As the first rays of morning sun kissed him, Aditya tossed and turned in his bed, uncomfortable.
Pooja's mother who was removing the curtains turned around to find her son writhing in agony.
"No, you were wrong"
Adi
"Aap maane ya na maane..."
"I hate you!"
" jhooth sach nhi ban jata..."
Adi
"I hate you!!"
Adi!!! Pooja's mother shouted as Aditya screamed at the top of his lungs.
ZOYA!!
And bolted up to sit straight, sweating profusely.
"I hate you, Zoya Yash Arora!" He whispered yet again wiping his face off.
"Zoya?!" His mother asked unsure of what she heard.
He looked up startled, into her inquisitive eyes and realised that he had been floating in the realm of nightmares.
" Nhi...kuch nhi.." He replied and hurried off towards the bath.
As the entire Hooda family gathered for breakfast, Adi picked his car keys and started leaving.
"Nasha utar gya?" A voice interrupted him.
Aditya stopped and turned to his Father.
Harsh left his seat and stood staring Aditya hard in his face.
" Do I owe you an explanation?! " Aditya asked smirking.
"Even though you call me a Cheater, You do understand that Beauty can even make a man like you falter in his steps!?" Harsh pointed stuffing his hands in his pockets.
Aditya's eyebrows furrowed.
"What are you implying?" He hissed.
"Harsh, Don't!" His mother pleaded as as his father smirked.
"Feigning innocence won't make you one! You don't remember! Do you?Hoga bhi kaise sharab or shabab ka nasha sar chadkar bolta hai!"
"Mr. Hooda, stop riling me!" Aditya threatened, his patience getting thin.
" Aadhi raat ko nashe mein dhut aaye the! Wo bhi kiske sath!? Yash Arora ki bewa ke sath. Do you think I'm a fool!...
Adi's eyes widened as flashbacks of last night started to come to his mind.
"You were close with her, falling over her, leaning close every chance you got.."
When She prevented his fall in office
When She gave him the support of her fragile shoulders..
"Please don't argue anymore! Hamari khaatir!"
"I'll happily oblige"
Harsh mimicked mockingly, as Aditya remembered everything.
"Don't you exaggerate!?" Aditya shouted in his face.
" I don't blame you, khoobsurat hai..." Harsh snickered.
Aditya's face contorted as her stupid decision to get in with those men that night resurfaced in his mind. She was stupid, dumb. She is way too naive. She is way too innocent.
" or akeli bhi.."
' Had fun?' Harsh asked staring at Zoya..
And recollection of that incident was the last straw.
Aditya caught hold of his collar and growled menacingly, " Not another word!"
Arjun and other members tried to pull Adi away but he was enraged.
" Why? Sach kadwa hai but I thought she was sweet!" Harsh continued to rile him.
"Just stop!" Aditya threatened, his fist turning red.
" I don't blame her either, bhari jawani mein akeli raate..."
And Aditya punched him straight in the face making him fall on his back. He started to go for another hit when Arjun caught hold of him restraining from causing further harm.
Aditya struggled hard but Arjun was no weakling either.
" Let me go, this man has crossed all limits"
Harsh got up and caressing his bruised cheek, smirked. He was about to open his mouth again when Aditya escaped from Arjun's grip and caught hold of his father yet again.
"Not another word against Her! Not a word!! Agar aapne uske baare mein ek aur gandi baat kahi toh I'll make sure to dig your grave right here!!!" Aditya shouted pushing Harsh away.
'Mission accomplished' Harsh smirked seeing the blazing fire in Aditya's eyes. Last night, he had noticed what no one did.
"Why are you angry? She gave me such a condescending look...in your defense!"
Aditya remembered those lines and rushed out of the house.
"What were you doing?" Arjun shouted.
" Jo cheez tumhari samajh mein naa aaye, usme taang nhi adani chahie!" Harsh suggested and left.
Zoya was in the cabin talking with Ronnie and Bella when Aditya barged in, fuming.
Before Zoya could process anything, he caught hold of her wrist and started pulling her away.
Whispering a quick "Excuse us" Aditya pulled zoya out of the cabin, into the washroom.
"# Naughty!" Bella squealed like a fan girl.
" Ye kya badtamizi hai! " zoya asked trying to leave. But he caged her between his arms and hissed, " How dare you enter My house? I thought you were dumb but no you are very clever...you took advantage of my state!"
