Summary:
"I still love you"
"I know, but I don't think I do and I want to believe that"
Zayn and Liam are ex lovers, but what happens when they reunite, in circumstances Zayn never wished for.
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The dimly lit hallway had made Zayn question why the hell he agreed to book this hotel for the party. His company was celebrating their fifth anniversary and as a celebration, they threw a party at a five star hotel, but Zayn had his doubts with it's rating.
He wanted to have a smoke before going in, he needed some energy to tolerate all those pretentious fools that were inside the banquet waiting to praise him, waiting to feed him with all their new ideas so that Zayn invests in their projects. None of them were here for him or his company, everyone here has their own selfish needs.
Zayn has sacrificed a lot for this company, started it from scratch. He was lucky to find an investor who had faith in his idea and invested in his start up. Now his company is one of the most successful companies in the world. Now he's the one investing in start ups, because he knows where he came from.
His family couldn't come for the celebration, with his baba's health deteriorating day by day, his mum's constant worrying, his family was falling apart back at home. Everyday he wishes things to be different, maybe his baba wouldn't have paralysis, maybe his mum would stop being worried just for a minute.
He was now standing just outside the hallway facing the garden and blew out the smoke as his tensed muscles relaxed. With a last puff, he threw the remaining cigarette on the ground and crushed it under his expensive shoes. He felt a tap on his shoulder and turned around to see his assistant.
"Sir, your mask" Sarah, his assistant gave him a black masquerade mask. For some odd reason, he had agreed for a masquerade party when Niall pleaded him.
No one can deny that Irish leprechaun.
Niall had been his best friend since college, when the blond came there as an exchange student. Both had hit it off quite good. Zayn has only a few people in his life to call them as family and Niall was one of them. Someone else too, but he couldn't call that person his, not anymore.
He took the mask from Sarah and put it on. Taking a deep breath, he made up his mind, for now he has to put on a smile for display. He has to pretend to be happy about his success whereas his heart was hollow and empty, no success could compensate the loss of his heart.
"Thank you Sarah. Have all the guests arrived?" He asked as both of them walked down the hallway to the banquet.
"Yes Sir. Almost everyone has arrived and also the ones who have to pitch you their new ideas"
"Alright. Let's start this show"
"Of course Sir"
She opened the wooden doors for him and he entered a well lit banquet. He was totally wrong in guessing this place to be trashy. The whole place was filled with guests in various masks, some he knew, some were new faces yet to be revealed. Zayn always remembers people whom he talk to. Waiters were on their heels, serving wine and food, tables were filled with chatter about vacations and new projects.
Zayn was quick to mingle in the crowd. One thing his baba had taught him was to being friendly with anyone in your circle, you never know when you need them in future.
He was talking to one of his fellow investors when someone caught his eyes. Someone he knew very well. Someone he was ready to lay his life for, two years ago even now too. Someone he lost because of his ambitions.
