ADAMAWA STATE, NIGERIA.

Fatima hissed beneath her breath when she awoke right at the time sun began to rise. She slept in the car and didn't even thought about going to the backseat to lie down, she slept on that stiff car seat and another round of neck pain will have her stranded. Looking round for the nth time, she confirmed the nightmare that she is really married to ACP Al-hafiz and she is brought to his house by him the previous day.

She glared at the log cabin in front of her, her gaze frosty like it's going to help her freeze the house. When they first arrived, she wasn't looking neither had she concentrated on the goings around her but when he left the car hours later without coming back to check on her or ask her to come in, Fatima took that time to look at his so called house. She's never seen a log cabin in Nigeria so the fact that that useless boor has it now didn't sit well with her. She is sure he used her father's money or her father bought it for them.

That old man is such a heartless person. Fatima is done with him but there are ways she needs to go through to make sure he is done and over with. He won't have peace now even if he is more than just oceans apart from where she is. Fatima will haunt him down and make him regret his decisions till her last breath. If he likes, he should continue bossing her life around, she will get to him.

She remembered the last message Betsy sent her. "I would've asked you not to do anything tragic but I know you must do it. Just wait until you are fully back on your feet or it backfires and alert me if you need my assistance. I'm at your service."

It makes her appreciate having Betsy by her side every blessed day. The world might be against her but Betsy is always there as her wall and shield, like a mother hen to their children only that Betsy is more of a friend than a mother.

Mother. The sound of the word left a caustic taste to her mouth. At times, she mostly forgets that along with father comes a mother for the woman abandoned her way before she knew what was really going on then. After the murder, she didn't see her mother again except the flashes of some bitter memories she left her with. Fatima had never been the same since the murder and she will never be. How could she be when she was accused of mother? She was forced to know the meaning of the word before anyone her age.

When she went to school back then, she asked her teacher what a murder and murderer means. The teacher was reluctant to tell her about it but then thought, why not? A child heard the word somewhere and probably want to know what it means and that is the main reason she stands as a teacher in front of them. The teacher at that time smiled and sat her down before lecturing her on those words and demand at end of their conversation that she should never use the word for it is too strong for her. Fatima had nodded but the word was stuck to her head ever since till today, now.

Fatima gulped down those horrendous memories and sat straighter in the car, her lips felt dry just like her throat but she won't enter that house if he doesn't invite her. If you are not invited, don't ask and don't go! Not that that is really needed in such situation but a girl with already wounded pride won't want it damaged for no reason. That scratch on his face will only be victory for awhile and then boom, she have nothing against him. But like Betsy had said, she will wait until she gets much better.

She is going to make his life hell too. Didn't he marry her for her father's wealth, she will use that lavishness against him. He agreed to be bought by her father, she will make him regret that purchase with every breath he takes. He doesn't know what he just got himself into, he should wait a little longer.

Just as she was about to recline back with her dead phone in hand, the main door opened and out came none other than ACP Al-hafiz in all his morning glory featuring his new well pressed uniform. She envied his handsomeness and shallow confidence that comes with being who he is. It is as though he's accepted himself thoroughly with the ease he exhibits in everything he does. His perfectness irritates her to no end, he makes her feel too imperfect when beside him. Height to die for, confidence and killer grace.

He rounded the car to the driver's side looking unbothered by the fact that she has slept in the car. Heartless man!

He opened the driver's side and lowered to enter but then changed his mind as if that should be a crime sitting in the car she slept in. He gave the car a thorough search for any damage then his eyes landed on her at the last minute and Fatima could swear she saw glint of satisfaction and amusement in his eyes. She scowled, he finds her situation funny huh? He thinks she is being a mutinous kid throwing baseless tantrums when it isn't necessary huh? She will show him just how mutinous she is, she gritted her teeth to stop her from cursing him.

After what seems like centuries of their staring contest, one with satisfaction and the other with a well decorated grin, Ahmad's lips moved. "You are welcome to enter the house whenever you wish to. I'm off to the office."

And he closed the door gently like his manner, walked straight to a workshop door by the side of the house where long spruce trees shroud in lush greenery alongside the well kept grasses wet on the floor- she didn't noticed, yank it open and entered. Few minutes later, a car roared to life inside and spider Hyundai Elantra accelerated down the long cobble that curved to gates. Fatima gritted her teeth yet again in a painful gnash, knowing that car was bought by her father all in the name of getting the man to marry her.

A new found motive grew inside her before she opened the door and went inside the house after she is sure he's left the compound. As soon as she entered the house, her motive steps came to a halt at the sight meant to behold. Her mouth dropped a bit at the interior because she never expected something cut straight out from a magazine she goes through in the salon. She's always been a fan of nice interior designs and that is how her room and balcony got special treatment unlike the other part of the house.

No one would believe a house like this will exist in Nigeria but look where she is standing. Even her fathers mansion won't come close to this and not because of anything, this house is just a blast. Albeit her fathers will be much more lavish with extraordinary rare antiques, this is no behind. Everything fits where it should be like a perfect piece of puzzle, meant to be there all along. If the man lacks everything, he has good sense of interior.

She snapped out of it in seconds after remembering that this house is also part of her father's money and also her dowry. Wandering around the whole house to get where things are just in case, she found herself in a room she would've stolen and take to Babagana's mansion.

The room is quiet simple with bone colored walls and a platform raise a few inches where a king sized mattress is placed without any form of bed, just the mattress and rust colored Victorian duvet. Many pillows are scattered on the bed and it seems like no one had touched the room, she can occupy it for the time being. The two cute small Jillian Sculptural Led three tiered crystal chandelier fell by the sides of the bed, creating soft hue.

