Hi guys!😊 I'm back! So this is chapter 5, I now i said this was gonna be the last chapter, but now it turns out I'll need to add another chapter, so there will be a chapter 6. The writing in italic are flashbacks. I don't know if u guys will like this update, coz it didn't really turn out the way I'd expected it to be. But anyways, here goes chapter 5:
Eternal Darkness
"You're fired!", yelled her boss. Zoya stared at him, unable to utter anything, at all. Her eyes slowly started to water, she opened her mouth to try and defend herself, but before she could say anything, the manager handed her some papers and said, "Sign it. You will not work in this company any more, you should know more than well that the forging of self identity is a punishable act by law and we will not make any exceptions, this time. Whatever it may be, the law will deal with you. This is my final decision, just sign the papers and leave, right away." Zoya stared at the papers in her hand. "Con...confirmation for my resignation.", she said out loud, stuttering in between. She kept her eyes fixed on the papers, as if trying to see if the content of it would magically vanish, but obviously no. She bit her lip hard and squeezed her eyes shut, trying to stop herself from breaking down. She opened her eyes again and looked at the papers in her hand, she stifled a sob and reached for her pen. She reluctantly signed the papers and handed it back, over to her boss. He nodded and motioned her to leave, she took deep breath in and turned around and left. She stepped into the elevator and pressed the ground floor button. She was the only one in the elevator, as soon as the doors shut, she broke down, she crouched down to floor of the elevator and cried, she shouted out, sobbing, "I hate you, Asad Ahmed Khan! I hate you!"
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"Sakina, I really need to leave now. I've gotta go meet someone.", said Asad in a frustrated manner. Sakina sighed, irritatedly and asked, "Who? Zoya Farooqui?" A sad didn't know why, but he didn't like the way she said it, it sounded like she was trying to stop him from going. He replied with a slight nod and Sakina flashed him a highly agitated look, "Asad, what's the rush? She is not gonna run away." "The point is, she will! Not that she's gonna run away, she hates me! She'll do everything she can do to stay from me, I know its all my fault, but I can't let her go." Sakina sighed, again and put down her coffee mug on the table, she looked at him and said, "You told me that you'd told her to leave because of who her father is. Gaffur Siddiqui. And now you're trying to rekindle your relationship with the same woman, who's father ruined your ammi's life. Is that the loyalty you hold towards your family?" Sakina knew she'd hit a weak spot, she knew that Asad loved his mother and sister a lot and anyone who dares try to harm them, would have to face the wrath of a lion. She looked at his face expectantly, but to her surprise and shock, Asad flashed her a look of disgust and got up, he gritted his teeth and hissed at her, "And I'd also told you that she didn't even know who her father was until the very same day I knew." He glared at her for a couple of seconds more, before storming out off the house, slamming the door behind him.
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"Umm...Her name is Zaafira Khan. Can I please, have her address?" The receptionist stared at him for a few seconds. He was the same man who'd been asking for a girl named Zoya Farooqui, earlier in the evening, she slowly asked, "Are you related to her?" Asad rubbed his creased forehead and replied, "Can you please, just give me her address?" The receptionist nodded at him, after a few more seconds. She looked through the data on her computer and told him her address. Asad gave her a small smile and said, "Thank you." He walked out of the building and quickly got into his car. He glanced at his watch. "Damn it, its 9.30 already.", he muttered. He turned to the driver and gave him the address, "I need to get there real fast." The driver nodded at him and started the car. Asad sighed and laid his head back against the seat. The evening's events replayed in his mind. His heart throbbed in pain as he remembered Zoya's tear stricken face, yelling at him to leave her alone. Every time he saw her crying, a part of his heart ripped, especially knowing that he was the reason of why, Zoya was so broken. He fished out his phone from his pocket and turned on the screen. He stared at the smiling girl, in his phone, his very own Zoya. He knew more than well that Zoya was now, far from the photo of the girl, on his phone. But he knew more than well, that it was too late too lament on how he'd ruined his own life and Zoya's. After a few minutes, the driver called out to him, "Sir, we've reached." Asad looked at the surrounding, it was just an old apartment with ruined paint work. Asad slowly got out of the car, he took a deep breath in, before approaching the apartment entrance.
