Mar Adams Book One Complete Hausa Novel

Mar Adams Book One begins with a powerful story of family pressure, hidden emotions, fear, pride, and a love that seems impossible. This English translation follows Mr. ATA, Maryam, and the family decision that changes the direction of their lives.

Mar Adams Book One

He was dressed in expensive casual clothing: jeans and a T-shirt, both American products. He stood in the courtyard of their huge estate with Hisham beside him. Both of his hands were buried deep inside the pockets of his trousers.

One look at him was enough for anyone to understand that he was angry. There was no trace of mercy on his face because of the situation troubling his life. Most of all, his sweetheart, his mother, had confused his plans again by bringing up the issue of marriage to a girl he hated seeing more than anything. If there was anything he loved as much as death, then it was his hatred for that girl.

As they stood there, Hisham spoke to him about the messages he had received concerning their business. But Mr. ATA was not paying attention at all. His mind and peace were far away. He was thinking about how life kept pushing him from side to side, and where he would finally place control over his own life, especially with the kind of life his mother and siblings wanted him to live now.

Slowly, Hisham stepped a little away from his side to answer a call because he knew Mr. ATA’s nature. He did not like the sound of phones ringing. The ringing of Hisham’s phone was what brought him back to his senses. He released a hot breath from his mouth and lifted his beautiful eyes toward their house.

He saw Maryam and Muhd Bello, his closest friend, trying to come out of the house. A terrible anger seized him. His heart burned with bitterness. On Maryam’s side, when she saw where he was standing, she began walking toward him, but the beating of her heart increased beyond measure.

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In the name of Allah, the Most Gracious, the Most Merciful.

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Page Three

With sudden speed, Mr. ATA quickly removed his eyes from them. He turned away, feeling a deep pain mixed with bitterness. Everything in his life had lost its sweetness. At that moment, there was no face he hated seeing like hers.

From where Maryam stood, she could not bring herself to take another step forward. She remained standing in one place, her heart beating with extreme force because of how deeply she feared him.

Because of that, Muhd Bello also stopped there. After finishing their conversation, Maryam quickly turned and went back inside, feeling completely unhappy.

Nana Hauwa’u looked at her and said, “Are you already back?”

She asked this because she knew that whenever Maryam and Muhd Bello were alone, they usually spent time talking. They were very close, and their bond was strong.

Maryam did not say a word. Her heart was filled with pain. Nana Hauwa’u continued speaking while looking at her carefully.

“Maybe Ya Adam is outside? I noticed your face changed.”

Maryam pressed her lips together and said, “You already know. If it is not because I saw him, what else would make my face become like this?”

She released a heavy sigh.

“Sister, I do not understand the reason for this hatred Ya Adam has for me. It hurts me deeply. Sometimes I feel like packing my things and leaving this house so I can finally rest from the way he looks at me with hatred. Am I the only one in this house? His hatred is as if he wants to kill me.”

“No, no, sister! Why would you say that?” Nana Hauwa’u replied. “You are not the only one he treats like this. Take me as an example. That alone should calm your heart. Ya Adam behaves like this toward everyone. His hatred touches everybody.”

Maryam pressed her lips again.

“He may behave that way toward everyone, but by Allah, mine is worse than everyone else’s. He does not even want to look at me. I do not know what I have done to him in this life. The way I see myself in his eyes, it is as if he wants to kill me.”

Nana Hauwa’u only smiled.

“Do you know what burned my heart even more?” Maryam asked.

Nana Hauwa’u shook her head, showing that she did not know.

Maryam continued, “He saw me with Ya Muhd Bello, and that man turned his back on us quickly as if he had seen something terrible. By Allah, you did not hear how humiliated I felt. I could not even continue walking.”

Nana Hauwa’u held her and led her to the chair where she was sitting. She made Maryam sit beside her, smiling gently. Then she began calming her down with different examples because she did not want anything that would make Maryam leave the house. At least Maryam’s social media activities always entertained her.

Maryam remained quiet, listening to her.

Muhd Bello Advises Mr. ATA

Muhd Bello moved closer to where Mr. ATA stood. He placed one hand on his shoulder and gently turned him around. He looked directly into his eyes, his face calm with a smile.

“Why, ATA? Why are you making your life difficult? What does Maryam lack? Why will you not follow the choice of your mother and your siblings?”

Mr. ATA closed his thick eyes and released a hot breath from his mouth.

“You know everything about me, M.B. From the beginning of my life until now that I am standing in front of you, there is nothing about me that you do not know.”

