A Night Without Joy

Two weeks after those events

She woke up to the sound of knocking on her door and a voice calling her eagerly

=Six nights... “Sitt Layla!”

She quickly got up and ran to the door to open it. She saw the face of the maid, Najia, who, as soon as she saw her, exclaimed eagerly,

“Good morning, Sitt Layla... The big lady says to come down right away...”

She approached her, whispering, looking around fearfully, and continued

"It seems that my master Jalal is coming home from his trip today, and she wants you for that reason.

But, my dear, I haven't told you anything. She will surely introduce herself to you.

She nodded her head in agreement and patted her on the shoulder affectionately, knowing how afraid and terrified the servants in the house were of her husband's mother's severity and cruelty.

“Don't hide, Najia, and don't say you heard anything. Go downstairs and tell her I'll be right behind you.”

Najia quickly nodded her head in agreement and left immediately to close the door behind her. She leaned weakly against it, sighing heavily, her limbs trembling violently as she wondered how he would receive her and how she would deal with him in the days to come. He was still a stranger to her, ever since their wedding night and his hurtful words and request. to give her some time, he has been acting as if she had insulted him or done something unforgivable, ignoring her most of the time they spend together, which is already very little. She barely sees him for a few hours at night, during which he greets her and then goes to bed without saying another word, leaving her all day with his mother and his uncle's wife, who say They were poisoned by his frequent absences from home and his constant escape from his bride. The last time was yesterday, when they began to gossip about the groom who left his bride after less than a week, claiming that he was traveling and busy with work. He was absent for a whole week, enduring the distance from her all that time. She now knows that another lecture awaits her, along with more of their whispers and their remarks that burn her without her daring to utter a single word to stop them. Those who are sold like her have no right to respond or even object.

She closed her eyes, sighing with regret, before heading to her closet to take out what she would wear for the day.

After more than half an hour, she slowly descended the stairs until she reached the bottom. She looked around and saw no one sitting in the foyer, so she walked lightly to the living room where the family gathered during their breaks. As soon as she approached, she heard her mother-in-law's loud, sharp voice calling out angrily

“It was a dark day when she entered our house... Since the day he married her, he has been neglecting his duties and staying away from his mother's embrace.”

She froze in her place, knowing who her mother-in-law was referring to. She backed away as she heard her uncle's wife say with sarcasm and hatred

“Why didn't he take her and keep her over my daughter, Zina, the jewel of the family, who left home that day and has been staying with her uncles ever since he broke her heart and crushed her spirit?”

Qadriya quickly chimed in with a malicious tone

“No, I sent someone to bring her back from her uncles' house. It's not right for her to stay there all the time.”

Zahia pretended to be embarrassed and hurt, whispering

=What are you going to do, lady? You want her to see the love of her life in the arms of another woman... You want to destroy her, Jalal.

Qadriya quickly exclaimed

“Defeat who, you silly girl? You and your life belong to me, Jalal. Salma belongs to Jalal, and you know that Qadriya's word is final.”

Zahia approached her eagerly, calling out

“Are you serious, Qadriya? What about the new bride? What's her situation?”

Qadriya smiled, her eyes sparkling with malice, and said mockingly

=Who do you mean, Laila al-Bayra? No, my dear, she's gone, and her marriage will never last, and she'll never be called my daughter-in-law.

She approached Zahia and tapped her lightly on the hand, saying cheerfully

“And then, you know Jalal's heart wants, and we won't repeat it again.”

Zahia sighed and said curtly,

“I know, Jalal, but what you're saying about her is that she became your son's wife, and we accepted it or didn't accept it, Qadriya.”

Qadriya slumped back in her seat, her face flushed, shouting violently

=I know what you're saying, and I know what's going on in my son's head. The whole story is two or three months. We'll go back to the land, say a year at most, and she'll go back to her father's house, and tomorrow you'll say Qadriya said

She couldn't stand there and listen to any more. Everything was clear to her now, and she understood why she had been ignored and treated coldly in this house, and why he had also stayed here for so long. She was leaving, no matter what. Why should he take it upon himself to try to please a wife who was worth nothing to him but a signature on a sales contract?

She hurried up the stairs again towards her room, closing the door behind her with force, leaning on it weakly before her legs gave way and she sat on the floor, staring ahead with eyes that saw nothing but the darkness that surrounded her on all sides.

