Ties That Bind

EP54

The next day had been nothing short of a nightmare for Kabir. The scandal that had rocked his administration was still fresh, gnawing at his every thought, and today he was once again in a battle for his political life.

The office had been a whirlwind of meetings, damage control, and endless strategy sessions, but Kabir’s mind kept drifting back to home, to Zara. She had been his anchor through the storm, though she carried her own burden of mystery. As much as he relied on her calm presence, there was something about her that always remained just out of reach.

Back at the mansion, the atmosphere was anything but calm.

Abduljalal had been on edge ever since he set foot in the house. He didn’t like Zara. That much was obvious to everyone, even Zara herself. But today, it seemed like his disdain had reached a boiling point.

“Zara, you think you can fool everyone with your innocent act, but I see right through you,” Abduljalal spat, his face twisted in anger. He stood at the threshold of the kitchen, where Zara was preparing a bowl of fruit.

Zara raised her eyebrows, unimpressed. “Is that so? And what exactly do you think you see?” she asked, her voice calm, but with an undertone of ice.

“I don’t need to explain myself to you. You don’t belong here,” Abduljalal snapped, his voice rising. “I don’t know what kind of game you’re playing with my brother, but it won’t last. You don’t deserve him, or this house.”

Zara's grip tightened around the fruit knife she was holding, but her face remained composed. She placed the knife down carefully before turning to face him fully. “You think you have me all figured out, don’t you?” she asked, her eyes boring into his. “You think because you’re Kabir’s brother, you have the right to judge me? Let me tell you something, Abduljalal, you don’t know the first thing about me.”

Abduljalal took a step closer, his nostrils flaring. “I know enough. You’ve brought nothing but chaos since you came into this family. I won’t stand by and watch you destroy everything my brother’s worked for.”

Zara crossed her arms, her posture relaxed but her eyes sharp as blades. “You talk as if you’ve been a constant in his life. Where were you when he needed support for his campaignt? Where were you when the people were talking trash about him? Oh, I forgot—you were too busy being a ghost, only showing up when it was convenient for you.”

Abduljalal’s face turned red with fury. “Don’t act like you know anything about our family! You’re just an outsider, a temporary fix in a situation you don’t understand.”

Zara’s eyes darkened. “A temporary fix?” She let out a sharp laugh, devoid of humor. “Do you think I need validation from you? From any of you? Let me make one thing clear—I’m not here for your approval, and I certainly don’t need to prove myself to you or anyone else.”

Abduljalal, visibly shaking, stepped closer. “You think you can just waltz in here and act like you own this place, like you have a stake in anything? You're just a pawn in a game bigger than you, Zara. You’ll be discarded as soon as your usefulness runs out.”

Zara’s lips twitched into a smirk. “You think I’m a pawn?” Her voice dropped to a whisper, laced with venom. “You have no idea what game you’re playing.”

Dara, who had been listening from the hallway, rushed in between them, panic written all over her face. “Please stop! Both of you!” she pleaded, her voice shaking. “This isn’t helping anything.”

Abduljalal shot a glare at Dara. “Stay out of this, Dara. You don’t know what’s going on here.”

Zara’s eyes flickered to Dara, softening for just a moment. “It’s okay, Dara. He’s right about one thing—this isn’t about you.” Then, her gaze shifted back to Abduljalal, her expression hardening once more. “But you should be careful, Abduljalal. You’re treading on very thin ice.”