Chapter 2.
As Abdulmalik entered the house, Hafsat was seated in the parlor, deeply engrossed in her work. One of the house workers promptly appeared to collect Abdulmalik's bag.
"My wifey, I hope I didn't waste your time," Abdulmalik said, eyeing Hafsat's focused expression.
Without looking up, Hafsat instructed, "Go upstairs to the right. There are three rooms; you can choose any one you like. Ask them to keep your clothes there."
With that, Hafsat returned to her work, dismissing Abdulmalik.
Abdulmalik felt a surge of irritation at Hafsat's dismissive attitude. She wouldn't even look up at him.
As he turned to leave, he commented, "By the way, your house is very beautiful."
Hafsat remained silent, her focus fixed on her work. Abdulmalik's compliment was met with indifference.
He headed upstairs, inspecting the rooms. They were all impressive, so he instructed the staff to unpack his clothes in one of them.
Curiosity getting the better of him, Abdulmalik ventured to the other part of the house, despite not being invited. He stumbled upon a lavish master bedroom, complete with a parlour and every luxury imaginable. He was certain this was Hafsat's room – it was the largest and most opulent.
Abdulmalik quickly made his way back downstairs.
"My dear wifey, I prefer the room by the left," Abdulmalik said, catching Hafsat off guard. She quickly looked up from her work, a hint of surprise in her eyes.
"No, don't," Hafsat warned him, but Abdulmalik just smiled mischievously.
"I'll be going to my room now," he said, heading straight upstairs.
Hafsat quickly got up to follow him. "No, Abdulmalik, don't you dare!" she exclaimed.
Abdulmalik sensed Hafsat following him and made a beeline for her room. Hafsat ran after him, determined to stop him.
When she reached her room, she found Abdulmalik lying on her bed. Hafsat stood beside the bed, her eyes flashing with anger.
"Stand up and leave my room, please," she commanded, her voice firm but controlled.
Abdulmalik sat on the bed, a hint of frustration in his voice. "Okay, fine. I won't take your room away from you. I just want my wife close to me. I want to sleep with you every night here."
Hafsat's eyes widened in outrage, her gaze piercing. "In your dreams, Abdulmalik. Leave my room."
Abdulmalik's brow furrowed. "What do you mean 'in your dreams'? Am I not your husband?"
Hafsat's voice was firm, her tone unyielding. "As I told you, I have certain rules and regulations you must follow in this house. Nothing like... romance or intimacy will happen in our marriage."
Abdulmalik's eyes narrowed, his mind racing with the truth he had uncovered. He knew Hafsat had married him to protect her property, not out of love.
His voice took on a note of indignation. "With whose permission? I didn't agree to this. No romance, no marriage?"
Hafsat's eyes flashed angrily, her face set in a fierce expression.
Abdulmalik refused to budge, despite Hafsat's growing anger. "Leave my room!" she stated, her eyes narrowing into slits.
Abdulmalik continued to tease her, his voice laced with mock concern. "But please, what kind of marriage is this? Do you want Allah to punish you for leaving your husband like this?"
Hafsat's anger boiled over, and she yelled at him, "Get out of my room!" Abdulmalik was taken aback by her sudden harsh tone.
As he gazed at the furious Hafsat, he thought to himself, "It looks like she's really angry. Let me just leave her for tonight. No! but I have a question to asked her"
Abdulmalik decided to retreat, but not before asking Hafsat, "Okay, fine. I'll leave you, but tell me, why did you marry me?"
Hafsat's response was curt. "I bet you already know. Everyone already knows the situation with the company."
Abdulmalik murmured, "Hmm," as if lost in thought.
Hafsat's patience had worn thin. "You can go back to your room and think all you want, but please, for now, leave my room. And I don't ever want to see you here again."
"You are my user, Hafsat," Abdulmalik said, his words dripping with sarcasm, catching her off guard.
"No matter the reason you married me, you're supposed to treat me as your husband," Abdulmalik continued. "Since we didn't sign any agreement, I expect some respect and affection."
Hafsat's calm demeanor was a stark contrast to Abdulmalik's rising anger. "Okay, I heard you. Just leave," she said, her voice even.
Abdulmalik's eyes flashed with frustration as he got off the bed and put his shoes back on. "Since I can't get romance from my wife, I'll go find it somewhere else," he said, his words laced with bitterness.
As he turned to leave, Hafsat's voice stopped him. "You can do as you please, go and get it somewhere, but not from me."
