Money's Victim

Chapter 1

Dedicated to Asalaa; thank you very much for your unwavering support! You're the best of friends any person can ever wish for! I love you xoxo

1

I give a shocked gasp. ‘What?’

She smiles. ‘his father held interest in you last week in the dinner gathering, he says his wife and daughter will come and see you so that they, the men, can come and ask for your hand formally.’

I shake my head. ‘It is an honour, but I cannot marry yet, I have to finish my studies and finally gain my PhD.’

She scowls. ‘no, you will not need to complete your studies; he is from Al-Adel, a well-known family who do not like their women to work.’

I laugh. ‘Then I must refuse. It is my dream to work, to write great novels, I have studied English Literature in Oxford to make that come true and I would love to continue and learn more.’

‘Your father has accepted and if you are lucky enough your husband might just agree and take you to study there,' she glares at me, 'you are already old enough...

'Besides, we cannot afford your studying expenses any longer. Look at Yusra, we forced her to marry Jamal and she is as happy as ever with two children now,’ she sighs, ‘just do as I say, I will not accept anything else.’

I try to protest but her voice comes out piercingly, ‘enough, we cannot do anything about it now, your father and I finally conceded that it is the best step for you.’

I bite my lips, Yusra has fought before and it did not do any good, it all but turned my father into disliking her, I know my case is lost.

‘Yes mother,’ I put on my smiling mask, ‘of course.’

                                

     Stupid. So darn stupid. I am a fool to come back to Oman before completing my studies. An utter fool. I do not know how I came to accept that it was the best plan. I should have seen it, after the many arguments we had before they finally allowed me to study in London and accepted to pay my tuition fees, after they shoved Yusra into the hands of a man she knew nothing of. I did not need more reasons to realise it was the worst resolution that I could ever consider.

My own parents now block my lifetime dream; they give me their silent backs for something like marrying some rich man.

I have nothing left to do but hope, pray that my husband-to-be is understanding, is as sweet and loving as Yusra’s, and wish he allows me against his family’s traditions to pursue my dreams and continue my studies.

How come such an idiot like me ever got to live to this age? With such muddled judgement I should be falling down from the tallest building-Burj Khalifa-because I thought it was air that was solid. See, Nora, that did not even come close to making sense.

Well, I am not very far away from that; helplessly waiting for my mother to understand, to come to her mind, and realise the absurdity of this.

All I can do is try to persuade myself to believe that she shall not make me do what I oppose; to come and tell me I am free to do what I want.