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"What is wrong with Asad?! Why the hell is he so crazy about that Zoya?! Hold up! Why do I even care?! His fiancee, his responsibility, so he is bound to feel guilty of hurting her. Its not like he actually loves her or anything, wait...DOES HE?!?!?!" Sakina pulled her hair in frustration, confused out of her mind. She took a deep breath in and flopped down on the sofa, she spoke to herself, "Listen, you stupid girl, Sakina. Zoya is Asad's fiancee and Asad will have some...umm...", she gulped and said the next words grudgingly, "Some feelings towards her. Why should you care, he is only your best friend, he's not your ex." She stopped to check whether she'd composed her mind, but she found the same thoughts smoking in her mind. She grumbled, loudly and laid down flat on the sofa, her face buried in to a pillow. She turned back around, after a couple of minutes and sighed. She told herself, "I wish, I'd told him, when I should have." True enough, Sakina did have feelings for Asad, but she also knew if she let her tongue slip, even by accident, she'd ruin her best friend's life. Even if she was jealous, she couldn't bear to see pain on Asad's face. He was the one who'd helped her up, the one who'd given her a chance to prove herself. If it hadn't been for Asad, she would have probably been living in a slum house. There was no way, she could shatter Asad's happiness, for her sake. She rested her back on the sofa and squeezed her eyes shut, just as she expected, the memories came flooding back.
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3 years ago
"Sakina, listen to me. It doesn't mean that your whole life is lost, just because you lost your parents. I know your relatives aren't by your side, due to your family rift, but do you really think there is no one who can help you? In that case, I'm pretty sure that you don't consider me as a friend. Did you really think I would ever stand and watch you fall?" Sakina looked at Asad with tears in her eyes, she started to say, "But..." She stopped when she realized what Asad was doing, she gasped and said, "Asad! I really don't need this! Why-" Asad cut her short and spoke, "You are not gonna say anything, I'm just doing what a good friend should do. Its my duty." He handed the cheque over, to her. Sakina stared at the piece of paper for a minute, or longer, before reluctantly reaching out to take it. She looked at it a little closer, "50 lakhs?! Asad, I really don't need this!" Asad sighed and replied, "I want you to stand on your own feet. I want you to show your relatives that you don't need their support to survive. Can you do this for me?" Sakina looked up at with gratitude, she found Asad slightly smiling at her, reassuringly. She crashed into Asad's chest and hugged him tightly. She sobbed loudly, into his chest, Asad stroked her head to comfort her and after a while she pulled away. She looked at Asad and said "Thank you, Asad."
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And that was the last time she'd seen him. She'd left the house quietly, after that. She knew Asad would stop her from going, if she informed him. But she needed some space. She'd wanted to stand on her own feet, for once. She didn't want to be dependent. She'd thought her whole life had gone meaningless when she lost her parents in a car accident, but Asad had made her live again. Even if she wanted to, she couldn't betray the man who made light enter her dark life, again. She knew she owed Asad an apology for what she'd said earlier on. She could only try and convince herself that Asad wasn't in love, but she knew that wasn't true. She'd seen the pain Asad's eyes had held, when he'd explained to her about what'd happened between him and his fiancee. She got up and sighed, "I need to apologize to Asad, right now."
