~Aditya~

I walked towards her room with a purpose in my mind but stopped when I heard a faint cry. It was Zoya. Her cry was muffled against the pillow pierced his heart for some reason. I knew immediately that her soul was shattered into pieces. My strides became a little uncertain. The diamond ring dug into my fist as I walked ever so solely towards her room. Unlike our previous encounters over the years, I wasn't sure how she is going to react today because it has been long since we conversed. And Zoya has become very distant since she is back from London.

I have always made sure to knock her door before I entered her room after she came back from London. But today I felt like barging in. For once I wanted to keep my ego and hatred aside and talk to her, after all, she will be gone forever now. Not for months or years but forever. And if I knew about her she will not want to see my face for the rest of her life. The idea of her hating me pulled some unknown heartstring. I was in a way guilty for asking her not to enter his room ever when she tried to meet me before she left for London. And she still obeyed my words. She never entered my room after she was back.

Probably I am jittery, I tried to reason myself. This entire marriage thing has taken a toll, which is not helping me to think straight. Just like now I am missing her hazel brown eyes. I won't lie by saying that I hardly matter to me. It does matter. I have searched for it since she is back but not once she has made any direct eye contact with me. But today, he was missing something terribly. He did not know what. His eyes were continuously searching for her hazel brown ones.

I miss her fussing over me on the breakfast table. I miss the twinkling of those hazel orbs. I miss her.

~FLASHBACK~

"Good morning Dadi" I kissed her on her forehead. After keeping my jacket on the chair I settled myself. When I was about to grab a plate when...

"TADA! Adu! Here you go. Your freshly prepared orange juice"

I rolled my eyes at her and ignored the juice. I took the beard from the holder and was about to take a bite when she held my hand to stop me midway.

"Now what Zoya? Oh come on," I put up my hand frustrated. "Why can't you let me eat peacefully? Tumhara yeh naatak kab band hoga?" (when will you stop poking your nose in my matters?)

"aisa mat kaho," she frowned and pouted. Well she looks cute when she pouts but I am not supposed to like that.

"meye itna pyaar se breakfast banati hoon tumhare liye, inaam to door ki baat hai, ek thanks tak tumhara muh se nahi nikalta Adi kahin ka" (I have made breakfast for you so lovingly and forget about awarding me, you don't even thank me." She took the bread from my hand and placed on her plate.

"What Dadi? Can't you ask her to stay away from me subha subha?"

Ignoring me she uttered, "Aaj meine pancakes banaya hai tumhare liye." She put the pancakes on my plate and pour some maple syrup on it.

Did I wonder when will this female stop to learn to make my favourite dishes? Sometimes, it becomes too embarrassing for me to even have that food. I just can't eat her food and insult her at the same time.

I was picking at the pancake when she chirped "Ab pancake ko to aankh se nahi khatey hai na. Eat it before it becomes cold". She threw her apron on the seat, which was obviously next to me and sat resting her chubby cheek on her palm. I sighed loudly then took a small bite of the pancake while she watched me excitedly.

"Kaisa hai?", she said straightening up herself.

Delicious would be an understatement. The pancake melted in my mouth. How can she end up making such amazing food every damn time? She definitely has magic hands.

I just hummed in response not giving out the desired compliment.

"Lier," she got up and kissed my cheeks. "By the way that you Adi. I don't need your words to know how it was. I could see that in your eyes. She then hugged me sideways making me choke at her audacity. Dadi too gave her a pagal-ho-gai-hai-kya look.

While I started coughing she handed me the glass of juice, which I had no option but to drink.

"Zoya!" I gritted his teeth.

She immediately placed her palm in front of me and like a policeman and said "janti hoon janti hoon".

I gave her a confused look and asked "what?"

"yahi ki, don't kiss me Zoya, I don't like it" with that she kissed me once again and disappeared to the kitchen leaving me stunned by her antiques and an equally stunned Dadi.

~FLASHBACK ENDS~

Inside her room, I saw her on the bed curled like a ball. As anticipated, her face was covered with her pillow. From the movement of her body I know she was sobbing. I was about to reach her when she screamed "Stop"

I couldn't help but to stop.

~Zoya~

That was my ring and now Dadi is giving it away to that Pooja. More tears started streaming down my cheeks. I threw myself on the bed and cried more. Initially, it was Aditya who left no stones unturned. And now it is Dadi. Dadi, who supported me throughout is now against me. I don't know why. Shayad mein parai hoon isiliye (Maybe because I am not their own). And the more I accept the reality faster, better it is.

I don't want him to see me like this. He hates me and I hate to show him any kind of weakness.

"Please leave'.." sobs'.."me''.alone Mr Hooda", my voice was muffled against the pillow.