⭐🌙⭐🌙⭐🌙⭐

At the Maghrabi family home

Sheikh Gad sat with a stern face, his eyebrows knitted tightly, in front of his eldest son, Alwan, who began to plead and beg

"Father, forgive him and let him go... He has been away from his home and family for four years, and what happened to him is enough

It's not enough that he lost his cousin and her husband to someone else.

Sheikh Gad turned to him, his eyes flashing with anger, and shouted,

"Are you saying that, Alwan? I'm the one who lost him one night, not his life and his dignity, and I'm the one who made the mistake.

He struck the handle of his cane with force, continuing with anger and disgust.

“And finally, he was arrested in a suspicious apartment with drugs. If we hadn't caught him tonight, we would have been exposed in the country, and our reputation would have been ruined. How could you expect me to trust him after that?”

He rose from his seat and struck the ground hard with his cane, startling Alwan and making his face turn pale as he saw him advancing toward him with majestic steps, stopping in front of him and glaring at him through clenched teeth. Despite the passage of time, his eyes still carried the power and hardness that terrified his son, making him sweat profusely as he said stiffly

“Don't you and your son get it? I know what you've been doing since you wanted to break off his engagement to his cousin. For more than four years, you've been turning away every suitor who wants her.”

He continued, incredulous and confused

= And I say to him, "She's a beautiful girl from a good family. Why doesn't anyone from our neighborhood ask for her hand in marriage? The ones younger than her have gotten married and had two children, while she is still single and getting older. Everyone is saying she's an old maid, and we've given up on her. Her uncle is playing a dirty game for the sake of his reckless son.

Alwan tried to open his mouth to deny his father's words, but his father signaled him with his hand to stop talking, so he bowed his head nervously, and the sheikh continued sharply and sternly.

"What were you thinking, Alwan, twisting my arm and making me come back and marry her?

Your sister's daughter has been waiting all these years for your son.

His tone changed to one of pain and regret as he said brokenly

"You forced me with your actions to offer her to me as a bride so that I would know I could marry her after she had waited for me.

He left him and headed back to his seat, sitting down in defeat and weakness. Alwan rushed to him, kissing his hand and saying with regret and apology,

“You are right, father... Forgive me. My only intention was that she would not go to anyone but her cousin, who is the one who deserves her most.”

A bitter smile appeared on the sheikh's lips as he whispered with disappointment

=And with your actions, you left me with these hands to give her to a stranger. Oh world, what will become of her in the days to come?

⭐🌙⭐🌙⭐🌙

She descended the stairs with an expressionless face, calmness evident in her every movement, as if she had not just been shedding tears and her heart had not been breaking. She cried silently in her room until her eyes were empty of tears, then she collapsed on the floor, feeling exhaustion creeping into her body and draining her.

But now she stood tall and proud in front of her mother-in-law, who greeted her with sharp sarcasm as she sat in the living room on a sofa shared by her daughter Habiba and her uncle's wife Zahia.

“What are you still doing here, ma'am? You should have stayed up a little longer.”

She did not answer her, but stood looking at her with glassy eyes devoid of emotion, feeling her anger welling up inside her.

“Why are you standing there looking at me like that? What are you wearing? Do you think you're a real bride? Go on, change out of that abaya and put on something suitable for kitchen work.”

Here, the mask on her face cracked, revealing the insult and anger beneath it. She was about to respond when Habiba immediately interrupted her, nervous that the situation would escalate.

=Jalal is about to arrive with my uncle and Fawaz, and lunch must be ready. Come on, Layla, I'll come with you to see what they've done for lunch.

She got up quickly, grabbed her hand, and headed for the kitchen door, disappearing behind it with Layla, who shouted in disapproval and frowned, addressing her words to Zahia, who was sitting watching what was happening with a smug smile and a face radiant with joy.

“I have a good daughter-in-law. I haven't been with her for a week and I'm tired of her, my heart.”

Zahia patted her hand enthusiastically, saying

“Come on, Qadriya, that's right. You have to know her place here and whose word is law from the beginning.”

Qadriya's lips parted between them.

“Of course, what do you think? The mercy of the dear one who is oppressed is no longer Qadriya, but rather the pain and suffering of her family, the daughter of the Maghrebi.”

Zahia was worried and anxious.

=But do you think she'll keep quiet and not say anything to Jalal? Then our work will be ruined and our lives will be ruined because of her.

Qadriya smiled maliciously, saying with a smile full of malice

=If she says that, then I'll say my piece, and we'll see who believes whom. His mother, his girlfriend, or the girl who was responsible for his father's death

Zahia, with malice and spite, said

=If Jalal is blaming her family for what happened to his father, he knows very well what happened at the time.

