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Days and nights passed with ease for the living, and now, Khadijatul Iman had turned six months old. However, Alhaji and Mariya only heard her cries but had not laid eyes on her since she was born. The burdens of life overwhelmed Aminatu because Alhaji had completely distanced himself from her—he no longer even looked in her direction. He had stopped buying books for the children and had withdrawn from all their responsibilities, except for food, which he still provided, though not as generously as before. Now, she only received food supplies once a month, and that was the only thing Alhaji did for her.

Whenever she gathered the courage to visit his section of the house, she would always leave in tears because he would scold her mercilessly without even looking at her. Eventually, she stopped trying. The twins continued attending school as usual, but they had begun noticing changes in their father’s behavior. Being children, however, they did not let it stop them from going to school every day. As for Mariya’s children, they lived comfortably and did whatever they pleased.

Life continued like this for Aminatu until Khadijatul Iman turned three years old. The little girl was loved by everyone, and her beauty was undeniable. Even at a young age, it was clear that she would grow tall because of her height at that stage. The little money Aminatu had been using to buy diapers and baby cream had completely run out after three years of expenses. Back when Alhaji used to give them a monthly allowance, things were manageable, but now, he would not even spare them a glance.

She felt completely lost—her daughter had reached school age, but she had no money to enroll her. Aminatu herself had only completed primary school. She thought about looking for a private teaching job but decided instead to approach Alhaji, even though she knew he would likely humiliate her.

As soon as she entered his living room, she saw Mariya lying on Alhaji’s chest while he gently combed her hair. A wave of jealousy surged through her, but she controlled herself. She wanted to turn back immediately after seeing Mariya there, but she remained firm and walked into the room, greeting them with “Salaam.”

Neither of them responded.

She ignored the disrespect and said, “Baban ‘Yan biyu, I came to talk to you.”

Still, there was silence.

She stood there for about twenty minutes before he finally said, “I’m listening.”

She began explaining her struggles, but before she could finish, he suddenly shouted at her so loudly that she was frightened.

“From today onward, do not ask me for anything again! Otherwise, I swear on our marriage, I will end it!”

Mariya burst into laughter, mocking her.

Aminatu, shocked, opened her mouth and said, “I see, so it’s because you’re still providing them food? Then from today, let’s stop giving them food and see how they survive.”

Alhaji turned to Mariya and said, “You’re right, my love,” planting a kiss on her.

She simply smiled, got up from his chest, and returned to her room.

That night, Aminatu fell into deep despair, crying until she was exhausted. She lay awake for most of the night, whispering, “Oh, cruel world! Mariya, what have I done to deserve this punishment?”

By the time Khadijah was almost four years old, she was still not enrolled in school. Whenever she played outside, Alhaji and Mariya would see her, but they never said a word to her. Eventually, Aminatu sent a message to her uncle in their village because she didn’t want her mother to find out about her suffering.

But you can’t hide such a big secret from an elder. Her mother had already figured everything out. During a visit to their home, she noticed how little Iman was, realizing she had never attended the naming ceremony. She put the pieces together, especially after hearing from the villagers that Khadijah was not receiving proper food like the other children.

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