Behind My Walls✔️

Chapter 49

Khalil's POV.

I inhaled the heavenly scent of my usual coffee as I gently sipped it, savouring the delectable taste of it while I watched the morning view of the city with rambling cars and figures.

"Morning our Groom_to_be". Hakim said entering my office.

"Morning Hakim". I smiled and walked to my seat.

"The meeting you asked me to attend yesterday was not close to appealing because all they cared about was how to surpass the rest of the companies not to improve theirs and we wouldn't have come to this stage of being the best architectural company in Nigeria if we always aimed at surpassing our limits". He stated.

I looked up at him. "Well, we are not close to working with them; that is, by the way you should postpone my forthcoming meetings till after my wedding". I typed on my laptop.

He huffed. "I know you are getting married, you don't have to say it every bit of your sentence".

I shook my head. "If you don't want that, get yourself a wife then".

He grinned "Don't worry, very soon and have a nice day". He strode out.

I scrolled through my phone and called the one person that my heart was yearning for. "Hello habibti". I said whilst she kept mute probably shying off as I was more fond of calling her habibti (my love).

"Hi Khalil". She voiced out after ages. "Good morning".

I beamed at her soothing voice. "Morning, how is your day going and preparation?".

"I just woke up actually". She said amidst laugh. "And tomorrow is the henna party".

"Okay, my regards to Aunty and Abba".

"InshaAllah, how is work?".

I smiled at her caring self. "Hectic as usual, I need a break actually".

"Oh okay, may Allah bless your work".

"Ameen, will call you later". She responded and I hung up.

I engaged myself with the bundled work while time flew to 1:00pm in the afternoon, and I hastily strode out and drove to the central mosque, prayed my Zuhr prayer (obligatory prayer). I sauntered out to the nearest restaurant for lunch while I entered the nice beanery, sat on the chair as the waiter attended to me. I finished eating my lunch, stood up, paid my bill and was walking out when I sighted Hafiz sitting on a table alone pressing his phone.

"Hey Mr married". I teased standing beside him.

He raised his head and beamed brightly. "Mr handsome!". He gave me a manly handshake. "Oh! Before I forget, how is your wedding preparation?".

"Alhamdulillah, I just branched here from the office, are you with your wife?". I asked as I noticed double cutleries on his table.

"Wife?!". I heard a feminine voice behind me and I swiftly turned to the least person I expected 'Khulthum'.

"Khulthum, what are you doing here?". I asked but her mind wasn't close to hearing me as her gaze was just on Hafiz.

"Do you know her?". Hafiz asked stirring comfortless.

"She's my sister". I said glancing both of them.

He looked up with a glimpse of realization but it rapidly faded as he looked at Khulthum. "Oh! That's..".

"Do you have a wife Hafiz?". She cuts in whilst I looked at her confused and he tend to be out of word. "Do you?". She asked this time her eyes glossy.

"I can explain Khul..".

"It's a Yes or No question". She said sternly.

He lowered his head. "Yes". And a gasp escaped her lips whilst I stood there trying to fill in the puzzle. "But I was actually going to tell you sooner, its just that this is a bad timing and..".

"Wait, can you guys explain what the tension here is all about?". I asked.

"Ya Khalil..". She turned to me with tears at the brim of her eyes.

"What did you do to her Hafiz?". My voice adamant than I would have, hence seeing Khulthum upset was the last thing I would ever dreamt of, because not only was she my only sister but the best person I've been close to regardless of her ranting side of course as we have been there for each other our whole lives.

***

I closed my eyes, clenched my hand trying to composed myself as to not cause any unnecessary scene. "Why wouldn't you tell her all this time that you are married but chose to not only cheat on Khulthum but your wife, hence not only because she is my sister but because what you did is uncalled for". I stated, peeled my eyes open to watch him lowered his head after he explained what transpired between him and Khulthum.

"Take me home Ya Khalil". She looked at me pleadingly. "Please!". She added.

I looked at Hafiz one more time in disgust as he never dared to raise his head wallowing in shame, whilst I held Khulthum's hand and we sauntered out. We strode to the car, hopped in and quietly drove home, not saying a word to her as she just propped her face to the side window obviously in thought.

"Are you okay?". I asked her walking into the house.

She nodded. "I just want to be alone". She voiced out and I nodded understandingly whilst she walked off to her room.

I was walking out to drive back to my office when my phone started ringing. I sighed and walked to my mother's chamber because she was the one calling.

I knocked softly on the door and said Sallam entering. "Good Afternoon mom". I greeted sitting beside her on her cushion.

"Afternoon, why are you back early and with your sister?". She asked. She must've seen us via the CCTV Cameras outside.

"I just tend to bumped into her at the restaurant when I went for lunch and I just gave her a lift". I cocked not truly but not to ailed her with Khulthum's situation. "I'm actually going back to the office". I added.

She nodded. "Khalil I just want to ask you something". She looked me straight in the eyes. "Do you really like Ikhbal?". She asked. "Because you can still change your mind Khalil". That stunned me a bit because the previous and the first time she met Ikhbal was when I brought her before our engagement and she liked her but what she was saying now wasn't likely.

"Mom, I really like her and besides, our wedding is just in days to come so I don't really expect your question".

Her shoulder slumped. "I just want the best for you Khalil and I thought maybe if we try talking to the Daura Family again, we can fix everything".

"Mom!". I sighed. "Ikhbal is the best for me mom and talking to the Daura Family isn't going to change anything because we obviously don't want to marry each other with A'isha, if not force".

She shook her head repeatedly. "No, nobody is going to force you". She paused. "I just want you to follow your heart".

I sighed. "I am following my heart mom!". My head was aching with Khulthum's situation added with my mom trying to talk me off the wedding.

She looked at me hard before she sighed. "Alright, now you can go back to your office".

I pecked her forehead, strode out of the house and was driving back to the office. The traffic stopped and in what felt like slo_mo, I saw Ikhbal at the side of the road, her bonnet unclosed and a male figure beside her whilst the man said something to her, and as she nodded, they closed the bonnet, strode towards another car and hopped in. I blinked twice to clear my eyes if I was hallucinating but it was clearly reality whilst the car sped off beside mine.

***

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Kherdeeniasse.