Esmeray.

*Fourteen

Munayah's POV.

Everyone at work seems to be talking about Munir and I, mostly me because they think I seduced him and married him because he's successful, handsome and diligent.

Honestly it does not matter to me, he's my husband and I love him so much, that's all that matters to me.

Normally I should get time off but because of the app Munir is working on, I can't but immediately he's done with the agricultural sector I'm going on my 2 week break and I can't wait.

"So?"

I look at Hadiza annoyed. I completely forgot she came to see me in my office and I have an idea why.

"What?" I ask.
"Everyone is talking about how you seduced him, is it true?"

I huff "Why is the seduction from me?"
"Huh?"

"How are you sure he wasn't the one who seduced me?"
She shakes her head "He seems professional".

I nod "And I'm not?"
She smiles nervously "Honestly that's not what I mean"

"Then what do you mean?"
"I'm just trying to look out for you"

I scoff "Look whether I seduced him or not doesn't matter anymore, does it? The point is Munir and I are married and inshallah that won't change and no one can do anything about it. Plus Munir and I have known each other a long time before we met here"

She looks at me suspiciously "Are you sure?"
"Whether you choose to believe is not my concern nor my business".

She smiles "Don't be like that, you're a bride you should be happy. You're happy right?"

"You seem to be awfully interested in my personal life"
She shakes her head "It's just that Munir has been flirting with me and decided to marry you because I declined, I hope there's no bad blood"

I couldn't help but laugh.
I know I said Munir is a flirt but I can swear on my life that he didn't flirt with her. She's the one who became besties with Hanifa just to get closer to him.

"No bad blood and no need to feel bad he explained the whole situation to me"

"What? He did?" He asks looking anxious.
"Yeah. Hadiza if you don't need anything else, I'm busy"

"Okay"

::

I was arranging bottles of water in the fridge while Munir was seated on the kitchen counter peeling and taking tangerine. He's obsessed with them.

"I felt like strangling that bitch, wallahi—" I stop when I realize I was getting furious just thinking about it.

"Don't bother, you and I both know there's no way I'd flirt with her"
"I know even though you're a flirt"

He laughs "That's the old me"
"Old you? What old you?"

"You have to keep up with the new me"
I turn and look at him "What's that supposed to mean?"

He looks at me utterly confused "What?"
"Have I ever known you?"

He rolls his eyes and gets off the counter "Not now Munayah"
"No babe please explain to me. Have I ever known you? I haven't and I don't ".

He shakes his head defensively "Of course you do, you know me"
"How? Because you I know you love tangerines? Or you love basketball? Tennis? Soccer? You love tuwon shinkafa? You're a junkie for garlic bread?"

"You see! Then why are you complaining?!"

I shake my head "Babe that's not knowing you. I know and always try to know these fickle things about you because I don't know the real you. Girls on Instagram might as well be your girlfriends because they know all those things too. The only personal thing I know about you is that you'd put your life on the line for your family. I don't know what you genuinely feel, genuinely gets you emotional, what genuinely make you happy, angry! I don't and that always pissed me off. The way you always treated me like you treat everyone else".

"Don't start now Munayah, you're saying all this because you're an emotional person"

I scoff "And you blame me? You make me emotional".

"You don't know what you're saying"

"Sometimes I regret saying yes, maybe I should have walked away that day" I walk out.
I know I hurt him when I said it but I'm hurt too but I also didn't mean it because no matter how many times they take me back to that time, I'd say yes over and over again.

::

Yusuf's POV.

I ran to Hanan's house.
My sister in law/ex came earlier today and I've been avoiding going home.

She gives me a canned drink and sits back down next to me.
I glare at her "Is this how you treat your guest?"

She raises her eyebrows looking confused "How?"

"No tray, no glass cup, no snack to go along with it?"
She hisses "Wouldn't you think I was preparing you for a ritual if I actually did all that?"

I nod "Yeah that's true"
It would be worse if she actually did that.

"So brother what brings you by my house after Isha'I prayer? Shouldn't you be in a hurry to get home and in your wife's bed?"

He rolls his eyes "Acting like you don't know. Amara arrived this evening"

Taslim comes in running over toward me. I pick up the boy, hella cute and outgoing child.
I look at her oddly "Why does he look like a child that came from you and Munir"

She laughs "My mum said the same thing"
I look at her suspiciously "Did you two—" I trail off.

She scrunches her face "Using you for rituals doesn't seem so bad"
I burst out laughing.

The front door opens and her husband walks in with a frown on his face as usual.
Taslim runs over and hugs his father.

He looks at me annoyed "You're here late"
I nod.

"What? He can't do that?" Hanan asks irritated.
"It's getting late and he has a home too"

"More reason he can be here, he wants to discuss something with me"
"And he can't do that tomorrow?"

"Why should he, he's my brother"
"That's where you get it wrong! His not your brother, you don't have the same blood and you definitely don't share the same last name"

I stand "We'll see tomorrow"
She holds my hand "You're not going anywhere".

He huffs annoyed "Do you do this intentionally? To hurt me?"

"Oh don't flatter yourself"
I smirk at her "Hanan we'll just see tomorrow"

"Take the drink with you"
"No I'm good" I say firmly before going out.

I didn't do it to make her feel bad, I just don't want that man to disrespect me.

::