"Keep Yasmeen's issue from Maa. Whatever you do, do not let her find out, okay?" Rafael warned, pinning his steel gaze on his younger sister in a way that showed he meant what he just uttered.

Brows drawn in, and lips slanted into a slight frown, Aalia narrowed her eyes at him. "What? Why should I keep this from her?" She thought he would want their mother to know as soon as possible, since it's not like he was happy about the whole wedding to begin with.

Rafael sighing, clicking his tongue as his eyes narrowed at no one in particular. "Because she would call off the wedding" He stated, knowing what his mother is perfectly capable of.

She is the definition of chaos, and she would flip the Khalid household upside down if she finds out about her son's fiancée.

"Isn't that a good thing?" Before running into the two, Rafael told her about what he found out regarding the woman he's engaged to. He didn't know her the pictures, else she would've recognized them at first glance. "You shouldn't get married to a woman like that, Yaya"

Rafael sighed, flicking his eyes to meet hers. "Maybe not, but Asad seemed to have taken an interest on her" He stated lowly, his tone icy.

"Is he for real?" Aalia breathed out a frustrated breath. "What does he see in a woman like that? She's a nobody" Had it been her brother actually likes the girl, then she wouldn't have said something like that.

But, she never liked her from the beginning even when she didn't know her. Reason being Rafael's father is the one insisting on the wedding—for whatever reason. The man and Rafael never had a good relationship, and they still don't.

Aalia being a pretty devoted sister never liked the man either, for the way he treated her brother. Why should she? The man isn't her father.

All she and Rafael share is the mother whom got divorced when Rafael was three. She remarried Aalia's father and had the girl a year later. So, although they don't share both parents, they are really close.

Despite being a villain in many people's story, Rafael has never been, and will never be a villain in hers.

"—I thought he only made up the whole he's in love with her thing because he didn't want to marry me" Aalia added, with a slight huff and roll of her eyes. "I'm way better than her"

Rafael offered his sister a small, but warm smile. Yes, he and Asad have a bad history—but it wasn't always like that. Them being sworn enemies now though doesn't mean he would get in the way of the man marrying his sister.

Asad Gidado isn't his best choice. But, whatever Aalia wants, he gives it to her and that's the same with the man.

"If the wedding gets called off, that's basically us, pushing Yasmeen into his arms" He reasoned, having seen the bigger picture unlike her. "Is that what you want? Do you want Asad to end up with her?"

Aalia was quick to shake her head. "No, no I don't" She likes Asad—she had always liked him ever since he and Rafael were close. Being able to finally come close to marry him, she didn't want to lose him like that. "But at the same time, I don't want you to end up with a woman like that. She's not worth you"

'And Asad isn't worth you either' Rafael wanted to say, but didn't. He will forever believe Asad isn't worth his sister but underneath all that hatred and pride, even he knows the man will treat her better than a lot.

He can deny it and lie to himself all he wants, but Asad Gidado is a good man—he knows that.

"Don't worry about that. Just do as I say, okay?" He opted to say instead.

Aalia looked reluctant, but she sighed and nodded nonetheless. "Okay..."

"Good. Say hi to Maa for me" He added, leaning back on his seat.

"In shaa Allah. Laters" With a slight wave, she dismounted the car and ambled into her house, not turning around so he won't see her expression and realize there's something off about it.

Her thoughts were all over the place as she entered the house with a salaam. Almost as if she wasn't paying much heed to her surrounding, she maneuvered her way to her destination.

Raising her hand up, she knocked on the door and almost immediately, a response came. She then took in a deep breath, holding it in for a few seconds before she exhaled and then trudged into the room.

The woman's signature scent wafted in her direction, and unconsciously, she took a whiff of the relaxing scent making her shoulders slump slightly. Her feet carried her further into the room, only stopping once the figure there came in sight.

The woman offered her a smile, "Aalia, you're back already" She noted. "Where's Rafa? Yau ma yaqi shigowa koh?"

Aalia offered her mother an uneasy smile, and then nodded. "Um...yes. But, yace in gaishe ki" Her gaze moved from her mother's, her head hung low as she tapped her foot on the carpeted floor incessantly.

Her mother shook her head dismissively, already used to her eldest child's acts by then. She noticed something about her daughter though, making her eyes narrow slightly as her lips slanted into a frown. "Aalia, lafiya? What's bothering you?" She was quick to ask, because she has always been the type that cares about her children more than anything.

