Chapter 6
Zoya went to meet with Afreen to start on their designs 'Zoya, would it be ok for you to base yourself her for a few days a week, I know it a little out of your way' 'no, that fine, the second half of the week would suit me better, so every Thursday and Friday...and if I need to be her an extra day I will arrange it with my staff' 'that would be great, I have ordered more samples in would you like to see them' 'yes' Zoya and Afreen walked through her workshops as they did Afreen stopped I need to ask you for a big favour' Zoya smiled at her 'sure' 'I have a friend who is getting married soon, and she would love for you to design her wedding outfit, I know you don't design for private clients as such but it would mean a lot' Zoya started to laugh 'who is your friend?' 'Suhana Malik, she is getting married to Asad, remember the guy I introduced you to at the charity event' Zoya's face turned white in an instant 'I'm sorry Afreen, like you said I don't design for...and plus she is your friend, you should be designing it for her...I hope you don't mind' 'not at all, although you do realise I am going to have to listen to her whine for the next hundred years'.
Over the next few weeks Zoya busied herself designing for the wedding collection. Working around the clock and making sure she was there for her son was taking its toll on her 'Zoe, you could easily pass off as an anorexic, look at the state of you, when was the last time you ate properly' Zoya raised her eyebrow at Seema 'I have you know I am perfectly healthy...and to answer your second question, last night me and Ayaan indulged in pizza' 'Zoe...jokes apart you need to look after yourself, fashion weeks start in just a little over two weeks and even you know what you get like, you will make yourself ill' Zoya place her hand over Seema's 'I don't know what I did right to deserve a friend like you, thank you...I will and even if I forget have you here to remind me...'
'Suhana, will you quit moaning' Asad said becoming more and more frustrated 'Asad...you don't understand, we are getting married, it's going to be the biggest day of our lives, one of the biggest weddings Mumbai will be seeing...I am not taking no for an answer...I want my dress designed by Zoe and that's it' Asad stood up do what you want, it's not as if you listen to me anyway...' Suhana ran up to him and stopped him from leaving 'Asad please...I want you to talk to her for me...I mean come on you're a top notch lawyer you can persuade anyone of anything...I have spoken to Afreen, she won't even give me an appointment...please can you ask her for me...please please' she kept saying battering her eye lids.
On his way to work Asad called Afreen 'Suhana is driving me insane Afreen' 'I'm sorry Asad, I can't get her to change her mind' 'look can't you just design something and put that girls name on it' Afreen started laughing 'Asad, that is called fraud' 'yeah yeah...ok' 'look what I can do is show you what she has designed for us...I mean for the wedding collection and if Suhana likes any of those designs she can have it...exclusively' 'ok, sounds fair...I will see you soon am off to court now'
Zoya was going bouncing from one place to another, Seema and Afreen's staff were finding it hard to keep up with her energy as she finalised everything for the trial run 'Zoe, I cannot tell you how stunning your designs are, we are seriously going to rock...the colours, the fabrics, the themes...everything is truly extravagant...' 'thank you Afreen...I can only pray that Allah gives us every success'.
As Zoya was about to walk off Afreen called her back 'I am really sorry Zoe' Zoya looked at her confused 'sorry...why?' 'we have been working together for so long and I have never really taken any time to get to know you...in our industry everyone seems to know everything about the other...but you...you're a bit of a mystery, a book that never really opens. I didn't realise you were Muslim, I mean with a name like Zoe' Zoya smiled at her 'I like to keep private, my life doesn't need to be an open book...I am a Muslim...and Zoe is the name I was given by some friends that I made a long time ago in Dehradun' 'what is your real name?' 'Zoya, Zoya Farooqui' 'that is such a beautiful name Zoya...and before you say it I know...I won't tell anyone and I will still call you Zoe' Zoya started laughing and then hugged Afreen 'thank you so much...I will see you at rehearsal tomorrow'.
After Asad's lack of interest and frequent out bursts Suhana had called Dilshad who gave her son an earful 'Ammi, what is it with you guys' 'Asad, I am not telling you again, you are going with her and that's it...I will be coming to Mumbai in a few weeks' Asad pinched the bridge of his nose 'ok fine...I will speak to you soon...Allah Hafiz'. Asad stood up and threw his phone, he had never felt so torn.
Zoya and her all her staff went to Afreen's studio for the dress rehearsal. Afreen had invited all her members of staff, Imran and of course Asad and Suhana. Zoya was at the back with the models going over the finer details 'Zoe, everyone is here now...you want to come out' Seema said, Zoya nodded as she was about to walk out of the door she saw Asad and Suhana standing next to Imran, she quickly grabbed at her chest and turned around. Seema followed her back inside 'what happened...why did you come back?' 'Seema...its him...Asad...I can't go out there...please...do something' Seema came and placed her hand over Zoya's shoulder 'its ok don't worry...look just stay in here and maybe after you can leave, I will say you had to go...' 'thanks Seema'.
'Seema, where is Zoe?' Afreen asked Asad looked up as soon as he heard her name being mentioned, his eyes travelled the length of the studio but she was nowhere to be seen 'she is in the back, she wants to make sure everything is perfect...she will come out later...we should get this started'
Asad who didn't know a thing about fashion or women's clothes stood awestruck by what he saw 'Afreen, I can't believe it...you know the best thing you did was getting Zoya on board, your designs...this is going to be huge' Imran said as he hugged his wife 'Seema...can you please call Zoe out' 'yeah sure'.
