Chapter

DUBAI BOOK COMPLETE BY OUM HAIRAN

Around that moment, Islaha saw young children running towards him, four of them in total, two of whom were girls. She watched as he returned his phone to his pocket and took hold of all of them, talking in a way she couldn't quite catch. Acting entirely on his own accord as if she didn't even exist, he held the children's hands and they headed straight toward Mama’s wing.

One of the children turned around to look at Islaha, smiled, and asked, "Uncle, is she your wife?"

Islaha’s eyes widened in sheer disbelief that such a tiny little girl could already speak English.

Ray glanced back at Islaha briefly, looked away, and replied to the little girl, "Who told you?"

The little child answered, "Daada." He let out a sigh without saying anything further, and they continued walking.

He only stopped when he reached the glass door of Mama’s parlor to push it open. Noticing Islaha walking slowly as if reluctant to come closer—while throwing him a fierce glare that suggested she wanted to beat him up—he waited for her to catch up. Once she did, he pushed the door open and they entered with greetings of peace.

Mama had just returned from an event and hadn't even removed her head wrap yet. Seeing Rehaan along with the house’s grandchildren and Islaha trailing behind, she broke into a radiant smile. "The bride and groom themselves! Oh, truly I have important guests. Welcome to you both."

Islaha stepped closer and sat down near her, prompting Mama to remark, "Islaha, how are you finding the unfamiliar environment?"

Islaha merely smiled without uttering a word. Mama looked at Rehaan and said, "This girl is well-mannered and modest."

He averted his gaze as though he hadn't heard, keeping his eyes on the children because he simply didn't have the time to pay attention to Islaha.

Mama continued, "As I told you, I am called Mama, and I am the most senior person in this house. Now that you've arrived, Rehaan’s relatives are all away at a wedding, but you will meet them later."

Outwardly, Islaha said nothing and kept a smile, but inwardly, sheer frustration consumed her soul. Just sitting in the same space as Rehaan was enough to infuriate her.

Rehaan stood up and announced, "We are going to Umma’s place."

Mama replied, "That is proper. Come back out when you are done." Without answering, he walked out. Islaha followed behind him, wishing she could drag him back and beat him until he stopped breathing, just out of the intense anger she felt toward him.

Mama shot them a harsh look as they left and muttered, "Useless fool. I didn't allow this wedding to happen for nothing; I have my own motives behind it. The girl acts all innocent and well-behaved, but after her wild outings where she's run around and gotten to know men inside out, now she sits there lowering her gaze when spoken to? Mtsw! I will deal with both of you, mark my words—you and her are both in the palm of my hand."

They entered Umma’s quarters and found her sitting with Salman, who was eating his food. The moment Salman saw them, he jumped to his feet. Rehaan smiled, walked up to him, and asked, "Where is my share of the food?"

Salman handed him his portion, and Rehaan smiled, taking a seat beside him.

He looked at Umma, who had scowled and turned her face away. Rehaan greeted her, but she responded as if forced against her will. Islaha greeted her as well, and Umma answered in a sharp, dismissive tone.

Salman pointed at Islaha and asked, "Who is this?"

Rehaan looked at Islaha and their eyes met; he quickly looked away and turned to Salman. Before he could speak, Salman blurted out, "When I went earlier, I didn't see you, but I saw her. Will I keep seeing her whenever I come? She looks just like Dora from that cartoon..." he said it in a way that only Rehaan would understand who he meant.

Rehaan nodded, watching him, and Salman added, "I really like her."

Rehaan smiled, completely unbothered by Salman's remarks, and asked, "You like her?"

Salman nodded. "I like her."

Rehaan looked at Islaha and saw her staring right back at Salman. He turned back to Salman and said quietly, so only Islaha could hear him—deliberately making the remark—"She says she likes you too, and you can come over to visit anytime. After all, she is your relative, you and her are no different..."

Salman laughed so hard he spilled his food all over himself. Rehaan quickly took the bowl, picked up a spoon, and began wiping up the food that had spilled on his clothes.

Salman, still gazing at Islaha, grabbed Rehaan’s hand and said, "I am going to come to her place every single day..."

