Chapter Twelve: The Trap is set
Asad and Zoya in their respective rooms
After the passionate kiss they shared just a few hours ago, sleep was away for both of them. They both lied on the bed thinking of that sweet moment. Zoya was touching her lips again and again feeling Asad's kiss and Asad too was thinking of Zoya only. Zoya took a pillow and hid her head shyly by remembering what happened and Asad was tossing and turning in his bed trying to sleep. Zoya was curled up in foetal position in her bed and was biting her lips and blushing. Soon she dreamt of her and Asad together somewhere in the clouds, all white and snowy clouds fluttering around, a big half moon somewhere in the back ground and stars studded sky above. Zoya was waiting at the end of the path wearing a white gown with a crown on her head. She turns around and her long curls whirl around in the wind. She hears a white horse galloping swishing past the fluttering clouds and there emerging a handsome masked man on the horse extending his hand to her and she takes his hands and he picks her to be mounted on the horse in front of him. She removes the mask and finds it is Asad and he leans in to kiss her. She whispered "Assaad" in her sleep and smiled in her sleep. Even Asad too had some kind of dream about Zoya, but he dreamt of how Zoya takes care of him after their marriage, like Zoya waking him up with a good morning kiss and sprinkling the water droplets on her wet hairs on him, serving him with bed coffee, how she ties the tie for him, how she waits eargerly for him when he return from his office, etc etc etc. Both dream of a happy life with each other and soon it was morning.
Morning
Zoya woke up stretching her arms raised above her head and cutely rubbing her eyes. She went to freshen up in the washroom. She head Badi Bis voice from outside. She answered that she is bathroom and will come in few minutes. She quickly got up and went to meet Badi Bi. Badi bi gave her some jewellery and a brand new set of lehenga. She told that Zoya had to wear this today as they were invited to the Aqiqah ceremony (naming ceremony of a baby) of one of her close acquaintances. Badi told that her bahu should look pretty of all present there. Zoya smiled and said "jee".
In the evening
In the evening Zoya changed into the red and green lehenga and also wore the jewellery given by Badi bi. Asad had gone to office and told that he will try to come straight to the venue as he has some meeting today. She put on the bangles which Asad had purchased for her. Badi bi had given one of the best dresses which she had specially stitched for her. Usma was too happy. She asked "kaisa hai mera naya dress?" Zoya replied "mashallah apto bilkul pari lag rahi ho" Usma "thank you" Badi bi took a swab of her kajal and put both on Zoya and Usma, "kiski nazar na lage meri bachiyon ko, ab chalen" Zoya "ek minute badi bi vo tohfa lekar ati hoon" Badi bi "jaldi karo". All of them reached the venue. Everybody was praising Zoya and her beauty and her etiqutees too. Badi bi was very proud hearing that. Usma had made friends with some of the children there and so she went to play with them. Zoya didn't know anybody and hence she preferred to stay with Badi bi only. But badi bi was really involved with her old acquaintance and started to recollect their past moments when they were young. Zoya soon felt odd with them and she moved away. Zoya was interested in the old type haveli houses and their ambiences. She was going through the mural paintings on the wall and the antique show pieces exhibited. After all she had did her archeological course in New York. Zoya felt that someone was following her and she turned back intermittently but found no one. Soon was standing in the corridor in the first floor after taking a review of the house. She saw the big sized balcony in front of her and her feet automatically took her there. She was standing there feeling the cold breeze against her face, her hairs flying along with the wind. Soon she felt a hand on her shoulder and she turned "Tum". The pair of hands just pushed her and Zoya fell from the balcony. She held onto the balcony's wall but the hands forcibly jerked her hands off from there and Zoya fell on to a lower level which was tiled. She fell with a thud that she winced in pain and due to the immense pain no words were coming out of her mouth at that time.
Downstairs
Asad had come straight from his office and he wishing Salam to everyone and thanking everyone who wished for his engagement with Zoya. Every one who met him on the way praised Zoya and said Asad was lucky to get a pretty, etiqutted and poised girl like Zoya. Hearing all the praises, the one thing that came to the mind was Zoya. He wanted to see her now. He saw Badi bi and went upto to her. "are Asad tum kab aye, khala se mile" Asad said "jee mila, badayi bhi dedi, vo Badi bi Zoya nahi ayi" He was looking all around and asked "aur Usma" Badi bi "fikr mat karo Usma yahan kuch bacho se dosti karli aur unke saath khelne gayi hai aur Zoya tho ab thak yahan meri saath hi thi, pata nahi kidhar gayi, hogi yahi kahin, usse hamara budde logo ke bathe bore lagi hogi, isslliye chupke se nikal gayi hogi" Asad said "teek hai main khud hi unhe doond loonga"
Upstairs
It has started raining also and hence it was now getting difficult for Zoya to clutch on to the tiles. The tiles were slippery and Zoyas hands were slipping over the tiles. She was trying to grip but it was slipping and slipping and soon she turned back to see that she will be in no time falling down onto the ground. Due to heavy rains, thunder and lightening, her shouting and yelling for help were eclipsed in that heavy noises.
