Shadows of the Mansion

#Family_From_Hell 1 (Introduction)
Stories of different people gathered in one novel:

Qamar: Imagine yourself suddenly finding yourself living among a family that is new to you!!
A family that treats you, your mother, and your sisters as the lowest of people!!
Imagine your beauty being the reason for your destruction!!
The whole story started when I entered this house!... No, not a house, this is a mansion, this is a castle, and all the people in it I am seeing for the first time.. a castle where the ruler is an oppressor!!
I saw things before me that I only used to see in TV series.
Betrayal, assault, loss of honor!! Injustice, stabbing in the back from the same family to each other!
And the strongest of all was another story that increased my shock regarding this family.

My name is Qamar. I am a second-year university student ❤️ I have two sisters, one older than me named Jihan, and my younger sister Jana is in middle school.. Of course, we are only 3 girls, we have no boys.
My sister Jihan is 3 years older than me; she is quiet and afraid of her own shadow, she even keeps silent about her rights.
As for me and my younger sister Jana, we are two peas in a pod; both of us are troublemakers, I admit!

🔥Novels of Banoutat Al-Sheikh🔥
🔥Arwa Al-Tahir Al-Mesallati🔥

Our life was somewhat normal. Mom was the one who worked and spent on us with the help of my maternal uncles once in a while.
Dad would leave in the morning and wouldn't return until night, drunk 💔
He would sleep immediately, and the next day he would take money from Mom against her will and leave.
Even though Mom was from the East and my uncles were far from us, they always sent us help and cared about us a lot.
Every day was the same routine, every day!!
We comforted Mom and tried to be with her and by her side because she really suffers a lot for our sake ❤️... until the day came that changed our lives 180 degrees!!

Dad died in a sudden accident!!
It was like a dream back then.. the house filled up in moments and people were giving their condolences!
I didn't understand anything and couldn't comprehend it from the shock.
My sisters weren't shocked; it was very normal, as if the one who died wasn't their father.
Maybe because he made us live in a hell of hitting, insults, theft, and problems!!
For Mom, it was as if a burden was lifted from her heart 💔
But I cried a lot for him; he was my father after all!!

Days passed quickly, and Mom’s family was by our side and with us ❤️
Unlike my father’s family, may God have mercy on him!... because they had boycotted us for years because Dad disobeyed his father and married from the East, breaking the family law which says he must marry his cousins.
And because he used to drink and his reputation was like dirt!!
Anyway.. months and days passed, and Mom finished her mourning period; Dad had been dead for 9 months.
We started preparing ourselves to travel to live in the East near my uncles because we could no longer afford the house rent.
But the shock was in my grandfather!!

My paternal grandfather swore we wouldn't leave our house except for his house, and if Mom objected, he would take me and my sisters and she could go wherever she wanted... under the pretext that he didn't want his son's daughters to be raised by anyone else and leave their city!
We were shocked and didn't expect something like this because my grandfather, in his entire life, never came to see us except during the funeral only!!

After days and days, Mom agreed for us to go to my grandfather's house and stay there!
And my sisters and I, although we weren't satisfied, went along with it for Mom's sake.

Qamar: We took the bags we had prepared and got into the car with Mom, and no one spoke a word the whole way.
After an hour and a half, Mom parked her car and started talking calmly.

Sumaya: Before we enter this house, we must understand many things.
You are my 3 daughters, the only ones I came out with from this world, and I want to enter into these people for your sake. I don't want any of you to make a mistake in anything because they are waiting for us to slip up.
Jihan: Mom, why do you talk about them like this? Maybe they are good.
Qamar: Please shut your mouth. If they were good, this wouldn't have been their state for years—no one knocked on our door until now.
Jana: Qamar is right, and it's been a long time, not just a little.
Qamar: You be quiet, you're still a baby, don't interfere in the talk of adults.
Jana: 😒😒
Sumaya: Let's go, get out.
Qamar: I got out of the car and raised my head, I couldn't believe it!!
Is this my grandfather's house!!?
It was never a house at all; it was like a huge mansion.
The last time I saw my grandfather's house, it was traditional and very ooooold.
There was a bit of a crowd in front of the house! And a group of young men together.
I kept watching them; one of them had his back turned and was wearing black... nothing was visible from a distance except his beard shining under the sun!
And his smoke.. I felt that he noticed me, so I quickly lowered my eyes.
We entered with trembling steps, clearly forced!
My eyes were scanning the whole house with amazement!
How wide the garden was and the decorative trees outside... how big the house was, and there was more than one building above it..

