Trapped With My BRother In Law

épisode 3

Chapter One

After a week in Italy

In a spacious villa with modern design.

Murad woke from his sleep, turned to the other side, and opened his sleepy eyes. He found a naked girl sleeping beside him, her body uncovered by anything.

He hates opening his eyes to see a prostitute next to him. He takes his pleasure from them, then tramples them with his feet and throws them out.

He stared at her for a few moments before pushing her with his feet, making her fall harshly to the floor, remembering his stormy night with her.

The girl gasped in pain from his cruel treatment.

He hadn't stopped mentioning another girl's name while he was embracing her with brutality and savagery, but that's her job, and she's used to this type of man.

"Damn, what is this?"

"Take the money from the table and get out of my face."

He uttered these words with extreme coldness.

She gathered her things from the floor and quickly fled from the clutches of this ferocious beast.

He lit a cigarette angrily, thinking.

How he wishes to return to Egypt quickly to see her after the news he heard about her becoming free.

From his point of view, she is different from any other girl, and he wants to possess her, and he longs greatly for the time when she will be his.

---

At Omar El Baron's Villa

The house phone rang. Mariam answered, "Hello!"

Lily, her voice hoarse: "Yeah, Mariam? How are you?"

Mariam: "Thank God, I'm good, my love. Tell me about you?"

Lily: "Oh, thank God for everything. How's Carmen's health now?"

Mariam sighed: "She's fine... She's improved a lot from before. We've come a long way, Lily."

Lily: "Well, thank God. Look, Mariam, the lawyer set a time for tonight to read Omar's will, may God have mercy on him. Carmen has to be there."

Mariam: "Okay, Lily. I'll tell her."

Lily: "And you and Malak come with her."

Mariam, regretfully: "Forgive me, my dear, I won't be able to... But Carmen will definitely take Malak with her, you'll see her."

Lily: "Alright, my heart. Take care. Bye."

Mariam: "Goodbye."

Mariam hung up the phone, lost in thought for a moment.

She doesn't know why she feels apprehensive about this will, but she asked God for forgiveness and got up to prepare lunch for her daughter.

---

In Carmen's Room

Mariam entered, saying affectionately, "My dear, lunch will be ready soon."

Carmen, softly: "Mom, don't trouble yourself. Om Fathi will do everything. You rest..."

Mariam, refusing: "Never. You know cooking is my specialty and how much I love it?"

Carmen smiled and said in surrender: "As you wish, Lady of All Ladies."

Mariam, remembering: "I'm telling you, my heart, Lily called me... checking that you'll be at the palace tonight; the lawyer is reading the will."

Carmen looked at her with sadness. Her mother understood her look, sat beside her, hugged her tenderly, and said, "I feel for you, my dear, but you must know that this is a test from God, and in a test, we must be patient and say Alhamdulillah."

Carmen whispered faintly: "Alhamdulillah for everything, Mama. Thank you, and may I never be deprived of you, God willing."

Mariam, lovingly: "And never of you, my dear. I'll go now and see what Om Fathi is doing by herself."

Mariam left. Carmen went to sit in front of the mirror, combing her hair distractedly and sadly.

She remembers how she first met her husband and how comfortable she felt with him.

---

Flashback

2013

She was in her final year of college. Because she was excellent and had a wonderful talent, she was chosen with some of her classmates to train at the largest fashion company in Egypt, "El Baron Design."

She couldn't describe her feeling of pride because of this amazing event. She prepared for her first day, took the required papers and some of her work, and left her room with her heart fluttering with joy.

She was dressed like this.

Carmen, cheerfully: "Good morning, honey, to your eyes, Mama!" she called out in her soft voice with a beautiful, bright smile.

Mariam, smiling: "Good morning, my dear... Come on, have breakfast before you go down."

Carmen, refusing: "I can't eat, Mama, I'm nervous, and you know I can't eat when I'm like this."

Mariam, with tender insistence: "No going out unless you eat something, even a little. Besides, I've told you many times, this habit is bad for you, my heart. And why are you scared? You're top of your class, mashallah. Be strong."

Carmen: "This training is very important to me, Mama. It'll make a big difference in the field I love. It's a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity that happened to my college; I have to be nervous, I can't help it."

Mariam, helplessly: "Fine, at least take a small sandwich in your hand and eat it before you get in the car. And be careful with your driving, no speeding."

Carmen nodded in agreement: "Okay, my dear Mariam. I've memorized everything you said. I'll call you as soon as I arrive and after I finish my appointment, you'll see how clever I am."

Her mother smiled, kissed her cheeks, and she left quickly. Her mother was happy for her daughter, feeling proud, and praying to God to grant her success.

---

Carmen got into her small car; it wasn't new, but she loved it dearly.

She arrived in front of the company and was fascinated by this new world she was entering for the first time.

