Eda discreetly disconnected her phone and placed it in her handbag. She let out a frustrated sigh as she examined the room surrounding her. She had to admit that it was lavish and decorated with taste. Not that it should have surprised her coming from Semiha hanim. The woman had enough money to decorate her living room like Buckingham Palace if she wanted to, so that was expected.
"Alright, I have five minutes. Why did you call me here?"
Semiha hanim made a displeased face but didn't react.
"Was it Serkan?"
"Sana ne?" Eda asked impassively, finally turning to the woman sat in the armchair in front of her.
"When are you planning on breaking off your engagement?"
"I can't just break off my engagement from one day to the other!"
"Should I remind you that we have a deal?"
"Yok. No need. How can I forget when you constantly remind me of it?"
"Güzel. Then don't take too long."
Eda glared at her in silence for a while. "Anything else?"
"I want you to come live with me."
Eda furrowed her brows. "Excuse me?"
The older woman nodded. "You heard it right."
"And why would I do that?"
"Since you moved out of your aunt's, then I guess you wanted some change of scenery. So what better way to do it than to come spend time here. That way we could get to know each other even better."
Eda laughed humourlessly. "You are so funny! Just say that you want to keep an eye on me! There is no way on earth that I would move in with you. And you perfectly know it."
"As you want."
Eda was so confused as to what could have gone through the older woman's head. She shook her head slightly and took her bag before getting up. At the same moment, the doorbell rang and Semiha hanim wondered out loud who could be calling at this hour.
"I'll leave you with your guest now. Iyi akşamlar."
"Merhaba Semiha hanim."
"Welcome! What a surprise!"
"Ah! Eda hanim. Iyi akşamlar."
Eda was surprised to find herself face to face with Prince Seymen himself and smiled a little, greeting him. " Iyi akşamlar Prince Seymen. I was just leaving."
"Oh, what a pity! I should have come five minutes sooner then."
Eda gave an uneasy smile while Semiha hanim spoke up. "Eda, will you stay for a cup of coffee with us? I'm sure Prince Seymen would be delighted. Wouldn't you Seymen?"
"I would. If it's not a problem with you of course," he added turning to Eda.
Semiha didn't let Eda answer. "Of course not. Come, let us sit all together."
The young woman sighed before she sat back on the sofa while Prince Seymen and Semiha hanim sat on their respective armchairs. The latter asked her butler to call for coffee and a few appetizers. Then, she started conversing with her guest while Eda stayed silent, only taking part when directly spoken to.
Serkan decided to go to the gym to release some more steam before going home. A few people were training on the various equipments in the weights room so he headed to one of the empty boxing ring. He did a few warm-ups before putting on his gloves and starting hitting as hard as he could. His trainer didn't say anything when he saw him lashing out at an innocent punching ball for the second time that day.
Serkan hit and hit and hit again. He was picturing his anger leaving him with each blow. The more he hit and the more he felt like screaming at how unfair it was for him and Eda never to have a moment of peace and quiet in their lives. Why did her grandmother have to arrive now, when they were finally getting close to experience pure full happiness and be a family? Why did it look like fate always kept something bad up its sleeves?
After a good hour of punching, running, jumping rope and weight exercises, he finally felt drained and calmed down enough to stop. A mischievous idea passed through his mind while he was heading to the locker room. He took out his phone from his bag and snapped a picture of him and sent it without any adjoining message. Then, he decided to only put his sweater on and take a shower at home.
"We've known each other for a couple of years now," Prince Seymen told Eda, speaking about his relationship with Semiha hanim. "She is quite inflexible when it comes to work but her work ethics are known from all parts of the country."
"He came to me with a very interesting project and managed to convince me with his vision. It turned out to be a very good and profitable deal for both sides."
"Absolutely. When we managed to pinpoint the importance of the ecological part of the project, she agreed to increase the budget and found the best contractors to realize it. Semiha hanim is very comprehensive and understanding once everything is clear and presented in an efficient way."
"You are exaggerating Prince Seymen." Semiha hanim chirped with a proud smile.
