Chapter 15 / Part OneChapter 15Esat ErdoğanTwo days, I've been wandering the riverbank, I've barely eaten and slept. I can't believe I've lost Melek. I saw her jump and did nothing, instead, Habbab fucking Argent jumped like it was nothing, he went after her, without even hesitating. He's known her for a year, not her whole life, like me, so why did he go after her and I allowed? I was a coward, one who let his cousin, and the love of his life die in front of my eyes, because there is no way to get out of a fall like that unscathed.Melek is dead, she got what she wanted, I know because I looked for her and found nothing. She arrived in front of the doors of my home, where we grew up together. I have loved her for so long that I have forgotten how much. I guess the day I fell in love with Melek was when I was twelve years old and she was only six. I had fallen off my bike and my knee was injured.We knew my grandfather would lose his mind and beat me up, so my cousin got a first ai
"Shut up Derya, everything you talk about is blasphemy. To me and my family. You must leave the city, or I will force you again."My grandfather approaches the woman, despite threatening, the straight way he stands in front of her, showing her power, he seems to be the one who feels scared and cautious. I have never seen Çakir Erdoğan tremble with fear, much less for a woman. I wonder who he is, and what he has to do with Habbab."For years I have been waiting in the shadows to get my revenge. And it has finally come, today is the day I'm going to take away everything you love the most. Starting with your family's reputation."I try to get answers in the looks of others, but to no avail. My parents and sister are just as confused as I am, my aunt is still on the floor silently crying, lamenting the loss of her daughter, and my uncle... Well, he's the only one who seems to know what's going on because he looks just as nervous as my grandfather.This woman brings an ancient secret, info
Chapter 16Hazar ErdoğanI can't believe what is happening, my daughter, my child, has been kidnapped by that man who has hurt us so much in the last few days. I never wanted Melek to be involved in all this, less when it was my responsibility to take care of her. I look at my wife who is still lying on the floor, crying non-stop. It hurts my soul to see her like that, to know that I have caused her so much damage, because all this is my fault, it is my fault to have loved before a woman who did not belong to me, or who was taken away from me.It was so long ago when I fell in love with Ceren, Habbab's mother. It was love at first sight, she was walking down the street and we bumped into each other among so many people, after seeing her blue eyes, I could never forget them. That same week I found out where she lived and what she did. She was a maid at the Arslan's house, her mother had worked for them all her life and after graduating from high school Ceren followed her mother's foots
Ten years ago The social worker grinned at me from ear to ear as I shrank into the back seat of the car. I was holding one of my favorite stuffed animals so tightly I was sure I was going to break it. -We're here," she said in a soothing little voice. This will be your new home, your parents' friends will take care of you. We got out and walked towards the white painted wooden double doors, where Rodolfo Montiel smiled at me, as did the woman holding my hand. -Hello, Vicky," he greeted me cheerfully, "Welcome home. We entered the huge mansion, where everything was so colorful and white at the same time, but, on the other hand, my room, although spacious, was a bit dark and gloomy. I was installed there and soon I understood that my parents were never coming back. At night I couldn't sleep, so I decided to go out and explore, that would make me tired and sleepy. Mom used to tell me that a good walk would clear my mind. I found myself in a huge room, but I didn't go in, because fro
I go over the financials again and there is something that just doesn't fit in all the number crunching. My responsibilities as administrative assistant have certain limits, however, just before retiring, Mr. Montiel asked me to review the company's finances, as he had noticed certain mismatches regarding payments and collections from some distributors. At first I imagined that Rodolfo's concern was unfounded and he was nervous about leaving the business in the hands of his inexperienced son. However, now that I have checked the numbers, I think he was right to be concerned and that we should audit the work of Gutierrez, the VP Finance. I make a couple of calls, confirming costs with the companies we are associated with. Valderrama y Montiel Foods is a food export company, with more than five hundred farms around the country, and in addition to that, we maintain a frozen food line. Our major partnerships are with transportation companies and exporters of fertilizers, pesticides and o
I feel my cheeks burning as my eyes widen like saucers. Available and by your side? Wake me up, I'm dreaming. A man like Arturo Montiel would never say that to a girl like me... Except he just said it, even if he means work, I feel... important in his life. -And I've been thinking, I know it's not much, but there's a room here that you can use as an office. He leaves his desk and walks past me, past me to the filing cabinet door. -Arthur, that's a storage room," I point out worriedly. -I know, but it will be temporary, until we can reorganize the structure of the building and place you closer to me. He returns to my place and takes me by the hands... Then I forget the reason why I came here or why I would refuse to move my office. Being closer to him... it doesn't sound bad at all. Maybe it's not so bad to have a small office, after all I don't need too much space, plus it has a window so I won't be completely enclosed. -Do you accept my proposal? -Okay," I answer without thinki
MelekOne week later Habbab has put a whole armed team around the house, for the sole purpose of preventing me from escaping, I tried once four days ago, and since then this house has become my own prison. At least I have been able to get some fresh air, I can walk around the gardens, as long as one of the bodyguards follows me."I can bring some cacti next week." Dilay says to me, as she plants a couple of new plants."Dilay, whose house is this?"In the last few days, my husband has taken it upon himself to furnish it, to bring me clothes and get me settled, though I've barely seen him, much less talked to him. Most of the time I'm with his sister or reading a book. I am not allowed to use a phone or an internet device. Occasionally I watch TV, but I soon get bored by the hundreds of commercials.For a moment I imagined that this might be the house Habbab bought for us. Of course I've been telling myself that it's ridiculous, his plan was to disgrace me and then run away, but a par
I follow him with a firm step, he enters the house, which has two floors, the bottom floor is merely a storage room with some gardening stuff. And upstairs is where the kitchen and bedrooms are. He slams the door in my face, but I take a deep breath and open it again."I want to leave this house," I demand as he calmly sits down at the kitchen table."And where do you suggest I take you Melek? To your grandfather? Who is looking for you to kill you. Or perhaps with your father? A lying man who's done a shitty job protecting you from his own father.""I don't want you to take me to either of them. I need Esat, my cousin, he's the only one capable of helping me.""The only one capable? And what do you think I'm doing right now?""You've got me locked in a tower, that's what you're doing. You're not protecting me, you never could, because it was you who put me in this situation in the first place. Now, I'm asking you to let me go.""Melek, this discussion is starting to become repetitive