Then, looking back at Islaha, he asked, "Do you really like me?" Islaha turned her face away without saying a word, burning with anger at Rehaan for secretly implying that she was crazy.

At that moment, Umma returned to the sitting room and unashamedly declared, "Well, goodnight to you then. We are done here."

Rehaan gently stroked the older boy's head with a touch of pity, then stood up. Islaha stood up as well and headed toward the exit without sparing anyone another glance.

Salman jumped up to follow her, but Umma grabbed him and barked, "Where do you think you're going?"

Salman protested, "I am going with her. I'm going to sleep in her room tonight."

Umma glared at him. "Sit down this instant! Whose room are you sleeping in?"

Salman grabbed onto Rehaan like he was about to burst into tears and pleaded, "Take me with her! I want to sleep in her room."

Umma snapped, "I will slap you right now! Get away from here before I call Amir’s fish to come eat you alive!" Hearing the mention of the very thing he feared most, Salman scuttled off into a bedroom.

Rehaan walked out with a smile, his heart heavy with pity for his older brother, knowing how terrified he was of things that normally only scared small children. God was his witness; he desperately wanted to find a way to get him healed, but their mother kept standing in the way.

He found Islaha standing with a scowl, her face pulled tight as she stared off to the side, looking like she was just an inch away from throwing a massive tantrum. He said nothing and walked toward Abba’s wing. Realizing he had left, she had no choice but to follow him. They didn't stay long there either; they exchanged brief, superficial greetings before leaving to visit Mamy's wing.

As soon as they entered Mamy’s parlor, Islaha’s heart sank. Mamy wasn't the only one there—there were several other women, all of them fair-skinned just like her, including the exact woman with whom Islaha had previously clashed.

Upon entering, Rehaan smiled and asked, "You guys haven't gone to sleep yet?"

Sanah, who was the only one who could manage a bit of Hausa, replied, "We just got back. Sleep? Not yet! Welcome." He nodded in acknowledgment, while Islaha stood frozen near the entrance, unable to move or step inside.

Sanah looked at her and urged, "Come on in," speaking in her broken, accented Hausa.

Ammi immediately chimed in, "How could she possibly step in after the sheer insolence she showed her mother-in-law earlier? She even tried to slap me!"

Islaha closed her eyes tightly and opened them again, frustration washing over her soul. God knows she was ready to summon imaginary jinn to beat that woman up, but she didn't want to lose her dignity and self-respect in front of the wrong people.

Mamy glanced at Islaha standing there, looked away, and turned to Rehaan. "Have you eaten?"

Rehaan answered, "I have."

Seeing that Mamy was completely ignoring Islaha, Sanah spoke up again. "Come on in, Islaha, or isn't that your name?" Islaha managed a small smile, grateful for the kindness the woman was showing her, and slowly walked over to sit on the carpet.

Ammi scoffed, "Rehaan, did you see what this girl did to me and your mother earlier? I already knew her; we met at the hospital when you were sick and bedridden. This girl confronted us and began raining insults on us after she even stole Mamy’s ATM card! I have never in my life seen a girl so utterly lacking in manners and basic respect for her elders."

Rehaan paid her no mind, distracted by the house kids who had followed him to Mamy’s wing. After a moment, he glanced at Ammi without speaking, then looked at Islaha, seeing the look of pure rage directed at Ammi.

Sanah intervened, "Enough, please. That isn't why she's here; she just came to greet us."

Mamy said nothing at all, acting as if they weren't even in the room, keeping her eyes glued to her phone and typing away as though nobody had come to pay their respects.

Sanah asked Islaha, "Where do you work?"

Islaha replied, "Toron Guiwa TV."

"Mashallah! So you're a TV presenter."

Islaha smiled without answering. She felt completely suffocated by the hostile reception. It wasn't even the unwelcoming vibe that bothered her the most; it was the sheer presence of Ammi that was driving her crazy—she felt like she was moments away from going berserk.

Ammi glared at Islaha—who was deliberately looking elsewhere—and spat, "Useless, ill-mannered brat," repeating it in fury, deeply disgusted that Islaha dared to use the same title as Rehaan's mother.

