Being Sheikh's Substitute Bride

Chapter One (EDITED)

Zuhaiba sat down on one of the chairs kept outside and watched as her father along with her brother-in-law walked towards the tent where her father usually held his meetings.Something was not right,she could just feel it in her bones.Her sister had not come with her brother-in-law and that was just strange.

Sheikh Zuhaib sat down,opposite his father-in-law,Waleed or Abi Yahya as he was better know,who right now was smiling at him.Unfortunately what I am about to tell him will wipe his smile off,Zuhaib thought with a grimace.

“To what do I own the pleasure of seeing you,Zuhaib?”

Zuhaib clenched his fist,“I haven’t brought really good news though,”

Abi Yahya’s smile faded,“Has my daughter done something?”

Zuhaib nodded his head before dropping the bomb which was a burden on his heart,“Aqeelah has run away with her lover.”

Abi Yahya’s face paled and then grew red with anger as Zuhaib’s words registered.

“Ya Allah,that child has dishonoured me.” Abi Yahya struck his hand out to hit the cup off the table in front of him and he looked at the guard who stood near the door,“Get Zuhaiba.”

The guard left the tent and he surveyed the grounds before him,trying to find Zuhaiba.He saw her with the tribe children,laughing at their sword fighting.He walked towards her and called her name,Zuhaiba looked up at him.

“Yes?”

“You father has called you to the meeting tent.”

Zuhaiba stood up and walked behind the guard towards the meeting tent.Thoughts were swirling through her mind at what could have happened that she had to be called while Zuhaib was still there.Something was wrong and she was about to find out just what it was.She entered the tent and she glanced at her father,his red face and clenched fists told her enough.As soon as she was a few feet away from him,she called out.

“Abu?”

Abi Yahya looked up at one of his eldest children,his most beloved daughter and his most wisest child.She was the apple of his eye and the pride of his tirbe.He held out a hand beaconing her to come nearer to him.

Zuhaiba took her father’s hand and sat down in front of him.

“Abu,has something happened to Aqeelah?”

Abi Yahya shook his head,“Nothing has happened to her but she has put me and our tribe to shame.She has run away with her lover.”

Zuhaiba gasped,putting a hand to her chest,“But she wanted nothing more then to be married to Sheikh Zuhaib then why would she run away?”

“Because she is the daughter of a shameless mother,what else could we expect of her.”

Zuhaiba looked at her father with wide eyes,“Ya Abu,don’t say that about ummi.”

Abi Yahya shook his head,“What I am saying is true.Aqeelah is not my daughter,she is her mother’s illegitimate child who I took in because she born to her while her mother was married to me.”

Zuhaiba could not believe her ears and she gazed at Zuhaib who looked equally shocked before squeezing her father’s hand.

“Now what?”

Waleed gazed at her with anger filled eyes,“Go and get your mothers and brothers.Then we will see what steps we should take.”

“Nam Abu.”

Zuhaiba walked out of the tent and she made her way to her favrouite mother,Umme Zuhaiba’s tent.Who despite not being Zuahiba’s blood mother was given her name.This was because she had raised Zuhaiba after Zuhaiba’s mother,Raeesa had passed on.Umme Zuhaiba had been Raeesa’s best friend who had lost her husband a couple of years before Raeesa passed away.One of Raeesa’s dying wished were for Umme Zuhaiba to wed Waleed so that Zuhaiba could have a mother figure.