Chapter 16 a)
Zoya had realized that she loved Asad and was also in love with him. She had waited long enough to confess her love and also for Asad to take her first step which he did not. Now she did not want to waste another minute, pehle aap pehle aap' mein the Nawab's of Lucknow had missed their train. She did not want to miss the love train which she definitely would if she kept waiting for Asad to confess. If he would not then she would, as it is there is no rule that the man has to confess first, she was aaj ke zamaane ki nari. She wanted to tell him that she loved him more than life itself. He, their marriage and falling in love with him was the best thing that had ever happened to her. She wanted to tell him that he was her dream man, her Mr. Khan. She wanted to tell this to him when he had asked hwe when they were talking about the nursery assignment but could not as Humaira's phonecall had interrupted them. Now she would tell him everything, har baat har jazbaat. She wanted them to begin the beautiful journey of marriage in all terms. She had made preperations to confess her love to Asad in a beautiful way. She was waiting for him to come home but her wait never ended. Zoya was worried all night and she kept on calling Asad but his phone was switched off. A tired, worried Zoya fell asleep on the couch in the living area.
Zoya heard some noise and opened her eyes. The brightness of the sunlight hurt her tired eyes. A blurred figure stood in front of her which slowly became clear. Asad was home. "Asad?" She got off the couch and hugged him tightly. Asad loosened her grip and made her stand a little far from him. Zoya was worried and also angry at Asad's carelessness. She knew that he knew that she worried for him if he goes missing. "Where have you been? Main saari raat aapka intezaar ka rahi thi. How long does it take to make one phonecall? Aapka phone bhi band tha. If you were not going to come home you should have informed me. Main kitna darr gayi thi. Asad where were you? Aap theek toh hai na?" She worriedly asked. Asad did not say anything. He was going to his room. Zoya caught his hand and looked at him. "Asad, what is this? What is this lipstick mark doing on your collar? Where were you? With whom were you?" She looked at him demanding an answer.
Asad looked in the mirror and saw the the lipstick mark on his collar. He removed Zoya's hold off his hand and went to the bedroom. Zoya wanted to speak with Asad but he had locked the room from inside. She knocked on the door but he did not let her in. "Asad! Open the door. Asad please, I promise main kal raat ke baare mein nahi poochoongi. I am already tensed mujhe aur pareshan mat kijiye. I want to tell you something. Asad please open the door. Let me in." Zoya was knocking the door when Asad opened it she almost knocked on his nose. "Asad..." "Zoya, I too want to tell you something." Asad had a serious look on his face. He hand gestured Zoya to come with him to the living area. "Asad, what is it that you want to tell me?" "Zoya, please sit down. Zoya, please shaant dimaag se meri baat sunna. I have to tell you something very important something that I should have told you and everyone else a long time ago. It will change our lives for ever and that too for the better. You were right, Zoya." Zoya was confused. She did not understand what Asad was trying to tell her and what it had to do with him staying all night out and returning with a lipstick mark. "Asad, please saaf saaf bataiye, what is it that you want to tell me? What was I right about?" She looked at Asad for answers.
Asad looked away from her. "You were right about Tanveer." "Tanveer?" Zoya could barely speak up. She felt like she was struck by a lightning bolt. She had not heard this name in a long time and she had also forgotten that a witch named Tanveer existed in Asad's life. She was right about Tanveer? She had thought so many things about Tanveer and ... that she wanted to trap Asad. She was right about Tanveer and her intentions about Asad. The lipstick mark... did she succeed in trapping him. Did he? With her?' Zoya's head was spinning. "You were right about Tanveer Zoya. Yaad hai on the first day of our Mumbai trip you thought that she was my girlfriend in college. You were right about it. We were madly in love. After we graduated from the institute we went to London together to do our internship. I had returned to India to tell the family about our relationship and that I wanted to marry her but dadis..." Asad was standing with his back towards Zoya. He could not face her. She was sitting there like a statue. Asad's words were falling on her ears but she could not believe them. Asad was expecting some reaction from her but did not get any so he turned to face her.
Asad sat on the single seater sofa. "Zoya?" He moved his hand forward to touch her but retracted it. "Zoya, we both know that we agreed to this marriage only for the sake of dadis but Zoya we can't stay married for their sake. Saari umar iss majbori ke rishtey ko bojh ki tarah dhona that is not right for either of us and also for Tanveer. What is her fault if she fell in love with me and if I did not speak up for our sake and agreed to marry you..." Zoya sat there not responding. "Zoya, look we have become really good friends and so I am telling you this. I hope you will understand me and Zoya you too deserve to be with someone you love and who will love you back but Zoya wo main nahi hoon. I don't love you and you don't love me. We have given this naam ka rishta more than 3 months of our lives bas ab aur nahi. Zoya in 2 weeks your results will be out and my temp period at the college is going to end. I wanted to work in London and main wohi karne wala hoon. I am going to London with Tanveer. Once I go there I will call up ammi abbu and tell them the truth about us and I will also... Hum alag ho jaayenge." Asad bit his tongue as he said the last words.
