Although Soha shuddered at the touch of Adrik's lips, she quickly pulled herself together. Adrik moved his face away from her neck and looked straight into her eyes. In the moonlight, his face appeared as hauntingly beautiful as it was terrifying. He didn't let go of her waist; instead, he pulled her even more intimately against him.
Adrik (in a soft voice):
"Soha, let's go to the garden. This roar of the sea is far too restless. In the seclusion of the garden, I have some debts to settle with you."
Soha froze. Seeing the abnormal glint in his eyes, her heart skipped a beat. She knew exactly what Adrik intended to do behind the veil of the dark thickets and fragrant flowers.
Soha (with suspicion and panic):
"Why? What is the need to go to the garden in the middle of the night? I want to go to my room, Adrik. Let me go."
Adrik gave a crooked smile. He tucked a lock of damp hair clinging to her forehead behind her ear. The touch of his fingers felt like fire burning against her skin.
Adrik:
"Why? You'll understand that once we get there. In this black nightdress, you look far more enchanting than the white night-blooming jasmine in the garden. I want you to be mine alone amidst this moonlight and the scent of flowers—where no sound of the sea can disturb us."
Before Soha could attempt to escape, Adrik gripped her hand firmly. His hold was like an iron chain.
Adrik:
"Don't be defiant, Soha. The more you say no, the more my stubbornness will grow. Come..."
Practically forcing her, Adrik began to pull Soha toward the garden. Her thin black dress trailed over the grass. She knew the game of this night was not over yet. Adrik was leading her into a labyrinth from which there was no return.
Soha was truly stunned by Adrik's persistence. She made a futile attempt to wrench her hand free and spoke out in a voice mixed with annoyance and disbelief:
Soha: "This is strange! What is the meaning of going to the garden at midnight? Have you lost your mind, Adrik? Let's go inside. Isn't what you did all day long enough?"
Adrik didn't stop. He smiled faintly at her words, but there was no tenderness in that smile—only a kind of intoxication. He increased the pressure of his fingers on her hand and pulled her closer.
Adrik (whispering): "Yes, I have lost my mind. Your beauty, this black dress, and the silence of this night are enough to drive me mad. Does it seem strange? To me, it is a right. In that dark corner of the garden, I want to create memories today that you will never be able to forget."
Looking into Adrik's eyes, Soha realized that arguing with him was useless. Every step he took seemed premeditated. He dragged her into the secluded area of the garden, surrounded by thick bushes and the overwhelming scent of blooming flowers.
As they reached the large tamarisk tree in the center of the garden, Adrik stopped her abruptly. The intense fragrance of Kamini and Hasnahana filled the air. Adrik stood before her, his tall shadow falling over her thin black nightdress.
Adrik: "Now tell me, Soha—this thin fabric of yours clinging to your body with every gust of wind... doesn't that seem strange to you? To me, it is a piece of art. And today, I am the owner of this art."
Soha tried to push him away by placing her hands on his chest, but Adrik wrapped his arms around her waist and pulled her flush against him. Her face crashed against his open shirt. The heat of his body, mingled with the scent of the flowers, made her head spin.Adrik's lingering patience finally snapped. Soha's defiance, combined with the intoxication of the night, pushed him toward an absolute frenzy. He didn't wait another moment. In one swift motion, he pinned her against the rough trunk of the tamarisk tree.
The next second, he crushed her body against his own, his arms wrapping around her with bruising force. Soha's thin black nightdress felt like a mere film of smoke between their heated skin. Without a word, Adrik slid his powerful hand beneath the hem of that sheer silk fabric, entering her with a sudden, forceful claim of ownership.
Soha (letting out a sharp, piercing cry as she clawed at Adrik's shoulders):
"Ugh! Adrik! No... please... don't do this!"
Adrik remained silent. His fingers were consumed by a cruel and primal hunger. Every cell in Soha's body shuddered with a mix of deep humiliation and an unwanted, surging electricity. The strength of his grip and the suddenness of his intrusion left her breathless. She pressed her forehead against his chest, gasping for air.
Adrik (whispering into her ear with raw intensity):
"Shut up, Soha! Not a word. Didn't I tell you I am the owner of this art? Tonight, no fabric, no hesitation will stand between us. I want to feel you in a way that makes every drop of your blood chant my name."
He increased the pace of his hand. Soha felt as if she were drowning in a bottomless abyss. The scent of the night-blooming jasmine grew overwhelming, cloying in the air. Adrik used his other hand to tilt her face up, sinking his teeth into her lips with a savage kiss.
