AsYa SS ~ Vaada ~ Updated on PG 116 ~ 04/08 - Page 73

"Asad?" Dilshad called for her son, just as she had countless times before. It had become her hourly routine to check on her distraught lion. But like every other time, all she was greeted with was more silence. Dilshad was, of course, still angry at him for the decision he and Ayaan had made three months ago. But the sheer unadulterated pain and guilt she saw shining in Asad's eyes melted her heart. She hadn't forgiven him, but as a mother, she couldn't abandon her son, when he needed her the most.

Najma had also come to stay with them after Asad refused to get out of bed the next day. She too, blamed him for Zoya leaving, but as a sister, she couldn't bring herself to be cruel to such a lifeless man. She felt herself tear up at the mere sight of her fierce and brave bhaijaan laying in his bed, like a lifeless mannequin. She understood Zoya's reasons for leaving, but a part of her wished she had come back, and things had gone back to the way they were until the day of her nikaah.

Asad stared out into the window sill, like he had been for almost two days now. His clothes were wrinkled, his sheets a mess. A void in his heart, and a constant hammering of guilt in his mind, both kept him from having the will to even get out of bed. He only got up to use the bathroom, but refused to eat any of the food brought to his room.

He knew how fiercely independent Zoya was. His fear of not having her near him had always stemmed from more than Mangalpur. Her independence terrified him. She wasn't the type to put up with being mistreated for the wrong reasons. She had done it for a long time. How she had stayed given all his taunts, he was still unsure. She had tried to leave a few times, before they had any kind of bond. He always thought, that she stopped trying to leave because she too, wanted to be near him. And now, she didn't even want to be in the same house with him...

The thought sent another painful thorn into his already bleeding heart. His error in judgment this time was proving to be so big, that his alleged folly with Tanveer seemed like a paper cut in comparison. At least back then, he still longed to find her, to see her again, to tell her, that he was in love with her... This time, there were no magic words. There was no jaal or sazish. This was his doing. He had chosen to push her away. To punish her, by subjecting her to live in the house he so loathed with all his might. Asad's eyes welled up in anger again, tears streaming from his left eye onto his nose and onto the already tear-soaked pillow. The more he thought about his actions, and their implications, the more he cursed Zoya for loving him at all.

A man who can so deeply disrespect, and shatter, such an independently fierce and breathtaking woman, didn't deserve to be loved by anyone. He would lock away his heart, and pray for Zoya to find happiness, wherever she was. As far as he was concerned, he didn't deserve to be within hundred miles of the breathe of life that had waltzed into his colorless home.

***********

Zoya's eyes welled up yet again as she watched the video for the second time. Her heart ached. It was a piercing pain, as if someone had taken a large needle, and stabbed her heart with it. The look of despair in his eyes, she traced with her fingers on the screen. How was it possible that she could still feel his pain, when he had caused her her own? She choked back a sob, her heart leaping out of her chest with the urge to hold him and soothe his broken heart.

But just as she felt that, a flash of anger crossed her mind. Did Ayaan think his bhaijaan's pain was supposed to make it all go away? That the last three months never happened, and that she would go back to Asad and put his needs before hers, when he didn't so much as ask if she wanted to be in that god forsaken house? Zoya's eyes blazed. She looked up at Ayaan with disdain and threw the phone at him. Ayaan took a step back, startled, as he fumbled to catch the phone in his trembling hands. He hadn't expected her to react like that.

"Z-Zoya?" he treaded cautiously.

"Kya maksaat hai tumhara mujhe ye video dikhana ka? Jis insaan ke saath tumne meri zindagi ka sabse bara faisla le liya, jiski wajeh se mein har din dheere dheere mar rahi thi, tum mujhe ussi insaan ka daard dikhake kya karna chate ho?! Kya unka daard mera daard se zyaada important hai? Kya tumhe lagta hai ki mein sab kuch bhul kar unke paas dodthi chali jaongi, aur kahoongi ki aap rohie mat, mein hoon na?!' Batao, Ayaan! Kyun laga tumhe ki aisa karne se tum theek ho?! KYUN?!" Zoya panted from her angry speel. Her heart was pounding, her blood boiling and her eyes seeing red. How dare he ask her to sooth the pain of the person who forced her to pretend to be married to his own brother?!

Ayaan had no words. He just stood there, stunned. The unadulterated rage he saw in Zoya's eyes mirrored that which he'd seen in Asad's. He never knew she had this kind of anger in her, but once her words sunk in, he realized his brilliant idea was in fact the opposite.

