July 2021 ,Desert Nation Of Zidra
"Either find your runaway wife or take a new bride" Karim Al Ahmed's voice boomed in the living room of his suite
Zayed Ahmed al Zidra stared at his father impassively
Sheikh Karim Ahmed al Zidra stared back ,breathing fire through his nostrils.
Zayed curbed his urge to roll his eyes.
Zayed had always been a disappointment for Karim.
The constitution of Zidra states that the heir to the throne is the first born of the particular generation. It doesn't matter if they are not born
to the present ruling King.
Karim al Ahmed being the elder son of the family had ruled over Zidra for forty glorious years.
Much to Karim's disappointment, his younger brother fathered a child before him ,making Salim Al Ahmed the crown prince of Zidra.
Zayed was born a year later. That has been his father's first disappointment
The disappointment increased when Zayed spend more time creating art than learning business.
According to Karim ,the only sensible thing Zayed did in his entire life was giving up art six years ago.
Zayed is now known as a cut throat business man and no one knew why the reclusive artist turned into ruthless businessman.
Only if they knew ,Zayed thought with a derisive curl of his lip.
"Do you hear me Zayed. I don't want the throne to be passed on to Salim's kid. It's in our favour that Camille has issues with conceiving. I want you to get married and give me a heir Zayed. I don't care who you marry as long as I get my heir" Karim snarled
"Father. It is a disappointment that you have wasted your time on something I don't plan to do ever" Zayed said in an icy calm tone.
"If you don't find a wife for yourself ,I will have to do that for you, son" Karim snapped
"I would like to see you try ,father" With that said, Zayed walked out of his father's suite of rooms in the palace
Marriage!! Zayed thought with disgust.
Never again!
He had never believed in the notion of love and marriage.
He had grown up witnessing his parent's miserable marriage.
Karim Ahmed al Zidra was a committed philanderer.
His mother Rosaline ,daughter of a businessman from England had fallen in love with the young charismatic Karim nearly four decades ago.
His father too had fallen in love with her.
Unfortunately, his father's love didn't last making his mother a miserable woman and turning her into an alcoholic.
Yet ,he had given relationship a chance by trusting Brianna. His on and off ex girlfriend of five years.
He had met Brianna during his one year art course. He might not have loved her, but he had trusted her and she broke his trust by joining hands with his father.
Then Ameya came along. He had extended his hands of friendship and she tried to take advantage of it. Atleast she did it for her parents.
Then came Aveline.
The woman ,he has absolutely no interest talking about.
Zayed added another layer of bricks around his heart at the single thought of Aveline.
No ,she doesn't even deserve to be remembered!
****
Sheikh Zayel Ahmed al Zidra sat behind his desk in the skyscraper building of Ahmed Industries' headquarters in Zidra ,going back and forth
between files regarding the latest oil production venure
Zayed Ahmed al Zidra is now one of the top most business men all over the world. He has been winning back to forth business awards for the past years.
The supposed betrayal of his wife had been the driving force behind this ruthless cold hearted businessman.
People all over wondered what happened to the once calm and reclusive artist.
No one knew he was once married, for he never thought it important to publicize his short lived marriage. And he was absolutely grateful for that now
"Zayed. Dad wants to talk to you!!" Rosaline said walking into the cabin which is her son's home now.
Rosaline Ahmed , the former queen of Zidra.
She was a lovely woman with a broken heart. Zayed always wondered why his mother couldn't just divorce her husband and leave. But she never did. She kept on loving him through all her misery
"Yes Mom. I will call him once I'm over with this one" he said pointing at the file he was working on...
"Zayed" Rosaline called again in a soft voice...
"Yes mom. Everything alright??" He asked
"How can it be alright when my son's life is not alright!!" She sighed
"Mom. Not again" Zayed groaned bracing himself for the same old conversation
"Zayed, dear ,whatever happened between you two must be a misunderstanding please try to
find where Ava is" Rosaline pleaded with her elder son.
