Chapter 40 continued...Shehzad reached home late at night, with a disheveled look, with his eyes totally tired and himself being entirely exhausted.
He looked at the dupatta in his hand, and looked towards Zoya's room. He wiped his face, and walked towards her room, slowly.
He saw the door was slightly open only. He pushed it slowly and saw Zoya sleeping in her bed. He placed his hand on the door, and controlled his tears, and moved out of the door, and closed his eyes letting his tears out.
He wiped his face again, and looked at her again.
"Abhi mujh mein kahin,
baaki thodi si hai zindagi
Jagi dhadkan nayi,
jaana zinda hoon main to abhi" He walked inside slowly with quiet steps, and looking at her sleeping, his memories drive him to back to the days when he used to view his baby sister sleeping in the cradle at his home.
"Kuch aisi lagan
is lamhe mein hai
Yeh lamha kahaan tha mera
Ab hai saamne, ise chhoo loon zara
Mar jaaun ya jee loon zara" He reached near her and knelt down next to her, with tears filled his eyes. Zoya was in deep sleep with her right hand lying out of the bed.
"I...I never knew...I was with you only all the while...my gudiya!!" Shehzad said in a low tone, with tears rolling down his cheeks.
"Khushiyaan choom loon
Ya ro loon zara
Mar jaaun ya jee loon zara" "Ammi!!" Shehzad looked up and said in tears, "Your daughter is alive only Ammi...I finally found her..."
"Ho.. dhoop mein jalte hue tann ko,
chhaya ped ki mil gayi
Roothe bachche ki hansi jaise,
phuslaane se phir khil gayi" He looked back at her with a smile, "She looks exactly like you Ammi..." Shehzad caressed her head in air without touching, "That same eyes, same stature...and your beauty...and I have met her when she is going to become a mother too Ammi..."
Shehzad took the dupatta and wrapped it over her and smiled at her with tears.
"Kuch aisa hi ab mehsoos dil ko ho raha hai
Barson ke puraane zakhmon pe marham laga sa hai" "I am sorry Shahzana...your brother is cursed even now not to reveal anything to you...but I will never go far away from my gudiya now...I will stay with her like a shadow!!"
Shehzad gave a painful smile, and tried to cup her face, but retreated back and stood up, while he felt a tug at his hand.
He turned back and saw Zoya's little finger entangled with his little finger. He looked at it emotionally and remembered his childhood, when his baby sister always loved holding his little finger and sleep.
"Kuch aisa reham is lamhe mein hai
Ye lamha kahaan tha mera
Ab hai saamne, ise chhoo loon zara
Mar jaaun ya jee loon zara" He knelt down and looked at that with tears. He tried to control his tears, and slowly pulled back his finger and walked out, while he saw Asad at the door.
Shehzad quickly looked back at Zoya, and then at Asad, who too looked at a sleeping Zoya.
"Hi Asad!!" Shehzad said wiping his face with his hands, and smiled lightly.
"What are you doing here at this time, Shehzad?" Asad asked, with a questioning look.
"I...I just..." Shehzad looked back at Zoya, "I had taken Zoya's dupatta...to get a similar one for my...my sister...I came to return it..."
Asad nodded his head, while Shehzad smiled at him and left the room, while Asad entered the room, and as he was closing the door, he took a look at Shehzad.
Saima too was noticing this from her room, and she followed her sight behind Shehzad and gave an evil smile, "Got my next move...2 mangoes in a single stone!!"
*** Shehzad came to his room, and switched on the lights, and was taken aback to find Aysha sitting at the bed over there, staring at him.
"Aysha...what are you doing here??" asked Shehzad, while Aysha stood up and looked at him, with anger. Shehzad didn't understand anything and just looked at her.
Aysha lifted the papers from her hand and showed to him, while Shehzad was shocked to find that in Aysha's hand, and gave a stunned look at her.
"This was your work, haan??" asked Aysha, while Shehzad just looked down and again at her.
"Yeah...but..." Shehzad started, while Aysha slapped him hard.
Shehzad looked down in distress and looked at a teary-eyed Aysha.
"Why did you do this Shehzad?? Why this Ashfaq love drama??" Aysha asked in tears while Shehzad was standing with a helpless look, "Why did you have to tease me...that too in the pretext of love?? Why are you doing all this??"
Shehzad stood silently out of words, while he was wondering what to say too.
"Aren't you ditching my sister too?? You came here to marry my sister Saima only right? You have convinced everyone at home that you love her right? This is what you do when you love someone dearly? You want to marry the elder sister and play around with the younger sister?? I knew you are a prankster and irritating guy since college, but never knew you are a playboy too!!! Good that your parents aren't alive, or else they would have been disgraced giving birth to a cheapo like you!!"
"Aysha, just listen to me...let me explain..." Shehzad tried explaining while, Aysha stopped him.
"No!!! I don't want to see your face anymore...and I am going to ask Razia Ammi to stop this wedding!! I don't want my innocent sister to get married to a womanizer and philanderer like you!!" Aysha stormed to the door, while Shehzad pulled her back in anger and pushed her inside the room, making Aysha fall on the bed. He locked the door, and looked at her with glaring eyes.