There were lights everywhere and a huge tent in the garden.. it was clearly a wedding ❤️
An old woman came, poison clearly visible on her face.. of course, I will never forget her, nor forget how she used to shoo us away when we were young! A paternal grandmother is supposed to be tender, not like this!!
She greeted Mom while staring at her from top to bottom, then she greeted us and let us in!! I caught a glimpse of a slightly older woman, and when I focused on her, I knew she was my uncle's wife because she had come to offer condolences for Dad... she was running in and hiding something she was holding in her hand... but what made me stop in my tracks from shock—I didn't follow them—
Was when I heard a little boy saying to his sister... The bride has run away!! 😨... To be continued.

I am sorry for taking so long but I have circumstances, and God willing, every novel written by Arwa, I will post it 🧡🧡.





#Family_From_Hell 2

She greeted Mom while staring at her from top to bottom, then she greeted us and let us in!!... But what made me stop in my tracks from shock—I didn’t follow them—
Was when I heard a little boy saying to the girl... The bride has run away!! 😨
I stood in my place watching the girl as she got up and ran inside... I snapped out of it to the sound of my mother calling me.
Sumaya: Qamar, Qamar!
Qamar: I’m coming, Mom...
I entered the house with my mother and sisters, my mouth wide open!!
I was watching, unable to comprehend!!... The furniture and the marble floors where I could see my own reflection.
The massive chandelier in the middle of the house, like Abdeen Palace 😨
The high staircase that leads to the second floor!!
My sisters and I exchanged the same looks of amazement!
Saliha (their grandmother, their father’s mother): You’ve arrived during the wedding of Ikram, your brother-in-law’s daughter.
The Haji has prepared two rooms upstairs for you and your daughters; divide yourselves up... She glanced at Qamar and Jihan.
This house contains your two uncles and their children, girls and boys, and additionally, above this house are 4 apartments for the rest of your uncles and their children.
Qamar: To herself... Oof, a whole tribe.
Saliha: Meaning, I want no rudeness or empty talk, and if I see anything from you, I will raise you all over again.
Qamar: No, we are well-raised, thank God.
Sumaya: Qamar.. shame on you, my daughter, hush.
Qamar: I stayed silent, but the words hurt!!.. Regardless of their hatred for us, we had just arrived!
Saliha: Hamoudi, Hamoudi!
Mohammad: Yes, Grandma.
Saliha: Kissed him.. Go upstairs and take them to the last room.
She finished her words while looking at Sumaya.. The last room and the one next to it are for you, divide yourselves... and make sure to come down to attend the henna and the evening party today; we don’t want people saying the woman from the East and her daughters don't know proper social customs.
Sumaya: Patiently... God willing... Come on, girls.

Qamar: Mom and Jihan took the last room, and Jana and I took the room before it... Our room had two beds in a calm mauve and white color... a wardrobe and a small en-suite.
It was beautiful and the colors were relaxing ❤️
We arranged our clothes, and I stood by the window watching the garden and how the crowd began to grow!
In my mind were the little boy’s words about the bride—how did she run away!??
I saw young men coming in and out, clearly from the family!
I saw women standing and whispering to each other.
And I saw girls wearing gorgeous clothes, sitting and taking pictures together.
Clearly, they were my cousins whom I hadn't seen since I was 7 years old!... I threw myself onto the bed.
Seconds later, I was unconscious 😴😴

