Empress Dosha

Chapter 47

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The more she spoke, the more her words burned in his mind. 'Shocked' would be an understatement to what he felt in that moment.

All because of what....

"That is all." Hafsatu concluded, still maintaining the distance between his sitted self and her standing posture.

'That isn't all!' He wanted to retort. He tightened his intertwined fingers and eyes, looking for a way to calm his breath. Rashid lowered his hands from his mouth, looking at his mother, he gauged the distance between them and the look on her face, wondering why she maintained that long distance and also the scared look on her face. Was she scared of him? The thought sort of angered him. Or she was just taking precautions! From what exactly?

"So all these has been happening. Why didn't you tell me from the onset?" Rashid questioned his mother.

"I regret not telling you, I....I thought you will consider my option to marry her."

He sucked in his bottom lip, shaking his head, "All these could have been avoided Mama. And it got dragged to when they put all our lives in danger and tried to poison my wife! What if.... what if...." The 'what ifs' began playing in his head on different scenarios.

"I am sorry," She was beside him in an instant. So she wasn't wary of him! She placed a hand on his shoulder, "I am very sorry, Rashid." She added, taking the space beside him, "If I had known it will cause all these I wouldn't have made that promise. I was just in this state and blurted out...."

"There is no need for you to explain, I am not blaming you. You could have told me. Look, I am responsible for this family that is why I go out of my way to make sure everyone is at ease but all of you don't get it, you hide things from me and when I find out it gets worse. The only thing I knew was that you promised her I would get married to her daughter and my mistake was not confronting you about it. Making a promise is huge, Mama. Breaking promises is way larger than a mountain. And of all, you sent her away. Why? She never caused you any harm did she? Making her look like the bad person to the society....do you know what she would've went through? The humiliation? And more you got her to eventually convince me to let her go when I didn't want to. Hauwa deserves none of these, she is innocent! Innocent as a newborn." He clasped his hands around his neck, exhaling loudly through his mouth.

Hafsatu's sobs choked beside him, "I am sorry I am sorry...." Reeling on his words, she could imagine what his former betrothed Hauwa might've gone through. People can be very harsh and emotionless. She had done something so bad. It was all in the past but guilt would never make her feel at peace. All because of a promise? Hauwa had done nothing to deserve what they did to her. Would she be forgiven?

'Sorry?....' They were many words he wanted to say.

"For more than two months they have been monitoring my wife who never knew they even existed and tried to poison her!" The 'what ifs' resumed. He shut his eyes painfully, "And....and you knew but never told me. They walked freely. Are you protecting them? Is it because she saved you?"

Hafsatu cried more, "I can't say a 'yes' or 'no'. Someone who saved me wouldn't have the mind to poison another. She would've told you all we did, she would have said more, she was threatening me!"

"What is the difference hearing it from you now? She threatened you...." His words cut shut again, "Mama, tell me, is there any thing else I need to know about this?"

"I promise you that is all, but you have to know, whatever is going on with your wife right now, they're behind it."

That did it for him!