"Zara , I'm really sorry, I know I wasn't fair to you at all. I should have look into the matter and investigate, please Zara find it in your heart to forgive me , please." Faisal pleaded looking at her.

"Hn! You think is easy Mr? huh ? Just tell me , do you have any idea of what i went through because of what you did ?"

"I know Zara, i know, i just didn't know what got into my head that faithfully day, please Zara."

"Hm! Story of the gods now if you will excuse me." Zara said and entered the car leaving him there stranded.

**

"What's this Dinah?" Hajiya Aisha said showing Dinah a white bottle.

Dinah's eyes bulged out, Oh God how did she find the bottle? she thought.

She gulped before saying. "Oh Aunt Aisha, it's nothing, it's a painkiller, i was feeling down so i took it to relieve the pain." Dinah stammered smiling at her Aunt.

Hajiya Aisha smiled at her niece before saying.
"It's okay, that was what I thought." She said and left.

"Oh that was close." Dinah sighed.

"What was close?" A voice asked.

———

"Assalamu Alaikum." Hanifa said entering her father's living room.

"Wa alikissalam my Hani." Senator Ahmad said patting the space next to him for her.

She went and sat beside him before hugging him. "Father i came to ask you something." Hanifa said.

"I'm all ears." He said patting her back.

"Father, what was the incident that happened nineteen years ago?" She asked making him to abruptly look at her.

"How did you know about this my Hani?" Senator Ahmad asked.

"We had a fight earlier with Ammie and she said that I should ask you the incident that happened nineteen years ago that changed her from who she was." Hanifa said.

"What was the cause of your fight with her.?" Senator Ahmad asked.

Hanifa told him all that happened. He nodded his head before clearing his voice.

"Are you sure you want to know my Hani?" He asked again.

"Yes Father hundred percent sure." She said and smiled at him.

"Okay." He said and started...

Nineteen Years ago.....

It was a sunny weather and a heavily pregnant woman around her mid twenties came out of a tattered bathroom heaving.

From the look of things , the pregnancy is giving her a hard time. She went and sat on her bed reciting some azhkar to ease her pain.

A three year old girl came into the room crying in her worn out clothes due to poverty.

"What's the problem Dinah, why are you crying?" The woman asked her voice seizing.

"Ammie, it's Anna , she beats me again." The girl said crying hysterically.

The woman didn't get to speak when an arrogant old woman barged into the room.

"Wallahi, Ruqayya you better warn this your dirty daughter from coming into my room or else , i would beat the hell out of her." The Anna of a woman said.

"Haba Anna , Dinah is your grand daughter fa, what's there if she goes into your room." Hajiya Ruqayya said heaving.

"Yen yen, just keep your mouth shut, dangin tsiya , me I'm tired of you people at my house honestly speaking, your poor husband should better find a house for you guys and take you away , I'm tired of you." The Anna spat.

Hajiya Ruqayya wiped her tears looking at the Anna with disbelieve in her eyes. "Haba Anna, how could you say that to me? I'm your daughter fa, just because my husband has no money like the others, then you will say mean things to me and hate me?"

"I don't care , I'm tired of you people at my house, you just don't do anything apart from eating and sleeping you don't contribute anything to the household, let me tell you there is no lunch for you today you and your children.

And you better not give birth to this baby you're carrying in my house because I won't take care of it, I don't have any more money to fend for your needs anymore." Anna spat angrily and left.

Hajiya Ruqayya burst out into set of tears , she can't believe her mother hates her just because she and her husband are poor.

Nine year old Nafida and eight year old Khalifa came into the room in their worn out clothes from islamiyya.

"Ammie what's the matter why are you crying." They said and sat beside her wiping her tears.

"It's nothing, I'm having a headache, you guys should go and lay down." She said wiping her tear stained face. Her fair skin has already turned red due to crying.

"Okay Ammie, but we are hungry." Khalifa said shaking his mother's hands.

