Chapter 26

Asad scooped Zoya in his arms and let her lie down on the bed and the same time doctor entered with Dilshad and Zoya jerked his hand.

The doctor broke silence after examining Zoya for minutes and came out giving sleeping pill to Zoya, when Dilshad asked, "Doctor is she okay?"

"No!! she has taken stress too much and didn't had a diet which prescribed to her as well", the doctor complained.

"But doctor she has taken prescribed diet, Maine khud khayal rakha hai uski diet ka", Dilshad argued as she was taking care of her food.

Doctor took a deep sigh and replied, "Mrs. Khan I've not prescribed pizza in her diet"

"Pizza?", Dilshad and Asad both were shocked.

"Yes I've seen pizza box...", but before he could complete Najma came with the box of pizza and said, "He is right Ammi. Zoya ne pizza order kiya tha hum sab se chupke"

Asad closed his eyes tightly and asked, "Doctor! Now what can we do?"

"Give her a proper diet and state of mind. No tension, Good food, she will be alright", the doctor completed and gave the solution.

"Thank you so much", Asad took the prescription and followed the doctor to drop him to his car.

But Dilshad was in utter silence when Najma asked, "Ammi! What are you thinking?"

She took a deep breath, "Najma! Zoya tab hi thik ho sakti hai jab wo yaha ruke par wo to..."

"Don't worry Ammi. She will stay here I promise you", Dilshad turned and Asad skimmed out.

"Kaise? Maine tumse kaha tha Aseemah ke bare mein jaanne ka haq hai use ... kyuki wo bilkul uske jesi dikhti thi par tumne...", Dilshad worriedly stopped and gasped.

"Galati meri hai main hi thik karunga", Asad said looking towards Zoya who was slept due to the slumber of sleeping pills.

He was taking steps towards Zoya as he is intoxicated and not in his senses when his leg collided with the edge of bed and he came to senses with a jerk and his vision automatically reached down and he found a crumbled piece of paper, he bent and collected that piece and now the whole picture was clear, but one question was still in his mind that who has sent this paper to Zoya and why.

He crumbled the already crumbled piece of paper and threw it somewhere and clenched his jaw, "Who the hell are you and why are you doing this with us?"

****

This was the midnight and slumber was away from the eyes of Khan Family but Zoya was intoxicated with sleeping pills and the same time her scream grabbed the attention of all. They immediately ran to each other when she uncovered her duvet and destined in the warmth of Asad's arms as she has forgotten what has happen but remember only the nightmare.

He consoled her, "Zoya! Zoya you are okay"

"No I've seen someone", she stammered and tears rolled on his chest, he cupped her face and asked, "What happen tell me haan"

"Two similar- similar shado-shadows", she cried and spilled but coming to her senses she jerked him off and step backward, "All because of you, why didn't you tell me ki koi mera jesa dikhta tha...why?", she cried and Asad turned his back towards her as tears rolled from his cheek as well.

****

Asad's POV:

I'm sitting outside here, in the backyard where we have shared so many nights with a mug of coffee and now the truth unveiled here only. I know I was wrong in hiding the truth of Aseemah's existence from Zoya but what did I do, I was bounded with irony of the fate. The girl to whom I knew hardly exactly looks like the girl to whom I ...I...

Sometimes I think what was the name of mine and Aseemah's relationship, I always lied myself that it was love but when Zoya asked me that did I love Aseemah, I said, "May be", as me myself was unsure about the feelings I feel for Aseemah and Zoya both, but now I understood, whatever between me and Aseemah was, it was not deep and peaceful as I share with Zoya.

Aseemah was the second name of infatuation for me, she always used to say, "Jab pyaar ke hone na hone pe yaqeen na ho to wo pyaar nahi hota", I did the same, I never believed the fact that she isn't more, I always lived my life in illusion that she died because of me. What if I have not forced her to jump from the backyard of her house and meet me, what if I have not pressurized her, what if I have understood my true feelings for her when she was alive...I think she will be here in this World, and somewhere and somehow I, myself is also a reason for her death and I wouldn't pardon myself for this deed.

