Motley Soul

"Come on, you know I don't like this," Dirgan said with a sweet laugh, especially when his beautiful wife led him carefully, eyes closed, towards the living room.

"We'll be there soon," Harin assured him. Dirgan disliked surprises, but he always acquiesced to his wife's wishes.

"Okay! On the count of three, open the blindfold," Harin instructed. Dirgan nodded, listening intently to his wife's voice, the sweet sound that had been his constant companion for a year.

Harin was the daughter of the heiress of a company that supplied gunpowder for Dirgan's illicit weapons trade. His father had arranged the match between Harin and Dirgan as a symbol of cooperation between Harin's brother's company and their organization.

Ellam, Harin's brother, now also worked with Dirgan. After several months of meetings, their mutual affection blossomed, and they agreed to the marriage. Four months ago, Harin and Dirgan had finally exchanged vows, their love deepening with each passing day, culminating in a blissful union.

"Three!" Harin announced. Dirgan immediately removed the blindfold. He was met by Harin's radiant laughter as she stood before him. He looked around the living room, finding no decorations.

"Hm? I thought there was a surprise party for me," Dirgan remarked. Harin's laughter was infectious, and Dirgan couldn't help but be captivated by her cheerful smile. Harin had become an oasis in his otherwise suffocating life.

"Your surprise is behind me," Harin replied.

Dirgan's eyes widened suggestively. "Then why did you cover my eyes, hm? Naughty woman," he teased, approaching her and pulling her into a warm embrace. He spotted a box in her hands, snatched it from her, and eagerly opened it. A small object within caused him to freeze. Harin's chuckle sent shivers down his spine as he saw the pregnancy test with two distinct lines.

"I—is this real?!" Dirgan exclaimed, disbelief evident in his voice. Harin nodded with a blissful smile.

"You said your next dream was to become a father. I'm making it come true," she replied.

Dirgan let out a heartfelt sigh, overwhelmed with emotion. He showered his wife with kisses, his eyes glistening with tears of joy. Harin laughed delightedly as he peppered her forehead with kisses and held her close.

The indescribable happiness of that night left an indelible mark on Dirgan, his eyes red with the profound emotion of discovering his wife's pregnancy. Dirgan is very happy.

The next day, Dirgan became overly protective and took a leave of absence from work. He spent the day meticulously cleaning the house, eager to replace Harin who preferred no domestic help beyond gardeners and bodyguards.

"Dad said he would come here. Do I have to cook?" Harin asked, nibbling on a piece of young mango at eleven o'clock in the night. Dirgan winced at the sight of his wife savoring the sour fruit.

"He left an hour ago. He'll arrive soon, no need to cook," Dirgan replied.

"But, he said he would bring his new girlfriend. He said this time he would be serious about marrying her," Harin explained.

"It's up to him. I don't care about the women he brings," Dirgan stated indifferently. Harin agreed. Her father-in-law had introduced a seemingly endless stream of women to them, leaving them feeling dizzy.

Dirgan had confided in her that he was a product of a broken home. His father had repeatedly subjected his mother to emotional and physical abuse in front of young Dirgan. His mother had eventually succumbed to illness after his father brought three different women into their shared bedroom.

Mrs. Dirgan had once confided in Harin that the only reason she had remained with her husband was her inability to leave Dirgan alone. As an only child, Dirgan was the heir to the illicit organization known as Zoger, ostensibly a frozen food company, but with a clandestine history of illegal weapons smuggling.

The company owned by Harin's brother also operated in the fertilizer sector, though they covertly smuggled gunpowder.

"Captain, the chairman has arrived," a bodyguard announced. Dirgan nodded in acknowledgment. Both he and Harin observed the arrival of an elderly man with streaks of gray hair, accompanied by a woman who caused Dirgan to freeze in stunned silence.

The woman, had short hair and a scarf wrapped around her neck. Harin sensed the unusual intensity of her husband's reaction.

Dirgan, typically indifferent to his father's female companions, was now fixated on this woman, his gaze intense and unwavering. Harin gently elbowed him, jolting him out of his surprise.

"Hi dear, congratulations on your pregnancy," Dirgan's father greeted warmly, presenting Harin with two branded paper bags. Harin, still chewing a piece of mango, nodded and embraced her father-in-law.

"Are you sure these bags suits this beautiful and sweet me?" Harin inquired playfully, a playful lilt in his voice. Dirgan's father chuckled at his son-in-law's confident remark.

"Of course, Ziya chose them. She is to be my future wife," he explained.

"Hi," Harin greeted Ziya, extending a hand. Ziya accepted it gracefully.

"Ziya," she replied softly. Ziya then offered her hand to Dirgan, who stood beside Harin. Dirgan, however, ignored the gesture.

"Dirgan?" Harin questioned, perplexed.

"We already know," Dirgan stated flatly.

"Really?" Harin asked, her confusion growing. She exchanged bewildered glances with Dirgan's father and his future stepmother.

"Are you crazy, or is my father crazy?" he demanded, his voice sharp.

"Dirgan..." Harin gently placed a hand on his chest, attempting to calm him.

"I don't know what your problem is with him, but you—"

"She's my ex-girlfriend," Dirgan interrupted, his gaze fixed intently on Ziya. Harin was stunned. She hadn't expected this revelation. Harin also noticed that Dirgan's father seemed aware of Ziya's past with his son, yet he persisted in his pursuit of her.

"The woman I told you about, the one who left me after I refused to give her a million dollars," Dirgan explained.

"You want to discuss the past, Dirgan? In front of your pregnant wife?" Ziya retorted.

"I'm open to it," Dirgan said, his tone unwavering. "But this is truly surprising, even though I no longer care about you. I have to question my father's sanity."

