Chapter 18

"Jammy." No sooner had he closed the door that Tanveer turned up next to him. Asad jumped at the sound of her voice and looked at her sharply.

"Tanu, was that really necessary?" He asked. Asad's eyes narrowed when he saw that there were tears brimming her eyes.

"Tanu, what happened?" He asked taking her shoulders. Tanveer broke down in front of him and sunk to the floor, heavy sobs wracking her body.

"Tanu!" Asad exclaimed putting his arms around her. She clutched onto his chest as she sobbed.

"What happened?" He repeated. Tanveer leaned back and looked at him.

"Jammy, I-I know who w-was responsible f-for the f-fire."

"What fire?" Asad asked confused. Tanveer looked up at him, her face streaked with tears.

"Jammy, the fire that you got stuck in," she said. A loud wail escaped from her and she started to sob again. The door behind them flung open and Zoya stood there with her eyes wide open and her mouth in the shape of an O'.

"Zoya," Asad said calmly. But Zoya paid him no attention. Her gaze was fixated on his arms that were wrapped tightly around Tanveer. Slowly, she lifted her gaze to meet his. Asad froze when he saw the evident pain in her eyes.

"No, Zoya, that's not what it looks like," Asad said quickly detaching himself from Tanveer. A hand grasped his upper arm.

"Enough Jammy," Tanveer said sharply. Asad looked at her.

"What?" He asked.

"Jammy, you don't need to justify your actions to anyone. Specially not to her," Tanveer said. Asad looked from her to Zoya, whose eyebrows had furrowed in confusion.

"Tanu, what's going on?" Asad inquired.

"Jammy, we've been wondering who could've put the fire. Often we thought that it was an outsider. Obviously that's what the real culprit would want us to think," Tanveer said glaring coldly at Zoya.

Zoya's gaze hardened and she met Tanveer's glare just as equally filled with hate. She didn't know what Tanveer had in mind but one thing was sure, whatever it was, it wasn't good. Having no fear whatsoever with Asad standing next to her, Zoya crossed her arms in front of her chest.

"That's true, Tanveer. The culprit would definitely want us to think it was an outsider. But see, my question is that how is it that you know what the culprit is thinking?" Zoya challenged. Tanveer smirked and produced a piece of cloth in her hands.

Asad, who had been standing to the side confused out of his wits, looked down at the cloth in Tanveer's hands. He gently took the beige fabric in his hands and looked at it closely. It looked like it had come from the hem of a t-shirt.

"Tanu, what is this?" He asked. Tanveer looked at him despairingly.

"Why don't you ask Zoya, Jammy?" Tanveer asked. Zoya's eyebrows flew up in surprise as she looked at the cloth in his hands.

"Why would you ask me?" She asked. Tanveer snatched the fabric from his hands and held it up in her face.

"Recognize it Zoya?" Tanveer asked. Zoya shook her head as she looked down at the fabric.

"That's funny, because I found this fabric stuck in the door of the store room," Tanveer said. Zoya froze as Tanveer's words sunk into her head.

No Zoya, Tanveer's shirt fabric is locked away. You checked this morning remember? Besides, hers is white. This is beige.

"And?" Zoya asked holding herself upright again. Tanveer smirked again.

"Don't act so innocent," Tanveer said.

"Alright, what the hell is going?" Asad asked, now getting frustrated. He looked from Tanveer to Zoya.

"Jammy," Tanveer said.

"The real culprit behind the fire in the storeroom is Zoya," Tanveer said.

"WHAT?!?!" Asad and Zoya screamed simultaneously.

"Are you mad?" Asad asked shocked. Tanveer's smirk faded but she recovered quickly.

"No, Jammy, I'm not. See this fabric. It comes from one of her shirts," Tanveer said. Asad looked at Zoya, who was frozen in shock.

"No, I don't believe you. This could've come from anyone's shirt," Asad said hesitantly shaking his head.

"I had a feeling you'd say that," Tanveer said. She pushed past them and went into Zoya's room.

"Hey!" Zoya protested going after her. Tanveer flung open the door to her cupboard and rummaged through it.

"Stop! You better stop now!" Zoya protested reaching forward to grab her arm. Asad gripped her wrist and looked at her.

