Chapter-01 (A Desperate Choice)💔

Sanyin na'urar sanyaya ɗaki, na central air conditioner ɗin da ke fita a saman rufin penthouse office dake bene na ashirin da huɗu, na Bin Ali Holdings ko kaɗan bai iya ɗauke zafin gajiyar da ke tare da shi ba.

Yana tsaye gaban wata babbar katangar gilashi, dake office ɗin nasa, yana hangen gine-ginen birnin Abuja daga saman office ɗin nashi, sanye yake da riga mai dogon hannu wadda aka ɗinka daga masana'antar Ermenegildo Zegna mai kalar navy blue. Hannayensa na a cikin aljihun wandonsa mai kalar charcoal grey. 

"Kwarjininsa, tsayinsa, da cikar kamalarsa, irin na namijin da ya kwashe shekaru 40 a duniya ne yana gina daular kasuwanci dan kare dukiyarsa, shiyasa duk wanda ya kalle shi dole yaji ya burge shi a kallon farko.

Aliyu Bin Ali kenan shi ba mutum ba ne mai yawan magana ba. Mutum ne mai zurfin tunani, zurfin nazari, da kwarjini a harkar kasuwanci, wanda kalma guda daga bakinsa ke iya girgiza kasuwar hannayen jari (stock market). Amma a cikin watanni takwas ɗin da suka wuce, komai ya sauya.

Rasuwar mahaifinsa, Alhaji Aliyu, ta ɗora masa nauyi mai tsauri. Bawai don kawai tafiyar da kamfanoni guda bakwai da mahaifin shi ya mutu ya bari ba, har ma da kare ahalinsa da dukiyarsu baki daya.

Ƙwanƙwasa ƙofar ofishin aka yi a hankali sannan aka turo kofar aka shigo. Taufeeq, abokin aikinsa kuma amintaccen lauyansa, shine ya shigo hannunsa riƙe da iPad da wata leather folder."

"Boss"

 Taufeeq ya kirasa cikin harshen turanci, muryarsa a hankali saboda sanin yanayin sa. 

"The board meeting is scheduled for 10:00 AM tomorrow. But we have an issue with the board members from the second family side."

Bin Ali bai waigo ba, har lokacin idanunshi na cigaba da kallon birnin Abuja da yake ta saman office ɗin nasa. 

'What did Hajiya Halima do this time, Taufeeq?'"

Taufeeq yayi gyaran murya, sannan ya buɗe folder ɗin da ke hannunsa. 

"Tana shirin ƙalubalantar matsayinka na Executive Chairman. A taron dangi da ta haɗa jiya, ta samu nasarar shawo kan wasu manyan masu hannun jari guda huɗu, bayanin da take yaɗawa a tsakanin mambobin board shine, ba ka da wani tsari na kawowa company ci gaba, wai tunda ba ka da iyali, ba ka da mata ko ɗa babu wani tabbaci cewa Bin Ali Holdings za ta ɗore idan wani abu ya same ka. She's pushing her daughter’s fiance to take over as co-chairman"

Cikin takun sa dake cike da izza da kwarjini, Bin Ali ya juyo. Fuskarsa ba ta bayyana wani sauyi na fushi ko razana ba, illa wani irin sanyi mai firgitarwa da ya bayyana a cikin idanunsa.

Ya taka a hankali zuwa gaban teburinsa da akayi da mahogany wood, ya ɗauki agogonsa dake kai samfurin Rolex Submariner ya saka a hannunsa na hagu.

"Hajiya Halima always thinks money and power revolve around noise." Bin Ali ya faɗa cikin muryarsa mai zurfi, tare da saka ɗan lafazin hausa da turanci.

Taufeeq ya ja numfashi, ya matsa kusa da teburin tare da ajiye folder ɗin hannunsa. 

"I understand your point, Aliyu. Amma a fannin business, shareholders ɗin nan future suke kallo, maganar rashin aure da rashin magaji babbar opportunity ce a hannun Hajiya Halima. She’s using this weakness wajen firgita su, tana nuna musu cewa their investments are not safe muddin ba ka da wanda zai gaje ka."

Bin Ali ya ja kujerarsa ya zauna, ya cire agogon da ya sa ya ajiye a saman teburin. Yana bawa Taufeeq amsa in a calm voice, babu alamar rauni a tare da shi.

"I won't get married, Taufeeq. Ba zan ɗauki wata mace in kawo ta cikin rayuwata under the name of marriage ba, balle in ba ta chance ɗin da za ta wargaza min hankali ko ta ruguza everything I spent years building. I saw what happened between my father and his wives. I will never repeat that mistake."