Dirgan turned his attention to his father. Of all the women in the world, why had he chosen his ex-lover?

His father appeared flustered, searching for the right words.

"We... We developed feelings for each other, even while he was still with you," he confessed. Harin felt a jolt of disbelief. Ziya and her father-in-law had been involved while she was still dating Dirgan.

The revelation of his father's betrayal left Dirgan stunned. He had suspected Ziya of having another man, but he never imagined it was his father.

"I need to clear my head. I'm feeling quite overwhelmed right now. Please leave," Dirgan declared, turning away from them. He retreated to his room, leaving his father and Ziya standing awkwardly in the living room. Harin, unable to say anything, followed her husband, closing the door behind them.

"W-wow! That's insane! Your father is going to marry your ex-girlfriend?!" Harin exclaimed, still in disbelief. Dirgan, who was typing a message to Ellam, was trying to piece together the reason for Ziya's sudden interest in his father.

"It's incredibly annoying," Dirgan muttered.

"Are you annoyed?" Harin asked.

"Yes..." he admitted, throwing his phone onto the bed. He turned to face Harin, gently stroking her waist.

"I don't care if Ziya marries anyone. It's just that my father's... His betrayal feels like a stab in the back. I feel uncomfortable even discussing it with you," Dirgan confessed.

He looked into his wife's eyes, always a source of comfort. Her long eyelashes and her gentle smile had a calming effect on him.

"Don't worry. I understand your anxiety. You're understandably shocked by your father's actions. It's completely natural," Harin reassured him, gently rubbing his cheek.

"Let it go. I'm sure he'll move on to another woman next month. And even if your father does marry her, it's not necessarily a bad thing. The past is the past. We need to focus on the future," she said.

Dirgan nodded in agreement. He placed his hand on her gently growing belly. He pulled her close, kissing her tenderly. Harin unbuttoned his shirt, a playful glint in her eyes.

"Can we still... you know, doing something naughty while you're pregnant?" he asked innocently. Harin chuckled at his question.

"Of course, do you think you can survive nine months without me?" she teased.

"I might go crazy after a week," he admitted, making her laugh. They both giggled, momentarily forgetting about Ziya and his father. Harin pulled him closer, intent on distracting him from the unsettling events of the evening by taking off all their clothes.

***

Nine months had passed, and happiness continued to envelop Dirgan. His wife had given birth to a son. Harin had just been released from the hospital after risking her life to deliver their child yesterday.

Dirgan, who had received a call from his father informing him of a family emergency, had instructed Harin to return home alone. Ellam was also abroad, dealing with a critical situation within his organization. Their enemy, Lunox, had infiltrated their operations, attempting to smuggle weapons.

"Ugh! This traffic jam!" Dirgan exclaimed, leaning impatiently against his steering wheel as he encountered a red light. A long line of vehicles stretched before him. Dirgan only needed to pass the intersection to reach his elite housing complex, a secluded area with just four houses, all belonging to him and guarded by a dedicated security team.

Growing impatient, Dirgan pulled out his phone and called Harin to inform her of the traffic delay and apologize for the impending delay in her dinner order. However, his call went unanswered.

He frowned as the insistent blare of a fire engine siren echoed behind him. His car was blocking the emergency vehicle. Without hesitation, Dirgan moved his vehicle to allow the fire truck to pass through the congested traffic.

Worried by the unanswered calls and the sight of the fire truck heading towards his house, Dirgan immediately exited his vehicle. He hurried through the traffic, his pace quickening into a run as he witnessed a crowd gathering near his complex.

"Mr. Dirgan!" cried an elderly woman, her voice trembling with worry. She was a local vegetable vendor, and Harin was a regular customer at her stall.

"Your house..." she groaned. Dirgan anxiety mounting. He sprinted towards his home, the sight of flames engulfing his residence sending a jolt of terror through him. Firefighters were battling the blaze, but the damage was already significant.

"Harin?!" Dirgan shouted, his voice hoarse with fear. The crowd of residents stirred, their eyes wide with shock as the sound of gunshots erupted from within the burning house. Dirgan stared at the inferno, his heart pounding. He pushed through the crowd and forced his way into the burning building.

"Harin!" he yelled, his voice echoing through the smoke-filled house. He drew his gun and cautiously ascended the stairs, his senses on high alert.

He froze, his blood running cold. A crimson stain marred the doorway to his bedroom. His body trembled. He checked his gun, noting that only three bullets remained. A chilling dread gripped him as he imagined the worst.

With renewed determination, he flung open the bedroom door, his gun raised in a defensive stance. But instead of confronting an intruder, he found his wife lying in a pool of blood, her arms protectively wrapped around their infant son. Two men stood over them, their guns pointed at the helpless mother and child.

"I'll do anything," Dirgan pleaded, his voice desperate. "Let them go."

"A woman emerged from the shadows behind him. "You're too late," she sneered. "They're already dead."

"I need to confirm it," Dirgan insisted.

"Do you think anyone could survive after losing that much blood? This is my retribution, my revenge for the misery you caused me. This is all your fault."

The woman lunged forward, plunging a knife into her stomach. Dirgan gasped, a searing pain erupting within him. The knife had been tainted with a potent poison, leaving him weak and disoriented.

He crawled towards his wife, his vision blurring, reaching out for her in a desperate attempt to comfort her. But his eyes fell upon the man who had shot his wife and child.

"Harin... Hold..." Dirgan whispered, his voice fading. Darkness enveloped him, extinguishing the flickering flame of hope that had ignited his life. The loss of his wife and child had shattered his world, transforming him into a shell of his former self, forever haunted by the tragedy that had consumed his happiness.

To Be Continued...