Her Hidden Lies

22: Silence.

"What the hell?" Abdul says as he got up.
"Oh my God! Aisha" Zainab says walking over and pulling me in a tight embrace. "How are you doing? Khalil just told me" she pulls off and smiles sadly.

"Khalil, what is going on here?" Abdulrazaq asks getting pissed.
"It wasn't Zainab" Khalil says and I smile. I'm happy he believes her, she must feel really good about this.

"Then someone broke into my house without stealing just to beat my wife and throw her down the stairs?" He asks angrily.

I want to tell him, I really do but I can't.
"I think I know how we can find out who did it" Khalil says and I cough.

He can't tell Abdul, he'll know I lied and I don't want to imagine what he'll do, I don't want him going on a killing spree because of Faroukh.

"The person who did it doesn't matter. It's over anyway" I say.
"No it's not, and if he comes back?" Abdulrazaq asks me.

"It's really fine. I'm okay"
"No it's not. Someone intentionally killed my baby and if it's not Zainab then we need to find out who!" He shouts angrily.

"Will you just listen to me?" I scream and he looks at me irritatedly "The child was in my womb and it was beaten out, I was the one who felt the pain so just let it go! Please" I say the last part calmly.

He walks closer to me fuming with rage.
"If anyone had something to do with our child's death, it's you! I told you to go home but you're so stubborn. You didn't listen because you're ignorant! So don't you dare think you have the right to state your opinions, they're unwanted" He says and walks out of the house angrily.
I stand there about to burst out in tears.

"I'll go talk to him" Khalil runs after him.
I sit on the couch. This is what Faroukh wanted, to piss off Abdulrazaq because he knows I would never say anything.
"You really don't know who did it?" Zainab asks.

I turn and look at her. Was she here because she really cares or was she here to report everything to Faroukh?
I smile "I wish I knew"

•

I sit there looking at the ceiling, I was scared. I don't want Abdulrazaq to know who did it.
The door opens and Abdul comes in with Umar, Ya Ahmed And Khalil walking in. Abdulrazaq looked distraught. Khalil And Ya Ahmed have a worried look on their face.

Abdul sits on the couch almost in Slo-Mo and looks at me.
"When were you going to tell me?" He asks and I freeze. Looking at Ya Ahmed. All three men stood there like they were waiting to break up a fight.

"Tell you what?" I ask internally praying this was concerning something else.
"Like a good husband I took your phone, It was messed with blood and I thought maybe it was better to get you a new one. Thank goodness right?" He asks sarcastically "I checked your journal to get your Apple ID and password so that I would set it up to surprise you but I found something instead—pictures of Faroukh—so it was him? And he even took pictures of you while you slept. Why did you have to lie?"

"Look I wanted to tell you what happened but I couldn't. He threatened me. He said he would hurt you" I burst into tears "I couldn't tell you"

"So he forced you? For God sake Aisha! I told you to go home! You never did! You didn't listen! You're so—freaking stubborn! What is wrong with you?" He asks angrily.

"Abdul listen to me—" he cuts me off.
"When I saw the pictures on your phone—"he pauses "—pictures of how my wife was being humiliated and treated like a fucking rag doll! I thought maybe she didn't see who it was but then I saw a picture, I saw his face on the mirror" he looks away from me, like looking at my face was something he couldn't do "Do you know what happened when I showed up at his house?" He asks. "Do you?!" He shouts.

Khalil walks over and grabs his shoulder "Calm down"
"Calm down? How can I? Weren't you there?" he turns and looks at Ya Ahmed "Weren't you all there? Didn't you see what I saw?" he looks back at Khalil "How can you tell me to calm down? I can't!"

"What happened?" Zainab asks.
"It was a video" Ya Ahmed starts talking when Abdul stays quiet "It was a taped video—he filmed everything" he says and I felt my heart skip a beat.

Abdul saw it all? This was what Farouq wanted, he did it intentionally.
He knew I wouldn't tell Abdul and he also knew Abdul would stop at nothing to find out who did it.

"Abdul—" I start talking but he raises his hand and I stay quiet.
"Maybe it will better if you go home Aisha. I think that'll be better"

I stand up. He wanted me to go?
"What are you saying? Please don't—"
"I need you to go home. Let's just give each other space, I need to clear my head. I'm tired of all your lies and drama. Since I married you it's been one thing or the other and I'm sick and tired of it all" he stands and walks out.

Khalil And Umar walk out too.
"I'll be waiting in the car" Ya Ahmed says before he walks out.

I start crying, I can't believe I let myself get played, I should have trusted in my husband to tell him but I didn't and now everything is in shambles.
"It's too sad" Zainab says, I raise my head to look at her "I was really hoping he would just divorce you—but he's only giving you one red card? At least he didn't marry someone else"

I sat there looking at her. "You knew?"
"Who do you think led them in and filmed everything? Come on Aisha you're not dumb" she laughs "God! I deserve a Grammy" she goes out smiling.

•

2 Years Later.

I stood by the door frame looking at him.
I never knew he could hold a grudge this much, it's been two years already.

"You ready?" I ask putting in my veil.
Fadila smiles "Only if you are"

I turn and look at him, I didn't want to leave him just yet.
She huffs "Maybe this is for the best"

"How?" I say, almost a whisper "That man is the love of my life and I have to let him go?"

"But you two have been living in misery for 2years, isn't it better this way?"

I shake my head.
"No. Getting divorced can't be better, never"

I start walking towards him. He was leaning on the gate waiting for me to get the rest of my things. I stand in front of him.
He looked broken, tired, miserable and anxious. The fact that he couldn't get Faroukh for what he did to me really took a toll on him and seeing me everyday was worse so maybe this might be the best for him but not for me.

"Khalil is waiting outside"
I nod.
"I'm sorry"

He hugs me "I'm leaving the country next week. I hope things turn out better for you"

Fadila walks out sniffling.
"I'm so sorry" I say hugging him tighter. "I have failed you, Baba and everyone else".

"No. Everyone played a part in this miserable situation we're in right now"

He pulls off "Take care of yourself"
I felt like pulling him, running back inside the house and locking us in forever.

I promised myself I wouldn't cry but I failed, I started crying. "I'm sorry" I walk out in a hurry.

So that's how things were destined to end, messy.

The End.

Let's just say finally ending this book is a huge relief.

2years writing one book.

Anyway thank you for reading and I hope you enjoyed it.