Forget Me Not (Zayn/Harry; Mpreg AU)

26 - Conspiracy

"I'm sorry I'm late, Aunt Trisha," a young man hurriedly says, plopping down on top of the seat across Trisha Malik. He sounds out of breath, mostly from the fact that he ran through the coffee shop's carpark in top speed, underneath the glare of the sun, because he is already fifteen minutes late to this meeting. "I had to bring Freddie to my mum before I left."

Trisha shakes her head and takes a long sip of her green tea latte. She watches with hidden mirth while the lad infront of her squirms as she holds off a reply. He has always been so easy to tease. "You're lucky you are my favorite, Louis," she says a few seconds after, finally showing some mercy.

Louis William Tomlinson is a lad two years older than Zayn and they are the best of friends. The Tomlinsons are a family friend of the Maliks. For years, these two powerhouse clans have been in numerous partnerships regarding different business ventures. They live next to each other and often host dinner parties between them. It is in one of those events that the heirs of the families, a 5 year old Louis and a 3 year old Zayn, has met. Instantly, a strong bond has been made between them, especially since little Zayn seemed to idolize Louis. They are inseparable, often bonding over comics, music or orchestrating pranks against their unsuspecting sisters. With them as perpetual partners-in-crime, both of the households are alive with laughter and playful mini fights. As they grow older, however, Zayn has mellowed out to a quiet, high-achieving lad while Louis still retains his mischievousness even as a teen. Their friendship has continued to exist, though, despite their clashing personalities. They have even graduated together with the same degrees.

Like Zayn, Louis is next in line as the president of their company, Tomlinson Incorporated, and is also a celebrity of sorts in the business world. Paparazzis and reporters follow him around as he attends countless meetings and conferences or if he is simply parading the streets with his different girlfriends. The brunette is closing business deals in the US when Zayn is banished from the family and, understandably, Louis is greatly affected by this news. He is devastated, especially since his girlfriend of that time, Eleanor Calder, has also decided to add onto the lad's worries when she calls their relationship off. Lost, Louis has turned to alcohol and relationships of a sexual nature to forget. Unfortunately, one wild night is all it took for his whole life to change and now he is a father to a little lad named Freddie.

After spending years in the US, Louis has now moved back to London permanently and, of course, Trisha Malik has seen this as the perfect opportunity to further her revenge against Harry Styles.

Icy blue eyes glimmer as a relieved smile stretches across those thin lips. The young lad pushes a hand through his windswept dark brown hair and tugs the strands into place. He then waves the waitress over and orders a cup of his favorite yorkshire tea and two cranberry scones for himself. "Can I get you anything more, Auntie?" he asks Trisha.

"No, it's fine," Trisha replies carelessly, smiling to herself as she reads the message that Gigi has sent her. The young woman has just informed her that Zayn has been discharged from the hospital and is now safely home in the Malik residence, attached to it is a photo of the aforementioned lad talking to his dad with a big grin. This makes Trisha happy because, now, everything is going perfectly.

The two sit in silence until Louis's tea and scones arrive. Louis pours a bit of milk onto his hot drink and stirs it before taking a sip.

It's time for business. Trisha links her fingers together and props her elbows on top of the polished table. She leans forward and rests her chin on top of her intertwined hands. "So," she starts. "Have you started negotiating with the owner of Payne Enterprises?"

Louis tears a piece from one of his scones and pops it into his mouth, chewing on it quietly before swallowing. He nods and answers, "I have, yes."

"Well?"

"That lad is one tough nut to crack," Louis responds with a heavy sigh. He remembers talking to Liam Payne and getting so frustrated with the other's stubbornness. "I offered him ten times the price of his bloody businesses and he still turned me down."

Trisha is a tad disheartened by the news. Nonetheless, she believes that they will manage to buy both of the properties from Liam Payne, if they persist and, of course, if they increase the payment. No one in their right mind will turn down millions of instant money, that's for sure.

"Don't worry too much about it, Louis," Trisha encourages. "We'll be able to buy those businesses from Mr. Payne with a few added digits to the cheque."

Louis smirks knowingly.

"Anyway, did you see the pest of a human that I told you about?"

Louis shakes his head no, disappointed that he has missed the chance of seeing the very person that they want to disappear from their lives, especially Zayn's. "It's a shame, really. I wanted to see him."

A few months ago, Trisha Malik has requested for Louis's presence in a private meeting. It isn't often that the powerful woman ruling beside Yaser Malik and their company asks for you, so Louis has readily accepted, eventhough he has no idea of what the topic of their conversation will be all about. He doesn't have to wonder for very long, though, because as soon as he has agreed, the dinner is arranged in the fanciest of restaurants in town. As it turns out, Trisha is in need of Louis's help in getting rid of one Harry Styles.

At first, Louis is hesitant. He doesn't know the lad and he certainly doesn't want to get involved in anything that might put his name and his family's in any danger. However, as the skilled businesswoman that she is, Trisha is knowledgeable in how to persuade people to do her bidding and, by the time that she has finished talking, Louis loathes Harry Styles.

According to Trisha, Harry is the reason why Zayn has broken off his engagement with Gigi. He has popped out of nowhere and instantly became Zayn's boyfriend. Harry Styles is a nobody, who has merely finished sixth form and is, obviously, only after Zayn's wealth. Louis has had his fair share of gold digging whores, so he understands why Trisha is terribly concerned for Zayn's well-being if he is, indeed, in a relationship with this Harry lad. What Zayn has had with Gigi is stable and good and one bloke manages to wreck it? Unbelievable. It makes Louis wonder what black magic it is that Harry has used to enchant Zayn.

Furthermore, Trisha is convinced that Zayn has changed while involved with Harry. For one, from being obedient and responsible, Zayn became rebellious and stubborn, often skipping out on board meetings and the like, probably to meet up with the young man. In turn, this has angered Yaser greatly.

Of course, before Trisha has revealed her plans to Louis, she has informed him of what has transpired during the night that Zayn has been disowned. Although Louis thinks Trisha and Yaser has reacted far too strongly for banishing their only son, he soon realizes that it is their way of letting Zayn know firsthand that choosing Harry will be only bringing him down. Unfortunately, Zayn is undeterred by his downfall and has even proven himself to be capable of living without his riches by taking up a job as a measly bagger at a tiny grocery store.

Finally, by the end of this seemingly epic tale of a hero's downfall, Louis is convinced that Harry is solely the one to blame. And with that, another deal has been made between a Malik and a Tomlinson, only this time, it doesn't involve any legitimate business or trade. It's something personal, a vendetta against Harry, so to speak. Trisha has explained to Louis what she has been planning to do to win Zayn back and this is to make Harry Styles disappear from this town by any means necessary. She believes that through this, Zayn would have no choice but to return to his family and go back to being the heir of Malik Enterprises. It will be even better if him and Gigi get back together, get married and, subsequently, push through with the merge of the company with the Hadid's.

Louis remembers himself clinging onto every word that escapes Trisha's mouth. After all, he is eager to have his best mate back and if the only way to do this is to get rid of Harry Styles, then so be it.