Staring at Jannah trudging up the stairs wearing ebony wide palazzo, matching knee length dress shirt with a belt around her tiny waist and her bag clasped in her armpit, Adnan suspired. She didn't even falter after seeing three other unknown men with him. Well, Ammar is not really unknown and Bilal too. Had they met before now since he left her village? He doesn't think so, Bilal would've told him about it.

Jannah came to stand in front of them looking at them one after the other. When her eyes fell on Bilal, she widened them then furrowed her brows as though she couldn't believe her eyes. Is she seeing the man or his younger brother perhaps? She's heard about Bilal Hashem Garo but years ago she never bothered to find out about his last names. So he is Aisha's half brother? She just clicked them now and confirmed her suspicions.

"Lalu?" Her voice lowered in that husky throatiness Adnan always loved. He sulked beside her, jealous that she didn't acknowledge him first.

"Nannah." He grinned stepping forward as if to hug her but they stood there taking each other in. They both don't know what to do.

Jannah broke the silence. "I didn't expect you to be thee Bilal everyone is talking about. I'm just putting the puzzles together. You do look like your younger sister."

Bilal scowled at her, a usual banter of theirs. "Please don't compare me with that white brat. I'm dark skinned."

Jannah giggled behind her palms before she mimicked him. "I'm dark skinned. Oh, please. You want to be dark skinned but it is not working so far. Just give up already."

Bilal's smile became reminiscing, serene and just too adorable. She's missed this guy. He was the only closest person she's had in her entire life and him disappearing on her took a mad toll then. After hearing about everything from Aisha, she knew he's become responsible though doing Adnan's bloody biddings in a clean way. His reputation was something she's expected because even back then, Bilal was so not the nicest man. Only to her.

What is with her and getting close to men with mysteries flowing through their blood? They are all mysterious, a little coldhearted in Bilal's case while Adnan? The man is an entirely different story. She intentionally refuse to look at him, he was the first person she should've acknowledged but the man won't have her for free no matter how much she wanted to wrap herself in his strong arms and lie down on his broad chest.

"C'mon, you should appreciate my effort because I've tried. It is not easy shifting from fair to tan, it worked. I'll get to the dark skin too soon, just wait for it." Bilal rocked on the heels of his feet appearing to be slightly nervous.

Of course he was nervous realizing he still loves her very much but doesn't have any chance with her. He wouldn't even try getting to her no matter what. Whether Adnan consider him to be his friend or not, they've got something between them and he won't betray, not even with his life. One of his qualities, he is extremely loyal like a dog. Jannah is now out of his reach, gone forever into the arms of another man. She was never meant to be his.

She's still very much beautiful but just like Muhammad had said, she's changed a lot. Her dark skin is now glowing, she's grown taller with a body to die for not that he could see much with her outfit. He is just being a man. Her features appear to be more rested, bathed in milk and whatnot? Money is too good. No one will prove otherwise, it is going to be a futile attempt.

The seventeen year old girl he's met is not the same as this twenty three year old all thanks to wealth. And he was reminded of her birthday, something they contemplated over for three days straight before she decided to confirm it from one of her brothers who came to visit at that time. She couldn't ask her parents about it knowing they were going to scold her for remembering such trivial things. If he could recall, she is turning twenty four in just seven days exactly.

Grinning widely, Bilal leaned down before she could say anything. "Happy birthday in advance, Nannah."

Jannah's doe-anthracite eyes widened so did the smile on her face, she was beaming at him. "I've forgotten."

"I haven't."

Her eyes glistened with tears. "Thank you. I really mi..." A discordant sound came from Adnan's throat halting her from talking further. She was going to say she missed him.

Adnan cleared his throat and regarded the three men, two watching back and forth with deep interest. "It's time to leave."

Ammar opened his mouth to talk but a look from his older brother shut him up. Even Adam couldn't say a thing though he longingly looked at Jannah hoping to get an introduction. Adnan would die before giving any so he lowered to one of the steps closer to her intent on making the introductions himself. He won't leave without doing so.

"I'm Adam, Draco's cousin." He smiled widely not seeing the scowl sent his way by Adnan. He will make sure they never make it into his house again. He will change the security to ones that don't know about his relatives. Mallam Sani will be gone by tomorrow.

"I'm Jannah, his wife." She refused to mention his name though she's smiling at his cousin. Well done.

"It is nice to finally make your acquaintance. He's been hiding you away." Adnan tightened his hands into two large fists to stop himself from throwing Adam down the stairs.

Jannah threw Adnan an uncomprehending look for a nanosecond. "I know right?"

"Leave." Adnan ordered again, this time around his voice lowering an octave or two. But something in his tone made Ammar and Adam scramble down the stairs to the SUV they brought along.

"Is Aisha home?" Ammar yelled from the bottom of the stairs, directing his question to Jannah who pivoted around, shielding her eyes again with her glasses. She's used a different eye drop and found out the other one was mixed with something by Jibril Shehu. How he manages to sneak into her room is still a mystery.

"Yes, she's waiting for you." Jannah answered watching with amazement as Ammar's eyes twinkled even from below. The man is madly in love.

"Bilal hurry up or we leave without you." Ammar warned then settled inside the car, drivers seat.

Jannah yawed around to behold Bilal ogling at her the way he does back in her hometown. Then she didn't know what that means but right now, she has sheafed everything and came to a conclusion. Bilal had always loved her right from the beginning. What if she had reciprocated those feelings? What if he had come back and gotten married to her? Would she have been happier with him? She wondered in her head also scrutinizing at him.

He broke the maladroit atmosphere. "I'll take my leave now, Nannah. How about we catch up some other time?"