“I know, ATA,” Muhd Bello said, moving even closer. “But at least look at the matter from your mother’s side and your siblings’ side. They gave you a long time, yet you remained silent and gave no explanation. Now that they want you and Maryam together, accept it. Love her.”

Mr. ATA became silent, looking him up and down.

“Accept it. Love her.”

Those words repeated in his mind. Slowly, he placed his hand on his chest as he felt his heartbeat increasing because of Muhd Bello’s statement.

Before he could speak, he heard Muhd Bello continue.

“Even Maryam herself does not know about the matter. From the way Mami is speaking, you will understand that she has already made her decision about you. And I am certain that even if Maryam finds out, she will not refuse. She will obey and marry you even if her heart does not want it.”

“My advice is for you to accept marrying her. That girl is calm and sensible. She will not give you trouble. She is educated and kind. Most importantly, you share the same blood with her. What destroyed someone else may not destroy you. What you think you see in your life may not necessarily be the truth because not every beginning…”

“Stop!”

Mr. ATA cut him off sharply.

“M.B., do not talk rubbish, okay?” he said angrily, facing him fully. He crossed both hands over his broad chest. Their eyes locked as if that day was the first time they had ever seen each other.

His heart was burning with pain and bitterness.

“Are you God that you can tell me that?” he asked with anger in his voice. “Well, I do not care about everything you said. I know that I rely on Allah, not on you. And I believe He will not abandon my matter. He will fulfill my desire.”

“I know Allah will not abandon your matter,” Muhd Bello replied. “But you must first obey your mother before Allah looks at your case. Allah says that we should worship none but Him and be good to parents. The Prophet, peace be upon him, mentioned the mother three times before the father. Since you know that Allah controls everything, then you should put it in your heart that this marriage has already happened, by the will of Allah.”

He smiled teasingly and continued, “I can even already hear your voices in happiness. I can even see you when she is six months pregnant, walking with difficulty, while you hold her bag and comfort her.”

He finished with a mischievous smile and hit Mr. ATA lightly on the shoulder. This made Mr. ATA’s face tighten even more as he gave him a heavy glare.

Hisham Joins the Conversation

While they were in that state, Hisham, who had been standing nearby on the phone, ended the call and slipped his phone into his pocket. He came closer and stretched his hand toward Muhd Bello, who also gave him his hand.

“I have been waiting for you to finish that call so we can gather and help Mami in the final battle,” Muhd Bello said.

“Against who?” Hisham asked.

“Against this stubborn son of hers, of course. The one with a head harder than stone.”

He explained the situation to him. Hisham nodded.

“Honestly, Mami has made a good decision. All we can say is may Allah help you take care of Maryam’s trust. Please, my friend, accept it. Do not make Mami feel ashamed. Besides, marriage completes a man’s dignity. Wherever you go, if you are not married, your respect reduces. Even I am trying to convince Nuzla. If Allah helps me and she agrees, then our weddings can be done together.”

Mr. ATA hissed loudly and glared at him as if his eyes would come out.

“I can see that you too are not in your right senses, just like this one,” he said, turning away. “All of you are very stupid.”

Slowly, Mr. ATA began walking away without saying anything else. If he continued speaking, he knew he would only insult them.

As he walked, his anger increased. Anyone who saw him would know that he was disturbed. Those responsible for his safety immediately became alert. Everyone moved with caution because whenever he was angry, he could suspend someone from work.

His escorts quickly followed him with careful steps, protecting their duties.

Muhd Bello followed him, and they walked together toward where his cars were parked. The escorts were trying to open the car door for them while Hisham turned and headed toward his own house.

Just as Mr. ATA was about to enter the car, a call came into his phone. He stopped immediately and put his hand into his pocket. When he brought out the phone, he saw Aunty Shahida’s name moving across the screen. He released a hot breath, pressed the green button, placed the phone to his ear, and remained silent.

Aunty Shahida Calls Adam

On the other end, Aunty Shahida spoke first because she knew he would not be the one to start.

“Where are you now?”

He remained silent, biting his lower lip. She repeated the question before he finally forced his mouth open.

“I am about to leave the house now.”

“Do not dare leave the house without apologizing to Mami.”

“I hear you. I will return later at night because she is very angry now,” he said, closing his eyes as his heart burned.

“No. Go now because I know she is badly hurt. That is why I said this. I do not want her to be angry with you, Adam. You know Mami is very patient with us, especially you. She endures and overlooks everything. This time, you pushed her too far.”

