"You know protesting against me in wet clothes is not practical?"

She only huffed in reply, not really engaging in the battle of words. She was drained, physically and mentally.

"Mercan! If you want me to stop bothering you, do as I say. Otherwise, we have a long night ahead of us, and I am not planning to sleep."

"When do you ever?", she muttered under her breath and then snatched the shirt from him.

One thing she knew about him, that he will have it done his way. So it is better not to protest unnecessarily. She has more pressing matters to attend to.

Dashing towards the washroom, she saw her real condition when she faced that huge washroom mirror. Her hairs were dishelved and damp, much like his. Her face had dried streaks of tears. Her eye makeup was faded in tears. And she looked every bit of furious.

Clutching the shirt between her palms, she did as told. The oversized shirt covered her like she was in a cocoon, a instant relief as soon as she was out of her own damp clothes. What agitated her, however, was the fact that this shirt smelled of him. Not the perfume, but that scent that is uniquely associated him. The one, she clearly remembers from the occasional proximity. The one she sniffed the morning at Uncle Durmus' home, that musk of wood and warmth. It wasn't as crisp as the morning, but it was warm nonetheless. She washed her face, deprived herself of all makeup, and then came out only to find him sitting on that very one seater she occupied. Give it to him to agitate her so much that she starts feeling violent.

At her sound, he turned to see her coming out. The view of her in his shirt, like a baby clasped in an oversized cloth, looking all adorable with that angry pout on her face. She really loved this chair. Didn't she!?

The thought amused him, and he became more comfortable on the chair, making it clear he wasn't leaving it anytime soon.

Rolling her eyes, she went and settled on the bed, draping the blanket over herself. That finally put him to ease. She was warm and tucked in bed. Even though, not by him.

Sleep didn't come to her. She felt like the burden of life was bestowed on her. He wasn't sleeping too. He couldn't on that little chair. His wife didn't invite him to the bed, not that he was expecting an invitation. Things weren't good between them. He saw her tossing, turning and being restless throughout the night.

Things in the morning weren't as simple as they were in the night. This time when he opened his eyes, Mercan was sitting on the bed, staring out of the window.

A view at him, shirtless, reminded of the scars on his back. That was not just Ates' pain, it was Tahir's. Who gave them? She was burning to ask him. But she didn't trust him anymore. She didn't trust if he'd tell the truth. If he wouldn't again manipulate it all to make her believe she was wrong.

Ates, however, in the night, has finally decided what he will do further. Her knowing he is Tahir, doesn't change anything. The main problem is Haydar. But even if Haydar knows, he isn't going to compromise his revenge for that. Yes, the fight with Haydar may put him in conflict with Mercan, but now he wouldn't hide behind the name Ates.

Standing up from his place, he made a call at the reception and requested for two cups of strong turkish tea. Then he went to the washroom, did his business , and came out fresher and with a stronger resolve.

Soon, the tea was delivered and he received it. Taking the tray over to Mercan, he settled it between the two of them, and offered her a cup.

Her anger has calmed down considerably, being taken over by her concern for Tahir, not that she would let it be shown. Now, she wanted to know it all. And not by someone. She wanted to find it on her own. She knew she can't seek answers from her husband or her father. The two important men in her life were at war with each other. She didn't know who wronged the other. But she knew both can sacrifice her as a war collateral. She has to find everything for herself.

Nonetheless, she accepted the tea. Because she knew it wasn't just the tea that he was offering her. He wanted to say something.

"Mercan...now that you know already. Yes, I am Tahir. But as I said, I have no Tahir left in me. He did not have a good life. Eylul..", his sister's name made him gulp some bitter memories, "She's no more. I couldn't save her as a big brother. That..that resentment lives with me..I..ah..."

Seeing him speechless, the kind of loss of word when one has not spoken about his pain in years, it unnerved him. It wasn't simple. And somehow, without saying out loud, she knew.

"Don't say anything.", she told him, in a tone softer than yesterday, yet unlike Mercan. 'I'll find out.', she wanted to say, but she didn't. Because she knew, if it was upto him, she would never find out anything.

She stood up as soon as her tea was finished, leaving him shocked for a moment. He was telling her what she has been asking since day one, and she looks like she doesn't want to know.

"Eylul is a soft subject for both of us. Let us not talk about her when we both have resentment in our hearts."

She picked up her now fully dried top and went to the bathroom, leaving him in a warm buzz. This woman, she manages to suprise him everyday.

