The Sheikh's Island (Sheikh's Wedding Bet Series Book 4) by Leslie North

confident woman who thought she could fix the world's problems?
    Maybe love wasn't the problem here. Gripping the counter top, Wynifred bit her lower lip as an idea formed in her head.
    Shifa hadn't said a word about raising the boys outside the city. Why would she keep that information from her?
    She knew something that she wasn't telling.
    Steeling her resolve, Wynifred tried to block out Rameez's harsh words. She had never given up on a problem before, and she sure wasn't going to give up on one now.
    An idea formed in her head, but first, she needed help from a certain gorgeous model.

    * * *
    Q aura met Wynifred outside Shifa's house. Her eyes were full of concern. "Rameez is an idiot," she spat as she reached out and hugged Wynifred.
    "Are you sure you're up for this?" Wynifred asked softly. What she was asking of her new friend wasn't going to be easy.
    "No," Qaura admitted. "But the truth needs to come out."
    "Yes, it does." Wynifred turned her head to stare at the house. "And that starts with Rameez's mother. Come on."
    They marched briskly up the front walk. Rapping smartly on the front door, Wynifred put her hands on her hips and waited. They hadn't called Shifa to announce their visit because she wanted to catch her off guard. If she'd been hiding her secret for this long, it wouldn't be easy to get her to talk.
    "Wynifred! Qaura! I had no idea you were in town. It's so lovely to see you," Shifa said as she opened the door. Qaura hugged Shifa, and Wynifred could see that the two women had bonded in the past.
    Good. That would make everything easier.
    "Have you finally reached those stubborn boys," Shifa asked brightly as she ushered them in.
    "As a matter of fact, I haven't," Wynifred said in a low voice. "Things are actually much worse."
    "Worse? How could they possibly be worse?"
    "Haris has demanded that Rameez sign over the island before he agrees to a truce."
    Shifa's eyes widened, and she bit her lower lip. Panic was finally starting to set in. "He wouldn't do that," she protested. "He probably only wants attention. That island means a good deal to Rameez. Haris knows that."
    "Yes, he does," Wynifred said as she crossed her arms. "And that makes it the perfect weapon to use against him."
    Shaking her head, Shifa wrapped her arms around herself and turned toward the living room. Unwilling to give the woman any peace, Wynifred quickly followed behind her. "Shifa, I'm trying hard to help you, but I can't do that when you're not telling me everything."
    "I've told you everything," Shifa muttered, but her voice was too high pitched. "I have no idea what goes on in their minds. That's what you were supposed to find out."
    "That's the problem. They don't know why they hate each other. They only know that they do. Something happened to them when they were children, and its embedded deep in their subconscious. It's something big or it wouldn't still be controlling them."
    "And you think I know what that is?"
    Qaura stepped forward and smiled sadly. "Shifa, I know that you and Rameez moved here after his father died. Why didn't you tell Wynifred?"
    Shifa's shoulders slumped, and she closed her eyes. "I promise that I didn't withhold information on purpose. It's just that the past didn't follow me here, and that was nice."
    "Is there something that you're ashamed of?" Wynifred pressed.
    "Ashamed?" Shifa scoffed. "Of course not. I would not change anything about my past. Not a single moment. Rameez and Haris are both good men, but they're not always good to each other. Had I chosen differently, they may not be the strong men that they are now."
    Wynifred sat down on the couch and put her hand on Shifa's arm. "What do you mean chose differently? You may not think that this is important, Shifa, but it is. Tell me what happened."
    Shifa closed her eyes and sighed as she sat down. "My husband was a good man. He was kind to me, and he loved me with all of his heart. He was an amazing father to Rameez, and I mourn his passing