The light he saw—blinding—made him shut them again instantly, his head throbbing painfully.
Mommy quickly moved closer, holding his hand with a smile while wiping her tears.
“Dad, look, he’s awake.
I just saw him open his eyes.”
Dad hurried over, gently touched his face, then quickly turned away, saying,
“Let me call the doctor, Alhamdulillah.”
Slowly, he tightened his grip on Mommy’s hand. She quickly placed her other hand on top and asked,
“Aslam, how are you feeling? What do you need?”
He sighed and said,
“The light is too much for me.”
She immediately got up and dimmed the lights in the room.
“I’ve reduced it,” she told him.
He slowly reopened his heavy eyelids and saw Mommy smiling at him.
He smiled back and tried to sit up.
Mommy quickly helped him, placing a pillow behind his back for support.
When he was settled, she hugged him and said,
“Congratulations, son.”
He went silent, then gently pulled her away and asked,
“Mommy, so it wasn’t a dream?”
Smiling, she pinched his cheeks and replied,
“It wasn’t a dream, groom of Huda.”
Just then, Dad returned with the doctor behind him.
Doctor’s Examination
The doctor performed a few tests and asked,
“Where do you feel pain? How does your body feel?”
Aslam slowly answered,
“Nothing much…
Just a bit of a headache now and then.”
The doctor wrote down some notes, then told them,
“They can discharge him after you sign the forms and buy these medications.
There’s nothing serious wrong with him.
Like I said before, it was just shock that made him faint. But he’s fine now. May Allah protect him.”
He left the room.
Dad’s Apology
Dad sat on the chair beside the bed and began,
“Aslam, I’m so sorry.
I never thought it would upset you this much.
That’s why when Abba came to us with this proposal, both we and her parents agreed.
The marriage contract is already done.
I beg you, please control your emotions and don’t do anything that would hurt her.
She also didn’t want this—it was our decision.
Live in peace, and maybe one day you’ll love each other.
Don’t do anything to shame us, especially in front of her grandfather.
I thought he and her family would be unhappy about the change from Arshaad, but they supported us completely.
And I know Abba is like a father to you.
Please endure this—he also had to swallow his pride.
Even though it embarrassed him, he still made the effort to join you two in marriage.
Don’t shame me, Aslam, please.”
Dad clasped his hands together in a pleading gesture.
Aslam quickly reached out, held Dad’s hand, and lowered his gaze.
The room fell silent.
Dad finally stood and said,
“Let’s go.
When we leave, Ado will pick up the medicine from the pharmacy.”
He left.
Searching for Arshaad
Aslam’s mind was elsewhere until Mommy touched his face, making him turn to her.
Before she could speak, he asked,
“Where’s Arshaad?”
Mommy’s heart skipped a beat.
She had been so focused on Aslam’s recovery that she hadn’t thought of Arshaad since arriving at the hospital.
Taking a deep breath, she said softly,
“He’ll be okay. Don’t worry.”
Aslam closed his eyes, about to speak, when Dad’s phone call interrupted.
Mommy answered.
“Is there a problem? I see you haven’t left yet,” Dad said.
“No problem, we’re on our way,” she replied.
She hung up, held Aslam’s hand—his body feeling weak—and helped him stand.
They left together.
On the way, the driver stopped for the medicine, then they continued home.
Returning Home
When they arrived, Aslam told Mommy he needed rest and went to his room.
He performed ablution and began praying voluntary prayers.
Meanwhile, Dad called Daddy, telling him to bring Auwal Mom and Ummi with all the mansion’s drivers and cars to meet at the estate gate—they would go pick up Aslam’s bride.
Earlier — Arshaad’s Turmoil (12:00 PM)
Ever since Dad left, Arshaad couldn’t sit still.
Mammy refused to let him go out.
He ignored Auwal’s calls, thinking they’d only bring trouble.
He suspected Auwal wanted to urge him to hurry to the wedding.
He knew Dad wouldn’t cancel the wedding because of Mammy, but he still wanted to be there—it was the most important day of his life.
Then suddenly, all three of his phones started ringing nonstop for over ten minutes.
When he finally checked, he saw Jamil and his other friends calling repeatedly.
Feeling uneasy, he finally answered Jamil.
Before he could speak, Jamil said,
“What happened, Arshaad?”
“Sorry, something important came up,” Arshaad replied.
“What do you mean something important kept you from marrying her?” Jamil asked.
Confused, Arshaad said,
“I don’t understand. Our marriage hasn’t happened yet, right?”
Realizing Arshaad didn’t know, Jamil told him,
“Well, the wedding is over. I was a witness myself.
But not with you—with your brother Aslam.”
Arshaad froze.
Confrontation with Mammy
Mammy noticed his frozen state and moved closer.
“Are you okay?” she asked.
He took a deep breath and dropped his phone, shattering it.
Mammy cupped his face, worried.
But in a voice full of rage she had never heard before, he shouted,
“This is what you wanted! For everyone to be ruined!
Isn’t that right?”
Mammy snapped back,
“Watch your tone, I’m your mother!”
But he grabbed her shoulders tightly and shook her,
“Mother?! That word is what you used to destroy my life forever!
You’ve already killed me inside—just finish the job!”
He violently removed his cap and robe, smashing his wardrobe mirror with his fist, shattering it, then used a stool to break it completely.
Mammy tried to restrain him, horrified at the blood now covering the room.
But he shoved her away, eyes red with tears.
“You betrayed me!
I never thought you’d do this to me.
I’ve done nothing but protect you and make you happy.
Do you remember the day you pushed Mommy from upstairs?
I saw you!
I stayed quiet to protect you!
I even kept silent about everything I learned about Huda’s family.
Description
Waking Up
Slowly, he opened his eyes.