I could hear him take a shocking breath. Sets him right I thought. Even though I hated myself for calling him so formally. I know he was still there inside my space and I didn't like it a bit. Not like this when I am no one to him.

"I SAID LEAVE" an octave louder this time.

His footsteps were faster but it wasn't a retreating one. I know he came beside me and then he took off the pillow from my head, held my hand and made me sit on the bed.

He stopped immediately the moment he saw my state. I am sure I was looking like a mess, red puffy eyes and runny nose. His expression changed from anger to I don't know what. His eyes became soft.

I want him out of my room. "What do you want Mr Hooda? Cant you here? I said I want you out of my room."

You have the audacity to order me, Miss. Siddiqui? I think you have forgotten that this is my house and you are living in it and not the other way round. So you have no right to dismiss me.

That statement brought some more silent tears, which I couldn't stop. Enough of insults I thought. At least I thought he would stop hurting me now that I am getting married. He succeeded in what he wanted.

Without saying anything I got up from the bed and walked towards my cupboard. I took out my suitcase and threw it on the bed. Then started taking out all my clothes and started stuffing them inside the suitcase.

"what the hell are you trying to do Zoya? Why are you creating a scene damn it?" he screamed at me. But I don't care now. Not anymore. I refused to get affected by him. I took my stuff from my bathroom and stuffed them. One last item I need to pack. My sketches. He tried to block me but I dodged. I went towards the drawers and took them out. He stopped me then holding my hand.

"What the freaking hell are you doing? He took the papers and threw them. "No," I screamed. The papers fell like showers around us. It was then he realized. He was everywhere, on the floor, in black and white.

He still held my hand but his eyes roamed over my most intimate things. My drawings. No no no he cannot see these ever. I never wanted him to see these.

"How dare you touch my thing?" I tried to distract him but it was futile. He dropped on the ground still holding my hand and picked up one of my sketches. It was his eyes, just his eyes.

~Aditya~

I was numb for a few seconds. Seeing my portraits everywhere scattered on the floor I was a loss of words. How, when, why so many questions that I refused to ask were bubbling inside me. It was so overwhelming that I forgot how to react. Every damn time this woman surprises me. I don't want to feel anything but...

She sat on the floor and collected each and every paper slowly and carefully as if they were some delicate things. I didn't know that I have such beautiful eyes until I saw her sketches. Every texture, every line that she drew was perfect. Those sketches were so realistic that by looking at some of them I felt like I am staring at myself in a mirror.

She captured me beautifully. His every expression, his every mood and this every contour were perfect.

She took the paper from me and tried to turn around but I stopped her. "Zoya!?"

"Please Mr Hooda, I don't want to talk about this. If you are done checking them out then please check the room thoroughly. I have packed everything that belongs to me. I refused to get insulted before leaving the house," she said directly looking at my eyes.

"What are you talking about?"

"I don't want your security guards to do a final check of my stuff before it exits your house," she mocked. Does she seriously think that I will ask my guards to check her stuff?

The word "your" never pinched me before the way it did now. I know it was me who made her think and say like this.

After a moment of silence, I took a step towards her. "Are you sure, you are talking things that belong to you?

She looked at her suitcase and realized that none of the things belonged to her. I purchased it all, every damn thing that is there in the suitcase. But I wasn't referring to that.

She sat on the bed dejectedly when I took the ring and held it in front of her. "The Ring"

She gasped seeing the ring then slowly her gaze fell on my face. "This ring belongs to you," I say flatly before placing it on the table.

"This ring doesn't belong to me just like other things in this house". She said firmly.

"I don't want any argument on this Zoya, just take it and do.not.fuss".

"No Mr Hooda, I will not take it. You have forced me enough. I am not a doll" a tear rolled down her cheeks.

"I said no more arguments" I deadpan

She stood up and turned the other way "I will not take this".

"Why? Just because I am buying Pooja new one and much more expensive ring that's why?"

"You are an animal."

"Take.the.ring".

"No"

Infuriating woman. I grabbed her shoulder and forced her to look at me.

"TAKE" I looked straight into her eyes.

"NO"

"Fine, it looks like you are determined, but don't forget the person in front of whom you are standing, Aditya.Harshvardhan.Hooda is my name and I can get anything done.

I don't know what has gotten inside me, I took her hand and slid the ring in her ring finger.

She winced in pain when I did that. The ring must me little smaller but I was so mad at her that I forcibly slid it all the way.

She looked at me then and the time stood still. You really can't challenge me, woman, I thought.

I touched the diamond on the ring. It felt cold against my callous finger. But the ring looked perfect in her hand. I adored this ring when mom used to were it and now I can't help but adore it against her finger.

I looked at her then and stopped at her quivering lips. Damn It I just slid my mother's wedding ring in her finger. Technically we got engaged. I was mad at myself, at Zoya but nothing seemed wrong.

**