Her Destiny || 📒

part 20

Mr. Haroon dialed Mr. Zubair's number, his expression serious. When the call connected, he told everything about that argument between Ayliz and Zayan. Mr. Zubair listened attentively, his silence punctuated by understanding.

When Mr. Haroon finished, Mr. Zubair spoke up, "Don't worry, I'll make up her. I'll make sure she's on board with the project.".

Mr. Haroon nodded, even though he knew Mr. Zubair couldn't see him. "I appreciate that. I'll also try to convince Zayan. I'll make sure he's committed to this project, no matter what."

With that, Mr. Haroon ended the call, already thinking of strategies to placate Zayan's ego and get him back on track.

Zayan's eyes narrowed as he gazed at his reflection, his voice laced with determination. "What do you think, Miss Ayliz? I'm childish, huh?! I am the fire that will melt your ice.

Zayan headed downstairs, but his father intercepted him. "Zayan, wait, I need to talk to you."

"I know what you want to say, Appa," Zayan interrupted, his voice firm. "But I've made up my mind. I don't need someone like, always getting angry and throwing things."

His father tried to speak, but he cut him off again. "If you want me to continue with this project, then she needs to apologize for calling me childish."

His father's expression twitched, struggling to contain a smile at the mention of the word "childish". Zayan's glare made him composing himself.

"Okay, okay, I understand," his father said. "You both misbehaved, but-"

Zayan interrupted again. "She threw a diary at her secretary, but I got hit instead! She's an angry bird, Appa. And I'm not arguing, I'm just telling you why I'm right." That's enough appa, with that he left from there.

Mr. Haroon dialed Mr. Zubair's number and filled him in on the conversation with Zayan. "You won't believe what he said," Mr. Haroon chuckled. "He's demanding an apology from Ayliz before he'll continue with the project."

Mr. Zubair's laughter echoed over the phone. "Ah, I already spoke to Ayliz. She told me everything. And apparently, Zayan called her an 'angry bird'!"

Mr. Haroon couldn't help but join in on the laughter. "Ha! Well, it seems like we have a bit of a standoff on our hands."

Zayan's eyes gazed at the jewelry sketches in front of him, but his mind was elsewhere, preoccupied with the thought of Ayliz and their earlier confrontation. He wondered if she would swallow her pride and apologize, or if she would remain stubborn. His thoughts were resolute: "If she doesn't apologize, I'll never agree to work with her again."

He called his secretary. "Rachel, can you bring me a cup of coffee, please?" He asked, his mind still thinking about Ayliz. Rachel smiled and said, "Right away, sir!" She quickly brought him a hot cup of coffee, which he accepted with a nod, his eyes fixed on sketches in front of him.

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Ayliz sat in her room, her eyes fixed on the wall, her mind replaying the argument with Zayan. She couldn't believe he had called her an "angry bird"! Her father's words echoed in her mind, "Ayliz, come on, just say sorry to him. It's not a big deal, just a simple apology." He said it so casually, like it was nothing. But her pride refused to budge. "Why should I apologize? He's the one who was rude to me!" She crossed her arms, her expression defiant. But deep down, a small voice whispered, "Is your pride worth losing the project?"

Ayliz sat at her desk, her mind racing with thoughts of her father's words. She couldn't shake off the feeling that she had been too harsh on Zayan. She finally gave in to her instincts and picked up her phone, dialing her mother's number. Her mother answered on the first ring. "Hey, sweetie! How are you?" Ayliz took a deep breath and poured out her story, telling her mother everything - the argument, her father's advice, and her own stubborn refusal to apologize. Her mother listened patiently, and then there was a pause on the other end of the line. "Ayliz, my child, I think you should say sorry to him. You were very rude to him, and you even hit him. That's not like you. Apologizing doesn't mean you're weak, it means you're strong enough to admit your mistakes." Ayliz's eyes widened as she realized her mother was right. She had been so caught up in her own pride that she had forgotten how her actions had affected Zayan.