“Then what do you people want me to do with my life?”

“Be patient and obey her command,” she said briefly.

“So this is how my life will end in hardship? You people refuse to stop and understand me?”

“What understanding should we stop for when you were given time and you refused to do anything?” she asked. “Our prayer is that you obey our mother, take care of Maryam as a trust, and never hurt her. I assure you, you will enjoy being with Maryam because…”

“Look, Shahida, do not disturb me with talk about trust, whether I will enjoy her or whether I should not hurt her,” he quickly interrupted. “You are only looking at yourselves. You are not looking at the condition I will enter because of this marriage. Just like that, you want to hurt me because of a useless marriage.”

“Shahida? Or Adam?” she asked.

He exhaled and said nothing.

“You are calling me by my name today with no respect?”

“Ignore that. I am upset. I will come to your office when I finish with Sweetheart so we can discuss some matters that concern me.”

“Do not you dare, Adam. Do not come to me with any plan or disrespect because I will not stand and listen to your opinion. And know that I will not accept insolence. Since when have we been dealing with you? Five years now, people have been begging you to bring out a woman, but you refused. Every day you sit people down and lie that you are waiting for true love. You keep wasting your time for nothing. With this arrogance and pride of yours, when will you find true love? Which woman will even accept this humiliation and pride you carry? This is exactly your end: they will force you into marriage so everyone can rest.”

He did not wait to hear what else she would say. He released a heavy sigh and ended the call, praying to find mercy from his mother.

Adam Returns to His Mother

He returned the phone to his pocket and went back into the house. He found his sweetheart exactly where he had left her, seated while Maryam pressed her legs. They were chatting with complete obedience.

His mother, Hajiya Zulaiheart, was beautiful, mature, elegant, and full of dignity. She was a woman of peace, patience, and good character. She raised her eyes calmly, wearing white glasses that appeared to be for her eye health. She looked at him with deep love for her son.

The cool, sweet fragrance of his perfume, Reed, filled the air. It was a scent that calmed the heart, refreshed the body, and stole the attention of anyone who happened to breathe it in. That fragrance made Maryam realize that he had returned to the sitting room.

Slowly, she stopped what she was doing and raised her eyes to confirm whether it was really him. When she saw him standing there like a security officer instead of a businessman, her heart immediately began beating in the familiar way it always did whenever her eyes rested on him. She continued struggling with her breathing until he would leave the place.

Slowly, their eyes met. He gave her a useless look mixed with a glare. Without planning it, she removed her hands from Mami’s legs, stood up, and went to their room.

Even after entering the room, she could not find peace. She did not understand why she feared him so much, why her heart trembled because of him, or why he hated her so deeply. Even if he had never said it to her, she knew he did not love her because she could see hatred for her in his eyes.

She opened the bathroom door and entered, her heart still beating. She locked herself inside because, to her, that was the place where she could feel a little safe. She tried to calm her heart, thinking that if she stayed far from him, she would find peace. But that too was not possible because Mami would never accept it.

A new fear pierced her heart. Her heartbeat increased beyond measure. Even her stomach began shaking. She believed that if she had been pregnant at that moment, the baby would have left her body out of fear.

With respect and obedience, Adam softened himself a little. He came forward and knelt before his mother as if he wanted to prostrate.

“Sweetheart,” he called her.

She did not answer. She continued looking at him.

“For Allah’s sake, please forgive me and leave this matter between us. Do not reveal it so that others will know. Even the girl herself, if she hears about it and then hears of my refusal, she will feel hurt.”

Hajiya Zulaiheart remained silent. She did not say a word until he quoted a verse and continued.

“May Allah calm your heart, my sweetheart. I know your heart is full of anger toward me, but please forgive me for what I did.”

After saying that, he closed his mouth and became silent, breathing heavily.

Hajiya Zulaiheart fixed her eyes on him. She wanted him to say more than what he had said. If possible, she wanted him to say that he had accepted her command. But instead, he only apologized and still showed refusal.

She wondered what kind of heart Adam had. Once he held onto something, he held it firmly. It was very difficult for him to change his mind. This was the character she hated most in him. Since he was young, she had tried her best to correct it, but it had only become stronger. However, on this matter, she swore that even if he would lose his life, she would change him, and he would do what she wanted.

He spent ten minutes kneeling there, apologizing to his mother. But what she wanted from her only son was not an apology. What she wanted was his acceptance.

