Dodi and Naseem were fortunate to have been born to wealthy families.
The former, a son of a high-ranking government official, and the latter, a son of an entrepreneur in the car sales business, a business started by Naseem's ancestors generations back. They belonged to the upper strata of their society.
They live in mansions, go to the best schools, and have excessive school allowances. Their family drivers bring them to school, and their foreign servants cater to them. Still, despite the wealth and the luxury accorded them by their parents, they were lonely.
They were the sole sons of their legitimate parents. Should they have other siblings from different mothers, they do not count. For these reasons alone, they bonded. They found similarities in their lifestyle. Because they go to the same school, they would have each other picked up alternately. They provide reasons to hang out together; concoct alibis under circumstances, and support or back each other up when necessary.
Between the two, Naseem was bolder. He had no fear of his parents, perhaps because they do not have the luxury of spare time. While Naseem lives with benign neglect; his parents, too busy to monitor him; Dodi had to report to, and was under the strict guidance and supervision of, his father. Dodi had always been in awe and fear of his father, especially as he was a government official, and respected, not only in the UAE but in the entire Middle East region.
Naseem and Dodi differ in other aspects. Naseem was the more active and sporty type; Dodi, more academic and serious. Naseem was very physical and aggressive, and in one of the college games in football, their opponents had kicked Naseem hard in his lower back and his kidneys needed some serious medical attention. He needed a kidney transplant. Dodi did not even balk at the idea of donating one of his kidneys. Naseem never played football again. Dodi gave him a new lease on life, and was wary that he could harm the kidney his friend donated to him.
Naseem was and will forever be grateful to Dodi for this and will not renege on their promise to be in-laws in marriage. When Jamil did not agree to the arranged marriage with Amina five years back, Naseem threatened any relationship Jamil had or will have with another woman.
When Dodi Ghanem met Zora Barbosa from some friends' party, fell in love, and unexpectedly bore a child, he didn't expect its consequences. He had to leave his woman and child, or risk his woman being deported, and banned entry into the United Arab Emirates for life. His father was in power, and it was futile to defy him. He had lived in agony and longing since then.
When Naseem Al Abdallah met Mona Contis, it was a different story.
Mona was the lead singer of a band in Dubai. Being beautiful and a talented musician, Naseem fell for her. Every weekend night, Naseem would frequent the clubs and bars where Mona sings. He made it a point that Mona would notice him from the crowd. He would order her refreshing drinks when the band would take a break from the performance. Mona noticed him as a regular, whenever and wherever her band played, and they came to be nodding, then smiling acquaintances, and finally, introduced themselves to each other. Mona fancied him as a loyal patron of her band, and while she found him attractive, she thought he was overconfident. Naseem thought of her as his girlfriend.
Mona was popular among clients, customers, and music band lovers; she had some admirers from the audience but as a performer, she couldn't turn down requests nor act haughty even against rude ones. Naseem did not tolerate this. He liked Mona from the first day he saw her, and would not accept, nor tolerate, the rude behavior of some patrons towards her.
One night, such an incident happened. It caused a ruckus in the club. Amid the commotion, no one had noticed that Naseem had pulled Mona from the crowd and taken her with him. He took Mona to a hotel bar. They talked and laughed and drank a lot that night. Naseem made an act of whispering into Mona's ear, and Mona's knee-jerk reaction facing him turned into a slight lip kiss that deepened. Naseem booked a room for them that night. It was the night Mona conceived Jamil.
Because Naseem was the first man in Mona's sex life, Naseem cherished her and promised to support her, and the child she will bear. And when a son was born to them from that one fateful night, Naseem was extremely proud. He couldn't marry her because his parents would not allow it. Likewise, Mona found Naseem's volatile temper and domineering attitude a bit unsettling, and she knew he will never allow her the freedom to perform as an artist. She simply can't live with him.
However, Naseem had a contract drawn by a lawyer for Mona to be a recipient of his alimony-for-life on condition that:
One, Mona, would take excellent care of their son, Jamil.
Two, that Mona couldn't have any other sexual partner but Naseem.
Three, should she break Condition Number Two, she would no longer receive any alimony from him until after Jamil turns 21. Only Jamil, after age 21, can decide whether he would accord support to his mother.
Mona added another item to the contract. She would stay as his 'comfort woman' only for life, but she would no longer have to bear another child for Naseem. Naseem was an extremely jealous man. He was the first and will be the only man for Mona. So far, Mona Contis had kept her side of the bargain. Not because of Naseem, but more in reverence to her son, Jamil.
While Naseem had everyone informed of Mona and Jamil's presence in his life, Dodi had never breathed a word about Zora and Yasmin. The two had made a promise they will honor for life, to have their firstborns of the opposite sexes marry.
This will seal their contract.
Yasmin, not Amina, was the firstborn of Dodi. So, will Naseem now consent to Jamil's and Yasmin's union? Dodi had conceded. The couple should get married. Dodi will have to convince Naseem. After meeting Yasmin, and having talked to Jamil, Dodi had promised the young couple to talk to Jamil's father.
Now, it remains to be seen.