She got out of the car after parking it and stood there anxiously. She started reciting some short Quranic verses and closed her eyes, talking to her Lord as she did when she was little, forgetting she was standing in the middle of the street.

She opened her eyes fearfully as she turned at the sound of a car that was about to hit her. Her heart stopped at the thought, and her confusion increased when a tall young man got out of the car.

He shouted at her with worry and reproach for her foolish act: "How can you stand like that in the middle of the road? What if I hadn't braked in time? You would have been under the car's wheels."

She composed herself and looked at him to answer in her soft voice, apologizing because he was right: "I'm sorry... I was reciting Quran silently and didn't notice where I was standing... I apologize to you."

He was captivated by those blue eyes, forgetting all about the situation, and said with a smile: "No need to apologize... The important thing is that God protected you. Just don't do it again."

Carmen, quickly: "Okay, thank you for your kindness... Excuse me."

She left him and went quickly, while he returned to his car to park it in the company garage, lost in thought about this angel.

---

"You're late, Carmen. Why?"

"Did you start already?!"

"The interview is still a bit away, but I was surprised. You're always on time."

"Sorry, something happened outside that delayed me a bit."

"Okay, dear."

She was talking to her college friend named Lily, and slowly began to come out of her nervousness.

---

On the other side

Adham was sitting in his office at the company. Then Omar burst in like a rocket without knocking.

Omar, cheerfully: "Morning of the one who sings to your eyes, Domha!"

Adham replied, annoyed: "Domha to you, you pest! Will you ever stop coming in on me without knocking?"

Omar, teasingly: "Is it like I'm coming into the bathroom with you? What's wrong with me coming in to see my only brother looking however I like?"

Adham frowned and said with irritation: "Enough with the noise this early. I have a headache."

Omar, asking: "Where's Malek? The student interview downstairs is about to start, and he needs to be with me."

Malek entered from behind him: "Why are you mentioning me this early, man?"

Omar, joking: "I wish I'd remembered a million pounds instead."

Malek: "I'm more important than a million pounds, aren't I?"

Adham called out to them seriously: "Are you two going to keep chattering?... Malek, go with him. Meet the students and explain what's required of them. I don't want mistakes."

Both in unison: "Okay."

---

Omar and Malek entered the meeting hall where the students were gathered.

Malek spoke seriously: "Welcome to the company. First of all, there must be punctuality and seriousness in work. Your training will be conducted under our supervision. I hope for activity and focus from everyone."

Omar continued with a seriousness befitting him: "I don't need to remind you that whoever proves themselves with the required work will be hired here after graduation. Good luck."

Carmen noticed that he was the same person she almost collided with outside the company.

She stood astonished, thinking that she had been talking to the owner of the company, and felt embarrassed about that silly situation she had gotten into.

Their eyes met at that moment, but Carmen quickly lowered hers to avoid his gaze.

He couldn't believe that fate had brought them together twice in the same day, and that he would see her for a long time at the company. He was extremely happy.

He didn't know why, thinking to himself infatuatedly: "She's brought you low, Omar, huh? Looks like you're in love. Oh my, the beauty of her eyes."

Days passed. Carmen was happy with the work and proved her skill in design and art. She amazed Omar greatly, and he began to attract her attention and talk to her under the pretext of work. She couldn't deny that she liked his funny manner and the kindness of his heart, and she started thinking about him a lot.

---

Back to the present

She came out of her memories at the sound of her phone ringing.

"Hello?"

She answered in a soft, hoarse voice.

Yasser: "How are you doing now, Roma?"

Carmen: "Alhamdulillah, my love. I'm better. How are you?"

Yasser: "Alhamdulillah, I'm fine. The boy, Yassin, is giving me a headache with his PlayStation."

Carmen: "Is he better now?"

Yasser: "Yes, Alhamdulillah. The medicine brought his fever down, and he miraculously stopped eating chips. He's sleeping now. I thought I'd seize the opportunity and call you. Malek and I are going to pass by you tonight to go to the palace."

Carmen: "Yes, okay, my love. I'll wait for you."

Yasser: "Goodbye, my little heart."

Carmen: "Goodbye, my love."

She hung up the phone, thinking about this will she had learned about from the lawyer. She stood up and headed to the door to go out, see her daughter, and prepare for the evening meeting.

---

As she reached for the doorknob, her phone buzzed again. She glanced at the screen—an unknown number. For a moment, she hesitated, then swiped to answer.

"Hello?"

A pause. Then a voice she never thought she'd hear again—low, familiar, laced with something dark and unreadable.

"Long time, Carmen."

Her blood ran cold. The phone nearly slipped from her fingers.

"Who is this?" she whispered, though she already knew.

A soft, mocking laugh on the other end.

"You know who this is. And I think it's time we finished what started years ago."

The line went dead.

Carmen stood frozen, the dial tone buzzing in her ear like a warning she couldn't escape.