The Price of Pride

Chapter 26

"She had a bit of an incident earlier," Emir says cryptically. "Maybe you know something about it?"

"An incident? With Reyhan? Why would I know anything about that?"

More lies. Emir is starting to get really angry now.

"The freezer? Does that ring a bell?" he asks, unable to hide his anger. "Where's Cemre, I wonder? Is she still here? Maybe she knows what I'm talking about."

"Listen, Son. You must have gotten the wrong idea. I have no idea what that girl told you, but I can guarantee you it's not what actually happened."

"She said she was locked inside the freezer."

"And I'm guessing she's blaming me? Saying I did it?"

"No. She says Cemre did it," he tells her, deciding to keep to himself the suspicions that Cavidan plotted it all and set the whole thing in motion. "But thankfully Suna was there to let her out. That's why I'm trying to contact Suna. To find out from her what happened."

"Suna won't be confirming Reyhan's story because it just isn't true. Son, I don't know how to tell you this, but your wife is a liar. She's trying to make you hate Cemre because she's threatened by Cemre. She's blaming Cemre for locking her in the freezer when in fact, it was Cemre who saved her from the freezer. Suna was the one who locked Reyhan in there."

"Suna did it?" Emir asks incredulously, not even pretending to believe her. "Suna? Are you for real with this?"

"Son, I wish I weren't. But it's true. Suna doesn't want you knowing, but I can't let Reyhan put the blame on Cemre. Suna has been having problems for awhile now. What I said earlier about you abandoning her is true. She resents Reyhan because you chose to stay with her in Ankara instead of coming back home. She even blames you for your father's illness. She feels it wouldn't have happened to him if you had been here."

"This is ridiculous. Let me talk to her. We'll get this straightened out now. Where is she? Which friend did she go with?"

"You won't be able to speak with her. Like I said, she doesn't want you knowing. She's too ashamed. She asked to go away for a while. She realizes she needs help. Help that she won't get here. She'll be back once her doctors feel she's gotten better. She'll be in touch with us when her doctors feel it's the right time. But for now, we shouldn't interfere with her treatment."

Emir just stares in shock.

"You sent her away?"

"Son, she begged for help. This was for her own good."

"You are unbelievable. You really expect me to buy into this lie you're telling me. You really expect me to believe Suna locked Reyhan in a freezer and that Cemre saved her. And that you had nothing at all to do with any of it."

"Emir!" she gasps in shock. True shock. She genuinely can't believe he's outright blaming her. She can't believe her lies aren't working.

"Save it, Anne. The only thing I believe out of your mouth is that maybe it is for the best Suna is away. Away from you and your lies and your games."

"That woman has twisted your mind so much," Cavidan says, shaking her head. "You trust her more than me? You believe her lies more than my truth?"

"And what is your truth, Anne?"

"Son, she's no good. She's a liar and she's just using you for your money. She's brought nothing but trouble into our lives from the moment she stepped into this house. Admit it ... none of these problems happened to us before she came. We'll be better off without her. We'll be able to be a family again. She's driven Suna away. You're sending your father away. Who's next, me?"