If you want to see her other side, then touch her kids.

Aalia swallowed thickly, and fidgeted her fingers in front of her. Blowing out another shaky breath, her eyes met her mother's again. "Maa, there's something you have to know..."

~*~

In the not so late hours of the day, about the same time Aalia narrated everything to her mother, the woman was quick to contact her siblings and tell them what is going on. About an hour later, they were all gathered in her house and with them assembled, they headed out with one destination in mind.

A big veil was loosely wrapped around Rafael's mother to cover herself, and as she stormed into the Khalid household with her siblings in tow, it was slowly slipping off her shoulders but that was the least of her concerns.

"Assalamu alaikum!" A chorus came from them, as they stepped foot in the house.

Considering it's a little after Asr, there are quite a number of people in the house. A lot of them were lamenting about what happened earlier—the bride's half-sisters that came over and wreaked havoc before leaving.

Little did they all know, another show is on the way—quite possibly, bigger than the last.

Heads were swiveled in the direction of the guests, wondering whom it is that graced the household with their presence. There was something else though—the way they said the salaam. It wasn't in a 'hello, we're good news' kind of way but rather in her, 'shey you know I'm here to flip your house upside down' kind of way.

Their tone gave them away to begin with. And accompanying it was the gait they stormed in, and the appearance.

Snarls, and jeers masked their expression; eyes narrowed in slits enough to send one to an early grave. As they passed the people there, they glared at them and utter not so colorful words under their breaths—a few of which some caught, but they didn't care.

One of Yasmeen's aunts—the youngest in the family, was the first to approach them, after sending someone to call the others. When she reached where they stood, amidst the living room, she offered them a small smile though she could tell they are trouble.

"Sannun ku dazuwa" Her smile widened slightly. She didn't recognize any of them, and as much as she cracked her brain, none of their faces rings a bell. Nonetheless, her smile didn't waver. "Have a seat please" She gestured to the sofas around.

Rafael's mother, whom stood a little bit ahead of the others looked around the living room, sizing it up with her narrowed eyes before scoffing in distaste. "No, thank you" She slurred the words out, almost as if uttering them is taking everything in her. "Ba zama muka zo yi ba"

Yasmeen's aunt blinked, her smile faltering for a brief second but she was quick to put it back up again. "Oh, ayya. Amma, ku zauna mana at least. It would seem somehow to let you all stand like that. You're our guests after all" She pressed.

"Mu kace ba zama mukazo yi ba, ko baki ji bane?" Questioned one of Rafael's aunts, before his mother could speak. The woman is standing beside her elder sister though. "We're here for something else, not to sit and chat" She added, harshly.

Slightly taken aback by the words and act was silent for a few seconds. She couldn't help but wonder whether that day is cursed. Earlier, just about three to four hours ago, it was Safarau and the others...and now, these strangers.

Who are they again?

"Allah sa lafiya toh" She stated, her shoulders slumping slightly.

"Ina ko lafiya?" Rafael's mother questioned before Yasmeen's aunt could even close her lips after uttering that statement. "Ina lafiya anan?" She repeated, her voice raised slightly. "Ni dai yanxu, ina uwar waccen yarinya? Where's the woman that gave birth to such disappointment?"

"What is going on here?" Mama, Kulu and a few others arrived just in time to hear the last statement being uttered. Covering the distance between them, Mama stood beside her younger sister who looks trouble. The older woman's brows drew in, before turning around to look at the guests with a slight frown.

She could feel it. They are bad news.

"—Me ke faruwa haka?" She added, her eyes moving from one woman to another before resting it on Rafael's mother.

"Kece uwar waccan yarinya?" Rafael's mother questioned, eying Mama up and down not so discreetly. "Are you the mother of that wench, Yasmeen take ko me?"

Mama's frown deepened, wondering why these women are here looking for her and saying such stuff about her daughter. Yasmeen couldn't have offended them in any way, she's not that type of girl. "Yes, I am her mother but, who are you? Why are you in my house like this? Is there a problem? If so, we can handle this like adults instead of acting out of place" She kvetched, already having enough of this.

It's bad enough she had to face those young women from earlier, and now these women too?

"Acting out of place?" Rafael's mother repeated, her words coming out slowly. She then sneered, "Keh har kinada bakin yin magana? You dare to look at us and tell us that we're acting out of place? Woah, you people are a bunch of shameless beings indeed" She looked away for a brief second, shaking her head in disbelief.

