Laila rose from the rear of the bus and spread her arms out to stretch her numb limbs.

6 and a half good hours. God damn.

With wobbly legs that almost had her on the floor surrounded by people, she dragged herself to the less empty side of the bus station to a bench under a tree.

She took note of the time; 3:54 pm. She needed a hotel, food, charger, and clothes. She sighed, calculating the amount of money she had left. It wouldn't be enough.

Laila did a long press on the phone in her palm until it lighted up. When the server cleared out, she wasted no time dialing the only person's number who could help her. Who would help her.

As if her call was anticipated, it got picked after the first ring.

She let out a loud breath of relief.

"We'll do greetings later, Shehu. I need you to—"

"Thank God! I've been calling—"

"Send me money—"

"—You need to come home right now!"

The duo intercepted each other.

Laila's mouth twisted, her head going back in dissentment. She shook her head, lifting her eyes to the tree. "I am not coming home right now."

"Look, Laila. I am not joking. You need to come home."

Ahh ahh. "I said i am not—"

"You need to come home, Halima. Bazan sake gaya miki ba!" Laila blinked in astonishment, his roar coming in loud and clear. Why the hell was he shouting?

"Wha-why? Why are you being loud?"

"Why won't i be loud when because of you, Daddy divorced Mami and you don't care! You switched off yo—"

"Daddy divorced Mami?" Laila was on her feet at once. Ridiculously, she dared to ask, "Why?"

"WHY? Kina tambaya ta why? Sena gaya miki?"

She went silent at that.

Her legs found a rhythm as she started to pace back and forth, her heart beat loud and a sick feeling settling in the pit of her stomach. She came to an abrupt stop and rose a palm to land a smack square on her face. Under her breath, she chanted. "No. No. No. Haba Daddy."

"Eh. So, wherever you are now, ki sake komi and come home. Kina jina?"

She nodded, mind already made up but with a few lingering questions.

"When did it happen?"

She heard a sigh, "He divorced her yesterday night, she said."

"Where is she—" The call ended.

Squinting her eyes as she dialed the number again, she wondered mistakenly cut the call.

The sound of the annoying woman telling her she had no credit for a phone call had her hissing and kicking the bench which had her tumbling and wincing in pain. "Son of a bitch!" She stomped her un-injured leg on the floor until the pain in the other one subsided just in time for Shehu's call.

"Why'd you end the call?"

"I ran out of credit."

"I'll send you some..." she nodded as she benched again and dipped her fingers into her mouth, sucking and biting. "But I'm not joking Laila, you need to come—"

"Ai ta faru ta qare. I must. Aka yiwa dan human right ma auren dole balle ni yer sarakuna. Where is Mami?"

"Ta koma gidansu."

So soon? "Bauchi?"

Laila could swear he glared at the phone. "A'a. London. Of course, Bauchi, where else is her home after here?"

This was too much. She sighed, dipping her head forward and holding her forehead. Although in boots, she curled her toes. "I need money."

She heard whoosh sounds as if the phone had fallen. "Money? Laila me kikayi da kudin da ke wajen ki?"

She bit the inside of her cheek for a while before raising her head and filling him in on the details.

When she was done, she found the nearest POS shop to figure things out so she could get the hell back on the road.

***

Earlier on...

"What?!"

"What?"

"Ya sake ki?"

"Yes. Zan tafi gidanmu."

"Mami nan ne gidanku. With us, your kids. You can't leave us!" Modibbo yelled in a setback, standing to his feet.

Mami's red puffy eyes flew to that of her son, Modibbo. Voice strong despite the tears, she gritted. "It's either i tell my daughter, who I haven't had contact with in 6 days to come home. 6 days with no sleep, I can't eat, I don't want to live! Or i go home, divorced. What does he want me to do? Kill myself?"

Modibbo twisted to stare at his 2 brothers on the couch; Shehu and Muslim. He let out a loud groan and dashed for Shehu. Un-anticipatedly, Shehu's jaw cracked as it flew to his side at the intensity of the punch.