The light he saw—blinding—made him shut them again instantly, his head throbbing painfully.
Mommy quickly moved closer, holding his hand with a smile while wiping her tears.
“Dad, look, he’s awake.
I just saw him open his eyes.”
Dad hurried over, gently touched his face, then quickly turned away, saying,
“Let me call the doctor, Alhamdulillah.”
Slowly, he tightened his grip on Mommy’s hand. She quickly placed her other hand on top and asked,
“Aslam, how are you feeling? What do you need?”
He sighed and said,
“The light is too much for me.”
She immediately got up and dimmed the lights in the room.
“I’ve reduced it,” she told him.
He slowly reopened his heavy eyelids and saw Mommy smiling at him.
He smiled back and tried to sit up.
Mommy quickly helped him, placing a pillow behind his back for support.
When he was settled, she hugged him and said,
“Congratulations, son.”
He went silent, then gently pulled her away and asked,
“Mommy, so it wasn’t a dream?”
Smiling, she pinched his cheeks and replied,
“It wasn’t a dream, groom of Huda.”
Just then, Dad returned with the doctor behind him.
Doctor’s Examination
The doctor performed a few tests and asked,
“Where do you feel pain? How does your body feel?”
Aslam slowly answered,
“Nothing much…
Just a bit of a headache now and then.”
The doctor wrote down some notes, then told them,
“They can discharge him after you sign the forms and buy these medications.
There’s nothing serious wrong with him.
Like I said before, it was just shock that made him faint. But he’s fine now. May Allah protect him.”
He left the room.
Dad’s Apology
Dad sat on the chair beside the bed and began,
“Aslam, I’m so sorry.
I never thought it would upset you this much.
That’s why when Abba came to us with this proposal, both we and her parents agreed.
The marriage contract is already done.
I beg you, please control your emotions and don’t do anything that would hurt her.
She also didn’t want this—it was our decision.
Live in peace, and maybe one day you’ll love each other.
Don’t do anything to shame us, especially in front of her grandfather.
I thought he and her family would be unhappy about the change from Arshaad, but they supported us completely.
And I know Abba is like a father to you.
Please endure this—he also had to swallow his pride.
Even though it embarrassed him, he still made the effort to join you two in marriage.
Don’t shame me, Aslam, please.”
Dad clasped his hands together in a pleading gesture.
Aslam quickly reached out, held Dad’s hand, and lowered his gaze.
The room fell silent.
Dad finally stood and said,
“Let’s go.
When we leave, Ado will pick up the medicine from the pharmacy.”
He left.
Searching for Arshaad
Aslam’s mind was elsewhere until Mommy touched his face, making him turn to her.
Before she could speak, he asked,
“Where’s Arshaad?”
Mommy’s heart skipped a beat.
She had been so focused on Aslam’s recovery that she hadn’t thought of Arshaad since arriving at the hospital.
Taking a deep breath, she said softly,
“He’ll be okay. Don’t worry.”
Aslam closed his eyes, about to speak, when Dad’s phone call interrupted.
Mommy answered.
“Is there a problem? I see you haven’t left yet,” Dad said.
“No problem, we’re on our way,” she replied.
She hung up, held Aslam’s hand—his body feeling weak—and helped him stand.
They left together.
On the way, the driver stopped for the medicine, then they continued home.
Returning Home
When they arrived, Aslam told Mommy he needed rest and went to his room.
He performed ablution and began praying voluntary prayers.
Meanwhile, Dad called Daddy, telling him to bring Auwal Mom and Ummi with all the mansion’s drivers and cars to meet at the estate gate—they would go pick up Aslam’s bride.
Earlier — Arshaad’s Turmoil (12:00 PM)
Ever since Dad left, Arshaad couldn’t sit still.
Mammy refused to let him go out.
He ignored Auwal’s calls, thinking they’d only bring trouble.
He suspected Auwal wanted to urge him to hurry to the wedding.
He knew Dad wouldn’t cancel the wedding because of Mammy, but he still wanted to be there—it was the most important day of his life.
Then suddenly, all three of his phones started ringing nonstop for over ten minutes.
When he finally checked, he saw Jamil and his other friends calling repeatedly.
Feeling uneasy, he finally answered Jamil.
Before he could speak, Jamil said,
“What happened, Arshaad?”
“Sorry, something important came up,” Arshaad replied.
“What do you mean something important kept you from marrying her?” Jamil asked.
Confused, Arshaad said,
“I don’t understand. Our marriage hasn’t happened yet, right?”
Realizing Arshaad didn’t know, Jamil told him,
“Well, the wedding is over. I was a witness myself.
But not with you—with your brother Aslam.”
Arshaad froze.
Confrontation with Mammy
Mammy noticed his frozen state and moved closer.
“Are you okay?” she asked.
He took a deep breath and dropped his phone, shattering it.
Mammy cupped his face, worried.
But in a voice full of rage she had never heard before, he shouted,
“This is what you wanted! For everyone to be ruined!
Isn’t that right?”
Mammy snapped back,
“Watch your tone, I’m your mother!”
But he grabbed her shoulders tightly and shook her,
“Mother?! That word is what you used to destroy my life forever!
You’ve already killed me inside—just finish the job!”
He violently removed his cap and robe, smashing his wardrobe mirror with his fist, shattering it, then used a stool to break it completely.
Mammy tried to restrain him, horrified at the blood now covering the room.
But he shoved her away, eyes red with tears.
“You betrayed me!
I never thought you’d do this to me.
I’ve done nothing but protect you and make you happy.
Do you remember the day you pushed Mommy from upstairs?
I saw you!
I stayed quiet to protect you!
I even kept silent about everything I learned about Huda’s family.
Because I love you, Mammy.
There’s no one like you in the world.
But you destroyed me.”