Comeback

58 - Settlement of accounts

Can

This second marriage is a new beginning for us, we begin to live our married life finally as a normal couple and in the light of day.

I accompany Sanem to the city for an appointment with Metin with the understanding that she will join me at the agency to go out for lunch together, I feel like taking her back to that little restaurant on the coast where we went on our first day of work together, while we were waiting for Akif's prints for the airline's campaign.

I feel as excited as a kid all morning waiting for my wife, could it be that I can't get enough of her? That I constantly seek her company like an infatuated teenager?

I go into my father's study to bring him some papers and take the opportunity to tease him a little.

- What about Dad? What about your new setup at the estate, do you like the place? Am I mistaken or have I seen some appreciation for your new landlady as well? -

Aziz smiles amused - Ah Can if you knew how much I appreciate her! -

I don't understand, I didn't expect such an answer, I look at him questioningly.

- Come son, sit down, I will summarize the situation like this: the woman who allowed you to find your lost love is actually MY lost love. Can you believe it? -

I shake my head confused, it takes me a few moments to process my father's words, lost love?

I open my eyes wide in surprise - It can't be, Mihriban is the woman you told me about? The woman you regretted a lifetime of losing? -

- That's right Can, apparently fate wanted me to find her through you, if that's not fate I don't know what else to call it -

I am definitely surprised by this extremely unique coincidence.
-What are you going to do now?

- Simple, take her back. I will fight this time to win her back and I will never leave her again - he shrugs smiling.

I reach across the desk to place my hand on my father's and give him courage and support.

- I wish you success, Dad, you deserve so much happiness.

We exchange a look of sincere affection just as we hear a knock at the door, we turn around surprised and there is my Sanem.
It seems like a dream to see her again within the walls of Fikri Harika, I get up happy to welcome her, I hold her tightly in my arms and place a light kiss on her head.

- Come Sanem, sit here on the couch while I ask someone to bring us some tea, what do you say? -

- No stop, I want to make this dive into the past, I'll go prepare it wait for me, I'll be right back.

And like a hurricane of effervescent energy he disappears towards the corner bar of the agency, we exchange an amused glance with Aziz - You don't know how much I miss her  here, she's really a good advertiser, she has a very original way of thinking -

Aziz is about to say something when we are interrupted again by the knock on the door, it's Ceyda and Huma this time.

- Merhaba, I just came by to talk to you Can, maybe we can go out for lunch so I can explain my concerns about the locations you have chosen for the campaign - Ceyda says, to which Huma replies - Sure, go ahead guys, I need to talk to Aziz about business -.

Neither I nor my father can answer that an unaware Sanem enters the office holding the tray with our teas.

The two women turn around surprised to see her there, the first to react is Huma who, in a scornful tone, reprimands her - Has this girl gone back to work at the agency? That's fine by the way, listen don't disturb us now, we have things to do -

I feel the blood rise to my brain, the moment I've longed for has arrived, I approach Sanem and take the tray from her hands placing it on the desk, I hold her by my side putting my arm on her shoulders, then I take her hand with mine to show our rings.

- Huma, Sanem doesn't work here, she came to have lunch with her husband.
I am very happy and proud to introduce to both of you  my wife, Sanem Divit -.

They were both stunned by this revelation, in the office there was absolute silence and dismay, to make the concept even clearer I caressed Sanem's cheek to make her turn her face towards me and I printed a passionate kiss on her lips.

When I turn back to look at them, I see Ceyda shaking her head and blurting out - I'll go, then we'll talk about the campaign - while she turns and trudges on her high heels towards the door to retreat.

Huma on the other hand is green with anger, clearly not happy with the turn of events.

- How could you Can? How could you marry this artless little neighborhood girl when you could have powerful, classy women like Ceyda or Polen? Have you forgotten that because of her you did unspeakable things, you even made a man disabled? -

I am about to answer him in tone when I hear Sanem's confident and composed voice.

-How can you do that? How can a mother hurt her child, want to make her child suffer the pains of hell out of guilt for a terrible act when she knows it's all a lie? How could she have done this to Can? Made him live months with the remorse of crippling a man knowing it was all a lie -

I am stunned by her words but it is nothing compared to the dismay in my mother's eyes, she has clearly been taken aback by Sanem's words.

- What does that mean? - I ask but I can already see the answer in my mother's terrified eyes.

Sanem continues .

- It means that I have seen Yigit walking as a healthy and free man and one of his employees told me that he has never missed a day from work due to any accident.

I went to see him this morning to inform him that I am terminating our contract for the publication of my book and to tell him exactly what I think of a man who pretended to be an invalid just to create confusion between Can and I in order to divide us.

He tried to deny it, but in the end he had to admit what happened, and as the scoundrel he is, he also pointed out that it was Huma's idea, but it doesn't change the fact that he lent himself to the vilest of deceptions and I don't want to have anything to do with him, I hope I will never meet him again in my life.

I'm speechless, I never thought my mother shined in maternal love, but to hear what she was capable of against her son was chilling.

I try not to let my anger overcome me and I tell her glacially:

- Huma, you have never been a mother to me, you abandoned me as a child without a hint of remorse, you took away my brother and prevented us from growing up together, I have always struggled to have a civilized relationship with you, but the perfidy you have shown in your actions towards Sanem and towards me truly is unforgivable.

You made me live for months with the thought that I  had condemned a man in a wheelchair and then, after seeing him, I had to accept that I had made him lame.

Do you realize how sick I was? What nightmares woke me up every night for months?

And all of this for what? To make sure I would get away from Sanem, from the woman I have always loved and always will love?

As you can well see, love has found its way in the end while your wickedness will get exactly what it deserves, that is indifference.

You have never been a mother and never will be, you will not know my children nor the warmth and affection of a family as far as I am concerned. I don't want to see you anymore, you don't exist for me anymore, don't try to come near me or my wife, get out of Istanbul I think I can say that nobody wants you here. Hoşçakal, goodbye -

Having said this I take Sanem's hand, I bring it to my lips to kiss it and I take her away with me, we leave the company to go and live our life, our life without that despicable woman who has done us only so much harm.