Destined Hearts

Chapter 9

Muhammad's POV

My hands were shaking as I sit in my car watching her walk away. She shoves her bag over her shoulder as she enters the house leaving me out here with so many emotions I normally bury.

Tears never affect me; I've seen to many from firing lazy assistants and ending unhelpful business ventures. Seeing people cry does nothing to me. So why did seeing her shed a few tears affect me in this way?

Was it because she was a kid, and I probably went too far with it without actually knowing the story? That had to be it. There couldn't be any other reason for me to actually care. Because why else would her crying shake me so hard.

I stay in my car as I breathe through my nose, trying to calm myself before I walk into the house. I wasn't even supposed to be the one to pick her up. I was coming back from the office when Mami called and told me the drivers weren't available to pick her up. I wasn't supposed to put myself in that position.

I don't even know why I was that angry at her for talking to a man. A man way older than her. I had just seen her from afar talking to him as he laughed at her and smiled at her. I knew it was fine at her age to have boyfriends, Asma definitely did no matter how much she thought she could hide it from me. It was normal for men to be attracted to her since she was beautiful but then why was I so angry at the fact that there were men talking and smiling at her.

I know I shouldn't have said the things I said the way I said it, but I needed to protect my family. We were one of the richest and influential families in Abuja and luckily one of the only ones without a scandal attached to their name. I wouldn't let anyone risk that. Not even her. But I shouldn't have put her down and insulted her the way I did, and I definitely shouldn't have implied that she was a bad influence on Inayah. I know she wasn't. She took care of my daughter so well, better than Asma and her nannies, and she did it with a smile on her face. Inayah was starting to be more respectful than she usually was, and I knew it was because Madeenah would always remind her to say thank you and sorry; things she never did before.

God. Sometimes I really don't think things through.

I wipe my face and get out of my car, locking it as I stride into the house. I go to see Inayah first as usual, but she's asleep in her room, which is coincidentally next to Madeenah's. I can't hear sounds coming from the room so maybe she's downstairs already sitting for lunch. I head downstairs and into the dining room to find everyone there. Everyone except her.

I greet Abba and Mami and answer when Asma and the boys greet me. I sit down and get prepared to wait for Madeenah like we usually do if not all of us are here, but instead everyone starts serving themselves. I look around a bit confused but follow everyone's lead. Did they all forget about her? No, they couldn't have.

Conversations go round the table as Mami and Abba talk, Asma argues with Zayn across the table and Hussein speaks to his brother. Abba leaves the table early, and everyone just doesn't seem to notice the one person missing and I can't keep my mouth shut.

I turn to Asma and keep my tone casual. "Asma, where's Madeenah?"

Asma turns to look at me with a weird expression before she shrugs. "She told me she wasn't feeling well but I think she was crying. She wouldn't let me come in and her voice sounded weird. Maybe she misses home."

I see Mami turn to look at Asma and then back to me. I know she's starting to figure some things out in her brain. She knows I was the one to pick her up and she knows how I can be. She probably already suspects the truth and I know she's going to confront me.

I try to escape by making an excuse up to see Inayah, but Mami stops me. "I want to talk to you first. Let's go to my room."

She gets up and heads upstairs before me as I try to figure out if there's a way I can escape this. There isn't. I head upstairs to her room reluctantly. She leaves the door open for me and I find her sitting on her couch. She pats the place next to her as I enter, and I go sit beside her.