Getting no response from him riled Zoya up even more. She took measured strides until she was right in front of him, eye to eye. Ayaan shuddered.

"Tum aur tumhare bhai ne koi kasar nahin chodi, meri bezaati karne mein, aur mera mazaak udane mein," she whispered dangerously. Ayaan gulped, lowering his head in shame. Zoya roughly pulled his gaze up to meet hers with her fingers on his chin. Ayaan winced, but dared not complain. "Agar yehi cheez, tumhare bhaijaan ne Humeira ke saath kiya hota, toh kya tum Humeira ko waise hi dekh pate?" Ayaan's eyes widened at the insinuation. "Kya tumhe lagta hai, ki who tumhari bhabhi bane ke baad, tumhari biwi ban pa thi?"

The question lingered in the air. A deafening silence settled over the hotel suite. Zoya's words echoed in Ayaan's mind...and in Jamil's. His eyes widened, as his hands balled into tight fists, his finger nails digging into his skin. So this is what Ayaan wouldn't tell me. How could they...

Zoya grabbed Ayaan by his collar and pulled his face closer to her, making sure he got every word of what she was about to say next. "I never want to see you, or Asad, again. I was bartered off like a trinket by both of you, and treated as a piece of property; a prized possession. When all I ever truly wanted him to possess, was my heart..." Zoya trailed off. She shook her heard, dispersing any fond memories of her and Mr. Khan that suddenly clouded her mind. She turned to look at Ayaan again. "I am done being treated like a toy, that can be passed from brother to brother. Aur agar tumne mujh mein tumhare bhaijaan ke liye, zari si bhi hamdhardi jagane ki koshish ki, toh mein itna door chali jaungi, ki nahin tum, Asad, ya koi aur mujhe dhund payega." Ayaan felt a shiver go down his back.

What had they done to her...

"Ayaan." Jamil's sharp voice jolted Ayaan out of his thoughts. He turned to see Jamil at the suite door, eyes blazing almost as much as Zoya's. "Leave. Now."

"Jamil..." Ayaan trailed off, noticing the fury in Jamil's eyes multiply.

"I. Said. Leave." Each word was punctuated with an even angrier look.

Ayaan swallowed tightly, and took a step away from Zoya. He turned to look at her once more, with pleading eyes. A loud crackle erupted and echoed in the grand room, as Zoya's hand flew across Ayaan's face. His hand on his cheek, Ayaan's wide eyes turned to look at Zoya incredulously. The fury in her eyes was enough to shut him up, and keep him moving towards the door. He would get no where with her this way. Her letter had barely scraped the surface of the inner turmoil they had put her through. Zoya's wounds were much deeper than he realized.

And the only person who had ever been able to soothe them, was in no condition to even soothe his own.

**********

Jamil walked up to Zoya and cupped her face, wiping away the tears falling her from her tired and red eyes. This made her eyes well up even more. She lunged at Jamil, as he cradled her tenderly in his arms, trying his best to comfort her. Zoya sobbed uncontrollably, the dam of emotions she'd been holding in, finally breaking free.

They used her, treated her like a hand me down, and yet still had the shame to ask for her help... What had she done to deserve this from the person she had given her heart and soul to?

"Shh, Zoya. It's okay, let it out. He's gone. I'm sorry. I shouldn't have let him come in. If I had known, I never would have let him within a thousand miles of you," Jamil soothed, cursing himself for not pressing Ayaan more before letting him near Zoya. Zoya was too consumed by the sobs wracking her body to fight him. She knew even if he had let Ayaan near her, he must have thought he could somehow help. It wasn't his fault.

"You didn't- didn't know," she hiccuped between sobs. "I didn't- didn't want you to." Jamil's eyes flashed with confusion.

"Why not?"

"B-because, he- he's you friend," she said, sobbing more once she'd gotten the words out. Jamil's eyes now moistened.

"You silly girl, why would you think, a friendship with someone from years ago, would ever matter more than the pain your going through now? Zo, tu kis mitti ki bani hai..." He hugged her tighter.

These Khan brothers... I promise Zoya, they won't come anywhere near you. Not if I can help it.

A/N:

So there you have it!! Do leave a comment or like if you enjoyed it 😳

And feel free to throw tomatoes at me if I made you cry or mad 😆😛

-Monica <3