Her sisters were quick to agree, and in no time, were throwing snarky remarks too amongst themselves.

Kulu, having always been the ones to never let things go far and stay quiet took a step closer to her sister, eyes narrowed. "Who are you people?" She repeated the exact same words Mama uttered earlier. "You can't come into our house and insult us like this? Me muka muku? Even if there's something I doubt you have a reasonable explanation as to why you'll come here and insult us like that?"

"Are you really unaware or you lying?" Rafael's mother questioned, not wanting to believe they are in the dark about what their daughter did. "Actually, if you are unaware that makes you ignorant fools. No surprise there. This is how the less privileged are."

"They hop on every opportunity they can to get to climb up the ladder" Taunted one of Rafael's aunts, shaking her head as she tutted. "A desperate, and foolish attempt indeed but what more can you expect?"

"Saisa you should never involve yourself with people below your class" Added another. "Ba su san miye kunya ba"

"To answer your question..." Rafael's mother continued, seeing as the women from the other family are about to defend themselves. "...I am Rafael's mother—the man that ungrateful lowlife daughter of yours was arranged to marry" When she spoke, there was this suaveness to her icy tone that would send waves of frisson down people's body.

Her looks were of utmost mundanity. The way she carried herself showed she took pride in whatever background she has. And when she speaks, albeit in a rude manner with words of revilement, everything about her is still niminy-piminy.

Her response though to their questions took them aback. Because none of them expected her to be Rafael's mother. They had never met her before, and of the stories they heard about the man's family, she and her son's father are divorced.

Even now that her son is getting married, she isn't involved in the marriage discussions because of the and blood existing between her and the family.

Could that be why she's there, cooking up drama?

Mama blinked a couple of times, before letting out a breath. "You're Rafael's mother?" She questioned, but she didn't get any response so she continued. "Why are you doing this though. As far as I know, we haven't done anything to you"

"Eh toh, in a way you're right, and in another, you're wrong. If your daughter does something, it's on you don kune baku bata tarbiya ba. How could you raise such a disappointment?"

"Hold up, I don't know what this is about but Yasmeen couldn't have done something that will make you come here and act this way" Kulu was quick to defend her niece, because even though she knows the girl causes trouble here and there, she couldn't have done something that bad.

Instead of replying, Rafael's mother simply extended her hand towards one of her sisters and almost immediately, a bunch of pictures were placed in them. Retrieving her hand, she threw the pictures at Mama's face with lips curled into a leer. "Would you still deny that your daughter is a cheap cocotte?" She questioned, staring down at the family.

Flicking her eyes shut, Mama clenched her hands by her side to calm herself down even after being slapped in the face by a bunch of pictures. By her side, she saw Kulu and another sister of hers step forward to attack Rafael's mother but she stopped them.

The action earned a couple of cackles from the women standing opposite them, adding to their fury but they reigned it back.

Kulu's blood was boiling, and if it weren't for her sister, she would've done something she might not regret later. Nonetheless, she forced herself to look away and then lower down to pick up the pictures.

Instantly, her heart rate spiked up, but it didn't show in her facial expression.

What the...

"Are you going to tell me you don't know your daughter goes around with a man?" Rafael's mother questioned, her tone daring them to say otherwise. "And before you deny it, these were all taken this week and from what I've heard, that pathetic wench was with the same man earlier today"

Getting the pictures weren't that hard. All she had to do was ask Rafael's assistant knowing he handles those sort of things for her son. The man knew his boss wouldn't want her to know, but it wasn't like he could say no to the woman.

She's persuasive when she wants to be—and when she called to ask, there was no way she could've accepted no as an answer.

Mama took the pictures from Kulu, her expressionless eyes taking over her daughter and the other man seen together. She knows her daughter is a good kid, and that she would never do anything to ruin her name but those pictures...they are making her believe something else.

She would say it's photo-shopped, but it looks pretty real. And besides, she recognized those outfits having seen the girl in them with the week.

She didn't want to believe it but could it be true?

Is Yasmeen really following men around?

Is that why she keeps sneaking out of the house?

Her hands crushed the pictures, as she rose her head up and pinned her glare on the woman standing in front of her. "My daughter couldn't have done that" No, she won't accept that.

But within in, she was truly doubting her daughter. She just doesn't want to let it show.