🔥Novels of Banoutat Al-Sheikh🔥
🔥Arwa Al-Tahir Al-Mesallati🔥

Qamar: I opened my eyes to the door knocking.
Jana: Qamar, Qamar, wake up.
Qamar: Rubbing her eyes.. Hmm what, where is Mom?
Jana: Get up, it's Maghrib prayer time... If you could see downstairs, the view is stunning and it's very crowded. You know, the bride is wearing pink.
Qamar: The bride? Didn't she run away?
Jana: Run away?? What's wrong with you, Qamar, are you still asleep or what!
Qamar: I got off the bed and stood at the window to watch, and Jana's words were true... The view was extraordinary ❤️
The decorations and lights were gorgeous, and the crowd of cars and young men outside.
And the fireworks.
Jana: Closed the wardrobe... Mom told you to wear something nice, fix yourself up, and come down.
Qamar: Her eyes on the window... Where are Mom and Jihan?
Jana: Fixing her hair... They just went down now.
Mom wore her red dress... Jana put her hands together... God, I feel like life here is wonderful, why were you guys afraid?
If you could see the sweets and the views downstairs, and they have a fountain, I can't believe I'm going to live here.
Qamar: Her eyes met the eyes of the same guy she saw in front of the house.. she pulled back quickly and closed the curtain.
Jana: And if you see the...
Qamar: Jana, enough already, you've filled my head.
Jana: I’m the one in the wrong for telling you, stay here then... and she went down.
Qamar: I opened the wardrobe... I spent an hour searching, I don't have a nice outfit 🤦🏻‍♀️ and my mother keeps nagging me.
I took dark blue jeans and a white shirt with open sleeves.
I put them on, braided my hair, and went down... walking slowly and looking in shock at the crowd and the luxury items they were giving out ❤️
I entered the tent, it was crowded, no space except at the beginning of the tent, and from the moment I entered, everyone's eyes were on my hair... because my hair was just above my knees and black 🔥
I sat in an empty chair and Mom sent me a message.
Sumaya: Put your hair up.
Qamar: I put my hair up and started wrapping it, and many people were watching me but I didn't care.. I drifted off watching the atmosphere, it was beautiful ❤️
The "Zamzamat" songs, and wealth was obvious on many people from their clothes; I was the simplest one among them, my clothes were very ordinary, and the bride was wearing pink.
She was sitting, chatting and laughing.. clearly her affairs were fine, why did they say the bride ran away!?.. The sound of my thoughts was interrupted by a girl next to me.

Samah: You are the Eastern woman's daughter, right?
Qamar: Crossed her arms... Yes.
Samah: Surely you don't know anyone here; if you like, I can give you a detailed report on them.
Qamar: Why, who are you?
Samah: Extended her hand.. My name is Samah, your grandfather's neighbor for 20 years.
Qamar: With a sarcastic smile.... Nice to meet you.
Samah: First thing... look over there... yes, exactly.
Qamar: Her eyes fell on two girls taking pictures and singing.
Samah: Amany and Amina, your uncle Salem's kids.. these two sisters are pure poison, they and their mother; they have a brother named Majd, a delinquent and a womanizer, your grandfather's favorite, he spoils him, just name what you want.
Qamar: Saying to herself... God, how they've grown!! To the point I didn't recognize them.
Samah: Look at the ones over there.
Qamar: There were 3 girls and their mother, one of them clearly married.
Samah: These are your uncle Al-Hashimi's kids; Ariyam is married.
And Houria and Wafaa.. they are also malicious, don't let anyone fool you!
But they have a brother named Ghaith.
This Ghaith holds them by their necks.. you could say he holds the whole family; they can't talk back to him because his grandfather's and uncles' work is all on his shoulders. When he speaks, that's it; he respects your grandfather and such, but even he has his own status.
Qamar: Repeated his name softly.. Ghaith!!
Samah: Yes, do you remember him!?
Qamar: She tried to remember his face from when they were small but couldn't.
Samah: Now he is handsome honestly, tall, broad, a beard, and everything a Libyan girl wants, hahaha.
Qamar: Smiled at Samah's silliness and her laughing at the simplest things.. and Samah continued explaining the family.
I knew my uncles' wives because they had come to offer condolences for Dad.
I knew I had two elderly uncles' wives and the rest were middle-aged, playing the game of sisters-in-law, forming factions against each other.





