Echoes of Agony

Chapter Four

AbdulJalal had always been a free-spirited man. He had never been in committed relationships and never dated anyone for more than a month at most. Known for being a player, he wore this label with pride and confidence. He was never alone; a beautiful woman was always by his side. Every woman he dated had the same description. So, when his father summoned him urgently, he didn't think it would be about his marriage. It wasn't the first nor the last time his parents questioned him about when he was going to get married. They believed he needed a woman who would be by his side and provide emotional support during his hardest days as the chairman of a difficult-to-rule conglomerate. His mother had arranged women to his liking more than once, and each time, it ended in separation shortly after. He knew those women took pride in dating him, and he had a reputation to keep.

So, when photos of Zaytun were presented to him, he was surprised by his father's choice this time. For one, it was the first time his father interfered in his marriage matters. Two, she was a very beautiful lady with long hair and a cute face. She wore casual clothes in most pictures but was covered in photos that seemed to be taken outside. His first thought was to meet this pretty girl he came to know as Alhaji Babakura's daughter, a well-known businessman, go on one date, and do what he did with every potential partner: scare them away by being mean and disinterested. Except it didn't happen with Zaytun Babakura. The first time he met her was as clear as day. She walked through the door with confidence, but she was still nervous—that much he could tell. As a CEO, he had sat through many situations and met numerous businessmen. His employees were always nervous around him and feared for their jobs. So, body language was one of the easiest fields he excelled in. Still, that didn't stop Zaytun from being so cute and so engaged in getting to know him. That raised AbdulJalal's left eyebrow. The women he met before would make their intentions clear, implying they wanted him for his money. However, no comment was made about money, expensive clothes, or lavish weddings during their whole date, and AbdulJalal was confused. He wanted to offer her a sum of money so they could separate, but he didn't say anything the whole night, knowing she'd definitely say no. Instead, he observed Zaytun, something he never did. She was a hard-to-get woman, and he was determined to find a way to stay with this pretty little lady. This was the first time a woman wasn't preening for his attention or acting flirty towards him. Seriously, there was nothing in common between them. Zaytun was still a university student pursuing a degree.

They parted ways with the promise to meet again. And they did. AbdulJalal could swear that he was going to burst with frustration and annoyance over this whole thing. He knew he could just turn down the marriage like he did with many others. It was just that AbdulJalal was never familiar with people saying no to him until Zaytun came into the picture. Then she entered his life, and now he had to come up with a plan.

That's where his friends came into the picture. His circle consisted mostly of family members. Idris Sani, Zahra Sani, and Usman Sani were his cousins from his father's side. They all helped AbdulJalal manage the Sani Conglomerate and had been friends for a long time. Their other friend, Ibrahim, the head chief of the marketing and promotion department of their company, was a very close friend they met in their last year of secondary school. So they were his confidantes and safe place, even though Idris always stayed away from their behavior and distanced himself from many of their discussions and arguments.

"That's the first time someone didn't let you bribe them on the first date. I'm pulling my hat off for this one," said Ibrahim.

"I didn't even try to give her the bribe," AbdulJalal groaned.

"As ridiculous as it sounds, she might be the perfect counterpart for you, AbdulJalal. She might be the one for you. Think about it: you, the one with a lot of anger issues and impatience, and she, the one with the ability to control you…" Usman's eloquence was interrupted when loud complaints filled AbdulJalal's office.