"Wait Khalifa , let me get some lunch for us from Anna." Nafida said and before Hajiya Ruqayya could stop her she's already out of the room.

She went into the kitchen and saw a flask with jollof rice and chicken inside, her stomach grumbled at the sight, so she picked the flask and went to their room with it.

Hajiya Ruqayya was surprised when she saw Nafida with a flask . Did Anna perhaps gave her?

"Nafida where did you get that from?" She asked Nafida who has already gathered her siblings together and are ready to start eating.

"In the kitchen Ammie, i know Anna kept some for us." She said and they started eating.

Few minutes later Hajiya Ruqayya and her kids heard Anna yelling their names from outside. They all rushed out.

And the first thing she did was slapped Hajiya Ruqayya hard on the face before saying. "How dare you pick my flask from the kitchen, huh?"

"Anna stop, i was the one who took it not Ammie." Nafida said shaking in fear. She knows today's beating would be worse than any other day beating, since Anna used to beat them everyday.

That day Nafida, Khalifa and Dinah got the beating of their lives, Hajiya Ruqayya pleaded but all in vain, she watched as her three children were given lashes.

She went down on her knees and let out a heart wrenching sob, she's going through the most torture from her mother just because of her being poor? Is it a crime to be poor? Why would her mother not understands that? Her mother now hates her because she's poor, why? Just why?

The clouds darken and rain began falling, Hajiya Ruqayya started labour, she felt an excruciating pain she never felt before,

Upon seeing this the kids rushed to her, Nafida stood up and went to Anna banging her door.

"Anna Ammie is in labour please come out and help , let's take her to the hospital." Nafida cried.

Anna came out of the room and watched as her daughter cried in pain without helping her. After three hours of pain, torture and crying in the rain with no one helping her except for her three kids who have been crying and consoling her, she gave birth to a cute beautiful baby.

Nafida went into the room and picked a torn wrapper before wrapping her baby sister with it.

"Anna please come out and help Ammie and the baby , there are in the pain and are both crying." Khalifa said to Anna's door , but she refused to come out.

"Leave her Khalifa , we don't need her help anymore, here hold the baby let me go and seek help from the neighbors, Ammie i would be back soon." Nafida said and wiped her tears.

"Nafida wait...." Hajiya Ruqayya weakly called out. "You will both loose us if you don't do this..." She said her breath seizing

"What Ammie?" Nafida asked wiping her tears.

"G...go and get a razor in the room.....

Nafida hurriedly went into the room, she came back shortly with the razor.

"Take the baby's navel.... use your last finger and measure it... than use the razor and cut the remaining one..." Hajiya Ruqayya managed to breath out.

Nafida did as she was told and handed the crying baby whose body is covered with blood to Khalifa and knelt down beside her mother.

"Now.... go and call one of the neighbor Nafida.... be be fast or you will loose me.." Hajiya Ruqayya breath out.

Nafida hurriedly left the house with the rain coming down in full speed to one of their closest neighbor.

"Ammie sorry." Dinah and Khalifa said hugging their mother. Anna isn't still out of her room.

Nafida came back shortly with two women who helped Hajiya Ruqayya, They sent the kids inside with the baby and closed the house before removing the remains of the navel from Hajiya Ruqayya's body.

They bathe her and the baby before taking her into her room.

"Where are the baby's cloth Ruqayya?" The first woman named Barira asked.

Hajiya Ruqayya burst out into a new set of tears before saying. "I have none."

The women pitied her and asked where her husband is, which she told them he traveled in search of money to buy house for them since they were thrown out of their former house by the landlord.

They asked where Anna is and she told them she's in her room, they were surprised but decided to keep shut.

After Barira was done massaging the baby's navel with hot coal, she left for her house to bring some items Hajiya Ruqayya' and the baby lack , while the other woman and the kids stayed with Hajiya Ruqayya and the baby.

She came back shortly with some babies clothe , milk, and a flask which contain of food and hot water.

