12~Stolen look
The atmosphere was hauntingly familiar.
It reminded Hanan of her own wedding reception three years ago. A lavish celebration that had marked the beginning of her greatest nightmare.
The night she first met him.
The night she wished had never happened.
Tonight, however...
She wasn't the broken bride.
She was the storm coming to ruin their day.
Dressed like a modern day Cinderella, just as Amina had once excitedly described her bridal look, Hanan walked into the grand reception hall with quiet confidence.
Yet she outshone both Cinderella...
And the bride herself.
The moment she stepped inside, conversations died.
Heads turned.
Every eye in the hall followed her as she made her way toward the center of the reception hall.
Whispers spread like wildfire.
When she finally reached the podium, silence swallowed the entire hall.
Even the music stopped.
All thanks to Emma.
With Emma's help, Hanan had bought Amina's reception look down to the tiniest detail.
The same gown.
The same heels.
The same jewelry.
The same veil.
Even the gele was identical.
Amina's face drained out of color once she saw her.
Across the hall, Amira hurried toward her in disbelief.
"What the hell?" She whispered.
Her eyes swept over Hanan from head to toe.
"What are you wearing?"
Hanan glanced down at herself.
"A beautiful dress."
"A beautiful dress?" Amira repeated surprisingly.
"You came dressed exactly like the bride! What happened to the outfit I got us?"
"It wasn't really my style." Hanan replied with a careless shrug. "So I got something else, this dress."
"This dress..." Amira's gaze swept over Hanan again. "How?"
"What? Is the dress meant for only the bride?"
Before Amira could respond...
"Yes, it is only meant for the bride!"
Amina's furious voice echoed across the hall.
She strode toward them, barely able to hide the shock on her face.
"It's you..."
Her eyes searched Hanan's appearance over and over again.
It made no sense.
The gown had been custom made.
The jewelry was exclusive.
Everything had been specially designed for her wedding.
So how...
How was this woman standing before her looking like her duplicate?
"Who invited you?" Amina demanded.
"How did you get in?"
"And why are you dressed like me?"
Cameras instantly swung toward them.
Reporters and guests were clearly entertained by the drama.
"Easy." Hanan said with a smile.
"So many questions."
She tilted her head.
"Are you upset?"
Amina's fists clenched.
"Oh..."
Hanan clicked her tongue dramatically.
"My mistake."
"I shouldn't have worn this then."
"Hanan." Amira grabbed her arm.
"What has gotten into you?"
"Nothing." Hanan smiled without looking away from Amina.
"I'm simply honoring your invitation."
"I didn't invite you to embarrass me and my family!"
Amira hissed.
"Especially not by dressing exactly like the bride!"
Hanan ignored her completely.
This...
This was exactly where she wanted to be.
At the center of everyone's attention.
Guests had abandoned their conversations.
Phones were raised.
Cameras flashed endlessly.
The spotlight belonged to her now.
Amina turned sharply toward Amira.
"You invited her?"
"She's my best friend." Amira answered nervously.
"Her name is Hanan."
"Hanan?" Amina frowned.
Amir narrowed his eyes.
"Are you certain?"
"Yes."
"Mama and Baba met her during my graduation."
A wave of guilt crashed over Amira.
She had unknowingly brought chaos into her own brother's wedding.
Meanwhile...
Hanan looked completely unfazed.
She slowly faced the newlyweds.
"Amir and Amina..."
"The newest couple in town."
"Relax."
"No need to look so tense."
"It's me."
"The same girl you both knew three years ago."
"I know neither of you could possibly forget me."
She looked between them before glancing at Amina's dress.
"Oh..."
"So it's the outfit that's bothering everyone?"
"No problem."
"I'll fix it."
She calmly picked up a glass of red wine from a passing waiter.
Everyone watched in confusion.
She took a slow sip.
Then...
Without warning...
She poured the remaining wine straight onto Amina's crystal white dress.
The hall erupted into loud gasps.
Amina exclaimed. "My dress!"
Her voice cracked in disbelief.
More gasps echoed from every corner of the room.
Nobody moved.
Nobody spoke.
Hanan calmly placed the empty glass onto the tray.
"There."
She smiled sweetly.
"She got some wine on her dress, we don't look alike anymore."
She slowly turned toward the stunned guests.
"Everyone..."
"The problem has been solved."
"So why don't we continue the celebration?"
"You've lost your mind!" Amira snapped, grabbing Hanan's wrist.
"We're leaving."
Before they could move...
Amina stepped directly into their way.
"She isn't going anywhere!"
"Not until she apologizes... And pay for ruining my dress."
Hanan laughed.