Soha could no longer fight. Her strength drained away, leaving her body limp. She felt as though, in this dark garden, Adrik wasn't just taking her body—he was tearing into her very soul to make it his. The heat of his skin and the ruthless rhythm of his touch trapped her in a deadly web from which there was no escape.Morning arrived, and the landscape of the island shifted instantly. The darkness of the night, the cloying scent of jasmine, and Adrik's primal frenzy seemed to dissolve into a hazy, fog-like memory. As the soft morning sunlight touched the garden grass, everything appeared unnervingly peaceful.
When Soha opened her eyes, she found herself lying in the massive bed of her own room. Her body felt incredibly heavy; every limb bore the visible marks of last night's struggle and Adrik's ruthless claim. The thin black nightdress lay crumpled to one side. Adrik was gone.
The salty sea breeze drifting through the window brushed against her unruly hair. She forced herself to sit up, her body aching with every movement. Just then, the gurgling, innocent laughter of her six-month-old baby echoed from the cradle nearby.
Soha stepped off the bed with trembling legs and went to the child. The baby was kicking his tiny legs and playing, his face pure and untouched by the dark shadows of the previous night. She scooped him into her arms. The moment his sweet scent hit her, tears began to stream down her face.
Soha (to herself):
"It's for this smile that I stay alive. But for how much longer? Will Adrik keep destroying me bit by bit like this?"
She pressed a long, lingering kiss on the baby's forehead. At that moment, the door opened silently. Adrik entered, dressed in a crisp white kurta and pajama. The beast of the night was gone, replaced by a perfectly groomed man with an air of unsettling calm. He held a cup of coffee in his hand.
He walked slowly toward her. Looking at her tear-stained face and the faint bruises on her skin, he let out a brief, familiar devilish smile.
Adrik:
"Good morning, Soha. Was last night too exhausting? Your face tells me you're still lost in the trance. Would you like some coffee?"
Soha remained silent, simply hugging the baby tighter against her chest. Adrik set the coffee cup aside and moved closer. He leaned in, whispering against her ear:
Adrik:
"The boy looks exactly like me, doesn't he? Especially when he smiles. Remember, Soha—on this island, every morning and every night of yours begins and ends only at my command. Tonight, we won't go to the garden. We are going out on a boat, into the middle of the sea. Be ready."
Soha shuddered with terror. Adrik brushed his fingers lightly against her cheek and walked out of the room. It hit her then—this island wasn't a paradise; it was a hell wrapped in a beautiful package, where she and her child were prisoners of Adrik's every whim. As Soha sat on the bed, lost in thoughts about her shattered state, her eyes suddenly fell on Adrik standing beside her. A cup of coffee in his hand, he was leaning toward the baby. At that very moment, the little child reached out with his tiny hand and tightly grabbed the collar of Adrik's white shirt.
The baby looked up at his father and burst into a giggle, babbling softly— "Hmm… ba… ba…"
The sound made Soha's heart skip a beat. She knew how cruel Adrik could be, yet hearing the word "father" for the first time from his own child brought an unfamiliar softness even to Adrik's stone-hard face. He set the coffee cup aside, stretched out both arms, and lifted the baby from Soha's lap into his strong embrace.
Holding the child up, Adrik began speaking in Russian. The familiar coldness was gone from his voice—replaced instead by a raw, primal pride.
Adrik (in Russian, looking at Soha): "Ты слышала, Соха? Он зовет своего отца. Кровь не обманешь."
(Did you hear that, Soha? He's calling his father. Blood never lies.)
Soha stared at him, speechless. Adrik pulled the baby close to his chest—holding him with the same possessive intensity with which he held Soha at night, yet now wrapped in profound tenderness. He whispered again in Russian into the baby's ear—
Adrik: "Мой маленький лев… ты будешь править этим островом после меня. Ты — это я."
(My little lion… after me, you will rule this island. You are me.)
Soha noticed that Adrik's fierce eyes were now glistening. She couldn't tell whether he was truly a father in that moment—or if he was already shaping his child as another extension of his vast empire. The baby tugged at Adrik's beard, and Adrik laughed—a laugh Soha had never seen before.
Adrik (looking at the baby): "Calling me 'Papa' so much, huh? Fine. You'll stay with your father all day today. Let your mother get some rest."
He pressed a deep kiss to the baby's forehead, then looked at Soha with his familiar sharp gaze. "See, Soha? He knows where his true refuge is. Even if you want to, you won't be able to keep him away from me."
Soha remained seated on the bed, watching silently. The greatest enemy of her life now stood as the person her child loved the most. A strange, unsettling uncertainty slowly engulfed her.When Adrik stepped forward to leave the room with the baby in his arms, his intention was crystal clear. He had decided to take the child to the old stone church located behind the palace. This church carried the long-standing history of Adrik's family on the island.