Mami gasped, expecting Shehu to attack back but he didn't. Instead, he hit Modibbo's fist that attempted to punch him again. "Zanci ubanka, Modibbo. Bana wasa da kai!"

In a hissy fit, Modibbo's hand flew to the side at the intensity but he was quick to revive, body and voice shaking. "You call her...call her right now and tell yo-your stupid plan koma menene is over! Ta dawo gida, ya isa!"

The room fell into a deep tension-filled silence with Mami being the first to break it. "Shehu knows where she is?" She directed her question to Muslim who gave no reaction, then to Modibbo who pointed at Shehu.

"Ask your own son de."

She did just that.

"Shehu...you know where she is?"

The silence was also an answer.

Mami's hands flew to rest atop her head as her tears came back in full force, her body unable to sit still.

Modibbo hissed, heading to the door when Shehu called out.

"What are you doing? Where are you going?"

"To go and tell Daddy to have you arrested until you give up Laila's whereabouts! I'd rather have him disown you...or even Laila than let our mum go home a divorcee!" And then the walls shook after the door.

***

"You can't pass here ma'am."

294 kilometers.

That was another round Laila took not less than an hour after getting off the bus that drove her from Niger to Kano.

Another 30 more minutes of finding a taxi and sitting her agitated ass only to arrive and listen to this bullshit.

Laila took a deep breath and whispered to herself. "They don't recognize you, Laila. Be calm..."

When she thought she was, she peered up at the clique of guards. "Listen," she gritted, finding it hard to hold onto her sanity with each passing second. "My name is Halima Amin Sunusi, daughter of Fatima Zarah Abdullahi Sunusi. Who is a sister to your current king. I need you to move out of my way because i am here to see my mum!"

"Why would a princess come in that taxi? Dressed like this..." Laila followed the set of gazes on her to look down on the plain hijab she bought after Shehu sent her the money because she wasn't going to show up at her grandparent's house with a t-shirt and denim trousers.

She crossed her arms, palms holding each upper arm. "I am not here to joke. Send a word into Anty Nana or goggo or even the king, I don't care, but have someone come here and identify me."

"Toh..."

They didn't believe her but still sent someone into the manor at her request.

She threw her head back to glare up and puffed out air.

With as much intensity and ill will, the dark, chilly sky glared back at her.

Now, sweaty hands clasped behind her back, eyes away from the terrifying sky, she paced back and forth and kicked the sand with her boots while at it.

Her phone was dead, she had no access to time, but, she was sure she stood at least 20 minutes before she saw her mother approach her.

Un-anticipated tears were quick to gather at the edges of her red, throbbing eyes.

In a strangled voice, she wailed and inched closer to the short woman. "Mami..."

A few inches apart and just when Laila managed a small smile, Mami's cold hand closed in on her cheek. A second or 2 intervals, the other cheek received a harder slap.

Smack.

Smack.

At the fifth one, which landed at the side of her head, Laila stumbled to the side, her hands going up to catch something to prevent herself from falling. Her attempt went down swinging as she fell to the ground with a thud.

Faint and blurred voices met her until a particular one cleared up. Her uncle.

She rose her throbbing eyes to her mum who was being held back by her sister, Modibbo and her uncle-who emerged towards her just to squat to her level.

She let out a wail and threw her arms around his shoulders. Equal energetic hands of his wrapped around her as he pulled both of them to their feet.

"Baza ta shiga gidan nan ba! Karma ka yadda—"

"Haba Nana, haba Nana. Yarinya tafi kwana shida ba'aganta ba tana dawowa se ki hauta da duka." The man who held Laila reasoned. He returned his gaze to Laila's head and rubbed her back. "Shhhh...shikenan. Ya isa. Ya isa. Muje ciki."

Well bitches, this is how to run away from the mess you made 101...

***

Here it was. Laila's breath hitched at the sight of her home's large gates opening up to the sirens.