"You want to go and tell everyone right?? Go and tell it...stop the marriage...but know the full story and go!! I don't think I should hide things from you anymore...I have finally got two people dearest in my life and now I can't lose them from my life again!!!"
Aysha gave a confused look at him, as she sat up on the bed.
"You called me a playboy and womanizer...really?? I look that way to you???" Shehzad shouted at her, while he walked to the cupboard, took his bag. He opened it and took out a diary, book and a folder and threw it on the bed.
Papers and photos flew in the room, falling around Aysha and she looked through it and saw many of her photographs, letters and some old family and baby photographs.
She looked at him, seeing all that.
"You know what these are??" Shehzad asked coming to her, "These are some of the memories I treasure in my life...memories of the only two ladies who are closest to my heart!! One-my sister Shahzana and the other one; the love of my life...you - Aysha Sheikh!!!"
Aysha gave a shocked look hearing that and stood up from the bed.
"I know what you must be thinking...Shehzad came here to marry my sister...that too claiming that he loves her..." Shehzad said, "The truth is...I never ever loved any other girl other than you in my life, as my life partner!!!"
Aysha was dumbstruck hearing that, while Shehzad clutched her towards him, "Aysha, you remember, a guy misbehaved with you in college during your 1st year?? The next day he came to you and apologized...remember?? It was because of me!!"
Aysha listened to everything with a shocked face, while Shehzad added, "Every Sunday you used to receive a Marigold Flower Bouquet at your home via courier, I did that!! Every time you were alone at the Chemistry Lab after college hours, I used to stay in college till you left home...It wasn't stalking, but the sense of security I felt over you...due to the love I had for you!!!"
Shehzad left the hold, while Aysha couldn't help but believe all these words, and she wondered how much someone has loved her too; where she thought her to be such a bore.
Shehzad sat at the bed, looking at the loose photographs on the bed, and said, "I knew already that you were in love with your distant cousin Ayaan. It did create a pain in my heart, but somewhere I wished - that selfish heart of mine wished that something happens and I get you in my life...but trust me, I never fell for any other girl even after knowing that chances are less for me to get you in my life...even while I knew Mehwish is in love with me for 8 long years!!"
Aysha was stunned and surprised to listen to that, while Shehzad nodded his head at her, "Yeah...in fact this anonymous romance idea rose up in my head from her only. She only tried this with me since college days. But I never let her know that I am aware of her love, because all she is going to face is rejection, and I don't want to see her sad. As I said, my heart is filled with just two ladies - one my sister and other one you; whom I thought would replace the void of my deceased mother!!"
Aysha was moved hearing it and had tears in her eyes, while she looked at him and asked, "Then why did you come here posing as..."
"...your sister Saima's lover??" Shehzad asked, while Aysha looked at him expectantly for an answer.
"I was hired to come that way...to save my sister from your sister!!"
Shehzad noted the slip of tongue from his mouth, while he immediately corrected it, "I mean...save Zoya whom I consider as my sister, from your sister Saima!!"
"What?? Save Zoya Bhaabhi from Saima Baaji??" asked Aysha with a confused look, and Shehzad nodded his head in agreement.
*** Zoya suddenly woke up from her sleep, and she wiped her face and looked outside the room. She then noticed the dupatta over her, and took it in her hand.
Asad was working at the office table next to the bed, while Zoya got up from the bed and asked him, "Shehzad Bhaijaan had come here??"
Asad looked at her, and removed his glasses, and came to her, "Yes. He had come here, to give this dupatta to you."
"Ohhh..." Zoya wondered and gave a confused look and looked at the dupatta too with a thoughtful face, while Asad stroked her hair and asked her, "What happened Jaan??"
"Asad, I saw a dream just now. Shehzad Bhaijaan yeah...he is coming to me and telling me that he knows the biggest secret of my life and he wants me to meet my Ammi and takes me to my home. But instead of my Ammi I find another lady in her room, and she is wearing this same dupatta. I have never seen that face before, but it seemed so familiar. She then tells me that no danger will touch me, my husband or my kid, till my brother is there and to never part ways with him, and points him to me. But before I saw him, I woke up suddenly in a jerk..."
Asad was quietly listening to it, while thought over it too.
"What does this dream mean Asad??" asked Zoya with an innocent look, "I have never seen such a dream till now. Who was that lady...that brother...and what secret does Shehzad Bhaijaan know...and..."
Asad sat opposite her on the bed, and cupped her face, while Zoya looked at him.
"Zoya, relax!! It's just a dream. We often get such complicated dreams which are far from reality. So just relax, okay?? You now sleep peacefully okay??"
Zoya nodded her head, and she said him with a puppy face, "You too sleep nah..."
Asad smiled and switched off the table lamp and lied down next to her, while Zoya hugged him and slept on his chest, while Asad stroked her hair and caressed her face softly.
Zoya went off to sleep, while Asad was buried in deep thoughts.
