YOU AND ME

Aisha

Everything is falling apart, and I can feel it. The house that was once under my control now feels like a prison, and I’m the one trapped in it. Ever since that disaster of an engagement, my name is on everyone’s lips, but not in the way it used to be. They whisper about me, and I can see it in their eyes—the judgment, the disdain. My husband… even he’s turned cold.

“You’ve lost control,” he spat at me just the other day, his voice full of disgust. “Do you even see what you’ve done to this family?”

His words cut deep, but I refuse to let them break me. Control? He doesn’t understand. I haven’t lost control. I’m fighting to keep it. Every time I see Amina, I see everything slipping away, and it burns inside me like acid. My son, my family, my power—it’s all because of her. She’s poisoned this family, and no one sees it but me.

I need a way to get rid of her. For good.

---

I’m pacing in the garden now, late at night, the cool air doing nothing to calm the storm inside me. Kavya waits for me in the shadows, her lips curled into a knowing smirk. She already knows why I’ve come. Of course, she does.

“I need a plan,” I hiss, my voice low. “Something big. Something that’ll get rid of Amina forever.”

Kavya steps closer, her eyes gleaming with malice. “I thought you’d never ask. You want her gone? Then we have to play dirty.”

I stop pacing, narrowing my eyes. “What do you mean?”

“We create a fight,” she says, her voice as cold as the night air. “Something that’ll turn everyone against her. But not just any fight. We need something that’ll destroy her completely.”

I hate how intrigued I am. I know I shouldn’t be, but I can’t help it. “Go on.”

Kavya leans in, her voice dropping to a whisper. “Grandma. She’s the one backing Amina. As long as that old woman is alive, you’ll never have the family on your side.”

I recoil at first. Kill Grandma? The thought of it twists in my stomach. But Kavya is relentless.

“She’s old, Aisha. She’s going to die soon anyway. If we make it look like Amina had something to do with it, the family will turn on her. You’ll be back in control.”

I say nothing. My mind races, but the more I think about it, the more sense it makes. If Grandma were gone, no one would be there to defend Amina. The family would be mine again.

“I’ll… think about it,” I mutter, turning away from her. But I already know what I’m going to do.

The tension between Grandma and me has been building for days now. Every time she looks at me, I can see the disdain in her eyes, and it’s all because of Amina. She’s always taking Amina’s side, always undermining me in front of the family. I can’t take it anymore.

It comes to a head one evening in the living room. We’re alone, and the conversation turns to Amina. Of course, it does.

“You’ve poisoned this family,” Grandma snaps, her voice trembling with anger. “All you’ve done since Amina came here is try to tear her down. You’re destroying this family, Aisha.”

I feel my blood boiling. “I’m the only one trying to protect this family from her manipulation! She’s a snake, and you’re too blind to see it!”

Grandma’s eyes narrow. “Amina has done nothing but love this family. You’re the one who’s filled with jealousy and greed, not her.”

Her words hit me like a slap, but I don’t let her see how much they sting. “You think you know everything, don’t you? You think you still have control over this family, but you don’t. Your time is over, old woman.”

Grandma stands, her body shaking with rage. “You listen to me, Ayesha. I’ve seen women like you before—women who are so obsessed with power that they’ll destroy anything that stands in their way, even their own family. You’ll ruin everything.”

I storm out of the room, my heart pounding in my chest. I can’t take it anymore. I won’t let her, or anyone else, stand in my way.

---

I lie in bed that night, staring at the ceiling, replaying the argument with Grandma over and over in my head. The way she looked at me, the way she spoke to me—it’s too much. She’s always defending Amina, always turning the family against me. I can’t let it go on like this.

I glance over at my husband, his back turned to me, as distant and cold as ever. He’s useless. I’m on my own now.

“She’ll never stop,” I mutter to myself. “She’ll always take Amina’s side.”

I sit up, reaching for my phone. My hands are shaking, but I can’t stop myself. I dial Kavya’s number.

“Kavya,” I whisper into the phone. “Let’s do it. Let’s get rid of Grandma.”

---

The next morning, Kavya and I meet again. She’s grinning like she’s been waiting for this moment all along.

“It’s about time,” she says, her voice filled with excitement. “Now, here’s what we’re going to do…”

We go over the plan, every detail meticulously laid out. It has to look like an accident, but we’ll make sure there’s just enough suspicion to point fingers at Amina. Once Grandma’s out of the way, the family will have no one left to protect Amina.

And me? I’ll be back where I belong—on top.

It’s cruel. It’s heartless. But in this family, survival comes first.

And I will survive.