Qadriya stood up violently, shouting with anger

Zahia, it's my turn to speak on this matter. Go and tell your daughter to come and take her turn when Jalal and her father go to pick her up from her uncle's house.

Zahia stood up and shouted with happiness and joy.

“You're right, Qadriya. Jalal himself will go get her.”

Qadriya smiled confidently and said

“Of course, I asked him to take his uncle and go get her while they were returning from their trip.”

Zahia almost screamed with joy as she grabbed her phone from the table and pressed the button eagerly and happily. A smile of triumph appeared on Qadriya's lips as she watched the mother and daughter talk for a few moments before snatching the phone from her fingers violently when she noticed the girl's reluctance to obey her orders. ⭐🌙⭐🌙⭐🌙

Jalal walked quickly alongside Salma into the hallway of the house and stopped in front of his mother and his uncle's wife, who were sitting and chatting. He greeted them with his calm, melodious voice, and Qadriya was overcome with joy and happiness.

“Thank God you're safe, my dear. I missed you so much, my son.”

Jalal approached her, leaned over her head, kissed her tenderly, and said

=May God protect you, mother... I missed you too.

Then he looked up at his uncle's wife and greeted her. She was sitting with her silent daughter next to her. He kissed her tenderly before she returned Jalal's greeting.

Jalal looked around the room questioningly, then said quietly

“Where are Laila and Habiba? I don't see them.”

The faces of the three women immediately darkened. Qadriya replied indifferently

“They're in the kitchen, preparing lunch.”

Jalal stood up, and Qadriya asked him sharply and nervously

“Where are you going? Sit down and I'll call them.”

Jalal smiled understandingly and said

“I'm going to the office to check on some work. When it's ready, send it to me.”

Then he left, leaving Qadriya smiling triumphantly. She turned to Zahia and winked maliciously, saying

“See, I told you my words are never wrong.”

Zahia's eyes sparkled with joy.

“You're right, Jalal. By God, she's not going to live long.”

Salma turned her head between them, confused, before asking impatiently

"What are you talking about? I don't understand... And then you let me come here again? I can't stand the house or what's in it.

Zahia hit her hard on the shoulder and shouted sharply.

=Shut up and hold your tongue, you're being stupid.

Salma rubbed her shoulder in pain, indignant.

“God, Mom, why are you hitting me? I didn't say anything wrong.”

Qadriya turned to her eagerly and said

“Stop talking like that and tell me what you and Jalal talked about when you were on the train.”

Salma pursed her lips and said angrily

We didn't say anything. I was sitting in the back with my father and your son Adam, and all they talked about was work.

Qadriya was disappointed

It doesn't matter. The important thing is that he came to get you, and the rest is up to me.

Salma looked at her mother in confusion, then turned to her aunt and asked her

“What are you talking about? I don't understand anything.”

She narrowed her eyes and said thoughtfully

“Now I understand you, but I want you to do exactly as I say.”

⭐🌙⭐🌙⭐🌙⭐

Salma stood leaning her shoulder against the doorframe, watching the mule and the jealous woman standing there, following the maids' work with interest and control before straightening up and cheering with feigned joy.

=Habiba... I missed you, my sister, and I missed our conversations.

Attracted by her loud voice, everyone in the room watched her rush toward Habiba. A fake smile appeared on her lips as she hugged her and asked her in surprise

=Salma...! Thank God you're safe. When did you arrive?

Salma stepped back, following Layla with her eyes as she slowly looked her up and down, saying

“I just arrived with... Jalal.”

She dragged out the last syllables of her words, prompting Habiba to exclaim in surprise

“Jalal himself! That's unbelievable!”

Salma turned to her immediately, her eyes expressing anger.

“Why are you so unreasonable, Habiba?”

Then she turned to Layla, who had returned to her work, but her body seemed stiff as she listened to Salma continuing to boast and brag.

“He even tried to trick me a lot to get me to come back, and I was determined, but what could I do? I couldn't refuse his request, especially when he swore to me on his life.”

At this point, Layla couldn't stand there and listen to the rest of their conversation. She hurried toward the door, whispering a quick apology.

Habiba called after her eagerly, but she ignored the call and left immediately. Habiba turned to Salma, who was smiling happily and maliciously.

“What did you say, Salma? Don't you mean what you say?”

Salma shrugged her shoulders indifferently, saying with feigned innocence

“What did I say? I didn't say anything. And besides, she must know what's going on, so don't worry about her.”