"We will surely do that." Jannah replied, taking his small card in her hand and viewing it with furrowed brows.

"I'll hold you onto that." He started down the stairs too then turn to Adnan coolly his expression screaming 'work this shit out or lose her forever' then murmured. "Draco." He touched the edge of his facing cap in goodbye then left.

Jannah watched as the SUV disappeared down to the coal-tarred driveway, stood like that for a minute feeling Adnan's eyes on her. She swallowed, this is going to be harder than she thought. Can she do this? Live with him and punish him at the same time? Maybe she should go back to the villa and pretend she only brought his car for him. She is going to fail miserably at this because Adnan is forever going to be a weakness.

She pivoted around and peeked at him. Her stomach gave a flip, she brashly felt like she was floating in the air. She cannot do this, can she? A look from him and she's already weak in the knees with thousands of dragon inside her belly.

"I'll be inside." She said briskly before rushing past him into the house, praying to God he won't stop her.

Adnan watched with slackened mouth as she breezed by. Is that it? They won't say anything to one another? Then what is the use of her coming back to him if they are going to ignore one another and not talk about shit? Common, this wasn't what he expected when she said she was coming back home to see his performance. He's already planned on how he will make her writhe beneath him! No talking means no touching.

He scowled and followed her into the mansion where there was no trace of her. He went up the stairs and checked her room, it was opened but she wasn't inside. His room then. Arriving there, he found the room locked and the sound of loud music came from inside. What the hell is she up to now?

He knocked on the door a few times but there was no answer so he went downstairs to the dining room he's asked a certain renowned restaurant to set out for then. Now she is not going to talk? He thought they were going to sort things out once and for all. Adnan had never been nervous in his life like he was the whole of that day. Not knowing what to say to her and where to begin. All that in vain?

It was much later in the evening when Jannah came down wearing one of his many button down shirts, a particular navy blue one he loves. He stared at her, watching the bulges she's making in the shirt that would never show if he had worn it. Her long mocha legs are on full display, and he'd swear to heavens above that she wasn't wearing any bra. She didn't talk to him, marched to the kitchen and removed a bowl of yoghurt then made a move to go back upstairs.

Adnan rushed to where she is, removed one of his AirPods from her ear making her blink as she peered at him innocently. He gulped, that look disarming him and rubbing him off his masculinity. What was it he wanted to say to her? Why does she smell like heaven on earth?

He cleared his throat. "I thought we were going to talk about what's happened the previous days?"

Jannah continued frowning like she cannot recall anything. Had she lost her memory again? He thought with feigned panic. "No, we are not going to do that until I am satisfied with your performance."

"Really?" He muttered in disbelieve.

"Really." She shrugged her shoulders and push past him then stopped. "And yes, I'll be using your room from now henceforth, alone. You're free to use any of the guest rooms and come for your clothes in the morning. Good night."

Jannah and Adnan fell into a routine after that night. He showed up for their daily dinners obediently, but made it a point to walk through the door three or four minutes after seven, even if it meant waiting in his Bugatti Veyron, scowling at the front door like it was an ingrown hair he couldn't get rid of. He is still in his arrogance but that is fine by her as long as he'll pay heed to her words and he did.

They normally eat dinners in complete silence or she brings a conversation that is totally not within things they usually talk about. She is doing everything intentionally waiting for him to snap and just break the tension in the air surrounding them. She wants to know his breaking point, when he cannot take the silence from her anymore. Jannah has changed the game from what she initially wanted.

But it is so much fun watching Adnan worked up and agitated. Finally, emotions and feelings are brewing in the reptile.

Adnan never sat for a quiet moment without a book or paper close at hand. When he wasn't working or sleeping, he read. Anything to keep himself from thinking about the past. On the nights when regrets and anger lingered in his head like ghosts, driving out all possibility of sleep, he came to the study and smoked cigar and read until the words blurred before his eyes.

Prowling past the shelves of leather-bound talismans, Adnan sought something to divert his attention. His fingers trailed lightly over the cool, shining glass doors, opened one, brushed over a row of books. But for once, the touch of leather repelled him... His hand ached for soft female skin, for silken hair, for round breasts and hips... He swallowed thickly, forcing his eyes to follow the alphabets written together to form words and then sentences.

He caught sight of his reflection in the glass of the wall window in the study, his face set and miserable.

His feet began to leave the study without his consent, he found himself outside the room he's been thrown out from. He watched the giant door in front of him, not fully aware of what he was doing but he gave the door a tentative knock just in case she was sleeping. It is around ten or even eleven, he had no idea since he's been roaming the study for hours. Filled with different scenarios in his head.

Jannah didn't expect a visit from him that night. To his credit, he managed to hold himself off until half past eleven. She'd listened to him through the adjoining wall of their rooms, going about his evening -he chose the guest room behind his own room. Typing on his laptop. Flipping sports channels. Taking business calls. Walking out of the room to the study and whatnot.

Finally, there was silence. A knock on her door sounded a few seconds later. She loved that he is now asking to come in, not assuming or demanding like he's always done before.

Jannah opened the door. They stared at each other for a beat or was it two... before he said.

"Did you call me?" He frowned, a dent perched between his aging forehead. Jannah's heart went out for him. He is indeed suffering the consequences of his actions. Maybe he's learned something?

She suppressed a smile at the absurd question. They both knew she didn't call him. "No."

"I thought I heard your voice."

Jannah's chest repleted with something warm but all she did was shake her head negatively. This time, he had to work for it.

"I came for..." He broke off, running his fingers through his growing dark hair, furious with himself it seems. For not knowing what he wanted. "I don't know what the hell I came for."

"Yes, you do. You know why you are here." She murmured softly.