The crowd began to thin out little by little:
The girls of the family prepared mattresses in the middle of the hall for the Henna ❤️
All the girls gathered, and the bride sat in the center as they began applying henna to her while the girls sang.
Jihan: She was tense from their gazes.
They were all looking at her, her sisters, and her mother as if they were something strange and didn't belong to the family!
Qamar: She went to the kitchen and poured a glass of water. When she went to return to the hall, she saw Jana coming in crying with a bit of blood trickling from her nose.
Qamar: Jana! 😨 What’s wrong? What happened?
Jana: Speaking through her falling tears... I was sitting with the girls outside, and a guy came and hit me. I didn't do anything to him.
Qamar: Who was it?
Jana: Wiping her tears... How should I know? A little brat.
Qamar: She furrowed her brows, grabbed her sister’s hand, and walked out with malicious intent... Where is that low-life?
Jana: Pointed her finger... This one.
Qamar: She started shouting at him loudly. The brat was provoking her, and she kept raising her voice to the point where she was about to lay a hand on him—but suddenly, someone intervened between them!!
Qamar: It was the same guy I had seen twice before!... His eyes were terrifying... his brow was furrowed as if he was annoyed by something.
He pushed me back with just one hand!!
One hand was enough to send my whole body backward!!
As soon as he stood there, I noticed how terrified the brat was... he was almost crying like a baby.
He spoke in a loud voice, threatening him that if he ever spoke to one of the girls again, his day would be black!!
All the little boys got scared and left the house, whispering... Ghaith is here, Ghaith is here.
I went silent for a moment as I watched him walk away from me with his back turned... I knew Samah's words were right!!

Amany: Did you see the Eastern woman and her daughters??!
Wafaa: I saw them, cousin.
Houria: How beautiful is the girl wearing the trousers?
They all looked at Houria as if to say: "How can you praise her?!"
Houria: Why are you looking at me? Seriously, the girl is a 'piece.' This is what happens when you mix Eastern and Western production 😂❤️
Amina: Isn't this Qamar?! She used to be frizzy-haired and dark back then.
Ariyam: Ugh, as if my grandfather's house needed more 'cases' like this.
Bringing you the children of a drunkard, a pothead, someone unrefined.
Honestly, I'm keeping my distance; I have sisters and I'm afraid for them.
Amany: Laughed... My grandmother doesn't want them, and Mom, and even your mother doesn't want them!!
Ariyam: How bold of them to show up with such confidence.
Houria: Of course, Mama. If someone is told to come to luxury, would they say no?!
Ariyam: You're right, honestly.
Amany: You'll see, I'm going to stay after them until I make their lives miserable. The last thing we need is the children of the Easterner and the drunkard living with us.
They all went silent as they looked at Jihan and her mother with gazes full of obvious malice!!

🔥Novels of Banoutat Al-Sheikh🔥
🔥Arwa Al-Tahir Al-Mesallati🔥

Qamar: The noise of the Henna ended, and my sisters and I went up to our rooms.
As for Mom, she stayed downstairs chatting, even though she wasn't wanted and she knew it—but she was trying to fit in with them.
I put my head on the pillow after changing my clothes, remembering the details of my day.
The songs, the bride, and Samah... I laughed when I remembered her; that girl seems like she has a "screw loose" or something 😂
Until I remembered Ghaith!... The laugh faded from my face until it vanished.
I started thinking!!... After the wedding ends, how will they treat us? Especially Ghaith!!
There was a sense of fear and awe toward him, I don't know why!!
I kept thinking and thinking until sleep overcame me and I drifted off.

