Tez raftar gari sarak par daur rahi thi. Gari ke andar khamoshi is qadar gehri thi ke sirf bahar barasne wali barish ki awaz sunayi de rahi thi. Zoya gari ke darwaze ke sath bilkul jud kar baithi thi, jaise wo Zain ke saaye se bhi door rehna chahti ho. Uski aankhon se gusse aur khauf ke aanso beh rahe the.
Zain ne ek nazar side mirror se uski taraf dekha. Uska chehra bilkul sapaat tha, jaise use Zoya ke rone se koi farq nahi par raha tha, magar uski pakar steering wheel par mazeed sakht ho gayi thi.
"Mujhe gari se utaro, Zain Shah! Tumhari himmat kaise hui mujhe is tarah uthane ki? Meri dadi pareshan ho rahi hongi!" Zoya ne dharte hue kaha, uski awaz mein kapkapi thi magar himmat poori thi.
Zain ne gari ki raftaar aur barha di. Usne bina Zoya ki taraf dekhe dhiimi magar bhaari awaz mein kaha,
"Dadi ki fikar mat karo, Zoya. Unhein bata diya gaya hai ke tum apni ek dost ke ghar par safe ho. Aur jahan tak baat tumhare utarne ki hai... toh ab tum sirf wahan utrogi jahan main chahunga."
"Tum ek deewane ho! Ek ziddi aur khud-garz insaan!" Zoya ne chillaye hue kaha.
"Haan, main hoon!" Zain ne achanak break lagayi. Gari ek jhatke ke sath ek bohot bade, aalishan lohay ke gate ke samne ruki.
Yeh **"Shah Haveli"** thi. Ek aisi jagah jahan ki deewarein sadiyon purani thin magar uski shaan-o-shaukat poore sheher mein mashhoor thi. Zoya ne khauf se us haveli ki taraf dekha jahan har taraf security guards khare the.
Zain gari se utra, ghoom kar Zoya ki taraf aaya aur darwaza khol kar uska hath pakar liya.
"Chalo, andar chalo," Zain ne kaha.
"Main nahi aaoongi! Chhoro mera hath!" Zoya ne apna hath chhudane ki poori koshish ki, magar Zain ki pakar lohay jaisi thi.
Zain ne jhuk kar uski aankhon mein dekha, jahan junoon ki ek aag thi.
"Zoya, ya toh khud sharafat se andar chalo... ya phir main tumhe apni baahon mein utha kar andar le jaoon. Faisla tumhara hai, log dekh rahe hain."
Zoya ne tadap kar apne aas-paas khare guards ko dekha jo nazrein nichay kiye khare the. Uske paas koi rasta nahi tha. Usne nafrat bhari nazar Zain par daali aur gusse se qadam barhati hui haveli ke aalishan lounge mein dakhil ho gayi.
Andar ka mahool bilkul khamosh tha. Tabhi lounge ke beech mein ek rudaabdar aurat khari dikhi, jinhone sfaid libas pehna hua tha aur unke chehre par sakhti thi. Wo Zain ki dadi, **Begum Shah** thin.
Begum Shah ne Zoya ko sar se paaon tak dekha aur phir gusse se Zain ki taraf mutawajjah huin.
"Zain! Yeh kya badtameezi hai? Tum is larki ko is tarah zabardasti haveli kyun lekar aaye ho? Iska humare khandan se kya rishta hai?!"
Zain ne Zoya ka hath abhi bhi pakra hua tha. Usne dadi ki taraf dekha aur bohot pur-sukoon magar dhasu awaz mein kaha:
"Dadi... yeh Zoya hai. Aur yeh is haveli mein mehmaan ban kar nahi aayi... balkay yeh bohot jald is ghar ki choti bahu aur meri biwi ban kar rahegi!"
Zoya ke paon tale se zameen nikal gayi. Usne jhatke se Zain ko dekha.
"Kya?! Pagal ho gaye ho tum? Main tumse kabhi shadi nahi karungi! Kabhi nahi!"
Zain halka sa muskuraaya, usne Zoya ke qareeb hokar uske kaan mein dheere se kaha,
"Tum karogi, Zoya... aur khud apni marzi se karogi. Kyunki tumhare paas koi doosra rasta nahi chhorunga main."
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Updated 16 Episodes
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