It's a chotu update from me...😊 Next update will be bigger, I promise.
Chapter 14
The trip back to hotel felt amazingly shorter.
Time seemed to fly past like the glimpses of the city-lights on the windshield of the car.
The phones didn't stop buzzing for once. Mr. Riaz called first, congratulating their team for the win. Zoya could hear excited voices and happy laughter ringing in the background. Everyone was absolutely elated and in celebration mode.
Even the poised Mrs. Indumathi, Zoya's immediate reporting manager, was dancing to the tunes of 'London thumakda' , Zoya was told.
Akram, meanwhile, called his parents to share the good news with them. When he told them their son was going to appear on TV, they were thrilled to no end, specially his nani,who even agreed to watch news channel instead of her daily dose of star plus for the special night.
Their driver, Harmeet jee sensed the jubilation and started playing 'Aaj ki party meri taraf se' instead of his usual devotional tracks.
Amidst all the euphoria, Zoya could still feel the restlessness re-surging in her heart every time she looked at Asad.
She really wanted to believe that he was taking his time to let the victory sink in, but the fact that he had barely spoke since he left the venue and didn't even bother to look back even once since they boarded the car was making her nervous.
She was hoping that the after-party will lift his mood a little.
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"See you in half 'n hour, Zoe. The after-party is going to rock, I swear. I heard there are 86 items for the dinner." Akram grinned.
"Chal phir milte hai...don't be late." Zoya waved and headed towards her room, humming happily with a spring in her step.
"Miss Farooqui, can we have a moment please?"
Zoya's humming stopped instantly and she stopped dead in her track.
*I don't want to have this conversation, Allah Miyaan!* She was dreading this encounter and wanted to avoid it at any cost, but it was too late.
"Mr. Khan" she turned to him with a painfully shallow smile on her lips "Can we...ummm...talk later? We have the after-party in one hour and I sure as heck don't know what to wear."
"It won't take long." Asad's eyes had a cold fire burning in them "Besides, I'm not so sure we are going to any party."
He signaled her to follow him to his room. Zoya, who would have otherwise made a snide remark on his bossy attitude, decided to keep quiet for the moment and followed suit.
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Zoya fidgeted nervously, feeling the piercing gaze of him boring through her. She hadn't looked up or met his eyes once ever since they stepped inside his room.
"Mr. Khan, are you going to tell me why we are here, instead of preparing for the after-party?" Zoya tried to sound jovial and lively, but the words came out rather shakily.
"Miss Farooqui." His words were coming in a staccato rhythm, as if he was chewing each word before spitting it out "Let's stop fooling each other for a moment here, shall we?"
"I...I don't know what you are talking about." Zoya stammered. She really didn't want to be in the same room with this man at that moment.
"I've heard those words before, coming out from your mouth. You were lying then, just like you're lying NOW." the corner of his lips twisted in distaste.
"You're not understanding. I swear..." Zoya was inching towards the door, which was closed but not locked.
"STOP LYING" Asad abruptly grabbed a glass ash-tray from the table and hurled it to the pristine, life-sized mirror set on the opposite wall.
The mirror split with a deafening noise. The beautiful crystalline ash-tray lay shattered on the ground in countless broken pieces.
Split images of Asad's demented face, probably hundreds of them, staring at Zoya was so terrifyingly creepy, it shook her to the core.
"I never thought you are mirror-cracking material. Honestly, Mr.Khan, I thought you're...erm...rather pleasing on the eyes." Zoya let out a shaky laughter. "My aapi use to say, a broken mirror brings seven years of bad luck."
"Ohh, my little tiff with luck started even before you were born, Miss Farooqui. So let's not talk about it." a deranged smile spread on his lips. "Let's talk about you...and your little adventure trips. Sounds interesting, isn't it?"
Zoya took another step backwards and felt her back brushing against the hard, cold wall. She had no place to hide and nowhere to run.
Asad walked towards her, with the languid pace of a hunter that circled it's prey before pouncing on it. The barely controlled rage glinted in his eyes as he intently observed her, sweaty and fearful, like a deer caught in the headlights.
"So tell me, Miss Farooqui, why did you do it?" his voice was serpentine.
"Did what?" Zoya refused to meet his eyes again. It was unnerving to look in the depth of those orbs, with so many emotions swirling like undercurrents below the surface.
"The registration, DAMNIT!" He thumped his fist against the wall hard, the punch landing barely a few inches away from Zoya's face.
Zoya winced and closed her eyes. The salty wetness rolling down her cheeks momentarily made her hate herself.
"Mr.Khan, you need help. What's wrong with you?" she hated being cornered like this and it finally gave her the courage to look up and meet his gaze.
"What's WRONG with YOU, Miss Farooqui? I told you NOT to register, but you decided to go ahead and do the ONE SINGLE GODDAMN THING I TOLD YOU NOT TO DO?" Asad thundered.
"It was not YOUR decision to make." Zoya didn't flinch this time. The intensity of her gaze matched his fierce eyes.
"Miss Farooqui" Asad hissed "perhaps you are forgetting that I am THE FOUNDER of Dilshad Constructions. This company runs on MY DECISION."
"But I am also a part of DSC, however small it may be, and that makes me entitled to an explanation behind your decision." Zoya's calmer voice indicated that she'd regained her composure.
"I told you...it was a company policy. Did you NOT hear me?" Asad said crossly.
"That still doesn't answer my question. Besides, without any logical explanation, it seems more like someone's personal whim rather than a company policy to me ." Zoya snapped.
"Oh, you talking about logic has to be the biggest joke of them all; Remember how your immature and foolish acts have caused nothing but pain to everyone? Actually you are just a spoiled brat who doesn't care for anyone else but herself." Asad pointed his finger threateningly at her.
"It's because of your stupid act today, two innocent lives are at stake. Do you have any idea about that?"
"Toh main kya karti? Batayien naa, Mr. Khan, What choices did I have? To put you and our company at stake instead? To let all your hard work, your blood and sweat go down the drain again?" Zoya was deliberately being crass, desperately hoping to put some sense back to this man.
"That shouldn't be YOUR concern, Miss Farooqui. I can take care of my company very well, thank you very much." Asad's lips twisted with a dark, demented smile.
"Like you've taken care of yourself?" Zoya snickered.
"What do you mean?" Asad's eyes widened.
"You can always fall back on your old friends, alcohol, drugs...or you can go and buy yourself another woman's love. Why don't you buy yourself a family too, with your filthy money?"
"ZOYA" Asad raised his hand. His arm dangled in the air, dangerously close to hitting her.
"Asad!" another voice shouted scornfully.
Through her tearful eyes, Zoya saw an elderly lady standing at the doorstep. She was holding a bouquet of roses. She had a strikingly beautiful face and the kindest eyes Zoya had ever seen.
She was not alone. A middle-aged, slightly dark complexioned man was accompanying her.
For the second time on the same day, Zoya was flooded with a strong sense of deja vu. She'd definitely seen the lady somewhere before.
She didn't have to think longer as she heard Asad Ahmed Khan's stunned whisper "Ammi!"
(to be continued)
Edited by teddy25 - 9 years ago
Kabhi Neem Neem Kabhi Shahad Shahad
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