10 Minutes

"Tell Me You Love Me"

March 28, 2019

He couldn't look at the ring he held in his hand without a pain that wrenched his gut into pieces and tore his heart to shreds. Standing in the living room, dressed immaculately; he felt the glare of his fathers eyes on him as well as the shock written across  Leylas face. But nothing compared to the anger that filled Emre Aydin. Nothing. "I don't care if you are the King of England, I will not have you besmirch the honor of my sister. How dare you walk in here and say such horrid things about the kindest and sweetest person whose only fault has been trusting someone implicitly and loving someone more than her very self." Wave's of anger, hot as coals; rolled off his tall, svelt and well muscled body. When he turned and looked at Can the only thing that was left to be said would determine everyone's future. "Can...you know Sanem .... you know she would never betray you or your family and certainly not in this manner. Never". His voice was barely contained and his tone was direct but held a question mark at the end of his words. When Can didn't answer he stepped forward as Leyla grabbed for his arm but he pulled it free looking back at her with anger but love as well. He turned back to his brother in law and asked again "Can.... tell me that you don't believe this disgusting story or these photoshopped images. You of all people should see right through this". Emre stared at Cans lowered head that hung down so low his chin was nearly resting on his chest. When Can didn't respond Emre slowly straightened his body to his full height of just over six feet and turned in a half circle to all those standing in a semicircle around them. Aziz stood to Cans side looking just as angry as Emre felt but said noting. Miribahn only covered her mouth and looked toward each of her children while tears rolled down her face. Metin stepped forward and stood between Emre and Can and spoke for the first time since Anil had dropped the bomb that had simultaneously seemed to have explained the events of the past six months while at the same time created nothing but a nightmare of confusion and suspicion. "I told you cousin. I told you months ago that this would happen". Metin glared at the self assured and arrogant man that tried in vain to hide his glee. "Shut up Anil. Shut up if you know what's good for you". Emre starred at the man and closed his eyes in frustration and fury but held his temper in check. "Listen. This is not going to be solved today. Can need's to talk to Sanem in private and I'm sure there will be an explanation that will.....". Anil stood up from the chair he seemed to be lounging on the whole time and guffawed at the words Metin spoke. "For a lawyer I would have thought you would be more astute Metin. We've known each other all our lives and yet you're still the bleeding heart. I've shared with you the reports, the pictures and the details of what has transpired and as a stockholder in this company I'm not going to sit back while that tramp gives away anymore information than she already has". This time it was Can who rose up tall and if looks could kill, Anil would be dead where he stood, but before he could speak Emre launched himself the short distance that separated him from Anil and took him down with an uppercut to the jaw. The room broke out in curses as Metin tried to hold Can back and Leyla screamed and cried for Emre to stop. It was Aziz that spoke loudly and brought everyone to a halt. "Stop. This is nothing but lies. Only lies and innuendo. Son, I assure you these  pictures are fake. Fake.
I would never have betrayed you like this my son. How could.." but he was not allowed to finish his words before Leyla shouted at him with unsuppressed anger and resentment. "You liar.... you cheated on mother time and time again and you stand here and expect us to believe you. To give assurances that mean nothing to us. You must have threatened her. How else could she have done.....". Leyla stopped short of finishing her sentence as her husband face snapped toward her with pain and unbelief in his eyes. He shook off the hand she laid on his arm and stared at her as if he was memorizing her features. He was utterly silent yet his body language spoke volumes. "Emre...no...you misunderstood me.... I misspoke please...." but Emre held up his hand and turned to look at Can once more. "You will answer me now and you had better be certain of what you say. My father is ill and therefore I speak for my family now. Do you trust Sanem or not? Your fiancé, your future wife? Yes or no?" Leyla tried to lay her hands on Emre but he brushed her off without looking her way. She felt the strength of his rejection and hurt. "Emre.....let's let Can and Sanem.....". Emre stood like a rock facing Can and Aziz Divit. When Can didn't answer he moved quickly toward the exit. "Emre wait! .... Please stop!. I'm coming...." but Emre had heard the deafening silence that came from Can and it was more than he could bear. "Leyla, I am going to the hall. My sister is waiting in vain for a man she loves and trusts to arrive .... but I can see that he is no man at all. Not the one I believed him to be. The  sooner she knows it the better off she will be. Stay here because right now anything else I say to you will only serve to hurt you and that's not something I wish to do". Emre stalked out the door and was gone before Leyla reacted and ran after him. Can stood watching it all as if it were a movie. When the sound of his phone ringing broke the silence and the transe he seemed to be in, he reached in his pocket and looked at the screen as the words Askim, lit up the screen. He wanted to desperately answer the
phone but no words came to mind only images of her in the arms of another on the day they should have been house hunting. Her at dinner on the night she said she didn't feel well. Her at the door in a mans shirt with little else on while a man caressed her face. Her and his father seated in the park with the man standing to her right. And the last image of the man kissing her with his arms wrapped around her and holding her intimately across her back and bottom. His fists clenched and unclenched as he tried in vain to hold on to what sanity remained but when the phone rang once more he turned and smashed it to the floor sending all its pieces across the room in various directions. He looked at his father for the first time and said "I never want to see you again. Don't cross my path or I will destroy you once and for all". Aziz faced his son and watched him leave the house with Metin on his tail. Looking across to Miriban and then to Anil he said. "If you are behind this Anil I swear I will make you pay for it if it's the last thing I do. Yigit Erdogan may think he has fooled me and Can to lay claim to his fathers interest in this company but he's got another thing coming. You tell him to leave Istanbul before my son finds him or I do. Now get out of my home."