SS: For You I Will - COMPLETE Page 14 - Page 4

CHAPTER FOUR

Asad stalks out of the tiny, cluttered factory office and heads for the door with Ravi close on his heels.

"Mr. Khan, there is no reason for you to look around my factory," Ravi says. "I've already told you that our process and product are of excellent quality."

"Your assurances aren't enough." Asad snaps. "I will judge for myself when your father arrives." He stops to face Ravi. "I'm not leaving here until I get to the bottom of this."

Ravi stands very straight. "My word is good. I will personally check every step of our process. If I find any problems, I'll have them fixed immediately. There is no need to bring my father into this."

Asad leans into Ravi. "My reputation is based on the quality of my work. Your poor product compromises my good name. No one damages my reputation and gets away with it."

"If there is a problem with your work, it's not because of my product," Ravi insists.

Asad ignores him to walk out of the factory. He looks over to the car then around at the empty dirt yard. Zoya is nowhere to be seen.

"Musibat," he mutters. "Where are you?"

"You bloody bitch," a man yells. "Let go!"

Zoya's angry reply is just as loud. "No, I won't!"

Asad looks around again. The man's voice rises as his insults become more vicious and threatening. Asad sprints around to the back of the factory, to the sound of Zoya's scream. He runs into the shanty town to find her on the dirty ground, both hands holding onto the man's belt. The man holds the belt from the other end. They struggle and he finally wrenches it free. The man raises the belt to hit her again.

He is so focused on punishing Zoya that he doesn't see Asad until Asad yanks the belt away from him. The man whips around to Asad and backhands him. Asad's head jerks from the impact but he remains on his feet. The man curls his hand into a fist, aiming for Asad's stomach. Asad catches his fist and twists it around the man's back. He kicks the back of the man's knee and brings him crashing, face-first, into the filthy ground. Still holding the man's twisted arm, Asad digs his knee into the man's spine.

"Don't even think about striking her," Asad snarls.

"Hafez!" Ravi comes to a stop beside Asad, breathing heavily. "What's going on here?"

"That's what I want to know." Asad grinds his knee into Hafez's spine again before he lets him go.

Asad backs away and holds out his hand to Zoya. She shows him her hands are covered in mud and filth. He shakes his outstretched hand impatiently so she allows him to pull her to her feet. Her jeans are dirty and her hair is messy but she takes a deep breath and composes herself.

"What happened?" Asad's face is rigid, his breathing harsh.

"I don't know." Zoya shakes her head. "I was just being friendly to the children. I offered them my jalebiyan. They brought me back here then that man appeared. He started hitting them and whipping the women." Tears spill out of her eyes. "I couldn't let him beat them. Not because of me. I didn't mean any harm."

"Musibat," Asad sighs, more resigned than angry. "Why didn't you stay in the car? Did he hurt you?"

Zoya looks away. "No, not me."

Asad narrows his eyes at her as she refuses to meet his gaze. Then he looks around at the filth and misery. It is very still and quiet, the women and children hidden in their small shacks. Hafez gets up and limps over to Ravi. Hafez's eyes shoot darts of hatred towards Zoya. Asad shifts so she's hidden behind him, out of Hafez's sight and reach.

"Is this your idea of excellent quality?" Asad directs the question to Ravi.

Ravi's mouth opens and closes several times as he looks around. Finally he straightens his shoulders and faces Asad.

"I'm shocked, absolutely shocked," Ravi says. "I didn't know about any of this."

"You didn't know about this?" Asad's mouth curls in disgust. "So your eyesight and ability to smell are as bad as your business sense?"

Ravi's mouth opens and closes but he says nothing.

"What kind of a decent man does this?" Asad demands. "Look at this place. No one living here could have the health and energy to do such demanding work. No wonder your quality has fallen so badly."

Zoya leans close to Asad. "Mr. Khan, there's not just men working in the factory," she whispers in his ear. "The women and even the children have raw hands. They all work here."

"What?" Asad grabs Ravi's shirt and yanks him closer. "You have women and children working in there? I'll report you to the authorities."

"No, no," Ravi shakes his head wildly. "I told you I didn't know about this. I'll fix this. I will. Please come inside. I promise I'll take care of this."

Asad releases him. Ravi stumbles back. His white shirt has a dirty handprint from where Asad grabbed him. Very deliberately Asad wipes his hand across the front of Ravi's shirt, leaving a trail of muck on the white cotton.

"I'm not interested in discussing anything with you." Asad turns away from him. "Your father had better take care of this ' or else."

