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 ordered.
***
September 2021 , London
Ava was packing lunch boxes for her kids when the three came out dressed in their school uniform.
Kate was already setting the breakfast table.
"Good morning kiddos" Kate grinned at them
"Good morning Aunt Kate" they said
"Come on sweeties. Have your breakfast" Ava said ushering them to the breakfast table.
"Mummaa. Can we go to the zoo today" Zian asked.
Zian Ahmed is a nature boy and he is the calmest of all the three. Less demanding too. He loves walking in the park, observing insects and reptiles. A few months back he wanted to have a snake as a pet. The thought still gives her the creeps.
Zian is an animal lover and if given permission he would have filled the whole house with all the stray animals on the street.
He loves painting. Just like someone she knows. And he hates it if anyone lies. He has his own ideals and principles at the tender age of 5
"It's a school day Zian. We will go on the weekend" Ava said and he nodded.
"Zahir. Don't fight with your friends okay??" Ava said warning him and he nodded
"I want cookies" he demanded
"I want too" Zada said
"Where is the magical word??" She asked
"Please. You have to say please!! Right Mummaa??" Zian asked and Ava nodded at the three handing a cookie to Zian
"Can I have cookies please Mummaa" Zada asked and Ava handed her a cookie with a fond smile
"What about you young man??" Ava asked looking at Zahir.
"Zian already said it for me" Zahir said shrugging
and Ava closed her eyes in disbelief.
Ava handed him a cookie feeling defeated as she was not in a mood to argue with Zahir now.
Zahir mumbled a thank-you once he got the cookie.
Maybe all hope is not lost with that one ,Ava thought to herself
Kate chuckled seeing the exchange between the momma bear and the kiddos.
"Now come on get your bags" Ava said as she picked up her bag from the nearby couch
All three came towards her grinning carrying their bags
"Did you wear your underwear Zian??" Ava asked and Zian pulled his trousers and looked inside. Then he looked up and grinned at Ava and she sighed.
That boy loves to go commando!!
"Go and wear it" she said and he ran off to wear it.
Ava shook her head.
She could already feel a headache coming up.
Along with that, a strange feeling that something very life turning, is going to happen.
Why is she feeling restless all of a sudden?
If something is going to happen, would it be good or bad?
She just hope nothing bad happens to her babies. As long as he babies are safe and healthy, she will be happy.
Maybe not content ,a traitorous voice inside her head murmered.
Ava shook her head to dispel that voice.
She is contend with her life.
She has a job. She has Victor and Lizzy ,who are like her real parents. She has got Kate ,her bestfriend who is like a sister
Above all ,she has her babies.
What more could she ask for??
****
After dropping the triplets at school, with a hug and a kiss on each of their cheeks, she reached her office.
Seeing the hustle bustle in the office Ava frowned in confusion
What is going on? ,she wondered
"Ma'am?? Is everything alright?? Why are everyone in a hurry" Ava asked looking around at the people working on the same floor as hers
All the women in the office where adjusting their lipstick and perfumes.
"Because the CEO is coming today" Alexis Moore ,her senior said
"Are they all getting themselves pretty for Mr Rudolf Maxwell's visit??" Ava asked, wondering why the women are getting excited for the arrival of a 70 year old man.
Akexis chuckled at Ava's frowning face.
"Not Rudolf Maxwell. His grandson is the new CEO! He is one of the leading business men all over the world. That too with a title. And he is a handsome hunk" Alexis said with a wink at Ava and Ava rolled her eyes.
"Why don't you go and pretty yourself up" Alexis asked teasing her
"Not interested ma'am!!" Ava said chuckling
Men?? No thanks!!
Men with title?? Oh please!!
"Whoever he is, did a good number on you" Alexis sighed
"What do you mean??" Ava asked.
"Nothing Ava. Just remember, all men are not alike. Just because one person hurt you doesn't means you should write off men from your life. You are one hell of a beautiful woman. And many guys here have tried to get you on a date and you keep friend zoning everyone" Akexis said shaking her head
"I don't have time for men in my life ma'am" Ava said making Alexis sigh in defeat
"Anyways!! There is a meeting in 15 minutes. Be there in the mega conference room. The new CEO wants to meet everyone" Alexis said
Ava nodded and walked towards her desk not knowing what storm is coming her way.
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
"Play the part well Mrs Ahmed. We don't want them to be suspicious, now do we??"She stiffened when his lips touched her earlobe and the memories of their one night of love flashed in her brain. The heat of the memory crept up her cheeks and by the time he withdrew she was blushing to the roots and the smirk on his face told her he knows what exactly she was thinking.She cursed herself for being so vulnerable where Zayed was concerned.Hadn't she learned her lesson yet!!!As they walked towards the little cottage home, hand in hand, Ava's heart was pounding and she was pretty damn sure Zayed could here the sound of it."Hello. I'm Balraj Rao" the old man introduced folding his hands, which is the traditional Indian way of saying hello. Ava returned the gesture."Zayed Ahmed Al Zidra. This is my wife Aveline Ahmed" Zayed introduced them to the old manWife!! Wife!! Wife!! Never once in their eight months of marriage, did he introduce her as his wife.He was ashamed of her back then
As they sat around the dining table having breakfast ,Balraj Rao filled them with the history of their village, the cultureof their nation and their beliefs and customs."How long have you two been married" Sarala asked"Seven years" Ava said without thinking and stiffened immediately thinking what she was blurting out.She turned to look at Zayed only to see him already looking at her."Oh. But you two look like newly married couple" Sarala said smiling."Kids??" Balraj asked"Yes" Ava said at the same time Zayed said "No" Ava cursed herself for talking without thinking."What she meant is ,Yes. We are trying for babies now" he said.Only if he knews!! She thought to herself "Seven years!! And you are still only trying" Sarala asked with a frown!!"Actually Ava was very young when we married. So we thought to wait a little longer" he reasoned and she rolled her eyes at his excuse.He is talking about the woman who became a single mother of three at the age of 19!! She mentally sco
By the time they reached the Delhi resort where they are booked in ,the next morning , Ava was too impatient to check in so that she could catch a glimpse of her babies before they are down for their afternoon napOh how much she missed her babies."Good morning Zayed. Good morning Ava" Ava looked up to see Ameya greeting them with a pleasant smile on her face."Good morning" they both replied in a chorus"The meeting with Mr Karan Malhotra is scheduled at ten. You only have time to freshen up" Ameya said glancing at her wrist watch"That's great. Come, let's go get our key" Zayed said and the three of them walked up towards the receptionist, where they were handed only one set of key card.Ava frowned at that because, Zayed seemed totally cool at that, as if he didn't expect another set of keys. It was Ameya who finally decided to ask for her set of keys."What about Ava's accommodation" Ameya asked and the receptionist frowned in confusion "There were only two bookings Ma'am. One f