"Did the security guard ever come inside?" he asked. Shaking their heads in unison, they replied together, "He didn’t come in." "Could they have killed him?" his question terrified them even further. Nusaiba stood up, "Let me go check on him." As she rose, Zarah held her back, "You're going out now?" Lying down, his eyes locked onto Nusaiba as he snapped, "You really have no sense, do you? Go on then, step outside so they can kill you too." She said nothing and sat back down. In truth, if they had let her, she would have gone out to check on their security guard. Since they hadn't seen him come inside after the robbers left, something was definitely wrong. A fresh wave of profound pity for their situation washed over her, and her tears began to flow instantly. Nusaiba was deeply compassionate; she absolutely hated seeing anyone in a state of suffering, and it entirely broke her heart.
All the way from Kaduna, Alhaji Basheer had mobilized a truck of police officers, with his own car leading the way. Hajiya Zulai sat in total silence, cradling her chin in her hand, thinking of nothing but pity for her son-in-law. Allah had brought trials upon him back-to-back.
Sighing deeply, she said, "May Allah restore and replace what he has lost with continuous blessings." Alhaji Basheer replied, "Ameen. This boy truly needs us to stand firm for him in prayers, because I genuinely fear the envious saboteurs on his behalf." She added, "Don't even get me started. Mankind is terrifying, and Allah is the only One to fear. May the Almighty protect us from every form of evil." He echoed another "Ameen." Within 45 minutes, they arrived in Zaria. They first stopped by Abba’s house to pick up the family, just as Alhaji had instructed them to wait for him since he was coming with the police. Dawn was breaking and daylight was emerging as they arrived at Hanwa Low-Cost. Finding the house gate wide open, they drove straight in. Right from the entrance, the police began seeing evidence of the crime, as the security guard was found bound tight, his mouth taped shut, on top of the brutal, senseless beating he had endured. At the living room door, they ran into Zarah and Nusaiba, who burst into a fresh wave of hysterical weeping. Ummi and the others held them close, comforting them, before they all crowded into the room where Naseer lay. The side of his eye was severely swollen from where he had been struck with the butt of the rifle. Everyone burst into prayers of distress (Sallallami). Abba and the others carefully lifted him as he groaned, "They broke my arm all over again, Abba. I need to be taken back to the bone-setter." Without wasting a single moment, they put him in the car to head to the traditional bone-setter's house, leaving the police behind to question his wives. The security guard was brought along with them; he had suffered three severe joint dislocations across his body. From the bone-setter, they were taken to the hospital to receive proper medication, finally returning home at 10:00 AM.
The house was completely packed with people. Inna looked at Naseer, who looked thoroughly broken and completely altered. Tears filling her eyes, she whispered, "This poor boy is seeing endless trauma. May Allah lift this calamity from us." Everyone else chorused, "Ameen." Anyone who saw the state of exhaustion and misery Naseer was in couldn't help but pity him deeply. Sageer and Yakubu stood by in absolute silence, staring at him with heavy hearts. Naseer B, however, was thinking maliciously to himself, "Serves him right! Driving around town in a loud, roaring luxury car, looking down on everyone. Isn't that exactly why armed robbers targeted him? Here is the result." Allah is king; Naseer B showed absolutely no loyalty or decency toward his namesake. If Naseer only realized it, he would know he was incredibly fortunate in life, to the point where Allah had blessed him with a life that others looked at with toxic envy and malice.
After the afternoon (Zuhr) prayer, the parents returned to their respective homes. Alhaji Basheer strongly reinforced the matter of seeking spiritual prayers for Naseer to Malam Balarabe. Malam Balarabe knew he already prayed for him constantly during his obligatory and voluntary prayers, but he assured Alhaji Basheer that he and Naseer's mother would redouble their efforts.
As for Naseer, after everyone left, he was sitting on a Chinese carpet in the living room, leaning back against a sofa. Zarah and Nusaiba were in the kitchen doing the dishes. He called out loudly for Zarah to come. When she entered, he looked at her with a stern, hardened face and commanded, "Go to the bedroom immediately. Pack every single thing you know belongs to me into a bag. Pack your own clothes too; we are moving back to Tudun Wada." "Why?" she asked. "Because that is what I prefer now." She shook her head, "No, my brother. You're just saying this because the robbers terrified you. I see absolutely no reason for us to move back to Tudun Wada." Annoyed, he snapped, "Yes, exactly, say whatever you want. Are you going to go pack my things, or do I have to stand up and do it myself?" She called out to Nusaiba, prompting a fierce glare from Naseer, who barked, "I told you to pack the bags, what business is it of hers?" She didn't argue back before Nusaiba walked in, asking, "What is it, my senior sister?" Zarah replied, "Come and hear what has befallen us. Our brother says we must pack our things; we are moving back to Tudun Wada." "Why?" before she could get an answer, Naseer let out a frustrated growl like a cornered beast, stood up, and stormed out of the living room.
The two women exchanged confused glances before Nusaiba moved closer to Zarah, asking, "What happened, senior sister?" Her face twisted in distress, Zarah answered, "Who knows? But this must be about the robbers." "That's exactly what I think too. Come on, let's go find him."
Inside the bedroom, Naseer was aggressively stuffing his clothes into a suitcase using his one good hand. Standing before him, Zarah spoke first, "Are you seriously doing this, our brother? If you really meant this, why didn't you bring it up in front of Abba to hear what he would say?" He snapped, "So that means I have absolutely no right to my own choices? Everything I do must be controlled and pressured? That's not happening, you hear me? You don't have a single valid excuse to refuse moving back to Tudun Wada. If anything, she is the one whose father owns this house; if she chooses not to follow us, she actually has an excuse. But if both of you choose to stay here, no problem. I have spoken, and I don't want to hear another word from either of you!" He snatched his bag and stormed out of the house.
They stood frozen like statues, watching the pure madness of his actions, their bodies completely numb. Nusaiba was hit the hardest; Naseer's cruel words cut her deeply. Tears filling her eyes, she looked at Zarah and whispered, "Senior sister, why does our brother keep emphasizing that this is my father's house? Who am I staying here for anyway? In fact, my father never said he gave this house to me." Deeply moved by pity, Zarah embraced her, "Don't cry, bride. Our brother is only acting like this out of sheer trauma and frustration." Nusaiba replied, "But shouldn't we be the ones traumatized and acting out, not him?" "Whatever the case, just forget it, bride. What do we do now?" Nusaiba wiped her tears, "What else can we do except follow him? Whatever his father says is what will happen anyway, right? Go ahead and pack our essential belongings so we can leave."
Each headed to her respective room. Nusaiba's heart felt completely crushed by Naseer's cutting remarks, especially as she recalled the critical sermon her father had given her before she was brought to her husband's house:

