Everything happened so quickly, like a scene in a movie. He didn’t see her, at least not immediately since he was so engulfed in what Myra was saying and honestly, Isha would have preferred it that way. She dropped the drinks with shaky hands and was praying to get away from the table unnoticed when he said thank you, he was still the sweet guy she remembered, and as he said that, he lifted his gaze to meet her and all hell let loose.
She saw his mouth hang; it was so obvious and everyone at the table stared at him and then her. The bullet-proof heart she thought she had grown all these years turned out as vulnerable as she last remembered.
“Isha?” his voice was low and didn’t sound confident, almost like he didn’t believe she was standing two feet away from him, across the table.
Forcing a smile, she swallowed as she tried to keep herself from running into his hands and she replied using the exact same voice. “Zayn”
“You know each other?” Myra asked, her smile was still pasted on her face and she looked the least bothered.
Zayn nodded and covered his mouth with his hand for a brief second before rising from his seat to meet her. Isha stood helplessly, the empty tray in her hand and her eyes a bit moist, she couldn’t believe this was happening; she just wanted to pass out right there and then and forget about the scene in front of her eyes.
As he approached her, she noticed he was still stunned, his eyes were fixed on her, still trying to figure out if she were real. She felt her heartbeat increase with each step she took, and she could still hear his too, way louder than hers and she knew that love he had for her was still very much alive.
Zayn restricted the urge to pull her into his arms. He took her hand, closed his eyes for a brief second, and drew in a long breath. “Thank God you are alive, that’s the only thing that matters.” He quickly dropped her hands; conscious that all eyes on the table were on them and everyone was probably wondering what was going on. He turned to them. “Guys, meet Isha Raghav” they looked at her and gave little smiles and little waves. Zayn continued “Isha, this is Krishna, Yash, Rahul, Kayla, Ryan, and Myra; my fiancé.”
She felt her heart fall into her stomach but she managed to keep her cool. She noticed the attention given to her by the other males and even the females at the table, it was like they were noticing her beauty for the first time, she got that constantly, she was used to it.
“You’ve never told me about her,” Myra said and she said it with a pure heart, Isha felt it. “How do you two know each other?”
For a moment, silence hung among them but Isha was quick to reply. “We’re old friends, lived in the same city.” She said and forced a smile. Then turning to Zayn, she added. “It’s really good to see you Zayn, I’m sorry I have to leave, a lot of duties to attend to.”
He nodded and she knew he saw the hurt in her despite her pretense. He always saw through her, deep through her soul, their connection was out of this world. “I’ll see you before the ceremony is over,” he said and she gave him an assuring smile before leaving.
It was a forty-minute battle with her tear gland before she let it triumph over her, she felt miserable and thankful at the same time. Thankful for the fact that the love of her life was hale and hearty, even though she always knew he was still alive, seeing him in person after all these years gave a whole different feeling. The other part of her emotions was due to the fact that he had moved on, not like she didn’t expect him to, but he said nothing about her to his new girl who was the prettiest and sweetest thing to exist in India. It made her feel like she never existed to him like she was not worth the recognition.
Suddenly, the room seemed to turn upside down, the music got a little louder, and she could perceive the aroma of the food right up her nostrils. Whenever she acted up, she got such feelings and she knew she needed to be away from people, however, she could.
Clinging to her talisman, she struggled to maintain composure till she was out of the main hall and staggered the rest of her way to the bathroom where she slumped as she got in. She secured the door lock and felt nausea overcome her as she threw up all into the toilet seat, holding onto it for support. She tried to keep her mind clear but it was too late, she had held it in for too long, tried to deal with the fact that she couldn’t have the life she always dreamed of all because of a gift she never asked for. It was stupid, just plain stupid.
“Ah shit” she muttered as she saw her vision become blurred and felt him fill her mind, and she didn’t fight him, she let him in. He was there with her upstairs, that was his territory and she would do anything to keep him there for life. Then the worst part came, the part when she felt out of breath. She knew she needed help but she didn’t try to scream, no one would hear her as her voice wouldn’t make it out of her mouth so she just laid in calm and prayed for everything and nothing at all.