"If you don't have anything to hide, why are you protesting?" He asked. Zoya's heart plummeted. Tanveer had done it. She had successfully planted the seed of doubt in Asad's head. Zoya swallowed tightly.

"I don't want anyone going through my stuff. There's personal stuff," Zoya replied, but that only succeeded in making things worse.

"Personal stuff, huh?" Tanveer said turning around with the beige shirt in hand. Asad and Zoya looked down at it. The fabric colour matched with the shirt and Tanveer was grinning widely. She turned the shirt around so that the rip was visible near the hemline and placed the fabric next to it.

"Perfect fit," Asad whispered dumbstruck. He didn't want to believe it. Had Zoya really done it? No she couldn't have. There was no way; Zoya would never do that to him.

But it's a perfect fit with her shirt.

Zoya turned to Asad and looked at him pleadingly, but the way he was looking at the shirt with a blank expression, she knew that he believed Tanveer. It was now or never.

"You think you're so smart huh?" Zoya asked Tanveer. Tanveer crossed her arms in front of her chest and glared at her.

"Another trick Zoya?" Tanveer asked. Zoya smirked and retrieved her iPad. Flipping it open she turned found the video she had saved from the security cameras.

"Look at this Mr. Khan," Zoya said showing him the video. The video was of the day the fire took place. The screen was empty until Asad and Tanveer walked into the frame talking. Asad opened the door to the storeroom when Tanveer told him something and left. Asad went into the room.

"Watch closely," Zoya said. A few minutes later, a figure emerged with a black scarf over their head and face. But the slim figure and the long hair that was peaking out didn't deny the fact that it was a woman. The woman lit a match and threw it into the room before departing hastily. As she tried to leave, her shirt got stuck in the door. She pulled it free quickly and ran. After a minute or two, Zoya came into view and she looked into the room and panicked.

Zoya shut the cover and looked at Tanveer with a smirk on her face and glanced at Asad. Tanveer returned her smirk with a scoff.

"I think you need to watch closely, Zoya," Tanveer said taking the iPad and replaying the video. She paused it as soon as the figure's shirt got stuck in the door hinge.

"As far as I know, Zoya. That golden bracelet is your isn't it?" Tanveer asked zooming into the figure's hand. Though it was blurry, there was no mistaking the "New York City" charms on the bracelet.

Asad felt his blood run cold as he stared at the bracelet before his gaze moved torturously slowly to Zoya's wrist. Zoya noticed him turn pale as his eyes landed on Aapi and Jeeju's present to her from three years ago.

Asad saw white-hot rage and his gaze snapped up to meet hers. Zoya looked at him pleadingly and moved towards him, but he took a step back.

"Don't touch me!" He snapped at her.

"Mr. Khan! Believe me! I didn't do it!" Zoya said.

"Enough Zoya! How much more will you lie! The evidence is right in front of you!" Tanveer said, pushing Zoya away from Asad. She stood between the couple and glared hotly at Zoya.

"Get out of my way, I know you did this! This is all your doing Tanveer!" Zoya screeched.

"MS. FAROOQUI! ENOUGH IS ENOUGH!" Asad roared. Zoya silenced immediately but she looked at him, pleading him to believe her. But the damage was done. The proof was solid. Even Zoya didn't know how it was possible, but whatever it was, Zoya was the culprit in his eyes.

"Mr. Khan, I promise. I didn't do it! I never would do it!" Zoya pleaded moving forward. Tanveer grabbed her arm and pulled her back.

"Stay away from him," Tanveer warned. Wrenching her arm out of her grasp, Zoya fell to her knees in front of him.

"Mr. Khan, please. Believe me, I didn't do it," she begged as hot tears slid down her cheeks. He pulled away from her and headed towards the door, his hands going to his pocket.

"I will endure the presence of a nuisance in this house, but I will not endure the presence of a murderer," Asad said pulling out his phone.

"Mr. Khan, no!" Zoya said rushing to her feet as she ran after him.

"I should've left you in jail last time. If I had then this wouldn't have happened today," Asad said angrily as he walked down the steps, his phone in hand ready to call the police.

"Mr. Khan wait. I promise you!" Zoya screamed. Her voice had captured the attention of the other occupants of the house and both Najma and Dilshad came running out their rooms to see what the problem was.

"Zoya? Asad? What happened?" Dilshad asked.

