Warmth
'Uncle?', Noor spoke into the phone, as she sat in a cafe.
'Noor beta?', Rashid spoke, instantly worried why she called her. 'Everything okay? You both okay?'
'We're fine, uncle. I need some help from you actually', Noor said as she played with the spoon om the table.
'You know you can ask me anything in this world, right?', Rashid replied smiling.
'I know'. He had always been like a second father to her, Noor thought. 'Actually, can you please somehow get me an apointment to meet someone? An industrialist!'
'Sure. Who and when?'
'Today. Asad Ahmed Khan!'
Silence.
Noor bit her lip and closed her eyes. She knew this silence would come over as soon as she had called. But only he could help her with this. And he had to, it was for Najma.
'Why?', Rashid replied, his voice suddenly seeming stiff.
'I am thinking to do an internship', Noor lied. 'So thats why'.
'Beta', Rashid replied, in a low tone. 'Why him?'
'He's the best industrailist in the country, uncle', she replied honestly.
'I'l see what I can do', Rashid replied before hanging up.
'Thank you uncle', Noor replied, sighing happily.
This was the last thing he needed. To get her daughter's best friend an appointment to meet his son, who hated him like anything. He threw his head back and closed his eyes, punching the speed dial and placing his phone near his ear.
'I need you to get an appointment at the Dislhaad Industries for today', he spoke into the phone. 'Use a different caller ID'.
**
'Sir, the clients are here', an employee informed Asad.
'Send them to the conference room', Asad replied, picking up his coat and putting it on.
Punching his phone he waited for him to recieve.
'Ayaan, come to the conference room, quick!'
Hanging up, he walked out of his cabin, placing a hand near his face as he passed by Zoya's cabin. She must not see him just like this. She must not.
**
'Whats all the noise about?', Zoya asked her new friend.
'Oh, the boss is going to meet some new clients', Akshay informed.
'Wow. Who accompanies him?'
'His punch bag', Akshay replied snorting.
'What?', Zoya asked feeling weird at the curt reply. 'Punch bag? Is the boss really that bad?'
'Oh he treats Ayaan like a slave!'
Zoya stared at Akshay, shocked. Ayaan? Did he just say Ayaan? Ayaan couldn't be here, right? He worked for Asad Ahmed Khan. Not AAK.
That was when it hit her. AAK.
'Asad Ahmed Khan', she whispered to herself, her body turning stiff.
'Yeah, that dude', Akshay chuckled.
Zoya felt her whole body rising with anger. How could Ayaan do this? He knew how much she hated Asad Ahmed Khan. Why did he get her a job here? How could she do this? She couldn't work here. Not with him around!
'Where is Ayaan?', she asked, her lips pursed, as she stoood up.
'Uh, headed towards the conference room?', Akshay replied, getting up from the chair awkwardly.
Zoya marched right out of the cabin, heading towards the main hall to look for Ayaan. She would not leave him. How could he do this to her? She had trusted him. She had to resign from this place, she just couldn't work here under that man.
**
Ayaan collected his files and hung his laptop bag on his shoulders and made his way towards the conference room. He hated meetings, he thought.
He had just walked out of his cabin, when he felt a tight push, making him fall flat on his face.
'I'm so sorry man, you okay?', the man who bumped into Asad asked.
'Yeah, I'm okay!', Ayaan replied getting up, forcing a smile.
Just when he picked up the file from the floor, he got the biggest shock of his life. The papers were damaged. He looked on the food to find water all over it and then his gaze went back to the papers. He was dead. The meeting starts in minutes and he has no data anymore. Asad Ahmed Khan would kill him.
'This can't be happening!', he spoke as he tried drying the papers, ending up tearing them.
'Ayaan!', he heard a female voice from behind.
He turned back to see her. Her usually calm face, had turned red. Her eyes showed the hurt from betrayal, he could tell. He couldn't believe his luck.
'Not now', he whispered to himself.
'How could you, Ayaan?', Zoya asked him, hurt evident in her eyes. 'How could you think I would ever work for Asad Ahmed Khan?'
'Zoya please, not right now!'
'I'm leaving this place this instant! You broke my trust, Ayaan! I hate you!'