Furious, Islaha snapped her head up and their eyes locked. But checking herself, she lowered her gaze again and kept quiet. Silence descended upon the parlor, broken only by the faint sounds of children playing games and giggling.

Seeing that Mamy refused to speak, Sanah said, "May God grant you peace. Rehaan, you guys should go rest, it's getting late."

Right on cue, Mamy spoke up. "She can go. I need to speak with him..."

She looked at Rehaan and commanded, "Rehaan, follow me," standing up and heading into an inner room. He had no choice but to follow her.

Once inside the bedroom, she turned to him and said, "Rehaan, I dislike that girl intensely. She doesn't sit well with me at all, and I refuse to accept her as an in-law. She has no shame, she disrespects her elders, and she even insults the very people who gave birth to her. Do not make the mistake of getting too comfortable with her; keep your distance so she doesn't ruin you."

Rehaan felt a heavy sinking sensation in his chest. His body went cold, and his resentment toward Islaha multiplied. He wished he had never even heard a name like hers.

He looked at Mamy and said, "Alright, Mamy."

Mamy continued, "And make sure you prepare for marriage next month. I want you to marry Ikram, Rehaan."

"Mamy, we already discussed this. I cannot marry her. But I will get married soon—just not to Ikram."

Mamy insisted, "I don't want you bringing home someone who will destroy you."

He took her hand and promised, "I will always be in good health."

She stroked his head and prayed, "May God grant it."

He smiled and stepped out of the room. Finding that Islaha was no longer there, he headed straight to Abba’s wing as he had been instructed.

He found Abba sitting just as he had earlier. He took a seat, and Abba said, "I called you to remind you of the promise you made me regarding this marriage. You remember, don't you?"

"I remember, Abba."

Abba urged, "Please exercise patience and hold onto this marriage. I don't want any complications, you hear?"

"Inshallah, there will be no problems from my end. I will do everything for your sake."

"That is what I like to hear. Just be patient and turn a blind eye until you find someone you actually wish to marry."

"Understood," he replied briefly.

Abba dismissed him. "Off you go, may God bless you."

"Amen, Abba. Goodnight," he said, standing up and walking out of the wing back to his own quarters.

Upon entering the parlor, Islaha—who had been waiting anxiously for his return—stood up, looked him straight in the eye, and announced, "I want this contract canceled. I cannot live in this house as your wife..."

"I am completely exhausted! Just a single day staying in your house has shown me I can't do this. I need to go back home to Hamma. I cannot stay here. So please, cancel this. I promise I will find a way to pay you back every single penny. Just divorce me and let me be on my way! If it's money you want, I will figure out how to get it and give it back to you. Living in this house goes against everything I am. Hamma and I will find a way to raise the funds, but I simply cannot live here..."

Rehaan stopped dead in his tracks upon hearing her outburst from behind. He turned around, staring at her as if she had lost her mind.

Rehaan placed a hand over his chest, staring at her in disbelief as she demanded the cancellation of the agreement right after he had given his word to Abba not ten minutes prior. Here she was, talking nonsense again.

Seeing him stare, Islaha pressed on, "I will do any kind of work under you until I pay off the debt you gave me, but I cannot live in this house as your wife. I need to go back to Hamma."

Rehaan shook his head slightly, blushing with annoyance, before looking away from her. He turned back, fixed his gaze on her, and asked, "Cancel it?"

Islaha nodded firmly, staring right at him because she truly couldn't bear to stay in their family house a moment longer.

He looked down at the floor as if searching for something, then looked back up, shoved his hands into his pockets, and asked, "So you have my account details, right?"

She looked up in shock at his response. Rehaan raised an eyebrow, his face hardening into a scowl as though he hadn't just been smiling a moment ago.

Distressed, Islaha replied, "I don't have it, and I don't have the money to pay you back right now so I can transfer it to you. But I promise you, I will work under you until I pay back every coin! Even if you don't pay me a salary, I agree to it. All I want is for this agreement to be canceled so I can go my separate way. Hamma and I will figure out the money, but please..."

Rehaan cut her off: "When you signed it, you said you were helping me. Why are you suddenly looking to back out?"

"Because of Hamma! It's for his sake that I put my life into your hands. Everything I did was for him; if not for him, you would never lay eyes on me again for as long as I live."