"What happened? You're harbouring a murderer in your house, Khaala. That's what happened," Tanveer said. Asad trudged down the steps and towards the sitting room, Zoya tried to follow him as Tanveer tried to refrain her from doing so.

"What? Tanveer what are you saying?" Dilshad asked. Najma was too frozen in shock to do anything.

"She's saying what's needed to be said Ammi," Asad said.

"Mr. Khan, please. Give me a chance to explain!" Zoya begged as she got to the steps. Tanveer yanked her arm back roughly and glared at her.

"I told you, Zoya. Don't mess with me," Tanveer hissed at her so that no one except Zoya could hear. With that, she roughly pushed Zoya.

"ZOYA!" Dilshad and Najma screamed as Zoya's body tumbled down the steps. Asad whipped around just in time to see her petit frame keel onto the stairs, her head colliding with the edge of the steps.

Her frail body fell onto the foot of the stairs with red blood spilling out from the gash in her head. The bright red colour of the blood was a stark contrast with the white marble tiles of the floor.

"Zoya!" Asad yelled as he, Dilshad, and Najma ran towards her. He picked her up and tried to shake her awake, but there was no response from her. Her blood started to stain his hands and he looked down at her face, which was growing paler and paler by the second.

"Najma, call the doctor! Asad take her to her room, quickly!" Dilshad said to both of them. Najma nodded and rushed to the phone while Asad gently but hastily picked her cold body off the floor.

"Zoya," he whispered. He carried her quickly to her room and set her down onto the bed, Dilshad quickly pressed a towel to the gash on the back of her head.

"The doctor's coming," Najma said sprinting back into the room and quickly adding another towel as the previous one started to get soaked.

"She's loosing too much blood," Asad said.

"Jammy," Tanveer's voice said in his ear gently. Asad looked up at her, she gently took his shoulder and nodded before pulling him out of Zoya's room. He found himself being led to his own room and he stared at the door as it clicked shut, hoping it would disappear so that he could still see Zoya.

"Jammy, forget about her," Tanveer said to him. He looked at her and shut his eyes tightly.

"Asad," she said more forcefully. Asad looked up at her helplessly and before he could help himself, he pulled her into his embrace. As soon as her arms wound around his back, Asad couldn't help but notice how Tanveer didn't fit into his arms like Zoya did.

"Shh. Jammy, you haven't done anything wrong. Zoya has," Tanveer told him. Asad's heart was shattered into several little pieces when he saw the gold bracelet in the video then on Zoya's wrist. He wanted to believe Zoya but solid proof was against her. There was nothing that could prove her innocence for the biggest piece of evidence was that gold bracelet.

"Tanu, why?" He asked, his voice hollow.

"Shh. Jammy, she's selfish. She wants to trap you so that she can take over this house and your money. It wouldn't have been long before she had permanently moved into this house," Tanveer explained to him. Asad tightened his hold and buried his face into her neck.

"What do I do?" He mumbled. Tanveer sighed and stroked his back.

"When she gets better, send her away," she told him. Asad nodded, ignoring the throbbing pain in his chest as his heart broke into more and more pieces.

"Bhaijaan, the doctor's here!" Najma's voice rang through. Asad pulled back and looked down at Tanveer, who smiled reassuringly up at him. He nodded and departed.

As soon as the door clicked shut, Tanveer sighed and crossed her arms.

"Zoya, Zoya, Zoya. You are too nave," Tanveer said giggling.

Flashback

"Oh! I forgot! Jammy, could you please put the photos in my room. I have to make an emergency call," Tanveer said, halting in her tracks. Asad nodded and the two parted ways. Tanveer slipped into her room and tied a black scarf around her face before she picked up the golden bracelet that she had taken from Zoya's bedside table.

"Sorry Zoya. But in order for me to come into this house, you're going to have to go," Tanveer said looking at the bracelet in her hands. She opened the clasp and tied it around her wrist before heading back out of the storeroom. She pulled out the matchbox and lit it before throwing it in. Turning around she tried to run away but her shirt got stuck in the door hinge. She quickly pulled it out, ignoring it as it ripped and sprinted away from the door room.

* * * * *

It had been two weeks since the storeroom fire and everything was going according to plan. Tanveer hid in the shadows as Dilshad talked to Zoya about something in front of the storeroom.