Abdulmalik turned back to look at hafsat.
Abdulmalik couldn't help but feel that his brothers had indeed punished him by marrying him off to Hafsat. How could he possibly live with someone as beautiful as her and still restrain himself?
As he gazed at her face, he was struck by her flawless features. Her long face, pointed nose, thin pink lips, full brow, and big, beautiful cat eyes all combined to create a breathtakingly beautiful woman.
His eyes wandered to her body, clad in all-blue attire - trousers, a T-shirt, and a top that reached down to her knees. Despite the modest clothing, her curvaceous figure was still evident. Her scarf couldn't hide her long, waist-length hair, which perfectly complemented her light and flawless skin tone.
Hafsat looked stunning, and Abdulmalik couldn't help but feel drawn to her. She was the most beautiful sight he had ever laid eyes on.
As his gaze drifted to her bust, Hafsat suddenly felt uncomfortable, sensing the intensity of Abdulmalik's stare. She instinctively wrapped her arms around herself, trying to shield herself from his piercing gaze.
Abdulmalik quickly realized he had made Hafsat uncomfortable. "Uhmm, sorry," he muttered, before swiftly exiting the room.
Hafsat collapsed onto the bed, her body still reeling from the intensity of Abdulmalik's gaze. The way he had looked at her had sent shivers down her spine, leaving her feeling vulnerable and exposed.
Despite Abdulmalik's rough nature, Hafsat couldn't help but wonder why she had chosen him among her suitors. She hadn't had many options, but still, there was something about Abdulmalik that had drawn her to him.
As she sat on the bed, Hafsat realized that deep down, she trusted Abdulmalik more than all the rest. It was a feeling she couldn't quite explain, but it was there, lingering beneath the surface.
_____
At 7:20 am, Abdulmalik was already dressed and ready for work. His day began at 5:00 am, as was his daily routine, which included Fajr prayer and a morning workout. He had never missed these activities unless absolutely necessary.
As he left his room, he went to check on Hafsat, wondering if she was awake yet. Her room was empty, so he headed downstairs. Before reaching the bottom, he heard Hafsat's voice, shouting and yelling.
"I told you I need to leave the house by 7:40 am, but the food is still not ready!" Hafsat scolded one of the housegirls.
"We're sorry, we're sorry," one of them apologized.
"No, you're not," Hafsat replied. "You're all doing this to test my patience. Is it because Auntie is not here?"
"Fine, I'll let it slide for today," Hafsat said.
Abdulmalik remained silent, walking past Hafsat as he prepared to leave the parlor. However, Hafsat turned and called out to him.
"Abdulmalik!"
He stopped and turned to face her. "Where are you going?" she asked, crossing her arms as she looked at him.
Abdulmalik noticed the housegirls quickly scattering, eager to escape the tension.
"To the office," he replied.
Hafsat's expression changed, and she said, "Okay, wait. Let's go together."
Hafsat and Abdulmalik got into the car and headed to work. During the commute, Hafsat turned to Abdulmalik and said, "Abdulmalik, I need you to behave yourself from now on at the office."
Abdulmalik responded with a hint of mockery, "Okay, ma'am."
Hafsat chose to ignore his sarcasm, preoccupied with more pressing concerns. They arrived at the office precisely at 8:00 am.
Hafsat proceeded directly to the conference room, where the board members were already seated. Among them was Abdulhamid Lawal, the COO of spectra style co. As the next in line to Hafsat's position, Abdulhamid had always sought to undermine her authority. Hafsat suspected him of spreading rumors about her in an attempt to force her to resign or marry him.
As Hafsat entered the conference room, Abdulhamid's face lit up. He was about to sign some documents, but Hafsat swiftly intervened. She knew exactly what the documents entailed and, without hesitation, grabbed them from Abdulhamid and tore them into pieces. The room fell silent as everyone stared at her in shock.
"What did you just do?" Abdulhamid demanded, his face red with rage.
"Hafsat, why are you doing this? You're being disrespectful," one of the board members, Mr. Williams, intervened.
Hafsat remained calm, "The documents are no longer needed. I've already fulfilled the conditions you set for me yesterday."
The room erupted into a mixture of shock and confusion. Abdulhamid's eyes widened in disbelief. "What? Does that mean...?" he stuttered, his face pale with anger and frustration. The blood in his veins seemed to boil as he realized that Hafsat had foiled his plans, leaving him to wonder if she had indeed gotten married.
