The guest room in the Khan Villa was being beautifully decorated. Flowers everywhere, fairy lights, and even a warm, fresh pizza sitting on the bed. All these preparations were only for one person.
Zoya.
Asad paced his room back and forth, waiting anxiously for Ayaan's call. Today Zoya would come back. Today he would be able to make it up to her. To beg her for forgiveness. To shower her with all the love she'd been deprived of for the last 3 months.
Today he would begin the journey to rectify his life's hardest decision, and biggest mistake.
The shrill ringing of his Blackberry jolted him out of his revere. He looked down and a teensy smile adorned his lips, as Ayaan's name popped up on the phone's caller ID.
"Hello?" he answered excitedly.
"B-bhaijaan... I, I have t-to, tell you something," Ayaan stuttered.
"Ayaan? Are you okay? Why, are you stuttering?" asked a confused Asad. Wasn't he also waiting anxiously for this day? He could finally be with Humeira. Marry her and make her happy. Then why was he sounding so, so distraught?
"Not like this, I'll come over, in a little while," he insisted. Asad agreed. "Bhaijaan, we made a huge mistake. Humnein theek nahin kya..."
"What do you mean?"
"I'll, I'll explain when I come, Bhaijaan. Allah Hafiz..." Ayaan retorted, and quickly hung up. He couldn't tell his Bhaijaan, that Zoya was gone. Not like this. Not over the phone. He would be distraught. And would need a shoulder to lean to on.
****
An hour later, and Asad was still pacing back and forth in his room, waiting for Ayaan's arrival. What could it be? Had something happened? A million scenarios had gone through his head in the last hour, each more horrifying than the first. All of them had one common factor, that terrorized him.
Zoya.
The truth was, Ayaan had been there for almost thirty minutes. But he didn't have the guts to face his bhaijaan. What they'd done, what he'd done, to Zoya, was unforgivable. And he knew, once Asad found out, he would blame himself.
What should he do?
No. He had to tell him the truth. If Zoya was gone, then he couldn't let his Bhaijaan live with the false hope that she will come back. And moreover, if anyone could find Zoya, if anyone could bring her own from whatever hole she crawled into, it was Asad Ahmed Khan.
Both brothers paced restlessly in their respective spots: Asad in his room, and Ayaan on the outer side of the Khan Villa garden wall.
After endless deliberation, Ayaan decided to clean up his mess. Yes, it's true that both him and Zoya accidentally got married. And it's true that both of them had decided to hide it. But Zoya didn't deserve this. It was HIS idea to appease Haseena Bi, and his only idea to save Nikhat's life.
But looking back on it now, was it really the only way? Couldn't they have tried to reason with Haseena Bi? Couldn't they have tried to talk to the Islamic Community Hall people calmly? Couldn't they have tried to talk to Farhaan, and explain the situation to him? Couldn't they have tried, just once, to ask Zoya, to beg her, to implore her to help them out, to see things form their point of view?
In retrospect, Ayaan realized that they had many other options. And in the whole process, the one person who was neglected the most, besides Humeira, was Zoya. Neglected? Pfft. She was ignored, disrespected, and completely insulted. For a lie...
His head hung low, and his dignity on the floor, Ayaan jumped over the wall, to finally face his Bhaijaan, with the worst news he could give him. He could see Asad through his bedroom window, pacing restlessly, just as he had been a minute ago.
But just as he was about to take a step towards his Bhaijaan's window, the Khan Villa door bell rang. Ayaan stopped. He noticed Asad's ears perk up, and saw him make his way to the living room.
Asad took measured strides to the door. He was hoping it was Ayaan, though he thought it odd that his brother would suddenly choose to use the front door. But when he opened the door, he found a driver.
A driver from the Siddiqui Mansion. And in his hands, were a suitcase and an envelope.
A/N:
Here you go! So who sent that stuff? And will Ayaan still talk to his Bhaijaan?
We shall see! 😆😆😆
You know the drill! Like like like! Comment comment comment! 🤣
But seriously, pretty please comment and like 😳😳😳
Anupamaa
Real Estate
127