oOo
The faint sound of her anklets and bangles jingled in his ears. He looked at the table watch next to his bed and saw it was 12:00 a.m. He smiled and woke up from his bed. He had waited for this night to arrive from the past one year. Exactly on this day last year, he had lost everything. He had lost his life. Not because of fate or her fault. His ego was too bloated to accept the fact that she had left because of him, not because she was jealous. It was a similar night of their 1 year anniversary, he couldn't wipe that memory out of his brain.
She waited for him to return from his shoot. It wasn't easy being the wife of the biggest businessman in India. He would go out for weeks, months together but when he would return, she would be right there waiting for him. He really was a stunner, a hardworking man! She blushed thinking about how they had fallen in love and even against the wishes of his family he had married her. Life with him was like a dream..or even better! Because he loved her to no end. Even though she couldn't communicate with him. Yes, she was mute.
But he never let her disability come between their relationship. If she had to say something, he would guess it even before she would start explaining through sign language. Initially it was a little difficult but then they got along. He was Asad Ahmed Khan! The great Asad Ahmed Khan! And during an event in Bhopal, he had met her. As he came to know her and her flaws, he realized that she was the one he wanted to spend his life with.
The buzz about Asad Ahmed Khan getting married spread like wildfire. Specially the fact that he was marrying a girl named Zoya, who was mute. He knew his decision was final. His family and friends had tried to coax him into moving back about his decision but he just wouldn't. Because he loved her, that's all he knew.
As she heard the door unlock and him enter the room, a bubble burst in her heart. His mere presence would capture her heart and make it pound madly. That's what he did to her. Her smile was soon replaced by a frown as she realized he was drunk. It was common for businessmen to drink and all. But she had told him not to because she had lost her parents in an accident where her father was drunk and his mother had to give up her life too. It was just an advice she had placed forward, never imposed anything on him. In the beginning he was okay, but as soon as the stardom and limelight got to him, he went astray. Him coming home drunk, not talking to her like earlier, going to parties, etc was a common thing for her. But tonight was their first wedding anniversary and she was sure today she would work her charms on him.
In spite of his stale breath, she came forward to him and hugged him. He was taken back a little but hugged her back none the less.
"You're beautiful, Tanveer.." As soon as those words left his mouth she twitched under his hold. She broke apart and stared at him. She was sure she heard a different name.
He looked at her questioning eyes. He recollected his words and sighed loudly, gripping his head in his hands. "Uhh..I need sometime to rest. Can we talk later?"
He moved towards the bed but she held his arm and he was forced to turn. He saw her pain filled eyes and her hand moving asking him 'what was that?'
"Juts leave me alone Zoya." He shrugged her off and went to the bed, getting rid of his blazer.
She followed him and hugged him from behind. She had to be strong and at least for tonight, keep they're differences aside. This topic could be solved later.
"Don't you understand what I said? Get the f**k off me!" He yelled at got out of her hold, leaving her stunned.
"What the f**k is your problem? Didn't I say I need some time alone? Have you gone deaf too?! Wasn't it enough that you're mute already!" He screamed.
She froze hearing his words. Her tears were falling freely as his words fell on her ears. Well she hoped she was deaf too. At least she could've saved herself from hearing this. Her worst fears were coming true. He was ignoring her and finally her muteness was getting to him. Her friends were right. He still didn't care.
When he woke up the next morning, regretting his behavior from last night..she was gone. Gone forever..
It feels like yesterday when he had married her and promised to stand by her all his life. What had he been thinking when he thought that if she couldn't communicate with him, they would never have a beautiful relationship? He thought of someone telling him that and his heart clenched in pain. It hurt. So, so bad! And there he had said things to her and cheated on her just because she was mute? She never asked for it.
oOo
"Asad, we need to talk."
"I don't want to talk Lee! I'm not doing this project anymore."
"But we've never had this kind of a project before! An autobiography about you and your life! These people are paying you a fortune and this kind of a story where you marry a mute girl and leave her for a more famous actress is-"
"I didn't leave her for anyone!!!" Asad's voice boomed.
"Fine whatever! The facts point out to that and I cannot ignore them."