Once out of the silent car in which only her, the driver, and Modibbo occupied, the welcome gunshots for her mum began.

It wasn't even 10 in the morning, please.

Clad in a slightly oversized cotton boubou and veil gotten from her aunt, Laila cast her head down, bit the inside of her cheeks, and clasped her shaky, sweaty hands in front of her as she trailed the clique of her mum and maternal relatives into her home.

7 days, 168 hours, 10,080 minutes, 604,800 seconds since she bolted out of the damn house but a single minute back, it felt like she never left. She never escaped.

The distinguished woody scent hit her olfactory system the minute she stepped into the vestibule. On and on they went until it was Mami's chambers, public front room, her parlor and then they headed to her room.

Laila halted when the hallway that led to her room was reached, she turned to twist her door open but stopped midway.

"You're coming with me, everywhere i go. Muje daki." Mami whipped her arm towards her door as she stared challengingly at Laila. She wasn't satisfied that her brothers and sisters had held her down in her numerous attempts to alleviate her anger by beating her daughter. Now, she needed just a tiny reason to venture on that and she hoped Laila would give her just that.

As if reading her mum's mind, Laila only stomped her feet and walked past her mum while dodging a slap into the enormous room.

She bumped into a box and winced at the throb in her toes.

Directed to no one in particular, she instinctively asked. "Ahh ahh. Who placed this here naw?" She glanced around at the pile of numerous-sized sets of troll bags that filled the large space between the chair lounge and the high ceiling window curtains.

Just when she thought she wouldn't get an answer, not that she was expecting it, Mami said, "Kayan lefen ki ne."

"Ohh..."

This marriage thing really was true huh?

Un-peeling the veil from over her head, she slumped on the chaise lounge and stretched her limbs.

Just like the night before in Bauchi, Laila listened to long hours of lectures about life, marriage, parents, royal homes, responsibilities, maturity blah, blah, blah...from her mum, her mum's sisters who accompanied them, and her step mum with Mami attempting to lunge at her a few times when she remembered how Laila kept them on edge for 6 days.

It was another Friday and she was relieved to conclude that she won't be meeting her father until it was almost the middle of the night when he had cleared up his schedule.

Anything to prolong the inevitable.

She was wrong, immediately after asr when she laying on her mum's prayer rug as she counted at the boxes, her mum walked in to announce. "Your dad is coming in."

She rose from the rug, almost hitting her head at the edge of the bed. "Mami yanzu kuma? Ba yanada baqi ba? Ko-ko kuma yana ganin friends nashi ran jummu'ah?"

Mami gestured at the open door, "In ya shigo kya tambayeshi." And with that, she was planting herself on the bed and casting her head down.

Laila still on her feet had no idea where to run to.

When Mami grew tired of Laila's loud shaky breath and pacing, she yelled. "Zaki zauna ki dena qaramin ciwon kai ko yaya?"

Laila paused at that, shaking her head and removing her fingers from her mouth.

"Sit down."

"Yes Laila, listen to your mum and sit down." Well, if it wasn't the man of the hour.

Laila did miserably in concealing her fear as she turned to the sight of her dad in simple armless cotton sewn into a half kaftan at the door, expression blank.

Eyes met and she immediately cast hers down as she walked backward until she was at the chaise lounge and the man was seated beside her mum on the bed.

"Ina wuni, Daddy."

Her greeting went up in flames with no response.

The only response she got was the tension in the room increased.

The beating after what happened, the getting married without her consent, the bolting, the national notice that put her in danger, the need to go undercover, Umal in that bomb last, those tauts on the street, that boy that stole her bag and every other unfortunate event, no matter how little came crashing square in her face and she couldn't help the sobs.

Her hand flew to her mouth to cover the sounds and the other hand rested on her chest she was under a tachycardia attack. She could hear the sound of her abnormal heartbeat against her sweaty palm.

"Zo nan."