Rehaan clicked his tongue, shaking his head in absolute indifference to her words. "Okay, go tell him to pay back the money I gave you. Once I receive my money, we can cancel the agreement. But if my money is not paid back, don't ever bring up canceling this contract again."

He turned to leave, then paused, glanced back at her, and added, "Fifty million naira, not fifty thousand," before heading upstairs while pulling his phone out of his pocket, completely ignoring her further.

Islaha stood frozen in distress. She sat down, thinking of Hamma somewhere out there unwell, with her having no idea what condition he was in. She burst into a heart-wrenching cry, feeling as though she might choke on her own grief. Closing her eyes in sheer anguish and frustration, feeling like she wanted to beat her own head against a wall, she grabbed her phone and dialed Safeera.

The moment Safeera picked up, she started complaining, "I've been waiting to hear from you forever! Did you go to Hamma or not?"

Safeera, sounding utterly exhausted by the topic, replied, "How many times do I have to tell you? I went, but he was sleeping. What do you expect me to do?"

Then Islaha remembered—oh right, they had already spoken, and Safeera had told her he was asleep. Her overwhelming worry and thoughts of Hamma had made her completely forget.

Her body went limp. "Safeera, I don't know what to do. I feel like I'm losing my mind. I want to see Hamma, I want to explain things to him, I want him to know I didn't betray him."

Safeera coaxed her, "Please calm down. I know Hamma knows you didn't betray him. Why are you torturing yourself like this?" Islaha let out a shaky, sob-broken sigh without answering. Safeera continued, "Please get a grip. Acting like this isn't the solution."

"I want this contract canceled. I want to go back and take care of Hamma. Even if I don't live in their house, I just need to get out of here."

"Do you happen to have fifty million lying around?"

"I don't."

"Then drop the idea of canceling the contract! Even if you had the money in your hand, you're legally obligated to stay because you agreed to live with him in exchange for the funds. You agreed, he agreed, you both signed. He gave you the money so you could live with him, you accepted it so you could save Hamma, and your need was met. Now, just because it suits your selfish desires, you want to cancel the contract? Grow up and understand how the law works, Islaha."

She closed her eyes tightly. "I can't stay here. I honestly feel like I'm going to die."

Safeera soothed her, "You won't die, and Hamma will understand you properly. Just calm down and prepare yourself to face him."

She shook her head as if Safeera could see her. "I'm too shy."

"Put your shyness aside and brace yourself to explain things so he understands." Safeera took a deep breath, hung up the phone, and lay down on the sofa.

Islaha was ravenous. Hunger was gnawing at her stomach because she hadn't eaten anything since leaving Safeera's house. She'd only managed to sip some tea earlier and hadn't touched anything else. She looked at the large food flasks sitting on the center table, stood up with difficulty, and opened one to find chicken and potatoes. She took a small plate, scooped up a few potatoes, ate them, drank some water, and went back to sit quietly.

Then she heard a knock on the door. Her heart leaped. She checked the time and saw it was 11:00 PM. As she stared at the door, it swung open and someone stepped inside. She fixed her eyes on the entrance.

It was Banisha, accompanied by Janan and Ikram. Their faces were made up, clearly just returning from Riyya's wedding party. They greeted her in unison, and she responded, lifting her gaze to lock eyes with Banisha.

Banisha smiled. "Hi, sis." Islaha managed a weak smile, nodded, and said, "Hello, Banisha."

Janan offered a brief, "Hi." Islaha raised her chin slightly without speaking, just watching her, finding them arrogant and full of self-importance.

Ikram asked, "Is Hamma Rehaan around?"

Banisha answered, "He's upstairs. Come on." They walked past her and headed up the stairs without sparing her another glance, carrying themselves with supreme airs.

Sitting alone in the parlor, Islaha could hear their laughter echoing from upstairs. She couldn't hear his voice specifically, but she heard their lighthearted chuckles until they descended the stairs, calling out, "Goodnight, bruh." She didn't look up as they walked past her and headed out, pulling the door shut behind them. She stood up, grabbed her phone, and headed upstairs.

