"Habbab? Is that you?" I breathe a sigh of relief when I realize that the one who has discovered us is Melek's little sister. That means we have a good chance of getting out of here safe and sound."Gul, thank you, God it's you," I say as I walk over to her and crouch down to be at her level. "What are you doing awake, you little minx? You should be in bed.""I can't sleep, ever since Esat took my sister, I haven't been able to rest peacefully, do you know where she is?""Your sister is safe and sound, in a fortress I took her to myself."The girl's face immediately lights up, just like Melek, Gul, her sister, loves stories of heroes in shining armor, epic battles, and eternal love. I guess growing up in a home where everything has the same shade of gray and black, you try to find your own refuge. A place to dream and forget about real life.It's more than obvious that Gul loves stories of princesses and magic, right now he's wearing pink pajamas with a unicorn on his chest. I have to
Chapter 19HabbabI sigh before getting out of the car and walking into Havva's house, it's almost two weeks since I brought my wife here, although it really wasn't, I wish it was. Erdem turns off the car and looks at me sympathetically, he can tell how dejected I feel. If I had the chance to make one magical wish it would be that this very house becomes our home and we never have to leave it, just stay in a bubble of happiness.I climb the stairs to the master bedroom, knock and get no answer so I dare to open imagining my wife is asleep... But no, Melek was resting in her bed, but awake and seeing me coming I knew she loathed me more than I thought."Look." I approached carefully. "I brought some things from your house, you might want to change your clothes or wear some jewelry.""Wear jewelry? Are you serious, Habbab?" her eyes rolled to the side as she laughed sarcastically "Apparently you haven't realized the situation I'm in, I'm not at a social gathering but bedridden because I
"If you want my forgiveness, then turn back the clock, don't abandon me the day after the wedding and when the marriage was already more than consummated. You knew what you were doing and what would come upon me for what you did; yet all those beautiful memories you tell me to keep in mind for what I bestowed upon you something that is impossible for me to give, mattered little to you at the moment of causing me such great pain and despair that I knew well that death was the only thing left for me to do."She kneels on the bed, seeking to superimpose me in height, to feel greater than me, her captor."You wouldn't even allow me to die, to cleanse my honor under my own rules, and I ended up being displayed in the square while everyone spoke against me. No Habbab Arslan, what you feel right now is nothing compared to what I felt that damn day. I felt like I was touching the sky that day and what you did was to cut my wings, leaving me with bloody stumps, damn you for every single thing
MelekAs soon as I hear the door to the room where he is holding me captive close, I burst into tears, letting out all the pain in my heart. I hated Habbab, almost as much as I loved him, I trusted him with everything, completely everything about me and he took it and threw it away like trash, it's not something that can be easily forgiven just like that.His grandmother had turned him into a man full of hate and so much spite, but I knew my father was not capable of committing the atrocities he was accused of. It made me so angry that I couldn't do anything about it, that I couldn't ask questions and get answers.After the wedding, this was the first time me and Habbab talked seriously, and it was only to fight and argue."You can't regret that, Melek, that man is a monster." I gave myself, and I'm right, my husband is a terrible monster who has ruined my life.All I wanted was to get out of my house, to be free for the first time in my life, to be able to leave my home and have my o
Chapter 20 In the past Melek My grandfather has let us go out together again, I can't believe it. Since we got engaged, Habbab has taken me out on dates almost every weekend. Sometimes he steals kisses from me, and I really like them, they make me feel alive, but then I feel so guilty. If Çakir finds out that I've been kissing a man who is not my husband, he would definitely take my head off, I wouldn't make it to the wedding alive, so I'm a little terrified at the thought of my grandfather finding out about us. Although when Habbab kisses me... Well, it's like the world stops, like I'm lifted off the ground and float straight up into the firmament. "Where are we going?" I ask him as soon as I realize we're heading out of town. "You told me you wanted to the fair, didn't you?" he looks at me between amused and stung. While I grinned from ear to ear. My father used to take us to the fair, it was one of the times I could be myself, run, jump, and laugh, without being told to shut
"I hadn't noticed." He stares at the little critter, looking for the similarities they have, with great intrigue."I would have liked to give you a huge stuffed animal, which you could take home, sleep with, and remind you of me.""Never mind, I like this one better, I'll put it on my desk." He gives me an encouraging expression, which warms my heart. "Besides, I don't want to sleep with a plush animal, I want to sleep with you."My eyes widen like saucers, I can't believe what he just said. I look around for signs that someone has heard us, but everyone seems to be minding their own business. If people knew we weren't married... They'd be throwing stones at us, but there's no one here who knows us and if they do they won't say anything for fear of my grandfather and even Habbab, who despite being a foreigner has proven his worth."Oops, look!" He exclaims excitedly, like a kid in a candy store. "It's that game where you hit a weight with a mallet, I want to go."The next thing that h
"That kid was making fun of me!" He exclaims, raising his voice, and pointing with both arms, the direction in which the infant has disappeared."I'm going to make it up to you." I take a step towards him, grab him with both hands, and kiss him, oblivious to the audience around us. He sighs in relief, as my lips play with his. I break away from him, because a group of teenagers have walked past us, and whistled at us, enjoying our show "Come, let's go to the Ferris wheel." I ask him, after we share an accomplice giggle."Okay, but from now on, nothing extreme." He sentences, after rolling his eyes.On the Ferris wheel, I huddle next to him, our hands intertwined, as we both gaze out at the scenery. My head rests on his shoulder, and neither of us say a single word, we simply enjoy the intimate moment, because that's how it feels. It's as if no words are necessary."Thank you." He speaks suddenly. Cutting through the comfortable silence. I peel myself off his shoulder so I can look int
Chapter 21DeryaI know I shouldn't fall into despair, but I can't help it, I want to finish the Erdoğan family with all my might. Although my new target is Melek, that woman has filled Habbab's head with goodness and I need him here, fulfilling his part of revenge. And it's been a long time since Habbab hid her and at this point, I still haven't heard back from Ayaz, the detective I hired to follow in my grandson's footsteps.I know he is infallible, but my grandson is too cautious and every time he seems to lead him to the place, he gets out of sight. There must be something that can be done, I need to find that damn girl and get this over with. Melek is a distraction to Habbab and I need to eliminate her.It irritates me to no end that Habbab is still hell bent on protecting her, even from me. Just when I thought my plans would finally be fruitful, his soft heart has given me too much trouble and headaches.That brat would pay me back, and what better than by damaging what he loves