<p>I smiled and hugged Aunty Rabeea. Despite the tensions between our mothers, she and I shared an unbreakable bond. The love between us was pure, and I knew she would always be there for me.</p><p>As my belongings were taken inside, Yaya Abdul didn’t enter the house; he went straight home to freshen up.</p><p>When we entered, I held Aunty Rabeea’s hand tightly. The first person we saw was Hajiya Baturiya, Aunty Rabeea’s mother, carrying a plate as she headed toward my father’s section of the house. From afar, she shot me a cold, hateful glare. I returned the look discreetly so Aunty Rabeea wouldn’t notice. She had never liked me.</p><p>"Momma, good evening," I greeted her, but she ignored me, walking past us without a word, only glaring at Aunty Rabeea.</p><p>For a moment, sadness filled me.</p><p>"You know how our family is. They’ll never change. But as long as Allah has united us, nothing can separate us," Aunty Rabeea reassured me, squeezing my hand. “I love you, and nothing can erase our bond. I would sacrifice anything to make you happy.”</p><p>She walked me to my mother’s section of the house before leaving.</p><p>Later that evening, after a small celebration organized by Yaya Abdul and Aunty Rabeea, I returned to my room, filled with happiness. My heart raced when I saw the expensive gifts he had given me—a perfume set, a beautiful dress, a pair of shoes, an iPhone 16, and a jewelry set.</p><p>I held up his photograph, staring at it, lost in thought.</p><p>"One day, I will tell you my secret. I love you. I am deeply, madly in love with you. I will fight for you, and I will never let another woman have you," I whispered, touching his picture before carefully putting it away.</p><p>Just then, my mother called me into the living room.</p><p>“Heedaya, I hope you have chosen someone for marriage. You know your father’s rule—he arranges marriages right after secondary school. I don’t want any embarrassment. Tell me, who do you want?”</p><p>I smiled, knowing this was the moment I had been waiting for.</p><p>"Umma, I already have someone in mind," I said confidently.</p><p> </p><p>—</p><p> </p><p> </p><p> </p>
