Zoya

SEVENTEEN

The dark night was heavy on everyone. The death of her father had impacted Zeenia in a very negative manner. She did not know how to move forward. All her life, she was under his care, whilst she bullied her step sister. Zeenia had always known that eventhough Zoya was loved by their father, he still preferred Laiba and her over Zoya. Ali had abandoned her and she felt that she was wronged. None of this was her fault. Zoya should be the one paying for all of this. The truth was that having lost sense of authority over the life of Zoya made her develop a sense of inferiority. Something she could never live with. However, she had ultimately doomed her own self.

Zeenia alongside her elder sister was sitting inside her parents room. The large spacious room lacked the warmth that their father added. But atleast they still had their mother by their side. Alishba was lying on the bed. Her back supported by fluffy pillows as she leaned on the large headboard. Her hair was a mess and eyes swollen due to her crying. She may have been a scheming woman buf she did it for her family. She had loved her husband from the deepest parts of her heart. And now losing him, she felt as if everybody had left her.

"Ammi thoda hosla karein-," Laiba began, yet she was harshly interrupted.
"Kia hosla karun? Mera shohar mar gaya hai aur choti beti ko shohar nai ghar sai nikal diya hai! Mein barbad ho gai hun!" Tears again rushed into her large eyes. Laiba then became silent. There was no way she could make the two women calm. Her husband, Junaid had told her the importance of having a good relationship with Zoya. Since he worked under Zayyad, offending Zoya meant that Zayyad could pull out his investments from his firm making him go bankrupt.

"Sari ghalti uss manhoos Zoya ki hai!" Fury clouded Zeenia's judgement. Even in a time of dispair she chose to ignore her own faults. To her own self she was the most pitiful creature alive. All that was wrong happened with her. She had tried countless times to make calls to Ali but all of them were singlehandedly rejected.
"Sahi kaha! Pata nahi kiss ghalti ki saza hai woh ladki! Par Zeenia-" Alishba continued in fury but Laiba, who was at the end of her patience, lost it.
"CHUP KAR JAIN. ABBU KO FAUT HUWAY 2 DIN NAHI HUWAY AUR AAP DONO KO ABHI HUI SAKOON NAHI!"

Zeenia looked at her sister with venomous eyes.
"Kia matlab sakoon nahi hai? Aap seedhi seedhi baat karein. Shohar ki waja sai maa aur behna ko akela chod rahi hain. Aur yaad rakhein sab saazishon mein aap ka bhi utna hi haath hai!" The chilly tone of her younger sister, shook Laiba's core as she was reminded of the fact that she was an equal culprit. Their mother just shook her head and began to cry, cursing her fate for having daughters who did not wait a second before going against each other.

The large and heavy door was opened. A maid stepped inside the room. The show infront of her was no less than a statplus drama scene. All that was missing was some serious powerpoint effects.
"Baaji, Zeenia aapi ka susral aaya hai," she respectfully murmured and left the spacious room. Alishba motioned for her daughter's to head out before walking out herself. It was time for Zeenia to reclaim her position in her in laws.

Alishba came downstairs, wrapped in a large black chaddar. She greeted them all with a sober face.
"Alishba beti, bohat dukh huwa hai humein aap ki shohar ki maut ka. Par janay walay tou chalay gai. Hum ab chahte hain keh Zeenia wapis aajye," Dadi spoke with a serene and calm voice. She was done with all the daily soap operas in her home and wanted peace to be restored in her grandson's life.
"Dadi jaani ko tou mein chali jaun. Par jab tak Zoya uss ghar mein hai, meri zindagi mein mushkelin kam nahi hon gi". Zeenia replied to the woman whose eyes twinkled with wisdom.
"Beti yeh baatein hum ghar ja kar sooch lein gai filhal saman pack karo," then she motioned towards Maryam and asked her to accompany Zeenia upstairs and help in packing.