Abdulhamid's eyes widened in shock as Hafsat dropped the bombshell. "You don't need to sign those documents to claim my company," she said, a hint of triumph in her voice. "I still hold my position as CEO, and I've fulfilled all the conditions you have all set. I am now married."
The room fell silent, with all eyes fixed on Hafsat. Abdulhamid's face turned beet red with rage and disappointment. He had always wanted to possess Hafsat, either by marrying her or atleast acquiring her company, since she is not interested in him. Now, it seemed he had lost both.
Abdulhamid's eyes narrowed, his mind racing with thoughts of how to salvage the situation. "What proof do you have, and who is this husband of yours?" he asked, his voice laced with skepticism and anger.
Mr. Abdulaziz, one of the board members, spoke up. "We need proof."
Abdulmalik entered the room, his presence unexpected. "I am her husband," he announced, shocking everyone, including Hafsat, who had been about to call him.
Abdulhamid's face turned red with rage, and he seemed on the verge of attacking Abdulmalik. However, he managed to compose himself.
"Since when, and what proof do you have?" Abdulhamid demanded.
Abdulmalik smiled calmly. "Since when did you give her the condition? As for proof..." He dropped a file on the table. "This is the proof," he said, nodding towards the document.
The six board members and Abdulhamid go through the marriage certificate. Hafsat, meanwhile, looked at Abdulmalik in shock, her mind racing. She didn't remember telling him to do this.
Moreover, the lawyer had told her that obtaining a marriage certificate would take at least a week. How did Abdulmalik manage to get it so easily? Hafsat's eyes remained fixed on Abdulmalik, who is not even looking at her direction.
The board members scrutinized the marriage certificate, verifying its authenticity. "How can we be certain this isn't a fake?" Mr. Faruk, one of the members, asked.
Abdulmalik smiled confidently. "I've already contacted our office lawyer to verify the document." As if on cue, the lawyer entered the room.
Hafsat watched the scene unfold, stunned and surprised by Abdulmalik's unexpected help. He had exceeded her expectations.
The lawyer, Mr. Bala Shehu, began to review the documents. After a moment, he looked up and addressed the room. "It's official – they are legally married."
Mr. Williams announced, "If that's the case, Hafsat can now reclaim her position as CEO of Spectra Style Co. This meeting is dismissed." The board members filed out of the room, leaving Abdulmalik, Abdulhamid, and Hafsat behind.
Hafsat felt an overwhelming sense of relief, grateful that Abdulmalik had saved her. Abdulmalik departed without a word, leaving Hafsat alone with Abdulhamid.
Abdulhamid rose from his seat, his eyes fixed menacingly on Hafsat. "You will see," he hissed, before turning and storming out of the room.
Hafsat was left standing alone, her heart still racing from the events that had transpired. She couldn't contain her happiness; after nine long months of struggle, this chapter of her life had finally come to an end.
As the day drew to a close on that short Friday, Hafsat realized she hadn't seen Abdulmalik all day. Their paths hadn't crossed once at the office. She had also been wanting to thank him for his help earlier, but she hadn't mustered the courage to approach him.
Hafsat decided to visit his office so they could leave together. However, when she arrived, she found him with two girls. Hafsat's anger flared up. Was Abdulmalik trying to undermine the progress they had just made? If people saw him, her husband, with those girls, it would create another problem.
"All of you, leave this office now! It's past closing time," Hafsat ordered, her voice firm with rage.
Rashida, one of the girls, apologized, "Oh, sorry ma'am..." but Hafsat cut her off.
"Leave this office, and I don't want to see you here again!" Hafsat yelled.
The two girls quickly exited, leaving Hafsat and Abdulmalik alone.
Hafsat scolded Abdulmalik, "Behave yourself! You're not supposed to be doing this now. Remember, you're my husband, and you should act like one. Don't tarnish my reputation."
Abdulmalik smirked, "I didn't think I was your husband. I thought I was just your wife. You're always giving me orders. After all, didn't you tell me yesterday to go get whatever I want from somewhere else?"
Hafsat's anger flared up. "Yes, somewhere else, but not in my house or office!"
Abdulmalik decided to tease her, "Calm down, my queen of heart. Are you sure you want me to get it somewhere else, or were you just jealous seeing me with other girls?"
Hafsat's annoyance turned to frustration. It was a waste of time explaining things to him. She turned and stormed out, not even bothering to reply. Abdulmalik quickly gathered his belongings and followed after her.