His Other Half

Fifty-eight

Omniscient

With each step towards the main ballroom, tension bloomed in the air. Tyla scanned the room searching for her cousin who had wandered off. "Love, what's wrong?" Cairo asked her. "Veronica's gone," Tyla spoke still searching the floor for her. "She's probably just laying down in one of the rooms in the back," Cairo explained. Tyla looked to her mate a worry still on her face. Cairo smiled at her before cupping her face. "She's fine. There's nowhere else she'd be safer." He said to her. Tyla agreed before nodding her head.

"So, Malik is a twin." She said turning to Cairo, Jericho, and Alexander. "Did you all know about it?" She asked. To the untrained eye, you wouldn't have caught the glance they all shared but Tyla had grown up with these men, so she saw it. Before she could interrogate them further an eerie silence filled the room. The four of them turned following everyone's gaze as shock and awe-filled them. "Is that—,"

"The Oyeyemi," Alexander said.

==

Mira walked back to the main floor after cleaning her face. She looked around until her eyes found her husband and son. She walked over joining them. "Mother! There you are." Rafi smiled. "Hello, my love." Mira smiled kissing his cheek. She looked at Imam, who refused to spare a glance towards her.

"Where did Malik and Ares run off to? This is their party and their hiding." Imam spoke to Rafi who laughed. "You know Malik hates these types of things and I assume Ares does as well. They only put up with this type of stuff because of—," Rafi trailed at the mention of Ahsha's name. He was used to death, he grew up around it, but the loss of Ahsha had done something to him that he couldn't explain.

"Have you spoken to Ares?" Imam asked his son seeing a somber look overtake his face at the mention of his soon-to-be daughter-in-law. Rafi cleared his throat glancing at his mother. "Do we have to talk about this now?" Rafi asked. "What? Why not? What aren't you telling me?" Mira asked. Imam huffed at her question. "Ares and Malik made it very clear on where we stand. There's nothing to speak about." Rafi said.

"Children like to blame their parents for everything wrong in their life, but many of them don't understand how hard it is to be a parent. They don't get it until they become parents themselves. Give them time they'll see you were just doing the best you could." Mira said comforting her son.

Imam scoffed at her words drawing their attention. "As parents, we do try our best, but we also need to acknowledge that maybe our best just wasn't good enough. Especially in Ares's case, but he still cares. As much as he tries not to show it, he cares greatly. I've always seen that. You've failed at being his father for most of his life, but fate is giving you a second chance, so fix it." Imam said before finishing off his glass of scotch.

Mira and Rafi stared at him, his words hitting a nerve for them both before Emilia rushed over. "They're here." She whispered. "Who?" Rafi asked.

"The Oyeyemi," Imam said looking past his son.

==

The Oyeyemi stood gathered at the base of the grand staircase as the sea of guests kneeled around them. Imam walked towards the heads of the Oyeyemi with Rafi, Emilia, and Mira behind him.

"Thank you for joining us tonight." He said bowing his head in respect as the rest of his family did the same. "Malik and Ares will be happy to know they have your support," Rafi added. "We didn't come here for them," Taj said. "Then why are you here?" Imam asked. "We're here to support our Queen and prince," Dalia said looking into his eyes.

"Your Queen and prince?" Mira questioned before a forceful gust of wind whipped through the ballroom taking out the lights and windows that filled the room. The guest gasped in shock at the sudden darkness and falling glass. "Everyone, remain calm," Rafi called trying to quell any panic that was about to arise.