Untangling the Web

Chapter 13

"And Emir will believe that?" Cemre is doubtful.

"Emir believes anything I tell him," Cavidan scoffs. "But this baby, if it survives, will be a problem. It's going to forever tie him to this peasant. Unless we rewrite her story again. Emir will have his child and that girl will be gone."

"So we take the baby first? And then get rid of her?" Cemre asks, confused at what Cavidan is planning.

"Not exactly," Cavidan grins, the plan starting to take shape in her head. "But close. Tell me, Cemre. Are you ready to be a mother?"

- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -

"Good news, Emir bey."

The doctor comes into the hospital room and Emir rises from his seat next to Reyhan's bed to greet him.

"How is she? How's the baby?"

"Both are fine," the doctor assures him.

Emir lets out a deep breath along with a silent prayer of thanks. The doctor continues to tell him how they're going to keep Reyhan until she wakes up and possibly overnight to continue to monitor the baby. He can barely pay attention. He's just happy she's going to be fine.

"No more of the sleeping pills, though," the doctor adds. "If she needs help sleeping during the pregnancy, we'll look at alternative methods. There's just too much risk to the baby."

Sleeping pill?

"Thank you, Doctor bey," Emir says, keeping his question to himself. He'd rather the doctor believe it was accidental than to have what he's really thinking coming to light.

Once the doctor leaves, he bends over to press a kiss to her forehead before returning back to his seat by her side.

"You hear that, Sevgilim? You and the baby will be fine." He takes her hand and also presses a kiss there. "But who gave you that sleeping pill, acaba? And why?"

He fears he knows the answer. It was either his mother or Cemre. What is he going to do with those two?

He lifts his head when he hears a knock at the door. He's surprised to see Suna's doctor there, along with another person. He gives them a nod of acknowledgement before gentle releasing Reyhan's hand and rising from his seat. He walks out the door and motions for them to follow him. He doesn't want to disturb Reyhan.

"Doctor bey," Emir nods. "What's this about? You have news about Suna?"

"I do. But first let me introduce you to the chief lab scientist here, Mehmet Bey."

Emir and the scientist exchange pleasantries, but deep down, Emir can't help but wonder what all this is about.

"Mehmet Bey ran the initial drug test for your sister," the doctor says, lowering his voice in deference to the sensitive topic and to keep from being overheard. "Fortunately for us, he keeps a backup of all his work."

That catches Emir's attention.

"So you'd have the original results," Emir realizes.

"Yes," the technician nods. "The way the system works is that I run the tests in my lab before sending the results to central processing. The tests on my end only have numbers, no names are attached, for patient confidentiality. Once in central processing, the results are placed in a sealed envelope and only then is the patient name attached to the test results. Only people with the proper authorization have access to the results. And only at particular stages of the processing. For instance, once the results leave my lab, I can no longer access to them."

"So how did this mixup happen?" Emir wonders aloud.

"Someone with nearly universal access traded out the real results with the falsified ones," the doctor explains. "I'm talking someone with executive level access. Not many people could do this and not get caught."

Someone Cemre must have a connection with, Emir figures. That seems to be her MO. She gets other people to do her dirty work. First the woman who set him up with the fake affair. And now whoever altered these test results. Now that they know where to look, it's only a matter of time before all the connections are made.

Emir thanks the doctor and the technician for the update and goes back inside with Reyhan, a copy of the unaltered test results in his hand. This is all really just so unbelievable. It's all getting to be too much for him to process. What else could this day possibly bring?

Zafer comes in right that second, and by the look on his face, Emir knows he's about to take another hit.

"How's Reyhan?" Zafer asks politely. But Emir can see his mind is on something else.

"She's going to be fine. The baby too."

"Good! That really is a relief." Zafer tries to give him a smile, but it comes out as more of a wince.

"Suna's doctor came by," Emir continues. "I have the real drug test results. Reyhan was right about what Cemre was giving her. Cemre really was drugging my sister. She probably drugged Reyhan this morning too."

Zafer winces again.

"It was your mom, actually."

Zafer reaches into his pocket and pulls out his phone, setting it at the foot of Reyhan's bed so Emir can take it.

"There's something you need to see."