Habiba sighed helplessly, whispering

“I swear to God, I don't know who she'll find it from or who...” She seems like a nice girl who doesn't need anything.

Then she turned away to continue her work, ignoring Salma, who stood smiling triumphantly before leaving again to relay what had happened to those eagerly awaiting her news.

⭐🌙⭐🌙⭐🌙⭐

A few hours later, Jalal quietly entered his suite, his eyes searching for her. He hadn't seen her since he arrived, and his mother told him that she had refused to come down and have lunch with them, which angered him somewhat, as he thought she would be there to greet him when she heard he had arrived, or that he would find her at the table waiting for him at lunchtime.

She even refused to respond to his call to her with one of the maids to eat, claiming that she was tired. His mother heard her at that time and began to complain at length about her character and behavior, and how she looked down on everyone in the house, spending most of her time in their room and not trying to mix with them. She asked him to take firm action against her. to put an end to her arrogant behavior.

He sighed heavily, trying to calm down. He turned behind him toward the bathroom when he found the door opening and she peeking out from behind it. Everything froze except his eyes, which slowly and calmly scanned her as he saw her wrapping her small body in a blue towel that almost reached her knees. Her bare arms were raised above her head, giving her full attention to drying her wet hair with its twisted strands. She is unaware of his presence or the heat of his body, which is rising, almost burning him. He stands in place, almost devouring her with his eyes for several seconds. He tells himself to move toward her, to take her in his arms until he feels the softness and suppleness of her body against his. But he stops himself, shaking his head violently, pushing those thoughts away. He clears his throat softly, which is enough to make her jump in fright. She drops the towel from her hands and her eyes widen in alarm as he approaches her with calm steps. His lips formed a faint smile as he stopped in front of her, his eyes slowly and intently scanning her face. His smile widened when he saw her breathing quicken as her chest rose and fell behind the towel. He watched her for a moment, then his gaze suddenly changed, becoming vague and mysterious. She blushed with embarrassment as she watched him bend down at her feet, picking up her towel that had fallen to the ground. He then stood up and looked at her again, but this time with eyes that sparkled with intensity, pinning her in place with their power. She couldn't find the strength to move away as she watched him raise his fingers holding the towel and run them lightly over her bare skin, to catch the drops falling from her hair, which made their way down to her chest. His breathing quickened as he asked her breathlessly, his eyes watching the path of his trembling fingers over her skin.

“Why are you staying for dinner tonight, Laila?”

His voice grew louder as he said her name. The towel fell from his hand, but his fingers remained on her skin, gently caressing her. His eyelids fell like a curtain over his eyes, blocking her gaze as he continued softly.

“You're not supposed to be waiting for your husband after he's been away from you all this time.”

Layla swallowed hard, forcing her stiff legs to move away from his reach, saying in a trembling voice,

“I was feeling a little tired and couldn't get down.”

He slowly looked her in the face and said calmly

“And you're always tired so you can stay in your room like this.”

A look of surprise appeared on her face. She didn't understand what he meant and asked him with confusion

“I don't understand what you mean.”

Jalal moved away from her, turning his back to her. He moved quietly toward the bed, sat down on it, and unbuttoned his shirt. He had become cold, saying with an expressionless face,

“As you know, you're always in your room, never coming out, distancing yourself from everyone in the house... If you're tired, as you say, then let's go to the doctor and see what's wrong with you and get it treated.”

She stood listening to his words, her face growing paler. She knew very well where he got his information from, and it hurt her heart that he believed what he was saying about her without even bothering to ask her. So she didn't try to change his mind about her and replied stiffly

“Don't worry about me. I'll be fine, and tomorrow I'll be

downstairs with everyone else.”

Jalal stood up, took off his shirt, threw it on the bed, and stood in front of her with his chest bare, indifferent. She saw him in that position for the first time, which caused her confusion and a blush of shame to rise to her face, lighting it up intensely. Despite the passage of time since their marriage, he had been mindful of the boundaries of their relationship at the time and did not cross them.

She watched him approach her again with tension and fear until he stopped in front of her, almost touching her, whispering, his fingers playing with the knot of her towel, asking her softly

“Are you still tired?”

She could only shake her head in the affirmative, and his expression changed to one of disappointment. He sighed heavily and said

“Okay, get some rest and sleep. I'll take a shower, and when you wake up, I want to talk to you about something.”

She quickly stopped him from moving toward the bathroom, eagerly and curiously

=Can we talk now, and I'll rest later?

