"Zain..." His name unraveled out of her mouth in a wild exhalation.
"Emma..." Hers tumbled huskily.
"Wait, you two know each other?" George asked, seemingly surprised.
Startled by the question, panic ensued, and Emma made to deny this for a fact despite knowing how blatant the lie would seem.
But Zain beat her to it. "Yes, we do in fact." He didn't break eye contact, and Emma's pulse hammered so hard it hurt.
Fear sizzled to life when George looked at her with intrigue.
"What a small world. How do you two know each other?" He asked as he snaked a strong hand around her waist, creating a tingly feel.
Emma's heart skipped a beat when she saw Zain's lips part in a manner of speaking, but he said nothing. Rather he stared intently at her as if daring her to say anything but.
She didn't know why she did it. Perhaps it was the shrill cold that stole through her or the fear that threatened to squeeze the air out of her lungs. It could've also been out of that inexplicable dread, but she looked into her husband's eyes and lied to him.
"He's just an old acquaintance. A friend back in the university." From the corner of her eyes, she saw Zain scoff vaguely.
Why did fear grip her at the prospect of George knowing about her and Zain?
Not that George didn't know about her past, but it's just... God, there was no sensible reason to cling to.
"Very good friends." Zain drawled in a way like he was mocking her.
"This is so great. Zain. I'm even more sure we will be having a great time as business partners." George mused, ever so cheerfully that Em wondered whether he really didn't sense the tension or was just playing the fool. "Anyways, Zain, I'll go to the study to arrange some of the files on my upcoming projects we'll be talking about after dinner. I'm sure you two have to catch up on some R and R."
Leaning down, he kissed her briefly on the lips and turned to leave. Em trailed her eyes after him and waited, waited till he shut the study door behind him, then let the rage tear through her.
Casting Zain a bitter glance that she at that moment wished were daggers, she turned and stalked off towards and into the kitchen.
She was seething, and she didn't know if she could hold herself back from lashing out at Zain in the living room where her husband could chance upon it any minute.
As soon as she entered the kitchen, a grasp on her hand made her gasp as she hit the hard chest of Zain, forcing her to smell his intoxicating cologne.
Shocked she looked towards the kitchen counter where Maggie, her aunt and daughter's nanny, stood staring at them, slightly taken aback.
She pulled away from Zain and straightened. "Thanks." She whispered to Zain, making it seem as if he'd saved her from falling. Then she looked at Maggie. "I'll take over from here, aunt. You really need to take some rest and please don't argue."
Smiling, the middle-aged woman nodded and walked out of the kitchen. She made for the counter and Zain followed. "Why do you look so angry?"
She spun around, glaring at him furiously. "You ask that? You fucking need to ask that? You planned it all didn't you?"
No doubt it made sense. He probably knew that George was her husband and had resorted to using him to get close to her. She should've known that Zain would never give up.
He blinked, looking confused. "What are you talking about?"
"Don't even dare to play the fool with me." she pointed a warning finger, then went to chopping the lettuce Maggie had begun with, taking out her agitation on the poor vegetables.
"I'm not trying to play the fool, Emma. I seriously don't know what you are talking about."
"Stop, stop pretending." She almost shouted. "You knew George was my husband right? That is why you proposed this partnership. Just what are you planning?"
"Emma.." Zain began, voice low, hurt. "I'm just as surprised as you are. I never knew George was your husband. I did see his name as your spouse when I googled you up two weeks ago, but I guess I forgot about it. It rang no bell when I met him at the business function."
Emma could see the honesty in his eyes, her anger thawing. But if anything, the anxious curiosity solidified so much it gnawed. What would happen now?
After some seconds of silence with Emma refocusing on cutting the leafy vegetables, Zain spoke.
"Why did you lie to George about us?"
"Zain, George knows our story." She evaded his eyes during the reply. There was no way she would admit that it was because she panicked.
Panicked for what reason exactly?
"He might know what happened and all but it's quite obvious he doesn't know it's me. Why deny it?"
"I didn't want my husband to have awkward interactions with his business partner. After all, you protected me."
Zain didn't look like he bought what she was selling but he let it go and completely spun the topic in a different direction. "You know I really wanted to forget about you. But it seems fate has different plans."
"What do you mean by that Zain?" She asked, her breathing picking up as nerves racked through her veins.
"I mean that it's obvious fate still wants us to keep seeing each other." He started, closing up their proximity, and Emma took a step back out of reflex before catching herself. "I want to continue seeing you Emma."
"Zain..."
He put his index finger on her lips and shushed, quieting her. "Don't worry, I don't mean amorously. I won't try to win you over. I just want to be your friend."
Dumbfounded, Em could only stare back at him, wondering if he was being serious. And the somber, honest gleam in his eyes confirmed it.
Collecting her hands, Zain said, "I thought about it and you are right. I have no right to demand to get back into your life after I sent you out of mine." His eyes glistened with a hint of sadness.
"Of course, I won't tell you that I don't have feelings for you, but I want to try to get over you. I want to move on too but the only time I can assure myself I'm doing a great job is if I have you by my side during this phase. So what do you say, friends?"
Em wasn't sure how she being his friend during his attempt to move on could help, but the prospect of Zain still being in her life as a friend without any carnal motives sounded comforting. So squeezing his hand, she replied, "Friends."
She smiled up at Zain, feeling helluva of gratitude for his decision to give up the need for her as a lover and therefore save her from chaos.
At that moment, there were no turbulent emotions, just a heartwarming feeling. She knew she of course had those very vague feelings she had discovered she still had for Zain to deal with, but if he who seemed so head over heels in love with her could get over her, what more she?
Zain insisted to help her prepare the rest of the food, and she agreed reluctantly. Together they worked in silence, and even though the ambiance was slightly awkward, it was nothing overbearing, and Zain flashed her that occasional warm smile that made her stomach flutter.
Halfway, she suddenly remembered all that she'd said to Zain two weeks ago in her office, how cruel and cynically she'd treated him, and wondered if he'd shoved it out of his mind and held no grudges. She needed to know.
"Zain, about all that I said to you the last time..." She began, then trailed off. Was she going to apologize or deny that they were true?
"There's no need to apologize, Emma. You had to be honest, and to be honest I'm very glad about that. That's what made me see reason after all."
There was something about his reassuring smile...
Shrugging, Em began to fluff the rice pilaf with a fork while Zain finished the touches on frying the juicy steak. About five minutes later, Zain helped her set the table and her husband didn't seem to mind the much time spent together in the kitchen.
He was so in love and trusting of her she felt guilty that she couldn't bring herself to clarify the relationship that actually existed between Zain and her.
There was no need to plunge George and Zain's business relationship into awkwardness. And George would be alarmed about why she'd lied in the first place.
She went up to fetch her aunt later for dinner. Unfortunately. Amy was over at Eva's, and was yet to be returned some time around 8pm so Zain wouldn't get to meet her that day.
Yeah, sometimes Eva really liked to play the mother and it always made Emma wonder why she was so much against the idea of becoming a mother to the point of ending her previous relationship when her fiance seemed intent on on having a family.
Dinner turned out better than expected to have together with any of George's business associates. Perhaps because it was Zain.
He had such easy ways of fabricating stories about the two of them back in the university, making sure to incorporate her insecurities at that time, twisting some real events which mostly starred his amorous ambitions to sound like a friendship thing.
To Emma's delight, he exuded no jealousy, cast her and George no envious or spiteful glances as they kissed and declared their love once or twice.
The idea of the friendship thing wasn't bad after all, she decided as she and George returned from escorting Zain out.