here." He already dropped the phone before he could think of anything and left his office to the security room so he could see what the hell is going on in the hospital.

Her Majesty said she left to come and see him two hours ago but there is no sign of Falak and when he checked his phone for her number, he couldn't find it as he didn't save it himself but she did. He asked for the CCTV footage around the Paediatric Ward two hours ago and truthfully, Falak left her Ward and started making her way to the elevator then there is no place that she left the elevator making his worry to spike up another octave.

Searching his phone again, he found her number with lots of yellow hearts. He don't know what her obsession with yellow heart is but he never saves anyone's number with emoji so seeing her own, he knows she is the one. He quickly dial the number but it wasn't reachable and after the fifth time, it went straight to voicemail and then it won't ring again. His heart is now in his thumb, he can't think straight so he took his car and drive back to the Chamber.

Maybe she was tired and went home to rest, maybe.

No, that wasn't the case. The house is as empty as how they've left it in the morning, spotless and no sign of life inside. He sat down on the couch and closed his eyes with his arms and sighed deeply. She never goes somewhere without telling him no matter the emergency and she always has her phone fully charged so that isn't the case. There is no solution to this problem except if he seeks help from his father and help with police to tag out where she is. He won't wait for some darn twenty four hours, he needs to make sure his wife is safe.

"Falak is missing." Shaddad mumbled into the phone to his father who was shocked to see his son calling him. He can't remember when was the last time he saw that except the other way around.

"Missing?! How and When?!" Came the King's stern voice laced with worry but he is trying to keep himself together as there are guards beside him and he can't look weak to them. He is a King for a reason.

"Two hours ago at the hospital." He whispered feeling the reality of his wife missing, she really went missing.

"Okay, don't worry. I'll send out some team to search for her around the whole estate and if she isn't found, I will inform the police about it." The King reassured him and Shaddad hung up immediately after getting his confidence restored with the help coming from his father but he can't seat down and wait for the deed to be done.

"I heard Falak went missing?" Asad walked into the Chamber uninvited with Baqir dangling in his arms. His face is etched with worry and his eyes are staring widely at Shaddad wanting him to deny it.

"Yes." He replied in low voice, hanging his head down in his palms.

"How on earth did that happened? Where were you when she went missing?" He threw the questions and settle down on the opposite sofa not expecting an answer from Shaddad but he got one.

"I don't know how it happened." Shaddad sighed and throw his head back on the couch. Not the cool and calm brother he was two hours ago.

The rest of his brothers all walked in except Harith who has disappeared from the face of earth and no one could even reach his number. They all sat down around his Chamber waiting for the go ahead to go and start searching for her. You could feel the uneasiness, perturbation and concern hanging in the air as they all nervously waited. They just want to hope that this is one of Falak's pranks but she won't stay that long and she would've told one of her sister in-laws about it. She did none so their thoughts is that she was kidnapped for real!

•~•~•

Falak sighed and open her eyes slowly not remembering what brought her to that place she can't even say. She closed her eyes at the blinding light of sun falling down the hill then opened her eyes again to confirm her thoughts. She is not in the Palace nor is she in the hospital or anywhere she knows, she is in some old house with every furniture sitting at the right places with candle by the side of her. Where the heck is she now?

She move on the bed she is sitting on feeling the strings of the bed moving underneath her weight and she look at the bed again, seeing the iron rod moving with each movemlent of hers. The house looks pretty old but someone lives there making her think if she's met with an accident and was brought there but then again, she can't feel any pain or forming bruise around her body so she calmly breath out not to panic and look around.

The room has the bed she is lying on, made of iron like the ones rich people in her village have. It has some strings that makes you jump whenever you move and there is also canopy like thing on it. From her left side, there is a door that probably leads to a bathroom because of the water littering the ground outside the door. There are old samiras, old fashioned flasks used for decoration, arranged before the door to the bathroom and there is also and old lamp scorching out orange fire like a candle known as fitillan kwai.

Then her right side, there is an old beat up wardrobe and old fashioned shoe rack that has pocket like spaces meant for the shoes to be placed. She could only see a few shoes inside and it looks white but now yawed dark cream colour almost brown. The wardrobe is also not closed as the cover is dangling by the side with the hinges out for everyone to see. There are few clothes inside and looks like an old woman's, not really old but old poor woman. The room has leather carpet sprayed and it has suffered so half of it isn't there. It looks like some animal eat some places but knew it is only because of how old it is.

"She is awake." She heard a woman's voice from the door and yawed her gaze to the door facing the bed she is lying on.

"Who are you?" She can't see much of the woman's face but she don't get good vibes rolling off of her. Though she badly wants to ask for water to wet her throat, she wants to know if she is safe to take water from the woman.

"That is not important." The woman waved her hand and moved from the door, letting the sun cast it's rays in the room once again.

"How is it not important?! I am here in what looks like your home and I'm asking who you are but you are telling me it's not important? I asked, who are you?!" She gritted the last words in anger not wanting the woman to think of her as a weak girl then take advantage of that. She is no weak and can take down the old woman without trouble.

"Woah! My son got a feisty one." She grinned proudly and move closer to the bed where Falak is narrowing her eyes but when she saw the woman's face and smile, her heart drop.

She looks like another replica of her husband. Like the female version of her husband. Yes, she looks like Shaddad, a lot like Shaddad. Falak took a double take and assess the woman right from her forehead to her jaw. There is no doubt, this woman is related to Shaddad in a very tight way. She don't get why she said her son at first but now, she gets what she means. He is either her sister's son or her own son, because this woman is not his sister. Falak is just hanging her mouth open and close like a gaping fish.

She couldn't breath well.

