The Price of Pride

Chapter 18

They hear nothing from Melisa for months. She apparently took Emir's threats seriously. Reyhan is back to being happy again and that's all that matters to him. He has a happy wife. He has a happy kid. And he has a happy friend, despite how much that friend tries to deny it. Zafer has been in a complete state of bliss in his new role as husband and is completely over the moon about impending fatherhood. But he still won't admit that Emir was right all along. Emir doesn't even try to convince him anymore. He just watches in amusement as Zafer caters to Defne's every whim.

Zafer has even begun to spend more and more time in Ankara. The original plan was for the two to go on leading their separate lives much the same way they've always lived, the only thing between them being a marriage on paper to help Defne keep her job. But Zafer started showing up every weekend. And also a couple times during the week when Defne would have a doctor's appointment. Now, he's located almost full time in Ankara. And the times he's not here, Defne has started traveling to Istanbul with him. The two seem to be very happily living in both places together.

He even spends most time at Defne's office when he doesn't have direct work with Emir or Murat bey. Which is how they all came to meet up there on this day. They're coming up on the end of the waiting period for Emir and Reyhan to be able to adopt Ayla. So this meeting with Defne has turned into an informal lunch for all four of them.

"Oof, that was a strong one," Defne says, rubbing her hand on her stomach where the baby is kicking.

She takes Reyhan's hand and places it in the spot so can feel it too.

At about seven months along, the perfect, round bump fascinates Reyhan. She'll admit that she has a bit of baby fever. Ayla is still young, but not as young as a baby. She loves cuddles, but she also loves her newly emerging independence. Seeing Defne like this makes her yearn for a baby too.

"I bet you can't wait to meet this little one," Reyhan says wistfully, still rubbing Defne's belly.

"I actually love being pregnant," Defne gushes. "But yeah. I can't wait to get this one in my arms. Zafer actually wants another one almost immediately. But we'll see about that. I'll probably need time."

"Zafer?" Reyhan asks with some surprise, looking over at the man.

He looks slightly embarrassed.

"I want our kids to be close in age," he shrugs. "That way they always have each other. Neither of us have siblings. We don't want this baby to grow up alone like us. I was lucky to have Emir, though. He's been my brother my whole life."

Defne's desk phone rings, so she leaves the others to talk while she goes to answer it. When she rejoins the group, her mood has definitely dropped.

"What is it? Are you okay?" Zafer asks, immediately tuning in to her emotions. He runs a hand up and down her back a few times when she gives him a sad nod.

"There may be a bit of a problem," she says after looking at Emir and Reyhan. "As you know, before the adoption, we had to have a period of time where the adoption is "advertised" for lack of a better word. That waiting period is to give the birth parents one last chance to claim a child about to be adopted when there's no official paperwork of the birth parents relinquishing their parental rights. As in the case with Ayla."

"Okay," Emir says, taking Reyhan's hand as if to block the bad news from here. "So what is the problem here? You told us Ayla was abandoned as a baby. And that no one has heard from her birth mother since. That she's been in and out of foster homes all her life."

"Someone came forward," Defne tells them. "A woman claiming to be her birth mother. She's actually here now. With her lawyer."

"A lawyer?" Reyhan asks with a gasp, turning to Emir. "Emir? What's happening?"