Ariyam: I feel like he's cheating on me, I swear I’m going to die.
Amina: Cheating on you?? Have you gone mad, Ariyam? We all know that Abdou adores you and did the impossible to make Grandpa agree to let him marry from outside the family.
Amany: My sister is right. Why would he cheat on you if he loves you?
Besides, thank God you married outside the family; no one is left now except me and my sister, and according to Grandpa's law, that means I'm for your brother Ghaith 🤤❤️❤️❤️
Amina: Is this the time for such talk?
Amany: I'm going to make coffee since everyone is asleep, and I'll make some for you.
Ariyam: She looked at Amina and began complaining to her, because Amina is her cousin and her friend since childhood; they never hid anything from each other.
He changed a lot at the beginning of our marriage... he doesn't like to talk to me like before, he's always busy and always with his friends, holding his phone for hours.
Amina: Try to search his phone!
Ariyam: I can't, he's with it all the time.
Amina: Held her hand... Calm yourself down for now.
Enjoy the wedding, and after it's over, we'll find a solution to this story.
Ariyam: Put her hand on her stomach, which was just starting to show, and sighed... Hopefully.
Amina: Rest now because tomorrow is an early start and the salon.
Amany: Entered holding a tray with hot water, Nescafé, and some wedding sweets... No, Mama, you two get up and drink with me. Those brats Houria and Wafaa are traitors; they said they’d stay up but have been asleep since 2:00.
Ariyam adjusted her seating, and she, Amina, and Amany began drinking and chatting all night.

Jihan: How was the atmosphere downstairs?!
Sumaya: It was fine.
Jihan: Looked at her mother with a look that didn't believe her.
Sumaya: Took a breath... It wasn't very good, but we have to endure so things can move forward.
Jihan: I wish we had traveled to the East to my uncles.
At least we would be at peace there.
Sumaya: Racism is here and there!
Even your uncles' family there—you'd find people talking about you behind your back.
Jihan: I'm not comfortable about the coming days. Did you see how they look at us!? And how they talk? It's clear they don't mean well... You know what?
I wish we had just run away.
Sumaya: Laughed... Maybe it’s for our own good. Go to sleep; tomorrow is a party, and after that—look, we entered their lives during a time of celebration.
Jihan: Hahaha.
Sumaya: Go to sleep, my daughter, and stop thinking so much.

Amany: Eating... Earlier, Amal's little boy gave me a heart attack.
He told me the bride had run away... and you wouldn't believe it, I grabbed my dress and ran to the room 😂😂😂
Ariyam: And why would she run away, poor thing?
Amany: How should I know... I went in and found her brushing her hair, just about to come out in her pink dress.
Amina: Amal's children are so good at lying; they aren't raised well at all.
Amany: Looked at Ikram (the bride) who was sleeping ❤️... I was afraid something from what happened had affected her and she really did run away.
Ariyam: Come on now, you have a wild imagination. That happens in TV series, not here... Anyway, I'm going to go to sleep.
Amina: Me too, enough for now.






Gemini said
Ikram: I was closing my eyes, pretending to be asleep... my hands and feet were decorated with henna.
I can't believe I am the bride!!
I can't believe I managed to overcome my failed love affair and go back to loving my fiancé.
Ah, it’s all because of my grandfather and his law... he made me get attached to my cousin and love him; we entered a relationship thinking the end would be marriage!
But my grandfather shocked us when he brought me a suitor, and of course, he too was one of our relatives, but a distant one 💔
What broke me was that my cousin didn't show any reaction!!
He didn't even speak!... He settled for saying "May God grant you happiness."
I cried for days and nights over everything that happened.
I cursed the whole family, I cursed my grandfather and his law, I cursed the house that kept my face in front of my cousin's face all the time.
The house that made my cousin watch me preparing for my wedding 💔
But thank God... when I gave my fiancé a chance, he turned out to be a good person! And I was able to adapt to him.
I haven't reached the level of love, I admit... but I can call it fondness... a fondness that allows me to live my coming days with him.
I don't know why today I remembered everything that happened to me!!
Maybe because it's my last day in the house... or more accurately, my last day in this prison.

