In Albi's office, Nayra remained silent. She seemed lost in thought. Nayra was certain that her mother-in-law and sister-in-law had come to carry out whatever they had planned. She couldn't believe that her sister-in-law could be so heartless as to try to separate her from Albi.
“Nay, if your husband is working, don't bother him. You should just stay home and wait for him to come back. It's not like you have anything else to do,” Laila said.
“Then what business do you and Aninda have at the office?” Nayra asked again.
“Of course I can visit the office. I own this company, after all. I have every right to come and go as I please. I wanted to see how the company has been doing lately,” Laila replied, looking at Nayra.
“Yes, why are you asking that, Nayra? If Mother wants to come whenever she likes, what's the problem?” Aninda asked, only making the atmosphere in the office even more heated.
“Yes, I understand, Mother. Nayra was only asking. If you have some other business here, that's fine too.” Nayra sat calmly, but believe me, her heart was anything but calm. She knew what her mother-in-law was going to say to her husband later.
“While I'm here, I also want to take Albi out to lunch. Aninda happens to want to eat at a restaurant that just opened a few days ago. I wanted to stop by because if Aninda thinks something tastes good, it can't be wrong. We have the same taste,” Laila remarked, stroking Aninda's hand.
“Yes, I think you and Anin really are a perfect match, Mother. I figured your tastes must be the same, and I was right,” Nayra replied with a smile. In truth, she was smiling as if mocking the two women in front of her.
When Albian heard that his mother had arrived and was in his office, he immediately ended the meeting. He was afraid his mother would make his wife cry again—not because he didn't trust his mother, but because whenever Nayra met with his mother and sister-in-law, she always ended up in tears.
“Mom, what brings you to the office? You didn't even tell me you were coming.”
“What's wrong with that? I wanted to visit my son and suddenly felt like coming to the office. I didn't have to tell you first. This is my company too,” Laila replied.
“No, that's not what I meant, Mom. If I had known you were coming, I might have postponed today's meeting. Then you wouldn't have had to wait like this.”
“Enough. I only stopped by because I wanted to take you out to lunch. But why did Nayra come to the office with you? That's unusual,” Laila remarked, looking at her second daughter-in-law.
Albi let out a long sigh. “I invited Nayra to the office. I felt bad leaving her at home with nothing to do, so I brought her along.”
“Why doesn't she work with you? She could be your secretary here instead of wasting time tagging along without doing anything.”
“Mom!” Albi called out, as if urging his mother to stop.
“What's wrong? What I'm saying is true. Nayra doesn't have children yet, so she must have plenty of time. At least she could earn her own money. Wouldn't that be better? I did the same thing back then. While I was waiting to get pregnant, I asked your father to make me his secretary.”
All Albi could do was look at his wife. Nayra remained silent, saying nothing in response to what her mother-in-law had said.
The atmosphere in Albi's office grew even more heated. Laila's incessant inappropriate remarks made Nayra want to go home. Seeing how quiet and withdrawn his wife was, Albi grew worried. He approached her and looked at her as if telling her that everything would be all right.
“If there's something you want to discuss, we can talk about it at home. I'll take Nayra home. As for lunch, I think I'll just eat at home with my wife.”
Laila immediately turned to her son. “I've come all the way to the office, and you want to leave just like that, Albi?”
“Albi, there's something Mother wants to tell you. So—”
“No. Like I said, I'm taking Nayra home. We can talk once we get there. Or, if it's really important, I'll come to your house after lunch,” Albi cut in, deliberately interrupting his sister-in-law.
Aninda immediately pouted. She hadn't expected her brother-in-law to defend his wife. She had thought Albi would obey and immediately agree with whatever his mother-in-law said. Instead, Albi was leaving and taking Nayra home.
“What did your mother actually want to talk to you about, Albi?” Nayra asked once they were in the car together.
“I don't know either, sweetheart. Maybe it has something to do with the company. Mom doesn't usually come straight to the office unless something really important is going on.”
“She said the important thing was taking us out to lunch, and that was probably because Aninda asked her to. Honestly, why does she always annoy me? And why does Rafael like a woman like that enough to marry her?” Nayra blurted out, making Albi smile and shake his head.
“Forget it. Only Rafael knows.”
In the end, Albi and Nayra ate lunch at home. Before they arrived, Nayra had asked the household helper to prepare lunch, so the two of them sat down to eat as soon as they got home. While eating, Nayra remembered what her mother-in-law and sister-in-law had planned. It was all giving her a terrible headache.
“Albi!” Nayra called.
“Yes, what is it?” Albi asked, looking at his wife.
“No matter what happens, promise me you won't leave me.”
Albi set down the spoon he was holding. He gazed intently at the woman he had been married to for two years. Nayra's attitude and words left him confused.
“What are you saying, sweetheart? Why are you thinking so far ahead?”
“I just want you to promise that you won't leave me.”
“Sweetheart, I don't like it when you worry about things I've never even considered. Your thoughts have gone way too far. None of that has ever crossed my mind. So stop thinking about weird things!” Albi said firmly.
Nayra nodded and continued eating lunch. That afternoon, Albi even fed his wife himself. He wanted to prove that what she feared would never happen.
That evening, Albi went to Laila's house. He was curious about what his mother wanted to discuss. It wasn't like Laila to come to the office without telling him. After one of the household helpers told him that his mother was in the backyard garden with Aninda, he went straight there.
“Mom!” Albi called.
A smile spread across Laila's lips when she saw her son arrive. “You're here, son.”
“Yes, just like I said earlier. Why did you come to the office?” Albi asked, getting straight to the point.
“I only wanted to see you, son. I also wanted to see how the company has changed. So much has changed. I'm proud of you.”
“Thank you, Mom. But this is my responsibility. It's all because of the trust Dad placed in me.” Albi sat beside Laila while Aninda sat across from them. “But, Mom, I don't like hearing you constantly put Nayra down. No matter what, Nayra is my wife, and she's your daughter-in-law too.”
“But, son, what I'm saying is true. If Nayra feels cooped up at home all day, why doesn't she work with you? Even Aninda kept working as a model before she got pregnant. Why won't Nayra do the same?”
“But this was my decision. I asked Nayra to quit working and not do anything outside the house. Her only job is to take care of me and wait for me to come home. That's more than enough for me, Mom.” Albi tried to defend his wife.
“Oh, my goodness! Do whatever you want, Albi. I was only giving you advice. If you don't want to accept it, that's fine too.”
“Fine, then what did you want to talk to me about?”
“I really want a grandchild from you, but it still hasn't happened. I'm getting old, and I feel like something is missing. Don't you want your future child to know their grandmother? Don't you want your child to be able to play with me someday?” Laila asked, beginning to play on his emotions.
“Then what am I supposed to do, Mom? God hasn't allowed me to have a child yet.”
“Son, what if you married again? I'm sure the problem lies with Nayra,” Laila asked eagerly.
“What?”