All For What!

69

Thank you so much for your prayers 🙏 I really really appreciate and I feel lucky to have you all :)

I'm almost done with my exams, so before that, I hope you enjoy this chapter ♥♥♥
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Dedicated to all of my followers (fans) 😘

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Two weeks later

"Manal?" Maryam called, ambling into her room. She met lying on her bed, with a duvet over her head. Taking a seat on the edge of the bed, she gently peeled it off her body. Her demeanor contorted in worry as she sighted beads of sweat gathered on her forehead and some running down her neck. She was beginning to shiver as well. "Hey!" She called, trying not to seem too worried and frighten the little girl even more. "Why are you sweating so profusely? Are you sick?" She questioned.

Instead of giving her the reply she so desperately wanted to hear, Manal yanked the duvet from her hand and attempted to cover herself again, but Maryam's grip on it only tightened. "I'm talking to you, Manal."

"No." She replied curtly and turned her back on her.

Maryam sighed - ever since they returned from the hospital, Manal had been extremely cold towards her. When she talked to her, she snubbed her and whenever she managed to reply, she replied curtly and walked away.

Maryam was beginning to get really very worried about her recent attitude - not entirely because it was directed towards her, but mostly because it was affecting her. She was too young to be bearing grudges in her mind already. For crying out loud, she was still a child.

And whenever she complained to Sa'eed, he would convince her to have patience and that her attitude wasn't going to continue for much longer, but sadly, it did. In fact, it only got worse with each passing day.

Maryam couldn't help, but reminisce the day she left the hospital to cook for her daughter. Due to how eager she was to get the hospital, she did not realise how fast she was going. She just wanted to return to the hospital as soon as possible, because indubitably, she knew Manal must be famished and she did not want that. Taking her eyes off the road to take a look at the time for just some few seconds, she crashed into a car from the back and jolting forward, her forehead connected with the dashboard, making the area swell a little. In spite of not saying it, she knew Sa'eed was mad and disappointed in her, for he felt she drove recklessly.

Shaking her head to get rid of the thoughts, she averted her gaze back to her daughter. "If you're alright, why are you sweating so much in spite of the ventilation in this room."

"I don't know." She shrugged.

"Never mind then." She smiled. "Guess what? I made your favorite dish for dinner today!" She exclaimed excitedly in the hopes of cheering her up, but her effort proved abortive as her demeanor remained expressionless.

"I'm not hungry." She replied, nonchalantly.

Maryam felt a pang in her heart. "How can you say that, Manal? You didn't have lunch." She remarked, softly.

She remained silent.

"Alright. Fine." She took a hold of her small hand in hers. "Tell me what you want to eat - anything and I will prepare it for you."

Slowly, she pulled her hand away. "I said I'm not hungry. Just leave me alone!"

Maryam suppressed a sob - Manal's attitude towards her was only worsening with each passing day. She had tried all she could to rectify her mistake, yet her efforts were futile. In fact, it seemed to fuel her attitude even more. Sincerely, she was getting fed up. "No!" She replied. "You will eat whether you like it or not. Now, get up and go to the dining room, before I get really angry."