"

"I am exhausted from this marriage. I can no longer endure being with you," Zainaba expressed, her voice filled with a mixture of frustration and sadness. The weight of his infidelity had taken its toll on her, leaving deep wounds in her heart. She couldn't believe he had brought another woman into their home, their sacred sanctuary. The anger within her rose, and for a brief moment, she entertained the thought of striking him.

Usman, however, seemed unfazed by her outburst, barely acknowledging her words. He appeared distant, as if her exhaustion held no significance to him. This only fueled Zainaba's rage. She couldn't bear to live with an unfaithful spouse any longer, and she whispered her accusation, careful not to let her words escape beyond the walls of their home. The secret she carried had the power to destroy everything she had built.

"Did you just call me an adulterer?" Usman's voice thundered through the room, his anger mirroring hers.

Zainaba pressed her lips together, determined not to back down. "If you do not wish to be labeled as such, then why do you engage in extramarital relations?" Her words rang out, a challenge she knew would provoke him further.

Usman let out a dry, bitter laugh before taking a step back, creating distance between them. "Ah, but do you have any proof? I bet you only witnessed us holding hands, not engaging in adultery," he taunted, his eyes daring her to prove him wrong. He was a master of manipulation, his cunning nature revealing itself.

Defeated, Zainaba refused to give up so easily. With a smile that masked her trembling legs, she replied, "Then what should I call witnessing the two of you together, naked? Isn't that adultery?" She gracefully settled onto a cushion in the living room, though her every fiber quivered with anticipation.

For a few moments, Usman stared at her in silence, the weight of her words sinking in. It was the second time he found himself speechless, his façade slipping. "Whatever, I do not have time for this," he declared, his voice laced with annoyance, as he turned to leave.

"You may not have time for this, but you certainly have time for adultery," Zainaba retorted, unwilling to let him go so easily.

Her once-husband's patience had worn thin, and Zainaba feared that her own patience had run dry as well. "What?" Usman spun around, his anger pulsating through him. He had not expected such a strong response from her. "Let me remind you of something: just because I remain silent does not mean I cannot take action!" His voice reverberated in the room, the tension between them palpable.

As Zainaba rose from her seat, her heart fluttered with a glimmer of hope. His words held a promise, a potential answer to her deepest longing—a divorce. Summoning all her courage, she decided to try her luck.

"Alright, please, let us do it. Let's bring an end to everything once and for all. I need a divorce."

A mischievous grin played on Usman's lips as he echoed her words. "Did you just say divorce?"

"Yes, that is what I want. I am exhausted, I swear," she pleaded, her eyes brimming with earnestness.

"If that is your wish, then let us visit your parents tomorrow and discuss everything in their presence," he replied, before turning and exiting the room.

Zainaba sank back onto the cushion, her shoulders burdened and heavy. She eagerly awaited the darkness of night, yearning for sleep to claim her so that she could awaken to a new day. A day that held the promise of her long-desired divorce.

As dawn broke, Zainaba rose early, wasting no time in preparing herself for the day ahead. The thought of food made her stomach turn, the weight of anticipation overriding her appetite. All she desired was to face her parents alongside him. It seemed he understood her yearning, for he too rose promptly, completing his preparations in sync with her. She was in the living room when he emerged, his watch adorning his wrist, and a cologne that had once intoxicated her now held no sway. She greeted him with a simple "good morning," and he responded cheerfully, as though the events of the previous night had been erased from existence.

His smile was painted on his face, a facade that crumbled with her next words. "I am going to work," he announced, making his way towards the door.

"What do you mean you're going to work? Have you forgotten our agreement?" The joy on Zainaba's face dissipated, vanishing into thin air.

"What agreement are you talking about?" he feigned ignorance, a mask of innocence on his face. "The matter of divorce," she replied, her tone curt.

"Oh!" He grinned, his expression transforming. "Please, my dear, let us forgive and forget.

Let's put an end to this marriage. I am already in pain. My heart bleeds," she pleaded, her tears held back with great effort. As it became clear he had no intention of responding to her desires, Zainaba rose to her feet and stumbled towards him.

"When I said I want a divorce, I meant it. You know better than anyone that I always mean what I say," she declared, her voice unwavering.

He tilted his head back, considering her words. "Very well, if that is what you want, let us go to your parents' house." Zainaba was taken aback, a surge of hope filling her weary heart. Without another thought, she covered her head with a veil and followed him to where he had parked his car