*RECAP*
Khair, isse tum meri darkhaast samjho, ya majboori, Main Bass tum dono ko yehi bataana chahti thi.

Kya tum dono kar paaoge?

[Aditya and Zoya looked at each other, tension plastered on both their minds.

What would they tell Nani?]

———————————
Aditya: Mujhe sochne ke liye waqt——

Zoya: Hum nahi kar sakenge, Nani, Hume maaf kijiye, lekin humse yeh nahi Ho paayega

Nani: Zoya...

Zoya: Doctor ne kahaa ki Aapko aaraam ki zaroorat hai, hum Tara ko Dekhte hai, aap so jaayein

[Zoya immediately ran outside, whilst Nani and Aditya looked at each other.]

Nani: Apne naati ke pyaar mein Itni paagal Ho gayi thi yeh Main khudgarz bhi bann gayi...

Aditya: Nahi Nani, aisi Koi baat nahi hai...Shaadi...Shaadi ka khyaal hum dono ke liye mushkil hai...

Nani: Main samajh sakti hoon Beta...mujhse galati Ho gayi hai shaayad...Please, Zoya ko Zara waapis bulaana

Aditya: Ji Nani

[Aditya walked downstairs and found Zoya sat besides the balcony, silently crying.

He wasn't even sure about how to approach her.

What was he supposed to say? How was he supposed to console her?]

Aditya: (Calmly) Zoya...

Zoya: (Angry) Kya?

Bataayie, Kya? Zoya Kya?

Aap bhi yeh nahi chahte hai, toh phir sochne ka natak kyun?

Aditya, Humne sirf humaare Yash se mohabbat ki hai...Unnke alaava koi Aur——

Aditya: Yash zinda nahi hai, Zoya!

Na Yash zinda hai, Na Pooja! Aur yehi haqeeqat hai! Tumhe Kya lagta hai, Mujhe iss Sab mein padhna Accha lagta hai? Maine bhi sirf pooja se mohabbat ki hai, lekin usse zindagi nahi rukti!

Zoya: Aapki himmat kaise hui——

Aditya:
Tum aaj iss sheher, iss ghar mein sahi salaamat khadi Ho, toh Nani ki wajah se hai, yeh mat bhulna! Innki aakhri khwaaish bhi puri nahi kar sakti?

[A strong sense of realisation came over Zoya.

Aditya was right.

She owed Nani a lot, even if it meant sacrificing her happiness.

She was well and alive in Mussoorie only because of Nani, and she couldn't forget that easily.]

Aditya: Khair, Nani tumhe upar bula rahi hai, Chalo

[Zoya quietly wiped her tears away and followed Aditya back to Nani's room.]

Nani: Arre meri beti ro rahi hai? Puraani baaton ko bhulo, Maine tumhaare saath galat kiya, bahut khudgarzi——

Zoya: (Blankly) Hum kar lenge, Nani

[Nani and Aditya looked at Zoya, who clearly looked unhappy with her decision.]

Nani: Zoya, Main jaanti hoon tum yeh faisla jaldbaazi mein kar rahi Ho, tum par koi dabaav——

[Zoya took a deep breath and smiled at Nani, before coming close to her and placing her hand on hers.]

Zoya: Nahi Nani, hum kar lenge, aap bass muskuraayie, theek hai?

Nani: Zoya...

Aditya: Main bhi taiyaar hoon, Nani, Main bhi Shaadi karunga

[Stood on either sides of Nani, holding her hand and smiling, Nani pulled both of them close for an intimate hug. While they were smiling, their smiles disappeared when they looked at each other.

Truth was, this was a forced relationship.

But Zoya was bound to say because of the favours Nani had done for her, and Aditya loved Tara more than his dislike for remarrying.]

Nani: Tum dono Shaadi Kab karna chahoge?

Aditya: Aapko jo sahi lage, Nani

Zoya: Haan Nani, aapko jo sahi lage

Nani: Agle hafte?

Zoya: Ji Nani, theek hai

[That same night, Aditya and Zoya couldn't fall asleep, for reasons quite obvious.

Zoya decided to step out on her usual walk, and was surprised to find Aditya outside his home, doing the same.]

Zoya: Aapko bhi neend——

Aditya: Haan.

[Zoya walked by herself, while Aditya was a few steps away.

Both of them had a lot to say but they couldn't.

They walked silently, just acknowledging each other's presence and not having a clue in the world about what next week would bring.

Zoya remembered how 2 months ago, Aditya jokingly called her 'Mrs. Hooda' to save her from those goons, but next week, it was going to be reality.

She was actually going to be Mrs. Hooda, and she didn't like it.]

Aditya: Zoya...

Zoya: Ji?

Aditya: Woh...Mujhe tumse baat karni thi

Zoya: Kahiye...

Aditya: Main jaanta hoon ki shaadi hum dono ki majboori hai, lekin Nani ke saamne hume Khush hone ka naatak karna padega, unnke khaatir

Zoya: Hum jaante hai...Aap fikar mat kijiye, wahi hoga...

*2 days later*

[When Zoya returned to Nani's room with a cup of tea, she was surprised to find her standing and rummaging through her things in the cupboard.]

Zoya: Nani, Kya hua?

Nani: Kuch dhoond...Yeh lo, mil gaya!

Zoya: Kya mil gaya?

[Nani turned towards Zoya, Holding a red joda in her hands.]

Zoya: Arre, yeh Kya?

Nani: Mere shaadi ka joda...Main chahti hoon ki tum yeh pehno

Zoya: Arre Nani, nahi, hum kaise——

Nani: Tum meri beti nahi Ho Kya?

Zoya: Nani...

Nani: Main apni beti ko apne haathon se taiyaar karna chahti hoon, theek hai? Ab yeh lo, Chalo

[Zoya hesitantly took the joda in her hands, and returned to her room. She took the dupatta in her hands and placed it over her shoulder, her mind instantly playing a memory.

*FLASHBACK*
Zoya: (Crying) Yash...humaare Ghar se koi nahi aaya...Bado ki Dua ke baghair hum shaadi kaise kar sakti hai?

Yash: (Consoling) Main hoon Na, Zoya? Main Sab theek kar dunga...Accha yeh lo, tumhaara shaadi ka joda, hai na sundar?

Zoya: Bahut sundar hai, Yash, bahut sundar...

*FLASHBACK ENDS*

This was actually a reality.

She was actually going to be a married woman.

Aditya was going to be her Husband, for real.

Next week she'd be Zoya Hooda. ]

Zoya: Allah miyaan, hum Kuch galat toh nahi kar rahe hai na? Humaara dil yeh nahi karna chahta, lekin Nani ke bahut ehsaan hai hum par...Tara...Tara toh Humaari beti ki tarah hai, aur unnke liye hume yeh karna padega.

Pata nahi kismat mein Kya likha hai, lekin aap bass hume sambhaal lein. Hume aap par bahut aitbaar hai, Allah miyaan, Hume mehfooz rakhein, bass

[Placing the joda in her cupboard, Zoya set about her daily work.

4 days left.]

——————————

Hope you guys liked this chapter!!

Eeks, so it's happening!! Hope you guys like the story!

Thank you and please vote if you liked it!

Love y'all ❤️