Hi Everyone
Here's the next part to the story. Hope this will liked too. As I'd mentioned earlier, this update is intense too but promise to lighten things up from the next chapter. Won't keep you any longer, go ahead n enjoy the update. Happy reading.
Chapter 19
Zoya looked on as she read the expression on his face as to be challenging her. Taking in a deep breath she closed her eyes and prayed to her Allah for it to be easy for her to tell him the reason behind her disappearance three years ago, the reason she feels he may leave her and the one thing that she knew would decide her fate today. Opening her eyes she looked at him and said "Ask me what you want to, I will answer all your questions". Asad looked at her intently, not understanding where to begin with and exactly what to ask her. Standing face to face they watched each other for a while not able to gauge the inner turmoil the other was going through, where Asad didn't know what the outcome of this conversation would be, Zoya didn't know how she would explain everything to him, if he would understand her circumstances and most importantly if he would still accept her.
After what seemed like a life time she heard him ask his first question which left her completely stumped "Do you love me?" Her eyes slightly widened as she heard him. That was the last question she was expecting from him at this moment, but then understood why he asked her this. "Yes... I do" she said looking straight in his eyes. He could tell that there was no denying it that she did love him with all her heart. He sighed in relief as this was one of the biggest questions his mind had been throwing back at him since last night. He had been asking himself the same question that if she did love him then what was it that she was hiding and why. He could see the relief in her eyes when she realized that he believed her. She saw him thinking for a while and then he shot his next question at her.
"Do you trust me?" Zoya could feel her insides twist with pain seeing how badly her conversation with her Ammi had affected him. She knew he'd felt hurt, but it was to this extent, she had never thought. Feeling a lump forming in her throat she barely managed a soft yes. She saw his eyes emitting the pain he felt within, her eyes reflecting the same and could feel tears starting to build in them. She looked away from him wanting to hide them from him. Asad could see her tears and as much as he wanted to wipe them, he knew he couldn't let his heart rule him this time he had to get things sorted between them.
"If you do... Then what is it that you have been hiding from me. What is it that you think can change my heart, what is it that you think is so big that it would overshadow my love for you, what is it that you think is so big that it would make me walk away from you, what is it that made you question my love for you Zoya,? What is it?" He asked, his eyes red and brimming with tears. She could see him trying to get a hold on his emotions, but failing. She saw a lone tear roll out his eye and she felt hers falling over too. She closed her eyes tight, trying to stop the flood that had erupted in her eyes. Her heart pained to see him like this but all she could do at this moment was to stand and watch, she dared not try and approach him. He waited for a reply from her and saw her struggling to put her thoughts together. Taking a couple steps toward her and closing the gap between them, Asad placed his hands on her shoulders asked her again "What is it Zoya?"
Opening her eyes Zoya meet his and saw her pain in them. Taking a deep breath she prepared herself for what her future held. "It's... It's my Abbu... About my Abbu..." Asad looked at her in confusion not understanding what she meant "What about your Abbu?" Feeling embarrassed about what she was about to tell him Zoya looked away and then closing her eyes she told him the only reason she and her Ammi were forced out of their own home and town. "My Abbu... He... He died of a heart attack... While I was at the seminar... I received a call the night before we were to spend the day together" Zoya looked back at him locking her eyes with his. She knew he remembered as that had been the best part of that trip for them both and they were both looking forward to the date.
"That evening, when you'd asked me to spend the next day with you, the same night I got a call from my Ammi, giving me the worst news of my life...She told me to return immediately without telling anyone what had happened. Apparently, Abbu had confessed his sin just before he breathed his last. Leaving my Ammi heartbroken and distraught." She couldn't control the tears that were quickly forming in her eyes. Wiping her tears with the back of her hand she continued "And when I returned... When I reached home, I saw my Abbu... His cold, lifeless body..." Asad saw her eyes shut tight again and her body shaking uncontrollably with sobs. Not able to control himself anymore he wrapped his arms around her pulling her in the comfort of his arms gently stroking her head trying to calm her down. She too had wrapped her arms around his torso holding onto him as if this would be her last time.
