MY BEST FRIEND HUSBAND

Morning came too quietly.

The courtyard that was once filled with music and celebration now felt... restrained, like even the air held its breath.

Anna hadn't slept.

She sat upright on her bed, watching the message on her phone fade slowly into darkness as the screen dimmed. She hadn't told anyone about the writing on the window. She wasn't even sure if it had been real. Maybe it had evaporated or maybe her mind overwhelmed by wedding chaos, was imagining things.

But the unease was real.

She clutched her coral necklace like a talisman, whispering a silent prayer.

Today was Day Two the Dowry Day.

It was meant to be sacred. A day of trust, of blessings, and symbolic commitment.

But something was wrong.

Downstairs, Idris stood near the kola nut table, laughing with the elders.

But every time Anna glanced at him, something clenched in her chest.

She finally pulled him aside.

"I need to talk to you."

He followed her behind the main house, near the palm grove.

"What's wrong?" he asked.

She held out her phone and showed him the message, the photo, and recounted what she saw at the window.

He frowned, taking a slow breath.

"That photo is old,very old,Yes, it's Bela and i from way back in school. But you already know I had a past, that's not a secret."

"I know," Anna said. "It's not about that. It's the message... the way it's written... the timing."

"You think Bela sent it?" he asked cautiously.

Anna hesitated, then nodded. "I can't prove it. But something in me says yes."

Idris looked toward the crowd at Bela, laughing with the drummers, helping tie wrappers, looking every bit the helpful friend.

"I'll talk to her," he said finally.

"No," Anna said firmly. "Let me talk to her."

That afternoon, Anna found Bela in the bridal prep room, brushing out her braids.

"Can we talk?" Anna asked, voice level.

"Of course," Bela said, flipping her hair. "Is everything okay?"

"I got some messages. From an unknown number. With your old photo and Idris. And someone wrote on my window last night."

Bela's eyes widened too much. "What? Someone's stalking you? That's crazy!"

Anna folded her arms. "It wasn't random.

The message said I don't deserve him."

Bela's lips parted slightly, but she quickly composed herself.

"I don't know what you're implying, Anna."

"I'm not implying," Anna said softly. "I'm warning you. If I find out you're trying to sabotage this wedding"

"Oh, please," Bela snapped, her voice hardening. "What? You think I care that you're marrying Idris? You think I'm jealous of a man I tossed away years ago?"

The mask was slipping.

"I think," Anna said coldly, "you lost something you didn't know was valuable.

And now that someone else cherishes it... you're rotting from the inside."

Bela stood.

For a second, her eyes changed.

Not tearful. Not guilty.

Dark.

Then, she leaned in, whispering so low that Anna barely heard:

"You have no idea what I'm capable of."

That night, Idris returned to his room to find something strange.

A single white feather, lying on his pillow.

He picked it up slowly.

No birds lived near the compound.

No one in the house kept chickens.

The window had been locked from the inside.

As he stared at the feather, he heard something barely a whisper, yet unmistakable.

A voice thin and cold whispered from behind the door:

"If the bride falls ill before the third night... the wedding ends."

He flung open the door.

No one.

Nothing but the distant sound of a dog barking… and the feather falling slowly to the ground again.