By Abdi Farah Juxa
Translated by Dayib Ahmed

Muuna Xaayow was a strikingly beautiful woman whose marriage had been long delayed. She was the eldest of a family of seven siblings, a mix of brothers and sisters. An orphan raised on hope, she had become the head of her household. Coming from a wealthy and influential family, Muuna’s beauty, status, and vulnerability made her the subject of intense competition among men.

Many suitors lined up, eager to win her heart—and, more importantly, her wealth and family connections. Some men saw her as a prize to be won, others as a means to secure their ambitions. The fierce competition left Muuna torn between uncertainty and self-assurance.

On one hand, she was anxious about marriage, unsure whom to trust. On the other, her remarkable beauty gave her a sense of pride and entitlement—an attitude that, perhaps, was not strategically sound in the world of courtship. She wanted to test the limits of her desirability, to see how far men would go for her. At the same time, she sought to make the perfect choice—a man she could fully trust.

Muuna opened the book of romance, entertaining every proposal that came her way. She lived by the old saying: “A woman courts a thousand men but chooses only one.” However, she took it a step too far, stringing along multiple suitors, testing each one’s devotion. Furthermore

Among her many suitors, five or six men stood out: Cali Jigir Yallam, Cantr bin Dukhaan, Saalax Maa-Calaysh, and Cimraan Walaalayste. They were all men with a reputation for ambition, persistence, and, when necessary, ruthlessness. They knew each other well, their relationships marked by underlying rivalry and unspoken tension. Some of them were bitter rivals, locked in a silent battle of dominance.

Each man took turns wining and dining Muuna, showering her with extravagant gifts and whispering sweet promises. Each one thought he had her heart, securing private moments with her in dimly lit rooms, where whispered confessions of love were exchanged. She made every man believe he was the only one, the chosen one.

Before long, however, rumors of Muuna’s flirtations spread through the neighborhood. It was no longer a secret—everyone knew that she had promised her love to multiple men. Even her younger siblings, who once looked up to her as a role model, were taken aback by her entanglements. Some took sides with her suitors, while others urged her to settle down before things spiraled out of control. But all of them feared the consequences of her reckless game, not just for her but for the family’s reputation and fortune.

Despite the growing whispers, each man refused to back down. They remained firm in their belief that they alone had Muuna’s loyalty. Each held onto the intimate promises she had made, convinced that the others were mere distractions. But these men were not the kind to accept betrayal lightly. If Muuna chose someone else, they would not hesitate to retaliate. For instance

One morning, Muuna sat outside in the courtyard, sipping a cup of strong black coffee, lost in thought. The reality of her situation had finally hit her—she was exposed. The men she had kept apart had now turned their attention toward her, and she was no longer in control.

She replayed her past choices in her mind, recalling how she had gotten entangled with each of them. She felt drained, her once-carefree courtship game now a burden. The previous night had ended in a heated argument with Saalax Maa-Calaysh, leaving her exhausted and uncertain about what was coming next.

For the first time, she considered confiding in her siblings, telling them everything. But before she could, a new realization struck her—some of the suitors had already started courting her sisters, trying to manipulate them to pressure her into choosing. Her family’s stability was now at risk. Regret clashed with her pride, but she quickly silenced her doubts. “Whatever happens, let it happen,” she told herself, steeling her resolve. She briefly considered seeking help from her cousin, Geelle, a close confidant. But she knew Geelle was close friends with two of the men pursuing her. He was no longer a neutral party. The thought of his easy charm and divided loyalties filled her with disgust.

Muuna now faced an impossible dilemma. Should she confess everything to one of the men and commit to him? If so, which one? And what would happen when the others found out? She poured herself another cup of coffee, trying to calm her nerves. The sun had set, and soon she would meet Cali Jigir Yallam. She had no idea what to expect from him tonight. She stood up, stretched, and paced the courtyard, listening to the birds chirping in the garden. For a brief moment, she wished she could fly away like them, escaping the tangled web she had spun.

She went into her room, slipped into a delicate dress, and let her hair fall loosely around her shoulders. As she gazed into the mirror, she was shocked by what she saw—her cheeks had lost their glow, her face looked tired, and her once-radiant beauty had begun to fade. She realized, too late, that she had gambled with her life without a safety net. She had made promises she could not keep, entered into commitments she could not honor. And now, the only way out seemed to be through disaster. She threw herself onto her bed, fear creeping into her heart for the first time. As she turned off the lights, waiting for Cali Jigir Yallam, she felt as though she were standing on a landmine, unsure which step would trigger the explosion.

The Consequences of Deception

Muuna lay in the dark, her heart pounding as she waited for Cali Jigir Yallam. A strange feeling crept over her—a sense that the night would bring an irreversible turn of fate. She had played the game too well, deceiving too many, and now the weight of her choices threatened to crush her.

A knock at the door sent a shiver down her spine. She rose cautiously, adjusting her dress as she moved toward the entrance. When she opened it, Cali Jigir Yallam stood before her, his face unreadable. She forced a smile, but the tension in the air was suffocating. Before she could invite him in, another voice echoed from the courtyard. She turned sharply—Saalax Maa-Calaysh had arrived, followed closely by Cantr bin Dukhaan and Cimraan Walaalayste. Their presence was no coincidence. They had discovered the truth, and they had come for answers.

Muuna’s breath caught in her throat as she saw the cold determination in their eyes. There was no love left, no admiration—only the silent rage of men who felt betrayed. Cali Jigir Yallam stepped aside, allowing the others to close in. “Muuna, the time for games is over,” Saalax said, his voice low and dangerous. “Tell us now—who is it?”

Muuna’s mind raced. No matter what she said, there would be consequences. Choosing one meant making enemies of the others. Saying nothing might be even worse. She swallowed hard, her pride battling her fear. “I—” she started, but the words failed her. The men exchanged glances. The unspoken alliance they had formed against her was clear. They had all come expecting to win, but now they had found something else—a common enemy.

For the first time, Muuna saw how small she had become in the grand scheme of her own game. She had thought she was in control, but in truth, she had been nothing more than a pawn in a battle far greater than herself. At that moment, she realized the bitter truth: no matter what she chose, she had already lost. As the night deepened, the walls of her world began to close in. And in that suffocating silence, Muuna knew that some mistakes could never be undone.

Abdi Farah (Juxa)
Email: Email: juxafarah@gmail.com