Hidden bonds of love

8.

Ahmad went to Mrs. Fatima's house with the intention of packing some of Maryam's belongings. When he rang the doorbell, Mrs. Fatima opened the door, hoping to see Maryam with him. Her heart sank when she didn't find her, and frustration and concern filled Mrs. Fatima as she confronted Ahmad, asking why he didn't come with Maryam.

"She went to school today, and I came to pack some of her things," Ahmad curtly answered. His anger was evident in his tone as he avoided making eye contact with Mrs. Fatima.

Without wasting any time, Ahmad went upstairs to Maryam's room and began packing her belongings. He saw her phone and picked it up along with her phone charger. Meanwhile, Mrs. Fatima couldn't sit still; she anxiously walked around the sitting room, awaiting Ahmad's return.

Once Ahmad descended the stairs, carrying a small suitcase, Mrs. Fatima fixed her gaze on it and mustered the courage to ask him about Maryam's return.

"So you are really not going to bring my Maryam back?" she asked, trying to remain calm despite her emotional turmoil.

Ahmad responded directly, still avoiding eye contact. "I thought we made a deal."

Getting closer to Ahmad, Mrs. Fatima looked deep into his eyes and firmly stated, "Ahmad, Maryam Uthman is my daughter, and you don't have the right to take her away. I want my daughter back."

Amidst the tense atmosphere, Ahmad chuckled sarcastically. "Hmm, Kitty, have you forgotten who Ahmad is? If you want to see your daughter so badly, come to the house. But let me remind you, Maryam is not yours; she is mine, and she will always be mine. If you dare play any games with me, you won't get to see her at all. Remember, she's my lovely sister, and I won't hesitate to make her live with us forever. Get that into your head," he threatened, his eyes burning with hatred.

Mrs. Fatima's heart sank as she felt helpless against Ahmad's aggression. She desperately wanted to know if anything had happened to Maryam, and the fear of her daughter being harmed haunted her.

"At least tell me if Khalid did anything to her. Did he hurt her?" she urgently asked, stopping Ahmad in his tracks.

Turning back to face her, Ahmad looked at her with disdain. "Do you even care if she was hurt or not? You don't deserve to be a mother, Kitty," he spat, leaving Mrs. Fatima feeling wounded and hurt.

It's worth noting that Mrs. Fatima dislikes being called "Kitty" by Ahmad, a name only her parents are allowed to use. Despite this, she cannot stop him from using it, as he knows something about her that gives him power over her.

Despite the emotional turmoil she felt, Mrs. Fatima refused to cry. She saw herself as a strong young woman, believing that crying was a sign of weakness. Trying to distract herself, she focused on her work, and her assistant, Amnat, arrived with news about a girl named Zainab who was inquiring about a wedding dress.

Mrs. Fatima realized that Zainab was Ahmad's bride-to-be, and there was also another Ahmad coming to collect a dress for his sister. She instructed Amnat carefully, ensuring there were no mistakes like before. Mrs. Fatima had also placed a tracking device in her business group, which she used discreetly to keep an eye on important matters.

Meanwhile, Maryam returned from school feeling exhausted and emotional. She thought about her mother and the hurt she felt due to her absence. She was sitting on a vatinary stool when she noticed her suitcase. She smiled and went to where the suitcase was, knowing Ahmad had brought it for her, even though she wished it was her mother. She unpacked the clothes and put them in the closet.

During dinner, Uthman inquired if Mrs. Fatima willingly allowed Maryam to stay, to which they answered affirmatively. Uthman found it suspicious but didn't press further.

"Maryam, pass me the fruit salad, please," Mustabshira said. Everyone was gazing at Mustabshira, surprised by what she said.

Maryam, whose face was filled with surprise, hurriedly picked up the bowl of fruit salad that was beside her and gave it to Mustabshira. Mustabshira collected the bowl of fruit salad and smiled at her, and Maryam smiled back at her.

The expression on everyone's face was amusing because no one expected it. Mommy Beauty was smiling because she knew Maryam was the one who made the fruit salad. She usually ate what Maryam cooked but would never let anyone see her doing so. However, today, Mustabshira didn't realize it was Maryam who made the salad.

"Mustab, did you enjoy the salad?" Mommy Beauty asked with a smile on her face that looked like she was about to burst into laughter. Everyone was gazing at her, ready to hear what she would say.

"Mommy Beauty, this salad is so delicious. The last time I tasted a fruit salad like this, it has been a while. I'm sure you made today's salad with a lot of love," Mustabshira said with excitement showing all over her face that she really liked and enjoyed the fruit salad.

They couldn't hold their laughter any longer, and they all burst into laughter. Maryam, who just realized why they were silently laughing, bent her head down as she laughed as well.

Mustabshira was also laughing, thinking they were laughing because of what she said. Uthman just kept laughing and shaking his head, while Ahmad secretly recorded Mustabshira without anyone noticing.

"Mustab, I did not make that fruit salad," Mommy Beauty said as she glanced at Mustabshira and then took her eyes off her, still smiling.

"Then who did? I guess Ahmad did. Right?" Mustabshira asked, praying in her mind that it shouldn't be Maryam.

"While Maryam did," Mommy Beauty replied. The room went silent, waiting for Mustabshira's next move or words. They were still smiling.

Mustabshira felt like the ground should open and swallow her. She asked herself what she was going to do; she didn't even know how to react.

"Well then, her fruit salad is delicious. Nice one, Maryam," Mustabshira said awkwardly with a forced smile. She acted cool and kind but in an uncomfortable way, which surprised everyone because no one was expecting a kind gesture from her. They all continued laughing, except for Mustabshira, who was just sitting there not knowing what to do because of how ashamed she felt. She eventually got up from her chair and ran to her room. After dinner, Maryam took the plates to the kitchen and made sure she washed them before heading to her room.

In her room, Maryam scrolled through her phone that Ahmad had given her during dinner, noticing missed calls and messages from various people, but her mother's absence among them saddened her deeply. Although Mustabshira's small smile during dinner made her happy, she couldn't help but feel a mix of emotions—hurt that her mother hadn't checked on her and happiness that Mustabshira had been kind to her today. Perhaps this was the beginning of something good between them.

Little things easily made Maryam happy.

Tears streamed down her cheeks as she pondered her complex feelings, eventually drifting off to sleep with a heavy heart.

Mustabshira 😂
What do u think about Mustabshira? Is this going to be the beginning of something good between Mustabshira and Maryam?

Don't forget to vote and comment.
Sorry for any errors, please 🙏

Much love ❤️