Eda hummed. "You seem to know her better than I do."
"I doubt it. I believe the ones who know us best are our families."
Eda stared at the older woman with a neutral expression. "I believe you're right."
At that moment, Eda's phone – which had been silent for a while now – buzzed in her bag. She discreetly looked at it while the other two kept on talking. She frowned when she saw that it was a message from Serkan, and that it was actually a picture. Glancing at the others who seemed not to pay attention to her, she opened the conversation and almost died instantly!
She felt her eyes open wide as she looked at the picture he had sent her. He was standing in front of a full-length mirror in what seemed to look like a locker room so he most probably was in the gym, working out his frustration like he usually did. She couldn't see his full face, only his enticing lips and scruff, and above all, his chest. His very muscular chest was covered with a wet grey tank top.
She closed her eyes and gulped. She could almost smell his body from across the miles. His powerful, manly, intoxicating scent. She could clearly picture the drops of sweat dripping down his neck, almost feel his muscles flexing under her palms, and his strong arms closing around her tiny body, his big hands roaming on her hot skin...
"Eda? Are you feeling alright?"
Eda opened her eyes to find two pairs of eyes looking at her worriedly. She wondered what she must have been looking like just then and put on her neutral face again. She would have to get a word with Serkan Bolat for almost throwing her resolve out of the window! Semiha hanim had been clear on her intentions. And Eda didn't want to mess everything up.
"With your permission, I think I'm going to head home. I've had a long day and I still have to work on tomorrow's presentation."
"I understand perfectly, Eda hanim. I wish you could have stayed longer but I admire your dedication to work."
"Thank you Prince Seymen."
"Lütfen, call me Seymen."
Eda smiled awkwardly. "Peki... Seymen."
"Tahir!" Semiha hanim called her right hand. "Please drive Eda hanim to her aunt's house."
Eda glared at her but gave a small smile at Prince Seymen. She knew perfectly what her grandmother wanted to do: make sure she wouldn't go to Serkan's. What were the chances that she had also put security on her to watch her every move? She bid them farewell then followed Tahir outside.
Serkan groaned when he heard the doorbell. He let the hot water flow down his body for a few more minutes before stepping out of the shower when he heard a second ring. He quickly put on his bathrobe, his sleepers and went down to get the door. He froze when he saw the person who was behind the glass door.
"Selam!"
"B...Balca? What are you doing here?"
"Oh I'm sorry. I thought that I would come to check on you. You seemed very tensed today."
"I see. Well, thank you for the thought. I am feeling better now."
"I'm glad!" The curly-haired chirped with a smile. "Have you already had dinner? I brought some wine."
"Hum..." Serkan looked towards Sirius on his left who was playing with his ball. "Actually I was going to go to bed. It was a long day."
"Oh, tamam."
"Tamam." Serkan repeated, waiting for her to leave.
"Oh! I almost forgot!" Serkan sighed discreetly when the woman rummaged inside of her huge purse. "I needed to get your signature on those files today but you must have forgotten them on your desk when you left. So I brought them."
Serkan dropped his head to the ground before he opened the door and let her inside with a fake smile. The woman entered, took out her coat and put it on the coat rack to Serkan's great displeasure. Then, she headed for the couch and put the files on the table. Serkan excused himself to go get dressed quickly.
When he came back in the room, he saw that the PR manager had made herself at home. She was barefoot and two glasses of wine were waiting on the coffee table. He felt his anger rise in his chest but managed to keep it at bay. He had every intention of finishing up this business fast enough and get her out of his house as soon as possible. He could already hear Eda's stinging riposte telling him "I told you so".
"Oh I'm sorry Serkan, I spread myself a little. I hope you don't mind. And I also poured us two glasses of wine."
"Balca. I don't think that was necessary. Where are the papers I need to sign?"
She indicated them to him and he took them, going to the bar to read them and making sure everything was in order before he signed them. He didn't realise when the woman got closer to him, looking from above his shoulder. When he got up he didn't see her and accidentally knocked her glass on herself, spilling the alcohol on her blouse.
"I'm so sorry! I didn't see you behind me."
