Betrayal To Bliss

||The red strings of fate||

The plane was returning them back to Istanbul. Sanem, in her seat, was scribbling furiously in her diary. Her face looked like that of a lovestruck teenage girl as she engraved the delicate details of her recent honeymoon.

She gushed as she wrote the endearing accounts of her husband. Jan suddenly tried to peek, but she covered the diary instantly, making him intrigued. "What were you writing?" he asked.

She smiled, putting the diary back in its place. Jan eagerly awaited her answer. "Just some daily positive affirmations," she replied, the corners of her mouth turning upward.

Jan forced a smile, looking away. He thought, 'Sanem doesn't even know that I've already read her diary. I know her secrets, and I also know that she writes about her secret lover.'

He was still in the dark, unable to gather any information about the man who had stolen his wife's heart. How could he tear them apart? The thought tormented him, and he clenched his fist, determined to uncover the truth.

Jan's frustrated eyes glanced down at Sanem's diary, the pages taunting him with the words he longed to hear. Sanem was happily sipping her booba drink, oblivious to the storm raging inside him. He reluctantly declined her offer to share, his mood soured by the realization that her heart still yearned for another.

"Why, Sanem? Why?" he thought, his brow furrowed. "Aren't my efforts enough? Can't you see that I'm the one you truly belong with?"

Sanem stole furtive glances at Jan, her smile radiant and carefree. She had no idea of the turmoil she was causing in his heart. If only she knew that the man she loved was sitting right in front of her, hidden behind the guise of a skilled corporate officer.

Jan sighed, wishing he had Ceyda's expertise in matters of the heart. He watched as Sanem savored her drink, the innocent gesture only serving to deepen his longing for her.

"You can have it, Mr. Jan," Sanem said, her voice lilting. "I won't mind sharing."

Jan's heart leapt at her offer, but he knew he couldn't simply accept. He had to find a way to make Sanem see that he was the one for her, the one who could truly make her happy.

Jan shook his head, "I'm fine."

Sanem shrugged it off until, out of the blue, he placed a chaste kiss on her lips. She was slightly surprised as she said, "Mr. Jan, we're on the plane!"

Jan narrowed his eyes at her. "Our private plane," he replied matter-of-factly. Sanem nodded, wondering just how much money Fikri Harika made to afford such lavish means of travel.

"Sanem..." Jan called, his voice laced with an unfamiliar edge. She stared at him, noticing his eyes had taken on a reddish hue. He looked visibly angry, but Sanem couldn't fathom what could have provoked such a reaction. They'd been getting along so well.

Sanem shifted uncomfortably, and Jan misunderstood her body language, thinking he had somehow disgusted her. "So you're just living with me because you're forced to?" he thought, his jaw clenching.

Sanem felt a shiver run down her spine as Jan's warm breath caressed her face. His captivating gaze held her in a trance, making her heart flutter uncontrollably. "Sanem, why are you calling me Mr. Jan?" he murmured, nuzzling against her lovingly.

Sanem giggled, the ticklish sensation making her feel giddy. "I'm trying, but my habits keep getting the best of me," she admitted, a faint blush creeping up her cheeks.

Jan's hand gently grasped her face, his thumb caressing her soft skin. "Then turn them off," he whispered in a deep, husky voice that sent shivers down her spine. Sanem could feel the heat rising within her, reminded of the way he would whisper those tantalizing words to her during their most intimate moments.