Jalal's eyebrows furrowed in surprise, making her blush with embarrassment, so she quickly continued, stammering

=I... Um... I'll... wait for you when you finish your shower, and we can talk if you want.

Jalal shrugged indifferently and said,

“Whatever you want... I'll be back in a few minutes.”

Then he moved toward the bathroom and disappeared inside for several minutes. She sat on the bed, shaking her feet nervously and anxiously, waiting for him to come out. She had put on comfortable but somewhat modest loungewear, as she couldn't act as comfortably around him as he did around her. She almost died of embarrassment when he saw her like that. him a moment ago.

Jalal came out of the bathroom a little while later with a towel wrapped around his waist and nothing else, which caused waves of embarrassment to quickly wash over her face, increasing her tension. She lowered her gaze away from him and squeezed her fingers in embarrassment and anxiety. She felt him move toward his closet to get his clothes. She heard the rustling of he was putting on, along with his voice as he spoke to her sarcastically, saying

, “I forgot to bring something to wear... You can pick it up if you want.”

She slowly raises her face to look at him, but quickly lowers it again when she sees that he is wearing only short shorts, standing in front of her with his chest bare and his strong torso. Her breathing becomes more agitated as she feels his footsteps approaching her. She flinches when he sits down next to her on the bed, reaching under her chin and raising her eyes gently, whispering

=Aren't we supposed to try to get used to each other?

Her eyes tense up in front of his, and his gaze makes her nod slowly and shyly. He continues speaking in a soft, tender voice, as if he were talking to a frightened little girl in front of him.

“Okay, then why does your body tremble with fear every time I come near you? I told you I would never force you to do anything.”

That night, she ran the tip of her tongue over her lips in an attempt to moisten them before answering him, but she stopped suddenly, trembling violently when she found him breathing heavily as he watched the movement of her tongue over her lips. She tried to speak several times, but he followed her with lowered eyelids, hiding his gaze behind them. his eyes until she finally succeeded in whispering in a soft, trembling voice, trying to change the subject between them.

=You were...saying that you wanted to talk to me about something.

He Jalal looked at her intently, his gaze passing over her features with interest for several moments, making her squirm in her seat before he whispered softly

“Let's postpone our conversation until later and come relax a bit because I'm very tired from traveling and want to sleep.”

He stood up and reached out his hand to her. She raised her face to him fearfully, and he smiled a reassuring smile, saying

"Don't be afraid, believe me, we'll sleep here... I think that's enough. Sleep away from me and let's try from here and get used to being together.

She shyly realized that he was referring to her sleeping on the couch on their wedding night, which she insisted on doing without any attempt on his part to change her mind, leaving her to do what made her comfortable.

She reached out to him, slowly getting up from her seat and standing in front of him. Jalal smiled gently at her, running his fingers through her tousled hair for a moment before speaking to her in a calm but serious voice.

“You know, your hair is really beautiful, and I'm glad you leave it natural... but why did you ask me?” .

She looked at him nervously and asked him to continue as he continued to play with her hair, looking at his fingers running through it, his eyes following the light shining on them as if spellbound. He whispered appreciatively, but his voice was not without insistence and warning.

As long as we are together, I want you to leave your hair as it is.

Outside this room, no, not even Adam, the housekeeper, understands. Oh, night.

She furrowed her eyebrows tightly, his words pressing down on her old complex about her hair, reviving her self-doubt. Thinking he was embarrassed to let anyone know about her hair, she hurried to speak, her words sharp and grim.

“Don't worry, I'm not used to showing myself without my headscarf in front of anyone.”

Jalal nodded his head in approval, then moved toward the bed, standing in front of his designated spot, waiting for her to move with a stiff and nervous body to the other side of him. She quickly lay down on top of him, giving him her back, then felt the bed accept his weight, muffling her breath. She trembled violently when she felt him He moved closer to her, wrapping his arms around her. She felt the warmth of his body as he pulled her to his chest, pressing her so close that there was no room for even air to pass between them. He kissed her lightly on the cheek, and she trembled even more when he whispered above them, his warm breath touching her skin.

“That's better... Come on, sleep, my love.”

He tightens his embrace, holding her body firmly between his arms for moments that feel like an eternity, until she finally feels the slowness and depth of his breath and realizes that he is fast asleep. She allows her body to finally relax, a happy smile on her lips, and closes her eyes quietly, letting sleep creep up on her, ignoring everything she had gone through or learned that day, unwilling to think for a single moment about what the coming days would bring. What she felt now in his arms, the warmth and comfort, was enough for her.