IF ONLY---I COULD FORGIVE MYSELF

Chapter 14

After Can's meeting with Mr. Volkan, everything moved pretty quickly. They had decided to start with Galapagos Island and hoped that it would pay off. Volkan was to report any possible findings and they would determine if he was to follow up. The three major cities on the island had numerous hotels and lodging options, so it was just to start asking if she was registered there or had been. A process of elimination that would prove time involved. Can's patience was not his strong point and Volkan knew he had to work fast but not as to bypass is attempt to be thorough.

The agency had been in high gear with the addition of the new campaign. Everyone took their job very serious and applied all their talents to develop a top-notch campaign.

The situation between Can and Leyla was a little strained but they still worked well together.

She handled more of the financial aspect of the projects with Emre and Can was the creative side. Sanem had always been his go to for the creativeness of side of things. Her absence was being felt talent wise but most of all personally. It was a challenge for Can to endure a full day of work and meetings with the thoughts of Sanem flooding his mind.

After one of their brainstorming meetings, Can overheard CeyCey talking to Gulize about the campaign and how this was something that Sanem would have made extraordinary and how much he missed her. After listening for a minute to see if he would divulge any information, he went on with his work, but he had that same feeling....he missed her too.

They had worked hard and the presentation was right around the corner. He would be glad for it to be over and be able to unclog his brain. It seemed that any thoughts that weren't on Sanem had been an interruption and he needed to put full attention back on finding her.

A few days into Mr. Volkan arriving in San Cristóbal, he was getting the feeling they had taken the wrong direction. He hit a complete dead end and in talking to Can they decided to move into Isabela. It was a little less traveled and he felt that she would stay in a more remote and natural area. He asked if he was showing her picture as well just in case she was using a different name. He assured him he was but so far nothing. Hope was diminishing with her phone being disconnected, him being able to reach out to her was now impossible.

It was the same in Isabela: nothing. His report to Can was devastating and they agreed for Volkan to return to Istanbul and rethink his plan. He left the islands with instructions to his contacts there to continue the search and report to him any findings. The search for the phone records didn't produce any answers either. Since it was a disconnected number, the findings couldn't be released. It seemed to be one dead end after another.

Back in Istanbul, Volkan called on some of his associates to help in the search. He supplied them with all the facts and gave them a picture. They would start looking in more of the tourist areas in the outskirts of Turkey. She could have been thinking of a more populated area where she could blend in. Volkan also contacted the airline to search their records to see if she had purchased a ticket about the time she resigned. It was a long shot but maybe they could help.

Can was at a loss as what to do next and in spite of the fact his sister-in-law was withholding her location from him, he confided in her all his feelings and regrets in hopes she would tell Sanem. He pleaded with her to tell him where she had gone so he could make things right with her but she held tight to her loyalty to her sister. She had deceived her once a long time ago and swore she would never do it again.

Another month gone and still no word on Sanem. Can had never felt like this before. He had never felt as lost as he did right then. And he had no one else to blame but himself. 

Emre had begun to really worry about his brother. He was becoming withdrawn and quiet, hardly coming to the office at all to work. It was hard to watch and he even noticed Leyla looking at Can with concern and worry.