"It's okay Serkan. Don't worry. It's my fault."
She went to the sink to wash herself and he gave her a small towel so that she could dry herself. She asked him if he had anything he could lend her so that she could change. He could see right through her little game but accompanied her to the guest room and took out a tee-shirt. He swiftly left the room to let her change and clean the mess in the living room.
When she came back in the room, he had already arranged the files in a pile so that she would only have to put them in her bag and go. He had also cleared the coffee table from the wine glasses. He saw her surprise and disappointment when she asked about the glasses. He didn't have time to answer her because at that moment, they heard steps coming down the stairs making them both look up.
"Eda!" The curly-haired said with a surprised tone when she recognized her.
"Balca! I knew I had heard voices."
"What a surprise! I didn't expect you to be there."
Eda crossed her arms on her chest. "Gerçekten mi? And why not?"
"I'm just surprised that's all. You two didn't seem to be in the best of moods today..."
"So did you think you could take a shot?"
"Eda..."
Eda glared at Serkan before looking back at the other woman. "What are you saying Eda. Am I that kind of woman? Serkan and I were just working."
Eda nodded. "I see. Is that why you're wearing his shirt right now?"
"I knocked her glass and spilled its content on her blouse by accident." Serkan explained.
"On her blouse huh. What about her pants? Or skirts maybe? Did it spill on them too?"
Serkan furrowed his brows at that and looked at the woman. He opened his eyes wide when he realized that she was indeed only wearing his tee-shirt and no bottoms underneath apparently. He quickly diverted his gaze feeling very uncomfortable all of a sudden. That woman was seriously crazy.
Eda tried to hide her amused smile when she saw his reaction and instead focused her attention on the other woman who spoke up. "Actually yes. I saw that there was a stain on my skirt as well so I felt it was better to take it off."
"Hmm," Eda squinted her eyes and shook her head. "Didn't you say that you live nearby? I think I remember you saying this one day."
"Evet..."
"So don't you think it could have waited until you got home?" The PR manager didn't say anything only kept on smiling. "Neyse. Did you and Serkan Bey, finish what you had to do?"
"Evet!" Serkan replied immediately. "She was about to leave. I sorted the files for you already. You just have to put them in your bag. I thought this could save you some time."
The woman gave a fake smile. "That is so thoughtful of you Serkan. Thank you."
She walked toward the table and put away her things. Eda rolled her eyes when she saw how she bent forward suggestively making the tee-shirt barely covering the hem of her underwear. She couldn't be more pathetic in Eda's eyes since Serkan didn't even pay attention to her, too focused on his fiancée to even notice that woman's poor attempts.
Serkan and Eda were having a silent argument when Balca finally straightened up. They both gave her a fake smile as she looked at one then the other.
"O zaman, I'll go back home. Thanks again for everything Serkan."
Eda rolled her eyes again before the audacity of that woman. "Tamam. Hadi. Iyi geceler Balca. Güle güle!"
She accompanied the woman and even shoved her coat in her arms before she closed the door on her, a tad harder than she initially meant to. Then, she walked back to the living room where she started pacing back and forth like she usually did when she was frustrated. Serkan chose not to intervene and instead went to the kitchen to make her a cup of hot chocolate.
"I cannot believe that woman!" Eda fumed. "The nerve she has! I hope that you are convinced now?"
"Eda, sakin ol lütfen." Serkan said calmly as he poured the chocolate in her favourite mug.
"What do you mean "sakin ol"?! That woman was practically naked in front of you! Who knows what she would have done if I hadn't come down in time!"
"Here, drink this."
Eda looked at the steaming cup then narrowed her eyes at him. "Are you trying to bribe me so that I can shut up?"
"Hayır. I just want you to relax."
"How can I relax? And how can you be so calm about this?"
Serkan sighed as he joined her on the other side of the bar. "Because nothing would have happened Eda."
She stared at him for a couple of seconds before she went to sit on the couch and blew on her hot chocolate. He joined her there and sat on the couch opposite her. He blew on his own cup of tea, smiling as he saw her smelling hers with a contented smile. He loved watching her like this, enjoying the little things in life. It was like rediscovering the Eda Yildiz he had first met: the innocent, joyful one.
