Chained✔

10.Hatred with care?

Aditya said "Mri, abhi tum jaao. Tumhe sona bhi toh hai aur tumhari tabiyat bhi utni theek nhi hai. Abhi so jaao . Kal subah milte hai."
Mri kissed him and then kissed Zoya on the cheek and bid them goodnight and went to sleep.
Zoya looked at Aditya and he turned away and went towards his bed. He said "Agar ghar chod ke jana chahti ho toh ja sakti ho, vaise bhi is kamre mein tumhari koi jagah nhi hai."
Zoya said "Haar maanna humari fitrat mein nhi hai. Aapse wahiyaat halat jhele hai humne. Aur rhi baat jagah ki , voh toh hum bana kar rahenge kyunki haq hai yeh humara."
Aditya scoffed as he lay down on his bed and said "Tum aur tumhara haq. Pehle bhi bola tha tumhe, galat profession mein ho tum. Lawyer banna chaiye tha."
Zoya rolled her eyes and said "Aapse pehle mile hote toh career counselling aapse hi le lete."
Aditya turned his back to her and Zoya settled down on the couch in the room.
She looked at the ceiling and tears poured down her eyes. All her hopes of finding love in her marriage were drowning because she knew that the man in the room would never love her and even she wouldn't want to be loved by such a beast. She sniffed for some time and then Aditya said "Rona bandh nhi kar sakti tum. Sone ki koshish kar rha hoon."
Zoya said in a heavy voice "Kabhi kisi aur ke baare mein bhi thoda socha ki jiye."
Aditya said "Tumhare baare mein mujhe sochne hi nhi hai. Kabhi bhi nhi."
Zoya said "Bhooliye mat ki aapki biwi hai hum."
Aditya said "Maine pehle bhi bola tha iss rishte ko main kabhi maanna nhi chahta."
Zoya said "Aapke maanne ya na maanne se sach toh nhi badlega na."
Aditya said "Ek rishte ke liye pyaar aur izzat chaiye hoti hai. Aur main na toh tumhari izzat karta hoon aur na tumse kabhi pyaar karoonga."
Zoya said " Aapke pyaar aur izzat ki zaroorat bhi nhi hai humein."
Aditya said " Toh so jaao phir aur nhi sona chahti ho toh kamsekam mujhe sone do. Unlike you I have loads to do tomorrow."
Zoya simply sighed and twisted on her couch. She knew it was futile arguing with this man. She just thought that how on earth would she live with him for the years to come without ripping both his and her hair off.
On the other hand Aditya had his eyes open and was letting the feeling sink in that he had got married to the girl he hated the most . The girl who was the reason behind Mri getting hurt and also the only person who had seen him vulnerable. He knew the way he was treating her was wrong and a small voice in his heart was telling him that maybe Zoya wasn't that bad but his head which was filled with ego and anger dismissed this thought . After seeing how Yash had betrayed Pooja , he had lost all belief on humanity and had a hard time trusting people. He had seen how Yash had promised Pooja that he would love her forever and take care of her. But he turned out to be a cheater and he was the reason Pooja was no more. Ever since then Aditya had stopped believing that good people did exist and had used his anger and natural hatred for people as his defence mechanism so that he could  never get hurt. He had also stopped changing his opinion about people. Because when he had first met Yash his head had told him that he was trouble but after meeting him for a few times he had heard his heart and let go of his doubts. And that's when everything changed.
Aditya inhaled deeply and closed his eyes.
At around four he woke up after having another one his regular nightmares. He sat up to drink some water and that's when he noticed Zoya sleeping uncomfortably on the couch. She was hugging herself and Aditya understood that she was feeling cold. He increased the temperature of the air conditioner in his room and then went to take out a comforter and lightly put it on her. Zoya clutched at it gratefully but didn't open her eyes.
Aditya went to the washroom and splashed some water on his face. He thought "Kya zaroorat thi yeh sab karne ki." And then he said to himself "Agar yeh nhi karta toh use thand lag jaati aur phir blame bhi mujh pe hi aata. Yeh mat bhool Adi ki Zoya represents you. The way you treat her will be noticed by all and you need to play smartly in front of people no matter how much you hate her. He wiped his face and went to catch up on some sleep again.