"Nusaiba, there is nothing more important in your entire life right now than absolute obedience to your husband. Know that your mother and I, Alhaji Basheer, no longer have any authority over you because of the sacred weight of marriage. Your husband holds all authority over your affairs. Therefore, Nusaiba, do not take marriage lightly. Put your education to use, for now is when it truly matters. The next thing I want to firmly tell you—and I am saying this with a very serious voice—is that I will never tolerate you ever uttering a single word of reminder or insult regarding the wealth I have bestowed upon Zarah and your husband. If the day ever comes that you weaponize your family's wealth or mock them with it, I will never forgive you. You will have thrown away your dignity and destroyed the upbringing we gave you. I don't even need to tell you the spiritual status of a wife who mocks her husband with wealth..."

Wiping her tears, she zipped her bag shut, whispering to herself, "I will never bring shame upon you, my father." She heard Zarah's voice calling out, "Bride, are you done?" She answered, "Yes." Collecting their essential items, they locked up the entire house and stepped outside. They fully expected to find Naseer waiting for them out front since they hadn't heard his car start. To their absolute bewilderment, the security guard informed them that the moment Naseer stepped outside, he had flagged down a commercial motorcycle (achaba) and left them behind. They stared at each other, completely dumbfounded. Nusaiba had no choice but to go back inside, grab her own car keys, and drive them out to follow him. Zarah was well-acquainted with Naseer's volatile tantrums, so the behavior didn't shock her. Nusaiba, however, was battling double the heartbreak—the trauma of the robbery and the stinging rejection of his words.
Slowly and gently, Zarah began unraveling the painful knot in Nusaiba's heart by distracting her with heroic stories of things Naseer had done in the past. Yet, the entire situation kept making Nusaiba's head spin. Dropping that thought, she kept asking herself: Why on earth is he losing his mind over armed robbers today? Zarah couldn't answer either, and by the time they arrived at the family home, both their heads were pounding. They entered the house with their bags, shouting their greetings. Umma came out to receive them, "Come on in, he's right here in the living room. The shameless boy actually had the audacity to abandon you both over there! Naseer truly never runs out of ridiculous antics."
He was sitting right in front of Abba when the wives knelt to greet the elders. Malam Balarabe looked at him, pointing at the women, "Are you not even ashamed of yourself? No matter the situation, you pack up your wives and travel together. You are always a backwards, difficult human being; you never change. Let me ask you, what is the meaning of abandoning that house?" His face twisted in anger, Naseer barked, "To be completely honest, Abba, I am never living in that house again! Robbers see that massive mansion and target it, thinking I have money. One day they are going to kill me. Don't forget, Abba, I am not a wealthy man; I am just a regular guy getting by. Therefore, we are staying right here if I want my dignity and safety preserved."
Malam Balarabe fell silent for a moment, recognizing that Naseer's fears carried valid weight. After a brief pause, he asked, "Well, did you communicate this to Alhaji?" Naseer shook his head, "No, I didn't tell him." Umma chimed in, "See your problem? Since he came all the way here, you should have raised this issue in his presence, but you refused. What will he think now? Malama, I absolutely do not support them staying here. They must return. Let him call Alhaji on the phone and explain it to him first."
Naseer's fury intensified, glare locked onto his mother. He thought bitterly to himself, So that's it? I have absolutely no right to my own life unless Alhaji sanctions it? Closing his eyes and biting his lip, he groaned internally, I am ruined. Alhaji has completely bought out my own parents. Opening his eyes, he looked directly at Umma, "To be honest, Umma, you'll just have to forgive me. I have left Hanwa for good, and I am never going back. If you don't care about my life, fine, I'll go place myself somewhere to be killed!"