He takes Zoya's arm and she winces. Asad releases her and his mouth tightens into a thin line.

"Did he hurt you?" he demands again.

Zoya looks past Asad to Hafez then to the silent shanty. Pushpa pokes her head out of her shack, behind Hafez's back, and looks at Zoya with frightened, pleading eyes. Zoya looks back to Asad.

"I'm fine," she says, meeting his gaze.

Asad's mouth stays tight but he doesn't argue with her. He cups her elbow and guides her back to the car. Ravi and Hafez follow them, Ravi scolding Hafez in a loud, angry voice, Hafez still limping from the blow to his knee. Asad tries to help Zoya into the car but she resists.

She carefully holds her hands out, away from Asad. "Will you please get me the wipes? I need to clean up or I'll dirty your car."

"Never mind the car," Asad's voice is impatient and strained. "I'll have it cleaned when we get home."

"Please, Mr. Khan. I can't stand the smell. Who knows what's on my clothes. And what about you?" Her eyes fill with tears. "If I can't stand it, how are you going to bear the smell all the way home?"

Asad releases his breath on a sharp hiss. His mouth remains tight as he complies with her request. Zoya cleans her hands then tries to wipe away some of the muck on her jeans. Asad takes a wipe for himself as he studies Ravi and Hafez who are talking near the factory door. He turns back to Zoya and gently touches her upper arm. Immediately she jerks it away.

"He did hurt you, didn't he?" His voice is dangerously low.

"Mr. Khan, I'm fine," she insists. "But those poor people back there ' they're not. They're sick, starved and so scared. They have so many bruises. I think Hafez beats them." The tears overflow her eyes. "Even the children. Mr. Khan, you have to do something to help them."

"Don't worry," he soothes. "Mr. Gill will be here in a few minutes. He'll take care of this."

"How can you be sure?" Zoya's tears fall even faster. "Pushpa's mother could barely stand but Hafez still whipped her. He even hit Pushpa. She couldn't be more than five or six years old. What kind of a man hurts a little child?"

"No real man would. That's the act of a coward." Asad turns to glare at Hafez. "I should have beaten him down when I had the chance."

"No, Mr. Khan." She squeezes his arm to bring his attention back to her. "That isn't the answer. These people need food, medicine and clean homes. They're already scarred by Hafez's beatings. What good would it do to show them more violence? They already know about pain."

Asad looks down to her hand on his arm. She releases him and hurriedly pulls out another wipe.

"Did I get you dirty?" She inspects his jacket sleeve.

He plucks the wipe out of her hand and uses it to clean away her tears. "I'll take care of this. I've known Mr. Gill for years. He's an honorable man. I'll make sure he does the right thing."

Zoya gives him a trembling smile and nods. "I know you will," she whispers. "Thank you, Mr. Khan."

They share a long, steady look. They are interrupted when Ravi comes up to them.

"Mr. Khan, I've spoken with Hafez," Ravi says. "I've let him know that his behavior and the conditions here are not acceptable. We'll take care of this right away. In fact, he has started now."

Asad turns to face him. "I'll make sure of it. I'm withholding payment until I have proof that your quality and conditions have improved. Your father and I will discuss the details when he arrives."

"Mr. Khan, I'm in charge of this factory." Ravi's voice is high and tight. "My father does not need to be involved in this."

"I think he does." Asad crosses his arms. "He'll be here shortly."

Ravi looks past Asad to Zoya. Asad shifts so that she's hidden behind him. Ravi looks around the empty lot then sighs.

"Very well." Ravi's shoulders slump. "Please come inside and we'll wait for my father in my office."

Asad nods. He turns back to Zoya. "Come with me."

Zoya resists. "What about me causing a riot among the traditional men working here?"

"I'll deal with them." He takes her elbow again, carefully avoiding her arm. "I can't afford to let you get into anymore trouble."

"No." She pulls free. "You can't waste any effort on me. I'm a strong girl. I can take care of myself. Those women and children cannot. They need you to help them. Please."

"Musibat." Asad's jaw is tight but he nods in agreement. "Alright. Will you be okay until I get back?"

She nods vigorously. "Yes, I'll be fine." She squeezes his arm with both hands. "Please, please do everything you can for those poor people. They need you."

Asad nods again. He jerks his head to Ravi, who is standing near the door. Ravi hangs his head as he leads Asad into his tiny, dark office. Asad looks around at the overflowing papers, used food wrappers and stained tea glasses littering every surface.

