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Property Investments and Secret Savings
She let out a sigh and said, "May Allah make things easy. Anyway, dear, did you say your Abba is into real estate?"
"Yes, what happened?"
"I want to buy a house, bestie."
"You, bestie? With all the houses your family owns, what do you need another house for?"
"Didn't you hear what you just said, bestie? In your statement, you pluralized it by saying 'your family houses,' but I want one that belongs exclusively to me."
"Alright then. When exactly do you need it so we can go?"
"Call his phone right now. If he's available, we can head over there since we don't have any more lectures today."
"Whatever you say, bestie, that's exactly what we'll do."
From there, they headed straight to Maryam’s neighborhood. Maryam called her father, who returned home to wait for them. They first greeted her mother before she ushered them into her father’s room. Maryam was deeply impressed by his aura; one could immediately tell he was a dignified, honorable, and highly respected man. After the initial pleasantries, Maryam stepped outside to give them space.
Malam Abdullah looked at her and asked, "Young girl, what is your name?"
She replied, "My name is Maryam." Abba smiled and said, "So you are my daughter’s namesake." She returned a smile, which enhanced her beauty even more.
"Maryam told me you wanted to see me. I hope all is well?"
"Yes, Abba, everything is fine. I actually want to buy a house, which is why I spoke to Maryam, and she mentioned that you deal in real estate."
Maryam's Abba looked at her for a moment, studying her carefully, before asking, "Whose daughter are you, my child?"
"Baffa Abubakar," she stated briefly. He nodded deeply, completely understanding now. The rumors he often heard about how this girl spent money excessively vanished from his mind; he knew her father was exceptionally generous and that he provided his children with an abundance of wealth to live as they pleased.
Turning his gaze back to her, he asked, "Alright, my child, what kind of house are you looking for?"
"Abba, I want you to make a good choice for me, something worth no less than 7 million Naira." He looked at her in surprise before responding, "Alright, my child. Insha Allah, I will treat you just as I would treat my own Maryam." After that, Maryam handed him 10,000 Naira and said, "Abba, please use this for some household groceries."
With great reluctance, he accepted it, as he was not a greedy or opportunistic man.
It didn't take long before he secured a beautiful house for her. The transaction was finalized, and she paid for it without anyone in her family knowing, leaving all the documentation in the custody of her best friend's father.
From that day on, whenever she found herself with a significant amount of money, she would buy valuable assets that she could easily resell to recover her money whenever the need arose.
What exactly was her motive for doing this? Let's find out as the story unfolds...
Page 21: Changing Dynamics and Surveillance
She continued her studies peacefully. Initially, she brooded over her mother's unsettling words, but over time, she grew used to them and stopped overthinking. However, this didn't stop her from investing in valuable items whenever she had a large sum of money. Meanwhile, an incredible bond flourished between her and her namesake, to the point where she had no closer friends than Maryam and Halima.
On D-Boy’s end, he had initially sworn to exact revenge, but his father firmly put the brakes on his plans, warning him, "Be careful, damn it! Don't get me killed before my time. That boy you see has absolutely no filter or respect for anyone; he is a dangerous character, I am telling you. Stay far away from that girl because she isn't just anybody—she is the daughter of Baffa Abubakar."
D-Boy was thoroughly shaken by his father's words because there was no one in their entire region who didn't know who Baffa Abubakar was, given his vast wealth and immense generosity toward the servants of Allah. On the other hand, D-Boy was surprised to learn that Maryam had actually pleaded with her brother to let him go. Despite all the negative things rumored about her character, his desire for revenge completely collapsed, replaced by a sudden urge to establish a good relationship with her.
At Maryam's house, nothing changed about their lifestyle except for the frequent visits from Hajiya Zakiyya. Whenever she arrived, she and Sailuba would lock themselves in the room for hours, to the extent that people would even forget they were there. Since Hajiya Amina minded her own business and never pried into things that didn't concern her, she remained completely oblivious to what they were brewing.
However, MD placed a massive question mark on these unending visits from that woman. Consequently, without anyone's knowledge, he procured CCTV cameras. He waited until a day when they had all gone out on their usual rounds to visit their spiritual guides, and he had the entire system installed and calibrated. The cameras were set to record everything happening across the entire house, including Ammey’s quarters, without her knowing a thing.