She released a heavy sigh and said, “Fine. Everything has passed. I have forgiven you. But know very well that I will never withdraw my words. I gave you a long time to bring me the one you love, but you refused. Every time the matter is raised, you come with the drama that you are waiting for true love. I will not sit and watch you remain without a family.”

She continued, “For Allah’s sake, do you not feel ashamed? All your age mates are married, and even their children are growing beautifully. But you are either in this country or that country, chasing money only. What is the use of wealth without heirs? If your father had not given birth to you, would you have inherited the great wealth he left behind?”

He remained silent, holding her hands in his because he had no answer.

“As for me, I am tired of seeing you like this without a family. I want to see your children. But if you prefer to wait until I die before you marry, then fine. I will stop talking. But know that if I become silent, it means there is nothing between you and me forever. Even if I die, I will leave a will that you should never be allowed to…”

“For Allah’s sake! For the greatness of Allah, please stop mentioning death, Sweetheart. Please protect me from that pain. If you die, this world will have no sweetness for me. You are my world. You are the one who gives me happiness. If one full hour passes without hearing your voice, I lose myself. What will happen if you leave the world?”

“Please be patient. In sha Allah, you will see my wedding, just as you saw the weddings of my other siblings. Just give me a little time. I will bring you the woman I love soon.”

Only after saying it did he realize that his words had not come out properly. Where would he even begin?

“That time is over for you, Adam,” she said firmly. “Forever. There is no extra time I will give you again. Go and start preparing for your marriage to Maryam.”

After saying this, she turned her face away. If she did not do that, her heart would soften toward her only son, and she might give up on her intention. He immediately stood up and began leaving the sitting room, his heart boiling with bitterness. He knew that once she insisted on something, there was no relief except accepting her decision.

Adam Opens His Heart to Muhd Bello

He entered the car directly. When Muhd Bello saw this, he also entered and sat beside him. They left the house and entered the road.

M.B. kept advising him with words that could calm the heart. But Adam did not feel capable of surrendering to the marriage with Maryam. He turned his eyes toward the moving cars on the road while his mind searched for an escape. He knew he had to find a way before they forced him into marriage with that girl.

“Adam…” M.B. called his name.

He did not move or show any sign that someone was beside him.

M.B. did not wait for an answer. He continued speaking.

“You refuse to understand me, but please be patient and submit your heart. I understand how you feel, but what do you want me to do beyond helping you obey your mother?”

He spoke as if he wanted to cry because he hated seeing his friend in pain.

Adam held his head with one hand and bent down. Pity touched Adam. He released a hot breath and began speaking.

“M.B., you too refuse to understand me. I have my own preference for the woman I want to keep in my house. If I marry Maryam, I will be forced to marry again, and that is something I do not want. I do not even like the idea of keeping more than one woman in my house.”

“What is wrong if you keep more than one?” M.B. asked. “Add another one. You have what it takes to take care of them, even if they are more than ten, not just two.”

Mr. ATA hissed as his driver turned a corner and continued driving. Silence filled the car for a while before he spoke again.

“M.B., you know everything about me. But what you do not know is that I do not like marrying a fair woman. I prefer a chocolate-colored woman. Not fair, not dark. I want someone who is not fat, someone whose education stops at diploma level, someone tall enough to reach my shoulder, not a short woman.”

“What will you do with a woman as tall as your shoulder, for Allah’s sake?” M.B. asked. “A fair girl like Maryam is enough for you in life. And in your position, what will you do with someone who only has a diploma when there is one with two degrees?”

“Will I eat a master’s degree?” Adam asked angrily. “That girl knows nothing. Even ordinary hot water must be boiled for her. And she loves social media too much. Forget all that. I hate fair women in my life. Chocolate is my type. By Allah, if I live with a fair woman like that girl, I would rather die unmarried because I hate her.”

“Subhanallah, ATA. Stop saying that, please. They are all Allah’s creation. Whether fair or dark, Allah created them all.”

Adam only pressed his lips together and released another hot breath. They continued on the road while M.B. kept advising him.

The Family Connection

Maryam and Adam were relatives. Maryam’s father and Adam’s mother were full siblings from the same mother and father.

Maryam was the first daughter of her parents. After her came her younger sister Faiza, then Islaha, Manir, Abusufyan, Salman, and the youngest, Izzatu, whom they called Izza. They lived in Abuja.