The beeping sound of the monitor told her where she was but she didn’t move, didn’t open her eyes. She knew she had been out for a while but wasn’t sure exactly how long and she didn’t care, she loved the calm. She was aware she wasn’t alone but she didn’t need any sympathy, she just wanted to rest.Loud footsteps dragged into the room and she felt someone hover above her, checking for a pulse.“She’s alright.” She heard the Doctor tell her companion in the room. “There’s nothing serious, she is just stressed and needs to rest. Please give her some space, the nurses will check on her frequently.”“Thank you, I’ll be in the hallway, please let me know if she needs anything.” That voice….. That wasn’t Zayn but it sounded so familiar. It was deep and a little too loud, one of the Yadav brothers?Nodding the doctor replied “will do.”Everywhere returned to normal and Isha wasted another ten minutes before opening her eyes. A drip line was connected to her veins and her nose had pipes in th
The servants’ quarters were located adjacent to the main building, and it was beautiful and prominent. They made sure their helps lived well, fed healthily, and were comfortable. Aarav spotted them hanging around in pairs as he approached them, and as soon as they sighted him, they hurried away, pretending to occupy themselves with chores, making him laugh.He never had the time for all that. Ephany was the queen of that, always spying, always finding fault. To him, they did their very best and deserved some rest once in a while. His steps slowed as he arrived, nodding to the numerous greetings that met his ears.“Where is Isha?” he asked, moving straight to the point.“She’s inside. I’ll go get her,” Haidi replied with so much enthusiasm. He always thought they were funny, girls always trying to please, always trying to get noticed, and the fact that Isha wasn’t one of those girls endeared her to him. She just did her work. As a matter of fact, she avoided the boys like the plague. It
Her moans were in rhythm with her moves as she drove him wildly until she began stuttering.“Zay…. Zayn!” she yelled loudly as they came into each other. He crashed unthinkingly onto the other side of the bed, enjoying the sound of her heavy breathing as she struggled to go through. She was a fierce lioness in bed and never ashamed to express it. It was weird how she immediately changed her personality once she stepped out the door at functions, a chameleon, and it fascinated him.Planting a kiss on her forehead, he rolled out of the bed and dragged his briefs up his thigh, conscious of Myra’s following eyes. She was in shock, and he knew why.“you’re not going to hold me?” she asked in the softest voice ever; she always used it during sex, and Zayn could swear any man who heard that voice would be at her feet in seconds, but not today.He laughed. “I’ve got work; I will be at the office.” She smiled and got on her feet. “Okay then, let’s go.” Swiping her feet into flip flops, she gra
For Myra, her crown could slip but never fall. She was the definition of perfect, and she intended to maintain that legacy to her last breath. She had a good life, but she maintained a standard; people mistook kindness for weakness, and she found that disgusting. The spotlight had always been her dream from youth, and the heavens agreed with her by blessing her with every material thing she needed to bring life into that dream, and she had maximized utility from it. She lived happily, was happy, and everything glistened more when she met Zayn. Yeah, he was just that guy to light up your life at the darkest time, that light at the end of the tunnel. Meeting him was the best gift nature ever gave her. Her manager had informed her of a massive contract with one of the world's significant technological brands: Trail Technologies. They dealt with phones, laptops, and communication equipment. It was a huge deal, and she took it without a second thought. She was getting ready to be on set
After waiting so many days without a word from Myra, Zayn decided it was time to call a spade a spade. Although he never knew why she had suddenly disappeared from the event, he was sure it had something to do with him. His mind had been on her for so many days, and he had neglected the person who was actually there for him all the years, Myra Mohan. She didn't deserve the attitude he had shown her, and he intended to change that. What had Isha done, by the way? She left him when he needed her most and acted like everything they went through together meant nothing to her. Then, after all these years, they met again, only for her to pull the same act again. He had written letters to the Yadav household requesting to see her, but he got no response. If she didn't need him anymore, that was fine, but right now, he wanted to show his queen how sorry he was and hold her the rest of the night.He heard her drive in, and the two minutes she took to climb the stairs seemed like an hour to him
Meetings were a part of his daily activities and he didn't find them interesting if he were to be sincere. There were just a lot of procedures to go through when establishing a business. His brand was about to launch into the market and this meant filings, discussions, and so little time for himself. At least Myra was busy too, so they understood each other, both working for the best, for a good cause.They had talked together and tried to work things out and it was working just fine, both of them were trying to do their best for each other, and he was getting more attracted to her each day, that was good.He finished up with Punab and Shray, his two closest associates and left every other thing in their hands, and headed back to his office to continue work for the day. He nodded to Chetana in acknowledgment, who sat at her desk, looking a little overdressed.Before he could settle on his chair, she walked in. "There's a lady here to see you sir, and she has been waiting for an hour."
