Unedited
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ABUJA, NIGERIA
Clad in a beautiful sky blue abaya, Maha looked like a moon goddess. She had taken forever to get dressed, she had locked her room and went about with her business, and then she fell asleep around 1pm she was lucky that she actually woke up around three. On a normal day, Maha usually took hours to get dressed and today it seemed as if the hours have only increased. Ayman had knocked and knocked on her door but she refused to open it, he told her he would leave without her but she did not mind since she knew that he did not know her parents' house. Finally around 4pm, Maha finally came out. The first thing she saw was an angry ayman, he was glaring daggers at her and if looks could kill Maha would have died over and over again.
"Oh my! is it a coincident that we are both wearing sky blue?" Maha said as she placed her hand on her mouth, exaggerating her actions. With their outfits having the same matching colors, one would think they are madly in love with each other. Ayman said nothing and he stood up and walked towards the exit door, Maha also trailed behind him.
"You look dashing in blue." Maha said and Ayman halted in his steps.
"What a drama queen! No wonder all the female leads in your books and movies are drama queens." Ayman said, as he continued working. To say he was angry would be a very huge understatement, he was furious! And if there is any word that exaggerated his anger more than furious then that was what he felt right now. He had actually planned to lash out on her once she came out of her bedroom and while waiting for her he had planned all the mean things he would say to her that would make her cry her eyes out so, that those beautiful green eyes would become ugly and finally stop trying to hypnotize him. While he was still waiting for her, he kept thinking about all his previous actions towards her and the way she melted the words right off his mouth, she made him fell something that he thought had died along with Aisha and he did not want to reawaken it. He felt his blood boil, how could he forget about Aisha and that too, so soon? He had planned to make her life miserable by behaving cold and icy towards her, just like he had always done to all the girls who showed interest in him.
But.........
All that he had planned went down the drain, the moment her feet stepped out of her bedroom. The scent of her perfume was more stronger than ever, she smelt like lavender and strawberry and even though she smelt like Aisha, he felt that there was just something about her scent that is unique and he likes her scent more than Aisha's, he had immediately loathed himself when he started having those crazy thoughts. And then, she stepped out of her room looking like an angel who had mistakenly fallen to to earth. He didn't know why but looking at her made him think of a freshly blossoming flower. Then he made a mistake he had chided himself not to make, he stared right into her hypnotizing green eyes, though it looked like he was actually staring daggers at her, in reality he was utterly lost in her eyes. It felt as though she had casted a spell on him through her eyes and he would get completely trapped if he continued staring. More than ever he knew he needed to look away but he couldn't. And then, she opened her mouth and spoke and that broke the trance. She had a pretty face, in fact everything about her is pretty but he wouldn't say so about her mouth. The moment she opens her mouth then she always spouts out nonsense. He found that amusing and that is why he says she utters nonsense so he can convince himself that he feels nothing towards her.
"Oh my God! You read my books?! I didn't think a man like you read novels, whenever I wrote the books my target audience was always your sister, ummita and the other influencers." Maha said, she was truly happy that he read her books and she knew he found them interesting because if he didn't then he wouldn't have remembered that all her female leads were always drama queens! Ayman said nothing and rolled his eyes and continued walking but Maha kept on blabbering even as they entered the car.
'Oh God! What have I gotten myself into?' Ayman thought to himself, he should have just gone ahead with his plan and ignored her as if she didn't existed since he has now realized that arguing with her only made him more attracted to her and she also got the chance to hypnotize him with her eyes so, he had planned to completely ignore her and pretend as if she didn't exist but his treacherous mouth, whom sometimes acted as if it had a mind of its own choose to speak again and that too at the wrong time and to the wrong person. She kept on blabbering about her new ideas all the way even though, Ayman had not said anything yet. Even though Ayman was pretending as if his attention was on the road, his attention was actually on what she was saying, he loved her books and movies and now she was telling him a sneak peak about what would happen in the season two of a movie she had released and the season two would be released around December. He didn't mind a little spoiler as he had been dying to know what would happen next, even she was careful not to reveal all the important information and at least what she told him was enough to tame his curiosity until December. She kept talking that at a point she actually got them lost and took them to a different house, Ayman had glared at her and told her to focus. She had kept quiet for a few minutes and Ayman was extremely happy but then after a while she picked up from where she had stopped, Ayman felt as if his ears will bleed! After an hour and the half of their torturous drive, they finally arrived at their destination, Ayman was beyond relieved.
They both stepped out of the car and instead of Maha to walk in front of him so she could lead him inside the house, she was walking behind him and that annoyed him to no ends. Before he could turn and tell her to walk in front of him she suddenly grabbed his hand and before he could react she had wrapped her fragile arms around his waist and she had rested her head on his chest. Her small hand felt so warm and soft against his, he was completely hypnotized but all too soon he returned to his senses and he was furious.