Adam’s mother had five children. Aunty Shahida was the eldest, and she worked as a medical professional in a government hospital in Ikeja, Lagos State. After her came Aunty Khadeja, who worked at Zenith. Then came Adam, a highly educated and successful businessman known across the world. After him came Aunty Zabiba, a lecturer at Lagos State University. The youngest was Nana Hauwa’u, who had already completed her studies in London together with Maryam in computer science.

In London, Nana Hauwa’u and Maryam became extremely close. Because of that, after they finished school, Maryam could not stay with her parents. She returned and continued living with them.

On both their mother’s and father’s sides, there were no dark-skinned people in the family. Everyone was fair, with no mixed complexion.

Adam Visits Aunty Shahida

Mr. ATA’s driver did not stop anywhere until they reached the hospital where Aunty Shahida worked. When the car parked, the driver quickly came out and opened the door for him.

Mr. ATA forced himself out of the car and adjusted his shirt.

“Friend, give me twenty minutes. I will be back,” he said.

“I will even give you one hour,” M.B. replied as Adam turned to leave. “But please, my friend, do not argue with Aunty. Just tell her you have accepted.”

Mr. ATA turned and gave him a terrible look, then continued walking.

M.B. smiled because he already knew he would receive that kind of look from him.

Adam went straight to her office with his usual steps. People kept looking at him because his pictures were everywhere due to his status as a globally known businessman. Others greeted him because of his strong resemblance to his sister. He answered some and ignored others, especially when he noticed they were women.

He stopped in front of her office and knocked. She permitted him to enter. He walked in slowly, releasing breaths.

She raised her eyes quickly and pointed to a seat because she knew his character. If he turned and left, it would not be easy to bring him back.

“Sit down. Let me finish what I am doing.”

He sat and crossed one leg over the other, biting the side of his lower lip, a habit that had become part of him.

After about two minutes, she stopped what she was doing and looked at him.

“I am listening. What help can I give you?”

“Make them cancel this marriage. That is the greatest help you can give me.”

“Why do you refuse to marry Maryam? Do you have someone you love who is better than Maryam in everything?”

He nodded, closing his eyes.

“Yes.”

“Where is she? Who are her parents? What position do her parents hold in this country?”

“Stop there. That is enough because I do not know anything about her. I do not know where she is. I do not know where I can find her. I am only searching for her. Help me pray that Allah allows me to find her soon so you can arrange a marriage based on love for me, if love is what I will marry.”

“Aunty Shahida, I know that if I tell you everything, you will understand me because there is understanding between us. That is why you hear me speaking directly to you. The truth is that the woman I want to marry, I myself have been searching for her for a long time, but I have still not found her.”

“I do not understand what you mean, Adam.”

“I mean the woman I love, I do not know where she is,” he repeated. “But give me time. I will continue searching for her. When I find her, I will bring her to you.”

He brought out the pendant hanging from the chain around his neck. It contained a drawing of the girl. He showed it to her.

She became silent, looking at him and at the drawing. The girl was beautiful and chocolate-colored.

“Can you see her, Aunty? She is my life. I drew her myself. I learned how to draw because of her. Is she not beautiful?”

He asked with an expensive smile, the kind he did not give often.

“Subhanallah, Adam. Are you mad or what? How can you fall in love with a woman when you do not know where she is, and you have never even seen her?”

“That is true, Aunty. But she entered my heart and found a beautiful place inside it. I have been searching for her for fifteen years. There is nowhere I have not looked for this girl: in this city, in countries, and in towns where I travel. But I have not found her. I have not even seen anyone who looks like her.”

“And because of madness, you continued loving her?”

He closed his eyes and said, “What can I do? That is how my destiny is. It is not just that I love her, but if I will marry, then she is the one I will marry.”

“Forget this nonsense because you will never find her. Many dreams are not reality.”

“By Allah, Aunty, my body tells me she is somewhere in this world. That is why I do not want to accept marrying Maryam at all.”

Aunty Shahida took his words as nonsense and continued looking at him like someone who had lost his senses. How could he say he dreamed of a woman and believe she existed in the world and that he would marry her? Then she wondered whether jinn had touched him.

“Adam, listen to me carefully. Dreams do not become reality.”

“No, Aunty. This one will become reality,” he said angrily.

Her body became cold. She put her own worries aside and began soothing him because she noticed that if she continued arguing, anything could happen. He had gone too deep into his love for the girl.

He stood up.

“Help me. Make Sweetheart understand. Pray for me to find her.”

“I will surely tell her,” Aunty Shahida said in her heart. “But we will not pray for that because we know what we are doing.”

Even after he left her office, her eyes remained fixed on him.