Laila slowly rose her blurred vision to the sound. Her dad's index finger pointed at the rug a few feet away from him. She shook her head, sniffing back the mucus threatening to fall from her nose. "Daddy...ka-kayi haquri..."

Face red, eyes narrowed, he shook his head, "Halima, ki tashi ki zo nan. Wallahi, I won't tell you again."

Against her will, Laila inched on her knees and bent toes until she was on the rug but still a safe distance from him.

She cast her head down and with pursed lips, continued to shake with tears.

She didn't know how long her dad and mum glared daggers at her, all she knew was that she was hardly breathing and was about to pass out before her dad spoke, guttural and firm. "Laila, do you think what you did was right?"

At the question, which she didn't have an exact answer for, Laila shook harder with tears.

She was scared, there was no right or wrong in that situation. He would never understand how hard it was for her, he never did.

Daddy jerked forward and Laila wailed in fear as she moved back on her butt. She shook her head, wiping her sticky face with the back of her hand. "No-no. No!"

In a flash, the red-faced man let go of his restraints and was standing over her. His hand pitched up and came crashing on her face-head.

If that was his attempt at a slap, he did worse. Laila's body followed the impact with a gasp and sob as she whipped to the side and the sound diffused in the room.

"Abinda kikayi yayi daidai?"

She shook her head, "A'a." And was rewarded with a slap on the same spot. Laila's right ear which was receiving the impact went numb with sound as her arms flew to cover her face but did nothing to try and run. She had done that enough and it was useless. She'll never escape.

The man jerked back and pointed at her mum who had buried her face in her palms, her other ear that was perfectly working could hear his heavy breathing. "Look at your mum," When she didn't, he yelled, kicking her thighs with his leg. "Look at her!"

Laila sniffled and peered up at the woman.

His fingers raced to point at him and his wife, "Me and her haven't slept or eaten something meaningful for the past 6 days, all because of you! She wasted-even i wasted tears on your stupid self wondering how you were if you were alright, and how you were surviving on your own or if someone had gotten their hands on you!" Huh. The man was talking as if he didn't compel her to do so. She wanted to scoff but she was too busy sobbing, mouth wide and trying to breathe.

"Bada ke nake magana ba?" Another slap landed on Laila's other cheek and she slumped back in defeat. He didn't feel it was enough-it wasn't enough, the man groaned as he kicked her thighs again and gave her another slap. "Kin mayar da mu mutanen banza. Muna mutanen kirki, kowa na ganinmu da mutunci, kinaso ki zubar dashi!"

Laila and her dad's chests heaved up and down in lack of breath. His, a product of anger and frustration, hers, a mixture of anger, self-pity, fear, and frustration.

"Bazan taba ki ba, Laila. Na aurar dake bazan ko taba ki ba!"

Ahap, campaign after election.

He hissed loudly and threw himself back on the bed as his spread-out legs shook briskly, Mami's doing the same.

Laila crossed her empty hand over to her upper arm to hug herself.

Shaking his head along with his body, he didn't spare his daughter a glance as he asked. "What is your problem?" Then repeatedly hit his forehead with his palm, "Mi faamay, ko kadan! Koi yanu ma? (I don't understand, at all! What is wrong with you?)"

Maybe it wasn't the best time to voice it, but she doubted she'll ever get another chance. "Da-daddy...i do-don't want t-to marry a stranger..." hopeful eyes peered up to the red-faced man who now had pink eyes with angry tears.

Sultan El-Amin's hands flew up in all directions. "You're already married, Laila. An riga da an daura."

Her cries grew louder as she brought her knees up to her chest to hug them. She nudged forward and backward in an attempt to comfort herself.

She wasn't going to give up but wasn't going to rebel-which always gets her into more trouble anyway- either. "Daddy please...don girman Allah..."

The man's mouth hung open at the sight of his sobbing daughter. He clasped them back into a straight line. "I will have this marriage end right now, on 1 condition."

