“What is this? Huh. I said, what is this?”  

He said angrily as he threw money at her, hitting her body.

She stared at him in shock, unable to even move her mouth, let alone speak.

“Didn't you say you didn't know I brought money into this house? How is it that I found it in your bedroom, even inside your handbag?”

Only then did she manage to mutter, “Inna lillahi wa inna ilaihi raji'un” (Indeed, we belong to Allah, and to Him is our return).

He softened his voice slightly.  

“When did you become like this? Why has jealousy blinded your eyes, making you ruin your reputation and your life? Since Zainab entered this house, you’ve lost your peace of mind. Today’s trouble is different from tomorrow’s. Are you the one who started being jealous of your co-wife? Let me tell you, I won’t tolerate it. This is the last time. If I catch you doing anything wrong again, I swear, I will humiliate you more than you’ve ever been humiliated before, and you will leave this house.”

After saying this, he grabbed the money he had thrown at her and turned to leave, leaving her standing there frozen, staring at him.

She wanted to cry, but the pain in her heart stopped her.

What kind of calamity is this?  

After enduring the pain of having a co-wife, now evil keeps following her?

A while ago, she was accused of putting sugar in her co-wife’s food, which Zainab tasted and confirmed.  

Then they accused her of leaving clothes in Zainab’s room.  

They also claimed she cut Zainab’s clothes, and they even showed her the cut.  

She was sure Zainab was the one doing all of this and even admitted it.  

She didn’t hide her bitterness, telling her that her negligence led to the marriage happening.  

She even boldly said that if she had been Hafiz’s first wife, there would have been no room for a co-wife.

She had told her that she wouldn’t tolerate living with a co-wife any longer.

Now, she was certain Zainab had brought Hafiz’s money into her room in her handbag, and she didn’t even know how it came into the house.

She quickly got up and went to his room.  

There, she found Zainab and him packing the money into a bag.  

There was a lot of money.  

The amount of money he had taken from her room wasn’t even half of what they were packing.

Zainab was asking Hafiz what the money was for, speaking in a mocking, teasing tone, while Hafiz responded gruffly, angrily counting the money.

She stood there, watching them with disdain, as Zainab looked up, throwing her a sly, deceptive smile and winking at her.

“Hafiz!” she called in a voice full of anger.

Despite calling him, he didn’t react. He had never responded to her by her name, not even before they got married.  

This time too, he didn’t acknowledge her.

She wasn’t bothered by the lack of response and continued,  

“After all these years living with you, have I ever stolen from you?”

“Stolen?” She repeated the word “stolen,” each time it seared her heart.

“Don’t forget, I’ve been with you even when you had nothing. Back then, there was nothing to be seen in terms of wealth.  

If you’re tired of me and want to leave me, you don’t need to accuse me of stealing.  

This is your house, and the thread of our marriage is in your hands. Anytime you wish, you can cut it without needing to do it like this.  

So, I’m tired. You know what to do with me today in this house, because I can see that there’s no end to this situation.”

Then she turned to Zainab, who was enjoying the drama unfolding in the room.  

She continued,  

“Know this, Allah does not sleep; He knows all that you do in secret and in the open. I will continue to cry out to Him against the evil you’re plotting against me. Allah will give me justice for your schemes.”

She finished her statement with a trembling voice.  

The word “stealing” hurt her deeply.

With a heavy heart, she exited the room, heading towards her own, though her heart was torn between taking action and leaving the situation.

She went to her room, grabbed a suitcase, and started packing her things.

---

Once she left, Hafiz stood still, replaying her words in his mind.  

His body felt cold.  

If he understood her correctly, everything happening in the house was part of a plan, just a way to manipulate things between them.

“Only God knows,” he muttered, hearing Zainab’s voice echo in his mind with an expression of disbelief.

“Why drag me into this? Is this how it is? This is what they call disgraceful and madness.”

He looked at her as if about to speak but then stopped, pushing the bag aside and hurriedly leaving the room.

He locked her door and threw the key in his pocket.

At that moment, his body felt like it might collapse under the weight of his emotions.  

How could this be happening? From marrying a new wife to having the first wife leave the house.

And even though it seemed trivial, his mother-in-law was still alive.  

He didn’t even know what to make of it. The money they had shared and struggled for had now caused so much trouble.