"Why? Because your daughter is a saint?" Rafael's mother questioned, before scoffing. Her steel gaze flicked from Mama, before moving around the room to the entrance, where she clicked her tongue. "Why don't you ask her then?" She taunted, "Even though her expression pretty much gives her away"

The minute those words left her lips, multiple heads, including that of the audience that gather moved to the entrance where Yasmeen stood, with wide eyes moving from her mother to her mother-in-law. She swallowed repeatedly, curling her hands inwardly.

By the way she looked, it was obvious she knows what they are talking about. Or perhaps, she heard them.

"Yasmeen..." Her mother called out softly. "...what is this about?" She questioned, gesturing to the pictures.

Yasmeen's stomach clenched, and almost immediately, she looked away—unable to hold her mother's gaze or anyone else's. She didn't know how to explain, or where to start. Not when everyone's eyes are on her and she's the center of the attention.

She isn't a people person, and when attention is on her, it starts to mess with her sense.

She became unnaturally quiet, which is weird because she isn't the quiet one. Pinning her arms against her stomach, she stared at her feet as she let out a pained breath.

"Yasmeen" Her mother called out again, except this time, her tone was stern.

Before the girl could reply, not that she has any plans on doing so, Rafael's mother spoke. "Can't you see by the way she's acting all guilty? That disappointment you call your daughter, is a harlot and nidai wallahi, she will never marry my son. Over my dead body will my son marry a cheap wench, never!" She stated, her eyes fixed on Yasmeen's mother.

She then turned to look at the girl, "—kekuma," She snapped her fingers in the girl's direction. "You should be thankful you haven't married my son yet else I would've shown you what hell is like. Tir da dana ya aure yar iska irin ki, yarinyar da batada tarbiya ko na misqala zarratin"

"That's enough" Kulu cut in through gritted teeth. She's about to lose her calm because she's tired of standing there and getting insulted. "If that's all you have to say, please leave"

Rafael's mother hissed, along with her siblings. She ignored Kulu, and fixated her gaze on Yasmeen's mother. "The wedding is off. Matuqar ina raye, this wedding will never happen, kina jina? If you insist and I return to this house, wallahi sai na tada muku da bala'in da zaku dade baku manta ba. Idan kunne yaji, jiki ya tsira." With one last nasty onceover, she and her sisters trudged out of the house like they own the place.

Once they were out, and having recovered from her initial shock, Yasmeen rose her head and took slow steps towards her mother that seemed to be frozen in her position.

Mama's eyes were fixed in no one in particular, her shoulders slumped and her expression blank.

Yasmeen's heart hammered behind her ribcage, and every step she took was filled with dread. When she reached where her mother stood, she managed to breathed out. "Mama..." She called, extending her hand to hold her mother's hand.

Her hand only held Mama's for a brief second before the older woman snatched her hand back, and almost as if she had snapped out of whatever trance she was in, she glared at her daughter. "Don't you dare call my name" She gritted out, her tone laced with anger.

"Mama..." Yasmeen breathed out in a shaky tone, her eyes glossing over.

"I TOLD YOU TO NOT CALL MY NAME!" Mama screamed, for the first time in Yasmeen's life, her mother actually screamed at her. The older woman's eyes were glossy, and the whole place became pin drop silent because the action had everyone's stomach in knots. Shaking her dead in disappointment, she whispered one thing before she walked away. "Yasmeen kin bani kunya" 

~*~

Sunan wani littafi wai things fall apart😂😂😂

Don't know why but this chapter was hard for me to write. Couldn't write or yesterday (mostly because my current kdrama is too good) and earlier... I don't even know why🤧

Anyways, in between feeling drowsy and tempted to leave this and either sleep or watch kdrama, I've typed this🥲 You owe me comments. Firiod.

Toh, Yasmeen kina ruwa tsundum. This your matter is only about to become worse🌚 I live for suffering!

Kekuma mamar Rafa naga halin ku daya🙄 I don't even know if I should be glad Aalia told you or not. But sha....

Asad where are you???? Wetin sup for your place? You dey toast Zoya bamu sani bane ko ya? 🤔 Maybe sha he should marry both of them kawai, matter solved.

Mama take heart o, and trust Yasmeen don't let Jannah sway you. Even on the brink of falling asleep, she's wicked. Shey that's what you people want to say🤣 Oya rest, I must make Mama hate Yasmeen today today!

Yasmeen, I repeat, you go suffer! Gwara ki riqe addua.

Tam.

Goodnight.

Love, Jannah Mia ❤️

Tam