The Second Day ⛅️⛅️⛅️

Qamar: There’s no need to tell you what happened from the start of the day.
Because almost this scene happens in every Libyan home.
No one cared about anything except their hair, clothes, and makeup, but my sisters and I were exhausted 💔
Mom, the whole time: "Get up Qamar to the kitchen," "Jihan, tidy the hall," "Jana, clean in front of the house"... as if we were servants.
I knew Mom was doing this to gain their approval and so we wouldn't feel like strangers, but honestly, the burden of everything was on us!... And in the end, we still faced the same looks of contempt 🤦🏻‍♀️

The Maghrib call to prayer sounded and we had just gone in to get ourselves ready, even though everyone else was already set!!
I wore a mid-length beige dress and applied light makeup.
I drew my eyebrows and eyeliner that made my eyes look a bit larger.
After much effort, Mom let me let my hair down after she perfumed me with incense a thousand times! 🤦🏻‍♀️

Jihan: She wore a simple white Turkish short dress.
She put her hair up in an updo with red high heels and accessories in the same color ❤️

The 3 girls went out with their mother to the car, and since their mother drives, she didn't rely on anyone to take them and left on her own.
To change their mood a bit, she played songs on the way, and Jana and Qamar almost went crazy in the car 😂

🔥Novels of Banoutat Al-Sheikh🔥
🔥Arwa Al-Tahir Al-Mesallati🔥

Qamar: We arrived at the hall. Mom and my sisters went in while I stood fixing my hair... I heard a voice next to me.
I kept looking in the mirror as if I was fixing myself, but I was stealing glances every now and then.

There was a woman, a bit older, I'd say around 40 years old!
She was talking on the phone and a few words caught my ear... "my love" and "my soul."
When the woman turned and her face was revealed, I realized she was my uncle's wife!
I was shocked and laughed... I said to myself, "Well, well."
My uncle is being romantic with her.
I let my hair fall behind my back, and as I was about to leave, she shocked me by saying:
"I’ll video call you today, my soul!!"
Qamar: I couldn't continue walking!!!
Shocked!?... If she was talking to my uncle, why would she video call him?... No, no Qamar, this is your uncle's wife, not some teenager!!
Maybe you heard wrong or something?!... and she continued her way.
She sat next to her mother, her mind racing with thoughts.

Amany: Sister, the bride 😂... the photographer has arrived.
Ikram: Standing in her white wedding dress ❤️ looking like a sweetheart.
Her mother was beside her, scenting her with incense.
Ikram: Let her in.
Amany: Please, come in.
The photographer: She entered, and nervousness was clear on her face!!
She greeted Ikram and sat down.
Ikram: Surprised... Where is Najla?
The photographer: Najla had an emergency; I came in her place. Don't worry, my photography is beautiful.
Ikram: No, it's fine, no harm done.
The photographer: Excuse me, Auntie, I want Ikram alone for a bit to take some shots here.
Khadija (mother of Ikram, Amany, and Amina): Alright then... she took the incense burner and left.

Jihan: I stayed sitting next to Mom, watching the girls of the family.
Each one had a dress and makeup stronger than the one before her.
The people's looks at us and them were obvious.
As if they were comparing us to one another!! While we have no connection to each other except the family name!
Smoothies, trifles, and dishes on the table of the most luxurious kind ❤️
My father, may God have mercy on him, always used to say that my grandfather's laws were difficult and not everyone could handle them.
But what I see is the whole family living comfortably and everything is fine!!

Qamar: My uncle's wife—her husband is staying out and she wants to video call him... Ugh, my mind is cluttered.
Sumaya: Where are you going?
Qamar: I’ll be right back, Mom, I'll fix my face and come.
Sumaya: Oh, from these girls and that's it.
Qamar: I left the noise of the hall and the songs and stood in front of the mirror looking at myself... I heard screams.
Wafaa: "What are you saying? My day is black!"... and she came running out of the bride's room into the hall.
Qamar: I moved a bit closer to the bride's room and saw Houria also coming out, her face indescribable... Qamar approached, not understanding anything.
Until Ghaith entered from the hall door.
Qamar: I froze in my place.. in this outfit and with my hair without a veil, he caught a fleeting glimpse of me and entered the room without paying any attention.
Situations were chaotic, and my shock increased when my eyes fell on Amany slapping her face and saying: "The wedding is canceled, it's canceled"... To be continued.