"What is—"
"Abu, is in the balcony. He is watching us so just go along with the act." Maha said still hugging him, he raised his head a little and then he saw a man standing on the balcony and he indeed was watching them. Reluctantly he placed his hand on her back and then it was had not even reach a second before he again gently held her shoulders and pushed her off of him, his actions were gentle but he was glaring daggers at her and Maha couldn't help but giggle.
"Let's snap a picture." Maha said.
"No." Ayman said and without waiting for her response he turned and continued walking.
"Pleasseeee." Maha whined, pouting her lips like a spoilt child. She looked so adorable that Ayman wanted to pinch her cheeks but he resisted the urge to do so. He realized that the man was still watching them so he had no choice but to give in to her foolish demand. With a tired sigh he agreed to take a picture with her. She gave her phone to a worker and asked him to take the picture. She wrapped her hand around his arms, smiling brightly at the camera and Ayman had no choice but to smile as well. From his view, he could see the man standing in the balcony smile and then the man left the balcony.
"Happy?" Ayman asked in a sarcastic voice but Maha ignored his sarcasm and replied enthusiastically.
"Very." She collected her phone and then finally they walked into the house. An old man in his late fifties was the one who opened the door.
"Hello uncle." Maha said, grinning from ear to ear when her eyes landed on Edward, the old butler. He had been their butler for many years and she didn't even know when they employed him, even Zayn didn't. Zayn said that he also grew up with Edward being their butler and over the years he got the position of the head butler. He was a nice old man and Maha was very fond of him, he had taken care of her every need when she was still a child and her mother was not at home.
"Young Miss, how are you?" Edward said with a smile, even he was fond of Maha. She had always been an intelligent child, he had watched her grow up and he took her as his daughter. His eyes landed on the handsome grumpy man beside her, realizing the man must be her husband, he greeted him.
"Sir, how was the journey."
"Fine." The man replied with a small smile.
"Are all of my brothers home?" Maha asked the old butler.
"Young master Zayn and Hussein are here but young master Hassan is yet to arrive. Though his wife and son are here." Maha nodded at the butler with a smile and then she entered the house. A young boy of about five years old came running towards them, he was pale white and he has a curly hair and he was extremely fat for his age. Instead of carrying the boy and twirling him around like she usual did Maha, knelt down and then hugged him.
"You don't carry me anymore, aunt Maha." The boy said as he pouted his lips.
"That's because you have become way too heavy for me to carry." Maha said and she pinched his cheeks. Suddenly the boy gasped as he looked at the man standing beside Maha.
"Is that the uncle who married you?" The boy asked Maha, Ayman looked at the chubby cute boy in front of him in amusement, if not for the fact that he knew he was married to Maha and he had heard the boy call Maha aunt, then he wouldn't have believed anyone if they told him that the boy was not her son. Everything about them was the same, even their eyes! Because of the fact that Aryan looked like his aunt, he had a somewhat girlish appearance and that made him look cute, there was going to be a war over him between the girls once he finally grew up. He even had dimples on his chin just like Maha. He was nothing like his father, Hassan or his mother, Nadia. He completely looked like his aunt.
"Yes." Maha said as she looked at Ayman.
"Aryan." Aryan said as he went to Ayman and he brought his hand forward, indicating he wanted a handshake. He had always liked to befriend people older than him and Maha liked children and that was why they had a very special bond between them. Ayman looked at the little hand in front of him and then smirked, he held the little boy's hand but instead of giving him a handshake like he wanted he picked him up and placed him on his shoulder, the boy laughed loudly at the action, Ayman also had a genuine smiled on his face. He also loved children, Maha couldn't help but stare at Ayman in awe, he looked like the God of beauty while smiling wholeheartedly.
"Let's go!" Aryan said as he stretched his hands and legs forward as if he was driving a car. When his mother, Nadia saw the tall handsome man, coming in with her son on his shoulder, her breath got cut in her throat. This was the great Ayman Shugaba and here he was carrying her son on his shoulder?
"Aryan, are you crazy? Get down!" Nadia said putting on a stern face. She was a tall dark and beautiful woman.
"Nooo!" Aryan said as he held onto Ayman's head.
"It's okay, just leave him." Ayman said with a smile. His eyes landed on a tall man grinning mischievously at him. He looked like Maha but isn't nearly as good looking as her. Though it has been 21 years, nothing can ever make him forget that face not even when he just woke up from his sleep, he would never forget Zayn! 21 years ago, Zayn had wanted to be his friend when they came to Nigeria and their fathers introduced them but Ayman didn't want to be his friend. He kept following him wherever he went but Ayman still didn't want to be friends with him. Then one day, he placed a dead lizard on his shoe! He refuse to take the lizard off his shoe and said he would only do it if he agreed to be his friend, Ayman really hated lizard and he had no choice but to agree. Whenever he told him he didn't want to be friends with him anymore, the boy would threaten him with a lizard and with time Ayman also started enjoying his company and they became very close. He placed Aryan down but not after the little boy made him promise to carry him later. Zayn stood up, the mischievous grin still on his face, they shook hands together and in the next second they were hugging each other patting each other's shoulder as if they haven't been separated for 21 years.
