Early Bird (Erkençi Kus)(Part 1)

32. Can and Arzu make a deal

Arzu angles herself towards Can, looking at him with hooded eyes. "I'm so glad there's no paparazzi around, aren't you?" She chuckles and glances around them. "Imagine if they saw us together up here. I mean, you're the most sought after bachelor out there and I'm a popular, in demand model," she shrugs.

Can doesn't miss the flirtatious tone in her voice.

"The tabloid headlines would go bananas...'Couple of the year, Can Divit and Arzu Tash!'" Arzu laughs.

Can tries to envision this as she talks but he can't see it, so he just nods. She wasn't wrong though, the papers would post something along those lines. "You're right, it's good they're not here." Arzu smiles and then twirls a piece of loose hair around her finger. "Listen, Arzu," he wanted to talk to her and get this over with. He wanted to go home. "I want to talk to you about the offer I sent you." He looks at her, serious now.

"What offer?" she asks. He frowns and she sighs. "Oh, that one." He nods. "I really want to work with you Can."

"Then why accept Aylin's offer instead? I can't wrap my mind around that." Arzu looks down. "I came here to try and convince you to work with us. You need our company as much as we need you."

Arzu frowns as she thinks, then her eyes pop up suddenly like she saw someone. Can looks towards the window but sees nothing.

"This assistant of yours is very curious."

He looks again, but Sanem wasn't there. She probably just passed by.
"Yes, well, we're not talking about her, we're talking about you cancelling on us. I don't think I can just accept it, Arzu." He leans on his elbow. "You agreed this morning, right? And then, out of the blue you change your mind and choose Aylin. Explain to me how that works, because I don't see it."

"When you say us, you mean Fikri Harika? Your father's company." Can nods. What else could I mean? "Are you like, running it now? Oh my God, that's so awesome!" Arzu beams.

"It's just for a while."

"I can't believe it! Have you added it to your list of merits yet? CEO?" she laughs flirtingly again. He nods again. He was already the CEO of his own place before he sold it, all that changed was the name. "I always said you'd be the boss."

He just looks at her for a moment. "Arzu, don't work with Aylin, come back to us."

Arzu smiles stiffly, frowning as she turns away, playing with her thumbs. She wanted to tell Can the truth but then he would see the picture and she would just die if he ever did. He couldn't see her like that! She walks to the deck chair and sits. "Can," she starts, "I can't come back." He frowns in question and waits. She sighs after glancing up at him. "Aylin is blackmailing me," she says, closing her eyes and hiding her face. There, she said it! She told him. Maybe he would accept it with little details.

"What?" he asks. "Blackmailing you? How?" Can walks over.

"It's too embarrassing," she shakes her head. He sits down next to her, taking off his glasses in the shade.

"Arzu, please tell me. We'll figure it out. I promise."

Arzu stares at him and then she groans. "It's not fair...when you say please and look into my eyes like that..." She shakes her head.

Can looks down, his lips twitching. He didn't mean to look at her in any way other than to make sure she was aware he was serious.

Putting her chin in her palms, she presses her lips together in a pout and then she says, "There are these old photos of me that she has access to." She looks really embarrassed by this and Can just waits for her to go on. "I'm a little...fat...in them."