His Revenge

➺Chapter Ten

A/N: Tomorrow's my flight back to Pakistan so please please pray that me and my family get back safely In Shaa Allah.
I was so AMAZED by the reaction in the previous chapter and how strongly all of you hated Zaeem for his actions. That means I succeeded as a writer to make you feel Aaida's pain. Thank you for the love!

➺Ten

Zaeem found that he was no longer welcome in the patio with his mother for breakfast the next morning. She sat with Aaida and when he walked in, she gave him a pointed look full of meaning. He knew then that he would not earn her forgiveness until he repented properly to Aaida first. With a heavy sigh, he had walked back out and ordered a coffee and croissant to go. He would talk with his mother later.

Liam was waiting in his office. There was a bright smile on his face and he greeted him enthusiastically.

"Zaeem! My beloved old friend," Liam gave him a one-armed hug. "How are you doing this fine morning?"

"Good," Zaeem answered monotonously. "Why are you smiling like the Cheshire cat?"

Liam grinned at the reference. Alice in Wonderland had actually been a favorite of theirs when they were much younger. Mahra had read it to them every night and Liam and Zaeem would hold a competition to see who could smile the widest. Liam usually won since Zaeem hadn't had a lot to smile about in his entire life.

"The deal went amazingly, we've got a new merger, and to celebrate- Sterling is throwing a party tomorrow night!" Liam announced with flourish. "Exciting news, isn't it, Zaeem?"

Liam had always been the life of the party while Zaeem preferred being a wall.

"Very," Zaeem rolled his eyes. "Is that all you've come to tell me?"

Liam nodded, his mood not dampening because of Zaeem's boring reply. "Also, you have to bring Aaida because it's specifically said to have company. And I may have let it slip that you're married so Sterling is dying to meet her."

Zaeem should've known. He heaved a sigh. He'd been doing that a lot since morning had arrived.

"Fine, fine," he waved off. If his mother allowed Aaida to go anywhere with him. She was acting like a mother hen guarding her chick.  "I'll have her come with me. Now shoo. Unlike you, I have work to do. This merger isn't the only deal we have to close within the year. Have you forgotten Fletcher's proposal? He says there's been a stock market boom and it'd be foolish not to take advantage of it. We still haven't gone over the statistics for that one."

Liam groaned dramatically. "Zaeem, please handle that proposal. I don't want to go near it. Numbers kill me."

"That's why we have an accountant," Zaeem grumbled. He couldn't fathom how Liam had ever gotten his degree in business studies with the way he moaned and groaned about everything.

Liam, knowing this was a clear dismissal, skipped off to his own office opposite to Zaeem's. Once there was peace and quiet, Zaeem began his work.

Later on in the evening, Zaeem returned home to dinner. Mahra and Aaida were now in the living room. He was tired from the long day and figured to hell with it. Tossing his briefcase to Gordon, he entered the dining room with a hard set of his jaw. Let's see his mother dismiss him now. He wasn't going to play hide-and-seek in his own house and Mahra's behavior was beginning to frustrate him.

Mahra and Aaida's conversation ceased upon seeing him. Aaida, knowing he did not want her there, hastily stood up.

"I should go," she said quietly to no one in particular. Zaeem arched a brow but remained silent.