One day, MD dropped Maryam off at school. Since he was in a hurry, he let her off right at the main gate and told her to inform him when she was done so he could send a driver to pick her up, as he had a meeting that might run until late at night. She didn't say a single word to him, and he didn't expect her to. Without waiting around, he sped off aggressively.
She slowly began walking toward the gate. In the year and a half since she started university, he had never dropped her off at the gate; he always drove her all the way to the campus parking lot before leaving.
"Hey, hey," she heard a voice she could never forget—the voice of the first person to ever humiliate her so brutally. Unconsciously, she let out a loud hiss and turned around, only for him to quickly block her path with his car. Furious, she glared at him with pure hatred as he stepped out of the vehicle.
Before he could utter a word, she snapped, "What kind of mindless person are you, someone who doesn't respect himself, let alone others? Are you trying to run me over today? Why on earth do some people lack common sense, with brains like a fish? If the first punishment wasn't enough for you, there are people far worse than that waiting, so just wait and see!"
He didn't interrupt her, waiting patiently for her to finish before saying, "Peace be upon the queen and the leader of the forgiving. I didn't stop you to cause trouble, but to beg for your forgiveness once more for what happened. I know your brother only let me go because of you, but I am still pleading for your mercy. I promise I will never even cast a bad glance your way again. Please, please, please," he repeated.
Maryam looked away coldly and turned to leave, but to her utter shock, he suddenly dropped to his knees right in front of her, begging for her forgiveness, completely unbothered by the crowd starting to gather around them.
Her eyes widened seeing him on his knees with people watching. "What is this? For God's sake, people are starting to gather here, get up!"
"I don't care about the people looking at me. My only concern is for you to say you've forgiven me."
"Get up, please," she said in a softened tone.
"I will only get up if you say you've forgiven me."
"I have forgiven you, but on one condition. Now get up."
He stood up quickly, saying, "Thank you, thank you so much! Whatever the condition is, name it, and I promise to fulfill it, since you've forgiven me." He followed closely behind her as she walked into the campus, having handed his car keys to one of his friends.
"Honestly, you need to fix your character and your habits; it’s not good that everyone perceives you as a tyrant who spares no one, to the point where everyone fears you. This is a great injustice. Please change. Look at me—everything you pride yourself on, I have more of it. Even on that day, you only succeeded because you caught me off guard. Otherwise, you wouldn't have won. But I don't interfere with those who don't cross me. That's why I have no friends in this school except for A.A. (Maryam Abdullah)."
"I know, I really crossed the line, and I promise you, Insha Allah, from today onward, I won't interfere in anyone's business."
"May Allah make it so," she replied briefly as she walked toward her department.
He stood there watching her until she disappeared inside, whispering to himself, "My God, please let her love me. She truly has class and elegance. Abba, you are going to get the exact kind of daughter-in-law you want—the daughter of a man whose name commands respect both inside and outside this country."
Page 22: Confrontation and Unveiling Secrets
They left school early that day because they had only one lecture. Without delay, Maryam asked A.A. to accompany her to the bank to open a new account.
A.A. looked at her in surprise. "Namesake, with all the unlimited accounts your family has opened for you, why do you need to open another one?"
"You wouldn't understand. Mama never leaves me with money. She gives it to me, but then she turns around to 'borrow' it back. I don't even know what she does with money. Despite all the lavish gifts our Baffa showers on her, Mama has completely drained her own pockets."
As they walked, she continued venting about her mother's bad habits, an issue that deeply troubled her. She had lacked someone to talk to until now, having finally found someone she could trust completely.
By the time they finished opening the account, the amount of money Maryam deposited left A.A. startled, while Maryam just laughed at her expression. From there, they headed to the market. They first bought cosmetics and perfumes; Maryam was obsessed with fragrances, and you could rarely be near her without smelling a beautiful scent. She was a highly sophisticated girl, which made her incredibly popular, though her stubborn nature kept her from mixing with just anyone.
Next, they went to the food market. A.A. watched in bewilderment as Maryam picked up a large sack of rice, a smaller one, two cartons of pasta, macaroni, couscous, and two large bags of semovita, along with palm oil, vegetable oil, and a whole carton of seasoning cubes, among other spices. Unable to hold back, A.A. asked, "Namesake, I know food is brought to your house by the truckload. What are you going to do with all this food you're packing?"