"Mom. I have told you several times not to utter that woman's name in front of me. I absolutely hate her" he said
"If hate is what you felt for her,you wouldn't have changed like this Zayed. This is not you Zayed. This is not you!!" Rosaline said
"Mom. This discussion is pointless!!" Zayed said with an air of finality and Rosaline sighed wearily
Rosaline stared at her elder son and her heart wept for him. Her Zayed had never known what happiness is. He had never known what love is.
The only love he got is from his siblings Salim Basim and Mizna
She failed as a mother. She had wasted the better part of her life wallowing in her own misery ,unintentionally neglecting her children
At a young age Zayed had to become a father and mother for his younger siblings Basim and Mizna.
She would be eternally grateful to Salim ,her nephew, for always having Zayed's back
"Call dad. He wants to talk to you" Rosaline said
"Is Grandpa okay??" Zayed asked wondering why his maternal grandfather didn't contact him directly.
"He is alright. A bit weak. Just call him" Rosaline said and left...
Zayed leaned back in his chair and closed his eyes.
Suddenly a pair of tortured hazel green eyes came into his vision and he cursed under his breath.
No Zayed.!! Stop thinking about her. He ordered to himself
Zayed tried once again to forget the woman his mind could never love and his heart could never hate.
London ,July 2021Aveline Dupont was busy decorating her little cottage for her kids' fifth birthday party.Oh yes! She is the proud mother of the most adorable set of triplets in the worldSix years ago ,when she left her husband and his country ,she took the most precious little things with her.Her mother's death had come as a big blow and Ava was totally lost.Lost, alone and pregnant in the big worldThat's when she met the elderly couple Victor and Elizabeth Willington, who were on a vacation to her native place.The childless couple took an instant liking to Ava and invited her to travel with them to London.Ava conceded ,not having anything to stop her from leavingAnd she needed a new start too.It was during an ultrasound scan in her fifth month, she came to know that she was carrying ,not one ,but two babies.She had been thrilled Imagine her surprise when she discovered the third one was hiding behind her brothers.Zahir, Zian and Zada are her lifelines now. Though they
Two months passed by in a blurMoving to the city and getting herself and her kids settled to the new life was utter chaos and she will be eternally grateful to Kate for her help throughout. Ava settled on her desk going through the statistics and figuring out how to stop the company from going bankrupt.It was not difficult for her to find a job, since she graduated with a bachelor's degree in economics from the London university ,being the top of her batchThe company she is working in, is a family owned business of The MaxwellsIt was one of the leading business ventures in UK up until the CEO Mr Rudolf Maxwell fell ill due to his old age.The day was already a tough one for her since it was the first day of school for her little munchkins.Morning was a tough nut to crack. She smiled thinking of the morning incident. Zian and Zada were bowling their eyes out hugging onto her legs saying they don't want to go to school. Zahir just stood there crossing his arms across his chest lo
September 2021 , Arabian Nation Of Zidra"So? Zayed Ahmed is leaving Zidra?" The person asked with an evil smirk"Yes. His Highness Sheikh Zayed's private jet took off exactly an hour ago.""So the wedding plans are dropped for now?" The person asked biting into a piece of apple ,the evil glint still evident in their eyes."His Highness had opposed to the idea of marriage thoroughly when Sheikh Karim brought up the topic""That's so sad. Poor Zayed is still heartbroken." The other person clucked their tongue in mock pity"You are a genius. How easily you separated them" "Genius?? That I'm. But even if I weren't a genius, I would have still broke them apart easily. When there was no relationship, why would you have to try harder" "That's true. No one even knew Sheikh Zayed was married once. Not even the palace workers""Ah! That too worked in our favour. Now that Zayed is out of state ,let's deal with the oil company issues quickly. Arrange a meeting with the oil minister" the person
