Together Again

Chapter 9

Eda had only meant to glance at her emails. It was supposed to be a quiet day, alone in her parents' house, where she could just breathe and take her mind off work. But then, there it was in her inbox—a message from Selin, titled Final Thoughts. She almost didn’t open it. Part of her wanted to ignore it, to delete it without a second glance, but a gnawing curiosity got the better of her.

As she read, Selin’s words sliced through her like a knife.

Email from Selin:

Eda,

I don’t know if you’ll even bother to read this, but I need you to know the truth. Your so-called “recovery” has been nothing but a drain on Serkan, on the company, and frankly, on everyone’s patience. I tried to be polite. I held back for as long as I could. But look where that’s gotten us.

Since you forced your way back into his life, everything has gone downhill. You’re not the strong, independent woman you think you are. You’re weak. You’re a burden. Projects have been slipping through our fingers because Serkan is too busy babysitting you instead of focusing on what really matters—the company we built, the clients we worked so hard to win.

I can’t stand by and pretend anymore. You’re destroying everything around you. The entire team has been tiptoeing around your fragile state, pretending you’re fine when it’s clear to everyone that you’re dragging Serkan down. I see the strain in him every day. He doesn’t deserve this, and I refuse to stand by and let you tear apart the life he worked so hard for.

You’re selfish, Eda. You can’t even see the harm you’re causing. I just hope that one day, you realize what you’ve done. I hope you realize the pain you’ve caused. And honestly, I hope you disappear from all our lives for good.

In fact, I hope you die soon.

Eda felt the final line hit her like a punch to the stomach. Her hands began to shake, the room spinning around her. She read it over and over, hoping she had misunderstood, that her mind was playing tricks on her. But the words stayed the same, stark and cruel, staring back at her.

Every ounce of confidence she had fought to regain slipped away in an instant. The doubt, the shame, all the self-blame that had crept into her mind over the past months surged forward like a tidal wave, drowning her. She felt like she was collapsing inward, unable to escape the guilt that Selin’s words ignited within her.

After what felt like an eternity, Eda forced herself to get up, blinking back her tears as she moved with a numb determination. This was it. She couldn’t do this anymore—not to herself, and especially not to Serkan. If she left, maybe things would go back to the way they were supposed to be, without her presence adding chaos to his life. With trembling hands, she packed a small bag and left a note on her parents’ dining table.

Eda’s Letter to Her Family and Friends:

Dear Family and Friends,

I need you all to respect what I’m about to say and, most importantly, to not try to contact Serkan. This decision is mine alone, and it’s something I need to do for myself.

I’ve been struggling, trying to find myself again, but I feel like I’ve only caused pain and burdened everyone. I thought I could manage, that I could be strong, but I see now that I’ve only caused damage to those I care about. Serkan doesn’t deserve to carry the weight of my struggles, and I can’t keep pretending everything’s fine when it’s not.

Please don’t look for me. I need time, space—away from everything—to understand who I am and where I belong. This isn’t goodbye forever, but I ask you all to respect my wishes and let me find peace on my own terms. And please, don’t tell Serkan anything. He deserves to be free from the weight of my troubles.

With love,
Eda

When her parents found the letter, they were shocked and heartbroken. Her mother, upon reading it, burst into tears, clutching the note to her chest. She couldn’t believe her daughter had been in such turmoil, that she’d left without a word or a chance to help her. Eda’s father, though equally shaken, tried to stay strong, but the weight of worry was clear in his eyes. They wanted to call Serkan immediately but were torn by Eda’s request to keep him out of it. How could they stay silent when Serkan would undoubtedly want to help her?

Meanwhile, Eda’s friends gathered at her parents’ home, reading the letter together with somber faces. They knew Eda had been struggling, but no one had expected her to reach a breaking point like this. They felt helpless, their worry tempered by the need to respect her wishes.

That evening, Serkan was still in the office, his meetings dragging on far longer than he’d anticipated. He had tried calling Eda throughout the day, his concern growing with each unanswered call. When he finally had a break, he dialed her again, pacing the length of his office. The ringing felt endless, and his worry deepened with each moment of silence on the other end. He knew something was wrong.

When he didn’t hear from her by nightfall, he went into full panic mode. He called Eda’s parents, desperate for any sign of where she might be. Her mother answered, her voice tense, and Serkan knew immediately that they were hiding something. When he asked if they’d seen Eda, her hesitation confirmed his fears.

“Serkan,” her mother said, her voice thick with emotion, “Eda left a note… she’s gone.”

“What do you mean, she’s gone?” he demanded, his voice rising in panic. “Where did she go?”

Her father took the phone, trying to explain gently. “She said she needed time, Serkan. She left instructions not to tell you. She feels… she feels like she’s been a burden to you, to the company. She needs space to heal, and she asked us not to interfere.”

The words hit Serkan like a sledgehammer. Eda thought she was a burden? That she was better off alone? He couldn’t understand it. She had always been his light, the center of his world. To think she believed herself unworthy, that she had been struggling so deeply without his knowledge—it was unbearable.

He dropped into a chair, his heart pounding, a feeling of helplessness consuming him. He had spent months reassuring her, trying to make her feel safe, trying to be the strength she needed, but somehow it hadn’t been enough. And now she was gone, and he had no way to reach her, no idea where she had gone or how long she intended to stay away.

Desperate, he began calling her friends, searching for any clue, anyone who might know where she was. But each call led to the same answer—no one knew anything, or if they did, they were respecting her request not to tell him. He felt trapped, powerless to help the one person he couldn’t bear to lose. The walls of his office felt like they were closing in around him.

In the days that followed, Serkan barely slept, consumed by worry and guilt. He poured over every detail of their past conversations, every moment they’d shared since she had come back into his life, searching for signs of her pain he might have missed. His partners tried to console him, but he was inconsolable, unable to focus on anything other than the desperate need to find her and bring her back.

The only thought that kept him going was a promise he made silently to himself: he would find her, he would make things right, and he would do whatever it took to remind her of her worth. No matter where she had gone, he wasn’t going to give up.