" Hum bas aapki madad kar rahe the! "
" Pehle apni madad karne ke layak ho jao!"
" What's your problem? I don't understand! " Zoya asked perplexed.
" It's you, you are the problem!That clueless look on your face enrages me!" He whispered seethingy.
Zoya winced as his fingers pressed into her shoulder blade.
" Please chodiye, humein dard ho rha hai"
She struggled as their eyes met.
" Mujhe bhi!" He replied.
She stopped struggle and looked closer into his eyes. He was burning in hatred but that was not directed to her. She finally realized that as always she was his punching bag. Har jagah ka gussa zoya par nikalo!
" Kya hua?" She asked searching his eyes for answers.
His breath hitched as her question resonated within the depth of his being.
Exactly, kya hua tha? Why was he so angry? Wasn't it his father's fault that he thought that Zoya and he...
He shuddered as those filthy words against her character ringed in his ears.
He could not tolerate her character being questioned! How could he? This was the woman who was struggling with the business, she had never even heard of, just because it was her cheater husband's dream!
This was the woman who would probably kill herself if she ever even dreamed of another men!
And his father...Chi!
Aditya moved away in a daze.
He still hates her! He hates her for being a decorative piece who tries to appease to everyone; his YASH, her MIL and that MAHI...hell even him! Now matter how despicably he behaves, she never shouts! Never gives him a shove! Never!!
Zoya continued staring at his face when something dropped on his shoulder and her eyes widened.
" Adi..t..ya..." She called out closing her eyes, pointing towards his shoulders.
" kya!!?" He quipped back annoyed.
" Chip.."
" What?" He shouted leaning his ear closer.
"Chipkali!!" She whispered, as his eyes widened and he started shouting.
"Chipkali!!! Kahan???" He shouted jumping like a monkey.
She pointed towards his shoulder as he gulped on his saliva and tilted his neck.
' Holy crap'
" Move it! Hatao ise!!" He shouted running around the washroom whilst zoya kept taking steps away from him.
There could be no fearsome being than a lizard, that's what zoya believes in. She can't live through the horrors of seeing it's cut tail wriggling! Ya Allah!!
However zoya's sneaky attempt at escape failed when a pair of familiar arms pulled her close, hugging her.
" Please remove it! Please!! I don't like lizards, it cuts it's tail!! Please!!" Aditya sobbed like a child dipping his face in her neck, crushing her against him.
"Please!"
Zoya could not move, not because of his strength, because of the phenomenal change in his attitude.
He was sobbing like a kid. Unlike his usual rude and arrogant self. This vulnerability of his left her bewildered.
" Please! Please!" He continued pleading crushing her closer, too close for comfort.
But if only zoya was in her senses. That quivering of his usually taunting voice was so...unnerving.
"Pleaseee~~~~~"
And with that Zoya looked on his shoulder to see the reptile gone.
" It's gone " she stuttered.
Aditya finally opened his eyes and reality sunk in. He quickly jumped away and left without a word.
Zoya leaned against the mirror and kept her palms against her heart, it was threatening to jump right out! Why?!
She looked in the mirror and saw her smudged lipstick, her eyes furrowed in confusion.
'What happened?' She wiped her lips, when the feeling of her face being pushed into a shirt fabric few minutes ago, resurfaced.
Her eyes widened as she ran out.
"Wait, your shirt has a..." Mahi tried to interrupt Aditya as he came storming out of washroom.
But he ignored and left.
" Aditya! Wait!!"
Mahi looked on perplexed as his stupid SIL ran after Aditya, ignoring her!
.
.
.
And wait did she step out of the washroom too!
"Adi...there's a lipstick stain on your shirt?" His mother asked.
Adi turned away from his wardrobe and picked the shirt in his hand. And he briskly remembered brushing of something soft against his shoulder blade.
"Fenk dijiye ise!"
" kiska hai?"
"..."
"Zoya ka?"
Adi turned around shocked and asked, " Do you also think that she and me...we.."
" Nhi...even though nothing would make me happier than you finding happiness again" she smiled.
"Hum kabhi saath nhi ho sakte!" he announced.
"Kaun Hum?" She asked innocently as he walked away.
" The stunt that Harsh pulled this morning is a part of something big. But maybe...this plan of his will set things straight in your life..."