Chapter 17

Asad leaned back in his chair and stared up at the ceiling. The meeting was finally over and he found his thoughts wandering back to Zoya. She was perfection in his eyes, his prized possession. If anything were to happen to her, Asad shook his head. Pulling out his wallet, Asad flipped it open and extracted the earring that he had kept so safely with himself over the course of the months. He knew he had to give it back. But she wouldn't mind if he kept it just a bit longer would she?

"Sir?"

Asad looked up at his PA whose head was peeking out of the crack from the door.

"Yes?"
"This has just arrived for you," she said walking into his office and placing red envelope on his desk.

"Thank you," he said. She nodded and retreated from the room. Stowing the earring back, Asad picked up the red envelope. Opening it he pulled out the golden card that was slipped inside of it.

You are cordially invited to the Nikaah ceremony of

Aiyaan Ahmed Khan

(Son of Rashid Ahmed and Shirin Khan)

to

Humaira Siddiqui

(Daughter of Ghafoor and Razia Siddiqui)

at The Trahison Avance Hotel.

Five weeks later

7:15

Asad's head was pounding. He was utterly lost and confused. His younger brother's wedding card sat on top of the pile of files on his desk, mocking him with its presence since the last five weeks. The black Mont Blanc fountain pen was clutched tightly in his hand, to the point where his knuckles had turned white.

Several knocks on his door had him groaning in pain and he lifted his hands to hold onto his throbbing head.

"Sir?" His secretary asked poking her head in.

"What can I help you with?" Asad asked through gritted teeth. He folded his hands in front of him and looked up at her.

"You Mother called me to tell you to pick up your phone. She said she's been calling for over half an hour," she told him. He nodded and she retreated. Picking up his phone, Asad dialled his mother's number.

"Asad? Why aren't you home yet?" Dilshad asked as soon as she picked up the phone.

"Ammi, I had work to do," he replied.

"Come home right now. You're the only one that can make this girl eat," his mother's voice came, exasperated. Asad leaned back in his chair.

"And by this girl', I assume you're talking about Zoya?" He asked.

"Of course! She won't eat until you get home. Says she wants to eat with you."

Asad rolled his eyes and cringed when sharp pain shot through his head. Rubbing his forehead he shut the lid of his laptop.

"Fine," he said before ending the call and leaving the office.

* * * * *

"Mr. Khan!"

"Quiet!" He snapped. Zoya fell silent immediately and looked at him with wide eyes, her arms that were outstretched to embrace him falling limply to her sides. Zoya felt even more stung when he walked straight past her without sparing a glance in her direction.

"Stop it, Zoya. He must've had a rough day at work. Instead of getting him something to eat, you're getting all worked up about him being home," Zoya admonished herself. She went to the kitchen and fixed his dinner. Picking up the tray she carefully made her way to his room and knocked on his door.

"What?" He asked throwing open the door. Zoya's smile faltered but she didn't lose hope and smiled again.

"Dinner," she said holding up the tray.

"I'm not hungry," he replied.

"You're not, but I am," she said, slipping into his room and setting the tray down onto the small table. He groaned and walked to his window, his back facing her. Zoya smiled again and wrapped her arms around his waist from behind. She was shocked when he jerked away from her.

"Just go," he said to her. Asad's migraine was getting worse and worse. All he wanted was to get some sleep, his biggest fear being that his anger would get the best of him and he would end up saying something that he would regret.

"Mr. Khan, I haven't had dinner because I wanted to eat it with you. Actually, I kind of hoped that I would take the first morsel of food from your hands," Zoya said softly.

Asad's pain was intolerable and his anger tore through his as several shots of pain seared through his head. Whipping around, he faced her. His eyes filled with absolute rage.

"Tell me, Ms. Farooqui. Are you five? Do I need to feed you in order to make you eat food? Who asked you to not eat, huh?" Asad roared. Zoya flinched and took a step back. She looked up at him with wide eyes and trying not to fell miffed, she dared a smile.

"Mr. Khan, why are you saying all this? I waited so that both of us could eat together. I remember you telling me yourself that you wanted your wife to at least once wait to have dinner with you," she said hesitantly.

"Ms. Farooqui, I said I wanted my wife to wait for me. Not Ammi's guest," he retorted. Zoya felt hot tears sting her eyes and she swallowed tightly.

"But I thought-."

"Please don't think. You've done enough thinking already," he pleaded turning his back to her. Without further ado, Zoya turned and bolted from the room. Asad looked around the room; his eyes fell on the tray of food and then back at the open door. Guilt gripped his heart and Asad's eyes went wide. What had he done?

* * * * *

"Aiyaan, what do you think?" Humaira asked as she did a 360 to show him the red, green, and yellow suit she was wearing. She had spotted it at the last minute and had fallen in love with the embroidery.

Aiyaan flopped onto the bed on his stomach and pulled a cushion to fold his arms on. He looked at her sceptically and Humaira felt herself grow self conscious under his scrutiny.

"What? Don't you like it?" She asked. Aiyaan grinned and he reached forward to grasp her wrist and pull her down onto the bed, earning a surprised shriek from her. He pinned her to the bed and kissed her nose playfully.

"Humaira Begum, you look," he whispered into her ear. Humaira smiled shyly and he bent down to kiss her eyelids.

"Look?" She urged.

"Like a model gone wrong," Aiyaan said, before bursting into laughter. Humaira's jaw dropped open and she pushed him off of her, his laughter echoing in her ear.

"Model gone wrong, huh? Aiyaan, you are impossible!" She screeched throwing a cushion at him. He blew her a kiss and laughed again when she started to hit him with a pillow.

"One minute, wait, wait!" Aiyaan pleaded when his phone started to ring. Humaira huffed and crossed her arms, turning her back to him.

