Zoya hears her mother call her name from downstairs, so she gets up and heads down.
As she gets to the top of the stairs, her mother pulls her back and whispers, "Don't go there, I heard it too."
Zoya Zinadine, an executive interior designer of Gate...
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*Zoya's POV*:
"Zo," my mother screamed and entered the room.
"What happened? Is everything alright?" Hammaad asked like as if he's seen a ghost.
"Yes, yes, everything's okay. Aunt Inshia is here," my mother said, panting.
"Oh, I thought it was something else," Hammaad said, heaving a sigh.
"I'll catch you later," my mother said, smacking Hammaad's left arm playfully and grabbed me out of the room.
"Assalamu Alaikum, Zoya," aunt Inshia greeted me with a huge smile.
I greeted her back and embraced her with a quick hug.
"Hey Zo," Viyaan said, waving his hands at me.
"Hello, Viyaan. How have you been?" I asked, offering a warm smile.
"I'm good, Zo. Missing Daaniyal?" He asked, winking at me.
"Oh, god. Of course. I miss him," I said, wearing a hangdog look on my face.
"Don't worry bride, few days more to go," he said, and I smiled back at him.
"Assalamu Alaikum, Viyaan," my father greeted him with a warm smile.
"Zoya, can you please bring the little presents I bought for your in laws?" My mother asked, smiling.
"Sure mama," I replied and strolled towards my parent's bedroom.
*****
"How was your journey, Alia?" Aunt Inshia asked, sipping the coffee what I just prepared.
Seems like she's enjoying my coffee. Yay!
"It was perfect, Alhamdulilah. The only thing we missed was our daughters. Whenever we performed the rituals, I used to remember how we performed it with our daughters two years ago," my mother replied with a miserable smile.
"Aww, I understand you. But there's nothing to worry. Both the families can perform an Umra as soon as Zoya gets married. It'd outstanding!" Aunt Inshia said, smiling.
"That'd be great," mama and I chorused.
*****
"Viyaan, how were the eclairs and the chocolate muffins, dear?" My mother asked, serving him a fancy little freshly baked cupcake.
"Extraordinary," he replied, grinning like a Cheshire Cat.
"Ring! Ring! Ring!
"Oops! My friend is home. I must get going now, Alia," aunt Inshia said, picking up her phone.
"Oh, why don't you stay for a little while?" I asked, pouting.
"No angel, she informed me she would come for dinner tonight, despite that I wanted to visit your mum and dad. I will come again on another day," she said, planting a kiss on my forehead.
"See you, Alia. See you, Zinadine. Thank you for the presents," she said, waving her hands at them.
My father extended his arm for a handshake with Viyaan and greeted him.
"Come home again," my father said, patting Viyaan on his right arm and he offered a warm smile to Aunty Inshia.
"Sure uncle. Thank you for the unexpected present," Viyaan said, grinning.
*****
"Hammaad," I screamed, strolling towards the kitchen.
"How do you know that I'm in the kitchen?" He asked, gobbling two mini muffins.
"Because the muffins are here, in the kitchen," I said, smacking his arm playfully.
"Haha," he sniggered, and I rolled my eyes back at him.
"Jokes apart, Zoya. When are we planning to confess everything to your parents?" He spoke seriously.
"Come," I hissed, grabbing his arm.
"Mama," I said, tapping the door of her bedroom.
"Yes, Zoya," she replied, opening the door for us.
"We need to talk," I said, heaving a sigh.
"We are all ears," my father said, resting his head on the headboard.
"I don't know whether you will take this matter seriously, but I have to spill it. You need to know," I said, rubbing my temple.
"Relax, Zoya." Hammaad said, patting my head...
"Remember the first day we came here?" I asked, biting the bottom of my lip.
"Tenth June," my mother said, raising a brow.
"Yes, tenth June. That is when everything started," I said, shutting my eyes, letting a fat drop of tear roll down my cheek.
Don't cry Zoya. Don't cry. I controlled myself.
"Zoya," Lia whispered, walking towards us.
"Baby, why are you here?" My mother asked, scrunching her brows.
"While I passed this room, I heard what Zoya just spoke," she said, nodding her head at me.
"It's time for me to speak up, mama," she said, sobbing.
"There's something wrong here. There's something wrong with our little sister," Lia screamed while Hammaad and I stood dumbfounded.
"Lia shouldn't have entered the room now," Hammaad whispered, and I nodded my head.
"The odd, misshapen shadow I witnessed that night has been disturbing me," she squealed, handing over an old book to my father.
"What's this?" My mother shrieked.
"What?" I asked as I took a gulp of air to steady myself.
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