Chapter 57: A Test of Strength

The days after Amina's arrival felt like a constant battle. Every time Zoha and Zafar tried to focus on their plans, Amina's threats seemed to linger in the air, suffocating their peace. She was relentless, trying to exploit every weakness she could find, but Zafar's resolve only grew stronger. He wasn't the man she had left behind all those years ago. Zoha had helped him rebuild his trust, and now nothing would tear them apart.

Despite the storm brewing around them, Zoha remained by his side. She wasn't just his partner; she was his strength, his foundation. And Zafar was beginning to realize that she wasn't going anywhere—not like Amina had. His feelings for her, the love that had started as something quiet and uncertain, were now an undeniable force inside him. But still, the shadow of Amina's return loomed large.

Confrontation at the Office

It was a cold morning when Zafar received a call that made his heart race. Amina had managed to convince the board members of his company to schedule an urgent meeting. Zoha had seen the tension in Zafar's eyes when he answered the phone, and she knew this was the moment he had feared. His empire—the very thing Amina was so desperate to control—was under attack.

"She's trying to use the company against me," Zafar said, his jaw tight with frustration. "She's convincing everyone that I'm unfit to lead."

Zoha could see the strain in his expression, the way his eyes flickered with doubt. But she didn't give him the chance to second-guess himself. She stood up and placed a hand on his shoulder, her touch gentle but firm.

"You're not alone in this," Zoha said softly. "We'll face this together."

Zafar looked at her, his eyes filled with a silent gratitude, before nodding. "Together."

The meeting that followed was everything Zafar had feared. Amina was there, of course, playing her cards perfectly, trying to convince the board that Zafar's leadership was unstable and that his personal life was too much of a distraction. Zoha could see the way the other members wavered under her gaze, the way her words sliced through the room like a blade.

But Zoha knew Zafar better than anyone. She knew that the man sitting beside her was not the broken man Amina had abandoned. He was stronger now, more certain of who he was and what he wanted.

The moment arrived when it was Zafar's turn to speak. He stood, his posture tall and commanding, his voice steady and unwavering.

"Let me make one thing clear," he said, locking eyes with every board member in the room. "My personal life may be mine to live as I see fit, but it does not interfere with my work. I have built this company from the ground up, and I will not let anyone—no matter who they are—destroy what I've built. Not now, not ever."

His words were met with silence, but it was the kind of silence that spoke volumes. Zoha could feel the shift in the room, the way the board members began to respect him again, not out of fear, but out of admiration. Amina, on the other hand, stood there, her eyes cold and filled with a simmering rage.

Amina's Final Move

After the meeting, Amina didn't let go so easily. She was a woman who had once had everything, and now, with Zafar's refusal to return to her, she was desperate to regain some semblance of control. Zoha could feel the tension between her and Amina, the way Amina's gaze lingered on her with barely contained hostility.

"She'll never stop, will she?" Zoha asked, her voice laced with frustration as she sat beside Zafar in his office later that day.

Zafar exhaled slowly, his hand running through his hair. "No. Amina doesn't know how to let go. She doesn't know what it means to truly love."

Zoha's heart hurt for Zafar, for the years he had spent alone, fighting demons that no one had ever seen. "But you do," she whispered. "You know what love is. You know how to fight for it."

Zafar turned to her, his gaze softening. "And I will, Zoha. I'll fight for you, for Ezra, for our future. She can try all she wants, but she won't break me. Not anymore."

A Threat to Everything

Later that evening, Zafar's phone rang again. It was a private number, and Zoha knew the call wouldn't be good. As Zafar answered, his face tightened with frustration.

Zoha couldn't hear the other side of the conversation, but she could see the way Zafar's expression darkened. When he hung up, he didn't say anything for a moment, just stood there, staring at the screen of his phone.

"Zafar?" Zoha asked, her voice gentle but filled with concern.

"It's her," Zafar finally said, his voice strained. "She's using Ezra against me. She wants him. She's threatening to take him if I don't give in."

Zoha's breath caught in her throat. The one thing that Zafar feared most, the one thing that would truly break him—Amina knew exactly where to strike.

But Zoha would not let Amina have her way. She would fight for Ezra, for Zafar, and for everything they had built. She had already lost so much, but she wouldn't lose this.

"You won't let her win," Zoha said firmly, her hand reaching for his. "We'll fight for him. We won't let her tear us apart."

A Battle of Hearts

That night, Zoha couldn't sleep. She lay beside Zafar, but her mind was racing with thoughts of Amina's threats. She knew that Zafar would do anything to protect Ezra, and Zoha couldn't bear the thought of him losing his son because of a woman who didn't deserve him.

When she finally spoke, her voice was quiet but resolute. "We can't let her take him. We'll fight for him, Zafar. No matter what."

Zafar turned to her, his expression a mixture of determination and exhaustion. "I don't know what I'd do without you, Zoha. You've been my strength when I've had none."

Zoha smiled softly, brushing a stray lock of hair from his forehead. "And I'll always be here, Zafar. Always."