After an excruciatingly long time, Asad felt her relax, he pulled back a little wiping her tears with the pads of his thumbs. Zoya opened her eyes to see his brimming with tears too. Instantly she cupped his face in her soft palms and shook her head in the negative. Asad sniffed hard and probing with his eyes asked her to go on. Zoya removed her hands and seeing her doing so Asad did the same taking a step away from her. Taking in a deep breath Zoya continued " As if the loss of my father wasn't enough, we were given another shock..." She trailed off. She looked at Asad and with a lot of nervousness told him the real reason that she had to leave her own home, her own city and the reason she had never approached him.
"Asad... My Abbu..." "What is it Zoya? Please tell me. You know you can tell me" he said tenderly trying to ease her pain as much as he could. Nodding her head in confirmation Zoya went on to tell him the darkest truth of her life. Wiping her eyes one more time to clear them off the tears that were forming in them continuously, Zoya looked at him not wanting to miss the expression that would cross his face once she tells him the truth. "My Abbu... He was blackmailed... By... By his ex employee" she saw his eyes widen with shock and then she continued. "She had been doing it for so many years, for a donor all his life... But my Abbu... He never let us know about it, about the problems that he was facing... She took away everything... Everything that my Abbu had... All his money, all his wealth... and... And when there was nothing he could give her, she told the world about their relationship...She ruined his reputation, tarnished his name completely over something... Something that didn't even exist... Something that was just a mistake... A big mistake he committed, a mistake that was committed years ago... But she, she kept blackmailing him all his life" Zoya saw his eyes widen again but this time it wasn't just shock but it was horror too. "My Abbu... He told her that whatever had happened was under intoxication, someone had drugged him and he had committed this grave sin. But she didn't spare him... All his life he kept fulfilling her demands... Every demand, valid or invalid, legal or illegal, everything, EVERYTHING..." Unable to continue anymore Zoya broke down completely.
Slumping onto the floor, she clutched onto her stomach, doubling over with agony, she cried harder than she ever had. Not knowing how to get over the pain she felt, Zoya let out a scream calling out to her creator asking for his mercy, asking him to help her fight the pain and to move ahead. Standing there, Asad saw her torturing herself over something that was never in her control. He too kneeled beside her and with a lot of hesitation he placed his hand on her shoulder, consoling her, giving her the strength she needed but the pain that she felt was way more than she could handle and she didn't notice his hand resting on her shoulder. Not getting any response form her, Asad scooted closer to her and sat down putting his arms around her shaking body.
Feeling his familiar sent filling up her insides, Zoya leaned in closer trying to find solace in him, his sent and his body heat relaxing her. Gasping for air, Zoya let her body lean into him, wrapping her arms around him, holding onto him for dear life. For a good part of an hour, they sat in the same position, where on one hand Zoya didn't know how to look in his eyes after this revelation, Asad felt let down as he hadn't expected her to have stayed away from him for something that was never her fault and had never been in her control. Reluctantly Zoya moved a little away looking in his eyes for any signs giving away how he felt for her after what she had disclosed. Asad felt her move away and looked down into her red puffy eyes and could see the questions and uncertainty in them. Gently removing his arms from around her, Asad stood up and extended his hand for her to take. Searching for any signs as to what this piece of information made him feel like, Zoya very hesitantly placed her hand into his and gripped onto it tightly.
Asad pulled her a little and Zoya stood up both facing each other. With their minds preoccupied they didn't realize that they stood facing each other but didn't look into the others eyes. Lost on their own thoughts the two didn't realize how much time had passed. Only when Asad's phone rang did they look around noticing that it was almost dusk and that the sun had started to set for the day. Taking his phone out Asad looked at his father's name flashing on it but disconnected the call knowing that he was not in a state to answer anyones questions at this point in time. Asad looked at her in the eyes and without giving away what he was thinking he softly said "Let's go Zoya... Your Ammi must be worried sick for you. I'd told her that I would call her once I found you but the state I found you in... I forgot". Zoya looked on a little shocked as this wasn't the reaction she was expecting. He was too calm and composed. She saw him taking steps away from her and her heart sank with a heavy feeling of uncertainty.
