The Love I Leave Behind

Eda Yildirim

I pull away from Serkan and look around the rose garden that he grew in my place. I never thought the roses would still be here after all these years. I look back at Serkan and see him staring at me, and I knew I had to tell him the rest of the story. So I pull him to sit in the seat opposite of me and I take a seat as well. I take in a deep breathe to tell him the rest.

"Serkan there are some things that I need to tell you." I see him tense up and look away from my eyes. Like he didn't want to hear what I was going to say. " Six months ago babanne died." His head shoots back to face me with a shocked expression on his face. " She left me everything Serkan." He leans forward and grabs my hands. 

"Are you alright Eda? I mean I know you guys weren't close, but still that was your babanne." He asks why rubbing my hands with his thumbs. 

"I'm fine Serkan, I know I wasn't that close to her. But over the last few years she had apologized for everything, and we had a sort of relationship. But she suddenly died of a heart attack, I was sad but I was sorta numb to the whole situation." I tell him, he was still rubbing my hands but he was now touching babanne's ring. 

When Tahir first brought me the ring I was amazed by its beauty but was against wearing it, I mean it was her ring. I couldn't wear it, but then he explained to me that a Yildirim woman has always wore the ring for generations ever since the first Yildirim made the ring for his wife and too not break tradition now. So I put it on all those months ago and have never taken it off. 

"Well I guess that means your a CEO now Eda Yildiz or is it Yildirim now?" He asks with chuckle, but his eyes seem guarded. 

" Yildiz Serkan, it will always be Yildiz. But that's also why I came back Serkan." I say while getting up and walking back inside. I wait for Serkan to come back inside and I take the papers and tablet out of my purse and hand the tablet to him first. I see him read the article that I pulled up on the tablet. The headline read "EDA YILDIRIM NAMED NEW CEO OF YILDIRIM CORPORATION" 

He looks up at me and places the tablet on the table. "So this is the article that Tahir was talking about? You coming out as the new CEO?" I nod my head at him. 

"It's also why I have him here with me. I didn't know, but the company isn't just a jewelry company." I see Serkan tilt his head not understanding. " Serkan I basically own half of Turkey and other parts of different companies around the world. For the past six months I have been meeting with all of her contacts and business partners. A few unsavory things have had happened." I see Serkan getting alarmed but I just hold up my hand. "I'm fine but with the news of me becoming the CEO a lot of people were surprised so Tahir and I felt that it was necessary to keep me a secret from the public until I was ready. Which brings me to this." I hand him the paper.

Serkan reads the contract that I had my lawyer write up. 

"You want voting rights back?" He lifts his head up from reading it. "Wait are you back? Are you staying here Eda?" He asks with a smile that I see growing by the second. I nod.

"Yes Serkan I'm back. I am now officially back in Turkey." I look into his eyes when I say the next words. "And I am back at Artlife. Permanently." 

The smile on his face grows even more and I see him start to chuckle. I know right in that moment I made the right decision in coming back. I told myself that when I came back here and I even felt a hint of regret in coming back I would take out the paper that would sign over the shares to Serkan and get a clean break. But looking at the smile on his face right now I knew I was going to be okay. 

"AHHh Eda Yildiz always with the surprises, come we have to tell everyone I'm sure they are all waiting by the door anyway. Plus I can see Melek's feet over there." Serkan pulls me towards the panels and moves the one right next to Melo making her shout out in surprise.

"Dada." She knows she been caught.

"Melo it's fine I didn't expect anything less from you." I say with a mock glare on my face, but I couldn't hold it for long. I just smile at her when I hear Serkan call for the attention of everybody. 

Everyone looks up at us, Engin,Peril and Ferit come out of Engin glass office. I see Tahir coming closer to me, like he usually does. Ever the overprotective man.  As soon as everyone is looking up Serkan looks at me and I nod letting him be the one to tell them.

" I know you are all curious to see that Eda is back, but I am happy to announce that Eda is back. Permanently. " I hear everyone's gasps and some are even clapping. I hear Melo screaming with happiness and goes to hug Tahir that is conveniently right next to her. I raise my eyebrow at him which he just goes red, and I roll my eyes at him with a smile on my face. In the back I see Leyla crying and Engin, Peril, and Ferit looking at me with happy smiles. Ferit winks at me and I wink right back. Though I had another announcement to make. 

"Thank you everyone for the warm welcome, but that is not all of it. I have been invited to accept an award in Antalya for some work I did a couple months back and I would like to invite all of you to celebrate with me." 

I feel Serkan turn to look at me for my announcement. Before he can even say anything I speak. 

"Oh I'm sorry did I forget to mention that. I thought you liked my surprises." I grin looking up at him and I see a mock glare take over his face but I could see that he was fighting a smile off as well. With that I turn back to them. "Also all expenses paid by the Yildirim corporation." 

"Eda I can't let you do that." Serkan whispers to me. I turn to him and raise a eyebrow. 

"Let me? Serkan who said I was asking? And plus I can afford this. So don't ruin the excitement and I will see you tomorrow." With that I go back into the office and grab my purse but of course Serkan follows me. 

"Where are you going?" I grab the tablet and hand it too Tahir that came in after us. I put my purse on my shoulder and look at Serkan. 

"I'm going home Serkan, I have had a rather long day, and I would really like to go to sleep." 

"Of course, how about I take you home and on the way we can talk some more? There are still some things I would like to talk about." I smile not expecting any less from him, but before I can respond I hear crying coming from the main offices. Tahir steps away from me and checks on what's going on. Serkan and I look at each other and wonder what was going on. We both head out the panel doors when I see what the problem is. 

It's Belle with tears in her eyes  at the entrance of the offices with her doll. Leyla is crouched right in front of her trying to talk to her, but Belle won't talk to strangers, we had taught her better than that. Just as I am about to say Belle's name she sees me and runs past Leyla and Tahir and into my legs. I go down to lift her up. 

"Princess what happened? Why are you crying?" I wipe away her tears and wait for the heavy breathing to stop. I can feel everyone's eyes on me. But first I had to deal with Belle.

"Baba wouldn't let me come and see you. He said that I had to wait for you in the car." Belle says tears stopping and putting her head into my shoulder so I rub her back.

"Belle he was right. Cmon where is your Baba?" In that moment I hear Efe calling for Belle. 

"Isabella Akman where are you!?!" Belle hears Efe and she snuggles closer into my shoulder. I close my eyes getting ready for the fight that is bound to happen. By the time my eyes are open Efe has walked in and everyone is on high alert. Especially Serkan right next to me.