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Part 10

"That's true. You really don't. You spend as much time with Engin Bey. But Serkan Bey likes working with you a lot," she commented.

"Errr... sure - after he makes me remake my drawing about 50 times, sure he likes me. The man has a fetish with ripping blueprints; I'm serious," I supplied, laughing out loud.

It was almost my lunchtime when Selin returned to the common area in hysterics. I was now working with Murat in the garden of a commercial building when our darling boss lady stood before us. "Eda, did you tell Serkan to go by my office as I requested?"

"As I explained earlier, Selin Hanim, I'm working with Engin Bey today. I haven't seen Serkan Bey since earlier this morning," I responded calmly.

Serkan had genuinely disappeared, and no one knew where he was. Selin's agitation was starting to make me nervous.

When Selin left the common area phone in hand, Piril Hanim called me and directed me to Engin Bey's office. Just as Serkan, the interior designer, had disappeared for a while, I deduced that she and Serkan had been working together. But now she was back, and Serkan wasn't.

"How can I help you, Piril Hanim?" I asked good-humoredly.

"I need you to be honest with me because otherwise, we are going to have big problems." I nodded. "Are you honestly dating an engineer who studies in Italy?"

Her unexpected question surprised me, and I leaned back on the chair "I am. Well, I used to be," I amended. "Why are you asking me this?"

"Serkan and you. I know something is going on between you. I'm a little uncomfortable acknowledging this because Selin was always a close friend. But Serkan has always been my best friend and partner," she affirmed. "I need to know how to best control this situation; Selin is extremely explosive."

"But what do I have to do with that?" I questioned, playing dumb.

Piril grinned knowingly, "Selin is very jealous of you. I doubt that you haven't realized this."

"Right, she is."

"Selin is convinced that you lied when you said you were dating. She thinks you are having a fling with Serkan. She's been eying his social media. Yours, she doesn't get to see... but Engin, Ceren, Serkan's, etc... She can very much see. And it's not difficult to see that Serkan is friendly with you."

I sighed. "If I'm having a fling or anything at all for that matter, that's my problem. Selin needs to stop worrying about what happens in Serkan's life!  She served him with divorce weeks ago, after years apart, and Serkan signed them right away. It doesn't make any sense for Selin to demand explanations at this time in the game."

"It doesn't; you're completely right. But my fear is Selin losing her marbles and saying or doing anything to put Serkan at risk," Piril explained.

"Serkan knows how to defend himself. If it's about work, he'll know how to deal with it," I assured her. But if I was honest with myself, I worried about Serkan under Selin's influence, too. 

"Eda, I'm not worried about work things; I am worried about Serkan's psyche. Selin knows exactly what to say to disturb his peace. You're right to think that Serkan would get over it easily if she interfered with anything work-related. But now, with his daughter- behind that strong, confident man, you see—" she went mum, shaking her head.

She didn't need to explain further. I could see on her face that she cared about Serkan sincerely; and that she worried about Selin using Kiraz against Serkan. 

Hence, I chose to be honest with her as well. "Piril, I'm not having a fling with Serkan," her face visibly relaxed. "That is, it's not a fling. We became close friends, and our friendship turned into something deeper."