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Zoya opened the door and found Asad standing there, staring at her with blood shot eyes. The very sight of him made her angry. She'd thought he'd truly regretted whatever he'd done to her, but she couldn't accept that, anymore. Not after she'd seen him hugging a woman in the hospital, quite openly. She gritted her teeth and hissed at him, "What do you want?" Asad found a huge lump blocking his throat, once again. Zoya had made it clear that she hated him, every word she'd said to him after he'd found her, emitted pain and bitterness. Asad managed to swallow the lump in his throat, he slowly took a step forward. Zoya didn't move, she continued staring at him with stone hard eyes. Asad opened his mouth, to speak but Zoya spoke before him. She looked away from his gaze and said, "I know what you've come here for. Don't waste your time, trying to convince me about anything. I'm not moving from this place. If there is anything I should thank you for, it is for teaching me survive on my own, so thank you for that. But please, just leave. Both of us know that there's nothing left between us." Before she could say anything else, Asad asked her, "Can you touch your heart and say whatever you said just now? Do you really think there's nothing left between us?" Zoya stared at Asad, at a loss of answer. She knew more than well that she still had the same feelings for Asad, even if she'd learnt to hate him. Asad stifled a sob and said, "Answer me." Zoya looked on at Asad, her own eyes moistening. She averted her gazed and stared at the floor. She sowly found the tears rolling down her cheeks. Asad reach out and grabbed her by her wrist, gently. He stepped in to the house and pulled her inside. He shut the door and turned back to Zoya. She was still staring at the floor, lost in her own world. Asad slowly took a small step forward and caressed her cheeks. Zoya slowly looked in to Asad's eyes. She didn't want to pull away from him, she asked him unknowingly, "Do you really love me?" Asad smiled and nodded his head, vigorously. Zoya smiled back at him, weakly. Asad remove his hands from her cheeks and wrapped them around her waist, pulling her closer, instantly. That was when Zoya seemed to realize what was going on. Before she could react, Asad engulfed her, in between his arms and sobbed. Zoya felt paralyzed, she wanted to push him away, but she couldn't, not after seeing his broken state. She slowly relaxed and rested her head on his chest. Asad was continuously saying, "I'm sorry, Zoya. I'll never hurt you again." Zoya sobbed against him, silently. She had no idea of what destiny had in mind for her, she just couldn't seem to leave the past behind and move on. She squeezed her eyes shut and sobbed a little louder, she wrapped her hand around Asad's neck, while the other clutched on to his shirt. Asad slowly pulled away, after what seemed an eternity. He whispered between his sobs, for yet again, "I'm sorry Zoya. I'll never hurt you again. Please. Can you forgive me just this one last time?" "No.", came Zoya's reply. Asad looked into her eyes pleadingly and said, "Zoya, please. Just this once, please forgive me, I' promise I'll never hurt you again. I don't care about who your father is, please, just forgive me this once." Zoya's heart pierced, once again. It shattered her to see Asad in such a disheveled state, she squeezed her eyes shut and drew the courage to speak, "No. I will not come. Not today, not tomorrow, not ever." Asad stared at her, tears rolling down his cheeks, he said, "Zoya..." Zoya gritted her teeth and yelled at him, "I hate you! Go away!" Asad started to speak again, "Zoya, wait! Listen to me! I-" He was cut off by Zoya. "I HATE YOU!!! You heard me right?! Leave me alone!!!", she screamed at Asad. Asad caught hold of her by her shoulders and yelled back in to her face, "Just shut up! Can you stop screaming for a minute?!" Zoya pushed him away and fell to her knees and sobbed, she slowly whispered, "Please. Just leave. Never come back, because there is nothing left. Just go away." Asad stared at her, he didn't know if there was any way at all, in the world to convince her. He wiped away his own tears and knelt down to face her. "Look at me.", he said. Zoya continued to avoid his gaze, crying inconsolably, all the while. He brought his hand to her chin and lifter her head up, to make her face him. The second he saw her completely grief stricken face, his heart shattered. He squeezed his eyes shut, trying to draw the courage to say what he was gonna say, next. He opened his eyes again and looked into her eyes. He whispered, almost inaudibly, trying to stop himself from breaking down, "If you really hate me so much, I'll let go of you. But just promise me one thing, promise me that you will always keep in touch with ammi and Najma, even if not me." Zoya stared at Asad, even if she had told him to leave her, her heart felt stabbed, after hearing that. She swallowed the lump in her throat and bit her lip, in a futile attempt to compose herself. She looked away from him and managed a nod. Asad slowly, got up. He looked at the woman, who was still kneeling on the floor, crying. He knew more than well that he was irrefutably in love with Zoya and no one could ever take her place in his life. He turned away and headed to wards the door. Before he left, he turned back around, one last time and said, "I love you, Zoya."
