"Who is that?" Nyla asked as she walked toward the door having heard a soft knock. It was dark but not late for visitors.
Her husband had just gone out on an errand. She pulled the door open then froze, her eyes and mouth wide in shock.
"What are you doing here?" she whispered, quickly grabbing Asiza's hand and pulling him toward the back of the house.
"I couldn't sleep without seeing you," Asiza murmured, holding her hand tightly. They slipped behind one of the crop shelters, hiding in the shadows.
"He just left, but he could be back any minute," Nyla insisted, urging him to leave.
They whispered back and forth for a few seconds. Then, in a flash, Nyla screamed and collapsed to the ground, writhing in pain.
Asiza froze, pressed against the wall of the shelter, his hands raised in surrender. A man loomed over Nyla, smiling coldly as he grabbed her by the arm and slapped her hard.
"On my own property, you dare bring this wretch?" he spat, striking her with another slap. Blood streamed from her nose as she cupped her face in her palm.
He then dragged her inside saying nothing to Asiza. She screamed, begging for forgiveness, but he said nothing.
Terrified, Asiza ran off and stumbled straight into Hosea and his friends who were walking past the house.
"Watch it, young man," Hosea warned, stepping back with a steady glide. Asiza turned around and ran off.
"Isn't this… the guy we saw at the rocks with the two girls this afternoon?" one of them blurted, laughing as he clutched his waist. The others joined in, but Hosea only gave a quiet chuckle.
"Let us Keep moving," Hosea told them. "If we delay, we'll reach home late and our mothers will quarrel."
"Seriously, this guy is juggling women and now he's sprinting from a house with screams inside!" one friend scoffed.
"Not our business," another said with a shrug, and they all laughed as they walked on. Hosea fell silent, his expression unreadable, and never spoke of it again.
That same night, Eki regained some strength. As soon as Aki heard, he rushed to his son's room. The two dismissed everyone else and sat together.
"How do you feel now dear?" Aki asked, gently rubbing his son's arm.
"Better," Eki whispered, attempting to sit up before a pounding headache forced him back down.
"Stay there, son." Aki carefully replaced the damp towel on his forehead.
"How far with the girl?" Eki asked, his voice strained.
"Her mother accused me of rape. Now they're forcing us to shift our shop or publicize everything. " Aki said bitterly, looking away. Then he turned back, his eyes softening. "But I'm just glad you're safe with us now." He smiled faintly and squeezed Eki's palm.
"No, this is clearly a trap they set up. There must be a way out of this," Eki muttered, sweat glistening along his hairline. "That girl is running something illegal. And that old woman is having an affair with a young man. We have leverage over them."
Aki's eyes narrowed. He leaned forward.
"What illegal thing? I've heard of the affair, but I never paid much attention."
"Why would she collect debts for her grandmother and three other suppliers, yet when I asked the staff of those three suppliers, none of them even knew her?" Eki pressed, turning on his pillow.
Aki frowned, rubbing his chin. "I can't figure out what that girl does but those suppliers had told me to always leave their payments with her." He began pacing the room.
"There's a boy always with her," Eki added. "He's a strong fighter." Their eyes met. Aki smirked, lifting his finger as if struck with an idea.
"Did you find out who he is?" Aki asked, eyes glowing with interest.
"He only has a mother. They always look well put together, but nothing else is known."
"Then we'll uncover the truth about him, his mother, and Yara," Aki declared. "We can't lose our business over their selfish games."
They spoke for a while longer until fatigue overtook Eki. Aki quietly left him to rest.
Closer to 11 p.m, Egen returned home. He paused outside for a moment as Darian stepped out the front door and continued toward the gate. Waiting until Darian had gone, Egen slipped through the gate himself.
"He irritates me to my bones," Egen muttered under his breath.
Inside, he found Zera sitting proudly in the main chair, a teacup in hand.
"You're late today," she remarked, taking a sip before pursing her lips.
"I had to count everything before leaving," Egen replied, handing her a sheet of the day's sales.
"This is a good start for you. Your teacher, though, has been complaining about your irregular attendance," Zera said, setting her cup down and leaning back.
"I asked her to give me the notes in advance. I'll study them on my own," Egen answered, his gaze shifting away.
"You were the top performer last year. Just keep it up. You can be our family's brightest mind," Zera said warmly before asking him about the shop, the business partners, and the errands he had run.
From the balcony outside, Yara overheard it all as she moved to close the front doors and the outdoor kitchen.
"I'll never have her approval in anything," she whispered, biting her lower lip.
"Go and rest. Study hard," Zera said to Egen, a beam of pride on her face.
"But how long will Yara stay at the shop?" Egen asked suddenly.
Zera hummed, her smile widening. "She'll marry soon and go. Ignore her she has no future near you."
Egen smiled faintly and stood. "I'll go rest now, Mother."
"Good night," Zera whispered playfully, leaning toward him.
From the shadows, Yara's eyes filled with tears.