The story was special. The legend was powerful.
There were moments or story lines I desperately wished for, and moments that at times seemed small but were so important to discover and delve into. This is a book of these moments that I wanted to ex...
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Can dropped Sanem off at the agency. He should have gone to the gym, or spent the afternoon with his buddies on a fishing boat taking photos, but he couldn't. Against his better judgment, he was on his way to the Aydin family home: unannounced, uninvited. But something had to be done.
Every time he drove past the Aydin home, he had to grip the wheel to keep from stopping. When Sanem's gaze drifted toward the shop window, her eyes clouded with that faraway look and it gutted him. There was always that sadness behind her eyes, even in the happiest moments. All Sanem wanted was for them to love her as she was. And they wouldn't.
She was everything.
And it infuriated Can that their pride, their rules, their expectations kept them from seeing it — from seeing her. He didn't know how anyone could lose Sanem from their life and still live as if nothing had changed.
He hoped her parents would come around before it was too late.
But that morning watching her stare at her phone, on the verge of tears about missing a routine inventory, he snapped. It tore him apart to watch the elated smile of a confident woman collapse into the desperate sadness of a child who just wanted her parents to choose her.
He had promised himself he wouldn't intervene, that he would let Sanem face her parents in her own time. But Can couldn't take it anymore.
As he drove toward Sanem's new home, Can's chest tightened with an ache for her parents. They had treated him like family from the very beginning. Mevkibe especially, always kind and wise. She had once given Can the best advice of his life; words he still carried with him every day. And it hurt Can that he couldn't even thank her for it.
Can had stayed away out of respect for Sanem's wishes, but with each passing day it grew harder; watching her brave face falter, watching her stare out the window as they drove by. Every day he stopped himself from knocking on their door.
Today, he couldn't stop himself.
Can parked and sat for a long moment in front of the house he loved so much.
Mevkibe had been like a mother to him. And now, Can feared, she must have regretted ever treating him that way. He braced himself for the look of anger he was sure to find in her eyes.
He wouldn't blame her. After everything, it must seem like Can had turned Sanem against them, and stolen her from their family. After all they had given him, it must feel like betrayal.
The thought made his throat tighten until tears threatened. He had survived his own mother turning away from him when he was younger but to have Mevkibe do the same? He wasn't sure he could bear it.
Still, he stepped out of the car. Each step toward the door felt heavier than the last. This is about Sanem, Can reminded himself. Not me.
So he continued until he reached the front door. But his finger lingered over the bell. He just stood there like a statue. His whole body willed his finger to move that last millimeter, to let the bell's echo finally break the silence.
"Be brave, you coward," he muttered under his breath. Can pushed through the fear and rang the bell.
Can stared at his feet beneath him as he heard the shuffling inside. When the door opened and Mevkibe's voice came, cold and questioning —
"Can Bey?"
The formal title, 'Bey' struck him like a blow, twisting in his chest. He forced himself to look up.
"Mevkibe Hanım," he said, steadying his voice. "Can we talk for a bit?"
He braced for anger, for the door to slam in his face. Instead, Mevkibe stood there, tears glistening in her tired eyes.
"A short minute," she whispered.
Can nodded, stepping inside. He followed a hunched over Mevkibe to the living room. The familiar smell of potato börek drifted from the kitchen, and despite everything, he smiled. Some things never changed.
Thank you for reading this bonus chapter! I couldn't leave you with only Sanem's quiet moment so here's Can's turn. This chapter was all about his determination to stand by Sanem and fight for the family he loved so much.
I'd love to hear what you think and what will happen next... will mevkibe listen to Can? What will Sanem do next?
As always, if you'd like to support me in creating more chapters (and help fuel those late-night writing sessions ☕), you can "buy me a coffee" here:
👉 buymeacoffee.com/414rl (Just copy and paste into your browser — Wattpad links aren't clickable!)
Your support and comments keep me motivated — thank you for coming on this journey with me. 💜
