THE NARCISSIST'S WIFE

Chapter One: A New Dawn

Salam alaikum all! So, here's our first chapter of 'The Narcissist's Wife'. I will be updating on weekly basis Insha Allah and perhaps bio weekly sometimes, all will depend on your comments and votes and all...😄😍 I hope you enjoy the new dawn. 💕💕

November, 2016.

"Are you serious"? Zahra almost screamed her excitement into the receiver. "Yes yes, I'm ready when you are. Jazakumullahu khairan. Mr. Hafiz."

Job! Finally, a job!

She wasn't sure exactly whether to be excited or skeptical. She had never worked in an open place before. No doubt she would come across men of different nature. Non-mahram men talking to her, needing things from her.

Tomorrow she was to resume her new part-time work as designer for Abdul-mutallib & Co. textile. Despite her wariness, her comfort laid in the fact that the company was, all it's worth, Islamically oriented; the females were allowed to dress in their Hijabs and Jilbabs and, in the least, Abayas. And Ma Shaa Allah, the pay was good. Zahra knew she was lucky to have gotten the job.

Though she had read Engineering in the university, pattern sketching was a skill she was born with and she had never had the opportunity to utilize that skill professionally, until then. Finally, she would do something she liked!

An hour later, Zahra was still searching her wardrobe for what to wear on her first day at work. She was not the type to care much about her physical appearances, but she was nervous. After a thorough search, she decided to settle for golden brown hijab; it would match her simple tailored brown Abaya, she thought.

"Zahra."

Startled, she turned away from her pile of clothes towards the voice that was calling. It was her aunt, Pendo Dija, looking perplexed. "What on earth is going on here?" she asked, looking from her niece to the heap of cloths on the bed. Even though she had been staying with them for just a few weeks, Pendo Dija did not know her niece to be the disorganized sort.

"Oh! Pendo Dija, I didn't know you were home. I was just looking for something to wear tomorrow..." She hesitated about giving her aunt the news but Zahra knew that she was eventually going to find out, since she was a stakeholder and had made her employment a reality in the first place. Besides, her talkative aunt was not going to let it go till she explained the reason for her scattered closet.

"I got in..." She said at last. "Abdul-mutallib & Co... they called me today. I'm to begin work tomorrow, In Sha Allah!"

As if Pendo Dija had been waiting for this information, she hurried into the room and enveloped her niece in a bear hug.

"Ya Salam! Zahra, this is great news! I'm so proud of you, I knew you could do it."

Zahra would never get used to her aunt's display of affection. The woman was an ocean of emotions. If not for her pulling some connective strings, she would not have even gotten in in the first place. So what was she saying?

Unable to hold herself anymore, Zahra pulled back from her aunt, "I would like to be alone now. I need to rearrange this..."

"Nonsense!" the older woman interrupted. "Larai!" She screamed and a while later, a maid appeared at the door looking expectantly. "Arrange these clothes into the closet and bring something hot for Zahra to drink."

"I really am okay aunt..." Zahrah protested, but to no avail. Her aunt had started moving towards the door dismissively, muttering something to the maid. The woman was stubborn. She reminded Zahra of how she used to be; lively, jovial, optimistic... All these, life had taught her to keep aside. She felt her eyes cloud with tears, and angrily wiped them away!She would not remember any of those moments! She had moved on.

Or so she thought...

Okay....Let's hear your thoughts... 😅 Is it a good place to end the chapter? Don't forget to vote and share. 🙏 Jazakumullahu khairan! 🥰😍❤️

Ps: Don't forget to observe the etiquettes of the best day of the week! 💕💕