"Feeling better?"
She lifted her eyes knowingly at him. "I would have felt way better if the doorbell had not rang in the first place."
He laughed. "I'm sure you would."
"Don't tell me you wouldn't as well?" He gave her a crooked smile. "Neyse. What will you do about her?"
He sighed. "I don't know. I can't actually fire her right now."
"Then I hope you're not letting her in anymore."
"I wasn't going to..."
"But you did! And you opened the door wearing nothing but a bathrobe!"
"What should I do? Should I remind you that I was taking a shower? And a very hot one at that?"
"I don't care how hot it was! Then you should have stayed in that shower and not opened at such hours." She rose her voice slightly.
He shook his head in disbelief. "You didn't just say that."
"Yes I did! So what? Who gets out of a very hot shower to answer the door Serkan?"
"That discussion is not going anywhere."
"That's true. By the way, you're definitely moving house!"
"Where did that come from?"
"From your baby mama not being able to stand all these women getting naked in here!" She rose her voice even higher.
"Eda ya! No woman ever got naked in here! Except you!"
"Well I sure do hope so!"
They stared at each other in silence for a few minutes. He put down his cup on the table and went to sit next to her. He took the mug from her hands and put it down as well then took her hands in his. He caressed them softly before looking up to stare into her eyes. He missed her and he needed to have a serious discussion about their situation.
"Eda, we need to talk this through seriously. I can't go on like this."
"What do you mean?"
"I can't be far from you, pretend that you're not in my head 24/7, that I'm not dying each time I have to restrain myself from holding or kissing you."
"Serkan... Semiha hanim will not rest until we break up. She will not spare you."
"I already told you that I don't care. I just want you and our baby."
"But you might not get any of us if we don't do what she wants."
"What if we tell her about the baby? Maybe she'll surprise us and stop harassing us."
Eda instinctively put her hands on her stomach as if protecting it. "I don't want her to find out Serkan!" She shook her head frenetically. "She will not change. I know her."
"Hayatim, you're showing more and more with each passing day. We won't be able to hide it from her much longer anyway."
She shook her head again. "I don't care. I'll protect my baby as long as possible."
"Tamam. Breathe." He put his lips on her forehead and helped her breathe in and out when he sensed her stress. "Do you want to take a bath?"
"Yok. I should get going. Who knows if she didn't put a protection squad on me at all times. Besides it's already getting very late."
"I'll drop you at your aunt's."
"Yok, gerek yok. I'll call a taxi."
"Don't be silly Eda. What taxi will you find at this hour?"
"I'll manage. It's not like I didn't have my night ruined anyway."
"Hmm. That is not what you were saying earlier," he said with a smile.
Flashes of sweat, moans, bodies colliding and steam passed through her brains, and she blinked twice to make them go away. "Iyi geceler Serkan Bolat," she said as she left the house. "And next time, do not send me pictures while I'm in an important meeting!" He heard her yell while going down the stairs making him laugh.
"Iyi geceler Eda Yildiz!"
He closed the door and was about to clean the mugs when he heard a knock on the glass door. He furrowed his brows and went to see what it was. If Balca had come back, he wouldn't hesitate in firing her on the spot... But it wasn't Balca.
"Eda? Did you forget something?"
"Evet. I forgot to finish my evening the way I wanted to!"
She grabbed his face as she stepped inside and brought his face down on hers. He immediately grabbed her waist and she jumped on him, wrapping her legs around his while they kissed passionately. He barely managed to lock the door before he led her to his bedroom upstairs, their clothes getting scattered on their way there.
The following morning, Eda and Serkan avoided each other. Every time one entered a room where the other was, the latter would leave hurriedly. The atmosphere was very tense in the office as everybody was on edge because of Prince Seymen's project. Nonetheless, their co-workers soon noticed their weird behaviour and got confused. Were their boss at odds with his fiancée?
