Lahat ng Kabanata ng Behind A Smile : Kabanata 31 - Kabanata 40

Storming out of the house, Bilal furiously got into his car and sped straight to Zynah's house. Ignoring decorum, he parked in front of the house and stalked towards the gate with the intention of barging into the house and looking everywhere for his wife. Unfortunately for him, Hafsa emerged. She let out an involuntarily gasp, but quickly composed herself. "What do you want?" Her voice was flat. "My wife," he replied. "I came to take back my wife Wherever you're hiding her, bring her out. The game of hide and seek is finally over." Hafsa's breath hitched. After everything he did to Zynah, he had the effrontery to appear in front of their house. Indeed the man before her was a beast cloaked in human skin. "She isn't here," Hafsa lied, her voice quivering. Bilaal chuckled humorlessly. "And what makes you think I will believe you? Don't insult me with lies!""Leave!" Hafsa yelled, disgust dripping off her tone. "You're trespassing.""Of course I will, but not until I have taken ba

Three years had spun by, leaving their mark on the Aliyu household. Almost everything and everyone had changed. Mr. Idris had retired from work and allowed his children to take over. He entrusted his company overseas to Zynah as she now lived there and the one in the country to Ramlah. Hafsa, however, remained the same. A loving housewife and a mother. With Ramlah busy with work, and Rashida married, she singlehandedly raised Zynah's son, Adnan — a name she had chosen for him with so much love. She made sure to provide him with everything he needed, both material things and affection. She treated him more like a son, than a grandson and he grew up believing she was indeed his mother. Rashida, now a married woman, remained estranged. After her marriage to Omar, she had moved to Lebanon with him. Her wish to live faraway from her mother had been granted. She still held a grudge against her Hafsa and Ramlah for taking Zynah's side during the argument that led to her leaving the h

Taking a last look at her reflection in the mirror, Zynah smiled. She was clad in a sky blue abaya and a white hijab wrapped around her head. She looked breathtakingly beautiful. Satisfied at the image staring back at her, she took her handbag from the bed and ambled out of the house. To her utmost surprise, Ibrahim was standing just outside her gate, with a bouquet of flowers in his left hand. Her eyes almost bulged out of their sockets. She raised her hand, taking a swift look at her wrist watch. "What are you doing here?" She whisper yelled. "So early?" "Good morning to you too," He replied sarcastically, a smirk playing on his lips. "I hope you had a good sleep." Zynah rolled her eyes. "Don't you have somewhere more important to be? The office for example?" "You keep asking me this," He scoffed. "To answer your question, nope," He shook his head. "I don't have anywhere more important to be. I took a day off yesterday." Zynah rolled her eyes. "Okay, why are you

"Oh my God!" Zaahida shrieked, her voice laced with panic. "Did you just kill a child?" Her eyes widened and her mouth hung slightly open in disbelief. Bilal shot her a glare before averting his gaze to the little boy lying on his toes. He was pretty sure he didn't hit him with his car, then why did he suddenly pass out? A knot of worry tightened in his stomach. Staring intently at the little boy, he couldn't pinpoint why he looked exactly like him as a kid and that wasn't all, at the same time, he looked like Zynah as well. To get rid of the ridiculous notion, he shook his head vigorously. Missing Zynah this much couldn't be causing him to hallucinate, could it? Yet an inexplicable feeling lingered. "These people will take care of him, let's leave, baby." She placed a hand on his shoulder and spoke in her annoying squeaky voice. "Before someone accuses you of hitting him." Bilal peeled her hand off his shoulder with a grimace, and crouched beside the boy, gently placing a

"People are just so uncivilised these days," Bilal voiced, shaking his head in disappointment..He was just about to get into his car, when his phone started vibrating in his pocket. Without caring to take a look at the caller ID, he fished the phone out and placed his index finger on the fingerprint sensor. "Hello." "Please where are you baby?" Came Zaahida's high-pitched voice that Bilal found extremely annoying. "I'm stranded. I don't even know where I am!" Bilal puffed out air from his mouth. "And?" "I don't know how I'm supposed to come home. I'm scared, baby," She cried. "Please come back." "Alright," Bilal finally obliged. "Stay right where you are. I will be there in few minutes.""Thank you so much, baby. I knew you'd come back for me. I love y-" he didn't wait for her to finish her statement before ending the call. Getting into his car, he sped off. •"My baby," Hafsa knelt in front of Adnan and engulfed him in a bone crushing hug. Tears streamed down her face uncontro