Chapter 74: Chapter 74

Rakia was stirring her milk when morning sickness struck her. She quickly moved to the sink not far from her and vomited there. She tried not to make too much noise but no matter how hard she tried Dashtan’s hearing could still pick up the sound as she vomited. Rakia washed her mouth after vomiting enough to make her lose energy.

“Tell me what’s wrong?” asked Dashtan as she lightly massaged his wife’s shoulder. Rakia remained silent before finally turning towards Dashtan and looking down. She then lifted her gaze and looked at him for a long time, they were silent for a moment waiting for each other’s statements, but Rakia was the first to break the silence.

“Do you love me?” Rakia leaned her butt against the sink and kept her arms in front of her chest. She looked at Dashtan waiting.

“I do,” Dashtan replied which made Rakia widen her eyes for a moment. She then moved her body closer to the man.

“What did you say?” Rakia asked once again.

“I love you,” Dashtan said and then looked down and smiled an embarrassed smile. Rakia felt confused, but more like happy.

“Look at me, Ash!” Rakia said softly then she lifted the man’s face by holding both sides of his face. Staring directly at the black eyes.

“I love you,” Dashtan said once again. Rakia immediately gave a kiss to the man’s lips and Dashtan immediately welcomed her. They tasted and felt each other with their bodies close together.

“Now, tell me what happened exactly.” Dashtan looked at Rakia curiously, the woman sighed before answering, but the doorbell rang thus distracting them from their topic for a moment. They unraveled their current positions and returned to the granite stone table, Mrs. Hunt came and told them Dashtan’s mother as well as Dalilah came.

Both Dashtan and Rakia were surprised. They rushed to meet the two women.

“Mom? Lila? I thought you were coming this weekend,” Dashtan said. Rakia, who was standing by Dashtan’s side, was silent with many questions in her mind. The mother sighed and told them to sit on the sofa in the living room. Dashtan sat with Rakia while Samira sat with Dalilah on the sofa opposite the two people.

“I came here to make an announcement. Dalilah is pregnant.” The woman’s words immediately made Dashtan and Rakia gape with surprised looks. The two compactly looked at Dalilah who was downcast.

“But, how?” Dashtan spoke first. Samira looked at her son in surprise. Dalilah lifted her gaze and looked right at Dashtan then said, “Don’t play dumb, Ash. That night we did it right after our wedding.”

Rakia swallowed and looked down. Her heart was cracking, about to break for the second time. Meanwhile, Dashtan looked at Dalilah angrily with sharp eyes.

“For God’s sake, Dalilah, I never touched you! Are you trying to break our agreement?” Dashtan’s tone was sharp and piercing. However, Dalilah had already prepared for this situation.

“How could you say that while we were doing it back then.”

“I NEVER SLEEPT WITH YOU, DALILAH!” snapped Dashtan which made the three women who were with him at the time shocked to death. The man’s face was bright red and his gaze was a murderous stare at Dalilah. The woman looked down and then sobbed. Samira sighed and calmed the woman by gently rubbing her back.

“I hope you take good care of Dalilah. Lilah, you should rest.” Samira escorted Dalilah to her room. Dashtan grunted as the two women left, he clenched his fists until his arm muscles were visible. Meanwhile, Rakia was silent and glued to her side. Staring blankly at the glass table in front of her at the moment.

“Habibti, I’m sure this is all Dalilah’s game,” said Dashtan who immediately positioned himself facing Rakia. But the woman only flinched as if half her soul had been lost. Samira rejoined them and sat where she had been sitting. She looked at Dashtan and Rakia in turn.

“It’s best if Dalilah doesn’t get stressed out during her pregnancy, it’ll be dangerous-“

Rakia rose from her seat with a weak movement.

“I’ve had enough of this nonsense,” Rakia said before leaving the mother and son for the room. Dashtan sighed harshly, he really didn’t expect this to happen. He knew Dalilah must be lying.

“Mom, tell me if Dalilah is lying.” Dashtan looked at his mother with a serious and threatening look. Samira looked at her son with a worried look.

“Mom didn’t know about it, she came home two days ago and confessed in front of mom and dad that she was pregnant, she also showed the proof of the doctor’s examination. Your father was very excited about the news.” Samira sighed and never took her gaze off Dashtan.

