Zoya held her card against the scanner, slipped through the door and stood awkwardly beside it "I just came to-"

"See if I had killed myself yet"? He looked up "As you can see I haven't, so you can go now, I mean you haven't exactly made it easy, you won't let me have a sheet or a duvet cover in here" the look in his eyes showed he probably wasn't happy but his face was a mask of indifference "One last question before you leave" he stood up "If you know self defence, why didn't you fight the guy that attacked you in your office"?

"Well I, I didn't know if it was you or not" gripping her hands tightly she looked around "Would you like to speak about how you're feeling, we could maybe start a session"? Her voice was unusually timid "Do you mind if I sit down, i'm not feeling so great"?

Waving his hand to the chair he eyed her carefully "Again, was there something you wanted"?

Zoya's face crumpled "Sometimes with how you speak to me you make me feel like you dont want me around"

"And that's a problem because"? He shook his head "You don't want to be around and I don't want you around, simple"

"I'll just go" she stood up only to fall back into the chair as a wave of dizziness overcame her "In a minute" closing her eyes she massaged her head

Aditya held out a cup of water "Did you not sleep"? He frowned when she nodded "Why, because of what I did putting your job at risk"?

Throwing the water in his face she stood up "Are you blind, it's got nothing to do with my damn job, it's got nothing to do with the guard, with Carlos, with Jay, with the other guy, its because of you, you tell me you want to die and i'm meant to sleep properly"? She threw the cup to the side "Whatever, i'm going" she yelped when he pulled her to him by her wrist

"Don't throw water at me again, you remember who I am before it gets you in trouble" he warned

"I know who you are and it already has gotten me in trouble, i'll do what I like and you can learn to cope because you hurt my feelings and believe it or not, I don't want you to die, so don't speak to me like shit because i'm really not in the mood" exhaling she pulled her arm but he didn't let her go, his eyes bore into hers

"You only care because of your career" he spat distastefully

"Oh dear god" she tried to calm herself down but found it to be impossible "You really think that's it, god knows I wouldn't be this messed up over another patient, just let me go, you don't want me here anyway" biting into her cheek Zoya tried to hide the tears in her eyes, he didn't seem to be even slightly bothered by her plight so what was the point of showing her emotions? When he finally released her she walked straight back to the door without offering him another glance, seconds away from leaving when she heard his heavy sigh, turning ever so slightly she pursed her lips "Something you want to say Mr Hooda"?

"So, you want me to want you even though I can't have you, now you cry because I am leaving you alone, does it make you happy to see me suffer"? Aditya laughed at her expression "Oh don't look at me like that, I don't buy the innocent act" he pouted "Does it make you sad that I see right through you, it's so nice to be wanted hm, shame no one wants ya toots"

She gulped uncomfortably "You don't want me"?

He shook his head, a smile on his lips

She nodded "Great, so it won't make a difference to you if I do this then" stepping closer to him she ran a finger across his neck, held his collar and pulled him to her, turning her head to the side she placed her lips on his neck for a mere second then let go, teeth grazing across his jugular vein before she bit down, her hand tightened on his top when he wrapped an arm around her waist, voice gruff as he whispered her name in her ear "I'm taking it you still don't want me"?

Gazing at her with hooded eyes he nodded "I don't"

Zoya ran her thumb over the spiralled stubble on his cheek, kissed the corner of his mouth, tugged his bottom lip between her teeth then dropped back "Okay, then there's no point in continuing right, just one last thing, five nights ago I was led in bed and I thought about touching you, but you don't want me to so i'll just have to satisfy the urge with someone else right"? She shrugged

"Zoya, Zoya" Allison clicked her fingers "You okay there chick, you seemed to be in your own little world"? She laughed

"Yeah, sorry" she blushed "Just tired is all, what were you saying"? Clearing her throat she leant forward, the daydream had seemed so vivid, almost too realistic, but she knew one thing to be true, she wasn't going to make the first move, she was far too nervous for that and her morals were a consistent hindrance

"It's been a week Aditya comes out of isolation today, how are you doing with him"?

"Everything is confusing, one minute i'm getting somewhere and the next i'm not, he's so caught up with his wife that all the previous notes on him aren't relatable to him now, he isn't cocky and chauvinistic, he's just sad" she looked to the side "It makes me sad if i'm honest"

Squeezing her hand she smiled "The only way to help him, if you want my honest opinion is act like she did, I know it's unethical and it isn't something you want to do, but when he gets angry you have to give as good as you get, when he's sad be honest about how sad that makes you but also distract him, entertain him, give him something to look forward to, the only person that can save him is his Zoya, you have the upper hand here, use it" she hoped she would take her advice and listen but she wasn't sure at this point

[~~~]

Rebecca rolled her eyes as a car pulled up infront of her "What now"?

Vitaly chuckled "Boss wants to see ya, come on" he waited for her to sit inside then tapped the wheel "You ever gonna let me take you out on that date"?

"I don't date players, I have a job to do and that's it and you only want me because you can't have me" even though she knew him to be one who sleeps around a part of her really did like him, but nothing came before duty

"Are you ever going to believe that I actually like you, I mean god you hang out with Zoya and you've even become her friend, that's against the rules but you won't date me" he turned the corner and shook his head in disbelief

"Because, Zoya faced an injustice, she's a good person and you aren't"

"What and you are"?