Ayliz hung up the call with her mother and felt a weight lift off her shoulders. She took a deep breath and dialed her father's number, her heart racing with anticipation. When he answered, she blurted out her decision. "Aa...appa, I'...mm ready to apologize to Zayan. I realize now that I was wrong to behave the way I did." Her father's voice was filled with warmth and approval. "That's my brave girl, Ayliz! I knew you'd come around. Apologizing takes a lot of courage. Go talk to him and make things right." Ayliz smiled, feeling a sense of relief washed over her. She knew it wouldn't be easy, but she was ready to swallow her pride and make.

..........

Ayliz got out of the car and walked into the lobby, her high heels clicking on the floor. She looked up at the modern building and took a deep breath. She pushed open the door and walked in, her confidence drawing eyes from the people around her.

Ayliz stepped into the elevator, her heart beating a little faster with anticipation. Hana gave her a reassuring smile as the doors closed, and they began their ways towards Zayan's office.
A friendly receptionist greeted her, Ayliz nodded and made their way towards the elevator.

The elevator stopped on the top floor, and Ayliz took a deep breath before stepping out into the sleek, modern reception area. straightened her shoulders, smoothed her dress, and walked towards his office.

As he pored over the sketches, a sudden presence interrupted his focus. Minhu burst into the office, his cheerful greeting - "Hey, Mr. Childish, what's up?" - with the teasing glint in his eye. But Zayan's response was unforgiving, a cold death glare. Minhu, undeterred, settled into the chair, his words tumbling out in a gentle, "I was just asking, you know, how you're doing... trying to break the silence."

Zayan snapped at Minhu, "Can't you see I'm busy? Do you have eyes or not? I'm working hard, unlike you who just wander around doing nothing." His words were sharp and dismissive, cutting off any further conversation.

As Zayan set the papers aside and rose from his chair, his movements giving a sense of tiredness He stretched his arms overhead, his eyes fixed on the ceiling, before making his way to the office window. Just as he gazed out at the breathtaking view, Minhu approached, his footsteps quiet on the floor. Coming to stand beside Zayan, he asked, his voice laced with a hint of amusement, "Still being stubborn, huh?" The question hung in the air.

Zayan's gaze met Minhu's, his eyes flashing a silent warning. "Shhhh, I don't want to talk about it," he whispered, his voice barely audible. Minhu's eyes crinkled at the corners as he hummed a soft response, his gaze then dropping to the tie that hung askew around Zayan's neck. With a mischievous grin, Minhu attempted to change the subject. "Zayan, your tie is a bit...unruly. Let me fix it for you." He reached out, his fingers brushing against Zayan's chest, but Zayan swiftly batted his hand away. "He....ey, stop! I can do it myself." Minhu's eyes sparkled with playfulness as he dramatically protested, "Ohhh, Mr. Handsome, please let me! It's a fashion emergency!"

Zayan chuckled and playfully pushed Minhu away, "Stop acting like my girlfriend!" Minhu's eyes flashed with a mock offense, and he shot back, "Why not? Just pretend I am!" Zayan's gaze roamed over Minhu's form, his eyes sparkling with amusement. "how would you look if I made you a model for a photo shoot?" he asked, his voice dripping with sarcasm. Minhu's hand flew to his chest, and he struck a dramatic pose, his eyes flashing with faux anger. Zayan burst out laughing, holding his sides. "You look like a pookie!" he exclaimed.

Zayan collapsed onto the table, his laughter echoing through the room. Minhu couldn't resist joining in, his own laughter with Zayan's.

Minhu fusses over Zayan's tie, trying to straighten the stubborn knot. Zayan, still chuckling, insisted that Minhu use both hands to fix it, his own hands grasping Minhu's blazer to pull away from him. Just as Minhu's fingers brushed against Zayan's neck, the door swung open and Ayliz walked in on the intimate scene. Her eyes widened in surprise, taking in the sight of the two men standing close. Ayliz spoke under her breath "astagfirullah" as she quickly apologized, "Sorry to interrupt...I'll come back later." She backed out of the room, closing the door behind her. Zayan and Minhu sprang apart, coughing awkwardly as they tried to compose themselves. Zayan looked at him with piercing eyes. Minhu laughed hesitatingly, teasing him 'hey, at least we made it interesting'. Zayan punched his back and sat on his chair while fixing his tie with a straight look and told him to call her in the office.

To be continue

Love from Arshi my precious tulips 🌷 💓