"This place is almost as bad as that shanty town out back," he comments.

Ravi's face flushes with color but he doesn't speak.

Asad looks at his watch. "When will your father be here? It's nearly 2:00. He's normally very punctual."

"I'll call him." Ravi pulls out his phone and presses a preset key.

His call lasts for only a few seconds before he disconnects. Then he smiles at Asad, Ravi's head now held high, his shoulders straight and defiant.

Asad barely glances at him. "Were you unable to connect your call?"

"Oh, my call connected alright." Ravi's smile is cold and malicious. "Now it's time for you to make a call." He holds out his cell phone. "Call my father and tell him everything is fine here. I have his number preset on my phone."

Asad snorts in disgust. "I will not. I won't let a scoundrel like you get away with abusing those people and damaging my reputation."

"Yes, you will." Ravi continues to hold out his cell phone. "If you don't, you won't get your precious little musibat back. That is what you call her, isn't it?" He sighs dramatically. "I'd love to have such a beautiful and sexy woman causing me trouble."

Asad freezes. "What did you do to her?"

Ravi shrugs. "I haven't done anything ' yet. Don't worry. She'll be just fine as long as you do exactly what I say."

Asad stares at him for a second then runs out of the factory to the dirt lot. His car is still running, the door wide open, Zoya's tablet computer and purse lay on the front seat but Zoya isn't there. The ground is scuffed and thrown about, littered with used antiseptic wipes, now muddy from being stepped on and partially buried in the dirt, and the package of unused wipes. Asad looks around frantically but the area is silent and deserted.

"She's not here." Ravi, now full of confidence, strolls over to him. "She's gone and you don't know where to find her. However, if you ask very nicely, I'll give her back to you. But first," he holds up his cell phone, "you have to make that call."

Ravi gives him a wide, smug smile as Asad snatches the phone from him. Asad's face is set and expressionless as he brings the phone to his ear.

"Mr. Gill? This is Asad Ahmed Khan," he says through gritted teeth. "There is no need for you to come out here. I've already been in the factory with your son. Everything is fine."

Asad listens to Mr. Gill's response while Ravi makes a show of trying to wipe Asad's dirty handprint off his shirt.

"I've had an emergency come up and need to leave immediately," Asad continues, still glaring at Ravi. "I cannot stay here to meet you. I'm sorry to cancel at the last minute."

Asad snaps the phone shut and throws it at Ravi. The younger man winces when it hits him but catches his phone.

"I've made your call. Now where is she?" Asad demands.

"My shirt is dirty," Ravi eyes Asad's hand-tailored suit and silk shirt. "Yours is very nice. Why don't you give me your shirt?"

Asad grabs Ravi's neck with both hands and slams him against the wall. Ravi grunts from the impact.

"This isn't a joke." Asad shakes Ravi. "I've made your call. Now give her back before I wring your neck like the scrawny little chicken you truly are."

"You can't bully me." Ravi struggles but he can't break Asad's hold. "And now you've made me mad. You need to learn who's in charge here. You'll get her back when I'm done with her."

"Done with her?" Asad tightens his grip until Ravi begins to choke for breath. "Listen to me, you spoiled brat. If anything happens to her, I will not spare you. You got what you wanted. Give her back to me ' now."

Ravi looks around the deserted lot then at the fury in Asad's eyes. He tries to speak but Asad's choke hold is so tight that he can only grunt. Asad throws him to the ground. Ravi crawls away, gasping for breath. He uses the factory door to help himself stand upright.

"You'you can't order me around," he gasps, rubbing his sore throat. "I'm in charge here."

Asad advance on him. Ravi darts inside the factory before Asad can catch him. The door latch snaps into place. Asad throws his weight against the door but he can't force it open. He pounds on the door with both fists.

"Where is she?" he howls. "Where is she?"

Author's Note: All mistakes are mine and made accidentally. This story is not intended to hurt anyone's feelings, culture or beliefs. Next update is on Sunday night (New York time).

Res

Unres

OMG!!!😲 First of all Hafez try to hurt Zoya and then attack Asad too.

Ravi was involved in the bad quality of products😲

Ravi is evil😡 He kidnapped Zoya and is now daring to hurt her!!!😡Disgusting😡

Dare he try to hurt her, Asad will rip his skin off. How can he even think that!!

The whole update put me on the edge of my seat. A total shocker and amazing😃😳

I'm in love with your writing. Too good girl. You write it so flawlessly. I'm loving it😉

Update soon and can you send me PMs when you update??

Love,

Diya