This was the worst day, he thought. He had really upset her. He didn't know she would found out like this. Plus, he had bigger problems. The lion waiting for him in his den, papers destroyed, Zoya wanting to leave this place when he has instructions to not let that happen.
'I'm out of here!', Zoya yelled as she turned on her heel to leave,
'I will be too if you go right now!', he yelled after her.
And just like he had thought, she turned around facing him again, confusion lacing her features perfectly. She looked cute with that scrunching nose, he thought.
'What do you mean?', she asked, furious.
'Asad Ahmed Khan will kick me out of here!', he replied showing her the wet, torn papers. 'We both will be out on streets, Zoya!'
Zoya stood there stumped. What was going on? She looked at the papers, they were destroyed. But what did that have to do with her? It wasn't her fault.
'Listen!', Ayaan said in a low tone, pulling her inside his cabin. 'For me to present this case, I need drawn maps! But you could present it without it, with just the written data which I still have in my laptop!'
Zoya could not believe Ayaan. Did he really expect her to go inside there? With Asad? What was he thinking?
'Are you mad, Ayaan?', Zoya hissed. 'I'm not going near him!'
'Stop it Zoya!', Ayaan let out frustrated. 'It was one night, one mistake! Let it go!'
'Easy for you to say!', Zoya retorted, her eyes welling up. 'Easy for someone who has never seen that wrath to say!'
Ayaan knew what we would say now would break her, but this was important. For her safety and for everyone's betterment.
'By law you are registered to this firm', he spoke. 'If you leave today itself, you will be owing the company an ammount you do not have!'
Zoya stared at him, tears cascading down her face. The one man she had thought to be nice was not what she had thought. He was just like them. Ruthless and cold.
'You will have to do this task, Zoya, you have no other option!'
**
'Here you go', he said shoving some money into the man's hands, smiling. 'Job well done! The papers are well destroyed'.
'Asad and Ayaan are definitely not going to be working buddies anymore!', he sneered to himself. 'And my task of taking away the girl, well easy as ABC!'
His menacing chuckle was heard by no one, but to his own ears, he knew they meant victory.
**
'Where the hell are you, Ayaan?!', Asad barked into the phone, standing outside the conference hall.
'Sir, I won't be presenting', Ayaan simpy stated.
'What?', Asad asked stumped. The gufs of the man! 'Are you out of your mind?!'
He heard someone clear their throat but he ignore.
'Ayaan, you better come-', he continued into the phone before he got cut off once again.
'Sir', he heard a female voice ever so low making him turn.
He almost gasped noisily seeing the last person he had expected standing in front of him, clutching onto a laptop bag instead hanging it on her shoulders. Her eyes downcast, but she looked beautiful. Absolutely stunning, he thought before he mentally slapped himself.
But why wasn't she surprised? Why was she here? Did Ayaan already tell her?
'Zoya?', he said surpised.
'Miss Farooqui, sir', Zoya curtly replied, looking at him straight in the eyes, shocking him more.
Zoya was having a hard time looking at him in the eye. It weakened her, she didn't know why, but it did. But she would be damned if she let anyone rule her life now. She was done living her life according to how people wished her to. This man wanted her to be afraid of him? She wouldn't let him be satisfied.
'I'm suppose to deliver the presentation', Zoya replied, her insides churning.
Asad guided her inside the conference hall, his mind not progressing anything. She was here, why? What happened to Ayaan? Why wasn't she reacting seeing him? Her eyes seemed puffy. Why? So many questions, but none related to the presentation.
'Sorry for the delay, Mr. Mehta', Asad began as he entered the conference hall. 'Shall we begin?'
Zoya saw the three men nod. She had never been this nervous and scared in her life. She was standing with a man she hated, and on her first day of work she was supposed to give a presentation on something she haven't even read? Why did Asad Ahmed Khan agree to take her in? Why didn't he ask any questions?
'So as you all know, our company figures aren't so well but..', Asad begin as Zoya started taking notes.
She was impressed. Another side of this man, she thought. Her eyes scanned him from head to toe. Not a single sign of nervousness, not a single sign of distress. No vulnerability, no nothing. In this room, the man was fully in control.
The images of him on his knees, calling to his mother while he cried came into her mind before she instantly blocked them out, a gasp leaving her mouth at the intenisty of her flashback and the calmness of the present.
He heard her gasp, his attention completely moving towards hers while no one else in the room had noticed.