Nusaiba immediately stepped in, "Umma, please just let us stay here. I know my father; he won't object at all. Besides, protecting our lives is far better than looking for lost property. Since he feels this place offers us more safety and privacy, let us just stay. Right, senior sister?" Zarah agreed, "It's true, Umma. Just leave him be." Umma sighed before turning to her husband, "Do you hear that, Malam? Now, who is going to call Alhaji to explain this?" He replied, "He will do it himself! Isn't it his own dilemma? Go fetch the keys to their old section so they can clean it up." Umma stood up and went into the bedroom. Malam Balarabe continued, "Pick up your phone right this second, call him, and tell him." He pulled out his own phone and handed it to Naseer, "Here, use mine." Using his left hand, Naseer took it and dialed the number.
Umma brought the keys and handed them to Zarah. Taking them, she and Nusaiba followed Umma out. The layout of the old house deeply impressed them, especially Nusaiba. She could see that Naseer had clearly spent a massive amount of his own money upgrading this family property. Umma brought a broom, scrubbing tools, and a bucket of water mixed with Omo detergent. In no time, they cleaned up the entire space, and each wife selected her bedroom.
As for Alhaji Basheer, the situation actually amused him. He immediately gave his blessing, ruling that they should all stay there until their minds were completely at ease. He had Sageer hire a large truck, and Zarah went back to the mansion to pack up whatever belongings they could salvage. They spent the day setting up the house with Umma's help.
Meanwhile, our fine young groom was lying down outside in the shade, resting on a small Chinese carpet spread out on the ground, chatting with Sageer. "I never knew you were such a coward until today," Sageer teased. "So even the tough guys have a breaking point? A spirit finally stepped on fire. For all your stubborn pride (taurin rai), I never imagined anything could completely strip away your peace of mind." Naseer let out a low, private chuckle, the true meaning known only to himself, before replying, "That's what everyone keeps saying. Inna came by earlier and completely tore into me with insults. But you want to know something? I know exactly what I am doing. I only did this to push that girl to her absolute limit. I fully expected her or her parents to refuse to follow me back here. I thought it would give me a perfect battleground to trigger a massive dispute and push her away. Instead, the witch completely humiliated me by agreeing."
Sageer stared at him, dropping his jaw in utter shock and disgust. It took him a long moment before he could speak, "Even I, who am just listening to this, feel deeply ashamed of what you've done. What is wrong with you? What happens now?" Naseer replied, "Oh, so you're angry too? If I don't act out, I won't show them that I am a man of my own authority. They will just look down on me. She gave me an opportunity, and I had to weaponize it before she ever gets the chance to mock me with her family's wealth one day. You know how women are. I don't care about her feelings; she tried to play with my intelligence."
Sageer shook his head, "Your complete lack of love for her is what birthed this entire disaster. Talking to you is a total waste of breath, but I will never stop warning you to tread carefully. I am heading out. May Allah increase your health and protect you from future harm." "Ameen," Naseer replied. "Go on then, it's clear you're not a friend I can rely on to share my sorrows anyway." "I hear you," Sageer countered. "Go find a friend to cry to. Just don't come looking for me when the day of laughter comes." He stood up, walked away, and said his goodbyes to Umma and the wives. They thanked him warmly, and he exited the house without another word exchanged between him and Naseer.

