Tightrope

34🥀

"Why can't she just die?" Zayn sighed, controlling the urge to cover his ears.

"Aapko kitni baar bola hai? Aise nahi bolte." Liam scolded, standing beside him.

(How many times I have told you? Don't talk like that.)

"Let's put an end to this." He said, more to himself than her before heading back inside the room to fetch some papers.

"What are you doing?" Liam asked, trying to block his way.

"Move. I'm doing what I should've done ages ago." He replied, walking past him. Liam tried to stop him but he was determined to do what he said.

"Zayn, please no." Liam followed him downstairs, seeing Aisha furious gaze landing on them.

"Ask him! Puchiye issey kya kia hai isne! Koi haq nahi hai isey ye decision lene ka!" She pointed at Zayn, looking at her mother.

(Ask him! Ask him what he did! He has no right to take this decision)

"Actually, I do." Zayn took a seat calmly, not caring about everyone standing, he was trying to prove a point to Aisha but she was too enraged to think normally.

"20 percent of the whole property is under my daughters name, you can't take that away from them!" She yelled.

"Cute. Read this." He threw the paper on her face.

"Zayn." His mother looked at him with a warning.

"Yes?"

"Stop it" She whisper-yelled.

"I didn't start it maa, I never did but I will end this, don't you think it's time? She never leaves a chance to disrespect my Liam, why would I respect that woman?" He asked.

"Zayn. You're crossing your limits." His dad came forward.

"Am I?"

"I didn't raise you to be like this, apologise. Right now." Trisha pointed towards Aisha.

"I won't."

"Please, chalein yahan se." Liam tried to pull his sleeve but he didn't budge.

(Please, let's go from here)

Bennett started to say, "You can't name everything under Liam's name, it is everyone's rightful property. We built this with our hardwork-"

"It's not. Don't forget when you were on the verge of losing everything, I was the one who saved it, I worked my ass off to give you this lifestyle back. You might've forgotten what this good for nothing woman did but I didn't. Don't throw that shit on my face, I can and I will do whatever the hell l want to, You have whatever you have earned, I just made my wife the owner of my belongings, why is that bothering everyone so much?" He stood up.

"Zayn." Aisha yelled as a warning.

"For god's sake, I know my name. Can y'all stop it?" He sighed in annoyance.

"You can't blame my kids for things I did."

"Yes I can and know what bua? I want you to leave this house by evening." He shrugged, challenging her with his eyes.

"Zayn. That's enough, go back to your room this instant." Yaser pointed upstairs, raising his voice.

"Why? Your sister is so dear to you? You stopped me when she messed with my company, I stopped. You said not to do anything infront of Liam? I didn't, but this time? I'm done. Arey maine inki kartuton ko ginwana shuru kia na to raat ho jaani hai, ya to ye. Ya to mai. Choose." Zayn said, crossing his arms.

(If I started enumerating her misdeeds then it will probably going to be night, either it's her or me. Choose.)

"This is it then?" Bennett stepped forward.

Zayn didn't reply, looking at his dad to say something in his favour, to choose him before his sister for once.

"Pack our bags Liam, we're leaving." He looked back at him, before tearing his gaze away watching the pleading look in his eyes.

"You'll choose to leave instead of changing your decision?" Yaser asked.

"Remember you said, 'your husband always comes first,'so I'm simply choosing my husband." He shrugged.

"Okay. Calm down, let's sit down and talk like adults." Mark intervened, coming between the father and son duo.

"What's the point Uncle? Like all the thousands of talks, this will end up in her favour again! Because your sister can always prove herself to be better!"

"Calm down." He repeated, "Sit here." He pointed to the sofa, waiting for Zayn to sit down.

"Now tell me what happened?" He asked calmly.

"Ask your sister, she started yelling for no reason." He looked away, getting frustrated by looking at Aisha's smug face.

"I'm asking what happened that you decided to name everything to her all of a sudden." He clarified.

"Why does that bother her?"

"Because it belongs to Ada and not this
worthless-" She was interrupted before she could complete.

"Not even the dust in this house belongs to
her, shut the fuck up before l make you." Zayn warned, not caring about the elders anymore.

"lf you didn't apologise right now, I swear to God Zayn, I would-"

"Cool. You too maa?" He turned to his mother, a painful chuckle leaving his lips as he looked at her.

"Apologise." She repeated, breathing harshly.

"I won't. She can go to hell for all l care, my property is none of her concern." He stood up, holding Liam's hand to leave.

"What if this marriage doesn't work? What will you do then? What happens when you decide to part ways?" Yaser asked, stopping them.

"The only time we'll be parting ways is when I die, I'm just securing her future, who knows when another accident happens?" He replied, his eyes flickering over to Aisha, letting her know that he knew.

"Another? What do you mean by another?" Trisha panicked, grabbing his arm frantically as she questioned.

"Ask her. Why are you silent Aisha Malik? Tell her about everything you did! She has tried to poison me multiple times, she has planned accidents, she has done so many things but I didn't say anything but you know when she crossed the line maa? She tried to hurt my husband. Not once, multiple times. I'm just asking you to choose. Her or me."

He didn't stay there for a minute more, leaving the house while holding Liam's hand tightly, fearing if he let go then Liam would choose her too like his parents just did.