"Don't worry about it," Maryam replied, turning to ask the vendor if they could secure a small transport vehicle (Kukuruka) to move the goods, since a tricycle wouldn't fit everything.
What completely baffled A.A. was seeing the vehicle pull up and park directly in front of her own family's house. She stared at Maryam in utter shock, but Maryam deliberately looked away to avoid eye contact.
They stood outside until all the food items were carried into the house. After paying the driver and the loaders, they walked inside and met A.A.’s parents. Her father, who had just returned home, was staring at the pile of food, initially thinking the delivery men had made a mistake. But when he saw Maryam and his daughter walk in, he looked at them with a face full of questions.
"Please sit down, Abba," Maryam said as she picked up a kettle to perform ablution out back. Maryam never discriminated against anyone, especially if they were clean, as she was a highly hygienic person who detested filth. When she finished, she went into A.A.’s mother’s room, and A.A. followed her inside.
Sitting down, she greeted the parents politely before looking at the mother. "Umma, I am so hungry. Today, Bross didn't even let me eat breakfast at home, claiming he was late for the office."
The mother looked at her husband, who signaled her to give the girl whatever food they had available before putting on his shoes and heading out. Umma went to the kitchen and brought Maryam a plate of rice and beans mixed with salad, tomatoes, and cucumber. As she went back to get water, Abba returned with bottled water, drinks, and even boiled eggs, knowing exactly what had been prepared at home.
Showing no awkwardness at all, she pulled the plate close and ate to her heart's content, praising the food. A.A. just sat there, staring at her silently. When she finished, she washed her hands, drank some water, and said:
"Abba, these food items are for you. I bought them for you. Please, Abba, do not go out to do manual labor again. Insha Allah, when my Baffa returns, I will make him give you capital to start a proper business, and Allah will bless your endeavors."
Abba and Umma were utterly speechless, staring at Maryam in profound shock. Maryam had overheard earlier that her friend's father had to do manual labor that day just to provide their daily meal.
Abba thanked her immensely but advised her that the gesture was far too grand. She replied, "Abba, this is nothing compared to what my Baffa would do if I told him. He raised me and my siblings to live by these principles." The prayers Maryam’s father showered upon her and her lineage brought tears of joy to her eyes.
It was after the Asr prayer when she finally left the house and headed toward her own home. Since there was a considerable distance between their neighborhoods, she didn't arrive until evening. Instead of going straight inside, she briefly stopped by the house of MM, a classmate of hers who lived in the same neighborhood and with whom she maintained a good relationship.
Tears and Truths
She hadn't even sat down when she realized she had left her last page notes behind. Walking up to the main gate of her house, she heard the gateman say, "She is here, sir."
MD had been taking his anger out on the driver because the driver told him Maryam and her friend had left campus since before 2:00 PM. Even though the driver hadn't been dispatched until around 5:00 PM, MD gave him no peace, forcing him to drive back to the university twice to look for her.
Furthermore, Ammey had confirmed to him that Maryam hadn't returned since they left together in the morning, adding coldly that he shouldn't worry because this was normal for her, and she often stayed out even longer. MD’s frustration boiled over upon hearing Ammey's words. Just as he stepped out in that foul mood, the gateman pointed out Maryam’s arrival.
They all fixed their eyes on the gate as Maryam walked in, completely relaxed and unbothered, moving with her usual calm elegance.
MD's anger flared dangerously. He marched up to her in deep frustration—here he was, worried sick, while she was out roaming around without a care in the world. He grabbed her arm with brutal force, making her cry out in pain. Her bag and phone flew from her hands as she stumbled, but before she could fall, he caught her, pulling her against his chest.
He let out a deep breath as he held her, and suddenly, a strange sensation rushed through him, pulling from the top of his head down to his very toes.
As for Maryam, a wave of pure frustration washed over her at being held by him. Tears of bitter anger slipped down her cheeks. She violently yanked herself out of his grip and spat in a low, trembling voice, "I will never forgive you, you pervert! Halima was right—she said anyone who does your kind of military work is just a womanizer. You went out looking for street women and couldn't find any, so you came back to molest your own sister. How shameful, disgusting!" she cried out, bursting into tears as she ran inside.
She left him standing there frozen, his mind reeling from the sting of her words. In all his life, no one had ever spoken to him in a way that cut so deeply. Her words pierced his chest, but fortunately, she had hissed them in a whisper, shielding him from public humiliation.