Downstairs
Asad was searching for her for everywhere but couldnt find her. He asked each and everyone but everybody denied seeing Zoya. Now Asad was getting worried and his mind was telling that something bad has happened to her. He even spoke to her before leaving from office and she was very happy and told that she was missing him. She even told the color of the dress she was wearing and told that she would be eargerly waiting for him at the venue. Asad was going on looking for her and not able to find her, in vain he came out of the house to check in the garden, thinking that may be she might be somewhere there and must have taken shelter somewhere near due to rains. He was searching for her.
Upstairs
Zoya now saw Asad down, but her voice was not reaching him to the heavy downpour. He was standing just below where Zoya was hanging. Her hand was slipping but she held again firmly onto the tiles. She was tired immensely fighting to come up. Her hands were fatigued, her eyes were drooping, she was tired and was at the verge of passing out. Her hands slipped slowly on the tiles but she again gripped it, this continued. The loose anklet in her one leg slowly got disentangled from the hook and fell down. Zoya was at the verge of passing out now. Slowly she was giving up. Her hands were slipping and she had no more strength to hold on and her eyes closed.
Down below
Asad was going to go inside that something fell on him. He picked it up to see what it was and was baffled. It was Zoya's anklets which he had presented, how could he not recognize it. He immediately looked up and what he saw swept away the ground under his feet. His Zoya was hanging from a considerable height. Asad roared "Zoyaaa" This made her open her eyes for a split of a second and she gripped on the last tile she caught and attempted to stay there for some more time. Asad yelled "Zoya apna haath mad chodna main kuch kartha hoon" Asad didn't know what to do, had no time to go up and get down on the roof to save her but he cant let her fall from there also. Taking the chance, Asad went running inside the house and in no time reached the balcony and jumped onto the tiled area of the roof.
Upstairs
He was slowly keeping his steps so as to reach Zoya. Badi Bi "yeh Asad ko achanak se kya hua". Asad by the time shouted "Zoya haath mat chodna, main agaya hoon" Zoya saw him coming towards her but she tried to keep up but she had no more strength, her hands slipped and she fell down. Asad yelled "Zoyaa" again. This time her dupatta got stuck in one of the protruding nails and she was hanging from his dupatta which was tearing little by little but zoya had passed out. By the time rains had stopped. Hearing Asad shouting everybody came to see what happened. Badi bi "yeh sab kaise hua" Usma too was crying. Zoya dupatta was tearing and it was almost torn that Asad reached in time and pulled her up. With the help of a long rope he managed to come up with an unconscious Zoya. The moment he was inside with zoya he thanked Allah for giving him oppotnity to save her. Badi bi "yeh sab kaise hua Asad?" Asad "muje bhi pata nahi, yeh tho hume zoya hi bata sakte hai" and he patted on Zoyas cheeks "Zoya ankhen kholo"One of the guests took water from a vase and sprinkled it on her. She slowly stirred and opened her eyes and found herself safe in Asad's arms. Zoya coughed a couple of times. She was given water to drink. As soon as she opened her eyes completely Asad asked "Zoya yeh sab kaise hua, aap vahan kaise pohunch gayi" Zoya softly whispered "Tanveer" as she didn't have any energy to speak long words.
Asad's fists clenched hearing her name. He roared "badi bi iss ladki ko humne asani se jane diya, par lagta ab police ke hawale karna padega, main police ko bulane vala hoon" Badi bi "shayad tum teek keh rahe ho, yeh ladki kuch zyadaa hi hamare achai ka faydaa uta rahi hai, pani sar ke upar se jaa chukka hai" Asad " aaj agar Zoya ko kuch hojata tho main uss Tanveer ko zinda nahi chod tha" Badi bi "Asad shaant hojao, hum usse police ke hawale zaroor karenge, ab ghar chalo, zoya ki halat tho dekho, teek se saans thak nahi le pa rahi hai" Asad picked Zoya in his arms and they all left the venue
Night time at Khan Mansion
Zoya was shown to a doctor and he gave her some sedatives and told that she will be okay by morning. Her both hands which had been adorned by the beautiful mehndi was now adorned by cuts and bruises. Asad watched her lovely hands and caressed them, kissed them, held them close to his heart. Sat beside her all the night to watch her sleep peacefully. Zoya woke up in the middle of the night sweating and panting. She shouted "Abbu". Asad had dozed off on the chair which made him to jolt up. He quickly shifted to beside Zoya and held her in his arms. He pacified her by patting her hair and caressing her back. He softly spoke "Zoya please sojao, apne bura sapna dekha hoga" Zoya was vehemently arguing that she saw something happened to her Abbu and she wanted to know about him. Soon the due to drugs effect she again drifted off to sleep.
