10 Minutes

"I love you,..Can"

The light shone through the curtains as the morning sun spilled across the bed in a soft glow. The room that was decorated in natural shades of earth tones against a white background seemed luminous just then as she cast her eyes across the form next to her.  She had been awake for a while now just listening to the sound of his breathing. She hadn't even considered that he would sleep anywhere else but with her. Gone were the days that she worried about propriety or her cultures view on these things. All that mattered now was him, them and a future that was as fragile as a new life. She felt some security in their newly found trust in each other although she had been afraid to find out about what kind of relationship he had experienced with the Italian woman. They had sat alone, hand in hand as he told her everything from that night. When he had finished recounting his story she was able to see exactly what their lack of trust and faith had cost them. It hadn't been just him, it had been her too. If only she had spoken with him directly, if only he hadn't left, if only her brothers hadn't interfered, if only she hadn't been so broken, if only she had waited another 10 minutes and called him... he might have answered. If only she had answered his calls 10 minutes before she boarded the plane... they might have talked. She closed her eyes and willed the tears back. She couldn't change their past but she could learn from it and avoid the mistakes that had taken such a toll and cost them their happiness. She had listened to him with an open mind and heart ... and she believed him. She didn't have any doubts that it had happened just as he said. He was clear when he said he had drunk excessively but he hadn't been as drunk as when she met him at his cabin after smashing everything in it to pieces. He knew exactly what happened including when he let himself try and forget her by returning the blondes kisses. That had made her stomach turn. He had spoken quietly and deliberately but her imagination ran wild for a moment before she was able to reign herself in. They were broken up. He could have easily slept with half the women in Italy had he wanted to and he wouldn't have been breaking any vows but it would have hurt nonetheless. She couldn't deny that knowing he kissed that woman in return caused her pain yet she understood the need to forget a love that would never come back from where they cast it. She had done it herself with Alejandro. Can hadn't asked about that but she knew she would have to share that with him. He had carefully avoided that subject while he pursued her and calmly waited for her to open up to their love again. She hoped he would give her the same grace she had shown him. What troubled her now however was that she had something much more personal, more painful to share with Can and she didn't quite know how to begin to speak of it or how he might react. What she did know was that she needed to tell him. There could be no moving on without a complete baring of her soul. She needed it as much as he needed to hear it. She knew that he had learned that she had been unwell because shortly after returning from Italy he sought out Emre and Osman. They both refused to tell him where she was. He cornered Osman later and it had turned into a brawl but her brother had let slip details of how poorly Sanem had actually been but he hadn't divulged all. It was up to her to share the whole story and the sooner the better. With the impending court battle she wanted Can to be at peace with their relationship once and for all.

Metin hung up his phone and looked across the table to Aziz. "I should return to Turkey. The necessary papers need to be drawn up and I have some loose ends to follow up on. Something about this whole things smells to high heaven and I want my best investigator on it. I have a feeling that this may all be a set up, but what the end goal is...beyond ruining Cans reputation, not to mention his renewed relationship with Sanem; is eluding me. We know that any wealthy businessman is prey to blackmail and the like but the fact that this child is a bit over two years old makes no sense to me. If someone wanted to blackmail Can why wait until now? Surely there was no relationship to be lost. He has been alone since Sanem and he split up. There is something more here. More than just money". Aziz had been pacing while Metin spoke but it was Leyla that piped in. Although she had been estranged from her father for many years now, their had been a upspoken truce since Can's accident and since their arrival to Costa Rica. "Baba perhaps we are not looking at it the right way? What do we actually know? Metin please tells us the details as best you can about this situation. From what I can tell you had some prior knowledge before my father shared the news with us all". Metin explained that he had been dealing with Can's criminal complaint about corporate espionage that they were all too familiar with. He explained that it was odd to him that a small firm operating in Turkey and abroad  represented Yigit and Anil. They had put up a vigorous fight but as everyone knew Can had been able to prove that Anil had been the mastermind and that he had enlisted Yigit in his plan with the promise to give the black sheep of the family a minority share in the company he intended a takeover. It had all failed miserably but Yigit had vanished before he was to turn himself in. The last anyone knew about him was that he had booked a flight to Dubai and the rest was vague information with no real substance. Metin had not given up on finding Yigit and had employed a very meticulous investigator to follow his trail. Although they were at a standstill the investigator felt he had made inroads with some connections and it was just a matter of time before someone did something or said something that would give him the clue he needed. Leyla grew frustrated at what she felt was known information and before she could speak Emre rested his palm against her arm and spoke up. "Metin we are aware of most of this. Thanks to Can and your efforts, Sanems name was cleared but how are these two things related?" Metin stood up and walked around the desk and leaned up against it while speaking to the group. "The firm that filed the suit against Can in Istanbul is owned by the same small firm as the one used by Anil and Yigit. It took a bit of digging to find that out but as I said the investigator is diligent and thorough. They are tied together by an investment group associated with Anils late father. His fathers company had gone belly up but just before that his uncle and aunt, Yigit's father and mother sold their shares to an Italian group. The same group is still in buisness and one of its holdings is that firm". Osman spoke almost at the same time as Leyla. "So Yigit.....could this all be his doing?"  Metin nodded but Aziz was the one to speak. "I had my suspicions but I believed Yigit would be laying low and trying to avoid being deported back to Turkey for fraud and corporate espionage. Instead perhaps he has been behind this whole drama from the beginning and it has been Anil who was the pawn. In fact the more I hear the more I believe that to be the case". The only person who had not said much was Osman and now he too said his piece. "Just before Sanem left Turkey Yigit left her a message but I erased it believing that it was another attack on her. Looking back though Im not so sure". Metin nodded his head asking for clarification. "He said something like ... You deserved better. Someone authentic who could stand by you not the imposter Can Divit. It may not be word for word but I remember specifically he said the word imposter".
Once again everyone in the room turned to each other trying to make some sense of the whole business. Emre leaned forward in his chair to Aziz "I realize that this whole sordid business has embroiled your son and my sister and caused our families to become fractured. I do not want that for my child and my family. Can and Sanem have made their feelings known and we will support them in whatever they choose. Leyla and I will support them and you in finding out what this is all about. You can count on us". Aziz looked at his son in law with respect but then turned his eyes to Leyla. He knew there was much to mend but this was a beginning and he would take it. Leyla
looked from her husband to her father and simply nodded with a slight frown on her face.