Zoya was an early riser and got up at six. She looked at the comforter around her and wondered who had kept it. She thought "Aditya toh ho nhi sakte. Mri ya Mr.Hooda honge shayad.  Humein toh abhi bhi yakeen nhi ho rha ki Mr.Hooda ke bete hai Aditya. Jab hum Mr.Hooda se mile the tab hum chote the lekin unhone humesha humein bohot pyaar diya tha. Aur koi humari tareef karta ya nhi karta yeh humesha karte the. Phir unhone aana band kar diya lekin Abbu ke saath baat karte the. Iqbaal ke haadse ke baad toh humne unhe ek baar bhi nhi dekha. Shayad unhe bhi lagta hai ki sab humari galti hai."
She then shook her head to let go of those thoughts and went to get ready. She was out in fifteen minutes and saw that Aditya was still fast asleep. She debated on whether to wake him up or not. She decided not to as being the man he was he would have made his own plans. She went from the room and reached downstairs. There she found Harsh and Mri sitting on the dining table. Mri looked at her and beamed and came to her and said "Good Morning Zo. Aap mere liye breakfast bana dogi please. Mujhe aapke haath ka khana bhi khana hai. Adi ka khana kha ke bore ho gyi hoon."
Zoya smiled at her frankness and said "Bolo kya khaogi?"
Mri thought hard and said "Ummmmmm, do bread, ek omelette, aur ek cup hot chocolate."
Zoya said "Theek hai. Lekin meri ek shart hai. Tum mere saath kitchen mein help karogi."
Mri said "Promise. Ab chale."
Zoya said "Haan ek minute ruko."
She went towards Harsh and said "Good Morning Mr.Hooda."
Harsh got up from hai seat and gave her the warmest hug he could manage and said "Kal tumse baat nhi ho paai thi. Kaam tha bohot sara. Kaisi ho tum?"
Zoya said "Hum theek hai. Aap bataiye. Itne dino baad aapse mulakaat ho rhi hai."
Harsh said "Jaanta hoon. Maaf karna, tumse mil nhi paya main itne saalon se. Abbu se baat hoti thi tumhare. Unse poochta tha tumhare baare mein."
Zoya nodded and then Harsh said "I am sorry Zoya. Main kabhi nhi chahta tha ki tum in sab ka hissa bano. Aditya jaise insaan ke saath ghar karna aasaan nhi hai especially tumne jo kuch ghar mein saha hai uske baad toh tumhare liye yeh aur bhi mushkil hoga. Mujhe maaf kar do. Aur agar Aditya se koi galti hui toh uske liye bhi maafi chahta hoon."
Zoya said "Aap yeh kya bol rhe hai Mr.Hooda. Aapne jo kuch bhi kiya usmein aapki kya galti. Aur Aditya utne bhi bure nhi hai jitna hum sochte the. Wakt chaiye unhe aur humein bhi lekin phir hum adjust kar lenge."
Harsh stroked her hair and said "Main jaanta hoon tum kar logi. Ab bolo kya khaogi tum. Main bana ke laata hoon tumhare liye."
Zoya said "Are aap kyun banayenge. Hum bana rhe hai na."
Harsh said "Tum Mri ke liye banao . Main tumhare liye banata hoon. Apni bahu ke liye kuch toh karne do."
Zoya said in a delighted tone '"Theek hai."
Zoya , Mri and Harsh went to the kitchen and together they made breakfast for each other while laughing at each other's jokes and helping each other work.
Aditya was noticing this from the stairs and thought "Zoya ne mere baare mein kuch kyun nhi bola. Ek baar bhi mere khilaaf ek shabd nhi bola. Aur aisa kya hua tha uske saath ki papa itni baar maafi maang rhe the?'
Utterly confused he came down and sat  down and that's when Mri came and sat on his lap and said "Aaj maine Zo ke saath khana banaya. Aapko pata hai voh aapse bhi acha omelette banati hai."
Aditya tickled her and said "Toh main banana bandh kar doon?"
Mri said "Nhi aap dono saath mein banana aur mujhe khila dena."
Aditya was about to reply when Zoya came with a cup of black coffee and two pieces of toast and kept it in front of him. Mri jumped out of his lap and went to Harsh. Aditya looked up at Zoya and she leaned to whisper in his ears "Humein aapki baaton ka koi farak nhi padta isliye Mr.Hooda ko aapke baare mein bolna humne zaroori nhi samjha."
Aditya kept staring and Zoya said "Itna confused mat hoiye. Aapki shakal par dikh rha hai ki aap humari subah ke conversation ke baare mein soch rhe hai. Humne dekha tha aapko sunte hue."
With that she picked up her bag and left  for work. Aditya thought "Kya hai yeh ladki?"
Harsh noticed all of this from behind and smiled.

Precap: The other interns call Zoya as "Mrs.Hooda."
Aditya comes from behind and says she is still "Dr.Zoya Siddiquie. Marriage doesnt rip her off her identity."
Zoya looks visibly impressed with Aditya and his words.

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