Soon, rumours started spreading in the firm about Eda and Serkan having broken up. People were talking about it even more than they were talking about the project. At some point Serkan even had to get involved so that his team would go back to work. The client would arrive within the next two hours and they had no time to waste on gossips.
They worked relentlessly to get the presentation done in time and managed to present a beautiful design – complete with the full description of the mansion and gardens – to Prince Seymen. Even Semiha hanim seemed quite impressed with the colossal work that the team of architects had done in so little time. Of course, details were discussed, adjustments were made, but by the end of the meeting, the deal was sealed.
Everybody had big grins plastered on their faces as Serkan then Eda and the rest of the partners shook hands with Prince Seymen. The whole team was eagerly waiting for the results of the presentation. So, when the board and their client got out from the room with bright smiles on their faces, the team couldn't help but mirror them, the anticipation reaching its peak.
"Eh? Did we get the contract or not?" Erdem wondered at loud.
Eda gave him a cryptic smile while Serkan came back in the workshop after bidding farewell to the prince and his team. He swept the room with his eyes in silence, making his workers barely contain themselves from the excitation. He cleared his voice before he finally spoke up.
"Arkadaşlar... The project is ours."
Cheers erupted from the crowd of workers. They all clapped happily, some hugged each other while others jumped. Eda laughed when she saw Erdem lifting up Leyla and the latter trying to hold her glasses on her nose. She turned her head towards her left and felt her smile drop when she caught Serkan staring at her intensely. Oh how she wished she could have jumped in his arms in that instant. But that was not possible.
"Arkadaşlar!" Engin called to catch their attention. "To celebrate our new contract, and congratulate you on your amazing work, you are all getting a two-days vacation starting tomorrow!"
More cheers were heard before everybody resumed their places in an animated chatter. Eda stared as Serkan retreated to his office without a glance in her direction. She felt a pang in her chest as she got back to sit at her own desk. She looked at him from across the room but he never looked up, too focused on his laptop. She then recalled their conversation that morning with a heavy heart...
Eda had been woken up by Serkan's feather-like caresses on her arm. She had pressed her naked chest against his, circling it with her arms as she had nuzzled in his neck, and lifted up her leg to rest between his. She had missed him so much the day before. She had sighed as he had kissed the top of her head tenderly.
"And to think this can't happen again for a while," she had said with a raspy morning voice and she had felt him tense under her.
"Don't tell me you want to go on with this..."
She had lifted up her face to look at him. "Serkan. You know it's dangerous. We can't be together right now. I thought we agreed on this."
"You agreed. I didn't. You perfectly know how I feel about this."
Then he had gotten up from the bed to shower as she had looked, her mouth wide open at his sudden outburst. Oh, how she hated Semiha hanim...
"Eda. Eda!"
Eda jumped slightly and looked at her grandmother who was standing next to her. The woman quickly cast a glance towards Serkan's office and Eda saw that he was looking their way with furrowed brows. She quickly diverted her gaze to focus on the older woman again.
"Is it done?" She asked in a low voice so that nobody could hear them.
Eda nodded slowly. "Evet. We broke up this morning..."
Semiha hanim gave a small nod back. "Good. You did the right thing. You'll see."
Eda didn't answer and the woman didn't insist. She hesitantly gave a pat on her granddaughter's shoulder before she strolled away. Eda wanted to crawl in a hole and be buried alive. She cast another sad glance at Serkan and immediately felt the rush of tears threatening to pool out of her eyes. She quickly got up and practically ran to the bathroom before she could explode in the workshop.
Serkan watched helpless as Eda got up and ran from her desk. She looked completely broken and he felt it deeply in his soul. He took out his phone and quickly dialled Melo asking her to check on Eda. He desperately wanted to help her but he couldn't and it killed him inside. At least he knew that she'd be in good hands while he needed to go somewhere. He took his coat, scarf and gloves and headed out.
After an hour-long drive through the city, he parked in the prison's parking lot. He got out of the car and hurried inside of the facility to escape the cold air of that winter day. He introduced himself to the officer behind the entrance desk and asked to see Alptekin Bolat. He was led to the visiting room and waited until they brought his father in.