She went ahead to browse throughout the room from the bathroom that also took her away with its simplicity but utter gorgeousness down to the walk in closet where she got hit by surprise. All her clothes from the Babagana mansion are brought here and arranged just like every other outfit back home. There are new ones too, they are much more than the ones she has before which makes them a hundred or more. She stared at the room in astonishment and unlaced wrath because her father did this!

He made sure she is not a member of his family anymore by taking all that belongs to her to another man's home. She closed her eyes for a few minutes to calm the raging emotions about to cloak her. Her mouth twisted unpleasantly as she thought of the only way to be more calm, have a nice warm bath in the new bathroom and make sure her phobia for water is out of the way. She's always loved water but she developed phobia for it with time which makes it hard to love what she's always loved her whole life.

She shredded her clothes and made it to the bathroom naked, taking a sanitary pad and underwear along. She's started bleeding heavily and that will surely obstruct her plan for a bath, a shower will have to do. The painkiller she's taken in the morning when she awoke is doing it's job even without a grain of food in her stomach. Just the thought of food made her stomach growl angrily but she didn't stop to think about what to feed it. She doesn't have Uwani, does she have hope for food now? It's unlikely.

After her bath, she changed into a simple maxi dress not bothering with a bra, she will be all alone in the whole house. She made it to the kitchen to search for any leftovers but came up with nothing. Then she remembered, leftovers are always stored in fridge to prevent it from decaying. Variety of food is stack inside the fridge all looking fresh and new from her father's home. It makes her hate Ahmad some more because her father is doing almost everything for him. Even buying and cooking food for him? Spineless man, someone she could never picture herself married to.

She wants her man to be reserved and ready to stand against her father for her but not on that is following him around like a puppy. She's vowed that if she had reach that thirty years when she was ready to marry, she would take a foreigner as her husband so he can say whatever he wants to her father without an ounce of regret but this foreigner her father has gotten her is bought with money which means he won't be strong enough to tell him off. Emotions are fluctuating again in her chest and mouth making things blurry for a bit.

This period always comes with mood swings but she knew this one is going to be harder than all others. This time around, she has all reasons to be emotional and get them scattering around like headless chickens.

Staring at the food in the fridge, Fatima frowned knowing she won't be able to reheat it because she's never tried nor has she seen anyone doing it. Gulping hard, she reach her hand out to get the Chinese fried rice, cinnamon rolls, sausage rolls and a bowl of fruit salad. She is not a fan of fruit salad but she just removed it in case she couldn't eat the food, she will have to take the fruit salad left without any other choice.

Sitting on one of the chairs in the kitchen, she placed everything he brought in front of her and stared hard, as if her eyes could burn the food and reheat it for her. When nothing happened, she wiped her hand that is filled with perspiration on her gown then took the fork she found on one of the kitchen benches with plate and dug into the food in front of her. The first spoon reached her mouth with cooling chill that set her off but what could she do? She needs to eat, she is hungry to bones.

That is how Fatima forced herself to eat the cold as she cry with tears rolling down her both cheeks. She cannot believe she is the one doing so when everything she's ever wished and wanted is granted without her uttering it twice. How could that man do this to her? It is all because of her father! No matter how much she wants to fault Ahmad through and through, her father is the essence and root of all her problems and sufferings. She gulped down the icy Chinese rice that stuck in her throat, it wants to come back out but she gulped water so it stayed.

Her phone is completely dead or she would've ordered something to eat. She is not patient enough to wait for her phone to charge and then wait some more for delivery. More tears rush down her cheeks in uncontained anger and fury that attached itself to her. Her eyes are now red but after she's eaten half the Chinese rice and a cinnamon roll, she knew she was full hence she stood up and left everything the way it is like she is used to.

Leisurely, she made her way back to her room with difficulty, she couldn't remember where she came from. Her wrath is blinding, making her feel and think of things she shouldn't. How about another murder? What will happen if she kills Ahmad? She won't mind dying after having the pleasure of killing Ahmad and her father, it won't bother her. She's already tired of living, she can take two more lives with her and rest well with their burden. Bloodthirsty, that is what she started feelings so suddenly that it startled her. Her thoughts were merely a joke but she wants to go through it.

She took her phone immediately and dialed Betsy's number which rang thrice before she picked up.

"Bet, I'm going to send you my location right now and I need you to come immediately. I don't know whether the gates will open for you but just come, I-I need you." Fatima gulped, she's never needed anyone like she does Betsy right now.

And Betsy heard the eagerness, the helplessness in her voice that something broke within her. Fatima has been broken right from the moment she met her but she's never showed that sort of beseech and need for someone. She's always been more than happy fighting her own demons on her own but she needs her now and Betsy had be damned to turn her down.

"Why do you think the gates won't open for me?" She wants to know how to tackle the problem before she arrives and things will be too late.

Fatima bite hard on her teeth to stop the chattering and shivering that is about to envelop her. Something is terribly wrong with her and it is killing her not knowing what it is. She's never felt anything like this. Maybe panic attack few years ago but it was never this, not even close.

"He's locked the gates with a remote that he takes with him. Just get here as soon as possible." She threw the phone on the bed and shivered some more, goosebumps rising from all over her skin.

She closed her body with a duvet and lie down in a tight ball where her knees reached her breasts. She wants to know what is wrong with her, this is not funny. Why the sudden helplessness?