The Price of Pride

Chapter 37

"Cavidan hanım!"

Melike runs into the room in a panic when she sees the collapsed Cavidan on the floor.

"What happened to her?"

Emir just shakes his head and lets out a deep, irritated sigh at the game his mother is playing now..

"Just my mother being my mother," he tells Melike, disappointed in the way things are turning out. A fake faint? He would have thought she'd be able to do better than that. "She's fine. We're going to finish our little conversation once she's awake from her little nap here. Can you make sure we're alone?"

"Of course, Oğlum," Melike says with a nod. "I'll send everyone home for the day. But your father's nurse will have to stay."

Emir nearly loses his balance when he spins around to fully face Melike.

"My father?" he asks her, completely in shock. "What is my father doing here? How did he get here? When?"

"Your mother had him sent home from the clinic," Melike explains. "He's only been here for a day. Suna doesn't even know yet."

Because his sister had come to see him yesterday after she had been informed of his return. She ended up staying the night as their guest. So no, she wouldn't know anything about what their mother has been up to.

This changes everything. Before, Emir had planned to come here to confront his mother. He'd throw in her face all of her actions and then tell her in no uncertain terms that he wasn't her son anymore. He wanted to wash his hands of his mother completely. Tell her this was the last time he was stepping over this threshold. That she'd never see Suna again. But his father being back changes things. It's a reminder of what this place is. This place is his home. This place is where his family belongs. And he can't let his mother drive them away from their legacy. That's what she wants.

Emir lets out another sigh. He has no idea what to do now. He needs time to think. He needs to see his father. So he has Melike take his mother to her room. He can't deal with her at the moment. His father is his priority right now. Reyhan is his priority. She's going to want to see her uncle. He makes some calls.

It's well over an hour before Reyhan and Suna arrive. Emir had sent Sefer to pick them up and bring them. Both women were happy and emotional seeing Hikmet. After the initial hugs and kisses, they decide they want a celebratory meal. So they head to the kitchen with Melike to plan something. Emir is left alone with his father. And plans are made. Plans to end this nonsense with his mother once and for all.

When everything is ready, Emir calls for Cavidan to join him and his father. It's finally time for the long awaited confrontation.

"Oğlum," she says, giving him a cautious smile. "I see you've found the surprise I had for you. Your father is home! Isn't that wonderful? We're all back to where we belong. We can be a family again."

"After what you did? Anne, how do you expect us to ever be a family again?"

He sees panic in her eyes at his words. But she covers it and turns an innocent gaze to him.

"What do you mean? What did I do?" she asks. "Or better yet, what has the almighty Emine Yilmaz said I've done? Emir, I swear I don't know why you trust those people so much. They do what that girl you married tells them. You know she has always been sneaky. Whatever you think I'm guilty of, I'm sure she did it and is trying to pin it on me."

"You're blaming Reyhan for my kidnapping?" Emir just lets out a humorless laugh. "Really? So you are saying Reyhan and her family had me locked in that hospital. Not you and Cemre. You had nothing to do with me being there?"