Untangling the Web

Chapter 22

"Cookie grabbed them to "help" her in the kitchen," Kemal explains with a smile. "But knowing Cookie, I'm sure the only thing they're going to be helping her with is eating the cake she's making."

"That's right," Reyhan realizes. "This ranch belonged to Emir's grandfather. So you also grew up here, Kemal abi."

"And this is the first time I've been back in awhile. So thank you for having us come. Masal loves it."

"Unfortunately we'll have to make this a working vacation," Emir interrupts. "We have to figure out what to do about my mother."

Reyhan grabs onto Emir's hand. The topic of Cavidan stresses her. But he's right. She needs to be stopped once and for all.

"My detective has been keeping an eye on Cavidan, as well as Cemre and Talaz. So far, they haven't made any moves," Kemal says.

"But we know what she has planned," Emir reminds him. "We just don't know the when and the how."

"What if we come up with the "when" ourselves?" Narin suggests. "Give her the opportunity to implement her plan at a time and place of our choosing. That way, we'd be ready for her."

"Absolutely not," Emir barks. "Reyhan is not bait."

"Emir," Reyhan says, putting a hand on his chest to soothe him. "Narin has a point. I'm already bait. We know she's going to come after me with that crazy plan to frame me for her shooting. Wouldn't it be better if we were prepared and waiting for it? Then we can catch her in her own trap."

"Don't ask this of me," Emir pleads, squeezing her tighter to him. "This scares me."

"The not knowing is what scares me," she says. "You know this is the only way."

He takes her hand and brings it up to his lips for a quick kiss. He can't keep his hands off of her. A shoulder rub. A hand kiss. Caressing her belly. Running his fingers through her hair. The contact calms and reassures him. Reyhan allows it because she knows he needs it.

"Okay," Emir agrees. "We come up with a way for her to think she's getting to you. But she won't get close. Promise me."

Reyhan nods.

"I trust you to keep me safe," Reyhan tells him.

With that settled, they just have to come up with a viable plan.

"Anyone have any ideas?" Reyhan asks.

"I have something."

The group turns to the door of the main house and sees Suna standing there.

"I have an idea that knowing my mother, she won't stand a chance of resisting. She'll finally get what she deserves and we'll end this reign of terror she's had over all of our lives."

She thoroughly explains her idea of hosting a fundraising gala. Reyhan appreciates the idea of helping people as a by-product of what they're doing. It seems to balance the scales a bit. All her life has been about helping others. It would have felt too selfish to go about this plan if she alone got the only benefit. But this is serious. The course of Cavidan's life will be changed forever. Does Reyhan have the right to sentence her to the kind of punishment they have in mind?

"You still feel guilty," Emir guesses, noting the conflicting look on her face. "Even though I can tell you time and time again that my mother has to be stopped because she won't stop on her own."

"Reyhan," Suna chimes in. "I've spent my whole life being ignored by this woman. And when she wasn't ignoring me, she was making me feel less than worthy. Standing in front of her at this gala, looking her in the eyes and making her see me as a person is what I need more than anything right now. I've waited my whole life for her to change, for her to love me the way I deserved to be loved. I see now that's never going to happen. And I don't want that anymore. Any woman who can do to you and my brother what she's done isn't a woman fit to be a mother.