After a good fifteen minutes, the door of the room finally opened and a very tired-looking Alptekin appeared. His eyes immediately lit up when he saw his son and couldn't help but take him in his arms and hug him, much to Serkan's surprise. The guard told them that they had twenty minutes and left. Father and son went to sit opposite each other.
"I am so happy to see you oğlum! How are you? How is Eda? And the baby?"
"They're good."
"I'm glad. I missed you, you know. Your mother comes to visit from time to time. She gives me a few news about you but it's not the same."
"Did she tell you about our new partner?"
Alptekin nodded gravely. "She did. Semiha Yildirim."
"Eda's grandmother." Serkan watched as Alptekin's eyes got sadder. "She didn't tell you about that?"
"She didn't. But I figured it out."
Serkan nodded. "How are you holding up here?"
"Could be better... I never thought I would be jailed one day. But I guess I deserve it..." Alptekin got lost in his thoughts for a few seconds before he shook his head, focusing again on his son. "Why did you come?"
"Someone made a complaint against you." Alptekin nodded gravely. "For extortion and money laundering. Is it true?"
His dad took his hands. "I'm sorry son..."
Serkan removed his hands. "So it is true... After everything you always said... about being truthful, about being dedicated to work, not making mistakes..."
"Listen, it only happened once, a long time ago. I was younger, I was...I didn't know what else to do. You already know, I already told you, I took too many projects..."
"Wait. Are you telling me that it is related to the accident?"
"Serkan..."
"Hayır." Serkan stopped his father by lifting up his palm. "I don't want to hear anything."
Alptekin looked at his son with sad eyes. "I'm sorry. If I could go back in time I would."
"But you can't. You always were my model growing up. I always saw you as that man who never made any mistakes, who was the best at his job. I wanted to look like you, to be as successful as you were. To make you proud... Even when I thought I didn't deserve to be your son, that I wasn't worthy... that I wasn't good enough."
"Oğlum... That was never my attention. I never wanted to make you feel less. I was always so proud of you. I am so proud of you. I am so sorry. I only wanted the best for you and for you not to make the same mistakes I did."
They were interrupted by the guard who announced that they had ten minutes left. Serkan felt sad and disappointed. The idealistic image of his father that he always had ever since he was a boy was slowly crumbling down. They had had their differences over the years, but Serkan had never once doubted his father's credibility or work ethics. Even when accusations came and went sometimes, he had always defended him. Until now.
"I think I'm gonna go now..." He said getting up.
"Wait!" Alptekin got up as well.
"I heard everything I needed to know."
"Serkan, bak. I did make mistakes. It wasn't the only one but it certainly was the worst, and the one I will never forget. But I am ready to face whatever consequences I have to face to pay for it. I won't back down this time. I told you before: I want you to be proud of me again. I want to redeem myself in your eyes. And I hope that someday you'll be able to forgive me. You are my son and I love you. I will always love you and be proud of you. That will never change." Then, he put his hands on Serkan's shoulders and looked into his eyes. "My biggest wish is that you'll be a better father than I ever was. I have no doubt that you will be."
Serkan didn't say anything. He simply stepped back as his father's hands slid down to his sides. He gave a sad smile to his dad before knocking on the door so that they could open up for him. Then, with a last glance at his father, he left. No words had come out. He needed time, and space. He needed to process everything. He walked to his car and, after debating whether to send a message to Eda or not, he decided to head straight home instead.
"Thank you for accompanying me home Melo," Eda said as she took the cup of tea that Melo had made for her.
After her breakdown in the bathroom, Melo had insisted that she'd go home and rest. Eda had argued at first but even she had to admit that she wouldn't get anything done anyway in her state. This situation was taking a toll on her body and she was exhausted. The fact that she had started feeling small cramps again had also weighed in on the scale.
"Are you feeling better?"
"Evet. Thank you."
"Ne demek." Melo studied her friend for a moment before she got herself to speak about something that had been bothering her all day long. "Dadam?"
"Hmm?"
"I heard some things in the office today..."
Eda sat up straight. "What?"