"Zoya, kuch toh bolo." Asad did not understand her state. "London jaakar kyun? Why can't you finish this relationship here itself and then go to London? Yahin par mujhe de de..." Zoya too like Asad could not say talaak'. She was fighting hard with her tears which were ready to expose themselves to Asad. "Zoya, agar abhi kisi ko pata chala toh they will try to make us understand and tell us to compromise. They will not let it happen. Humein pehle ki tarah kasamon mein baandh denge. It is best that I will... from London." Asad walked out of the front door and Zoya's life. She had heard every nonsensical word that came out of his mouth but she found the words to be hollow. She did not believe them. She tried calling him up but he did not answer his call. She ran out of the hosue and got into the car. She tracked his GPS on the mobile and drove madly after his car. She saw his car stop outside a small bungalow. She wanted to get out of the car and drag him back home but she could not move. The door opened and there she was... Tanveer. Tanveer smiled at him and he hugged her. Zoya saw them speak a few words, he went inside her house and the door closed. Asad walked out of their home and walked into her house. Zoya had no choice but to believe what she saw.
She returned to an empty house, it was no longer the home she had made with Asad.
**
"Asad what is going on? Why did you hug me like this? Maine tumse kaha ki leave me Zoya is seeing us toh you tightened the grip. Have you lost it? What will she think of us? I want you to go home right now and clear her misunderstanding which I am sure use hui hogi. Asad! Say something damn it." Tanveer confronted Asad. Asad looked at her and she saw his tears. She sat next to him and put her hand on his shoulder and pressed it. "Asad, kya baat hai? I am your best friend. Mujhe nahi bataoge? Pareshan lag rahe ho." Asad looked at her and took her hand in his. "Tanveer, I need a friend right now. Bina kisi sawal mera saath dogi? Let me stay here for some more time. I promise I will not be a burden on you thode time mein chala jaaoonga." Tanveer looked at Asad. He was very much troubled. She had enver seen him like this. "Asad, you are my friend and I will stand by you every time you are in the right bina koi sawal pooche. You are not a burden dost bojh nahi hote. You can stay here for as long as you want and jab you feel like sharing your troubles I will be here. Listen tum shayad raat bhar soye nahi ho, guest room mein jao freshen up and rest for some time main kuch khaane ko and chai lekar aati hoon." Tanveer left to get some tea and eatables for Asad.
Asad was in the guest room. He removed his phone and looked at Zoya's picture. He caressed the screen as if her were caresseing her sweet face. All the moments which they had post marriage together flashed before his eyes. Was he wrong? Had he read her wrong? He had seen his pain in the form of tears in her eyes, her smile was related to his happiness, the bigger his happiness the wider her smile used to be... He lied down with his phone held close to his heart. He wanted to feel the moments when she used to rest her head on his chest.
Hmm hmm hmm hmm... ... ...
Tune jo na kahan main woh sunata raha
Khaamakha bewajah khaab bunata raha
Khaamakha bewajah khaab bunata raha
His eyes were closed but he was not sleeping. He was revisiting the incident that took everything that took Zoya from him. Zoya, his wife, his life, and his love confessing her love to another man. She was ready to run away with another man leaving him all alone. She loved someone else and not him. He could no longer stay in Bhopal the place where he lost his love before getting her.
Jaane kiski humein lag gayi hai najar
Iss shehar mein na apana thikaana raha
Door chaahat se main apani chalata raha
Khaamakha bewajah khaab bunata raha
He had already lost Zoya and had thought that she left with Atif but when he saw her at Khan Villa he was once again reminded of the shackles around her ankles. He promised himself to free her from it so that she could freely fly and be with the one she loved. He did not question her about her betrayal because he did not consider it a betrayal, she had the right to fall in love and she did, just not with him. Everything had changed between them. From the moment he saw her confess her love to Atif she was not his. He could not even touch her as she was someone elses. He could not even tell her that he loved her and ask her to give him and their marriage a chance.
Dard pehle se hai jyaada, khud se phir yeh kiya waada
Khaamosh najarein rahe bejubaan
Ab na pehli si baatein hai, bolo toh lab thartharaate hai
Raaj yeh dil ka na ho bayaan
Ho gaya ke asar koyi ham pe nahi
Hum safar mein to hai humsafar hai nahi
Dur jaata raha paas aata raha, khaamakha bewajah khaab bunata raha
Hmm hmm hmm hmm...
He wanted to think of his Zoya but all he saw was Atif's Zoya. All night he had wandered the streets of Bhopal trying to find a solution to the problem and he came up with the only one. He had to go away from her life taking all the blame of the failure of the marriage. He wanted to give her everything she wanted and in which her happincess was. He would free her from the marriage taking all the blame so when she told the family about Atif they would gladly accept the relationship.
