Chapter 01

HEER

Darkness surrounds me. I do not see any source of light. Here in this darkness I am just running away. There is someone following me. He probably wants to harm me, I know. The cold wind makes my body chill. That person is dangerous and the speed with which he is chasing me, he wants to take something from me, which I might not be able to repay. 

I keep running to save my life. I don't want to put myself in danger by stopping anywhere even though I am breathing hard. My heart is beating so fast that maybe if I run more, it will come out of my mouth now. 

I gulp and take a deep breath, stopping in between and suddenly a harsh grip comes to my throat. My eyes widen and look at the person. His face is dark, nothing is able to see and I'm petrified now. 

I try to gulp down the lump form in my throat but his grip gets tighter and makes me stop in the middle. He shakes his head in denial and my eyes form tears suddenly. 

"D-don't," I stutter, trembling badly under his hold, under his gaze which is impossible to see, yet I'm restless, scared and trembling. 

He doesn't listen to me and his hold gets more hermetic. My eyes bulge out and my hands immediately raise up to hold his hard ones. 

"No!" I scream so loudly, getting up from the bed. 

The cool air around me touches my sweat-soaked skin and I shiver once again. My hands come to my face and I wipe the sweat on my forehead. 

So it was a nightmare. 

I phew, finding it my nightmare. I close my eyes and suck a deep breath. "It was horrible," I mutter, covering my face with my sweaty cold palm. I keep sitting on the bed, not wanting to move a bit for this moment. 

I was still shivering, thinking about the nightmare again and again. I don't know why I suddenly saw something like this in my dream. Yes, it's the first time. I'm not even depressed or suffering with anxiety so I'd see something like this. Still it happened as if it relates to me? 

You're again just overthinking. 

I nod at my subconscious. But maybe I'm not wrong. I admit I overthink but I cannot ignore what I feel around me at the moment. Every moment I feel as if someone is watching me every—

A knock on my door interrupts my thoughts. I flinch suddenly at the sound but then calm down myself. I push away the sheet covering me and crawl down from the bed. I walk to the door and open it. 

"Peter?" My brows bend as I ask him. One of my dad's men or I can say one of my bodyguards. But what is he doing here? 

"Ma'am, this is for you. Perhaps one of your friends sent it for you." He tells me. His voice is low yet dangerous like always. I nod and glance at the large bouquet of roses in his hand. 

Oh my Lord! 

Roses! My favourite! Suddenly there is a gleam in my eyes. I forget everything and only the fragrance of roses is in my mind. My grin never leaves my lips but I suddenly ask, "Who gave?" 

He shrugs his shoulders, "Um, I don't know her name nor did she or he mention. Well, we checked it, nothing to worry about." 

I glare at him. He and my father have doubts about everything. He has a habit of doubting everything. Maybe the whole world is dangerous for them. 

I huff. He just raises his brows. I roll my eyes, "Who shoots from behind the roses?"

I hear him chuckling silently, "You are very innocent, Ma'am. You do not know the evils hidden in the world. Everything is probably good for you, like these roses." 

"Yeah yeah… I'm immature, naive and—," and I stop suddenly when I notice a note hidden between the flowers. I frown and hold it between my fingers. 

"Eventually the pride of these flowers must have drained down when they've seen someone more beautiful than them." 

I smile unknowingly when I read the note. About me? Really? I bite my lip and continue to read,

"I am surprised that God must have created your simplicity with so much leisure. And I wish this simplicity remains forever and may God's grace and peace be with you. Happy Birthday, Heeriye." 

Birthday? 

My eyes widen suddenly when I realise it. I immediately glance at the wall clock hanging on the wall. It's correct at twelve o'clock. 

A wide grin appears on my lips and I look back to the roses. "It's my birthday today," I murmur to myself. 

"I wish I could wish you now but—," I hear him muttering and immediately interrupting him, "But dad doesn't want his men to wish me before him," I huff. He smiles at me and so do I. 

He leans forward and I look at him. "Happy birthday, Ma'am," he whispers. I grin, my shoulder lifts up as he winks at me. "Thank you, Peter!" I murmur. He grins and says, "Okay, so I should leave now. You have to go out with Yusuf sir tomorrow, don't you?" 

I nod, "Yeah, good night." He nods and leaves. I close the door and walk to my bed. I inhale the rose scent and get lost in it. It's amazing! Roses are my love and I can never deny them, the person knows it?

Thinking that, I try to search for his or her name in the note but the person didn't mention it. I think for a moment, glancing at the bouquet and then lifting it up and then putting it down on my laps like a toy. 

And suddenly some chocolates fall from the bouquet. 

Seeing them brings a smile to my face once again. Maybe that person has a good idea of ​​my likes and dislikes. And then the thought of Emir comes to my mind. Has he done all this for me? Maybe… because he keeps on looking for ways to please me anyway. 