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Asad stepped into his room, completely heart broken. He slammed the door shut and fell to his knees, he stared at the floor, lost in his own bitter world. His eyes were as dry as driftwood. His soul was being ripped apart, slowly and painfully. He'd cried for all he was worth, in those months he'd stayed away from Zoya, but now, he'd found her. But finding her, had only made him experience the pain of losing her, all over again. He'd hoped Zoya would forgive him, all the time. Her undying forgiveness, was something he'd always admired from the core of his heart. But this time, she'd had her limit and he knew that very well. His eyes stayed as red as blood, but yet they refused to spare a single tear. He wanted to cry, scream and yell until there was nothing left in him, but his brain seemed to lack the energy to pass any command. His heart and mind was grasping on to just one angel of a human, Zoya. "I love you, Zoya.", he said out loud, meaninglessly. Instantly, all the memories came flooding back, the memories of them together. Their fights, their eye locks, their falls, their dances and silly conversations. Any man in the world would kill, to have an ethereal angel, like Zoya for their soul mate. But Asad, he'd done nothing to make her feel the slightest but of happiness, he'd given her nothing but pain and sorrow. Her heart was a innocent and pure as a new born baby and he'd hurt that beautiful soul. He screamed out loud in exasperation, "I LOVE YOU!!!" "I know you do.", came the voice of a woman. Asad looked up to see who it was. There she was, standing with her gorgeous dimpled smile, plastered on to her serene face. "Zo...Zoya?", he said out loud in astonishment. She giggled at him and replied, "Yes, you haven't forgotten my name." Asad stared at her, still unable to believe that Zoya was actually standing in his room, being her old bubbly self. A smile appeared on the corner of his lips, he stupidly said, "I thought your name was Musibat." Zoya placed her hands n her hips and glared at him crossly. "Oh really? I can give you much worse nick names if I wanted to! You're such a pathetic and boring person!", she snapped at him. Asad raised an eyebrow at her, finding her pouty face, extremely cute. He replied in a sugar coated tone, "No, what I meant is, you are my personal musibat magnet, you are meant just for me." Zoya suddenly jumped and said, "Well! Issi baat pe ek sher arz hai!" Asad rolled his eyes as he prepared himself to bear her silly poetry, once again. She clasped her hands and began, "Mr. Six Packs is so boring that he can only glare and mutter! Mr. Six Packs is so boring that he can only glare and mutter, but when Miss Musibat is standing in front him, he can only stare and flatter! Shukriya, shukriya!" "I appreciate your effort, but hat was the stupidest poem, I've ever head!", Asad exclaimed at her. Zoya retorted, "Well, you don't stand a chance!" Asad smirked at her, bemused by her anger on such a silly matter. He slowly walked towards her, smiling like an idiot. Zoya's expression softened, as he neared her. "Mr. Khan...", she whispered. Asad stopped, when he was just a foot, or so away from her. His smile vanished, as he slowly asked, "You're not gonna leave me. I won't let you." Zoya smiled at him, just when he was about to close in the distance between them, Zoya said with a hint of mischief in her voice, "Not so fast, Mr. Khan." Asad scrunched his eyebrows and reached to grab her shoulder, but just as soon as he touched her, she disappeared, like she'd never been there. But then it hit him, she never was there, he'd been hallucinating the whole while. The truth hit him like a storm, he would have to live his whole life with just his imagination of her. He clenched his fists and yelled, "I hate you, Tanveer!"
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Question for the next chapter: Will Asad & Zoya be tied for eternity?
So, that was chapter 5! The story has reached its climax. I purposefully didn't give you a precap. Just a single chapter left and an epilogue after that. This chapter was quite lengthy, more than 3200 words. I know you guys wouldn't have expected this and are most likely to be disappointed, but there is still one chapter left! Let's what happens next. Sorry for the typos. Please do leave ur reviews behind! Until then, bye!
Note: If u would like pms on updates, plz send me a buddy request. It makes it much easier for me to send pms. Thnx.😊
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