Forget Me Not (Zayn/Harry; Mpreg AU)

30 - Ephemeral

"Mum, what have you done?"

The slam of delicate fists against her worktable doesn't faze Trisha Malik. Without so much as a blink, she merely pours herself a glass of her finest champagne and takes a pondering, almost mocking, sip as her eldest stares at her with furious eyes. She doesn't answer immediately, no, choosing instead to wave her free hand in dismissal while the other one gently swirls the flute in her grasp. She watches the ripple flutter gently across the golden liquid before she shifts her gaze up and lets her eyes travel around her home office. She takes in her multiple awards and recognitions, her eyes shining with pride, before finally leveling her cool gaze against a pair much like her very own. She relaxes in her seat after, her legs crossed, a triumphant smirk on her red-stained lips.

"Doniya, my protégé," Trisha coos, the sickeningly sweet tone of her voice eliciting a grimace from Doniya. She places her champagne flute down and reaches across the table to pat the back of her daughter's outstretched hand. "Isn't it nice that your brother has come back to his senses and returned to us? To the life where he truly belongs?"

Doniya snatches her hand from under her mother's clutches and shakes her head. From her spot in front of her mother's massive desk, she sways a bit with the intensity of her emotions. "He didn't come back on his own free will, that's for sure. You did something to him, didn't you? You and Gigi."

Obviously, Doniya's words hit a sensitive nerve for in the next second, Trisha's calm countenance cracks and her smirk vanishes. "How dare you accuse your mother of such things, Doniya?" she practically hisses, angered. She exhales quite loudly and the pinched look on her face intensifies. "I saved your stupid brother from dying. I brought him home because I have forgiven him for choosing someone else over us. I brought him home because it's never too late for him to come back and be with us again! That is what I did for Zayn, Doniya. I did what any mum would do, given the situation."

"Mum," Doniya objects weakly, her eyes swimming with tears trying to break free. She feels an onslaught of conflicting emotions in this moment - confusion, anger, worry. There is a dull pain blossoming in her chest as she thinks back to that day in the hospital years ago, when Zayn chose her as his last resort in helping his lover. She remembers watching a sleep-heavy Harry bring out the best in Zayn and then realizing with a start that money and fame is not what her brother truly needs. Zayn needs to love and to be loved in return and he has that with the younger lad.

Who in their right mind would dare take that happiness away from the two?

So, from then on, Doniya has sworn to put her brother's happiness above everything else, even if it meant that Zayn is not with them. Clearly, he is uninterested in their family's wealth and is simply content with having a home within someone he adores. Plus, he doesn't need saving anyway, because he is far from being in any danger with Harry, who is obviously just as equally enamored with the older lad.

"Zayn is not happy here, mum. He never was."

"Well, he will learn to be happy here now," Trisha interjects with finality, her stern expression daring Doniya to object. Satisfied that she has gotten her daughter to shut up with her ludicrous babbling, the founder of TM Designs pours herself another glass of champagne, picks the flute up and turns her chair around, effectively dismissing her daughter. "Get out of my office, Doniya. I'm expecting visitors soon."

Disheartened, Doniya spends the next few seconds staring at the back of her mother's head and wondering if she'll ever find it in her heart to genuinely love her children, for her to want their lives to be what they have dreamed for it to be and not something that has been planned ahead of them. Maybe never, Doniya decides sadly as she exits the room. She puts a hand on the gentle swell of her belly and promises to be a better mother to her own child.