They dressed the baby and gave Hajiya Ruqayya to feed her after she was done they collected the baby from her and fed her also before leaving.

"Thank you so much Barira and Haulatu, i don't know what i will ever do to repay you for this your kindness, thank you so much." Hajiya Ruqayya cried.

"It's okay Ruqayya , please don't say that you don't have to repay us, we did it for Allah's sake." They said and they left wondering what type of a mother Anna is.

That day Hajiya Ruqayya cried till she couldn't with her kids. She picked the baby and said the takbir in her ears before naming her Hanifah meaning (The true believer.)

At night when there were ready to turn off, Anna came out of her room and went to Hajiya Ruqayya's small room which she shares with her kids.

"Give me the baby." She aggressively said.

Hajiya Ruqayya handed the baby to her.

"Ammie why would you give her baby Hanifa , she didn't helped you when you were in pain." Nafida innocently said fuming.

Anna slapped her loud across the face before leaving the room with the baby and they followed her.

It was raining heavily that night but Anna heartlessly dropped baby Hanifa in the rain.

"Anna what are you doing, she will catch cold and fall sick , i beg you in the name of Allah, please give me my baby." Hajiya Ruqayya begged crying.

That night she begged, pleaded, cried, , the kids pleaded also and cried but Anna refused to listen.

"And wallahi Ruqayya if you there touch that baby or ask your kids to take her wallahi i will curse you!this is the punishment for eating my food , your filthy children did!" Anna said and left to her room banging the door.!

And that's how Hajiya Ruqayya and her kids watched helplessly as baby Hanifa cried in the rain with no one going to her aid. She cried , till she couldn't cried , her small baby energy has drained. And same as Hajiya Ruqayya and her kids.

"Ya Alllah, why? Just because of poverty my own mother is torturing me in the most hardest way, Ya Allah please i beg you, bring an ease to my pain,Ya Allah please."

It was only a miracle that saved Hanifa that Night. The next morning Anna came out of her room and inform Hajiya Ruqayya that she can take her baby.

Hajiya Ruqayya took her baby and took her to the hospital with the help of the neighbors. But by Allah's will nothing was said to affect Hanifa. And everyone who knew the story was shocked even the doctor was shocked when he examined her and saw nothing was wrong with her.

"She is indeed a miraculous child." The Doctor said and that made Hajiya Ruqayya cried more.

Months passed by and Anna's torturing got worst. One faithful day. The kids were in the room crying of hunger to Hajiya Ruqayya. She too is very hungry but have no means to feed herself and children. The house she was working as a maid sacked her away last week just because baby Hanifa vomited on their couch.

Now she's jobless and had no idea what to do and feed herself and children and Anna isn't helping them at all. It's been two days since they last ate , they would drink water and stay like that including three year old Dinah.

Today the kids couldn't helped it and started crying hysterically of hunger, and her husband isn't yet back from where he traveled in search of a living for them.

She left her room and went to beg Anna but found out she isn't around. So she entered her room and saw some money on the bed. She picked the money and went and bought something for her children. She is ready for anything that Anna would say to her today, she can't let her kids die of hunger.

All hell broke loose when Anna came back late at night and found out her money was nowhere to be found. Of course she went to Hajiya Ruqayya's room and started her blabber.

"I'm sorry Anna, I didn't know what to do the kids were crying of hunger." Hajiya Ruqayya innocently said.

"That's it Ruqayya , you and your kids must leave my house right now and right this moment." Anna yelled.

Hajiya Ruqayya and Nafida looked at her with shocked eyes before saying.
"Anna what are you saying, you know i have nowhere to go apart from here and it's late at night, where would i go with the kids, please Anna forgive me, i promise i won't repeat my mistake."

Hajiya Ruqayya cried kneeling on her feet begging Anna.

"Nothing you could say or do will stop me from throwing you out of my house now leave Ruqayya."

"Let's go my kids." Hajiya Ruqayya said and packed some clothes with her before leaving the house with her kids late in the night.

