The sun was out of its home long ago and so was Manal. She stood patiently in front of Cairo's doorstep, waiting for it to clock six before she opens the door to his room. Fortunately, time was by her side and it clocked six so she pushed the door to his room open, only to find him still sleeping.

She smiled at the sight of how he cuddled his pillow like a child, she took baby steps and made her way into his bathroom where she prepared his bath. She added a little Dettol to his water and made sure the water was at the right temperature before she left for the room again, where she packed his dirty clothes and arranged them in front of the door so as to be able to pick them up on her way out.

"Cairo, it's morning and you haven't prayed" she tried her possible best to keep her voice down.

"Cairo?" she called his name again, noticing he didn't budge by her voice.

"Cairo?" she tapped him on his leg which made a frustrated groan out of his mouth.

"What?" he mumbled in a sleepy voice. He was oblivious to the fact that the woman he disliked just touched him.

"Cairo, you're late for work!" she mouthed while staring at his sleepy face.

"So? And who gave you the right to touch me?" he said In a venomous tone.

"I am sorry, I was only trying_" he cut her Short with a yelp that escaped his lips.

"What happened?" she asked worriedly. He placed his hand on his elbow which was wounded from the fall he had a day before.

"Don't touch me and please get out of here. you've done your chore, haven't you?" he asked disdainfully and she nodded while standing on her feet.

"The first aid kit is in the drawer where I keep your socks, please do Change your bandage," she said before sluggishly leaving, she picked up his dirty Clothings which she had earlier placed infront of the door and made her way to the laundry room with tears in her eye, when will be accept Me? she'd always ask herself.

"oh wow, little Missy is crying again" her cowife, who derives great joy in her misery said at the sight of tears on her cheeks.

"please, hadiza I have no time for your drama" she said, she made her way pass Hadiza who frowned at how the little local woman had shunned her.

Out of annoyance, hadiza stormed into Cairo's room where he was busy on his praying mat with a Quran in his hand.

"Baby" hadiza said in a sorrowful pretence voice.

"yes?" he said before muttering some duas and placing his Quran on the lamp stand which was next to him.

"That stupid wife_" he cut hadiza short with a warning glare.

"I've told you several times not to refer to that local woman as my wife, please do not repeat it again" he said, which made hadiza's happiness know no bound. Manal who was standing outside his room in other to return the keys she had found in one of his pocket, heard what he had said to hadiza and couldn't control her tears, so she ran off to the garden where she sat and cried like a wounded lion.

"Aty manal" Hadiza and Cairo's three years old daughter, tapped manal on her shoulder lightly.

"yes, susu" manal immediately wiped her tears away from the little child who knew manal was in pain just by staring at the liquids on manals cheeks.

"wa apen to you?" Susu said while hugging manals leg. Manal picked her up and kissed the little girls forehead as she wiped manals tears.

"Nothing Susu, I am just sad because Cinderella forgot her slippers again" Manal said making Susu giggle.

"Cidewewa is a big fool" susu said, which earned her a light chukle from Manal. The child had a Way of making Manal happy.

"Don't say that Susu, Cinderella is very beautiful and she is a princess just like you" Manal kissed susu's nose making her giggle again.

"Summaya come over here this instant" Hadiza's thunderous voice, startled both Susu and Manal.

"aty manal save me" Susu hid her face in manals chest, while hadiza walked over to them and dragged Susu roughly from manal, who gasped in the fear of hadiza injuring poor Susu.

"summaya, how many times have I told you to stay away from this bad woman. She will kill you one day" Hadiza said to Susu who stared at manal in tears.

"Now go inside before I spank you" hadiza said to Susu who ran inside in the fear of getting spanked, which she detested allot.

"And you, stay away from my daughter. She is not yours, she is mine" hadiza said to Manal who stared at hadiza pitifully.

"As a mother you are supposed to teach your daughter good manners and not how to hate people" Manal said, placing her hand on her waist in akimbo.

"What I teach my daughter is none of your business, and as a wife, your are supposed to have consummated your marriage by now. You have been married for Five years now, but you have not consummated your marriage. but look at me, I came here four years ago. look at me, I have a child but you don't, and I am very sure you'll never have a child, ever in your life because Cairo will never touch you. You local woman" Hadiza said, Manal couldn't move nor speak, she was beyond hurt by hadizas truthful words. Yes, hadiza was right, She might never have a child.

"So please, excuse me because my husband and child need me" hadiza said before majestically walking away.

Manal sat on the swing in the garden, going back and forth as hadiza's words echoed in her ears. She remembered the day, she had met Cairo. It was a normal day like every other day, his father saw her and decided to create an Alliance between Manals Foster family and his, knowing that Manal was a well mannered girl. though she was an orphan, she had every mannerism that a girl who grew up with her parents had, except the fact that she didn't have the opportunity of going through all the four walls of Education. Whearas, making her the local village girl which she is being taunted for today.