Zoya's existence made me realized that the feeling to love is such a soulful feeling, not a guilt which I have for Aseemah. Now I realize how wrong I was, and why did I hid Aseemah's reality from Zoya, just because- because agar use pata chalta then she would have been searching for the reality of her and Aseemah's face's similarity with isn't subjective, its unnecessary just a co incidence. And Zoya she was already in search of her abbu, agar use in sab mein uljha deta to...

Wait!! Ye kis chiz ki awaz thi, let me check it out.

In the Living Room,

Zoya was so hurt after knowing the truth of her look alike, somewhere in her heart she was hurt because she believed that Asad loved Aseemah a lot but when he answered "may be", he became more confusing for her. She knew somewhere in her mind that she over reacted but she was only listening her heart's , who was constantly yelling that he cheated her, he should have informed her about Aseemah, but he didn't and that's why she decided to left the house in the darkness of night.

She was dragging her bag with herself and was about to leave, her bad collided with wall and made a loud echo. But she didn't stop she somehow managed with her bag and was about to open the main door to left a voice stopped her, "Do you really want to leave?"

She turned and found Asad behind her, controlling his emotions but she grabbed strength and was about to leave when he again asked, "Do you really want to leave"

"Yes, do you have any problem Mr. Khan?", she immediately retorted back darting her eyes in his.

"Yes I do have problem", he stepped forward to her and said, but she interrupted curtly, "you're no one to stop me"

He gulped the fresh lump of saliva formed in his throat, "you are my responsibility", at which she chuckled sarcastically, "Really! Mr. Khan you are such a responsible man but I'm sorry I can't irresponsible to myself, by not at least living here, between those who are draped with lie"

He tried to control his emotions by fisting his palm and said calmly, "You aren't okay, doctor has said that you have to take rest"

"Oh thank you so much aapko mera itna khayal hai, par main yaha to rest nahi karungi chahe mar kyu na jau", she blabbered in angst and he immediately snatched her from her arm and pinned her to the wall, "If I'm not saying anything it doesn't mean I can't"

She said in moist eyes and smiled sheepishly, "I've seen what can you do and what you can't"

"Accha kya dekha aapne ye ke mene apse sach chupaya...batata to nahi relate karti apne apko use", he put forwarded the valid point and left her blank.

"Yeah! Tell me, now what is the guarantee that you wouldn't search why she used to look like you, just like a mirror", he pierced her eyes with his.

She remained quiet and rooted and he tried to calm himself, "Zoya! Apko kya lagta hai ke jis motive se aap Bhopal aayi thi wo ruin ho jane deta main...aur aap apne abbu ke bajaye Aseemah ka sach pata karti meri zindgi me dakhal deti...aur main ye hone deta", he hurt her knowingly in the last so she can't be hurt more with the fact of her look alike but was oblivious that she was now more hurt.

A tear droplet fell down from her eyes, "Ap to use shayad pyaar karte the", she emphasized the word shayad.

"She has gone, I have accepted the reality that I didn't love her ... please uski sacchai ke bahar bhi duniya hai", he logically replied.

"Aap mujhe bata bhi to sakte the", she said.

"haan aur ap apna main motive bhulke Aseemah ke bare mein dhundhne lag jati aur apka aur uska ek jesa dikhna bas ek coincident hai...but still you would have been puking your nose into it", he rudely replied, but knowingly.

"Mujhe jana hai, mujhe jane dijiye", she requested.

"You are unsafe outside", he replied immediately.

"Oh! And I'm safe here? Aapne kam mentally torture kiya hai mujhe", she retorted back.

"Please Zoya! Ek mauka har kisi ko milta hai, I need that, can you give me that one chance?", he asked.

"Why would I?", she replied back.

"Ek guilt me already ji raha hoon main aur ek guilt mein nahi jeena chahta", he replied back.

"Guilt?", she asked surprisingly at which he nodded his head in affirmation.

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A/N:  Please dont throw tomotoes and eggs bas 

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Aditi