A subtle smile formed on his face. Cemal is sometimes right about Mercan being able to effortlessly pulling him out of his misery. He also said something about leaving her incharge sometimes, and not always be a know it all guy.

His reverie broke when his shirt was thrown on his face. That shocked him honestly. Voilent Mercan is rare. But that's all he's seeing since yesterday.

He kept his mouth shut as he wore his shirt and she fixed her hair. Today he can't pass snide remarks, and no chance of flirting.

"I want to go back to mansion.", she stated expressionless.

He nodded, "Tamam! C'mon."

Picking up her phone and purse, he forwarded them, like an obedient husband, but her, she snatched her things from his hand and moved out of the room in attitude. He only looked at her, with an eyebrow up, but nonetheless followed.

She's a ticking bomb right now, and he'd have to tread carefully.

*

Back at the mansion, she acknowledged no one, and straight went to her room. Her parents who called her a few times, didn't get a single second of her time. Asli, who was very glad yesterday, when her absence was notified, looked every bit of agitated seeing her now. And she was even more baffled seeing Ates following her, without the care of this world.

Once inside a room, they didn't argue like daily about who would go first. Ates himself left the way for her to shower and clean up.

When she came out, she looked like she has dressed up to go out today.

"I've cancelled all the meetings today. Cemal will take care of the site visit. You can stay at home. I will too.."

"I've to go somewhere. I anyways, don't have time for work."

"Whe.." he attempted to ask, only for her to interrupt.

"Nowhere that concerns you. I am not going to be snooping around you, since you must be worried about that."

He was misunderstood. He was only caring about her. He didn't even think about her going to search information about him.

"I'll come with you... wherever you.."

She turned to look at him sharply, "You and me should stay far away from each other. Because there are only lies and secrets between us. I'd admit, it hurts me alot when I encounter any truth of yours. So please, let me be."

With that, she left home again. Cemal, on signal from Ates offered her that he can take her wherever she wants to go. But she refused him, politely, with a tight lipped restraint.

She didn't even have her breakfast- he thought, restless.

"She probably wants space.", Cemal said, noticing the solemn expression on his face, "But I was surprised she didn't go to her father to tell him you are Tahir."

Ates just shrugged helplessly, "I don't know what she's upto. She didn't even hear my explanation. Something she would probe me for endlessly. God knows!"

By evening, he was loosing his calm. More than the fear of his truth coming out, what bothered him was her absence. She has vanished like she was never there. When he called her, she only replied with a text that said, "Don't bother me."

Even that punching bag, Nezir came to the mansion, acting all concerned about her, about why she abruptly left. Demet was with him. So she definitely didn't go to them. Or even talk. She was not receiving anyone's call. She probably only replied to him to he doesn't come behind her like yesterday.

He replied with a 'Please eat something.'

Cemal then came to his office, looking all bothered.

"Ates' you'd be shocked!"

Ates furrowed his eyebrows, "What is it? Is Mercan okay?"

Cemal shook his head, "She's okay. But someone else might not be... Very soon."

"Why? What happened?"

"Mercan is investigating her father."

*

"My pleasure Mrs. Karahan! It was pleasure meeting you. Hope I was helpful to you."

Mercan smiled vibrantly at the old police officer.

"Thank you sir. You were a great help. I've been searching this information for quite a while now."

When the officer left, Mercan settled back on her seat, a chair at a restaurant where she met this old police officer, who was going to provide her the information that she needed.

She saw a notification on her phone from 'Zorba Bey'. It was a text message.

"Please eat something."

It was then she remembered, she hasn't really had any food since last lunch she and Ates shared at the office, arguing over her and his eating preferences.

She picked up the menu, and ordered food for herself. While the food came, she started going through the file that had the records of her father maintained by the police.

He was indeed accused of his involvement with some human trafficking groups, organ trafficking etc. In all those cases, he was declared innocent. A list of all victims was maintained by the police. And that had the name of Tahir Aslan and Eylul Aslan, among many others. This case was reopened again, and her father was again under scrutiny.

He was also accused of smuggling weapons to other nations via sea route. Even in this, he managed to be declared innocent, despite strong proofs against him.

There was another case of a murder. Again declared innocent. This was the case of an only son of a couple from Ankara. She noted down the name of the couple. The last time she found out about her brother, meeting with the family showed her the reality. She hoped it would happen again.