Upstairs in her room, Zeenia sat on her bed and looked at her devrani. She smirked. Maryam had clearly sided with Zoya and hence had chosen the wrong side.
"Maryam bhabhi kia Zoya nai aapke aur Hamza keh beech mein tou nahi koi larai karwa di?" She asked, feigning innocence. Maryam looked at the savage standing next to her with glaring eyes.
"Nahi! Aur na hi usne aap ki aur Ali bhai ki zindagi mein musibat paida ki hai. Masla sara aap ki soch ka hai!" For the remainder of the evening, Maryam ignored Zeenia only hoping that she would act like a sensible person this time around.

Meanwhile, Zayyad and Ali were sitting inside a luxurious coffe shop. Talking about their married lives. Ali had especially called him over as he wanted to take a decision and did not want to do it without the help of his elder brother. Zayyad gazed at his younger brother with deep, calculative eyes.

"Kia huwa hai Ali?" Zayyad's voice carried a touch of warmth.
"Bhai, dadi chahti hain mein Zeenia ko wapis le aaun. Par woh meray saath ghar nahi banana chahti. Uska eik hi maksad hai aur woh Zoya bhabhi ki zindagi barbad karna". Ali sighed. Only God knows when his troubles will end.

After pondering over his statement for a while, Zayyad sighed as well. What his brother had claimed was nothing short of the truth. Zeenia was more interested in Zoya and his life than her own.
"Tum uss sai baat kar keh dekho," Zayyad advised.
"Itni baar tou ki gai. Par uski zidd jaise khatam nahi hoti. Upar sai ab dadi bhi usse support karne lagi hai," he calmly stated all of his worries.
"Han. Dadi keh behaviour mein change mein nai bhi notice kiya tha pata nahi kiya huwa hai unhai". Zayyad uttered. Unable to keep his curiosity in check.

Ali explained to him that Zeenia had convinced their grandmother that Zoya was root cause of all trouble and did not want for her to have a good life with him. He then proceeded to explain that her convincing point was that since Zeenia was her step sister Zoya always wanted to make her feel bad.

They were in the middle of a heated discussion when Zayyad's phone began to ring. It was Zoya.
"Han Zoya kia huwa?" He questioned.
"Acha.... hum attay hain...". Ending the call he motioned for Ali to follow him. Zayyad drove fastly and reached their home in record time. Inside the lavish lounge stood Zeenia.

"Zeenia tum?" Ali was baffled seeing her there. He had not gone to bring her back then who had? His gaze then fell on dadi who looked quite happy with herself.
"Dadi aap isse kyun le kar aai hain?" Ali asked, holding onto his calm facade, one word from Zeenia and it would slip.
"Kyun keh biwi shohar keh ghar mein achi lagti hai!" Dadi replied.
"Par-" Ali was rudely interrupted by the old woman.
"Par war kuch nahi. She is your wife. Idhr hi rahay gi! Mein dekhti hun kon nikalta hai usko!" Dadi said in a fit of rage. Not understanding that this was a matter of her beloved grandson Ali's life. This was no joke. And clearly not something to be used to satisfy her own ego.

"Mein uskay saath rehna hi nahi-"
"Bakwas band karo! Ali masla kia hai tumhara? Mujh sai itni nafrat kyun karte ho? Itna dur kyun rakhtay ho?" Zeenia intervened and asked him sharp questions.
"KYUN KEH TUMHEIN HUMARI ZINDAGI SAI ZAYADA ZOYA BHABHI AUR ZAYYAD KI ZINDAGI MEIN INTEREST HAI!" Ali shouted at her. Living with her for all this time, his patience had finally worn out. Zeenia looked at him as if he was wronged.

Before anyone could say anything, Zeenia fell om the floor. Unconscious. Due to the force, her skin was peirced and blood started to come out. Ali, ignoring the fact that he was just having a fight with her, rushed her to the hospital. And everyone except for Zoya, whom dadi had stopped stayed back. But seeing the treatment she got, Zayyad stayed put and wrapped his arms around his beloved wife.

"Zoya chahe koi kuch bhi kahay. Mein janta hun tum kaisi insan ho. Yaad rakhna iss duniya mein siwayi meray tumhein kisi aur ki zaroorat nahi. Samjhi?" He patted her head affectionately. Zoya smiled at him and nodded her head. Kissing him lightly on the lips.

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Zeenia when she sees that dadi's reaction does not effect Zayyad:
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