FIVE MONTHS LATER

Slowly but surely, Nusaiba began to fully realize the true nature of her marriage to Naseer—it was like oil and water (doya da manja). This realization allowed her to clearly see the blatant, unhidden favoritism he constantly showed Zarah over her. The situation began weighing heavily on her spirit, primarily because she was completely powerless to find the root cause of why this was happening. Her parents, meanwhile, continuously pressured her to remain in her husband's house, maintaining absolute manners and obedience.
It had been five months since they abandoned Hanwa mansion. Throughout this time, Naseer’s arm had completely healed, yet neither Alhaji Basheer nor her mother ever brought up the topic of returning to the mansion. In their minds, everything was perfectly fine since the couple seemed happy living in Tudun Wada; in fact, almost everything that had been stolen during the robbery had been completely replaced with brand-new items by her father. Nowadays, Alhaji Basheer’s primary focus was ensuring Naseer returned to school full-time, forcing his mind to focus on his education rather than letting sports consume his life completely. Naseer, however, viewed everyone's input with absolute contempt and suspicion. Whatever he was asked to do, he would only execute it if it amused or satisfied him first. He was determined to hold the reins of his own destiny.
On a particular Friday morning, Zarah woke up with an extremely severe, burning fever. Nusaiba's heart dropped when she stepped into the bedroom to check how her senior sister had spent the night. It was Nusaiba's turn to manage the kitchen (girki), and it was their beautiful, established custom to always check on each other's health every morning—a profoundly noble and righteous habit obligatory upon every Muslim living in a shared household.
She ran at top speed to Naseer's quarters, finding him deeply wrapped in a peaceful sleep. Completely forgetting herself, she placed her hands on him, shaking him vigorously, shouting, "Our brother!" He heard her clearly but ignored her, frustration and deep irritation serving as his morning blanket. Tears welled up in her eyes, her voice trembling violently, "Our brother, for Allah's sake, wake up! My senior sister is terribly sick..." Before she could even finish the sentence, he bolted upright, leaping out of bed so fast that he flew past her before she could even stand up from the bedside.
Following closely behind him, she found him already inside Zarah's room. He climbed onto the bed, ripping the blanket away, calling out frantically, "Zarah! What is it?" Her body was burning hot, shivering violently, completely unable to speak. He pulled her tightly against his chest, cradling her. "Zarah! Open your eyes and look at me, where does it hurt?" With agonizing effort, she managed to whisper, "Fever." "Since when?" She replied, "I spent the entire night with it. Please take me to the hospital."
His eyes turned bloodshot in an instant. "How on earth, Zarah, can you lay here sick all night without saying a single word? This is wrong! Zarah, what is my purpose in this house if you can't tell me when you're suffering?"
Tears poured down Nusaiba's face. Turning around, she ran out of the section, heading straight for Umma's quarters to get help.
Meanwhile, Naseer's rage had boiled over to his absolute limit. No matter how much he cherished his wife, the thought that she had lain there suffering in isolation without any assistance—while he was alive and under the exact same roof—drove him mad. And who was to blame for this structural distance if not the presence of Nusaiba in this house? If not for this forced polygamy, what could have possibly separated him from the woman he loved for a single hour, let alone an entire night? She had spent the night abandoned in a critical state, a tragic sight. He squeezed his eyes shut, jaw clenched tight enough to scream. His dream of a perfect, intimate life with his Zarah had been completely demolished. He vowed to despise whoever was responsible for this arrangement, no matter who they were.
He heard Umma's voice rushing in, shouting, "Are you just going to sit there holding her in the room? She needs to be taken to the hospital immediately!" Umma took Zarah from his arms, and together with Nusaiba, they dressed her and got her ready.
As they drove to the hospital, Naseer kept feeding his inner rage, choking his own spirit with twisted thoughts, his mind spinning into silent, toxic rants: To be honest, I need to divorce this girl. This is pure torture to my life. He slammed his steering wheel, letting out a sharp, ragged breath. Umma scolded gently, "Drive carefully, Naseer. She will be fine, by the grace of Allah."
They saw the doctor, who ran a series of thorough check-ups and laboratory tests. The results came back crystal clear: Zarah was exactly two months pregnant.
The news hit Nusaiba like a physical shock wave. In that exact moment, the complex, confusing knot in her heart completely untangled, revealing the brutal truth of why Naseer treated her with such absolute bias. The answer was simple: He did not love her. But then, why did he marry her in the first place? That was the one question she still couldn't answer as they journeyed back home. (Oh dear, what is Nusaiba plotting now...?)

