The Wedding Night...

Sweet torture...

Dilan ate while admiring the man in front of her. He was wearing an all-black tuxedo, bow and all, contrasting with his skin. His hair, usual Baran style, and his scent was as intoxicating as ever. The way her husband was looking at her, she hoped he would never stop. Who would have thought that what she believed to be a cruelty of fate at first was her biggest fortune in life. Anyone would be lucky to have the attention of a man like Baran. "Your mind has wandered around again." His voice compelled her back. "I was just thinking about you." He gave her a smoldering look, and she melted. "Would you care to share?" She looked around them. She also looked at the table. The view was magnificent. The terrace looked like a fairytale. From the rails, lace hung, dancing to the tune of the wind. There were lights distributed in a way that gave the feel of candlelights. It didn't escape Dilan's eyes that the flower arrangements were based on red poppies, otherwise known as blood flowers. That flower had more than one meaning for them. Although, at the beginning, she thought that the flower symbolized their shared misfortune, in reality, it was the symbol of their love. "I was just thinking how lucky I am to know you, to be your wife... Everything around us shows how much love and dedication you put into this night. Like these flowers..." He remarked. "Our flowers..." She agreed with her head. "The symbol of our love." He picked one from the flower pot on the side of the table and knelt beside her. She turned her body to him. "That is not the only meaning..." He examined the flower in his hand with his arms on her lap. "I never told you this, but there was a point before we revealed our feelings that I was exhausted. Holding my ground during those days was hard. I felt everyone was against me, against us. I felt alone..." 

"I did what I always did before you. I went to my mother's grave. I poured my heart out to her. I did everything but admit that I loved you. I knew I felt something; you were constantly in my mind, but I could not name it. Or I was afraid to name it... I was in turmoil. I was questioning all the decisions that concerned you. I was sure that had I grown up with her by my side, I would not have struggled as much as I did to recognize my true feelings. I was preparing to leave, having, for the first time, found no peace after talking to her. Then, something in the corner of my eye caught my attention. There it was. In the middle of winter, a blood flower in full bloom was before my eyes... As soon as I saw it, I knew. My mom had sent me a sign. I was doing the right thing. I was on the right path." Curiosity invaded her. "When was this exactly?" He replied. "Remembered the day Mr. Seyit went to the mansion? When I arrived, everyone had their guns, pointing at each other..." She remembered. She had been so scared that day. But when she saw Baran, she trusted he would solve things somehow. "I bet the reassurance you had after seeing the flower disappeared after watching that scene." He indicated no with his head. "The opposite. The flower I saw had grown in the cold. With effort, it managed to survive the harsh conditions and stood there in all its beauty. It made me understand that it would require work if I wanted something to bloom between us. And although I won't deny I was at a loss sometimes, I never waver in my convictions." She reminded him. "Not even when we were about to divorce?" A frown was displayed on his handsome face. "Do you mean when you asked for a divorce because you were jealous?" 

Dilan looked upset. "I was not the only one that acted recklessly when faced with jealousy, Baran Karabey." He smiled. "But I never asked you for a divorce, did I?" She crossed her arms and diverted her gaze. With the help of his fingers on her chin, he made her face him. "To be honest, we were at an impasse. We were not moving forward or backward. We needed to have our backs against the wall to acknowledge our feelings for each other. The divorce was the catalyzer." At those words, her face softened. "I agree, but it was a difficult time. I was so scared of losing you." Placing the flower on her soft hair, he said. "That was not even a possibility for me, Dilan. I didn't know how but knew I would stay in your life somehow. And you are right, it was hard. However, I would not trade anything we experienced, my angel. Even if they were hard times, they brought us here. They brought us together. Our love was tested repeatedly, and we became strong every time. I'm sure of us, our love, our bond. What we have is unbreakable. We are partners for life, my Dilan." She smiled at his words. "What if there is a next life?" He touched her nose playfully. "Wherever I am. Wherever you are, we will always find one another, Dilan. And like in this life, I would never let go of you." He meant every word he just said. She stood, pulling him with her. "Who said I would let you go?" He pretended he was thinking about it. "You almost did when you were jealous over Serap." He knew she wouldn't like that. She punched him in the arm. "That was different. I didn't know your feelings for me, otherwise..." He tilted his head, waiting for her to finish, but she didn't. "So if today a woman were to show interest in me, you would be totally fine with it because now you know I love you?"