The Price of Pride

Chapter 25

Reyhan stares out the window of the bedroom. It's the first time she's been back in the room since they returned to Istanbul. She stays in the lounge area because the sleeping area still has too many signs of Cemre. Little things she knows Cemre left behind on purpose. Jewelry. Her scent all over the place. And she even has pictures of herself and Emir all around the room. The place is just tainted now.

She shivers involuntarily, remembering how her last encounter with Cemre ended. The look in her eye as she stood to the door of the freezer, the door firmly locked, with Cemre on the outside and Reyhan on the inside. Cemre looked through the small window and smiled. A crazed, creepy smile. And Reyhan knew she wasn't getting out of there any time soon. Her hands had immediately gone to her stomach, as if to be able to protect the baby from their fate.

But fortunately, fate had other things in mind. Almost immediately, the door had opened again. Reyhan thought maybe Cemre had changed her mind. Maybe she had been only playing a cruel, vicious game. But looking around, Reyhan couldn't see the woman. Instead, Suna was there. Reyhan had nearly cried in relief seeing her. But she didn't. She held it together. She pretended as if nothing had happened for Emir's sake. For her uncle's sake. She had to get through the meeting with Kemal and Narin without worrying Emir.

But all that is over now. Emir is out seeing Kemal and Narin off. And Reyhan is left alone with the reality of what had almost happened to her. To her baby. All at the hands of Cemre. And according to Suna, all set up by Cavidan. Once again, Reyhan is shocked at the depths of the woman's hate for her.

"You're quiet," Emir says from the door of the room, startling her with his sudden presence. She lost track of time and didn't realize he had come to the room. She doesn't even know how long he's been standing there.

"Did Kemal Abi and the doctor leave?" she asks him, trying to bring her mind back to the present.

"Just now," he nods, walking up to her. He pulls her into his arms and holds her tight. It's just what she needs. She instantly relaxes into him. "You doing okay?"

"Tired," she admits. Sad. Heartbroken. But mostly tired. And not just physically tired. "It's been a long day."

"You want to lie down for awhile? Maybe take a nap," he suggests.

"Definitely not in there," she says, rolling her eyes. "Let's just say Cemre left her mark. I don't feel comfortable in there anymore."

He nods sympathetically.

"I'll have Melike Abla arrange a deep cleaning of the place. Have some people come in to get it as clean as you want. We should also consider some renovations to include an area for a nursery for the kids for when we have to stay here with them. They'll have a place close to us. I know you'd prefer to keep them with us."

"That means it's time to tell everyone about the baby," she realizes, trepidation in her voice.

"Well, the baby won't stay hidden much longer anyway," he points out with a smile, cupping her belly. It's still mostly hidden by her clothes, but it's getting rounder. That, along with other subtle changes, will have people suspecting pretty soon. "Let's go tell them now. And also let them know Narin says Baba is a good candidate for the clinic. The doctor is preparing the paperwork now to get my father into the clinic in Italy. Based on her examination, that clinic seems to be the one that would most suit his needs. If everything works out, he should be ready to go by the end of the week."

"So soon?" But as soon as she asks, she knows it's probably for the best. And she knows it's time to tell Emir why. It's nothing she can prove, of course. But after what happened to her today, her suspicions are strong.