ORNAMENTS✅

Chapter Ten

DASUKI STATE, NIGERIA
2021.

Umaimah sighed.

She glanced at Zizi, then at Asad. Taking the now-empty bowl back to the kitchen, she walked to her room and locked it from the inside.

"You came back. I missed you," Zizi said to Asad, sitting beside him.

"Why did you come here without informing me? What if my dad or mum, or someone else, saw you?"

"Oh, Asad, don't worry, I know my way around here," Zizi replied. "Are you distancing yourself because you have a wife?"

"As a matter of fact, Zizi, please don't start!" Asad warned.

---

Asma stood in front of the mirror for a while, examining herself. She wore a perfectly A-shaped gown, or at least that’s how she thought it looked. She had crushed on him when he first returned to Nigeria, but now he was asking her out?

She shook her head, feeling overwhelmed.

Grabbing her handbag, she walked into the living room, where she found Hajiya seated on the couch with a bowl of grapes beside her, just as usual.

"Hajiya, good morning," Asma greeted.

"Morning, where are you going this early?" Hajiya asked.

"Hajiya, I have to meet someone."

"Toh Sai Kin dawo, till you return. May God protect you."

"Ameen, Hajiya. Sai na dawo."

Asma left the house and walked to a car waiting just a few minutes away from the gate. She entered, the black-tinted windows blocking the view from the outside.

"Wow, you look beautiful," the man inside the car commented as he started driving.

He navigated through the streets of Dasuki until he reached a building with its gate wide open. He drove in and parked.

Both Asma and the man stepped out of the car and entered the building. It appeared to be a completely booked restaurant.

They sat down at a table in a romantic, beautifully decorated restaurant.

"Did you book the entire place?" Asma asked.

"Yes, I did. Anything for you, beaut," the man replied with a smile. He was a sucker for saying romantic things, hoping his charm would work on her and she wouldn’t suspect that he was pretending.

"It’s a pleasure meeting you here, Nabeel Shamaki."

"Oh, no need to be so formal. Just call me Nabeel," he responded casually.

"Nabeel, don’t you think our parents will be upset that you and I are friends? They hold grudges against each other," Asma said, looking thoughtful.

"Oh, Asma, you're so considerate. But how would they know if we don't tell them?" Nabeel shrugged, his smile not faltering. It was time to get to the point.

"So, what do you want to have?" he asked.

"No, I'm okay," she replied.

"You wouldn’t possibly have me bring you to a fully booked restaurant and not eat anything, right? That would be a shame for me," Nabeel teased.

"Oh no, I’ll have some mocktail," Asma said quickly.

"Waiter, just bring everything romantic on your menu," Nabeel ordered.

"Nabeel, that’s too much," Asma protested.

"Anything for you, Asma," he said, his voice soft. She should fall for this, he thought. If not, He’ll recite a poem until she does.

"Asma, I’ll get straight to the point. I like you. You’re nice, beautiful, kind, and elegant. I’d like you to consider this young man’s heart, no pressure—you can take your time. If it takes an eternity, I’ll wait for you, Asma."

Internally, Nabeel was struggling. Everything he said was a lie. He feels suffocated even staying here, but he has to do this for Nini, for Yazid, and for the lost girl. He thinks her name is Maryam, but it changed to Umaimah. Yeah, He keeps forgetting, so he'll just call her the lost girl.

Asma smiled as the waiter brought a variety of dishes to the table. Well, he said what he wanted to say. Now it’s time to go.

"Asma, as you know, I’m a busy person. It took a lot for me to cancel my plans and meet you this morning. I have somewhere else I need to be, but with your permission, may I leave? I’m really sorry. I’ll make it up to you sometime."

"Don’t worry, Nabeel. You can go," Asma said, nodding.

With that, Nabeel stood up.

"My driver will wait outside for you. He’ll take you home," he said, his smile barely hiding his satisfaction.

Okay, she’s definitely fallen for it, he thought. He doesn’t like what he's doing, but it’s better than letting Alh. Yabo and Abba fight over Umaimah. He’ll get her back his way, just a little more waiting, Nini.

---

This was Umaimah’s life now. She’d wake up, cook, clean, then go back to her room and lock the door until he was gone. But she was tired.

She had her goals when she came here, and she was determined to achieve them.

First, she needed to gather as much money as she could so she could leave this place. But for that, she needed her so-called husband to divorce her.

All of a sudden, her thoughts went blank. She couldn’t think of anything anymore.

With a sigh, she walked to the kitchen for her usual routine, cooking before sitting down to eat.