Tears of love

15 | 𝐂𝐡𝐨𝐨𝐬𝐢𝐧𝐠 𝐚 𝐬𝐢𝐝𝐞

Nehir had spent more time in the kitchen in the last two days than she ever had before. She preferred to stay with Aleyna than Neslihan and Bora.

Hakan and Fidan had come yesterday, and they had given Metin some bad news. Nehir had been able to tell from the way he had left his office. Something bad had happened, and Metin was furious.

Hakan had wanted to talk to her, too, but Nehir didn't want to see him. She didn't want to hear any lectures her brother planned to give her. She knew him well enough to know he had already thought about what he wanted to say. But she wasn't a child. She was tired of her brother's lectures. She had learned the lesson herself. The hard way.

Her family would never stand by her side. Metin would always see his business as more important, and Neslihan would have been happier if Nehir had never been born. She hated the fact that her firstborn had been a daughter and not a son. Bora had killed the man Nehir loved, and he hadn't even cared that she had seen the whole thing.

She had no guarantee that the Uçars would care more about her. But, at least, she wouldn't expect them to. She wouldn't be related to them through blood. They weren't the ones that had known her her whole life. She didn't expect them to care what happened to her. If they turned their backs on her, at least it wouldn't hurt as much as her family's betrayal had.

The Uçars owed her nothing. Yavuz owed her nothing. Nehir also owed them nothing. So, she didn't expect anything from them.

"What do you plan to do now?" Aleyna asked. "No one knows what happened, and Neslihan won't let you get away."

Nehir shrugged. "I found a way out for myself. Maybe you should do the same."

Aleyna laughed softly. "I won't leave this house as long as I am alive."

"Why?" Nehir asked. "It's not like Neslihan and Bora are nice people to be around."

"Ever since when have you started calling her by her name?"

"Ever since I realised she has always been anything but a mother to me."

What kind of mother could do what Neslihan had done to her daughter? Oguz was dead. Neslihan knew how Nehir felt about him, but she hadn't cared. All that had mattered was the family's reputation, not Nehir's happiness. It was always the family's reputation and never their happiness. Nehir doubted it would ever change as long as Neslihan and Metin were alive.

If they weren't going to treat her like a daughter, why should she consider them her parents? What had they brought her? Pain and suffering. Nothing more.

Aleyna sighed. "I promised Aylin to take care of her children when she died. They aren't here now, but I won't leave. What is your way out, Nehir? Getting married?"

"It's the only thing I can do."

She wouldn't manage to run anymore. Besides, even if she would, where would she go? Ayşe couldn't save her from Metin's wrath. What other choice did she have? She had no place to go, and no cousins or other relatives would be interested in helping her out. Getting married was the only thing that could get her out of that house.

She had no way of knowing her life would be better. From all she knew, Yavuz could turn out to be worse than Bora. His family could turn out worse than hers. But at least they hadn't been the ones to kill Oguz.

Hakan hadn't been involved in that, Nehir knew it. Her brother would have never allowed something like that to happen. But Hakan also wouldn't go against Metin. So, Nehir had to choose a side. And she would choose the one that had nothing to do with the death of the one she loved.

Bora entered the kitchen, interrupting their conversion. Nehir refused to look at him. Every time she did, she remembered that night.

Bora had been dressed in a black suit, as if he had been going to an important event. His dark brown hair was the same as hers, and madness had been shining in his green eyes. He was a monster. He had killed the one Nehir loved, and she would never forgive him for that.

"Mom said to bring her some tea."

"In a few moments," Aleyna replied.

Bora shrugged and left.

Aleyna started to make the tea while Nehir watched her. When she was done, the woman put it on a tray and took it to the living room.

Nehir didn't offer to go in her place. She didn't want to see Neslihan. She had even eaten with Aleyna those past two days, completely ignoring the family. They hadn't cared. As long as she wouldn't try to run away, they didn't care.

"Mom said you'd better show up at dinner," Bora said, returning to the kitchen.

"Why?" Nehir asked.

Aleyna hadn't returned yet. Neslihan probably made sure she had something to do.

"Nehir, listen. If you don't do it, then–"

"Then what? What are you going to do? Are you going to kill me, too? You can't do that, can you?"

Bora moved forward until he was standing in front of Nehir. They were of the same height, and she was done being afraid of him. She had spoken the truth. He couldn't kill her, and he had already hurt her more than anything else he could do. There was nothing Bora could do to her.

She had clearly annoyed him. She could tell from the look in his eyes.

"Nehir," Bora said, grabbing her by her shirt's collar. "Mom said to come, and if you don't, I will–"

"What will you do?" She asked, pushing him away.

"Nehir, don't you dare–"

"If you touch even one strand of my hair, I'll call Yavuz, and I'll make him break your bones."

"You wouldn't dare!"

"Really?"

Nehir turned her back to her brother, and she took her phone from the counter. Dilek had given her number to Nehir that night, and she had saved it in her phone. After all, Yavuz's mother told her to call her if Bora tried anything.

"Nehir, stop it!"

But it was too late. She was already dialling Dilek.