Fond of you

•NINETY-NINE•

Zoya's eyes narrowed as she spotted Zarah checking in at the reception. The sight of her in their space ignited a fire of fury in her.

The furry shawl slipped from Zoya's shoulder as she turned to Aditya, her eyes blazing with anger.

"What is she... doing here?" she demanded, her voice low but filled with venom.

Aditya looked confused and slightly taken aback. "I... have no clue...wait... I'll handle this," he started, turning to Saatvik, but Zoya stopped him with a firm hand on his chest.

"No... I'll take care of it." She handed him her shawl, her eyes never leaving Zarah's figure as she walked briskly down the corridor.

The clink of her heels echoed ominously with each determined step.

As Zarah sauntered through the corridor, oblivious to the approaching storm, Zoya's pace quickened. Her fists clenched, every muscle in her body taut with anger.

In a few long strides, she reached Zarah and without a moment's hesitation, swung her fist.

The punch landed squarely on Zarah's face, sending her sprawling to the ground with a cry of shock and pain.

"You bitch!" Zarah screamed, clutching her cheek and looking up at Zoya with a mixture of fear and rage.

Zoya stood over her.

Her usually soft features were now hard and unyielding. "Tumhari himmat kaise hui yahan aane ki?" she hissed, her voice low and dangerous. "...After everything you've done?"

Zarah tried to scramble to her feet, but Zoya's fierce gaze held her in place. "What the hell is your problem, Zoya—"

"Sssshhhh..." Zoya hushed her, bending down slightly. "Not a word, honey." She crouched down to face her, her eyes cold as she wiped the blood off Zarah's lips with a tissue. "Tumhari shakal dekh ke... maine toh sirf maara hai...you see him?"

She pointed at Aditya, who was standing a short distance away, surrounded by his guards who had followed Zoya. They formed a protective circle around her, their expressions impassive but their presence intimidating.

"Jiske peeche 'Adi baby, Adi baby' karti yahan tak aayi ho na... Next time if I even hear your name around us, Zarah... tab tumse mai nahi, Adi baby deal karega... and you and I both know you'd not want that," she warned, her voice dripping with menace.

Zarah's eyes darted to Aditya, who was watching the scene unfold.

The power he wielded was evident, and the thought of facing his wrath made Zarah's blood run cold. She had dated Aditya, she knew him well.

The man who now stood a short distance away, his presence commanding and unwavering, was the same man she had once tried to control and manipulate.

She knew just how far he would go to protect Zoya, and it terrified her.

As Zarah clutched her cheek, still throbbing from Zoya's punch, she couldn't help but acknowledge a bitter truth.

It was for the best that Zoya had chosen to confront her.

If Aditya, with his fierce protectiveness over Zoya, had been the one to deal with her, she would have been in far worse trouble. The thought of Aditya's cold, calculated anger directed at her sent shivers down her spine.

She was here as a representative from the Baig's for this grand event. Baig's were one of the biggest stockholders of the Hooda's conglomerate, still she knew that what she did.... If her father found out about it, he'd be very disappointed of her failure.