Turkish Love

Monsters of Night

It wasn't the call that disturbed Cann; it was the thought of Ritika being with Oziya. But what exactly made him feel so bad—so uneasy, so jealous?

“I don’t love her. She’s just a nice girl. So why can’t I accept that she’s dating someone else?” These thoughts consumed Cann as he waited for the evening.

Delitz, his girlfriend, left for her modeling shoot in the afternoon, kissing Cann on the cheek before heading out. Still unsettled, Cann canceled his promotion tour for his new movie, hoping a few days off would help him clear his mind.

As the sun set, he decided to go for drinks at the club. He opened his door and, as if by fate, Ritika’s door opened at the same time.

Ritika was dressed in tights, a skirt, and a white sweater. Cann glanced at her, his eyes trailing up and down as they both silently walked toward the elevator, avoiding each other. But he couldn't stop himself from staring.

Irritated, Ritika finally turned to him. “What?” she snapped.

“What?” Cann replied, his voice calm.

“Stop staring at me,” she shot back, clearly annoyed.

“I’m not staring at you,” Cann said nonchalantly. “I’m watching the elevator, making sure it doesn’t get stuck.”

Flashbacks rushed through Ritika’s mind—memories of the last time she had let her guard down with Cann.

“It doesn’t always take a stuck elevator for people to know each other,” Ritika said, her voice cracking slightly.

“Do we really know each other?” Cann stepped closer, his voice a whisper, almost daring her. “Do we?”

Ritika’s breath hitched as she found him inches away. Half-closing her eyes, she mustered her courage and locked gazes with his intense, dark eyes. “Yes, I do,” she said softly.

“You’re a liar with a girlfriend, and I’m a fool with a date tonight. That’s all we need to know about each other.”

"Why do you bother that I have a girlfriend?" Cann sighs with irritation as he is tired of this constant reminder.

Ritika stands silent looking at screen of elevator flashing the number of floors they have passed by.

She stepped back as the elevator arrived at the ground floor, breaking the charged tension between them. Cann moved aside as the door opened.

“This is what you do when the world’s watching,” Ritika muttered as she walked out. “You step aside.”

Cann closed his eyes in frustration, holding the elevator door for a moment before following her. He reached for her hand but stopped short when he noticed Feliz, the security guard, nearby.

“Hello, Miss Ritika,” Feliz greeted her, then nodded at Cann. “Good evening, sir.”

Cann offered a stiff nod, letting Ritika go on her way.

“You look lovely tonight, Miss Ritika,” Feliz said, smiling.

“Yeah, she’s going on a date,” Cann muttered under his breath, annoyed. He didn’t want to be around when her date arrived.

But as he walked away, he overheard Ritika telling Feliz, “The date was canceled this morning. I’m just exploring some restaurants in Turkey.”

“Oh, I’m sorry to hear that,” Feliz responded. “But you should try Lucca Bar. It’s one of my favorites.”

Ritika smiled. “Thanks, I’ll check it out.”

As Cann drove off in his car, Ritika hailed a cab to take her to the Lucca Bar, located in the seaside neighborhood of Bebek.

The bar, with its modern bistro vibe, was lively as the night set in. Ritika ordered a drink and looked through her phone, lingering on photos of her and Cann from a trip to Cappadocia.

Each picture pulled at her heartstrings, and she poured herself another drink.

After few moments, Her phone rang, but she couldn’t hear it over the noise. She stepped outside to answer, only for the call to drop.

Realizing her phone had died, she paid her bill and went outside to wait for a cab.

It was getting dark, and she felt a slight unease as two men across the street kept staring at her.

Trying to shake off her anxiety, Ritika looked around for any sign for other people.

She started walking to get away from the sight of them.
But soon, she realized the men were following her.

Her heart raced as their footsteps quickened.

She glanced at her dead phone, cursing herself for forgetting her pepper spray.

Ritika couldn't find the sense of which direction she was walking to.

Panic surged. She slipped off her heels and broke into a run, but her ankle gave way, and she stumbled onto the road.

The men were now just a few steps behind. Tears welled up in her eyes as she struggled to stand, limping in pain.

One of the men reached for her.

“Yakala onu,” one of them said in Turkish—“Catch her.”

"O bu gece benim" (She's mine tonight) The other laughed with his lusty eyes on her.

Ritika closed her eyes, bracing for the worst.

But then, a sudden force pulled her back. She opened her eyes to find herself in Cann’s arms, his presence both familiar and reassuring.

He glared at the men , and they quickly backed off, fleeing in fear.

"Ritika, are you hurt?" Cann’s voice trembled with panic as he watched her spiraling into an anxiety attack.

"Did they hurt you?" he asked, unable to contain the anger bubbling inside him. Seeing her gasping for breath, searching for something—anything—to ground her from the terrifying incident made him feel helpless.

Cann gently lowered her to the ground, kneeling beside her.

“Riti, take a deep breath,” he urged softly. His voice steadied, offering a calm contrast to the chaos inside her. “Look at me. Just focus on my eyes. You're safe now, you’re with me.”

His words wrapped around her like a lifeline, as he tried to soothe her panic.

Ritika sobbed uncontrollably, her fear and relief crashing over her. “They… they scared me. I was so scared…”

“It’s okay,” Cann whispered, holding her close and patting her hair.

“They’re gone now.” Cann hugs her tightly.

“My phone died… I left my pepper spray at home… I didn’t know what to do,” she cried, her anger at Cann forgotten in the face of her terror.

“Shh, it’s alright,” Cann soothed her. “Come with me, No one can hurt you now".

Seeing her injured ankle, Cann lifted Ritika into his arms and carried her to his car.

Ritika clung to him tightly, not wanting to let go. Once they were in the car, he handed her a water bottle, gently patting her hair as she drank. He fastened her seatbelt, his concern palpable.

As he drove them home, Ritika drifted into sleep, her fear finally subsiding. Cann glanced at her occasionally, ensuring she was safe and at peace.

By the time they arrived at their apartment, the night had fully settled around them.