Donya

Enayat, a wealthy 60-year-old man, decides to put the large, old house on the market despite his wife's objections. He weighs the property's value against family sentiment and social expectations. This decision triggers a power shift that drives the rest of the story.

At the real estate agency, Donya—recently back from abroad—shows clear interest in buying the house. She and Enayat begin a conversation that hints at a potential turning point for both of them. Enayat senses a chance to influence her decision.

To secure the deal, Enayat persuades Donya to temporarily move into one of the apartments he has built nearby. This setup puts them in closer proximity and blurs professional lines with personal interest. He hopes the arrangement will help move the sale forward.

Meanwhile, Enayat's wife and daughter leave for a month-long pilgrimage to Syria, temporarily removing the domestic anchor of the household. With the women gone, Enayat's attention shifts more toward Donya. This separation creates space for their bond to deepen.

Enayat clears out the old house and relocates to the apartment near Donya, reinforcing the physical and emotional shift in his life. The emptiness of the house mirrors the loosening grip of his former life. He begins to envision a future with Donya.

Their relationship grows more intimate as Enayat tries to transform his appearance, dyeing his hair and shaving his beard to look younger and more appealing. Donya responds with growing interest, blurring the line between client and lover. The effort underscores Enayat's desperation to secure her affection.

Enayat finally proposes marriage to Donya, hoping to seal their bond. She makes a direct demand: he must transfer ownership of the old house to her. He agrees, seeing this as the price of love and a way to legitimize their union.

When his wife and daughter return from Syria, she reminds him of the vow never to sell the house. The confrontation exposes the fragility of his new arrangement and rekindles old loyalties. The house becomes the focal point of a new conflict within the family.

One night, Donya reveals to the returning family that she is actually Enayat's legal wife. The revelation shocks his relatives and throws the relationship into a chaotic, illegitimate light. The household's harmony collapses as loyalties collide.

His wife and daughter depart, and Enayat's life begins to fall apart under the strain of the revelation. The social and financial consequences ripple through his world. He stands increasingly isolated from the life he tried to build.

Dealing with the fallout, Enayat grows suspicious of Donya's relationship with one of his acquaintances. The trust between them erodes, fueling a deeper sense of betrayal. The suspicion drives him further into paranoia and loneliness.

A heated argument pushes Donya to leave the home, severing the fragile balance that remained between them. Enayat is left reeling, unable to anticipate the consequences of her departure. The relationship seems on the brink of collapse.

Heartbroken and desperate, Enayat follows Donya to the basement of the old house and discovers an album of her photos. The images reveal her deep connection to a mysterious man and suggest a more complex history. The discovery shatters his certainty about her motives.

Donya appears and plainly reveals the truth: she is the rightful owner of the house, which belonged to her father before the revolution. Enayat had taken possession afterward, legally or otherwise. She explains that every action since has been a reclaiming of her family home.

The revelation leaves Enayat isolated and defeated, standing in the rain outside the house. He realizes the home he fought to possess was never truly his. The final image is of his solitude and loss as the story closes.