*** Aysha was sitting with a shocked face in Shehzad's room, while Shehzad was standing at the balcony and looking at her.
"I have said you everything now. You believe or not...this is your sister's reality!! She is a serpent covered in a cow's skin. I want to expose her from her own mouth itself to Asad and save Zoya from her venomous sight. But being outsiders, me, Tannu and Mehwish are helpless, and we can't simply come and accuse your family member. At the same time, she is a skilled player too; just imagine while she could use your Ammi to play for her, and escape from the blame when she was caught, she can do anything!!"
Aysha was sitting silently in thoughts, while he added, "We somehow wanted to know her every move and stop her from harming Zoya and that's the reason I came here. As it was obvious, she wants to eliminate me from this house. But I want to expose her before that. I don't know how, but I need to do it soon."
Shehzad looked at a quiet Aysha and came to her, "But I never expected that I would see you in this house, that too as Saima's sister." Aysha looked up at him, while Shehzad said with a teary face, "I just wanted to bring you out of Ayaan's memories and express my feelings to you. I agree the way I did might be wrong, but my intentions weren't. But before even enquiring the reality, you jumped into conclusions...that you disgraced my love and my upbringing too!!"
Aysha shook her head in denial with a regretful look, and before she said something, Shehzad stopped her and moved back.
"No need!!" Shehzad said and turned his face from her, "I have lost hopes of winning your heart. It's okay...God has never given me the boon of living with my loved ones, be it my parents, my sister...now you!! It's okay...I will never ever come in front of your eyes hereafter, nor will I talk to you and disturb you too. Just do me one favor if possible!!"
Aysha looked at him, while Shehzad said, "Let me be in this house till I expose Saima. I will leave immediately after that. But if you think what all I said was cooked up stories, go ahead and tell about me to all. I will be happy to get kicked out by the one whom I love so much after my family...after all...that's what...that's what I am destined to...live the...live the life of an orphan...when I have seen...my...I don't want anyone!!!"
Shehzad rushed inside the washroom, locked the door and broke down, while Aysha stood quietly there with tears and looked at all the photos at the bed.
She opened the door and walked towards her room in slow steps, while Shehzad's words were ringing in her mind.
Shehzad was sitting at the washroom floor, with the shower on and was in tears.
"I can't handle this much pain Ammi...I am tired now!!"
"Zindagi ne zindagi bhar gham diye Jitne bhi mausam diye sab nam diye"
"No one is there to even comfort me that everything will be alright...I don't have anyone with me Ammi...why did you and Abbu leave me like this...you could have taken me too with you right??" Shehzad broke down.
"Jab tadapta hai kabhi, apna koi Khoon ke aansoo, rula de bebasi
Jee ke phir karna kya mujko aisi zindagi"
"I finally found your daughter Ammi...our Shahzana...but I am cursed that even now I can't embrace her...and then I find another pain...Aysha, whom I thought I can express myself to her and wait till she loves me...she insulted me to the core today Ammi...I never attempted to even force her to love me and would have left without disturbing her if she had said she hates me at least...but...I have lost everything Ammi...I feel lost...!!"
"Apne bhi pesh aayen, humse ajnabee Waqt ki saazish, koi samjha nahin.
Jab mili mujhko aansoo ke woh taufey de gayi"
On the other hand, Aysha was in her rocking chair, with closed eyes recalling her confrontation with Shehzad, and his teary eyed face disturbed her, and she opened her eyes quickly.
She was lost in thoughts and rocked in her chair slowly.
*** Next day at AAN Interior Designs,
"What happened Saima? You have come to office all of a sudden??" Asad asked with a smile at his cabin, while Saima sat opposite him.
"Well...it something serious Asad. That's why I decided to come to office itself, directly" Saima said with a gloomy look.
"Why?? What happened??"
"Asad, these days I am not happy with Shehzad's rapport with me...I mean...I don't even get time to talk to Shehzad these days. How would I get time, when he is...he is always with Zoya!!"
Asad gave a frowned look hearing that.
"Asad, Zoya might be behaving like a sister with Shehzad, but we can't be sure Shehzad too might be behaving like that yeah??" asked Saima, while Asad listened silently. "People might mistake this proximity...and the fact that Shehzad spends more time with Zoya these days than you!! Even yesterday...when I asked Shehzad why is he not spending time with me...he is telling me that these days, he enjoys the time being spent with Zoya than me. Just imagine how I would have felt!!"
Asad was taken aback hearing that and was disturbed while Saima noticed the change of expression in Asad's face and smiled. She added, "I just felt like telling this to you Asad, that's it. You didn't mistake me right??" asked Saima, while Asad shook his head in denial.
"Not at all Saima!! You said me some things at the very right time...I should thank you only...I will take care from now!"
Saima had a victorious smile, and walked out, while Asad rolled his paper-weight and was in thoughts, as he looked at Zoya's photo in his table. He caressed her face in the photo with a smile, and dialed a number on his phone.
"Shehzad, I need to talk to you!!" Asad said and cut the call, while he got up and tightened his tie, and walked out.
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Edited by --Aishwarya-- - 9 years ago
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