“I know you sacrificed a lot to do your father’s bidding, including sacrificing Rakia’s feelings. If this makes things worse let Rakia go, she has suffered enough.” Samira’s eyes filled with tears as she looked at her son. She knew the heavy burden that her son was carrying as a result of marrying a man ambitious for position and power. But she had no idea that her son would have to make such a huge sacrifice. Dashtan shook his head, his face half downcast.

“No, I can’t let Rakia go, she’s worth more than anything even the position and all the things Dad promised me. I can’t let Rakia go for all that.”

“But, Son, you’ll hurt Rakia more,” Samira said quickly.

“I’ll back out of this, I can’t lose Rakia.” Dashtan spoke like a man who was beginning to lose his mind and get scared. Samira quickly moved to her son’s side and hugged him from the side.

“Are you sure? But you will lose all your hard work and i will lose you.” Samira rested her chin on one of her son’s shoulders. The tears that had been gathering in her eyes were now streaming down her face. She did not expect that her husband would put this much pressure on Dashtan.

“Mom won’t lose me, even if he dumps me I’m still your son, wasn’t he not my father from the start? Only that marriage made me his son,” Dashtan said. He took his mother into his arms and let her cry.

“Never mind... It’s already happened, Mom. There’s nothing to regret.” Dashtan tried to calm his mother down even though he honestly needed to be calmed down too. His mind was thinking of Rakia.

“Mom will not interfere and disturb the decisions you will make.” Samira said after her crying subsided and she straightened up. She took her son’s hand and held it and patted it gently.

“Mom wants you to be happy, Son. It’s your life, you have the right to decide anything.” Samira looked at her son with a trace of tears still visible on her face. Dashtan nodded and kissed his mother’s forehead.

**

When Dashtan left for the office with Samira tagging along with him because she was going to catch a flight to New York to see her fashion preparations which would be held in about a month. Dashtan only stayed in the office until lunchtime, after which he immediately went home to meet Rakia. He couldn’t work with his mind full like he was right now. He went into his room as soon as he got home, but he didn’t find her there. He searched all the way to the bathroom but Rakia was nowhere to be found, until he heard the sound of water splashing from the direction of the swimming pool. He hurriedly headed there. He saw Rakia swimming in a swimsuit with her back half exposed. Dashtan sat on one of the chaise lounges by the pool, waiting and watching her do a few laps. A few minutes later Rakia climbed to the surface via one of the stairs, took off her swimming goggles and walked over to one of the chaise lounges very close to where Dashtan was currently sitting. She grabbed a towel and wiped her face.

Dashtan watched the woman closely, from toe to face. He complimented the woman’s body that was so tempting to his desires. But right now he couldn’t think of anything other than her talking to him. But until seconds passed Rakia neither spoke nor looked at him. The woman just regarded Dashtan as if he wasn’t there. She took off her swimsuit so that her naked body was clearly visible to Dashtan. The man widened his eyes in surprise at Rakia’s action which he considered extreme. After putting on the bathrobe that Rakia had brought along with a towel, she was about to walk away but Dashtan immediately spoke up, “Am I not considered here anymore?” Rakia snorted loudly. She turned towards the man with a feeling of compulsion.

“What now? What explanation now?” Rakia looked at Dashtan with a look that was tired but implied more desperation. They were silent for a moment.

“Do you really believe in that snake woman?” Dashtan threw a question at Rakia’s question. The woman rolled her eyes, turning toward the recliner she had used to store her towel and bathrobe. Her swimsuit was still there, irritably she picked it up along with her goggles and looked back at Dashtan.

“What do you want me to believe? That you loved me but married another woman and fucked her? Then afterward you come back to me and fuck me too? And when you get bored with one of us you’ll find another woman?” Rakia smiled a frustrated smile. She spoke again, “Please do as you please, Ash. I won’t care about this marriage anymore. You and I will live on our own terms.” Rakia threw her wet swimsuit at Dashtan along with her goggles in a slight slamming motion. Dashtan was both surprised and looked at the woman with a frightened look. After that Rakia moved to leave, but Dashtan immediately got up from his seat and stopped Rakia with his question, “What way of life are you referring to?” Rakia stopped walking when she was not too far away. She turned around just over her shoulder and said, “Divorced,” she said and continued walking into the house.