BEST FRIENDS

Chapter23

"The next day, Yesmeen's family bid her farewell, and she is left alone in her new home, Her aunties' lectures on how to live with a rival only made her cry more.

As the evening wore on, Yusrah arrived at the house, but her visit to Ameera's part of the house ended in a heated argument. Ameera accused Yusrah of betraying her, and the two exchanged bitter words. Ameera vowed to teach Yesmeen a lesson, determined to make her leave the house and claim Muhammad's attention for herself.

Yusrah went to Yesmeen's part of the house, where she found her crying uncontrollably. Yusrah comforted Yesmeen and shared the details of her argument with Ameera, further fueling Yesmeen's anxiety and fear.

"Yesmeen was taken aback by Yusrah's revelation, never expecting Ameera to stoop so low. She realized she needed to stand up for herself and show Ameera her place, with Yusrah's support.

As Yusrah left around 9 pm, Yesmeen changed into her sleeping attire, assuming Ammar would visit Ameera as usual. But to her surprise, Ammar appeared at the door, holding it open as she tried to close it. Initially frightened, thinking it might be someone else, she sighed in relief when she saw her husband.

"Ammar, you're here," she said, her voice laced with a mix of surprise and apprehension.

"Her eyes widened as she noticed his gaze lingering on her bare legs, his eyes roaming over her body in a way that made her feel uncomfortable and objectified. She quickly grabbed her hijab to cover herself, her heart racing with anxiety.

"Where are we going?" she asked, trying to hide her unease as they walked hand in hand to Ammar's part of the house.

As they entered, Yesmeen's eyes met Ameera's, and she could sense the tension between them. Both women attempted to hide their jealousy and forced a smile, but the atmosphere is thick with unspoken rivalry.

"Ammar attempted to mediate between Yesmeen and Ameera, urging them to put aside their differences and treat each other with kindness. "Ameera is like your elder sister, and Yesmeen, you're like her younger sister," he said, trying to appeal to their sense of family and harmony.

Ameera seemed uninterested in his words, and the tension between the two women remained palpable. Ammar eventually escorted Yesmeen back to her part of the house, where she continued to cry and plead with him to stay with her.

"Oh Allah, meen, you know this isn't good, right?

You should please wait; I'll sleep, then you can go to your wife," she said, her voice trembling with fear and anxiety.

Ammar tried to leave, Yesmeen's cries intensified, accusing him of being eager to go to Ameera. Moved by her distress, Ammar relented, lying down on the sofa, trying to comfort her and reassure her that he would stay with her for the night.

Ammar promised Yesmeen that he will stay, and she eventually fell into a deep slumber, trusting that he would keep his word. But as soon as she is asleep, Ammar's resolve weakened. He gazed down at her beautiful face, his eyes filled with a mix of guilt and longing. He leaned down and placed a soft kiss on her forehead, then quickly exited the room, heading straight to Ameera's part of the house.

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Yesmeen
"I'm not sure what woke me up at first, but as I sit motionless and strain my hearing, I can make out a distant murmur. I look around to see that Ammar is no longer in the room.

My bedroom is bathed in an unusual soft glow streaming in through the windows. I slip out of bed and approach the window, my bare feet making no sound. As I peer out, I see the source of the light. My pulse races and my heart pounds, the beat echoing in my neck. My body vibrates with each heartbeat, my hands clenched at my sides. I turn to face the door, which is closed, and fear grips me."

"I hear the footsteps getting closer and closer, and I'm alone. I gulp hard as the bedroom door bursts open, revealing a giant of a man in front of me. I scream at the top of my lungs. Both men wear masks, and I try to reach for my phone, but it's out of reach.

I scream even louder, calling out Ammar's name, but he's nowhere to be found - he's with his wife, and I'm here, struggling. The man raises a knife, and my eyes widen in terror.

Just as he's about to strike, the lights flicker on, and the men flee. I'm left shivering in fear, trying to process what just happened. Suddenly, I'm enveloped in a warm embrace, and I inhale Ammar's scent. 'It's okay, meen, I'm here. I'm sorry,' he whispers, holding me tight."

"You left me all alone for them!" I shouted, my voice cracking as I slapped Ammar's chest with both hands. "I want to go home! I can't live here with you anymore!"

Ameera's voice intervened, "Muhammad, I think it's better you take her back home.

I'm 100% sure she's behind this." I clung to Ammar, begging, "Please, Ammar, spend the night here with me. I'm scared." My tears fell uncontrollably, intentionally trying to provoke Ameera's anger.

Ameera's expression darkened, her arms crossed over her chest. "No, Muhammad, you can't spend the night with her. It's my day, not hers. You can't do this to me!"

"Please, Ameera, what are friends for? I can't stay here all alone, I'm not used to that," I pleaded, clinging to Ammar.

Ameera's expression turned cold, and she hissed, "Fine, stay then," before storming out of the room.

I glared at her back, thinking, "Foolish girl, she thinks she's smarter than me? Wait and see how I'll treat her."

Ammar laid me on the bed, trying to calm me down. "Hey, hey, wait, what's going on?" I exclaimed, pushing him away. "Go to the couch, I can't sleep with a man," I mumbled, still shaken.

Ammar stared at me, trying to process what had just happened. He seemed to realize that I have only acted out of spite towards Ameera, and he shook his head before lying down on the couch.

I heard footsteps again and screamed, "Ammar!" But he turned off the light, ignoring me. I switched it back on, only for him to turn it off again. We continued this back-and-forth until Ammar finally stood up, poured a glass of water, and handed it to me. Unbeknownst to me, he had mixed sleeping pills into the water. But instead of leaving, he stayed in my room, watching over me.

"Ameera thinks she's smart, but I'm smarter than her."

The next day, after waking up for Fajr prayers, I remained awake, unable to go back to sleep. Meanwhile, Ammar has beefed up security measures around the house, ensuring our safety.