Laila's breath hitched and she swore her neck cracked at the intensity she rose her head to look at him. She nodded frantically, hands coming up to catch nothing in particular, "Anything Daddy...Don Allah."

He nodded in understanding, glancing at Mami who was staring at him in disbelief and waiting for his hopeless condition.

He clasped his palm and pushed his shoulder back as he does with people, power, and courage oozing off. "My condition is that...if i have that boy divorce you, you will drop school and you will move back here until you find yourself another husband, under my watch. That is the only condition I'll let you get that divorce."

So that was it? Giving her a seemingly good option when it never was an option? Just Daddy toying with her again. Making her think she had an option when she didn't.

Laila stared hard at the man, scanning for any sense of unseriousness in his poise but found none. She shook her head, voice croaky and strangled as she gave a reason. "Daddy...i am in 500 level...I can't-"

"I don't care, Halima. I don't care!" She could differ...but 500level? Just before professional exams? Reason am.

"Don Allah. Please," she wiggled her eyes around in search of a reason and one hit her. "Wha-what if his genotype is AS too? I am AS. Daddy, please-" she hoped her reason was good enough. In fact, it was good. She just needed the man to be AS and this bullshit would come to an end.

God, please, let this be reason enough.

Daddy shook his head down and rose a palm. "He is AA. You think i am stupid? I got you married on Thursday night. Friday came and i was more sure of my decision!"

"Da—"

"I don't want to hear it. That's my condition. You have 30 minutes to decide because i have to call and tell your husband's family that you are back and the status of this marriage." With that, he stood up and headed for the door with Laila curling to the side.

A tear fell from her left eye at the intensity of which he banged the door shut.

She passed pharmacology and pathology by the skin of her teeth. There was no going back. Not when she had so many people to prove wrong. So many.

Laila shifted her gloom to her mum and immediately shook her head at her mum's questioning look. "I can't give-i can't give up my-my dream maa. I can't-"

Mami nodded in understanding, a stubborn tear falling down her cheek as she spread her arms. "Yaki nan."

Laila let out an ugly cry as she ran into her mum's arms and collapsed into a new set of tears.

Maybe it was due to being exhausted, but after crying for hours, Laila fell asleep.

The sleep after crying your heart out was one of the best sleep a person could have. Surprisingly, it was peaceful. Or maybe it was peaceful because Laila was not going to give up her dream for some stupid man. Not when she was this close.

If she hadn't crossed over to the clinic, she would've accepted Daddy's condition with no hesitation. The man was smart and manipulative. He knew she'd agree. She couldn't give up now. Not when she was going to be facing her 3rd MB exams in 6 months.

Laila had woken up the next day to find 3 women in her room as per Mami's request. A professional skincare-dilke lady, A henna artist, and a hair artist. She resisted the urge to shout at them. Instead, she plugged a random earpiece into her phone and headed for the bathroom.

Turns out, the stupid boy they wanted to call her husband was coming in that day. His dad and sibling had supposedly left 2 days back and she was supposed to leave with him the next day.

She must, she just had to make it difficult for everyone.

She clogged the bathtub and ran a bath for herself. Shocking right? Well, it was the theme in her life now.

Laila sat in the bathtub for hours, occasionally draining the water to a warmer one and ignoring the knocks on the door.

The knocks grew louder and impatient and she unplugged her earpiece from her left ear. "Who is that?"

"Uwarki ce. Open this door."

Laila thrashed the water and it splashed on the wall, floor, and her face. She called out too. "Babu kaya a jikina!"

"Ni ba uwarki bace? Bani na haife ki ba? Dallah open this door!"

Laila proceeded to squeeze her face and thrash her feet before standing up and putting her robe on. She unlocked the door to poke her head out but the door was pushed against her. She winced at the impact, rubbing her forehead.

Mami who was dressed in her rich anty Ankara gown glared at her as she handed her a glass of water and a little bowl. "You haven't taken your pills in 8 days. Take them."

