The Return
Chapter One
The Return
The noise coming from outside disturbed Zayn from his sleep.
He was sitting on a chair with his head resting against the table, completely lost in deep sleep. The sudden commotion outside woke him, leaving a frustrated expression on his face.
He slowly lifted his head and sat upright, staring toward the door.
Another loud voice came from outside.
Zayn exhaled deeply.
He stood up and walked toward the door. After opening it, he quietly stepped outside.
A small crowd had gathered a short distance away.
A man from the crowd suddenly shouted again, and the sound irritated Zayn even more.
He took a deep breath before moving toward them.
Pushing his way through the crowd, he stopped in the middle of it.
His eyes fell on a woman standing there with her head lowered. She had wrapped herself in a shawl, one side of which partially covered her face.
A few steps away from her stood a man, glaring at her furiously.
“You cheater!” he shouted. “I knew you were a characterless, selfish, and greedy woman. You used me just for my money!”
His voice was filled with hatred.
The woman didn’t reply.
She only lowered her head further.
“Now I’ll take all my money back from you. Give it to me, or get yourself arrested and spend the rest of your life working in this jail!”
The woman remained silent.
She didn’t defend herself.
She didn’t even raise her head.
Zayn watched the scene with an indifferent expression. He had no idea what had happened between them, and he had no intention of getting involved.
But suddenly, the man raised his hand and slapped her.
The sound echoed through the crowd.
Zayn’s eyes widened in shock.
The woman lost her balance and fell to the floor with a harsh thud.
As she fell, the shawl slipped away from her face.
Her face was finally visible.
Zayn froze.
His eyes widened as he stared at her.
“Zmal...”
The name slipped from his lips.
The woman slowly lifted her eyes.
For a moment, their gazes met.
Seven years disappeared in an instant.
Zayn couldn’t move.
He couldn’t speak.
It was her.
The woman he had spent seven years hating.
The woman who had once been his friend’s girlfriend.
His friend’s fiancée.
And, in Zayn’s eyes, the woman who had destroyed his friend’s life before disappearing without a trace.
“You know her?” the man who had slapped her asked, staring at Zayn in confusion.
Zayn didn’t reply.
He simply continued staring at Zmal, his expression filled with disbelief.
“Mister, I’m asking you something.”
The man’s irritated voice finally pulled Zayn out of his thoughts.
He stepped closer and placed a hand on Zayn’s shoulder.
Zayn immediately turned his head and glared at him with furious eyes.
The man instantly pulled his hand away.
“So, you’re her other lover?” he asked sarcastically, a mocking smile appearing on his face.
Zayn ignored the insult.
His gaze returned to Zmal for a moment before he looked back at the man.
“How much money do you want?”
The man’s expression changed.
“What?”
“How much money do you want?”
Zayn repeated, his voice cold and firm.
The man stared at him for a moment before narrowing his eyes.
Then a slow smile appeared on his face.
“Money...”
He had clearly realized that Zayn was willing to pay whatever amount was necessary.
“Twenty million,” the man said with a smirk.
Zayn didn’t react to the amount.
“What is your account number?”
The man blinked.
“My account number?”
Zayn pulled his phone from his pocket.
“Your account number,” he repeated impatiently.
The man quickly gave him the details.
Zayn entered them into his phone and transferred the money without wasting another second.
Meanwhile, Zmal was still sitting on the floor in the same position. She quietly pulled her shawl back over her face, hiding her features once again.
Zayn finished the transaction and turned his gaze toward the man.
“Done.”
The man immediately checked his phone.
A smile spread across his face when he saw the payment.
“Yes, I’ve received it. Thank you, mister.”
Zayn’s expression hardened.
“Now get out.”
The man nodded, but before leaving, Zayn spoke again.
“And one more thing.”
The man stopped and looked back at him.
“Remember, this is a police station. If you behave like this again, you’ll get yourself into serious trouble. Understood?”