The Family Becomes Worried

The next day, Aunty Shahida prepared herself and went to Hajiya Zulaiheart. She explained everything about Adam’s condition.

“We must rise with prayers, Mami, because Adam has gone far into another world.”

Hajiya Zulaiheart nodded with great fear.

“May Allah protect us. In sha Allah, I will stand firmly with prayers and charity. It truly appears that a female jinn has married him. Otherwise, with a healthy girl available, what would he be doing with a woman in a dream?”

“That is what I tried to make him understand, but he refused. That girl has no problem. You are her mother. We can enter his house anytime we want, and we can do whatever we like because she is ours.”

“May Allah make him recognize that we are following him with goodness.”

“Ameen,” Aunty Shahida said.

At that time, no one had informed Maryam about the marriage with Adam. They were waiting until he accepted before approaching her with the matter.

With his mother’s and sister’s persistence, Mr. ATA finally agreed one evening. They had spent a long time talking in Mami’s room. He breathed deeply, his eyes closed, and continued speaking.

“But whenever I find the girl I am searching for, I will marry her too.”

“That is not a problem,” Aunty Shahida said, because she knew it would be difficult for him to find the girl of his dreams.

Mami, however, remained quiet, looking at him. In the end, she shook her head and prayed for him in her heart.

A Suspicious Trip to the Hospital

Aunty Shahida came out of Mami’s room together with Mr. ATA, who was full of anger and resentment. He did not stop; he headed straight for the exit.

Aunty Shahida said, “Adam, please wait. Let me come out so you can drop me at work.”

He said nothing and continued walking.

Then she turned to Maryam, who was sitting with Nana Hauwa’u while they watched something on Maryam’s phone.

“Maryam, quickly get your veil and come with me to the hospital.”

Maryam stood immediately. She was already dressed, so she only took her veil and came out with her.

They headed straight to Mr. ATA’s limousine. Aunty Shahida opened the back door and entered. Maryam also tried to open the other side.

Aunty Shahida quickly said, “Sit in the middle, close to Adam.”

Maryam felt the words strangely. She stole a quick glance at Aunty Shahida, wondering what she meant. Sit in the middle close to Adam? What did that mean?

She wanted to ask, but there was no chance. With a weak body, she opened the door and entered. She sat far away from him like a frightened bird, suddenly feeling a terrible heartbeat from nowhere.

Mr. ATA’s driver started the car and they began leaving the house.

“Where did you say we are going? And where are you taking this one? I do not like carrying people around in my car.”

“The hospital,” Aunty Shahida answered, though she knew he had heard her earlier.

He said nothing else until they arrived at the hospital.

He refused to come out, waiting for Aunty Shahida to finish getting down because Maryam had already come out.

“Adam, let us go. There is a message I want to give you.”

He remained silent, repeating her words in his mind. He almost told her to give the message to Maryam to bring to him, but he did not want anything that would connect him with that girl.

Slowly, he came out, his heart angry. They went straight to Aunty Shahida’s office.

She opened the office and all of them entered, while Mr. ATA stood near the door waiting for her to give him the message she had mentioned.

Aunty Shahida said, “Come in properly, your highness. Sit down. There is a seat here.”

Mr. ATA gave her a look that demanded explanation.

She nodded. “Come in.”

With difficulty, he entered the office and sat, breathing through his nose with irritation. Maryam also found a place and sat down, secretly looking at his face. There was not a drop of brightness on it.

“Maryam, stand up and open the fridge. Bring him water. I know he does not really drink soft drinks.”

Maryam stood slowly, went to the fridge, brought water, and placed it in front of him. Then she returned to her seat, her heart still beating.

“Give me only ten minutes. I need to check a file and I will be done.”

Aunty Shahida began working. Adam hissed in his heart. It was only because she was his aunt that he remained there. If not, he saw no reason why he should waste his time on something useless.

“You have not drunk the water?” she asked with care.

“No need,” he answered briefly.

After about two minutes, she stood up and went out.

“My younger brother, I am coming.”

His heart became more irritated because she was leaving him alone with this short girl who, in his mind, had the shape of a spirit. He hissed and placed his hand on his forehead.

Maryam and Adam Alone in the Office

Sitting alone with him in the office threw Maryam into serious panic. She became completely confused. Sweat began coming out of her body. Anytime she tried to raise her eyes and look at him, she could not. She had lost her peace. She felt as if her heart would fail.

She kept praying for Aunty Shahida to return because she could not continue sitting like that. Aunty Shahida had only been gone for five minutes, yet Maryam felt as if five hours had passed.

