rich | matteo berrettini

two || 02

[1304 words] arguable edited
—

it wasn't a secret to anyone really. ozan was the best option for KEMAL MEYER out of his three children. a business graduate that cared about what the industry was all about. intuitive. married (even though it proves to add absolutely nothing to the business except a 'hmph, must be mature' look from investors), intelligent, resourceful, and all in all, a stern and friendly guy.

except, that's not all what success entails of.

he wanted nehir to step up to expectations. she had been left to her own devices for far too long and he knew she would be the bite the company needed alongside ozan's experience to keep it going after the old man was gone.

this leads us precisely to this moment.

'dad i don't see why this has to be an issue. what if the heir rejects whatever is given and passes it on the spare.' nehir argued.

delara sipped her kahve, her dark eyes darting between her other siblings.

'don't call me a spare! dad do you hear this?' ozan, equally accusatory, calls out.

'nehir don't call your brother a spare.' kemal tiredly calls out, pinching the bridge of his nose.

'i really left my lunch break for this.' delara muttered loudly. ozan had to roll his eyes so far back it might've actually gotten stuck there. he didn't mean to bite off her head too but he was far too annoyed with nehir's stubbornness to care about the clear humour laced in his other sister's words.

'i'm so sorry that you've had to be troubled by this queen delara. it's only our father trying to make sure he can afford your luxury holidays every other damn week.' ozan was pissed, and unreasonably so. he didn't know what it was about nehir's indifference that made him extra mad at everyone. they had been close as children, but their different wants in life had decided them.

delara's stance changed, her eyes squinting tightly at the words. 'ozan don't get it twisted sweetie. you know those happen once a year. in case you haven't noticed, by which i won't be surprised considering you've monetarily decided to bury you head in the sand like a damned ostrich, i also work at this establishment so i can afford those anyway. don't come at me because she doesn't want to listen.' delara motioned to nehir with the sole power of her eyebrows.

'i can't believe i left my damn job for this-' nehir got up from the chair she occupied, red in anger. .

'sit down nehir we know that salary wasn't paying for your flat or your car or your-' ozan said again, clearly too irritated to think straight. the face he made after the comment though showcased his guilt perfectly. it was quiet for a few moments.

nehir was tired of being told lies. the only thing her father was paying for was her rent and travel costs, and even that was partially as part of an allowance. admittedly she had started out unbearably spoilt, but she sobered up from the intoxication that was wealth the second her mother passed. everything else she paid for herself. her clothes, car insurance which cost a ton, her groceries and glue sticks for her students because the class always seemed to lose them.

despite of this all, ozan's words did hit a deep insecurity of hers. that everything she worked for was not truly the fruit of her own labours but a simple wish.

nehir shifted her weight from one foot to another, crossing her arms. 'it made me feel good that i was earning something aside from what i've always had and you don't need to make me feel guilty for that. i was happy.' she was being a little dramatic but it had to be said. not all of their dreams lay in business.

it went quiet for a while. they looked around not knowing what to say. kemal's assistant, who had grown old from her years of working at the company, could be heard stopping by the door to make sure everything was fine until kemal shouted out a 'we're good.'

'dad if she doesn't want it then can we stop forcing her.' ozan continued, rubbing his temples. he'll find a way to apologise to his sister later.

the four family members were in their istanbul office, trying to find a quickly intimate solution to the problem at hand. not fight one another.

it took a few more moments when enough was enough.

kemal didn't want to bring his deathbed any closer to him by suffering through family fallouts they always seemed to be on the edge on. ozan and nehir had gotten along well as children, however nehir's not so subtle distaste for ozan's partner banu had driven them apart. kemal was a good judge of character. he knew banu wasn't as villainous as nehir made her out to be. it baffled him as to why nehir was so against her.

'everyone except delara, see me in five minutes and you better behave like how i raised you to.' the elder of the trio looked at each other and walked out, leaving delara and their father behind.

delara plopped herself on the chair grinning at her dad.

'i don't know what you're planning on bandaging their prides with  old man but i can sense that it'll be good.'

the two laughed and waited for the minutes to be up.

—

'there is no need for the loophole. nehir, look at me.'

the dark-haired girl met her fathers eyes.

'can you tell me the last time i asked a favour of you?' nehir couldn't say anything. she didn't.

'i have never denied you anything. it wasn't meant to be as a favour, all a father wants is to give their children the world. but when i see the attitude you have and the words that leave your mouth, i think i should have. maybe then you'd appreciate the efforts i went to to make sure you get what you want. even in this, i tried looking for ways to make ozan the full owner but then something hit me. i built this empire after you were born because i wanted to make sure you would never feel like you have anything less than the best.' kemal wistfully said, leaning back in his executive chair.

'you are my daughter. and ozan,' he said, looking up at the man, 'are my son. and i shouldn't have to rip myself apart because you two want different things. this shouldn't be that hard. what are you compromising for this nehir? you said you were happy working as a teacher. and i'm happy to make that experience as easy for you as possible, no matter the pay.' he said pointedly, taking a dig at ozan's comment earlier.

ozan's gaze dipped slightly, shrinking with regret at the way he had hit his sisters insecurity to win a pointless argument.

''my darling, i am very cruel for taking that away from you, but i need you.'

the man leaned forward on his chair and took nehir's hands in his.

'compromises are necessary in family. and even then i can't ask of you much. i ask of you two years and then you can leave. two years. give this company everything you've got. and then never step a foot in this building again, i won't bat an eye..'

nehir looked at ozan, who was now silent. she nodded.

—

'so where do we go first?' nehir asked, as they happily walked out of the office.  the sun was bright in the cold autumn that accompanied istanbul.

delara didn't need much time to think about it.

'i have an idea.'

—-

promise they'll meet soon guys just, just wait for it xx
-author