She quickly grabbed onto his hand making him stop in his tracks. Asad turned around and saw her eyes asking him a million questions at the same time. The questions in her eyes didn't let him hold her gaze for long and he looked away. Reading his expression in a completely different way Zoya whispered his name out of shock. Asad looked up to meet her accusing gaze. "Is there nothing you want to say?" Asad looked away feeling guilty and closed his eyes trying to gain some control over his heart and get his thoughts sorted. "It's not like what you're thinking Zoya, I'm... I'm still trying to sort things out in my head... Until last evening, everything was alright between us, then I heard your conversation with your Ammi... That really upset me... I still can't believe you were hiding something from me..." Asad saw her eyes lower with guilt and her tears rolling down her cheeks. He closed his eyes trying to control his feelings, the hurt and the guilt that he felt for causing her so much pain but he was hurt too. Not because of what she had been hiding but because of why she had been hiding it from him.
"I'm sorry Asad, I'm sorry... Sorry..." Asad saw her body shaking with the sobs that escaped her lips. He stood in front of her and raised his hand, wiping her tears. She looked up into his eyes that mirrored her pain. Holding his hands in hers, Zoya brought them to her lips and kissed his knuckles before holding them to her chest and crying. She knew he felt hurt but never in her wildest dreams had she thought that this revelation would be so painful. It was becoming hard for him to see her cry so much so he did what he knew would relieve her off this pain, Asad pulled her into his arms and held her against himself letting her draw her strength from him. He knew that she was still not aware or rather, she had still not realized the real reason behind his anger but he let that be for the time being.
He realised that the way she had been emotionally vulnerable, there was no way for her to be thinking straight. He looked up praying to the Almighty to help them again in this difficult phase. To help them get through another storm that was capable of destroying everything that they had built. Still holding onto her he said "Shhh! Please Zo please...Enough... Please... I can't see you like this anymore. Please stop crying". As soon as Zoya heard him call her by the nick name he'd given her she held onto him even tighter trying to get a grip on herself and her tears, trying to draw strength from him. As Asad saw the sun go down, he pulled away a little "It's getting very late Zoya, let's go. I'll drop you home". Reluctantly Zoya nodded her head in agreement and started walking with him. She noticed that he didn't hold her hand like he always did. Feeling the void, she walked faster catching up with him. She looked towards Him wanting his attention but he seemed lost in his own world. Not understanding where he was lost, Zoya placed her hand on his arm. Asad immediately stopped and looked at her meeting her question filled eyes.
"What is it Asad? I know something is bothering you... Please tell me what it is..." Asad looked at her for a long time and knew he had to come out with it or there would be no peace within him. But before he says anything to her, he remembered that he should call her Ammi. He pulled out his phone and handing it to her he said "Please call your Ammi and tell her you are with me. She's waiting for you at home." Zoya looked on a little taken aback by what he said but did as he'd said as he watched her talking to her Ammi. Finishing the call she handed the phone to him and looked at him expectantly knowing that now he would tell her what was going on in his head. As he took the phone from her she said in a soft voice "Ammi was worried... Thank you for always being there... for me and this time for her too" Asad looked at her trying to think where to start and what to say but he knew he had to, so taking in a deep breath he said "Is this all that you trust me?"
P.S. Look forward to your comments and feedback guys. I know the whole revelation thing has got too stretched but this was the last of it. Promise happy times are ahead, just hang on a bit. Hope you all enjoyed this intense update as much as I loved writing it.
Edited by ChocoBerry - 9 years ago
Cricket
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