Taufeeq ya gyara zamansa, fuskarsa cike da serious concern. 

"Then how do you plan to handle this situation? What about tomorrow’s board meeting? Idan ba ka da amsa mai ƙarfi a kan succession plan ɗinka, za su iya rage maka voting rights a kamfanin nan."

Bin Ali ya jingina da bayan kujerarsa, ya lumshe idanunsa for a few seconds kafin ya buɗe su, ya kalli Taufeeq da wani irin intense look.

"I have a plan, Taufeeq. Wani private arrangement ne da na daɗe ina researching a kai cikin sirri. Ba zan yi aure ba, but I will get a son... ɗan da zai ɗauki jinina da sunana."

Taufeeq ya zuba masa ido cike da shock. 

"Amma ta yaya? Especially when you don't intend to get married?"

"Through surrogacy... IVF," Bin Ali ya faɗa cikin muryarsa mai sanyi da zurfi. "We will find a discreet private clinic, mu samo mace mai lafiya da good background, a dasa mata my embryo. She will carry the pregnancy until birth, sannan ta miƙa min ɗana ta karɓi her compensation ta tafi. No marriage, no legal drama, no woman interfering in my life or business."

Taufeeq ya ƙame a wurin saboda utter disbelief. 

"Aliyu... do you know how risky this is? Ka san irin scandal da wannan abin zai haifar idan mutane ko media suka sani? Most importantly, how will your mother take this?"

"I don't care about people, Taufeeq," Bin Ali ya faɗa tare da miƙewa tsaye. "I only care about my company, my mother's peace of mind, and my legacy. Go and arrange a private meeting with Dr. Farooq at the Fertility Clinic. I want everything handled with absolute secrecy."

Taufeeq ya san halin abokinsa, idan ya riga ya yanke shawara, he never backtracks. Ya ɗaga kansa a hankali, yana tunanin shirin nasa sannan ya juya ya fita daga office ɗin.

yabar Bin Ali da bin bayan shi da kallo yana sauke numfashi a hankali cikin nutsuwar da yake da ita irin ta mahaifin shi Late Alhaji Ali Aliyu..

★★★

A cikin wani ƙankanin ɗaki mai hasken fitila guda ɗaya, AFEEFA tana zaune a bakin katifa, tana matse hannayenta guda biyu sakamakon sanyi da kuma anxiety ɗin da ke sa zuciyarta bugawa da sauri.

Shekarunta 20 kacal a duniya. Yarinya ce mai sanyin halali, farar mace doguwa, mai manyan idanu masu bayyana innocence da pure tarbiyya. Sanye take da hijabi mai kalar cream wanda ya zagaye fuskarta tsaf. Financial struggles da rashin mahaifinta ne suka sa rayuwarta ta dakata daga her big dream na ci gaba da karatun university.

Ƙofar ɗakin da take cike ce ta buɗe, mahaifiyarta ta shigo riƙe da kofin shayi ɗaya. Fuskarta cike da tsananin stress da gajiyar rayuwa.

"Afeefa... you're still awake?" 

mahaifiyar ta tambaya cikin lallashi.

Afeefa ta ɗaga kanta, ta yi saurin goge idanunta saboda kar Umma ta gane she was crying. Ta karɓi kofin shayin cikin girmamawa. 

"Umma, I can't sleep muddin Rahma tana cikin wannan halin. Did the doctor call again?"

Umma ta zauna a gefenta, ta ja dogon numfashi mai cike da kuka na zuciya. 

"Naira dubu ɗari bakwai da hamsin (₦750,000) suke buƙata before Monday don yi mata kidney surgery ɗin nan. Idan ba mu shigar da kuɗin ba a ranar litinin... Afeefa, your sister's life is at risk."

Afeefa ta ji tamkar she couldn't breathe. Dubu ɗari bakwai da hamsin? Ta ina a family like theirs zai samo wannan adadin kuɗin cikin kwana biyu kacal?.

"Umma" 

Afeefa ta faɗa cikin sanyin murya, tana riƙe hannun mahaifiyarta tsam. 

"Please don't worry. God will make a way. Zan nemo kuɗin nan. Zan nemi kowace irin halal job, ko da zai sa in ƙarar da rayuwata a wahala, in sha Allah daga yau zuwa ranar litinin."

Mahaifiyarta ta kalle ta cikin tausayi. 

"Afeefa, you're my only strength. Amma kar ki manta, our dignity is all we have left."

"I know, Umma. I promise you"

 Afeefa ta raɗa mata tare da kwantar da kanta a shoulder ɗin mahaifiyarta.

Amma a ƙasan zuciyarta, Afeefa ta sani cewa time is running out...