As Zayed walked inside the office he inherited from his maternal grandfather, he felt a weird kind of peace settling in his too long unsettled heart.He didn't understand what it is.His personal assistant Ameya Patel followed closely behind him.Ameya Patel, the woman who once tried to con him and take advantage of his friendship.Meeting Ameya Patel after so long was totally unexpected.And he realised the damsel in distress facade she showed him when he met her the first time seven years ago ,was not really a facade. She really was a damsel in distress who was forced to play with him because of her family circumstances.At the time it felt like a huge sin. But after what Aveline did, Ameya's sins were no longer sins. She was merely trying to protect her family unlike Aveline.After all Ameya was not a homewrecker was never responsible for anyone's death. Neither had she committed the sin of infidelity.Aveline! Aveline! Aveline! All talks and thoughts ends up with Aveline.What the
Aveline was trying very hard to concentrate on the files on her desk ,but the task seems impossible.She was feeling extremely uncomfortable with all the stares and envious glares she was receiving from her female co workersWhat is there to be envious?? Only if they knew how life with Zayed Ahmed would be!They would be running for the hills, if they so much as get a slight hint on how her short lived marriage was to Zayed was.They should consider themselves lucky, Ava mused..."So you are the lucky lot winner" Ava looked up to see Alexis looking at her with amusement. "I don't know what you are talking about" Ava feigned ignorance. "Ofcourse you have no idea that Mr Ahmed had a special interest in you. Neither do you have any idea that his sole focus during the entire meeting was on you. Nor do you have any idea that you were extremely squirmy and fidgety during the meeting" Alexis said teasingly"Fine. Point taken" Ava said with a resigned sigh"So, what are you going to do ab
September 2021, India Zayed was standing leaning onto the first car in which Ameya is already seated. He was waiting for Aveline to come out of the airport. They had landed in India an hour ago, but they couldn't land in the airport they had initially planned to ,because of some weather conditions. So, now they will have to travel by road to reach Delhi ,where they are to meet the Malhotras.As he turned around to talk to the driver, he saw a flash of yellow dashing to what she assumed to be the relative safety of the second car.He allowed himself a smile as he finished what he wanted to say to the driver, before closing the door and striding towards it himself.Shock turned her hazel brown eyes wide as he slid into the seat alongside her. A moment later she turned both her face and body away, shrinking against the door as if she might will herself right through it,and his feeling of satisfaction deepened.She was terrified of him.Strange how that knowledge had altered his long-
"Who the hell was that?"She jumped at his livid voice. She had totally forgotten he was sitting right beside her.Did he recognize she was talking to their baby?What if he realized?Oh goodness! How is she going to deal with him if he discovers the secret.Zayed was fuming!!!Who the hell was she talking to?And how dare she talk like that. That too sitting right next to him."Huh??" She looked confused for a moment and he realised she had forgotten he was sitting beside her, which infuriated him further.Then a look of panic came into her eyes."That is not how you talk to your mother. Who was it on the call" he asked through his clenched teeth."I don't think it is any of your business Mr Ahmed" she said and turned away from him leaving him fuming.Zayed felt like punching someone, preferably the 'baby' she wants to cuddle to.Zayed looked at her and saw her looking out of the window panes. Totally blocking him outFor, whatever troubled her, and however her mind worked, she was
September 2021 , A village in India"What's wrong??" Ava heard Zayed asking the driver when the man stopped the vehicle, due to some commotion in the area.She woke up completely from her slumber and wondered how she fell asleep in this tense atmospher.She looked out the window to see that they are in some remote part of some state and the time is around four in the morning.That means they have been traveling for around ten hours now and she has been asleep for the last five hours or so.How she fell asleep when Zayed was just an arm length away was beyond her."Your Highness! A huge banyan tree has fallen, blocking the road. There is no way the road will be open for another few hours" the driver said and Ava sighed in resignation God!! What sin did she commit in her previous life that she is being punished now!! An extra few hours with Zayed would be like few decades.She simply do not want to endure that torture.How much ever she is dying to close the distance between them and