"Hello?" He answered.

"Aiyaan," a voice sniffed through the phone.

"Mona?" He said, surprised at the sound of her crying.

"Aiyaan, everything has gone wrong," she sobbed. Aiyaan's eyebrows furrowed and he looked at Humaira, who was fiddling with her dupatta.

"Zoya, what happened? Is Bhaijaan okay?" He asked. It seemed to make things worse because Zoya moaned and started to sob again. Worry gripped his heart and Aiyaan ran a hand through his hair. This action caught Humaira's attention and she turned to look at him inquisitively.

"What happened?" He asked. Zoya told him nothing except several sniffs and hiccups.

"Okay, okay. Calm down. I'm coming over," he told her. She replied with a sniff and he ended the call. He looked at Humaira's curious face and walked to her. Cupping her face gently he placed his forehead against hers.

"Zoya and Bhaijaan have fought again," he told her. Humaira couldn't help but smile softly. She pulled away and touched his cheek gently.

"Go," she whispered. Aiyaan looked at her regretfully and she shook her head.

"No Aiyaan. Zoya Baji will soon be our bhabhi and you will then become her devar. It is your duty as a devar to keep your bhabhi happy. Go," she urged. Aiyaan let out a breath that he had been holding and pulled her into a tight hug.

"I don't know if it's possible, but every second of the day I find myself falling in love with you more and more," he told her. Humaira giggled and pulled back, kissing his cheek in the process.

"Go," she said. He smiled at her and headed out.

"Oh and Humaira Begum," he said once he reached the door. Humaira looked up at him.

"I was joking when I said you looked like a model gone wrong."

"I know, Aiyaan," she said, smiling.

"You look like a traffic signal," Aiyaan sprinted out the door just as another pillow came his way.

* * * * *

Dilshad hurried to the door when the doorbell rang, cursing whoever it was for coming at this time.

"Is this the tim-," Dilshad fell silent as she came face to face with her stepson.

"Aiyaan," she said softly. Aiyaan swallowed tightly before putting on a smile.

"Asalaam Alaikum," he said.

"Waleykum Asalaam," Dilshad said moving back to allow him entry. Dilshad watched him with cautious eyes.

"Why are you here, Aiyaan?" She asked after a few minutes of silence.

"Badimaa, I-."

"Don't call me that," she told him defiantly. Aiyaan fell silent and looked at the only other woman who he had ever loved as a mother. He didn't know where he had gone wrong but Aiyaan knew one thing. Whatever may happen, Dilshad would always remain his Badimaa. He swallowed again and looked at his feet.

"Badimaa, I actually came here becau-."

"Aiyaan?" A deep voice asked. Aiyaan turned to face his older brother and immediately noticed the change in his brother's face. His skin was ghostly pale and his shoulders were hunched over instead of being the usual upright. He looked like he was fighting to stay on his feet.

"Bhaijaan, what happened to you?" Aiyaan asked surprised. Asad shook his head and motioned for him to sit. Dilshad excused herself and left the room, avoiding Aiyaan's pleading face.

"Never mind me, what are you doing here?"
But Aiyaan didn't have time to answer because a flash of raven hair shot past Asad straight into Aiyaan's arms. The sound of sobs filled the room and Asad had to take a minute to process what was happening.

"Aiyaan, thank god you're here," Zoya said into his shoulder. Aiyaan patted her awkwardly on the back and he gave a questioning look to his brother who looked absolutely dumbfounded at seeing Zoya in his younger brother's arms.

"Er," Aiyaan said.

"Aiyaan, your Bhaijaan was being absolutely horrible to me. He said that I was five years old and that I was not allowed to wait for him to eat," Zoya said hurriedly. Aiyaan groaned and smacked his forehead.

"Bloody hell, Zoya. That is why you make me come running over here at eight in the evening?" Aiyaan asked incredulously. Asad groaned and sat down, his hands were shaking and his head was pounding.

"He was being mean," she said pouting as more tears slipped down her cheeks. Aiyaan felt a strong urge to pull his hair out but he gripped her shoulders and sat her down.

"Bhaijaan," he said, looking pleadingly at his brother. Aiyaan's eyebrows furrowed when he saw his brother sitting down holding onto his head.

"Aiyaan please. I need to sleep. This migraine is going to kill me," Asad groaned.

"So now you've got a migraine," Zoya said accusingly. Asad looked up at her guiltily and he held out a shaking hand for her.

"Zoya, stop acting childish," Aiyaan chided her. Zoya grudgingly took Asad's hand.

"I'm sorry, Zoya," he said. Zoya pouted again and turned her head away.

"I'm not five," she said. Aiyaan resisted the urge to roll his eyes and looked at his brother who looked just about ready to pass out. Noticing that if he didn't put an end to this now, his brother's condition would just worsen.

"Zoya, just forgive Bhaijaan. He knows you're not five. He was being mean," Aiyaan said, hoping that Zoya would forgive him so that he could take rest. Asad sent him a look that said, you're not helping!'

"But-."

"I'm sorry, baby. I really am," Asad said. Zoya smiled brightly at him and threw her arms around him, hugging him tightly. Aiyaan rolled his eyes and stood up.

"You're shaking and sweating," Zoya said pulling away from Asad. He looked at her and that was when Zoya noticed the change in his appearance. It was then that the thought hit her. He wasn't feeling well. Tears welled up in her eyes and she started to sob again. Aiyaan and Asad looked at each bewildered.

"What are you crying for now?!?" Aiyaan asked baffled.

"He's sick and I got mad at him," she sobbed. Asad's shoulders drooped and he looked helplessly at Aiyaan, who looked back at him with the same expression.

"Women," the two said simultaneously.