The sound of plates annoyed Isha, and it wasn’t just because they meant she had work to do but….. Yep, it was just that. Every servant in the Yadav household had a role to play, and for Isha, her responsibilities included cooking and housekeeping. Her schedule ran from 8 am to 4 pm but by 4 am, the overzealous workers in charge of serving would be up, cleaning the dishes and setting the table, telling Isha and her cooking team it was left for them to get the food ready. As a result, she was always up earlier than she would love to, meaning she worked overtime, for which she was never compensated.Gayathri ran the Yadav household, and she did it with a strict hand. She always ensured everything was in place at the right time, and the helps knew better than to annoy her. Being the woman who held the power family together, she had so much pride, dismissing anyone at the slightest provocation and just being Gayathri. She occasionally strolled in during their work hours and carried out insp
It took her an hour to decide what dress to put on, this was Zayn, of all people, and she was nervous. After settling on a flowered short backless gown and white high-heeled shoes, she set off to the agreed restaurant section of the hotel and was surprised to see him leaning by the car; he wore a patterned shirt and black jeans and looked cleanly shaven. He leaned upright and began walking toward her as soon as he saw her.He was blown away, just as she was. He struggled to keep himself from running up to her and pulling the dress out. She looked so different from what he remembered, and she was grown; wider eyes, broader hips, more excellent chin cut, more enormous boobs…..“Hey,” he said. His smile was as big as his love for her. He gave her a short hug. “You look beautiful.” He confessed.“Thank you,” she smiled. She was happy, more than glad to see him. “You look great too.”Stretching out his hand for her taking, he asked. “Ready?”He led her into the hotel, and she followed him h
Maybe the storm was just a blessing, a sign of fate giving them a chance to work things out. Perhaps the universe finally agreed with her because she had never had a more evident sign. They had talked, and it had been a lot of talking. They considered all possibilities, positive and negative, and they decided what was best for them was to get back together despite all odds. She always saw many things, but when it came to herself, it was always unclear, just like her situation and the moment, but she vowed she would live her best life with those who mattered to her, no matter how short. The Yadav home knew she was safe, and she had sent a message informing them she was with Zayn and would be back once the storm was over, although that wasn't looking promising again. It was everything she wanted; for once, her thoughts and vision were clear. She saw peace and solitude, for her soul was at rest. Each time her mind diverted to Zayn Vendant, she saw a hint of darkness, sometimes blur. She
Everyone in town was shopping for the next three days and rushing home to avoid getting caught up in the storm predicted by the weather forecasters. It was expected to hit in four hours and last for three days. It was a big-time rush, but Zayn wasn't a part of it. He needed to get things cleared up with Isha. Myra was gone, and that was a good thing. He just needed to see her, and despite the advice from his closest friends, he couldn't wait for the storm out without her. He wasn't sure he would make it without her.He was informed that she was out when he got to the Yadav household. It was her day off, and she had gone out, as usual. Only some people knew where. He called her several times, and she didn't pick up. He was a confused man in Delhi.He drove back to the Yadav household and met with one of the helpers."You should go home; this storm will be here anytime." She said, picking different saree colours from the cloth line where they had been left to dry. She looked bored and ju
They caught her in the most vulnerable state. With the ninety-nine issues going on with Zayn, she didn’t expect another one on her desk, so as she realised she had been set up, she just gave up. There was no fight; she was wise enough to know that it was either the 78-carat crown or her life, and for such huge some, her attackers wouldn’t have to hold a conference to decide to kill her, so she just let them take everything that had meant the world to her.The memory stayed with her, and she remembered it as fresh as if it were happening now. She and her crew had been going to the Triumph Hall on East Lane for the Oscars ceremony. When asked to bring her crown, she knew it was a bad idea. Of course, she acknowledged that it was such a huge event that all eyes were on her. For it to be hosted in India, it would be a shame if she couldn’t witness it. In the same way, it would be disrespectful to her country for her to show up without her identity, the crown. Near home, she and Vivi sat b
