OS: Too Late

OS: Too Late

Zoya flinched in pain, the more she tried to get him to let go the tighter he gripped 'Mr Khan please you...you are hurting me'. It was only until he saw tears escape did he realise what he was doing. Without saying anything Asad let go of her arms, the anger that had consumed him moments ago started to subside 'I...I'm sorry' Zoya looked up to his face, did he just apologise to her? Zoya wiped her tears and composed herself for a second round of major verbal onslaught.

'Exactly what are you apologising for Mr Khan...' Asad looked at her with his jaws clenched, was she really going to continue to argue, why couldn't she back down just this once. 'Mr Khan I am talking to you...you just said sorry na...so exactly what are you sorry for? For letting me stay for as long as I have, sorry for continuously making me feel like an outsider, like I am not fit for you, for this house or for anyone else or are you sorry for helping me when I needed it, sorry for letting me cry on your shoulder or sorry that you put this ring on my finger? How many times Mr Khan..how many times are we going to find ourself exactly where we are now. I wish you would just once sit back and look at the bigger picture, think logically and maybe then you may actually realise that I am not a liar, I can not believe how blinded you are by her so much that you refuse to trust me...the girl you Mr Khan you decided that you want to marry. You know what Mr Khan I can fight he whole world for you but I can't fight you, because for as long as she is with you I will lose every time. One day Mr Khan, and I assure you that day will definitely come when you realise the truth, how the blind faith you have put in your best friend has only rewarded you with deceit, and by then it will have all been too late' Zoya wiped the last of her tears before she ran out her room leaving Asad on the verge of exploding.

After major upheavals Zoya and Asad had reached a point in their relationship where they had learnt to accept each other for who they were, they became good friends, as each day passed their closeness grew at the time they may have been oblivious to their feelings for one another but Dilshad wasn't she knew Asad more than he knew himself, she could see how he had fallen in love with Zoya. It was her idea that the two got engaged it didn't take a lot of convincing on either of their parts, the only condition was that they gave their engagement long enough to fully accept each other as their future husband an wife. Everything seemed to be going well until Asad's friend entered the scene, Tanveer on the face of it seemed like a nice girl but she was far from it.

Tanveer spent so much time around Asad that Zoya hardly ever saw him. The physical distance was obvious but what was also happening was that they were drifting apart emotionally. A lot of things about Tanveer didn't add up, Zoya had caught her lying on a number of occasions and when she confronted her she denied everything. With Zoya doubting her Tanveer needed to shift her focus, so what she started to do was tell Asad how Zoya was harassing her and upsetting her by asking her personal questions. The number of arguments and misunderstandings started to increase between them, Dilshad did a lot when it came to pacifying them but little did she know that every time Asad and Zoya made up Tanveer was plotting something bigger to break them up.

There really was only so much Zoya could take things seemed to be getting from bad to worse and what frustrated her beyond anything was Asad's ignorance, she failed to understand how one of India's leading industrialists could be so stupid, so gullible and so blind. Tanveer had planned to play one of her last cards, she was sure that the next argument that Asad and Zoya would have will definitely cause her to break off the engagement. Tanveer knew that Zoya had seen her with Imran even though she denied it to her 'who was that boy Tanveer? And what are you doing here did you not tell Mr Khan that you were going to Najma's college?' Tanveer looked at Zoya and smiled 'Zoya, Zoya Zoya when will you ever learn to keep you nose out of everyone's business where I go who I meet has nothing to do with you...and Zoya what boy...have you started to hallucinating too? Not giving her any time to respond Tanveer walked off and the first thing she did was to go to see Asad.

Tanveer told Asad that Zoya had accused her of having a boyfriend and humiliating her in public, she told him how Zoya called her characterless and said how she was not worthy of his friendship. Asad was infuriated he couldn't believe after everything Zoya would still be after Tanveer and then to publicly insult her, how dare she. It was then Asad had screamed at Zoya, scolded her for something she didn't do every time she tried to explain herself he would shut her up and in all his anger he did what he had never done before he grabbed her arms and pushed her against the wall.

Everything replayed in his head, everything Tanveer had said to him every word that Zoya ad just spat at him, he felt like he was going crazy. Not knowing what to do he decided to go and talk to his mum she always knew how to make it better. On his way to her room he heard voices coming from the back garden as he approached the door he saw Tanveer talking to someone on the phone. 'After what happened today I can guarantee that Miss Zoya Farooqui will break of any alliance with him, I can't believe how easy all this has been, isn't it amazing what a few lies and crocodile tears can make someone do...and that too to your childhood friend'. Asad couldn't believe what he had just heard, how, why...why would Tanveer do such a thing, as anger and fury washed over him he moved forward to confront her only to stopped by a loud cry from Najma. Asad ran towards the living room 'Najma what happened, why you crying' 'Bhai...bhaijaan Zzz...Zoya' Asad starting to panic he grabbed her arm and turned his little sister towards him 'Najma what about Zoya...please tell me' he said as he wiped her tears Najma held out a piece of paper and a small box. Asad took the paper and opened it.

Dearest Phoopi

I am sorry I am leaving without having spoken to you but I felt like it was the best way, it wasn't easy for me to make such a decision but I was left with no choice. Phoopi the day you asked me if I would accept Mr Khan's proposal I felt like I was the luckiest girl in the world, being an part of all your lives, what more could I have asked for. In all my time I spent with you, Najma and Mr Khan made me feel like I was alive, like I had reason a to live for.

Phoopi I don't know what happened, I am not going to sit here and blame anyone other than me and Mr Khan I don't think we were ever meant to be. Any relationship is built on mutual trust, respect, and love and I don't think me and Mr Khan were ever able to build on anything but mistrust and a catalogue of misunderstandings.

I love you phoopi and I will miss you, I hope you can forgive me for leaving like this.

Najma you are the worlds best sister and friend anyone could ever ask for. Keep smiling.

Mr Kh...no Asad I couldn't do it...I couldn't live up to your expectations, I couldn't make you believe me or trust me in any shape or form. I am sorry for everything but the one thing I will never be sorry for is loving you...yes you read right Zoya Farooqui loves you Mr Asad Ahmed Khan. And that is all I am taking away with me my love for you all, I hope that will be enough to eventually heal my heart

Allah Hafiz

Asad dropped the piece of paper he was in total shock, his whole body started to shake, with his trembling hands he opened the small box to find Zoya's engagement ring inside. Asad eyes welled up and before long tears started to escape 'she really left...Najma has she really gone?' Asad slumped himself on the sofa trying to comprehend what the hell had just happened as he sat there Zoya's last words rang in his head 'One day Mr Khan, and I assure you that day will definitely come when you realise the truth, how the blind faith you have put in your best friend has only rewarded you with deceit, and by then it will have all been too late'

It really was too late.