Laila's lips coiled into a frown and the hollow in her cheeks- dimples appeared despite her not smiling. She looked at it in disgust before closing her eyes, ceasing her breath, and dawning the content.

Mami motioned one of the women over. "She has already drawn a bath. Please get to work."

"Work in me?" Laila questioned, despite having an idea.

"Gyaran jiki, mana. We don't have all day, your husband lands at 6. Let's get you-" she halted as she remembered something. She gestured at Laila's head in disgust. "Please whoever is the hair artist should remove this stupid dye off her hair." The woman nodded in understanding and Mami pushed herself and Laila into the bathroom. Once out of sight and hearing she brought her hands to caress Laila's wet face.

"I am sorry it has to be this way. I know you're resisting because of Nurain and-"

Laila stepped back, her mum's hand falling off her face, as her head whipped from Mami to the door and back again. "Nurain? This isn't about Nurain. Why does everyone think it's about Nurain? It's not-"

"Calm down—"

"—i am over him, why can't you be too? God!"

Laila attempted to step out of the bathroom but Mami caught her arm, dragging her back and sighing. "Ok. Accepted. It is not about Nurain. Look at me,"

When Laila did, her frown faltered and her eyes watered.

"You have our blessings, prayers, and best interest at heart. Have faith and everything will work out fine, kina jina?" Laila nodded, deciding that crying was now useless even if her eyes were teary. "Allah ya miki albarka. Ya baku zaman lafiya. Ya sa ki zama mata ta gari, mijinki kuma ya zama miki miji na gari. Allah ya bashi sa'an kyautata miki.Ya hada kawunanku dunya wa-bil akhirah." Mami prayed and all Laila could do was answer amen. "I'll go now, Laila na hadaki da girman Allah, ki tsaya suyi miki abinda ya kamata. Kina jina ko?" Laila nodded and ushered her mum out before she decided to add more speeches.

When she was out, she let the women start.

First, it was the hair artist who washed off the dye while she sat in the bathtub of fragrance and oils.

Next was the skin care woman who Laila had cursed-eternally- more times than she cared to count especially during the full body wax time.

After 3 excruciating hours of waxing, scrubbing and machines the hair artist put her shoulder-length hair into multi-sized cornrows with curved gold strings while the woman beneath her covered her legs with red and black henna before proceeding to her hands.

The clinic had a rule against henna for students so Laila opted for the red henna on her fingers and nails instead.

After hours of sitting in one place and she could swear she had developed pile by the time 5 Pm was announced and everything was washed off her.

She proceeded to pray and lag around until it was 7 pm.

Around 20 minutes after she had heard gunshots and trumpets indicating the stupid man was here, Mami banged the door open to find Laila sitting in a robe engrossed in her phone. The mother dropped the bags she had on her onto the bed and lunged for Laila who instinctively rolled to the other side of the bed.

"Kina zaune ba kiyi make up in ba?"

"I told her to go home." Laila shrugged, putting her palms out to tear the leather off the newly sewn clothes. "These are from who?"

"The family tailor," Mami said, bending to pick another one.

"I thought you sent some to my tailor?"

"I did. He hasn't brought them." The woman stood in front of Laila as she held two laces to the side to rule out which would go better. She decided on the maroon. It was Laila's favorite color and it always looked good on her.

She withdrew the other and urged Laila to try another.

Laila groaned as she jumped and wiggled to pull the straight skirt over her thick thighs. She gave up, it wasn't going to fit. She zipped down the oversized peplum blouse and threw it to the floor. "I wear B cups and that is probably a D cup-sized blouse!" She stepped out of the skirt that hadn't passed her lower thighs as she grumbled. "How can my thighs and hip fit into this small thing, Mami! Where are my old clothes?"

"No, you're not wearing that."

"I have many that I haven't even worn."

"You're still not wearing them. Try the rest." Mami stood up and handed the rest to Laila which all didn't fit. The stupid tailor did reverse everything. Slim skirt-which even if doubled will never fit her hefty thighs without being too tight, and a large blouse which needed to be trimmed in half to fit her petite bosom.

