Fond of you

•THIRTY-NINE•

Zoya was working on the reception that was supposed to happen this evening. The backup team had done their job well so there wasn't much for her to worry except for one thing.

She had 5 missed calls from Dhara. Zoya hesitated in picking up the call but Dhara kept on calling so she had no choice but pick up.

"Where the fuck are you?" Dhara almost came out from the speaker of Zoya's mobile.

"Dhara...calm down."

"Calm down!?....CALM DOWN!? You seriously want me to calm down? Where are you? Aur ye tumhare ghar pe kya chalra hai?....tu theek toh hai na?...they said that there was a housebreak"

"Sab batati hoon....tu pehle shaant ho....  Chennai se kab aayi?"

"Aaj subah.... Zoza...tu kahan hai?"

"Listen Dhara... I'm almost done with the work... Tu chahe toh mil ke baat karein?"

"Where?"

"I'm texting you a place.... let's meet up...sab bataungi...and I'm fine... don't worry."

"Tune mujhe bataya kyun nahi??"

"Dhara, you were out of town... Tu vaise hi busy hai itni... Tu mil na... Aur gussa thanda karke ana..."

"Whatever...send me the address...NOW!"

~~

Aditya was in his office with Rihaan.

"What's the matter?" Rihaan asked.

"I think something's coming up..."

"I didn't quite get you."

"Zoya ke ghar main chori hui...but nothing was gone except for one thing.....The contract."

"The contract?....you mean...your dating contract?"

"Yes."

"How does that make sense?...why will someone steal a contract? And a dating contract at that... there's nothing very precious about it ...."

"Tujhe laywer kisne banne diya?"

"What do you mean?"

"I mean...are you out of your mind?... That dating contract has probably the most precious thing... Main Zoya ko date Chairman banne ke liye kar raha hoon... That contract is the freaking path of becoming the chairman.... Tu lawyer ban toh gaya...but I wonder meri company main kya kar raha hai.."

"De..dekh Adi...You can't fire me ..."

"We'll see that..."

"Yeah.. but Contract hi kyun chori hua?...I think...ek copy tere paas hai aur ek Zoya ke paas....tujhse contract nikalwana is next to impossible...jisne bhi kiya hai use pata hai ki Zoya is the weak point here."

"Exactly.."

"But contract chura ke fayeda kya?..."

"It ain't about any physical advantage...it's about the most important advantage that one can have on me... Scrutiny... Information... Jise ye pata hai ki main Zoya ke saath Kyun hoon...vo is information ka istemal zaroor karega... "

"Kayi log hain jinka fayeda isme hai ki Tu chairman bane....but kayi logon ke liye zyada fayeda isme hai tu kabhi chairman na bane.....aur is list main sabse upar ek hi naam hai."

"Abeer ... Is too good of a guy to do something like this."

"Paisa sabko badal deta hai Adi...no body knows that better than you. Aur ye toh mat bhool ki jisne bhi contract ki chori karwayi hai use ye pata hai ki tumhara aur Zoya ka relationship contract dating ka hai... News main aake tune koshish ki ki koi bhi tum dono ke relationship pe shaq na kare...but somebody got you."

"You're right.... But agar Abeer ne ye kiya hota toh vo abtak shaant nahi hota... "

"Maybe he's just doing the digging part."

"His part is still incomplete.... Zoza ke paas jo contract ki copy hai usme sirf itna likha hai ki mere use date karne se hi main chairman ban paaunga... I removed the page that stated ki agar main saari conditions fulfill nahi kar paya toh it's gonna be Abeer who has to date Zoza to get the position."

"I almost forgot about that...tujhe nahi lagta tujhe Zoza ko bata dena chahiye iske baare main."

"Zoya naam hai uska." Aditya looked at him sternly.

"Sorry... mere mooh se nikal gaya.... But coming to my point...she needs to know... it's like deceiving her."

"She doesn't need to know.... It's better that she doesn't have to face Abeer and anything related to the business, let's just keep her out of all of this hassle."

"But you can't hide the truth."

"I'm hiding just an unnecessary little bit of the truth."

"What if she faces Abeer and if it's him who's done all this he's gonna try his best to make you both break up.... Kaise rokoge use?"

"Let's not assume ki use pata hai.... I don't want to reach to any conclusions based just on our imaginations. Pehle ye pata karo...ki kisne kiya."

"Fine."

~~

Walking out of his hotel, Aditya saw Abeer near the lounge.

"Hey Adi... Good to see you!" He smirked.

"What are you doing here?"

"Kyun?...yahan ana mana hai kya?"

"Ye hotel hai... Public garden nahi..."

"Kya Adi.... Itna gussa theek nahi... "

"Bada hun tumse... Thoda respectfully baat kiya karo...ya bhi jabtak tumhare papa nahi bolenge tabtak nahi karoge?"

" 7 mahine hi bade ho bas... Itna kyun udte ho"

"Tumhe koi kaam ho toh jaldi bolo...I don't have time to play with kids right now."

"Main bhi usi kaam ke liye nikla hoon jiske liye tum nikle ho...socha saath chalein... Bhai ho tum mere...lift toh de hi sakte ho...isi bahaane kuch khaas logon se mulakat bhi ho jayegi."

"I really don't know what you're upto."

"Richa ka reception Adi....aur kahan jana hai..
Apni choti behen ki tarah pala hai ham teeno ne use..."

"Toh Richa ka reception tumhe yahan ke aya? You're excuses are so kiddish... Isse better bahane toh tum school main bana lete the."

"Tum lift dene main itna natak kyun kar rahe ho?" Abeer wrapped his long arm around Aditya's shoulder.

"Hotel ki car lelo... Bill main pay kar dunga... Aur next time mere paas ye bhai wala pyaar leke tab ana jab apne Papa ke ishaaron pe chalna chor do... Mujhe puppets nahi pasand, unka khood ka dimaag nahi hota." He removed his hand and walked off.

~~

Same night after the reception.

"I hope she's fine....Aisa kya ho gaya ki reception bhi nahi attend kiya... Subah tak toh theek thi." Aditya thought as he drove back to his house.

He saw a parked car near the entrance.

"Kaun ho sakta hai?" He rushed inside,worried.

~~~

I know this ain't long enough but I'm a bit caught up nowadays.

Next shall be up asap....pakka ✌️🤝

Do drop down your views.☺️ And sorry for Typos... I'll edit when I proofread the chapter.