Despite the insult, it didn't change the promise he had made to Baffa and Ammey. He had sworn to draw Maryam close to him, to build a bond of familiarity so strong that she would never rebel against him again. Through this, Ammey believed they could finally guide Maryam onto the right path.
After the Isha prayer, Maryam was in her room helping Nassar with his school assignment. Suddenly, she heard MD greeting from the doorway, and her heart skipped a beat. After cooling down from her earlier outburst, she had realized she was terribly unfair to him; no matter what he did, she should have respected him as her older brother—her own BLOOD.
Before she could answer, Nassar responded to the greeting. MD walked over and sat right next to her. She kept her eyes glued to Nassar's book, unable to look him in the eye or offer a greeting.
"So, I am the pervert who chases women, right?" he asked in a soft, mesmerizing voice that made her feel deeply uncomfortable and guilty.
"I am sorry, Bross, please," the apology escaped her lips before she could even think.
He locked his eyes onto her, his gaze glistening with unshed tears. No one had ever scorched him with such bitter words before. Sensing the heavy silence, she finally raised her eyes from the book. Nassar had slipped out of the room moments ago. Her heart sank when she saw the unshed tears mirroring his deep hurt—a hurt she had intentionally inflicted.
Finding herself at a loss for words, she burst into a childlike, spoiled sob. Instantly, he dropped to his knees in front of her, taking her hands in his. "Come on, my little sister, what did I do to you now? I haven't done anything to you," he said, his own voice cracking, deeply affected by her tears.
"I am sorry," she sobbed again.
"I forgive you," he replied quickly, his voice still trembling. He looked at her gently. "Little sister, I want to ask you a question, but I want you to answer me with absolute honesty, between you and Allah."
"Okay," she whispered, wiping away the tears that refused to stop flowing.
"Then stop crying, please," he said softly, wiping away the tears for her.
"Why do you hate me so much?"
He asked the question that had been eating away at his heart ever since the day she first declared her hatred for him. The echo of those words had never left his ears.
"Because you don't love me either! You and Ammey hate me and Mama! You prefer Nassar, and you constantly disrespect my mother in front of me. You never beat Nassar in front of Ammey, but you treat me like a sack of garbage, beating me constantly. Or is it because Nassar is your full brother from the same mother, so you look down on me as a half-sibling?!" she cried, a fresh wave of tears cascading down her face.
Her final words broke his heart and filled him with immense pity. Without realizing it, he reached out and pulled her into a tight embrace. As if she had been waiting for this very moment, she buried her face in his chest and wept bitterly.
From the intensity of her tears, he realized she had been harboring a deep, unspoken pain in her heart for a long time. He held her, gently patting her back until she finally calmed down.
"What made you cry like this?" he asked in a gentle tone.
"You and Nassar always have your mother with you. She takes care of you, does everything you want, and she doesn't roam around, leaving you alone in loneliness. But my mother is always at her friend Hajiya Zakiyya's house. Whenever I complain, she just throws money at me or throws me a birthday party, though she can't even remember the actual date. Tell me, Bross, is money the solution to every problem?"
She ended her lamentation with the question that tore at her soul.
"No," he answered, his heart aching for her. He realized how much this neglect was damaging her. At the same time, a sense of relief washed over him; before he could even strategize on how to draw her close to fulfill the secret plan—a plan known only to him, Baffa, and Ammey—she was opening up to him naturally.
"But Maryam, we never hated you. You are the one who hated us. You have never shown respect to our Ammey; you even insult her. How do you expect us to respect you when you treat our mother with such disdain?"
His question laid bare her mistakes, and she immediately recognized her faults. But she defended herself, saying:
"But Mama told me never to bond with half-siblings. She said if I closely associate with you all, you will eventually kill me because you are jealous that Baffa openly loves me more than you. And she said Ammey is wicked; that when I was a baby, she tried to kill me. She said Ammey uses dark magic to cause fights between Mama and Baffa, which is why Baffa is always angry with Mama and never gives her money unless he drops it off, and then she sends me to his room to secretly take a larger sum, which still isn't enough for her, so she takes mine too."
Hearing these venomous, shocking fabrications, MD’s strength entirely left him. In utter shock and horror, he sank completely to the floor and said...