Mami jumped at the sight of a maid with a bag of clothes from the other tailor and wasted no time in rummaging for the brown and maroon lace one.

Chop chop, Laila darned the long sleeve peplum blouse with shiny stones and a wrap skirt. Mami wrapped Laila's hair under the headtie before The bride proceeded to clasp the jewelry from her mother and splashed enough of her HAYAATI perfume.

Then, she proceeded to wrap the cashmere medium-sized veil over her head and shoulders while her mum stepped back with tears in her eyes.

"Oh come on, please!" Laila whined as her mum engulfed her in a bear hug.

They stood there for a few minutes before Mami stepped back and handed Laila her phone and new Chanel-medicated, photo-chronic specs. "Take a picture of us."

Laila shook her head despite the tears in her eyes and walked to where her phone was, she didn't trust her mum's Samsung camera. She wiped her eyes, wore her specs, and took numerous selfies of them before Mami was ushering her out.

At the door to Mami's room, Laila placed a palm on her mum's arm, "Mami..."

"Na'am?"

"How did you survive 32 years of a loveless marriage?"

Mami stepped back in fright. She shook her head and yanked herself out of her outburst before concealing her frown with a small smile. "I'll tell you when you're about to leave, tomorrow. Go, go."

With dreaded footsteps, Laila headed to her dad's most private living room with her biggest wish playing in a mantra in her head. "I hope i am not taller than the bastard." Cause then she'd have to drink poison and end this misery.

Laila took almost 5 minutes at the door, fidgeting and bouncing on her feet before she knocked, cleared her throat, and then accosted, "Salam'alaykum." And stepped into the booming bakhoor and tangerine fragranced room with her wobbly legs.

She heard no response but still found her eyes surveying a man in a white kaftan who sat upright with his attention on a tablet in his hands. Only when she had started to walk in did he raise his narrowed eyes and gave her an audience, "Wa'alaykumus-salam."

Laila scanned the medium-sized white and golden-themed living room for anyone or anything out of the ordinary-apart from the bulky man she had already acknowledged.

She found none.

She removed her sandals, planted herself on the rug across him, and rested her side on the couch. "Ina yini." That was what was expected of her right?

She didn't raise her head, not that she was scared, just nervous-and yeah, yeah, you caught her, maybe a little scared too. But, not of him. Of the whole marriage thing. She wiped her sweaty palms on her thighs and continued to rub them at the intense feeling of his scrutiny.

The deep, disembodied voice came again. "Lafiya." Laila's toes curled at the sound and the unusual feeling in the pit of her stomach expanded.

"How are you feeling?"

What was that supposed to mean? How was she feeling?

Where exactly? In her body? In her mind? Her heart?

How was she feeling about what? The marriage? Her bolt? Being blackmailed into this? The fact that they were man and woman now? Or that she was leaving with him the next day?

All of it?

Well, she had an answer for all that but needed a crystal question. She rose her narrowed eyes to meet his. "Huh?"

The lightly tanned man gestured at the space with his tablet. "How do feel about all this?"

Laila's eyes hiked to the ceiling. Eyes distant, she let her heart do the talking. "I...i feel this is a disaster and it'll end up in tragedy. You also seem like an assho—"

"Shhhh—"

Laila's eyes fell to him. He had his index over his lips and a maniacal smile as he shook his head.

The edges of her lips coiled down and her view altered to an angry one. Why the hell was the bastard smiling?

He didn't get the memo and went on. "Shh-come here." He placed the tablet aside and tilted his head to the left to mirror Laila's. She had tilted hers to examine him for any sort of jest and found none.

He nodded reassuringly and she shook her head disapprovingly.

No way. No fucking way.

He shrugged and jerked forward to notify in a whisper. "Don't say anything. They can hear us."

I fixed a bug with this book so please remove the book from your library and then add it back so that the chapters will reset themselves, thank you❤️