With the remaining ounce of strength Halima has, she drags the dirty stinky tattered oversized black Jalabiya over her head then carries her raped bruised pained body outside the warehouse to be met with the scorching heat of the sun which burns through her, turning her shattered heart into ashes.

She thought marriage was a bed of roses or something similar to what wattpad stories portray. Heck she was hoping that she'd live a romantic life similar to that of her parents but alas this is the life ordained for her.

She never imagined being dead scared of her own husband, but here she is whimpering due to the pain he has caused her. She looks at the three lanes confused on where to go. There's one facing her, another by her left and another by her right. Deciding that the best road is the right one, she takes that particular lane and walks till she starts to feel utterly dizzy. She has nothing on her and she hasn't seen a living being since she escaped.

Just as she reaches the main road, she falls to the ground and faints.

Abba, Amal and Afnan sit around Innayo with gloomy faces. It's been a whole week and there's no progress whatsoever. Even though the swelling in her heart has reduced and the heart is back to its normal size, she hasn't twitched a muscle.

And to make matters worse, Halima is nowhere to be found. Hajjo is coming back from India today and they've decided to tell her everything. Abba has already asked Audu to come with Hajjo to the hospital through a text message. He can't afford to call him because he'll definitely sense the dread and sadness in his voice and being his close friend, he wouldn't be able to keep it in. Surely they've had the most sour of relationships over the years but they now understand each other and are awfully close one would think they're best friends, even though they'd never admit it to themselves or anyone.

"Assalamu Alaikum." Two voices Salam from the door and three people whip their heads to the door. They exchange pleasantries and Amal and Afnan politely move to the other side of the room to give the elders the required privacy even though they never requested for it.

"Innalillahi wa inna ilaihir-rajiun. What happened to her?" Hajjo frets immediately she sights her best friend laying, looking so pale and distraught with a bandage on her head and several wires connected to her like some robot in the making process.

"I'll explain. But before then, i need your full attention and your patience too. Remember 'Innallaha ma'asaabiriin'. I also want you to know that I've always considered Halima my daughter just like you take Fatima to be yours. I would never hurt her intentionally neither would I watch while someone hurts her. Everything happens for a reason and we are all Muslims so we should all believe in Qadr whether good or bad." Audu is already having a bad feeling but he keeps quiet waiting to hear the result of all this talks.

"More than a week ago, Halima called Amal telling her to come to her house fast with a car. Amal did and well, she found Halima looking so disheveled while she was trying to carry her unconscious mother-in-law. So when she was brought to the hospital Amal called us and we came. The doctor confirmed that Aisha is in a coma and only Allah can save her.

"Halima then explained to us what happened and to say I was shocked was an understatement." He then explains everything to them the way Halima did and Audu is red with fury while Hajjo has tears pooling at her eyes. She can't believe her baby is going through all of that just two months after her marriage. She's meant to be smiling and glowing with that new bride glow and aura but it's the direct opposite.

"So where is Sa'eed now? And where is Leema?" Audu asked lowly trying to control his temper. He knows it's not Abba's fault so blaming it on him doesn't make any sense. He just needs to speak fists to Sa'eed since he even has the audacity to slap his daughter. Audu is normally a carefree and playful man but once his daughter or wife is hurt, he becomes the worst and most dangerous of beasts, the soldier in him comes out to play.

"Sa'eed is with that shameless girl while Halima is nowhere to be found. Afnan went to the house day before yesterday to talk to her but she didn't find her. She barely escaped unscathed." Audu clenches his knuckles and stands up, stalking to the door, he needs to teach an idiot some manners.

Hajjo smiles a teary smile promising to come back once she finds her daughter then blows some Du'as over Innayo's head before rushing after her husband.

Sa'eed hugs Aleesha, apologizing as tears stream down his face. He's been apologizing for a while now but she just wouldn't budge and if there's one thing that breaks Sa'eed's heart is seeing the love of his life angry with him. But what happened wasn't really his fault. He was horny and needed to quench his undying desire.

After handing her the key to his cyan G-wagon, Aleesha smiles and hugs him. He'll forsake anything to make her happy with him again. Just as Aleesha is about to break the hug, the door bursts open revealing an extremely angry Audu and teary Hajjo with puffy face and red eyes.

Audu stalks over to Sa'eed and without as much as a word, lands a blow on his cheek leaving it red and from the looks of it, a bruise might form. Sa'eed holds his cheek standing still making Aleesha gasp in surprise; he's supposed to revenge!

Hajjo rushes upstairs to check for her beloved daughter and Audu slaps Sa'eed but he still doesn't retaliate. Despite being under a charm, he can never think of raising his hands to his father. Yes, he considers Audu his father. It's a long story why.

"If you don't have a PlayStation, we're going to beat you up tomorrow." The bulky robust boy says to ten year old Sa'eed who's cowering in fear. He nods frantically and he's given way to go. He runs crying as he remembers the way one of the boys slapped his bum like it was normal.

Just as he goes outside, he meets Audu carrying three year old Halima and Fatima into the car.

"Sa'eed what happened? I've been looking for you." Audu says as he notices Sa'eed's tear stricken face.

"Can you please help me call Abba?" Sa'eed asks and Audu hands his phone to Sa'eed.

"I don't have his contact but if you know it you can call with any of the SIMs." Sa'eed nods and dials his dad's number then calls him.

"Assalamu Alaikum." Abba's voice booms from the other end. Sa'eed sniffs and asks his dad to please get him a Playstation while coming back.

"No, what would you use it for?" Abba asks clearly irked.

"Abba please." Sa'eed cries.

"Sa'eed don't disturb me." Abba says.

"Abba, won't you even ask me why I'm crying?" Sa'eed sniffs, feeling mucus gathering in his throat.

"You're a man Sa'eed, asking you why you're crying is baseless."

"But Abba you always ask Fatima why she's crying." Sa'eed cries harder and Abba cuts the call.

"Sa'eed what happened? Why are you crying?" Audu asks bending down to the ten year old's level.

"My Abba." Sa'eed cries harder and Audu carries him then places him in the car.

"Abba doesn't love me. Why?" Sa'eed asks after he has finished crying.

"Abba does love you, he's just very busy and too caught up with work." Audu knows he's lying. Abba doesn't care about his two children that much, especially Sa'eed. He just provides Fatima with materialistic things and leaves Sa'eed watching from the sidelines. That fatherly love isn't there.

"But he didn't ask why i was crying." Sa'eed starts to cry again and Audu stops by the roadside.

"Abba really loves you. And it doesn't matter if he asked why you're crying or not. I asked you didn't I?" Sa'eed nods and Audu smiles.

"But you're not my Abba."

"Yes I'm not. But I'm Halima's daddy and Fatima calls me daddy so that makes me your daddy." Sa'eed smiles cheekily.

"Really?" Audu nods and asks again why Sa'eed was crying. Sa'eed narrates everything that happened with those boys to Audu and they drive to Next with Halima and Fatima chattering at the back.

They shop a little and Audu take them to his house then tells Hajjo to call Innayo and tell her the kids are with him. The next day, Audu goes to the school to report to the teacher about what Sa'eed has been going through.

Aleesha looks at Sa'eed flummoxed, why isn't he retaliating?!