"Now, I have to go and make preparations for dinner so make sure whatever you're doing is finished in half an hour, but, if you ever need my help, don't hesitate to ask," Dilshad said patting Zoya's cheek and departing. Zoya turned around and was about to walk away when she spotted something attached to the door hinge. Zoya moved forward and pulled the piece of cloth off of the hinge and stared at it. Tanveer smiled evilly as she saw recognition dawn on Zoya's face before Zoya screeched and ran away.

"If only you hadn't taken it Zoya, you could've saved yourself from me. But thank you, you took it and now, not even Allah can save you from me," Tanveer said crossing her arms in front of her chest.

* * * * *

"Phuppi, I'm going out. I'll be back in half an hour," Zoya said before she hugged Dilshad and headed out the door. Tanveer looked at the clock, half an hour was all she needed.

"Tanveer, I'm going to my room. Asad said he would call so just bring the phone to me," Dilshad said smiling at her. Tanveer returned her smile and nodded.

"Of course Khaala."

When Dilshad had disappeared into her room, Tanveer took her chance and snuck into Zoya's room. She rummaged through the cupboards and found the beige shirt; taking the scissors she cut a piece of the fabric and stored the shirt back to its original place.

"I think this is where we say goodbye Zoya," Tanveer said.

End Flashback

Tanveer cackled evilly and sat down on the bed.

"What can I say Zoya. I need this house; I need Asad's money. It's the only thing I've ever wanted. Money," Tanveer said before chuckling again.

"Asad's never going to trust you now Zoya, never."

* * * * *

Dilshad, Najma, Asad, and Tanveer waited outside as the doctor attended Zoya. The door to her room opened and he stepped out.

"Doctor, how is she?" Dilshad asked.

"There's nothing to worry about Mrs. Khan. She's absolutely fine and is also awake. There's a large laceration on the back of her head but nothing that you need to worry about. She's all patched up but she has lost a lot of blood, Mrs. Khan. I need you to make sure she eats enough over the next few weeks and please take care of her. She's in an extremely fragile condition," the doctor told them.

"Doctor, there's isn't anything else wrong with her is there?" Dilshad asked, her eyes narrowing. He shook his head.

"The problem is that Zoya's been acting strange lately. The other day she was complaining of a stomach-ache and a headache," Najma said. Asad listened to them quietly. He didn't know what he wanted to say.

"Mrs. Khan, Zoya has been suffering with viral influenza that is going around and the most common symptoms are of stomach-aches and headaches. She's told me herself about how she's been feeling; the symptoms she's described are of influenza. I ask you again, take care of her," he told them before departing.

"Ammi, I'm heading to my room now that we know Ms. Farooqui is fine," Asad said monotonously. Najma and Dilshad looked at each other in surprise.

"Ms. Farooqui? Wasn't she Zoya just yesterday?" Najma teased.

"Enough Najma! I will address her as I want to," Asad snapped before turning on his heels and leaving them in shock, Tanveer following him silently.

"Shall we?" Najma asked motioning towards the door after clearing her throat. Dilshad nodded and they stepped into the room. Zoya was propped up onto the pillows, white bandages wrapped around her forehead.

"Dear child, how are you feeling?" Dilshad cooed as she took her into her arms gently. Zoya hugged her back with minimal effort and smiled weakly.

"I was suffering from viral, Phuppi. Don't worry," Zoya said. She broke away and looked at Najma who was standing in the corner, her bottom lips trembling and poking out as she was on the verge of tears.

"Tamatar," Zoya said sternly before holding out her arms. Najma let out a small wail before rushing towards her and wrapping her arms around Zoya.

"I'm so glad that you're okay!" Najma sobbed. Zoya patted her reassuringly on the back and pulled away from her.

"Nothing can harm me, Najma. Nothing," Zoya said. She looked around the room in hopes of spotting him.

"He's in his room, Zoya," Dilshad said, knowing exactly who she was looking for. Zoya's face fell and she folded her hands in her lap.

"Zoya, what's happening? Why is Asad so angry with you? And what's the whole thing with the murderer?" Dilshad asked gently patting Zoya's head. Zoya looked up at the inquisitive faces of Dilshad and Najma. Sighing deeply, she told them everything.

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.