I chuckle and go to the mini fridge in my room. I put the chocolate into it and tasted a piece before going to bed. The chocolate melts onto my tongue, making me moan. 

It's good… 

I sit on the bed and keep looking at the bouquet. It's indeed so beautiful. Although I have no emotion attached to the color red, I don't know why the red color of the rose gives me immense happiness. Emir has probably done all this. I want to wake up in the morning and say thank you to him. For now, he must have been sleeping. 

I turn my position and look at the ceiling. My chest heaves up as I take a deep breath. 

I have never had the happiness that I get seeing all this today. This feeling is of a different kind. Being my father's princess, my father never allowed me to lack anything. Everything was put in my hands before I asked. This is how I was raised. 

My mother left me in childhood and after that, my father became my mother and my father both. He never let me feel the lack of love. Every girl in the world should get such a father who will bring her daughter all the happiness in the world, just like mine. 

But being the daughter of such a big businessman, my father never got a chance to wish me by waking up at twelve o'clock in the night. I never asked him that. I understand how hard he works. And in the meantime, even if he forgets something, I don't have any complaints with him. He's always a super father. 

But because I had not realized till today how special it is to wake up at twelve o'clock in the night. Even though I don't know that person. For now, I understand that person as Emir, but I will confirm everything after waking up in the morning. Even if the person doesn't come out as Emir, I don't have any complaints against anyone. I will be glad that there is some unknown who wants to make me feel special on this day. 

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My eyes open and I look around me. There is a slight light in the room, which is coming from the window. Some warm rays are falling on my body too, but these sweet sunlights give a lot of relief in these cold days. 

I close my eyes once again before opening them and getting up. I remove this muslin sheet from myself and my eyes fall on this bouquet of roses. Some petals were spread on the bed, some on my clothes and some were stuck in my hair. I remove them all and go into the bathroom. 

I get ready and suddenly my mobile rings. I answer the caller as he is Emir. 

"Happy birthday, Heer!" He wishes me. "Thank you, Emir." I reply.

"Your father has once again thrown a very big party." He chuckles.

"Yeah," I reply shortly.

"And there I am also going to give you a surprise." He sings. 

"Surprise?!" I ask, almost yelling the word. He chuckles, "But for now you must go. I know your dad is waiting for you." 

I pout. He mostly does the same.

"Aww my Heer! I swear, seeing my surprise, you will forget all the resentment. Take care. Love you!" He says and waits for my reply.

"Love you too," I tell him and he happily cuts the line. 

I then go downstairs, thinking about Emir only, and there my father wishes me on my birthday. 

"Thank you, dad," I murmur, wrapping my arms around his waist. He caresses my hair and murmurs, "Today my daughter has turned one more year old. I am very happy for you and I pray that God gives you all the happiness in the world." 

"What happiness can I not get when you are with me?" I whisper, looking at him. He smiles at me and kisses on my forehead, "But I am a little too mean for my daughter." He chuckles and so do I. 

"Now let's eat something quickly, then both of us will go to get your gift for you." He tells me, walking to the dining table. "What's that, dad?" I ask. He stretches the chair back for me and I gladly sit on it, "Thank you my king." He sits next to me, "Welcome my princess." 

We both started eating and he answered my previous question, "You saw a car a few months ago, didn't you?" 

At first I couldn't remember anything, but then all of a sudden my mind came to the Lamborghini that I saw two months ago when I went out shopping with Soniya. 

The special thing about that Lamborghini was its metal. As soon as it came in the sun, it would give a rainbow effect and I liked the fact that I kept looking at it. However, the thought of buying it came to my mind but I didn't mention anything to my dad. I wonder, he came to know that? 

"But why didn't you ask me for that? You know it would have been at your feet now." I hear him asking me. "Just because I didn't tell you! Maybe I should stop showing off my dad's money." 

He looks at me. His brows bend as he frowns at me. "Did someone say anything to my daughter?" 

"No dad," I immediately reply to him, not wanting him to doubt. I was honest! 

"Mm," he continues to eat, "Even if someone speaks, the reason for their jealousy is their status," he adds, "If someone earns, then only to use it, the world considers it as a sham." 

"Maybe it's not their fault either. Every human's mind thinks some good and some bad," I say, chewing my pancake. 

"And I think your brain only tries to find the good in people?" He cocks his brow. "Then let me tell you my little girl, evil can never become good because it has done the worst by choosing evil." He adds.

"Dad, I'm not little anymore. I'm fucking twenty one..." I whine, making him chuckle at my behavior, "Oh trust me my princess, I believe you're not little anymore!" 

I shot him a soft glare before getting up. He too gets up and rubs his mouth. 

"Now let's leave?" He asks. I quickly give a nod. He smiles and then we both leave.