Zayed was still reeling from the kiss he shared with Ava when the car entered the palace in Zidra
Once Ava left he decided it would be better for him to leave UK for the weekend or else he might go after her to complete what he started.
He still can't believe he had lost control over his feelings, the tightly held feelings which he never showed anyone in the past six years.
Ava is a virus ,he decided ,and it has spread completely through his blood that he can't think of anything else.
What madness has caused him to transfer her to his floor.
What madness has caused him to keep her around.
He must be absolutely insane if he thought he could get away with making her uncomfortable.
It was he who felt uncomfortable whenever she is around. The effect she has on his libido is very dangerous and if he didn't start thinking with his head, he would be absolutely lost.
As he reached the main visitors room in Ahmed Palace, he stopped dead on his tracks seeing the man with whom Salim is having a happy conversation
Arif Mehboob
What the hell is he doing here?
How dare he come here? Into the palace? How dare he do that after stealing the wife of the sheikh?
The nerve of the man.
He saw Arif Mehboob giving something which looked so much like a wedding invitation to Salim
"Wow. Tou are getting married?? Who is the lucky girl??" Salim asked and Zayed frowned, as he had no idea that Salim was in any way acquainted with Arif Mehboob
"Ofcourse Ava. Who else?" Arif Mehboob replied grinning and Zayed lost it completely.
How dare he??
How dare she??
After the way she kissed him today!!
No way he would let that happen!!
Aveline belongs to him and only him
Whatever she did in the past, he doesn't care
He wouldn't let her live a happy married life with her lover after ruining his life.
He would have her in his life, at his beck and call. And he would do that by hook or crook.
He strode in towards the two men with every intention of throwing Arif Mehboon out of his home.
And Salim? How could Salim sit there and coolly listen to the man when he announced, he is getting married to his sister in law.
Zayed felt that betrayal like a slap on his face
"Zayed?? When did you come??" Salim asked frowning as Zayed had just informed him that morning, that he won't be coming home any time soon
"I had to come" he said glaring at the intruder
"So you are Ava's Zayed?? I have heard a lot about you. A lot means a lot. But didn't get the opportunity to meet you back then" Arif said cheerfully making Zayed frown.
"Zayed. This is Arif Mehboob. My father's ex PA Hakim Mehboob's son. We went to the same university too. And he had been Ava's Arabic teacher 6 years ago" Salim introduced Arif to him.
"Arabic teacher??" Zayed asked. He couldn't get a hold of what is going on here.
"And you knew me??" He asked Arif
"Ofcourse. Not only me. My whole class knew you. Back then we didn't knew she was talking about Sheikh Zayed. You wife becomes an Express train while talking about you. Zayed is like this, Zayed is like that. He makes beautiful paintings. He makes wonderful sculptures. He says hearty poetries" Arif said with a fond smile
Zayed could only stare at the man in shock
"And listening to all this my Ava too became a huge fan of yours" he said making Zayed more confused
"Your Ava?" Zayed asked in daze
"Oh I'm sorry. My fiancee. Coincidentally her is name is also Ava. Ava Thomson. She is an American" Arif said and Zayed realized he has done the biggest mistake of his life 6 years ago!
God!! What had he done....!!
"We had no idea that she is a Sheikha. It was only on the last day of the class I saw a picture of you two. That's when I realised she is Sheikh Zayed's wife. She made me promise not to tell anyone due to some personal reasons"
Zayed felt his heart going heavy. He had accused Aveline of infidelity, without knowing anything
"And let me tell you one thing, Ava has been one of my brightest students. The speed with which she learnt Arabic. It's amazing, it's commendable. And all the effort for you your highness. She wanted to surprise you and impress you" Arif said winking at him playfully.
"And yeah, one more thing. That card she gave you right?? Me and Ava, I mean my Ava, helped her to choose the card" Arif said proudly
"Card??" Zayed whispered still trying to get all this around his head.
"By the way where is Ava?? I tried to contact her but there has been no news about her for the past 6 years. I came here in the hope that I could meet Ava too. My Ava would be really happy if she joins the wedding functions and all. They two had known each other only for a few weeks, but they caught on like a house on fire" Arif said and the picture started to get clear for Zayed
In short he committed the biggest sin of his life and now he has no idea how he is going to win her back!!
"Uh Arif. Zayed and Ava are not together anymore. They got separated six years back" Salim said with an awkward smile and Arif looked horrified.
"No way!! Impossible. I have seen how much she loves him. I don't think she would just let go off her love. Unless it had been too unbearable for her to stay" Arif said whispering the last part
Unless it had been too unbearable for her to stay.
The words kept reverberating in his head even after Arif Mehboob left.
He simply collapsed on the couch not knowing how to react.
How could he be such a fool?
"Zayed. Zayed?? What happened??" Saoim asked frowning at the way Azarenka had gone stiff as a stick.
Hearing Salim's voice Basim and Rosaline came rushing into the visitors room and was stunned to see a devastated Zayed
"Zayed, darling. What happened??" Rosaline asked worriedly
"Arabic teacher??" Zayed asked looking at Salim
"What is wrong Zayed??"
"You knew Arif Mehboon was Aveline's Arabic teacher??"
"Ofcourse I knew. I was the one who arranged that class for her." Salim answered with a confused frown
"Why??"
"Do you remember what happened on your art exhibition day six years back. She went there at my behest, and she was very upset after what happened there. She wanted to be worthy of you. She felt guilty that she embarrassed you" Salim asked and Zayed was transported back to the incident that happened all those years ago