It Didn't Have to Be This Way

Chapter 2

"What's her name?" he asks, but looks back to see Reyhan has lost consciousness. He rushes over to check that she's breathing and is relieved she's still alives. He calls out for help, not knowing where they are or who will come. But he knows she needs whoever has been here taking care of her.

A woman comes in and she seems surprised to see Emir.

"You're awake. I thought I'd have time to meet with you and explain everything to you."

"What is this place? Why are we here?" he asks her, continuing his rapid fire questioning. "How long have you had her? Why did you take her? Why let me think she was dead?"

"Let me check on your wife and daughter first. Then I'll answer all of your questions," she promises.

The lady checks vital signs, draws blood, and gives them medicine. Emir stands right over her shoulder, watching every move. But he relaxes a bit when the woman uses a gentle and caring touch on them. She doesn't appear to be here to hurt them. But he still can't fully trust her.

"What's wrong with them?" he asks here when she appears to be almost done with what she's doing.

"Now that you're here, hopefully nothing anymore," the woman says cryptically.

"Who are you?" he asks. "Why are they here with you? Why did you bring me here."

The woman moves over to a makeshift lab that had been set up in the corner of the room. She works silently on some tests, seemingly ignoring all his questions, until she's satisfied with her results.

"Just as I expected," the woman says. "The baby is already responding to the serum we made from the blood we took from you!"

Emir is frustrated and confused. But he waits on the woman. He sits by Reyhan's side, takes her hand, and just waits.

Finally the woman is done.

"Let's get something to eat. Then I'll explain," she suggests.

"No!" he says, almost panicked. "I'm not leaving them. Please."

The woman frowns, but agrees. She gets a chair for herself and sits next to Emir, gearing up her courage to tell him her story.

"What I'm going to tell you will be hard for you to hear. It would be better if you let me get it all out and I'll answer questions at the end."

Emir starts to get worried but then realizes any story that ends with them being in the situation they're in now can't be good anyway. So he's expecting the worst. He motions for her to continue.

"The story for me starts a few months ago when my old professor came to me for help. He needed someone discrete and knew I would stay silent since he had leverage over me. We had had a brief affair and he knew I can't have my family finding out about it. So he knew I was his best choice for this project. All he told me was that he was expecting a patient, a pregnant woman with complications. I didn't know who she was or why she was coming. I was just here to help him come up with a treatment for her. It wasn't until later I found out the whole story."

She pauses, takes a sip of her water and continues.

"Your wife was brought here when she was about to deliver. The baby came, but your wife never quite recovered from the delivery. The baby was also sick. We've been working with different therapies for them both but recently realized we needed your blood to help the baby and in turn use the baby's blood to help your wife. That's when I accidentally overheard the real plan.

"The doctor met with a man one day. An older man, with crazy white hair. He called him Talaz. Talaz told the doctor that the plans changed. To let your wife and baby die. That you were on your way to killing yourself anyway. It was time to move onto plan B. He said ..."

She hesitates, not wanting to tell him this part. But knew she had to get it all out. So she says it quickly. Kind of like ripping off a bandage and hoping to minimize the hurt.

"He said your mother was ready to get out of prison and was willing to cut her losses."

"Excuse me?" Emir stunned at that revelation. But she ignores him and keeps on with her tale.

"Your mother did all of this to get rid of your wife because she feared she had lost control of you. You were her key to gaining the family fortune. But after you lost Reyhan, you became unpredictable and of no use to her. If we didn't take you, Talaz would have. And God only knows what he would have done to you."

"Back up a minute. I'm not understanding. What does my mother have to do with any of this?"

She holds up her hand, still not done with the story.

"Your mother has another son. Your twin. He's been kept hidden all these years. When we took you, your brother took your place. You - or rather, he - is in the hospital now. Victim of an apparent car accident. But I imagine that's all been fabricated to fit their narrative. The excuse of an accident will give them the chance to cover up whatever differences there are between you and your twin and account for any personality changes. They're saying "you" have memory loss and possible brain damage. That "you" don't remember anything before 2 years ago. And your mother has been released from prison to avoid upsetting "you" until your memories return."

"So this guy is just living my life now?" Emir asks, unable to believe what he's hearing. "What about the baby? The one they said was mine?"

"I don't know where they got that baby from. But they used him and tried to make you believe he was your son because your mother couldn't risk having an actual heir to inherit the money she believes is hers. She wants all the money and will now use your twin to get everything. The nanny is a plant from your mother. She's going to become the next Mrs. Emir Tarhun and pretend to be the baby's mother. Your mother has it all worked out."

Shock doesn't explain what he's feeling at the moment. Complete and utter disbelief is even too mild of terms to use. This is just crazy and he doesn't even know what to feel at the moment.

"I ...I ... I need a minute," he finally manages to say. Too much is flying around his mind.

"You don't have much time to process this," the woman says apologetically. "You all are supposed to die. And now that your brother has taken your place, Talaz will be back here soon to make sure there are no loose ends. You can't be here when he gets here. And there's no going back to your old life. You can either wait here to die. Or take your wife and child and disappear."

The choice sounds impossible on the one hand. But on the other hand, is there really a choice to make?

"Heal them first," Emir orders, the decision coming almost immediately. "Then we'll go."

No. There is no choice to make. It didn't have to be this way. But if this is what it takes for Emir to be with his wife and child, this is what he'll do. He doesn't care about his name or his fortune. All he cares about is Reyhan, their daughter, and the beautiful life they can now live.