"You know what? You're fired. f**king fired! It's because of you I'm here right now! My wife doesn't want to see my face because of all the brain washing and wrong ideas you put in my mind regarding Tanveer and what not! I should've fired you that day itself! Get the f**k out of here!!"
Lee looked at Asad and shot him a look of disgust.
"I may have asked you to sleep with Tanveer to get her father to join in collaboration with you, but I didn't know you'd agree to do it even before you completed a year of marriage with your wife! Have some shame you piece of shit!" Lee spat those spiteful words and left leaving a very heartbroken Asad behind.
oOo
Asad heard the door bell ring and went to answer it. But as he swung open the door, the visitor he saw left him stunned. It was her..
Zoya motioned with her hands whether she could come in. He quickly wiped the stupid smile off of his face and moved aside to let her in.
Zoya entered the house that she once called her own. Their pictures were still hanging in the living room and it made her heart beat faster. She turned around to look at him with a smile. He returned it genuinely.
"How come you're here?" He asked as he settled beside her on the couch.
She looked at him for a couple of seconds, he looked ecstatic. About what? She thought. Without having any other thought evade her mind, she opened her bag and pulled out a few papers. Asad frowned as he placed them in his hands, leaving him mortified as he realized what they were.
"You want a divorce?" He asked in a soft voice, trying very hard to hold back his tears.
Zoya looked down at her lap where her fingers lay entangled with each other. She didn't know how to explain it to him. How to tell him that being called a married woman was becoming a burden for her. She needed to get his name off of her name.
Asad looked at her closely and got up, only to settle down on his knees in front of her. He held her hands in his hands and dared to place a soft kiss on them. She twitched, trying to remove her hands from his hold immediately. But he didn't let her.
"Hear me out. I know it doesn't matter if I say this, but I'm sorry. Sorry for all those promises I made and then broken ruthlessly, all those joys that I gave you and then the tears I replaced them with, all the happiness I gave you before burdening your life with sorrows. If I could go back in time and make that change, I'd give away everything to make this work again. But after these divorce papers today, I realized that you don't deserve this. The pain, the hurt and the infidelity. You didn't deserve any of it. So I won't ask you to take me back. I'm just going to wish you a happy life ahead and let you go. Because I know, even if I do manage to make you stay back with me, I won't deserve you. I won't deserve the happiness and joy that you bestowed upon me every single day of our life. So I'm gonna let you go. For you.."
Zoya looked at the man who was once regarded as God for her. She smiled softly as she realized how matured and wonderfully understanding he had become. She could see the glint of her old Asad in him. But she couldn't do it again, this time she wouldn't be able to handle it. Besides it was too late now.
Zoya smiled and got up. She turned to leave before giving him a letter in his hand. He figured that this was her way of reciprocating to his behavior. He smiled and bid her off, seeing her for the last time in his life.
'Asad,
You've always been a man that I have adored, admired and respected beyond bounds. I had tried every possible way to make this marriage work. But maybe I wasn't abundant somewhere. It was wrong of you to cheat on me, but not wrong of you to call me mute. Because that is what I am. And will always be. I have a very sensitive heart Asad. I know that hasty decision of leaving you that I made was wrong. I should've tried to communicate better with you. Probably get better at sign language or something! But whatever, I was responsible for this relationship failing too. I found someone Asad. Someone who would love me for just being the way I am. The reason I turned up at your doorstep with the divorce papers today was because he wanted me to marry me and I want to spend the rest of my life with him. I don't know why I'm telling you this. Because it'll only hurt you, I know. But I need to do this Asad. I guess a little happiness is something that I could bargain for? I'm sorry for all those unresponsive conversations and all those pent up words that you had which I couldn't respond to. I hope you find someone who will love you just for who you are and you won't hurt her ever.
Goodbye Asad Ahmed Khan. And I do cherish every second of my married life with you. Thank you for making me the happiest woman on earth at least for a while. All the best for your life ahead. I shall send you a card for my wedding with Ayaan, but I'm not sure whether a big shot star like you would grace my small wedding get together. I'll still look forward to seeing you there.
I'll miss you.'
oOo
Wrote this because i was feeling too bad for Zoya in the show anyway! :(