Aaya woh phir najar aise baat chidane lagi phir se
Aankhon mein chubhata kal ka dhuwaan
Haal tera na hum sa hai iss khushi mein kyun gum sa hai
Basane laga kyun phir woh jahaan
Woh jahaan dur jisase gaye the nikal
Phir se yaadon ne kar di hai jaise pehal
Lamaha bita huwa dil dhukhaata raha
Khaamakha bewajah khwaab bunata raha
He once again went back to thinking about Zoya and the happiness she had given him till date. It was enough for him. He would live with her memories and the pain of losing his first and only love. The moments they had spent together in the months they were married especially the ones they spent while planning the nursery. His dreams of a family and life long happiness with Zoya went up in flames right in front of his eyes and he could do nothing about it. All he was left with the ashes of the dreams. He had lied to Zoya about going to London but now he decied that he should go as far as possible from her and that too as soon as possible.
Tune jo na kahan main woh sunata raha
Khaamakha bewajah khaab bunata raha
Jaane kisaki hamein lag gayi hai najar
Iss shehar mein na apana thikaana raha
Dur chaahat se main apani chalata raha
Bujh gayi aag thi daag jalata raha
There was a knock on the door. Asad wiped his tears. "Asad, chalo kuch kha lo." Tanveer took him to the dining area. She had heard Asad's phone ringing and being disconnected after 2 rings. Once again his phone rang but he did not answer it. "Asad, kiski call hai and and why aren't you answering it?" "It's Humaria." Asad sighed and kept the phone on the couch. "Asad, if it is Humaira then why aren't you speaking to her. She must be troubled as you are not responding, baat kar lo uss se." Asad hid his face in his palms. He then took a deep breath. "Kaise? How do I speak to her? Kya kahoon uss se? How will I ever show her my face?" "Asad, I am getting confused, khul ke baat karo." "Humaira, she is my bacche, she was really young and had asked me for a balloon, I got it for her. That day she ahd asked me Asad bhai will you get me everything I want and I had promised I would. All her life I gave her whatever she asked for and now, I took away her biggest happiness from her. I separated her from her first love. Mera khuda jaanta hai, if it was in power I would have united her with her love par aaj main selfish ho gaya. Today I thought of what would make me happy I did not think of her happiness. How will I face her now?" Once more Asad's phone rang and it was Humaira once again. Asad disconnected the call and switched off his cellular.
Tanveer was confused. "Asad, mujhe kuch samajh nahi aa rahi. You are not making sense. Khul ke bolo hua kya hai?" Asad sipped some water and then told her everything. "Tanveer, Humaira is in love with Atif..." "Toh? Asad you can't stop her from falling in love and if the guy also loves her you can stand in their way. Use uski khushi de do." A tear trickled down his cheek. "Kaise de doon? Atif is not only her happiness but also Zoyas and you know ki Zoya ki khushi mein meri khushi hai so maine I took Aitf from Humaira and gave him to Zoya. Main unn dono ke beech se nikal aaya hoon. I am going to London after 2 weeks and wahan jakar Zoya ko..." "Asad shut up! Not another word. How can you doubt Zoya that her happiness is with someone else? Tum mardon ko ek pal nahi lagta na shak karne se pehle. Chee! How can you think that your wife is unfaithful?" "Tanveer tum mujhe galat samajh rahi ho. I am not making allegations against Zoya, main use kabhi bewafa nahi keh sakta na main use bewafa manta hoon. She is in love with someone else. I saw her say it. I heard her say it. Main bas use uska pyar dena chahta hoon. Humaira ko koi aur mil jaayega but Atif he is only Zoyas."
Tanveer looked at Asad and did not believe that how could he not see that Zoya loved him. She knew it she saw it in Mumbai and even when she was watching them from her car. Her tears and the pained look told Tanveer how much Zoya loved Asad. She thought the two needed to speak and clear the misunderstanding and for that Asad had to go home. "Asad, get out of my house. I don't care what you think is going on with Zoya but she certainly thinks that something is going on with us. I don't want her to think that I am a home wrecker. If this news spreads tumhe andaaza hai meri kitni badnaami hogi? I can't let you stay here. Ghar jao ya kahin bhi aur jao but I can't let you stay here." Asad understood what Tanveer was trying to tell him about her name being dragged through the mud in all of this so he thanked her and left. Asad left from Tanveer's palce but he did not go home. He drove around all over the town. After Asad left Tanveer, sat on the janamaz and began praying for Asad and Zoya. She asked Allah to show Asad the right path and there was only one which was right the one which would take him straight home to Zoya.
After driving all around town Asad apllied the car brakes in front of Khan Villa. He was surprised to see the lights on. He opened the main door with his set of keys and went to his bedroom. Zoya wasn't there. He opened the other bedroom and there she was sleeping. He entered the room and kneeled in front of her.
A/N: Dear readers, do hit LIKE and leave comments. Criticism is equally welcomed. Not proof read so kindly forgive my mistakes.
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