Islaha found him in the upstairs parlor, sitting with one leg crossed over the other, answering a video call. He was smiling broadly, clearly talking to someone very important.

Just as she walked into the parlor, she heard a woman's voice speaking in English: "Where did you leave your wife?"

Rehaan raised his eyes and watched Islaha step into the parlor, walking with the heavy reluctance of someone forced against her will. He rubbed his head, ignored the question, and asked the caller, "When are you coming?"

"Not until your wife gives birth."

"Guess you're not coming then."

The woman let out a dramatic gasp and clapped her hands. Rehaan smiled and said, "Bye. I have work."

"Mr. Busy. Bye." Without another word, he closed his laptop, picked up his phone, and calmly began typing.

Islaha didn't look at him as she walked past toward the room assigned to her. She took off her head wrap and stepped into the bathroom to freshen up. When she came out, she opened her suitcase and changed into a lightweight, long, sleeveless nightgown.

She sat on the edge of the bed, her mind drifting to various thoughts. Thoughts of Zainab momentarily eclipsed thoughts of Hamma. Startled as if jolted awake, she picked up her phone, intending to call Barrister Suraj, but seeing how late it was, she let out a sigh. She resolved that tomorrow she absolutely had to go out and handle what needed to be done; tomorrow she had to leave this house to find a way out of the mess she had landed in.

Meanwhile, Rehaan was sitting when a call from Jazy came through. Just as he thought of ignoring it, he picked up and put it on speaker. Jazy complained, "Please, Rehaan, talk to Riyya. She won't stop crying, and she's not listening to me."

Rehaan scowled as if he could see him, then disconnected the audio call and initiated a video call with Jazy. He saw Jazy clad in red pajamas that actually suited him quite well.

Ray asked, "What did you do to her?"

Jazy glared through the screen. "What could I possibly do to her at this hour? If you want to comfort her, do it. Stop talking nonsense."

Riyya grabbed the phone from Jazy, her face filling the screen. Ray softened his voice. "Riyya, what's wrong?"

"I'm just missing you."

"Aren't you looking right at me? Why are you crying? Do you want me to come pick you up?"

She nodded vigorously. Ray smiled and said, "Alright, stop crying. I'll come take you with me, okay?" She wiped her eyes, smiling as she handed the phone back to Jazy.

Jazy didn't say anything until he walked out of the room, then held up the phone. "Whose father's house do you think you're going to go to and kidnap her from? Have you lost your mind?"

Ray laughed heartily. "I swear, if I feel like it, I'll drive right over to your house and take her away."

Jazy retorted, "Don't you dare chicken out. Please come if you've got the guts."

Ray let out another rich laugh. "Hmm, you're testing me."

Jazy shot back, "Go deal with your contract wife."

Ray didn't reply; he cut the call and his gaze drifted toward the room Islaha had entered. Right at that moment, Islaha opened her door and stepped out, wearing her long nightgown with a light head wrap thrown haphazardly over her head. Her hair cascaded all the way down her back, but because the head wrap had slipped forward, the front of her hair was exposed.

The moment she stepped out, their eyes locked. She froze in her tracks, unable to move forward or backward. She had left her phone charger downstairs and needed to go grab it so she could charge her phone. If she had known he was still sitting out here, she never would have been reckless enough to step out without her proper veil.

Analytics, Summary, and Document Overview

• Chapter Summary: This chapter continues the intense domestic and psychological drama in Dubai. Islaha finds herself trapped in a hostile environment, facing open hostility from Mama, Umma, and Ammi, while dealing with the eccentricities of Salman and the cold indifference of Rehaan. Despite her desperate pleas to cancel the "contract marriage" and repay Rehaan through labor, Rehaan coldly informs her that she must pay back fifty million naira or honor the marriage. Meanwhile, family dynamics continue to play out with visits from other relatives, and Islaha struggles with homesickness, anxiety over Hamma, and the crushing reality of her entrapment, culminating in an awkward encounter with Rehaan outside their rooms at night.
• Core Themes: Power dynamics, entrapment, miscommunication, emotional resilience, familial manipulation, and forced proximity romance tropes.
• Tone: High emotional tension, dramatic, conflicting loyalties, and sharp interpersonal friction.