That night Hajiya Ruqayya knew there was no hope for humanity, from that faithful day her heart became filled with bitterness and was filled with revenge, from that night she vowed to do whatever it takes to become rich as long as it's not in anyway sourced from Haram. From that night she vowed never to let her kids wallow in poverty again.

And that faithful night her husband returned home with shelter for his family. That day he promised to take care of his family and provide them with all the basic needs and goodies of the world and he did so.

But one thing that he failed to do was to restore his wife's innocent and pure heart, her beautiful heart. Her heart which was once pure and beautiful, the woman with a heart of gold, was then filled with bitterness and up till date, her beautiful heart never returned to her.

By the time Senator Ahmad was done with the story, Hanifa was hysterically crying.

"How could a mother do this to her own child Father, just because she's poor?" Hanifa asked.

"Allah sarki Ammie , i never knew she went through this in her life." Hanifa sniffed.

"Father how did Anna end up, is she alive?" Hanifa asked.

"She died an agonizing death two years after the incident, she died of heart disease." Senator Ahmad said.

"But Father, where were Aunt Aisha and the rest , why didn't they helped Ammie?" Hanifa asked.

Senator Ahmad sighed before saying. "Anna banned them from visiting your mother, she threatened to curse any one of them if they do so, but her—Anna used to visit them frequently to selfishly collect money from them."

"How cruel she was Father, that woman is the definition of evil.. i hate her with all my being Father for making Ammie go through so much in life." Hanifa fumed.

"Shush, say no more my Hani, she's already dead, and there is no point saying bad things to her."

"Father i need to go to Ammie and ask for her forgiveness for all the things i said to her." Hanifa said and left Senator Ahmad smiling.

She pushes the door to Hajiya Ruqayya's room and met her on the bed crying. She went and hugged her tightly.

"I'm so sorry Ammie, I'm sorry for all the hurtful things I've ever said to you, i didn't meant it Ammie." Hanifa said hugging her tightly.

Hajiya Ruqayya hugged her back too tightly before saying.

"I've never taken you to heart my Hani,i let the bitterness i carried years ago to shroud me and blind my eyes to not realize my wrong doings all this long, so please my Hani, forgive me for what i did to you in the past." Hajiya Ruqayya cried.

"Shush Ammie, i never was serious when i said i hated you, i never was , i love you so much Ammie na." Hanifa said hugging her tightly.

"I love you more my Hani." Hajiya Ruqayya said hugging her back tightly.

And from that day Hajiya Ruqayya let down her bitterness and possessiveness over wealth. She asked Allah (Al Gafur) for forgiveness for all her wrong doings.

Senator Ahmad Hussain and the kids were very happy of the new Hajiya Ruqayya and she was happy with herself.

But she needs to set one thing right though, the incident that happened with Mimi, Nafida's sister in-law. And would ask Dinah to seek forgiveness from Faisal and his ex-fiancé Zara.

After that her mind would be at utmost peace. She thought to herself and smiled. Alhamdulillah. She's now genuinely happy.

Alhamdulillah.

*sigh* - *tears* 💔😭. So this was Hajiya Ruqayya's past 😰😓God! She suffered! And Anna i wonder what type of a mother would ever hate her child just because she lack the luxuries of the world.

And the most annoying and sad part is that , it happens now in our today's society, once a person doesn't have anything, people will began to distance their selves from that person. I mean is it the person's fault to be like that? Allah made him like that and there's nothing he could do to change that, if given choice to , he would also wouldn't have chosen who he was.

May Allah guide us to the right path Ameen! And may we never become that type of people! Ameen.❤️.

Haba i wonder! For someone to be bitter and possessive over wealth like Hajiya Ruqayya , there must be something hidden beneath 😂😓😰and it was indeed like that! Her past was tragic😂.

So you guys should show some love by doing the usuals plshhh🥺🥺❤️. Silent readers please❤️.

rukayyatuu❤️.

28.7.21💎