Soha watched in quiet shock as Adrik buttoned up his white shirt and carefully pressed the baby against his chest. The child was still playing with Adrik's fingers, smiling innocently.
Adrik (standing at the door, looking at Soha): "I'm taking him to the church. According to our family tradition, the heir must be taken to a sacred place. Besides, the Father spoke to me last night—I want my son to see that environment."
Soha quickly got off the bed and rushed toward the door, her heart gripped by an unfamiliar dread. Just last night, the Father had warned her that Adrik was a devil in disguise. Why was he suddenly taking the baby there today?
Soha: "Why the church? He's still so small. And the Father said last night—"
Adrik cut her off mid-sentence. His gaze was steady now.
Adrik: "What the Father said isn't important, Soha. What matters is that every grain of dust on this island must recognize my child. You're not coming. You'll stay here and take care of your body—because you need to be healthy for tonight."
Without another word, Adrik walked down the long veranda toward the church with the baby in his arms. Soha felt that Adrik might be going to intimidate the Father—or perhaps begin some new psychological game in front of the child.
She went to the window and watched him walk under the blazing sun. The cross atop the church gleamed sharply in the light. Adrik pushed open the heavy wooden doors and entered. From inside, the sound of the church bell echoed—
Dong… Dong…
To Soha, the bell sounded like a warning of impending danger. Should she follow him inside? Or would Adrik engage in some secret scheme with the Father within those walls?
Inside the church, there was a deep, peaceful silence. Sunlight filtered through the stained-glass windows, casting strange patterns across the floor. As Adrik stood before the altar with the baby in his arms, the elderly Father slowly approached.
At the sight of the cherubic child, a faint smile appeared on the Father's solemn face. Gently touching the baby's cheek, he said with wonder and warmth—
Father (softly smiling): "Ah! What a lovely child! He looks just like you, Adrik—those same sharp eyes, the same fire in his face. May the Creator grant him a long life."
Adrik looked at the baby and smiled with pride. Then he turned to the Father—there was no devotion in his eyes, only a cold arrogance.
Adrik: "Yes, Father. He carries my blood. And I don't want him to grow up lacking anything, as I did. I want him to rule this island as its sole master. You know me—I take what I want. My son will do the same."
The Father fell silent for a moment. He sensed the darkness beneath Adrik's words. Placing a hand on the baby's forehead in blessing, he spoke in a low voice—
Father: "He has beauty and strength, yes—but may he also have mercy, Adrik. Love is greater than power. Just as you've imprisoned his mother, may he never grow up to cause such suffering to others."
Adrik's jaw tightened. He stepped closer, his voice now cold as ice.
Adrik: "Father, attend to your church duties. Do not interfere in my personal affairs. I brought my son here for my family's blessing—not for your advice."
The baby reached out toward the cross hanging from the Father's neck. In a swift motion, Adrik pulled the child's hand away and pressed him more tightly to his chest—as if unwilling to let even the church's sacred light linger on his son for too long.
Without another word, Adrik turned sharply and shoved open the church doors, storming outside. His eyes burned with fury. At that very moment, he came face to face with an elderly man standing beneath the bakul tree in front of the church—the island's most respected Hujur, whom Adrik had revered since childhood.
The Hujur wore a spotless white robe and cap, his face glowing with calm, spiritual light. The instant Adrik saw him, his raging temper seemed to dissolve. He hurried forward and greeted him respectfully.
Adrik (humbly): "Assalamu Alaikum, Hujur. You're here? Why are you standing in the sun?"
The Hujur smiled gently and placed a hand on Adrik's shoulder. His eyes softened as he looked at the baby in Adrik's arms.
Hujur: "Wa Alaikum Assalam, my son. I came for a prayer. Ah—so this is your prince? Mashallah. May God grant him a righteous life."
With deep respect, Adrik extended the baby toward him. The Hujur lovingly placed a hand on the child's head. The man who had just spoken harshly to the Father now stood with his head bowed.
Adrik: "Yes, Hujur. My son. I want your prayers upon him—so that he may one day make a great name for himself."
Hujur (locking eyes with Adrik): "His name will shine, my son. But remember—the greatest lesson a child learns comes from his father's actions. If you show mercy, he will learn mercy. Only when the women of your home live in peace will divine grace descend upon this child."
Each word struck Adrik like an arrow. He did not argue. He listened quietly, knowing this was one man he could never disrespect.
Adrik: "You are right, Hujur. I will remember your words."
The Hujur took out a small vial of attar and gently applied it to the baby. After respectfully bidding him farewell, Adrik began walking back toward the palace. Yet the Hujur's final words echoed repeatedly in his mind—
Peace within the home.
And as Soha's face surfaced in his thoughts, that familiar obsession and possessive resolve slowly returned.