She was curled up at the edge of the bed, her head buried between her knees. She was crying, but no sound was coming out, as her voice had gone hoarse. Her body was draped in a pink and white outfit, her feet adorned with maroon salatif henna with a bit of black outlining the edges. She had never imagined or guessed that fate would bring her to this point. She couldn't believe the reality she was facing; it felt like a bad dream. Her mind was racing with a flurry of questions. Why couldn't her father understand that this marriage, which was supposed to be a blessing and a guide, was not something possible? She swore and swore again that even if the sky and earth were to merge, she would never accept AB (Abba Bashir) as her husband. It would be a great shame for her, and even for AB himself. How could they wake up in the same house, raised by the same parents, and then find herself married to him? No, this confusion was not something she would tolerate. She needed to find a way out. She could give up everything, but not live with AB as her husband. Marriage between them was forbidden, even if Islamic law did not prohibit it, she had made it forbidden for herself.

Since her father's sister brought her into this house and sat her down in this room, giving her advice before leaving, her friends who came to support the bride had been trying to console her, but it felt like they were only provoking her. Only she could truly understand the depth of the pain she was feeling in her heart.

"Oh, Sady-B (Sadiya Bashir), this crying has gone on long enough. You've been crying like this since we left the house. If crying could change your fate, it would have changed it from morning to night by now. But unfortunately, the ink has dried, and you have to embrace your fate. AB is the husband your destiny has chosen for you," one of her friends tried to comfort her, hoping she would stop crying.

"You'll never understand the state I'm in, Maryam Abdallah. How does Daddy expect me to find happiness with someone I see as my brother, someone we share the same father with? By God, Daddy has made a huge mistake, making this decision in anger without considering the consequences. I do not accept this marriage, and I will never agree to it. If Ya Abba refuses to end this ill-fated marriage, then I will end it myself. I don't care about the curse that Daddy threatens me with."