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Söylesene

Tell me

Everything happened in minutes, but in slow motion in Ceylin's head: blood spraying, Ilgaz lying next to her uncle, who had a blunt shot in his belly, a cell phone ringing shrilly and sirens louder in the background. Eren had found them and was getting out of the car, nervous, seeing the catatonic woman still holding the gun and thought the worst until he realized it was Metin who was gasping, spitting blood.

- Ne yaptın Ceylin?! What did you do?! – the investigator asked, but Ilgaz got up to help the ex-boss, calling him and the other policeman with a wave of his hand.

- Hadi, gël... She didn't do anything, it was an accidental shot. Give Eren the gun, Ceylin, call the paramedics... we don't know if the shot hit any organ... – at Ilgaz's voice she slowly began to act, trembling. An ambulance arrived, first aid was provided, and Ilgaz went all the way hugging the officer, who was too numb to notice or say anything against. Cradled in his embrace, she answered Eren's questions with monosyllables, understanding that her statement was being taken without pressure, but still, uncomfortable until she reached the hospital.

But she didn't even know that "uncomfortable" was the first level of what was ahead in her life.

~*~

The gendarmerie took her statement, as did the Turkish prosecutor's office and the new police chief, promoted on an interim basis. She had to explain herself to many people, who looked at her with pity, disbelief and distrust, making her feel like a dirty rag. The days were a nightmare of papers and hearings and her transfer back to the city she came from was on hold until the entire inquiry was resolved, which meant going to work where Metin had ruined her reputation, and seeing Ilgaz every day made her want to cry and her stomach turn.

It wasn't as if the commissioner hadn't sought her out intimately, he did. And he was rejected every time, there was no climate to restart a relationship that was frayed between mistrust, a kidnapping and her uncle arrested. Metin's case had given the press a plate full of gall and poured down her throat day after day.

She was exhausted.

- The trial will be quick, they want to end the scandal soon, did you saw? – one officer was saying to another, as they were printing something. Neither of them had seen Ceylin there, with a dossier in her hands and her head down in pure shame and anger. – The commissioner didn't want any information to be given to the press and Pars Savci did his best to leak what he knew...

- But these last few days he has been quiet, don't you think? – "yes, because the gendarmerie had threatened the prosecution to fire him if he didn't shut up", Ceylin thought bitterly.

- Didn't you know? Ilgaz Komiser asked the higher authorities to hush up the case because Officer Ceylin, the chief's niece, was in league with him, and as they are having an affair, he wants her to escape from prison.

- Oha! It was pretty suspicious that they were always fighting and then suddenly they were sleeping together, like two perverts. Perhaps the reason the chief took the officer was to know that he would pay for the crimes alone and she would escape by opening her legs to Komiser Kaya... – the innuendo churned Ceylin's stomach again and the two gossips finally noticed her, their eyes widening as she dumped her entire lunch down the hall.

~*~

- I was told that you felt sick today, how are you now? – Ilgaz stopped her at the end of day and detained her from pushing him away, closing the door behind him.

- It's none of your business, komiser, please don't make things more difficult. – Ilgaz was angry. He was no longer any boy to passively wait for crumbs and he had already made it clear what he wanted with that impossible woman. His pride was shattered for all the times he'd sought her out and Ceylin pretended nothing had happened between them.

- Tougher than you make it? There is no such thing. Ceylin... please look at me. – she turned reluctantly. – I can't change what happened. I can't make everything easier for now. I can only wish it to be in the past and may Allah allow us to overcome it. Don't take a sincere heart away from you.

- Sincere heart? Ilgaz, look around, what future do you see for us after all this has happened? How do you ask me to be weak and listen to the mean tongues that surround us without reacting? I don't belong here, I'm alone and in disgrace, staying by your side will only sink me deeper into the mud my uncle left!

- It doesn't have to be this way... we can face it together. – he tried to move closer, but she slammed her hand down on the tabletop, her tears hanging by a thread.

- I won't. Don't insist!

- Ceylin... – in desperation, she feared that the dam wouldn't stop, her emotions had been out of control in the last few weeks.

- I won't! I don't want to! My transfer has been cleared, Ilgaz. – he froze in place as she crushed his last hopes to dust. – I return to Mardin next week. I'll have my life again, albeit tainted by the men I've trusted, away from people who believe I'm to blame as our boss and in part because of you, because apparently I'm being covered up for sleeping with you...

- You hadn't told me that. – he couldn't blame her for being so aloof.

- I'm saying it now. Please, Ilgaz, don't come in anymore while I'm inside. Let's keep our paths separate from now on. – devastated, Ilgaz left the room and saw no more Ceylin Erguvan.

~*~

~Nine years later~

- We found the convoy trail at the border near Mardin. We'll need local police reinforcements, sir. – Ilgaz nodded, the word Mardin bringing back memories of when he was just a police commissioner in love for the first time. Now, as head of the Turkish gendarmerie, having been promoted by Yekta three years ago, his thoughts could not waver or be distracted: it was the first major case he had taken on, involving the gendarmerie and Interpol. The human trafficking gang held a group of women captive, and Ilgaz's team had almost intercepted the convoy in Cappadocia, but the bandits managed to escape.

- Get in touch with the chief of police in Mardin, please. Put urgency in the request of him, Eren komiser.

- I had already anticipated this request, but... we will not make contact with him, sir. The boss is a woman.

- Whatever. We just need to be quick before the traffickers cross the border with the women. I hope she handles the operation. – Eren smiled strangely, as if he was up to mischief, but Ilgaz was too distracted by some documents to notice.

- Olur, Sayın şefi. – making a mock curtsy, fate began to act.

(Promise is debt <3 )