Zayn’s voice was low, but his furious expression made the warning unmistakable.
“Okay. I’ll be careful next time,” the man replied with a smile.
He turned toward the door and walked away.
Within moments, he disappeared from sight.
The crowd slowly began to disperse as well.
Zayn looked toward Zmal.
“Come to my office.”
Without waiting for a response, he turned around and walked back toward his office.
Zmal slowly got to her feet.
She adjusted her shawl around herself and followed him.
As she walked through the crowd, whispers began.
People exchanged glances and quietly started gossiping about her.
Some questioned her character.
Others whispered about her self-respect and wondered why she had returned after so many years.
Their words followed her with every step.
But Zmal didn’t react.
She kept her head lowered and continued walking.
She didn’t look at anyone.
She didn’t answer anyone.
She simply followed Zayn toward his office.
A few moments later, she stepped inside.
Zayn was standing in front of his desk, his back slightly resting against the edge of the table.
Zmal entered the office and quietly moved toward the corner of the room, keeping a noticeable distance from him.
Zayn looked at her.
For a moment, neither of them spoke.
Then his voice echoed through the office.
“Why did you return?”
Zmal didn’t answer.
She simply lowered her head.
Zayn stared at her reaction before letting out a short, disbelieving laugh.
“Really?”
His voice carried irritation.
“You don’t want to answer me?”
Zmal remained silent.
Zayn pushed himself away from the desk and slowly moved toward her.
“Are you the same person whom I once knew as my friend’s fiancée?”
His voice was filled with hatred and frustration.
Zmal slowly looked up.
Her eyes met his.
For a brief moment, neither of them looked away.
But Zmal immediately lowered her head again.
Zayn let out a bitter, wounded smile.
“You are the same person who ruined my friend’s life.”
Zmal took a small step backward.
The distance between them was already only a few steps, and Zayn noticed her movement immediately.
“Really?”
His voice echoed through the office.
“Does being this close to me bother you?”
He took a step toward her.
Zmal instinctively stepped backward.
Zayn moved forward again.
She moved back once more.
Neither of them said a word.
With every step Zayn took toward her, Zmal continued retreating until, after a few steps, her back touched the wall.
She stopped.
For the first time, she realized there was nowhere else to go.
Zayn stood a few steps away, staring at her.
Then he moved closer and leaned slightly toward her.
Zmal immediately closed her eyes, her fingers tightening around the edge of her shawl.
A smirk appeared on Zayn’s face when he noticed her reaction.
He stepped back.
“Relax. I’m not interested in girls like you.”
His voice carried nothing but contempt.
“Characterless and greedy.”
He placed deliberate emphasis on the last two words.
Zmal opened her eyes and looked at him.
There was hurt in her eyes, but this time, she didn’t lower her gaze.
Their eyes met.
She didn’t look away.
For a moment, it was Zayn who broke the eye contact.
He turned his gaze aside.
Zmal took a quiet breath before speaking.
“I am thankful to you, Mister Officer. I will return your money as soon as possible, so don’t worry.”
Her voice was calm, but there was confidence in every word.
Then her expression hardened slightly.
“And please don’t question my character. No one has given you the right to do that.”
Each word struck Zayn like a blow.
He looked back at her.
For the first time since she had entered the room, Zmal wasn’t the woman standing silently before him.
She was someone who had finally decided to defend herself.
Without saying another word, Zmal turned toward the door.
She walked past him without looking back and stepped out of the office.
A moment later, the door closed behind her.
Zayn remained standing where he was.
His eyes stayed fixed on the door she had just walked through.
He didn’t understand why her words were still echoing in his mind.
“No one has given you the right to question my character.”
His expression hardened.
He had expected her to remain silent, just as she had outside.
He hadn’t expected her to answer him with such calm confidence.
Zayn finally looked away from the door.
But even then, the memory of her eyes refused to leave his mind.