'You okay, Zo-Miss Farooqui?', he inquired.
Zoya awkwardly nodded, embarrasssed.
She saw how he ever so easily begin talking to the men again, so expertly. His body language was perfect, she thought blushing suddenly at her double meaning thought. She slapped herself mentally for thinking such things.
'You hate him', she told herself.
'..the area, the site and why you should choose it will be presented to you by Miss. Farooqui', he annouced, motioning her to come forward.
Zoya's heart started beating wildly against her chest. She gulped. She had no experiences in this before. She had been a topper in her university true. But it had been quite some time since she had last seen her books. Or last studied.
She wasn't sure if she imagined or did Asad Ahmed Khan really shut his eyes gently looking at her, as if encouraging her.
'I-I am here to, I-', Zoya began stammering as she walked in to the front of the projector.
Asad could tell she was sweating as her sweat beads on her forehead were visible under the projector light.
'The site, its, uhh, I mean-', she stuttered once again, as she felt a lump inside her throat.
'Is this a joke, Mr. Khan?', one of the men spoke looking at Asad. 'Your presentor can hardly speak!'
Asad looked at Zoya. He could see she was looking down again, her hands fidgeting with her blazer. For the first time, he felt bad. He felt bad for an employee.
'Please Mr. Mehta, she is new!', Asad spoke. 'Ms. Farooqui, please continue'.
Zoya swallowed hard to get rid of the lump. And closing her eyes once again, she tried again.
'This site, its very good for the company bec-because its good', she said feeling stupid suddenly.
'Asad, what is this?', the man once again spoke. 'Get her out of here, and give us a real presentation!'
Asad wanted to punch the man in his face. He walked in front of the men again, standing besides Zoya, in front of the projector.
'Please sir, give her a chance!', Asad spoke, his jaws clenched.
'We aren't here for your employee demos, Mr. Khan!', the man spoke. 'We want a serious presentation or the deal is off!'
Asad heard Zoya sniff. That was it. That was all he could take and he simply did wha his heart told him to do. Something, he never imagined of doing.
He held Zoya's hand, behind the table, where no one could see. He felt her stiffen, trying to make him let go. But he didn't.
'Ms. Farooqui, presentation please!', Asad ordered in his firm voice.
Zoya was confused. The hand hold made her want to scream, run away for a second but then she suddenly felt the whole room feel much more spacious. She suddenly felt the lump in her throat go away and she felt her body regain its formal posture.
'Sirs, this site is very good for our business', Zoya tried once again. 'Due to the resources nearby. The transport system, the connecting highway...'.
Zoya continued the presentation, surprisng herself, her hand still in Asad's. She could feel her heartbeat still rising, but this time not due to nervousness. But something else.
His touch.
But his touch made her feel better. Comforted her, gave her strength. And one most important thing, it made her never want to give up. On anything.
Asad smiled throughout the presentation, cluctching on to her hand gently now as she no longer protested, listening to her speak confidently. She was amazingly talented, that was for sure. It made him want to know so much more about her.
But for now, he just wanted this moment to last forever. Her hand in his, and her not running away, screaming, or being afraid. Just letting it be.
A/N:
Okay guys, I was really upset with a few things. First, except 3-4 people, none remembered Ashar. 😔 The scar wala guy, i mentioned his name was Ashar. And many times in the FF, ive mentioned Ashar is Zoya's brother. Its okay if you guys frogot. Ab yaad rakhna 😆
Secondly, I appreciate your love for this FF, i love you for that. But please, sending me pm's abusing me for making Ayan fall for Zoya, thats not nice. I have made it clear through my notes time and again, Zoya Ayaan track won't happen, but Ayaan is falling for Zoya, that is true. You guys have to trust me. Abusing me and threatening me to report my FF, it won't do you any good. You people know who you are. STOP IT! Its not nice!
Rest of you guys, I LOVE YOU ALL! 🤗 thankyou for the lovely feedbacks. Please leave feedbacks for this chap too! ❤️
P.S i never send pm's right away. I'm mega lazy. 😆 so if you don't recieve a pm and reach here, please don't think I didn't pm just you. I didn't pm anyone 🤣 pm's will be sent later.
Edited by -ElmoFuj- - 12 years ago
Debate Mansion
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