It had been four days since her encounter with Myra, and Isha couldn't deny that she felt like the most stupid person on the planet. The funny part was she knew she had no right to be angry like the guy was in a relationship with someone else. Officially, he belonged to Myra, but then she couldn't get the picture of him being in bed with her. It disturbed her in ways she didn't expect.Her hurt was too much. It nearly crushed her, but she needed to keep moving, which she did. She stopped picking up his calls and just avoided him generally. She tried looking at the good side, like him not dying, which was good, right?As usual, the Yadavs had a get-together dinner, and it was something they frequently did, something to boost their political involvement and expand their territory. Today, she was to serve, and she tried as much as she could to keep calm when she saw Zayn seated among the VIPs. Of course, he had been invited; he was considered one of the most influential people in the coun
The plan was to go unnoticed and so she did just that. Myra was in joggers and a sports bra, with dark glasses to hide her identity. Her hair was tied in a small ponytail that bounced as she walked into the gym. She glanced around for a while and then saw Isha at the corner working the treadmill. She walked up to the receptionist and flashed a smile.“A month, please. What’s the cost?” she asked.“Rs 1000” the receptionist replied. “Name please.” She asked as she received cash from Myra and began filling out the registration form on the system.“Abitha Solan” she lied.Things had gone down with Zayn; she had recognized the name as soon as Zayn mentioned it, who could easily forget the girl at the engagement party? Zayn didn’t have an answer to the question she asked that night and he was a terrible liar so she immediately interpreted what was going on, and she wasn’t wrong. He had sat there all night while she went into the room and man had she cried, she was hurt and didn’t think she
Uptown Delhi was the most beautiful place in India, and as they held hands, taking photos, she could see all the possibilities she had always dreamed of coming to pass. They got to a serendipity restaurant called the unicorn sundae and were back in the streets, diverting into the little tracks leading to the lake.To both their surprise and satisfaction, the lake was empty. The water was a runoff of the downfall at the end of the city, and they knew it was safe. The government kept it clean.“Hold on!” Zayn shouted as he raced behind her, struggling to get through the shrubs that lay around.Isha giggled. “Keep up, CEO.” She yelled in return. As she got to the edge of the stream, she took off her oversized polo shirt, which was his actually, and the shorts she wore joined it. She did a twirl in her optional cloth state just before his arrival.He joined her, pulling away from his dress and walking to meet her. His hands circled her waist, and he pushed her to himself. She felt him hard
Butter cookies were her favorite, but as Vivi made them, Myra wasn’t interested. Her mind was far away, and she needed to get herself in order. She had a big photoshoot session the next day and orientation this evening. She was supposed to be getting her tan in order and visiting the spa, but she was bothered by someone she wasn't sure she knew anymore."I know she is up to something; I just need to find out what it is," Vivi said as she kneaded the dough that sat on the kitchen counter."Be careful, girl. You're going to get yourself killed. Walking around at night isn't the best thing for a woman like you." Myra warned.“The guy that was killed that night, the camera at the office had captured him the week earlier around the lot, by her car. I just don’t know what was going on.” Vivi continued."Please stop, Vivi," Myra interjected. "I don't need to hear that right now, please, okay." She saw the surprised look on Vivi's face and then added, "look, I know you care about me, and I'm t
The restaurant was fancy, and the dinner was lovely. Zayn always knew how to treat her like a lady, and she appreciated that, but tonight, she couldn't even look at him. He praised her looks while they ate and touched her face while they engaged in a conversation. She was his Isha, his wonderful Isha. After eating, they strolled along the way to the hotel that was a part of the restaurant. "Where are we going?" She asked, chuckling as they approached the receptionist. “A room, please, Elite.” Zayn made the payment, got the room's keys, and walked in with Isha. They didn’t have time to check out the room because as soon as he turned the lock, Isha went into his arms, kissing the life out of him. He turned to her and whispered, "You know how we struggle to keep it low at home? I'm ready to devour you tonight." He engaged her in a deep kiss when they got in. She pulled back, feeling a bit shy. He sat on the bed, pulled her into the space between his legs. He tugged at the sleeve of
It took her an hour to decide what dress to put on, this was Zayn, of all people, and she was nervous. After settling on a flowered short backless gown and white high-heeled shoes, she set off to the agreed restaurant section of the hotel and was surprised to see him leaning by the car; he wore a patterned shirt and black jeans and looked cleanly shaven. He leaned upright and began walking toward her as soon as he saw her.He was blown away, just as she was. He struggled to keep himself from running up to her and pulling the dress out. She looked so different from what he remembered, and she was grown; wider eyes, broader hips, more excellent chin cut, more enormous boobs…..“Hey,” he said. His smile was as big as his love for her. He gave her a short hug. “You look beautiful.” He confessed.“Thank you,” she smiled. She was happy, more than glad to see him. “You look great too.”Stretching out his hand for her taking, he asked. “Ready?”He led her into the hotel, and she followed him h