A soft... Mocking laugh.
"Apologize?"
She shook her head.
"If anything..."
"You and your entire family should be apologizing."
"Enough!" Hajiya's furious voice thundered across the hall.
She stormed forward, her face burning with rage.
"And here she comes..."
Hanan smiled.
"The mother of the bride."
She paused deliberately.
"Or should I say..."
"The villainess."
Years ago, Hajiya's glare alone would have reduced her to tears.
Today...
Hanan didn't flinch.
"You barged into my daughter's wedding looking like a cheap copy of her!" Hajiya spat.
"And you still have the audacity to insult us?" She glared raising her hand into the air.
But it never reached Hanan's face.
Someone caught her wrist.
"Don't."
The single word froze the room.
Hajiya slowly turned.
The one person she couldn't go against stood between them.
And then...
Hanan looked up.
Their eyes met once again.
Time seemed to stand still.
The noise.
The cameras.
The guests.
Everything disappeared.
Only the two of them remained.
They met again.
For one endless heartbeat, Hanan couldn't tell whether time had frozen...
Or whether she had been dragged back into the past she fought so hard to escape.
Silence filled the hall...
A silence that spoke louder than words ever could.
His piercing gaze hasn't changed.
As they stood face to face, the memories they had buried for three long years came rushing back like a flood neither of them could stop.
Hanan felt nothing but anger.
Nothing but pain.
Nothing but resentment.
Najib's eyes searched hers desperately, taking in every familiar feature on a face that had changed so much yet remained unmistakably hers.
Slowly, almost as if afraid she would disappear again, he took a step toward her.
Instinctively, Hanan stepped back.
Her heartbeat pounded violently against her chest, but the only thing reflected in her eyes was resentment.
"Habiba..." His voice came out as nothing more than a whisper.
His lips trembled.
"You're... here?"
For a brief moment, Hanan forgot how to breathe.
Hearing him say her name again reopened wounds she had spent years trying to survive. Every betrayal, every sleepless night, every tear she had shed came crashing back all at once.
Her vision blurred with unshed tears.
She wanted to scream.
She wanted to ask him why.
She wanted him to feel every ounce of the pain he had left her with.
Instead, she swallowed it all.
With a cold laugh, she tore her gaze away from him and slowly looked around at the Garba family gathered before her.
A smile tugged at her lips.
"The main villain has finally arrived."
Her eyes swept across each familiar face.
"The whole family is here."
She gave them a slow mocking bow.
"What a beautiful reunion."
Silence fell over the hall.
No one dared to speak.
"What do you want?" Amina finally asked, her voice trembling with anger.
Hanan looked straight into Najib's eyes.
"Your brother's downfall."
The words landed like a bomb.
Another series of gasps echoed through the hall.
Of all places, Hanan had never imagined she would find Abdul standing among the Garba family.
His eyes widened in disbelief.
"Hanan..." He whispered.
"What are you doing here?" She turned to him, disappointment replacing every trace of surprise.
"You're here too?"
"I asked you a question!" He snapped grabbing her wrist instinctively.
She yanked it away. "Don't speak to me like that."
"Hanan, listen to me. Let's go home."
"Home?"
She laughed bitterly.
"There is no home, and don't touch me again."
"Hanan, you're misunderstanding everything."
"Oh, am I?"
Her eyes burned into his.
"I've heard enough lies from you."
She pointed toward Najib.
"The last time I checked, you had nothing to do with that murderer."
Her voice shook with fury.
"So tell me..."
"What exactly are you doing at his sister's wedding?"
Abdul lowered his eyes for a brief second before looking back at her.
"I can explain."
"You've had three years."
"I'm done listening."
Najib frowned in confusion as his gaze shifted between them.
"Abdul... What is she talking about?"
Abdul forced himself to remain calm.
"It's nothing."
Turning to the Garba family, he sighed.
"I'm truly sorry for everything that happened tonight. Amina... please forgive us."
He reached for Hanan's hand again.
"We're leaving."
The instant his fingers wrapped around her wrist, Hanan sank her teeth into his hand.
"Ah!"
He groaned in pain.
"Hanan!"
She stared at him without the slightest regret.
"Just because I consider you my brother doesn't mean you get to control me."
"I'm twenty one."
"You don't make decisions for me anymore."
"You lost that right."
"I leave when I want to. Understood?!" Hanan snapped, pointing a finger at him.
A brief silence consumed the atmosphere.
No one dared to step forward.
Even Abdul, who had been determined to drag her home, found himself taking a step back.
The timid Habiba they once knew was gone.
Standing before them was Hanan, fearless, hardened, and consumed by revenge.