Tangled Hearts

Chapter Twenty-Four

Zara's POV

'No. I'm sorry, Mum. I don't want to marry him,' I say to Mum for the hundredth time. It is now Monday morning. I reached home at around half 11 last night, and I went straight to bed. I said 'hi' to Maryam and my parents, who were waiting up for me, but then I went straight to bed. I didn't have enough energy at the time to argue with Mum about this. I was exhausted.

"Zara, beta I've told Laiba that you're not sure about marriage yet, but she still wants to come and meet us all. With her husband and Asad. We haven't met up with their family in so long, dear. That's why they will come to meet us. Tomorrow evening," Mum replies.

My eyes widen. 'Tomorrow evening?! Are you being serious, Mum? I'll..go to Hafsa's home tomorrow at that time! Mum, I don't want to marry him. Why can't you understand?'

Unfortunately, Dad has gone to drop Maryam off at college. Hafsa is here, sitting with me and Mum. If Dad was here right now, he would be siding with me. Me and Hafsa will go to university in about 15 minutes time. I want to get out of the house now. But Mum needs to understand first. I don't want to marry this guy. I don't want to marry any guy except...

"Zara, I'm not saying that you have to marry him. I didn't say this even once! They're coming to meet us tomorrow, because we haven't seen each other in so long. Hafsa, beta, please make sure that you and your parents, and also Zaid, of course, are here tomorrow evening for dinner. Laiba and her family will also be here, but I of course want you all to be here, too," Mum says to Hafsa with a smile.

'Yes, sure Aunty,' Hafsa says, before smirking at me. She's very excited about all this. If only she knew. If only she knew that I have feelings for her brother. What would she think? She would be shocked, for sure, but...

"Mum, they're only coming for dinner. Okay?" I finally ask.

She grins and nods. 'Of course, Zara!' I know exactly what she's up to, though. We will all have dinner together tomorrow evening, and she is hoping that I start to like, or show interest, in Asad. That's not gonna happen, though. That's not gonna happen at all. Not with Zaid here, too. How shocking will it be if Mum catches me staring at Zaid instead of Asad?

********

Zaid's POV

'Miss Davies! Get the report to my office in five minutes,' I roar into the intercom.

I'm not in a very good mood today. Not at all. I'm in an even worse mood than before now, after I received a text from Dad telling me that we are invited to dinner tomorrow evening at Zara's home. Along with that guy and his family. This is all happening way too quickly, and I don't like it.

I know that the guy and his family are just going for dinner, but I hate all this. I can't even imagine Zara with any other guy. She's mine, and mine only. Asad Ali. CEO of one of the largest industries in London and Manchester. I smirk. His company isn't as large as mine, though. I've heard of this guy, and I know that he is a good businessman, very powerful too. Not as powerful as me, though. I'm sure he's heard of me, too.

I already don't like this guy. He isn't good enough for Zara. No one is, including me. But she is mine, not his or anyone else's.

********

I go home early that evening, because I'm getting a headache, and I can't concentrate at all on work. Mum notices that something is wrong at dinner.

'Are you looking forward to going to Zara's home tomorrow?' Mum asks me and Hafsa, smiling.

"Yeah, of course I am! She's saying that she's not interested, but I hope all will change when she meets the guy tomorrow! From what I've heard, he's a great guy, and a gentleman too!" Hafsa says, grinning.