Well, that did sting, my past actions have placed me in a very difficult situation.
"I didn't know that Anas is going to ditch me " I replied as I shamefully bowed my head. Anas's betrayal still hurts.
"I thought if we get married and come to Dad, he would accept us and I wouldn't have any problem then. But now there is everyone "
"Then you shouldn't bring me here, Miss Zoya Ali, for Christ's sake this is my boss Mr Ali we are talking about. Didn't you know today was your engagement? Didn't you know there will be reporters and relatives in your residence? Didn't you know it would be a risk if you came here with me? After knowing everything you brought me here. Does it make any sense?", he yelled at me angrily.
"Will you help me or not?" I asked him rudely. I was going with my patience we certainly did not have all day.
"It's a stupid idea and I am not going to help you with this crap. That's about your image and your reputation. You should handle it. It's not my business ", he replied, refusing to look into my eyes.
"That's definitely your business Abrar Zafar," I said. He looked at me completely shocked by my change of tone.
I was trying to be reasonable with him but it seems like I have to use brutal force to make him agree.
"What do you mean?", he asked., looking surprised by my sudden change in character.
"Soon I will be the owner of my dad's massive empire and you will be thrown out of my company if you don't do what I said" I threatened.
"What?", he muttered, by my sudden threat to fire him.
"You have ten seconds to decide. You want your job or not?" I asked staring at him and waiting for his reply.
not the same old Zoya I saw at the pack who looked weak and helpless, this felt like a different person.
"I want my job, it is my only source of livelihood but you can't threaten me", I protested. This was just an outrageous situation.
"But I cannot go ahead with your idea, it is just absolutely insane", I argued.
My job was very important to me, I needed it to survive, I couldn't lose my job.
She threw me into the toughest situation of my life. I had helped her, in return, she was doing the worst things with me.
"For what I said and you won't lose your job.", she uttered.
She grabbed my hand and locked her arm with mine while we walked towards her parents. She had a determined look on her face.
I was frozen. Within two hours, my life took a huge turn which I never imagined. Why did this happen to me?
I was happy in my simple life. This kind of mess was not for me. She was talking to some of her guests while I wasn't in senses.
"Status doesn't matter in love. No?", She said to one of the guests as they might be asking her about my status. I didn't hear them carefully.
When she shook me I came out of my thoughts and listened to her.
She was smiling as if nothing had happened. The guy she loved had ditched
her and she was smiling here and acting cool with me.
"Abrar, will you please come with me for a second?"Mr. Ali asked.
Zoya suddenly squeezed my arm, and I looked at her.
"Don't you dare to forget what I told you", she whispered in a low voice. I nodded like a slave of hers, she was scary. She was so different from when I first saw her.
I went with Mr. Ali. He brought me to the counter and held a glass of apple juice.
Despite being a billionaire, Mr. Ali never went against his religion.
I had never imagined my boss would offer me a drink or I would be drinking next to him.
It still felt like a dream. A nightmare! How things change with just one relationship I understood that day. I was his son-in-law, according to him.
"I don't know where to start Abrar", he mumbled.
"I'm still in shock after whatever has happened. But one needs to accept the fact of life and move on. I wanted Zoya to marry Danish. But I believe in Nikah (Islamic Ways of wedding) I respect it so much" he said. " I don't want to disrespect it in any way. It's the most beautiful procedure on earth", he explained as I felt guilty.
I just shook my head in agreement. We shouldn't cheat him like this. Mr. Ali had always been good to me.
Whenever I needed help he offered it to me. I felt really bad.
"But I am worried about Zoya. I don't have any problem with your status and bank balance. But the thing is Zoya isn't a girl who can compromise or adjust. She'll need everything that you can't afford." He said he looked worried. Like a father advising his son
"I don't want her to hurt you unknowingly. She will behave very very rudely if you are unable to fulfill her demands. I don't know when it all started between both of you. But there's a huge difference between dating and marriage", he continued and I was confused about what he wanted to say. I wasn't ready for another shock. I had enough.
All this was a lie, there was nothing between Zoya and I. I wanted to scream the truth so badly but I knew that if I told the truth I could lose my only source of livelihood.
"If you don't mind I want to change your position and promote you with a handsome salary and arrange a house for both of you next to my office", he completed his statement.
I didn't know what to say or do. All this was happening so fast. I had no idea what to say. I felt like I had no right to say anything. I had no idea what to say.
It felt bad to know that I was not financially capable of taking care of someone's daughter. It was not the first time I had heard that sentence but this time around it did not come out in an insulting manner.
Zoya suddenly appeared, saving me from the awkward situation.
I didn't feel bad when he offered me
"Not at all, we do not need all that", she said in a black tone and stood next to me.
"You don't need to do this Dad. I will be fine, I love Abrar and that is all that matters" she said, as she stared up at me with a smile on her face, but I couldn't bring myself to smile back at her.
"I'm not doing this for you Zoya. I'm doing this for him because I know you, how stubborn you are, and what you do when you do not get what you want. ", he snapped at Zoya.
I was not surprised as he was right. He knew his daughter well. Zoya could do anything to get her work done. I had just witnessed her threaten me. She was exactly like her father described. I thought she was a fragile girl but she was not in any way at all.
"There will be differences between others and my husband, no? I behave that way with you because I know you are capable of giving me that. But I will not be the same with him. And if you haven't forgotten, I'm going to be the owner of the whole property. Until then I can live in his home. Home is home. No matter how big or small it is ", she said, surprising me.
But it soon made me realize that we were talking about Zoya moving in with me.
I was not comfortable with the idea of an unmarried woman dating in the same room with me, I only had one bedroom and it was cramped as it was, adding another person was not a good idea.
I must admit she could act so well. How easily she said all this. I was not interested in her dramas at all.
So I kept calm but the thought of taking her with me to my home was haunting me.
"I see", Mr. Ali responded.
He left from the counter as I and Zoya were left alone.
"I do not like this idea of yours. Why are you doing this to me?" I asked, frustrated.
It was late at night and here I was trying to help a girl and now I was in a situation I myself did not understand. So you are coming with me ", I said in a black voice.
"Well, I am grateful for your help but, if the reputation of your bosses goes down the drain so will the company and so will your job so think of it as a way of saving your job" she responded nonchalantly.
I had no idea who was standing before me, Zoya felt and behaved like a completely different person. I could finally feel that she was no child but a mature smart woman who was used to getting her way and I just fell right into her trap. There was no way out for me.
"Does that mean you are living in my house?" I asked.
"Didn't you hear me? Of course ", she replied.