"I mean... Those are probably silly rumours. They have to be but... I got curious after everything that happened."
Eda sighed. "Spill Melo."
"Tamam. Uh, şey... I heard people talk about you and enişte. They said you two had broken up." She watched as her friend looked down sadly at her mug. "Is it... true?" When Eda didn't answer, she drew her own conclusions. "Oh no... I'm so sorry Dadam! What happened? What about the party tomorrow? Do you want to postpone it?"
"Hayır! The party is still on."
Melo frowned. "Ama...How? How will you two... I don't understand anything right now."
Melo looked devastated and it broke Eda's heart. She sighed. "Serkan and I...We..."
At that moment, the doorbell rang. Both women looked at each other frowning. They didn't expect anyone and they wondered who it could be at this hour. Melo decided to go get the door while Eda waited and listened. She rose her eyebrows in surprise when she heard Melo greet the visitor, and got up to meet them.
"Enişte? Iyi misin?"
"Merhaba Melek. Is Eda here? I tried to call her but..."
"Serkan?"
Eda felt her heart break in her chest when she saw his face and dishevelled hair. She wondered what could have happened that put him in such a state. When his eyes met hers, she saw how tears started pooling out of his eyes and he walked straight to her. She put her arms around his neck just as he circled her waist with his and buried his face in her neck, breathing her in.
"Aşkım? What happened?"
He shook his head but didn't answer. She stroked his hair a little while longer before he stood up straight again. She cupped his cheeks and caressed them softly with her thumbs. Then, without a word she took his hands and led him upstairs to her room. Once there, she sat on the bed and he did the same, putting his head on her lap.
She caressed his hair softly to soothe him. She could see his eyes glistening even though the tears no longer flew but she felt her own tears fall. He circled her waist and nuzzled closer to her bump, putting a kiss on it. She didn't try to pressure him into speaking because she felt that just being close to her was all he needed in that moment. He would tell her sooner or later.
After a while, he sat up and, seeing her tears, took her in his arms. She put her head on his chest and just listened to his heart while he stroked her arm.
"I went to see my father this afternoon." He said. "I needed to confront him about the complaint. I needed to know he wasn't guilty."
Eda faced him and took his hands in hers. "And what did he say?"
He studied her face in silence. "He did it. He is guilty."
"Oh baby..." She kissed his forehead and pulled him on her heart.
"I'm so sorry Eda."
"Sorry? Why?"
"For everything my family made you go through. For what my father did to you and your family, for putting an even bigger rift between you and your grandmother, for..."
"Stop it." She answered. "I don't care about what happened in the past. It doesn't concern you nor me. If not for your parents, I wouldn't have you. And you're my everything. Please stop saying that. You are not your father and you are not your father's mistakes. Everybody makes mistakes, that's how we grow. And I'm sure he is suffering enough for all of us right now. So stop blaming yourself."
Serkan hugged her tightly and whispered how much he loved her. "How can you be real Eda Yildiz? How did I get an angel like you? You went through so much and you are so strong. I admire you."
"So are you hayatım! If only you could see you through my eyes." She kissed his eyelids then his forehead.
He sighed. "I also wanted to apologize for this morning. It's just that I hate this situation."
"So do I. And I also want to apologize. I should have been more comprehensive."
"Yok Eda. I know why you want to do it and I know you're right about this. I'd like to have you all to myself but I know that it won't be possible unless we do as you say. So let's do this."
Eda looked at him with hopeful eyes. "Does that mean that you agree?"
"I do." He nodded with a small smile. "Let's fool Semiha hanim together."
A/N: Hello everyone! How are you all doing? I hope you're not too confused or mad at me right now but yeah... ^^' WHO ELSE FREAKED OUT WITH THE HANKER CONTENT YESTERDAY? Because I sure did and I think I'm in heaven. I just cannot WAIT to see the trailer and I am so excited for season 2!! :D
Next part is the gender reveal! Finally! Any last minute guesses? Please vote and comment if you liked this chapter. Thank you for your support! Stay safe! Talk to you soon! - Sarah :)