Morning
She refused to hear Asad's pacifying words and came running in the hall and started to search for her phone. She searched for it for sometime and when she got it with shivering hands her fingers dialed her house number at New York. As usual Razia picked up and was about to answer. Zoya with a faltering voice asked "abbu kaise hain, teek tho haina" Zoya totally forgot about her situation that she can be traced or get caught again but she was now feeling more safe with Asad so she didn't mind it. Razia immediately was going to reply that Akram cut the call. Zoya shouted "hello, hello". Asad was watching her helplessly.
On the other side Razia asked Akram why did he cut the call to which Akram replied that let her feel that something is fishy which will make her desparate to come back to see her father and hence don't answer the call, let her call for more number of times and make her desparate to know about her father's whereabouts. Till then his people will give the news to her that her father is admitted in the hospital and is counting his last minutes. Razia complied with this evil plan of Akram.
Asad came upto her and kept the phone aside after taking from her hand compelled her to sit. He softly spoke "dekho zoya kal apke saath yeh hadsa hua hai, main nahi chahta ki ab aap par aur bhi khatra.." he was cut off by Zoya "Asad par mere Abbu, kitni baar try kiya ek call laga kyun nahi, muje kuch teek nahi lag raha hai, apne vada kiya tha na, ki aap meri abbu ko..." Asad replied stopping her "zoya line main koi kharabhi hogi aur muje mera vadaa yaad hai Zoya, aur main vada khilafi nahi kar raha hoon, lekin halat ko samjo Zoya, main jald hi tumhare abbu ke bare main pata lagane ki koshish karta hoon. muj par yakeen karo Zoya main sirf tumhe mehfooz dekhna chahta hoon" He cupped her face in his hands and touched his forehead to hers.
After a couple of days.
Zoya tried for her New York house number but each time she got a message that its unavailable, or out of order or out of service etc. Zoya's desperation was building up now. It was then in Usma'school they were called for a training session for the guardians of their wards, since Asad was out of the city for some business purpose, Zoya accompanied Badi bi to Usma's school to attend the session. While returning they stopped at some relatives house as one of the members were ill and Badi bi stopped there to ask about her health. Somebody poked Zoya " are Tum Zoya Farookhi hona, Badi bi ki New York wali bahu" Zoya found that a taunt more than a statement so she preferred to stay silent. "Haan haan ab tho tum Badi bi ki hone wali bahu ho, tho ab tumhare liye tumhare abbu kya aur unki tabiyat kya, maine tho socha tha, ki tum ab New york main hogi apne abbu ke paas, lekin yahan dekh kar chouk gayi" Zoya shocked "how did she know about her abbu" she thought Zoya asked "aap meri abbu ke bare main kaise janti hain, aur kya hua hai unhe" Woman said "mere kuch jan pehchan wale New york main rehte hai, aur baton baton main tumhara zikar hogaya Badi bi ki bahu jo banne wali ho, tho unhone muje tumhare bare main bataya, aur yeh bhi kahan ki tum ghar se bhag gayi thi, apni bimar abbu ko chodkar,vagera vagera, aur vo tumhari ghar chodne ki gham main itna bimar hogaye ki vo ab akhri saanse gin rahe hain muje kya, tum yahan raho yah vahan" She twisted her face and turned to the other side and walked away. Zoya shouted "suniye" and went behind her but she disappeared in no time.
She waited for Badi bi to come and she told Badi bi that her father is indeed ill and is dying and she needs to see him before he breathes his last. Badi bi fell for Zoya's tears and she allowed her to travel back to US while Asad was not reachable. Badi di went to see off Zoya at the airport. Badi bi "Asad jaise ayega hum sab tumhare peeche ajayenge, ghabrana nahi, vahan pohunchte hi phone karna beta, Asad bohot gussa karega yeh jankar ki maine tumhe akele bhej diya, lekin main ussse manage kar lungi, tumhara apni abbu ke paas hona zaroori hai, apna khayal rakha, hum jald hi tumhare abbu se milne ayenge" She hugged Zoya and kissed her forehead and bid her goodbye. Usma "apna khayal rakhna mumani" Zoya kneeled down to hug Usma and she kissed her too. Zoya said farewell with teary eyes unaware of that she was going to be trapped there.
Next Chapter : What will happen now?
Kyunki Saas Bhi Kabhi Bahu Thi 2
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