"I feel like am missing out on something, do you know each other?" Maha asked when she saw the two of them hugging as if they have known each other all their lives.
"Oh, there are many things you are missing out on, that is the consequences of being the last born." Zayn said as he released Ayman, then he moved towards Maha and then pinched her nose.
"Ouch do you wanna break my nose?" Maha said as she pushed Zayn's hands away from her nose. Zayn closed the gap between them and then he hugged her tightly.
"Let go of me! I can see you want to break me." Maha said, she had missed Zayn a lot that she had felt that she had felt as if she would go crazy but she didn't want to give him the satisfaction of knowing that she had missed him.
"Well I also didn't miss you." Zayn said as he moved away from Maha pretending as if he didn't miss her, even though he did.
''Childish." Ayman muttered under his breath as he watched the bantering of the two siblings.
"Pardon?" Maha asked, she had heard what he said but she just wanted to tease him.
"Nothing." Ayman said with a small smile, he was trying to act like a gentle man and Maha felt happy. She she knew there was still hope for their relationship because if there wasn't then he wouldn't have agreed to come and he wouldn't have been so warm and welcoming towards her family, even though they appeared to have known each other before.
Ayman and Hussein didn't hug each other instead they only tapped each other's shoulders with knowing smile on their faces. Maha couldn't help but roll her eyes at the action.
'Men.' She thought to herself. Her father on the other hand couldn't contain his joy and he stood up and hugged Ayman. He had always admired Ayman ever since he was a child, he was calm and collected. Who would have thought he would end up being his beloved daughter's husband. He knew he had found the perfect husband for his daughter after what he had seen downstairs when he was in the balcony.
'I can now die in peace!' Sufyan thought to himself, knowing that Ayman would take care of his beloved daughter even after his death.
For the first time, Mariam was showing genuine interest in someone, ever since he was a child she knew he was meant for something great. Everyone was aware of the achievements of AAS Agro and now the CEO was standing right in front of her! Not just was he standing in front of her but he was her son in law. She could already see a potential business partner in him. People like Ayman Shugaba were the kind of people she needed as business partners; calculative and intelligent just like her.
"Ayman, long time no see." Mariam said with a wide smile that Maha's jaw almost dropped to the floor, not only Maha was shocked but everyone who was in the room was shocked except Sufyan. He knew what she was doing, she was not looking at Ayman as a son in law but as a business partner, knowing how intelligent he is and the achievements he had obtained at such a young age. Sufyan couldn't help but shake his head in disappointment, Mariam will never change.
"Yes aunt." Ayman said with a smile.
"Oh no, you can call me umm now, isn't your wife's mother your own mother?" Mariam said, further shocking the people in the room. Even Aryan was dumbfounded, he didn't have that relationship that children usually had with their grandmother. Mariam had always been strict with him.
"Yes umm." Ayman said nodded his head, his hands were behind him and he had this calculative look on his face making Mariam want to finish that business deal with him before she even talked to him about it.
"Come let's catch up." Mariam said patting the empty space beside her.
Maha just shrugged her shoulders and decided to talk to her father instead, this was not the first time her mother completely ignored her and pretended as if she wasn't there and when she complained she said she was doing it for her own sake wen she s still young she used to cry her eyes out whenever Mariam did this to her but now she no longer minded at least they will get to bond with her husband.
"Abu!" Maha exclaimed loudly as she jumped on her father and hugged him and it dragged everyone's attention to her. Ayman just shook his head, he knew she was childish but she keeps on surprising him every time because she always does something even more stupid than the previous one.
"Did you miss me?" Sufyan asked as he patted her back softly, he couldn't bring himself to scold her though she had almost broken one of his bones, he had missed her too much to do that.
"A lot." Maha said as she giggled. Mariam rolled her eyes as she watched her husband and daughter. She pretended to be strict but that doesn't mean she doesn't love her only daughter, she was doing it for her own good. Every time she saw how close the father and daughter were she felt a burning sensation in her heart, in short she felt jealous.
"Have we suddenly become so tiny that you can't even see us?" Hussein said as he held her ear tightly and pulled them.
"Ouch, second h am sorry. Aunt Nadia please tell him am sorry, I was going to come to you guys."
"Well you deserve your punishment." Nadia said jokingly. Maha managed to stand up and she hugged Hussein and that was when he finally let go of her ears she moved forward and hugged Nadia. The entire Al-harith household was joyous, even though the eldest son wasn't around. Ayman had noticed that someone among them was missing and it was not Hassan, since they had been talking about him but Ayman knew that they were four in number before and they were all boys, now with the addition of Maha they were supposed to be five but one was missing and they clearly didn't want to talk about him, so Ayman did not ask and by not asking he had saved them all from the recollection of a painful past, especially Maha.
We already have two unedited chapters🙄.
It's really hard struggling with school life and writing books🤧.
I am preparing for an exam so please bare with me☺💖.
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