"I never said that" she fell silent "She didn't deserve this you know"

Vitaly's eyes lit up "I know Bec, neither did he"

"Didn't you wanna fight him at some point, even have people trying to get him now"? Her blue eyes lightened as she looked over at him when he parked the car

"I just want my fight" shrugging he got out and walked with her to the building, holding the door open for her he followed her up the stairs "Hey Meg"

"Hey Vi" she waved, red hair in waves down her back "Boss is just in there" standing beside her twin she cleared her throat "I got attacked by your people Vi, i'm not happy"

He seemed shocked "What, why"?

"Well they wanted Aditya, so came to me"

"Oh yeah Meg has became his friend" Rebecca scoffed

"Meg" Vitaly shook his head in disappointment "You know that's not part of the job"

"Oh so, my god since when did you all turn so heartless, he lost the one person who actually loved him" she was at her wits end, everyone seemed to take the moral high ground but never thought of the victims in this masterplan

"Boss loves him" he responded lowly

"This isn't love, it's his fucking fault Zoya can't remember shit, it's his fault that Aditya lost his spark" she inhaled sharply when the chair span round "Sorry Boss, talking out of turn"

"No, no go ahead, do explain how this is my fault, Zoya knew the risks, believe it or not Aditya is better off without her, more focused and he can go back to being the person he is meant to be" he leant back against the leather chair, hand stroking the large white cane with a gold eagle's head "I did what I did because I love him, I love my brother and Zoya Siddiqui is not in his best interest" he looked over at his second in command "She good"?

Vitaly nodded "Got her dropped home, she has an inkling you're alive though boss"

Edvardo nodded "Suppose having a heart on the right side of my body came in handy for something" he chuckled "You keep her safe, Rebecca we had the results back, Allison isn't threatening Rowlan, but we will find out who is"

Megan tapped her foot impatiently "And then, in this time what happens to Aditya, to Zoya, to Dr Rowlan, to Allison, to Kat, while you stay up here hiding to get things done, you ruined lives, she lost her baby because of-"

"Don't you dare blame me for that Megan, I didn't attack her"

"No but you sent her alone, have you even seen how hurt Aditya is, how lonely Zoya is or do you just not care anymore because this is not the Edvardo I wish to work with"

"Then go" he stood up "See how well you do without me" his face softened "He will be okay, I know my brother"

Rebecca raised her head "Not without her boss, Meg is right, no Zoya, no Aditya, Aemelius is also trying to find Esmerelda, he wants out and that's the last thing any of us need" she grabbed her sister's hand "I'm with her, we need to finish this quickly so Aditya can have his wife back"

"You know that's not how it works, she holds him back and I can't do this without him"

"In all respects, you believe Kat's love makes you stronger, so why can't Zoya's love make him stronger"?

"My brother is an isolated worker, love isn't in his future"

"You made sure of that" Megan spat "Text me if you need me, i'm done with this"

[~~~]

"Why did you make Zoya take self defence lessons, why allow her to get a job here, did you want her to find me"?

Carlos leant against the wall "I made her take those lessons so she could defend herself against me, believe it or not I never wanted to hurt her, she just got in the way, that night I was so close to just ending it then"

"Then what" Aditya stepped closer "Was it you, that killed my baby, because so help me i'll kill you right here right now" the monstrosity that Carlos was made Aditya's anger only increase

"No, I followed her when she left the house, cut her off on a dead end, chased her into the forest, I had my hand on her throat and then she told me" he looked straight ahead "Couldn't go through with it"

"Carlos, please, please don't do this" Zoya begged, salt on her lips from the tears that wouldn't stop

"You brought this on yourself, I didn't want this for you Zoya but you really left me with no choice" he frowned "Any last words, don't worry i'll send lover boy the ashes"

"I'm pregnant, please"

His hand dropped "You're what"?

"Pregnant, there's a test in my bag if you don't believe me, please, please don't do this to me" she sobbed loudly "I have nowhere, I have nothing left, I only have my baby"

Carlos outstretched his hand "I'll take you to a hotel"

"Why"? She took his hand "Why help me"?

"My mother was a single mother, I don't hurt kids, I saw how hard her life was" his shoulders tensed "I didn't take Lara, she did, I just carried it on when she passed"

Zoya swallowed uncomfortably "Sorry for your loss" trying to ignore the memory of her husband telling her about Carlos' single mother she cleared her throat, eyes meeting his, the sincerity in them made him feel ill "I lost mine too, car crash"

He nodded "But this baby wont lose you, you have my word"

Aditya flinched when Carlos began to cry "I took her to the hotel, went to get her some stuff, I got back two hours later and she was in a puddle of blood, I tried my best to save both but it was too late" he grimaced "I couldn't stop the bleeding, I broke my promise to her that night, when she came round she had forgotten everything and I knew telling her the truth would fuck her up, I haven't burnt her, ive been trying to get help but you have no idea how fucking hard it is, the only thing that satisfies me is burning people, Zoya has been trying to help me, I told her about my fetish if you will, I thought if I sent her here you'd win her back and make up for ever letting her go, we're both to blame here and as much as I hate you, I don't hate her"

"Do you love her"?

Carlos paused "I don't know"

"I wouldn't blame you" he coughed and held out his hand "Thank you for saving my wife, for doing what I should have done, but if you ever touch her in any way, i'll forget what you did that night and ensure you have the most painful death"

"You're a bastard" he shook his hand "But you fucking take care of her"

"I'm trying, she doesn't like me right now"

"Then make her, you did it last time, I gotta let her go at some point, eventually the urge to set her alight will be too much"

"You expect me to believe you haven't burnt anyone in five years, that's bullshit"

He laughed "Guess it's like looking in the mirror for you" truthfully the similarity left both of them feeling uneasy