As for Mr. ATA, he did nothing except hiss repeatedly, becoming more irritated because he was tired of sitting with the thing he hated most in his life.

Aunty Shahida had not been gone for even ten full minutes when Nuzla entered the office, calling Aunty Shahida’s name. She froze when she saw Maryam sitting on one side and Mr. ATA sitting there.

She looked at him fearfully, lowered her head, and greeted him. He did not answer her, as usual. She moved closer and touched Maryam.

“Marsi, where is Aunty Shahida?”

“She went out, but she said she will not be long. Wait for her.”

Nuzla nodded with her eyes, asking what Ya Adam was doing there. Maryam answered with her eyes that she did not know. There was no chance to speak aloud because they knew he did not like noise. Nuzla quickly brought out her phone and put it on silent.

Sadiya Notices Mr. ATA

Sadiya, who was a trainee at the hospital, entered the office with a greeting on her lips.

“Assalamu alai…”

She could not finish the greeting because she saw Mr. ATA sitting there, his eyes fixed on his phone screen, dressed in casual clothes. She became completely confused because of him. Instead of moving forward to place the file in her hand on the table, she could not even lift a toe.

While staring at him, the file slipped from her hand and fell to the floor. She quickly bent down and picked it up, her body shaking. She moved forward and placed the file on the table while still looking at him.

Only then did she notice Maryam sitting quietly, looking at her fingers, while Nuzla stood beside her.

“Well done,” Sadiya said softly.

Maryam raised her eyes with a smile and said, “Thank you. How is work?”

“Alhamdulillah,” Sadiya answered, looking at Nuzla before leaving the office. She kept looking back at Mr. ATA, praising his beauty in her heart.

As for Mr. ATA, he did not care. He did not even notice the air she carried with her. If it was about women staring at him, he had already become used to it. He also did not raise his head from his phone because of the way Maryam and Nuzla were looking at him.

When Nurse Sadiya left the office, she met Husseina, another worker.

“Are you okay? Why did you come out so confused, like someone who was chased out?” Husseina asked.

“Leave me, Husseina. I saw a young man in Doctor Shahida’s office. He is extremely handsome. He captured my attention completely. By Allah, that is the kind of husband I am looking for: a husband of this world, a husband from a novel. He is very perfect. From the look of him, he has money, plenty of Western and Islamic education, and above all, beauty.”

“Sadiya, save yourself from hardship,” Husseina said. “You are the daughter of a poor person. Even food is difficult for you people. You move from one rented house to another. Even your brother struggles to take care of you. Yet you have killed yourself with dangerous ambition. Pray to Allah. If He wills, He will give you. Stop burning yourself with the desire to marry a rich man.”

Sadiya pushed out her small lips and twisted her face. Her body became weak. Husseina hissed and walked away, leaving her there speaking to herself.

Adam Catches Them Staring

The phone in Adam’s hand rang. He placed it against his ear and shifted slightly on the chair. He closed his eyes.

“I left it at home. Okay, they need new designs and clothes? Fine. Give it to the experts who know the work because I do not want any problem with their job. Last time, they complained. Okay, maybe tomorrow.”

As he spoke, his eyes remained closed, and he licked his lower lip.

Nuzla and Maryam fixed their eyes on him, both looking at him while their minds created different thoughts. His instincts told him they were staring at him. So he opened his heavy eyes and fixed them on them with a degrading look. Then he turned away and continued his call.

At that moment, Husseina and Sadiya entered together. Even Husseina herself had to admire his beauty because her eyes fed on what they saw. They took what they came for and turned to leave.

He fixed his eyes on them again and saw that they were still looking at him as if they had never seen him before. A bitter irritation seized him because he hated being stared at.

He swallowed something bitter in his throat, then slowly hissed while looking at them. As for them, they stared back in fear and panic. They did not expect him to catch them looking at him again. The kind of look he gave them threw them into deeper confusion because they did not know what would follow, and they had nothing to say in their defense.

Nuzla looked at Maryam, and Maryam looked back at her. Both of them began trembling.

Nuzla quickly knelt on the floor because she knew what could happen if she did not quickly apologize. She noticed that Maryam showed no sign of apologizing.

“Please… forgive us, Ya Adam,” Nuzla said.

He wanted to speak, but the pride inside him stopped him from saying anything. Only one of his legs began shaking with annoyance.

