Hitched: My Naughty Wife

Chapter 7: Turning the Tables

*At Triumph’s House*

Yma hid in her room and called Yousuf, "Yousuf, what's the situation? Have you found Dora?"

Yousuf's voice on the other end was a bit breathless, "No, I've searched the whole school, and there's no sign of her. I even heard that Dora has been skipping classes for over a month. She hasn't been staying at the school dorms."

Yma was shocked and taken aback. Dora was still skipping classes? She had heard rumors that Dora used to skip school occasionally in the countryside and was known for her frequent fights and disruptions, which led to her not graduating from high school until she was twenty.

She pretended to sound concerned, "She hasn't been at the school for over a month? But she hasn't come home either. Where could she be?"

Yousuf, tired and frustrated from a long day, and now hearing that Dora hadn't returned home either, couldn't contain his anger, "Where could she be? Who knows where she's hanging out!"

Yma grumbled, slightly annoyed, "Don't say that. She's about to be engaged to you tomorrow. How can you talk about your fiancee that way?"

Yousuf huffed, "If she had even half your gentleness, I wouldn't say such things."

Yma's voice lowered, "Let's stop, Yousuf. I know I've been pushing you to admit your feelings for me, but Dora is still your sister, and your mother won't accept me. Yousuf, it's just not meant to be. I've already explained our situation to my parents. Don't worry; it won't affect your engagement."

Yousuf said, "You know I like you. My mom forced me into that engagement with that country bumpkin. Since she's so unappreciative, I don't need to keep holding back. When I get back, I'll tell my parents I want you! I only want you!"

Yma replied, "Yousuf, you have the heart for it, and that's enough. I'm Yma, and I didn't make a mistake in loving you. But I don't want to ruin your relationship with your sister, and I don't want you to be caught in the middle between me and your mom. We shouldn't see each other again."

She hung up the phone directly.

Two steps forward, one step back. It was a strategy that worked like a charm.

In Hanover's elite social circles, there were distinctions among the top-tier families, and the Greens were just one step away from being in the upper echelon. Why should she let Dora, a country girl, have the upper hand?

She didn't care about any engagement; the person she wanted had to be hers!

And stealing something from Dora, watching her fume with frustration, brought her immense satisfaction.

---

Zackaree didn't call Dora again. He and Bailey kept waiting for her on the sofa. He thought she might be sulking after their argument earlier, but he didn't expect her not to return in the evening, especially with their engagement ceremony scheduled for the next day.

As they waited and waited, Yma rushed down the stairs in a hurry.

She looked anxious and worried as she asked, "Mom, Dad, has my sister called you?"

Zackaree frowned, "No, she hasn't. Why?"

Yma hurriedly explained, "Just now, Yousuf called me and asked if Dora had come back. He said he's been searching for her, but she's nowhere to be found at the school. Nobody knows where she's gone. Her classmates even said she's been skipping classes for over a month. Could something have happened to her?"

"What?"

Zackaree's minor guilt turned into a raging fury at this news. "She hasn't stayed at the school for over a month? And she's been skipping classes?"

Yma nodded, "That's what Yousuf said."

Zackaree was fuming with anger, "She's getting more and more unruly. I put so much effort into getting her into Hanover High School, hoping she would improve her bad habits. But what does she do? She's just loafing around."

Bailey and Yma exchanged glances, and Bailey gently advised, "Alright, she hasn't been around us much, and she's picked up some bad habits from the countryside. We should help her. Let's find her first. Yousuf is getting worried."

Yma added, "Yes, Dad, Dora just moved to the city, and the allure of city life and nightlife can be tempting. We should guide her. Let's find her, and everything will be fine. Yousuf is really concerned."

Zackaree sighed and took Yma's hand, "If only Dora were as sensible as you. Today, thanks to your quick thinking, we didn't blow the lid off this situation. Otherwise, how would it all end? Your sister grew up in the countryside, lacking manners, and sometimes she crosses the line in her actions. Today, I appreciate your understanding. When she marries into the family, everything will be better."

Yma reassured him, "It's okay, Dad. She's your daughter, and she's my sister."

---

Meanwhile, Dora was attempting to rest on the hospital bed but ended up falling asleep and having a dream.

In her dream, her mother hadn't died yet, and they were fishing by the river. The fish were enormous, and her mother's fishing rod bent but couldn't pull the fish in. Her mother called for her help, and she eagerly joined her mother to reel in the fish. It was a massive catch, and her mother praised her skills with a smile.

The scene suddenly shifted, and she found herself back at the accident scene. Her mother pushed her out of the car, and she tried to pull her mother with her, but she couldn't budge her. The car was leaking oil, and her mother, covered in blood, was trapped beneath the car. She urged Dora to find help and sang a lullaby she used to sing when Dora was a child.

Suddenly, there was a loud explosion, and the car was blown to pieces in an instant. Flames engulfed the area, and thick smoke filled the air.

Dora's heart ached, as if someone were stirring it with a knife. She was in so much pain that she couldn't breathe. She woke up abruptly from her sleep, her heart still throbbing with a lingering pain.

After a while, she heard her phone ringing, playing the same lullaby she heard in her dream:

"...The stars in the sky weep, the roses on the ground wither, the cold wind blows, the cold wind blows, as long as I have you by my side..."

She blankly picked up the phone and saw that it was Bailey calling.

A moment of disappointment washed over her, causing her to feel irritable deep down. She glanced at Qirat sleeping peacefully in the bed and then left the hospital room. Once she was in a quiet, unoccupied area, she answered the call with a blank expression, "Hello."

Bailey's fake and affected voice came through, "Dora, where are you?"

Dora replied, "I'm outside."

Bailey said, "It's quite late. You should come home. A young girl like you isn't safe outside."

Dora responded indifferently, "I'm not going home tonight."

Bailey asked, "Are you still mad at your dad? He's just looking out for you. Tomorrow you're getting engaged to Yousuf, and you need to get up early for the makeup. If you don't come back, you won't have enough time. Come back quickly!"

Dora, her face cold and expressionless, said, "I won't get engaged to him. Your daughter likes him, right? Let them go ahead with it."

Bailey protested, "You can't do that..."

Before she could finish her sentence, the phone was snatched away by Zackaree, and he launched into a tirade, "What nonsense are you spouting? The engagement ceremony is tomorrow, and the invitations have already been sent out. You want to change your mind now? Dora, throwing tantrums is one thing, but there should be a limit. I know you haven't had much education in the countryside, and your whole family indulges you. But what about you? You use cheap tactics, push boundaries, and disrupt this household. Who do you think you are? You don't even appreciate someone who's more than suitable for you!"