2. Literary Breakdown & Character Analytics

Character Psychology & Deflection

• Naseer's Manipulative Insecurity: This chapter exposes the darker, highly toxic side of Naseer's taurin rai (stubbornness). He explicitly confesses to Sageer that his frantic, irrational move back to the slum of Tudun Wada wasn't born out of fear of the robbers, but was a calculated trap designed to make Nusaiba or her wealthy parents rebel. He wanted a domestic war so he could justify discarding her. When Nusaiba shows absolute submission (biyayya), it completely thwarts his trap, bruising his massive ego.
• The Anatomy of Misplaced Rage: When Zarah falls ill with a severe fever, Naseer’s immediate psychological response is projection. Instead of acknowledging that he simply slept heavily, he mentally blames Nusaiba's existence for creating the physical distance between him and Zarah. His internal vow to "divorce this girl" highlights his complete inability to handle adult accountability.

• Nusaiba's Tragically Perfect Virtue: Guided by the strict moral philosophy of her father's sermon, Nusaiba chooses unconditional patience (hankali and biyayya). Even when Naseer cruelly weaponizes her father’s wealth to humiliate her ("this is her father's house, she has an excuse to stay"), she humbles herself, steps in to calm his parents down, and validates his authority. Her discovery of Zarah's pregnancy acts as a tragic epiphany—she realizes her model behavior cannot conquer a heart that belongs to another.

  3. Chronological Summary

1. The Rescue and Recovery: Following the robbery, Alhaji Basheer arrives at Hanwa Low-Cost with a police escort at dawn. They discover the security guard brutally beaten and bound. Naseer is taken to a traditional bone-setter to reset his re-broken arm, returning home by 10:00 AM.
2. The Malice of Naseer B: While the family grieves, Naseer's rival/namesake (Naseer B) feels a malicious sense of satisfaction, believing Naseer brought the robbery upon himself through arrogant displays of wealth.
3. The Forced Relocation: Driven by a hidden agenda, Naseer commands Zarah and Nusaiba to pack up immediately so they can abandon the mansion and return to his cramped family house in Tudun Wada. He fiercely shuts down their objections.
4. The Motorcycle Escape: Refusing to wait for his wives to pack, Naseer abandons them completely, fleeing the neighborhood on a commercial motorcycle (achaba). Nusaiba is forced to drive Zarah to follow him.
5. The Family Confrontation: Arriving at the family house, Abba (Malam Balarabe) and Umma heavily scold Naseer for his reckless, irresponsible behavior. Naseer throws a massive tantrum, threatening to get himself killed if they force him back to Hanwa. Nusaiba steps in, handles the crisis gracefully, and convinces the parents to let them stay.
6. The Confession to Sageer: While resting in the shade, Naseer secretly confesses to Sageer that the move was a deliberate trap to provoke Nusaiba into a fight so he could find an excuse to mistreat her. Sageer leaves in absolute disgust at Naseer's cruelty.
7. Five Months Later: Five months pass in Tudun Wada. Naseer's arm heals completely, but his treatment of Nusaiba remains ice-cold ("like oil and water"), while her father continues to fund their lifestyle and replace their stolen goods.
8. Zarah's Illness: On a Friday morning when it is Nusaiba's turn to cook, Zarah falls severely ill with a burning fever. Nusaiba frantically wakes Naseer, who rushes to Zarah's side in a panic, internally blaming Nusaiba for the fact that Zarah suffered alone all night.
9. The Pregnancy Revelation: They rush Zarah to the hospital, where laboratory tests officially confirm she is two months pregnant. The news shatters Nusaiba, making her finally realize that Naseer's bias stems from a complete lack of love for her, leaving her deeply conflicted.