When almost thirty minutes passed and Aunty Shahida still had not returned, Mr. ATA stood angrily, put one hand in his pocket, and left the office. His instincts told him she was intentionally trying to bring him and Maryam together and would eventually explain everything before him.

As soon as he left, Nuzla moved quietly toward the door. Maryam followed her. When Nuzla opened the door, they froze after seeing Sadiya and Husseina standing outside, holding files and looking toward the direction Mr. ATA had gone.

They were speaking quietly because people were moving around.

“This is not a strange face, Sadiya,” Husseina said. “This is that young businessman known around the world. He is also Sister Shahida’s younger brother. He comes here from time to time. Did you not notice their resemblance?”

“Truly, now I recognize him. Maybe I was confused before. But he is more handsome in real life. He looks very much like Sister Shahida, except that his beauty has gone beyond hers. By Allah, Husseina, this man has entered my heart deeply. I have never seen a creation that captured my attention like him. Everything about him is like my dream.”

“Sadiya, I have told you many times to stop looking too high. Stand within your level. You refuse to understand me.”

“Know that there is nothing Allah cannot do. I do not know the reason, but from one look at him, I have fallen deeply in love with him.”

“By Allah, this man is above your level. Even his servant is above your level, let alone him. If you want to return to your senses, return now.”

Husseina pulled her hand and they walked away while Sadiya kept turning back.

Nuzla and Maryam released heavy sighs at the same time, holding their chests.

“Marsi, by Allah, I was terribly frightened,” Nuzla said.

“I was almost more frightened than you,” Maryam replied. “By Allah, I almost urinated on myself. We were very lucky. If not, today we would have received slaps.”

They burst into laughter.

“Let me go,” Nuzla said. “I cannot wait for Aunty Shahida. I only came to collect our mother’s test result and greet her. I will see you at home.”

She removed her hand from Maryam’s hand and left, waving at her. Maryam returned to the office to wait for Aunty Shahida.

Aunty Shahida Returns

Not long after he left, Doctor Shahida returned and found the place empty. There was no sign of him.

“The king of temper. Maybe he got tired and left.”

“Yes,” Maryam answered with a weak voice.

“Okay.”

She began gathering her things.

“Let us go. There was actually something I wanted the three of us to discuss, but I will come tomorrow, in sha Allah, when I close from work. We will discuss it at home.”

“A discussion, Aunty?” Maryam asked fearfully.

“Yes.”

“What kind of discussion includes Ya Adam?”

Aunty Shahida said, “It is an important discussion.”

“For Allah’s sake, Aunty Shahida, by Allah, I do not want anything that will bring me together with him. He scares me.”

“Calm down, my sister. Remove that fear. It is nothing except goodness.”

Maryam became silent, thinking about Aunty’s words and wondering what kind of discussion it was that had to include Ya Adam. And why did Aunty say it was goodness?

When they came out to the hospital courtyard, they saw his driver waiting for them.

“A Ruwa, where is your boss?” Aunty Shahida asked.

The driver bowed before answering.

“He called, and another car came to pick him up.”

Aunty Shahida shook her head and entered the car with Maryam. As they drove, she told Maryam about Nuzla’s visit.

“Oh, my younger sister. I am very grateful. I also want to see her.”

Maryam’s mind calmed a little when she heard that Nuzla would also be involved. Still, until A Ruwa dropped Aunty Shahida at her house, Maryam’s heart did not stop tying and untying itself. She kept praying for tomorrow to come so she could hear what it was all about.

A Shocking Death

The next day, around ten in the morning, news of Sadiya’s death reached Doctor Shahida.

She was extremely shocked by the terrible news, especially because it was said that Sadiya had been killed in a horrifying way. Doctor Shahida jumped up from where she sat, her body trembling.

The news struck her with fear and confusion. The same Sadiya who had been in her office the previous day, the same young woman who had been speaking about Adam with excitement, was now gone.

For a moment, Doctor Shahida could not understand what she was hearing. Her heart beat painfully as she tried to gather herself. The hospital atmosphere suddenly felt heavy, as if the walls themselves had heard the tragedy.

She stood frozen, her mind returning to the events of the previous day: Sadiya’s trembling hands, the file falling from her grasp, the way she stared at Adam, and the conversation she had outside with Husseina.

Now, everything had changed.

What had happened to Sadiya?

Who was behind her death?

And why did the news arrive so suddenly after the strange events of the previous day?

The story of Adam, Maryam, and the family’s decision had only just begun, but already, a darker shadow was beginning to fall over everyone connected to them.