Her food was served, and she kept the file in her bag, indulging in the food. Unconsciously, her thoughts drifted to how she's been having food, since after her marriage. Her husband was always across from her. She would eat carelessly, and he'd watch her carefully, with that mysterious smile on his face. As if he was enjoying every moment that she was enjoying her food. Then sneakily, he would wipe a invisible trace of leftover from her lips. That had become a ritual between them.

She washed away her thoughts and focused on the task at hand. When she returned back home, Ates was already standing at the frontwalk, seemingly waiting for her.

She got down her car and passed the keys to Malik who was waiting on the sidelines. She moved towards the entrance ignoring him completely.

Cemal was amused at Ates' misery, which was clearly visible in his stance. His eyes followed his wife, but he couldn't really gather the courage to approach her.

Nonetheless, after hitting Cemal square on his stomach, he went to their room. Just as he was about to enter, he heard Haydar's voice.

"What are you doing Mercan? Vanishing from the house like this? Your mom and I were worried for you."

From the gap between the doors, he could Mercan standing there.

"Father! Both you and me know, mom and you have better works to do than worry for me."

Haydar looked agitated at her defiance.

"Mercan! We have to tackle Ates."

She turned to look at him, "Ates is your problem father. Not mine."

"Oh! Now our problems are different?", he was growing angrier with each passing second, "That Ates got your brother killed."

"Baba...if I was at that girl's place...what would you have done?? Tell me. Oh wait! You would have probably made a deal with the devil, and sold me off."

"Mercan!!"

Ates felt his jaw twitch at the tone Haydar was using for his wife. He didn't like it at all. But before he could make an entrance, Mercan spoke up.

"Reality may hurt Baba...but this war is between you and Ates. I did the part of the good daughter by marrying him so you and mom can comfortably live there. Sorry in advance, but I can't do more."

Haydar lifted his hand, ready to slap some senses in her, only for his hand to stop in between as Ates took a stronghold of it.

"You have guts trying to hit my wife in my own room."

Haydar snatched his hand and glared at the two because he knew he could do nothing. Begrudgingly, he left.

"You have guts to save me from being hit by my own father but not from your own mother."

Mercan passed a comment before going to the bathroom. She was now starting to despise this dramatic zoo called mansion.

*

Her absence on the dinner table became a topic of talk. She had told Zahra she wouldn't eat, when she was called. Asli's mother had the chance to comment how disrespectful she is, and how her upbringing was.

Ates looked tenser if that was possible. And Asli looked overjoyed at that.

- May be the girl finally got some brains and started avoiding Ates.

Ates, on the other hand, called Cicek and asked her to ship his food and his wife's to their room, displeasing more people than he knew.

"Ates! Atleast you should eat with us like you always do."

"Sorry Mother Muzzayen.", he stood up, "I have some important work related discussion with Mercan. It's necessary it's get done now."

- Work Related! My foot!

Seeing food delivered to their room, with Ates following, made her lift an eyebrow.

"Cicek! I wasn't hungry."

Cicek smiled wide, "Ates Bey said to deliver your food here."

The so called Ates Bey, passed a shy barely there smile and then turned to Cicek, "Thank you Cicek."

As soon as the girl left, Mercan stood up from the bed and came close to him, "Don't act like a caring husband!"

No matter how much resentment was thrown his way, her tone and fierceness only amused him.

He leaned forward, his face coming in close proximity to hers, "Fiery Princess! I am a caring husband."

And then he turned to the food tray, preparing plates, "Like a good girl, have it yourself. Or I will feed you with my own hands."

The tenderness in his voice, it called out to her. It was not just belonging to her husband, but also to her childhood friend who was seemingly dead. It wasn't newfound. Ates has been caring for her, in his own strange way.

She closed the file in her hand, and opened a drawer by the bedside. Ates was eyeing the file, already knowing on whom it was, but not really the content. The next moment, he saw her closing that drawer with a key.

"Why did you lock it?"

She looked at him, strangely, "You're not the only one who can keep a secret room. I've decided to start from a drawer."

He nodded, "Tamam...you're learning. Now, let's have dinner."

He wasn't showing it, but he didn't like the change in Mercan. The closed off, the detached and more alert. It somehow, suppressed that innocence that he loved in her so much. She wasn't eating enough, unlike how she devoured it before. She didn't smile as often as she used to. Moreover, she wasn't bothering him for the truth like she always did.

When their dinner ended, he was about to leave when she stopped him.

"Next time, don't interfere even if my father slaps me. It's my personal matter."

*