fated hearts

chapter 20

Asiya woke up to an empty house, Muhsin nowhere to be seen. She was heading to her parents' house today. She drove her drifting car to their parking space, catching sight of Ya Mariya playing with her two kids and Muhammad.

"Bazaki dena wannan harkan hatsarin ba ko?" Ya Mariya asked, smiling.

"I needed to get things off my chest. Naje drift da dare. Yau da wanda za'ayi later. Inason a duba mun tires. I brought chocolates, inda aka bama Muhammad kuma naga mama da jiki," Asiya replied.

She entered the house, greeted her mom, and chatted a bit with her sister. After bidding farewell to her son, she headed out to get her tires fixed. Cars and horses held a special place in her heart, constantly reminding her of Ibrahim.

Upon returning home, Asiya found Muhsin with another woman on their couch. She just looked away, went to her room, and wrote him a text asking for permission to go drifting.

"I can explain, please," he replied.

"You don't have to explain anything. Do I have your permission to go?" she asked.

"Yes," he replied.

She got ready, and as she came out, Muhsin and the girl were gone. She headed for her car and went to the circuit.

The competition was about to start. Asiya got in, determined to beat as many people as possible. The driver from the previous night was also there. She did well until it was his turn. She read his plate: "Caeser."

"I'm going to whip you today," she muttered.

They started drifting expertly. His techniques reminded her of the past, her heart wondering if it was Ibrahim. She started losing focus, trying to glance at his face. Suddenly, she heard a loud bang. She had run into the rails. Quickly, she tried to get back in control but stopped the car and parked. Removing her glasses, she noticed her car engine was hot, with smoke coming off the bonnet.

Asiya got out of the car as Ibrahim parked and approached her. He could tell it was her from behind.

"Are you okay?" she heard his worried voice.

She turned around, and their eyes locked. She didn't answer, finding a bench and sitting down without removing her face mask or cap. The others helped fix her car, Ibrahim looking at her almost every 15 seconds, wondering what was wrong. Once her car was fixed, she thanked everyone.

Many people never thought a woman was behind the "Sia" Nissan 350Z wheels. Asiya drove out of the circuit, and Ibrahim followed. Miles away from the circuit, he came out and knocked on her window. She rolled it down.

"Are you okay, Sia? Kimun magana, please. Are you still mad at me?" he asked.

She looked at him, realizing he had recognized her. She removed the mask and answered, "I'm fine."

"Asiya, meke damunki, please? You don't look yourself," he said, concerned.

"Ibrahim, I'm married. I need to go," she replied, reversing and driving away.

At home, she found a drunken Muhsin. As she tried to walk upstairs, he asked, "Daga ina kike?"

"Where else? Circuit nace zani," she replied.

He tried to touch her, but she pushed him away. "Wallahi bazaka qara tabani ba after what I saw, Muhsin. You can go to hell for all I care."

Her words and his intoxicated mind drove him into a rage. He hit her so badly she couldn't even raise her hands. Luckily, her bag was close. She reached for it and took out her phone, calling Ya Mariya. Unable to speak, she just sobbed. Ya Mariya, sensing the urgency, immediately rushed to her house.

Ya Mariya found Asiya in a dreadful state. She helped her up and drove her to the hospital, tears streaming down Asiya's face. The drive was silent except for Asiya's occasional sobs, her body trembling with pain and fear.

At the hospital, Asiya was admitted and treated for her injuries. Ya Mariya stayed by her side, holding her hand.

"We'll get through this, Asiya, i'm going to talk to baba" Ya Mariya whispered, her voice filled with determination and sorrow.

Asiya's thoughts drifted to Ibrahim, the drifting circuit, and the life she had once dreamed of. The contrast between her dreams and her reality was too much to bear. She cried herself to sleep, the weight of her suffering pressing down on her heart.

Asiya's pain was not just physical but emotional, the scars of her relationship with Muhsin and the longing for a different life etched deeply into her soul. She felt trapped, suffocated by her circumstances, yet somewhere deep inside, a flicker of hope remained.

Muhsin's violence, his infidelity, and his disregard for her feelings had worn her down,

Asiya's heart ached for Ibrahim, for the love they had lost and the life they could have had. She wondered if she would ever find peace, if the day would come when she could truly be free.

Asiya knew she had to survive, not just for herself but for Muhammad. She had to find a way to navigate her pain, to rebuild her life, and to reclaim her strength. As she lay in the hospital bed, she vowed to keep fighting, to keep hoping, and to never give up