Chapter 25

"No, Humaira. I have this feeling that this is the only thing that will be able to prove Zoya's innocence," Ayaan stated as he replayed the video. Humaira suddenly stiffened in his arm and glanced at her.

"Are you okay?" He asked. She nodded affirmative and snuggled back into his chest, her eyes still wide.

"I can't figure out what it is but I know the proof is in here," Ayaan said in frustration.

"Then use your brain," Humaira suggested simply.

"Well thank you so much for that piece of advice, Humaira Begum. You see, I had forgotten that I had a brain," Ayaan said sarcastically.

"Clearly," Humaira muttered under her breath.

"Did you say something?" He asked. Humaira shook her head.

Ayaan grumbled as he watched the video over and over again. There had to be something in here. He looked down at the piece of cloth from Zoya's shirt then back to the video. Then back down and then up again. Ayaan's eyes suddenly went wide and Humaira smiled triumphantly.

When he had left to take the plate away, Zoya slipped out of bed and headed to her room where she sat down on the edge of her bed.

"I've succeeded in making him eat, but amidst it all, I've spoke another lie to him," Zoya whispered.

"If he finds out, hell, if Tanveer finds out that it was all a lie then she will use it against me for sure," she said.

"Feeling better?" A voice asked. Zoya looked up and saw Tanveer standing in the doorframe with her arms crossed.

"What do you want?" Zoya asked lazily.

"Zoya, I think you're forgetting that as long as I'm in this house, Jam-."

"Will never be mine. Yaada yaada, please Tanveer. You seriously need some new dialogues," Zoya said. Tanveer gritted her teeth and marched forward grabbing Zoya's arm.

"I will not have some low-life like you mock me," she hissed, her grasp on Zoya's arm tightening.

"What the hell is going on here?"

The two women looked to the door where Asad stood looking at them with astonishment. An idea struck Zoya and she smiled wickedly.

"Tanveer, you're hurting me," Zoya whispered softly. That one sentence may have been whispered but when it came to Zoya, Asad heard everything. Naturally, when he heard this plea, he stalked forward and ripped Tanveer's arm away, pushing Zoya behind him, out of harm's way.

"What is wrong with you today?" He growled at Tanveer, "you've been after Zoya the entire day."

"Jammy, you're misunderstanding the situation! It's not what it looks like," Tanveer protested.

"I heard everything, I've seen everything, so don't try to justify yourself," Asad said taking a step towards her, Zoya quickly grabbed onto his shoulder.

"No," she told him gently.

"Zoya, she."

"I said, no," Zoya repeated firmly. He relaxed under her hand and Zoya rubbed his shoulder before sending a satisfied smirk to Tanveer, who silently fumed.

"BHAIJAAN! BHABHI! BADIMAA!" Ayaan's voice came through the door. Asad, Zoya, and Tanveer looked at each other before rushing downstairs. Ayaan stood in the middle of the hall; he was waving Zoya's iPad in the air wildly.

"Watch the iPad!" Zoya yelled at seeing her baby being flailed around. As soon as Ayaan heard her, he whirled around to face her.

"Ayaan Bhaijaan, why are you yelling?" Najma asked coming out of her room with Dilshad.

"What's happening?" Asad asked.

"COULDN'T YOU HAVE WAITED?" Humaira screeched running into the house and whacking Ayaan on the head. The poor bloke rubbed the back of his head and glared at his fiance, but his gaze faltered when she looked at him icily.

"What happened?" Asad asked. Ayaan rushed to Asad and placed the iPad in his hands.

"This, this is what happened," Ayaan said replaying the video. A wounded look passed over his face as he watched the video in which Zoya tried to kill him.

"Why are you showing me this?" Asad asked.

"Because if you pay attention, you can see exactly who the real culprit is," Ayaan replied.

Zoya's eyebrows flew upwards to hide behind her bangs. What? Was Ayaan on her side or Tanveer's?

"Whose side are you on?" Zoya asked, voicing her thoughts. Humaira held her arm gently.

"Shh, just wait," she told her.

"What are you saying, Ayaan? We already know who the real culprit is," Asad said. Ayaan took a deep breath and glanced at Tanveer, who was watching them shrewdly.

"It's not Zoya," Ayaan said. Asad looked at him in bewilderment.

"What do you mean it's not Zoya? The brac-."

"No Bhaijaan. It's not Zoya. This entire incident was a trap," Ayaan explained.

"A trap? What trap, Ayaan Bhaijaan?" Najma asked from beside her mother.

"It was a trap to frame Zoya, Tamatar," Ayaan replied. Asad looked at him then at Zoya, then back at Ayaan. His heart filled with something that he was willing to bet his entire wealth on, was hope.

"What are you trying to say?" Dilshad asked. Ayaan turned to look at her and he smiled softly upon hearing something else directed from her towards him besides a greeting or a plea to leave.

"Badi Maa, I'm trying to say that Zoya is innocent."