The Price of Pride

Chapter 5

"Anyway," he continues. "I assumed she was just with me for money. It infuriated me that I was starting to feel things for her that she would probably never feel for me."

He's actually finding it liberating to be so open about his feelings for her. He's really fallen in love with his wife. The realization is like a light bulb going off on top of his head. He almost pictures it and it makes him almost laugh. But he doesn't because his father wouldn't understand. But for the first time in a long time, his heart is completely happy. He just needs to convince his father so that he can get back to the hospital and convince his wife.

"So how do you explain the forged document about the shares transfer to Reyhan? How did you find out about this anyway? I was trying to make it a surprise for the two of you for later," Hikmet wonders.

"I had nothing to do with it," Emir says simply. "I'd ask your wife about that. She's the one who planted the idea in my head that Reyhan was only after money. She's the one who made sure I saw that document. She's really the one who wanted Reyhan gone."

Emir has yet to come to terms with any of that. All he knows is what he read in Reyhan's journal and he finds it so hard to believe. Not that Reyhan would lie about any of it. He knows her enough to believe what she said in her journal is true. But he finds it hard to accept that his mother would do such terrible things to another human. He finds it hard to accept that any person would do such terrible things.

"All I know is that I'm done with her games. With all of these games. Reyhan never deserved to be the target of my anger or Anne's wrath. For so long, she had no one to protect her. So that's my mission now. To protect her and to give her the life she deserves. I can only hope and pray it's the same life I want."

"You really do love her," Hikmet exclaims in amazement.

He really does. But Emir doesn't tell him that. He just gives his father a cryptic smile. He's not admitting anything until he can admit it to Reyhan. She deserves to be the first to hear that she's the first woman he's ever been in love with.

"I'm going back to the hospital to be with my wife," is all he says instead.

The look of pride on his father's face is a shock. And he realizes it's because he's never seen it before. He's never given his father anything to be proud of. He hopes to never let him down as far as Reyhan is concerned. Because that would mean he's also let Reyhan down. And that is no longer an option.

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"Anne?"

Cavidan jumps when Suna sneaks up behind her. She had been standing to the door of Hikmet's office with her ear pressed against it, desperately trying to hear what they were saying inside.

"Suna! Don't scare me like that," Cavidan says, her voice low to keep Emir and Hikmet from knowing she's right outside the door. "What are you doing sneaking around like this anyway?"

"What are you doing eavesdropping on Baba and Abi?" Suna counters, raising an eyebrow in question at her mother.

"Suna," Cavidan scowls, the tone of her voice warning.

"Fine, fine," Suna says, lifting her hands in surrender. "I don't even know why I bother anymore."

Cavidan just sighs in frustration at her moody daughter's retreat. She considers going back to try to listen again, but doesn't want to get caught again. Besides, she heard just what she needed to hear.

"I spoke with the lawyer. He said you've drawn up several sets of divorce papers," Hikmet explains. "That tells me you have no intention of staying married to Reyhan. Not to mention the information the doctor gave you about that special clinic in Ankara that deals with Reyhan's illness. What do you plan on doing? Shipping her hundreds of miles away to get her out of your hair? I'm not going to let you just throw her away like that. She deserves better."