'Suhana why don't you go and talk to Afreen, I need to make a call' Asad said and then followed Seema to where Zoya was. He stood behind a curtain as she spoke to her 'Zoe, they absolutely loved it...but then again you did put your heart and soul in to it so why wouldn't they?...um look they want you to come out' Zoya shook her head 'you know I can't...I can't face him again Seema...' 'what shall I tell them, where have you gone?' 'tell them I had an urgent meeting I had to attend with another client who couldn't wait' 'ok...but where will you really go?' 'Seema, to Ayaan of course who else, he will be happy that I came home early, I already feel bad I have been neglecting him so much'. Asad fisted his hands and narrowed his eyes upon hearing her mention Ayaan 'so that's his name...that's who you left me for' he growled in a low voice
Seema came out and apologised for Zoya 'it's ok...Suhana you can meet her next time but if you like any of these designs let me know' Afreen said.
'Ammi can I sleep with you today' Ayaan said as he jumped up on Zoya's bed 'sure, come' Ayaan lay next to Zoya 'Ammi, its parents day and I am doing a performance, you will come won't you?' Zoya hugged her little boy 'of course I will Ayaan, Ammi wouldn't miss it for the world, when is it?' 'Ummm, teacher said its two weeks tomorrow...what does that mean' Zoya started laughing 'that means it's on Friday the 17th...' Zoya stopped as she realised it was the same day as the opening night of fashion week.
Everything that happened over the next two weeks geared up towards the grand opening 'Afreen I am really sorry to do this last minute but I really do have to leave' Zoya said 'Zoe...you know how important tonight is, how can I go out there on my own without you...you are the head designer, what will be showed is your work Zoe' 'I know and I understand that...but you can represent me...I can't back out of what I have committed to Afreen...and it's not as if our collection is being shown today, I will be here for that...isn't that more important' Afreen let out a disappointing sigh 'ok...fine...go, but I am not happy about this' 'I know...and I promise I will make it up to you' Zoya was about to walk off when Afreen held her hand back 'you already have made it up to me Zoe, you gave me the best wedding collection of my career...thank you' Zoya hugged Afreen 'I will call you tonight...Allah Hafiz'.
Zoya rushed out as she walked through the main door she crashed into a hard body 'I am so sorr...' Zoya stopped on seeing Asad before her 'Asad' 'you always seem to be on the run Zoya...I mean if I am not wrong, isn't this your big night...' He said in voice filled with sarcasm 'yes...but I can't stay...' Asad looked at her 'doesn't surprise me...you do have a habit of ditching people and running off'.
Zoya tightened her grip on her bag as she looked at him wide eyed. Asad looked back at her 'what could be more important than this Zoya?' Zoya didn't answer him and walked off. Asad looked at her retreating back and started to fill up with rage. As she was about to get into the car he grabbed her arm and swung her around. Zoya let out a gasp at the same time Akash came out of the car but before he could say anything Asad held his hand out to him. 'it's ok Akash, you sit...' Zoya said, she then looked back at Asad and shrugged his hand off of her arm 'Asad, what are you doing' 'how dare you turn your back on me when I am talking to you' Zoya looked at him in disbelief 'you call that talking, I call it mocking...now if you don't mind I need to leave'.
Asad put his hand firmly against the door of the car 'I do mind' 'Asad...what is wrong with you...why are you doing this?' Asad let out a laugh 'what is wrong with me...everything Zoya, everything is wrong with me because you are wrong' he said in an anger laced voice 'you don't like it...well Zoya Farooqui, I am the way I am because of you, you killed every emotion I had within me the day you decided to leave me for some low life...and what did you ask why? Because I hate you...because I want you to feel the pain I have been feeling for the past four years'.
Zoya tried hard not to let herself breakdown 'I have already said I am sorry Asad...now please let me go' 'Sorry...no Zoya...sorry isn't good enough...I am sure lover boy can wait a few more moments' 'Asad just stop' 'stop...why...what's his name...let me think what did you call him again...ahh yes Ayaan' Zoya froze as she looked at him, this time the tears didn't hold back 'h...how do you know about Ayaan?' she said in a broken whisper 'so it is him...so what does this Ayaan have that I didn't...you left me for him' 'no...Asad just...just stop please you don't know what you are saying' Asad grabbed Zoya by her arms 'I know exactly what I am saying Zoya...what was it...he had more money than me...was he better looking...what Zoya...was he better in bed' Zoya looked at him wide eyes and then with everything she had pushed him away 'how dare you...how dare you' she screamed a him 'you know nothing about anything...how dare you say anything about him...Asad Ahmed Khan you disgust me...you...you just stay away from me...you...don't know anything...how could you say that about my Ayaan...'. Zoya started to crumble as she stood in total disbelief and shock at what he had just said.
Asad had never heard her talk in a loud voice and here she was venting out on him, Asad was about to answer back but Zoya held her hand up 'no...not one more word...not one more' Zoya looked at him with anger, she wiped her tears and sat in her car and ordered for Akash to drive off.
The whole way she cried uncontrollably, Akash stopped the car and turned around 'Ma'am...why didn't you tell him...why didn't you tell that Ayaan is your son...he said all those evil things...why Ma'am' Zoya looked up at Akash 'because he is Ayaan's father Akash...he is his father...I couldn't tell him...I can't' Akash looked at Zoya in shock 'his father...but...' Akash didn't know what to say he was more than just a little dumbstruck. Zoya wiped her face 'Akash...you tell no one...understood...if anyone knows it you and Seema...please' 'don't worry Ma'am, I have been with you for almost as long as Seema, I would never betray you' 'come on let's get me to my boys parents day'.
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