The woman facing her gave her a satisfied smile and move back a little for her to sink in the new found information. She knows how much she looks like her son and likes using it to her advantage before she got divorced. After it happened and everyone heard about what she did, she started closing her face with niqab, veil used to cover face, or people would point finger at her. She did something unforgivable and was sent out of the State but she needs something urgently so she came back and camp in her mother's room for a few days and get what she wants before disappearing.

"You are-?" Falak couldn't finish her words because the woman's laughter roared around the room and if not that she is too paranoid, she would've said the laughter is so cool and soothing but still evil. She looks much more like Shaddad when she laughed making her think how beautiful he will look when he laughs.

"Yes, I am Shaddad's mother along with Harith." She grinned at Falak innocently then went to fetch water in a silver cup for her.

Falak gulped the water quickly and kept the cup beside her then continue to analyse what she wants and why she was brought there but the woman gave nothing away which infuriates Falak.

If she wants to act like those wicked mother in-laws, she wouldn't have placed her on the bed and would've started punishing her long ago not giving her water to quench her thirst. Now she just wants answers to clear her brain from damaging for real this time and no plan she makes will help her get her memories back. Maybe that is a payback for lying to her husband about her health but she is out of ideas so she wants to focus.

"Why do you want me here?" Falak asked, badly wanting to know why she was held captive and wasn't punish in anyway.

"That is my secret, dear beautiful daughter in-law." Falak's mother in-law moved and sat down next to her.

Falak took in her clothes and scrunch her brows further. A former Queen shouldn't be dressed like that. She is wearing ankara blouse bigger than her and since she said the house is her mother's, then it looks like she is wearing her clothes too. Falak would like to hear what she did to get herself divorced and also banned from the State. It must've been something huge for that to happen. Kings always look up to their Queens.

Her so called mother in-law left the room and she lie her head back on the bed, it is so soft and might be because it was old. She didn't mind sleeping and when it sought her, she benignly let it take her away thinking about how worried the people back in the Palace will be about her sudden disappearance. Will Shaddad be worried or will he be happy that he is finally free from her? She won't be so sure about him but wish he would miss her and be worried. He is a statue, yes, but she built herself in his life and knows he won't get rid of her anytime soon so he'd better be worried about her.

"Which Country?" Falak heard some voices talking just outside the room she lies in.

She knows that voice, it is too familiar and would know who it is even in her dreams. She don't know whether she is dreaming or it is really happening so she urged her eyes to open up and she found out that it is already nighttime and she is so hungry. She didn't get to hear the other person's reply before the familiar voice spoke again with joy shining in his words.

"I'll take her with me. I can't leave her here, she's been through a lot. Poor baby." The familiar voice mumbled making her heart thump loudly knowing they are talking about her.

"You've always loved her huh?" Hajiya Jamila said in a naughty voice and Falak could imagine her wiggling her brows.

"From day one, Mom. She is just the most beautiful girl I've ever set my eyes on. I don't know why the King wants her married to that robot, honestly." She heard the distaste when the familiar voice talked about Shaddad.

Shaddad was his brother!

How could he think so low about his blood brother just because of her?! Or has there been some animosity between them that she doesn't know about? Whatever it is, he is not supposed to kidnap his brother's wife because he loves her. That should totally be banished from the face of earth. And she thought of him as her own brother to think she's always liked his presence and humorous smiles.

She hates that Prince! A betrayer!

"She might be hungry by now. Get her something to eat, I don't have even a penny, yet." Hajiya Jamila said to the person with familiar voice.

"She likes hot chocolate, I'll go get it for her with some hot doughnut. She will be over the moon if I get that for her." She heard his smile as he talks before his legs started retreating probably to go get her what he mentioned. It makes her stomach grumble even with the hate bubbling inside her.

•~•~•

Shaddad was sitting silently in his room after rounds around the state but didn't find even a glimpse of Falak. They drove around with all his brothers but it's like she's vanished from the face of earth making him more worried. His car gas was empty when he got back home and he was so tired from all the events that's happened but there still wasn't concern etched on his face but the worry he feels deep inside is enough to not let him sleep even though it is midnight.

His phone rang from beside him and he sprang to get it, missing Falak all the more because she wouldn't have let him pick that call and will demand that he goes back to sleep. She will say that nights are not for work or phonecalls, they are for sleep and he should calm his mind and rest. He won't have any other thing to argue about and must fall back asleep.

"Dr. Shaddad" He greeted professionally, though he normally doesn't talk first if he isn't the one that called but now, he will take any phone call because it might be his wife's kidnapper.

"I know. Your wife is here with me so I know who you are. Let's cut to the chase, we want fifty million for her ransom. Arrange it as soon as possible." He raised a mocking brow at the person though his heart throbbed at the thought of them having his wife. They sound dangerous.

"How can I be sure you are telling the truth?" He questioned, standing up from the bed and slipped his flip-flops.

"That is your own problem, Dr. Shaddad. If you don't arrange the money now, you are going to lost your wife forever." And he jumped out of the room to the living room so he could get how to arrange the money fast.

"Send the address." And he hung up.

He knows how kidnappers are nowadays so he didn't bother tracking their phone number but will do so when his wife is safe. He doesn't have much time and so he quickly ask one of his brothers to arrange a bag of fifty million and made his way to the car only to be stopped.

*****
Yoyoyoyo!
How are you all? Whutttttt?! So Shaddad's mother still dey breath? Ah, she just came out of the blue, hmm. Ahhh, this is bad and who is the one with familiar voice??? Please tell me who he is, take wild guesses and let your imagination run wild.
RQ; Would you rather have you room with horror wallpapers or share it with ten siblings/relatives? Ah, I don't know😂 you?

Aishatu.