BAY YANLIŞ

Episode 12 - The heart of the matter...

What could be worse than wrongfully ending a budding relationship because of one's own insecurities? Finding a way back to the beloved yet being unable to protect them. Being helpless against the winds that batter their soul. Being incapable of shielding the beloved from life's unfairness - all because of the beloved's love for You.

Özgür's blood boiled. The fury running through his veins the moment he saw Tolga enter his new restaurant sped up its pace when his pitiful cousin advised him that he would now become Özgür's landlord. The fact that Tolga was always one step behind Özgür seemed to give way to a reality from an alternate universe. It wasn't enough for Tolga to go after Özgür because of "La Gabbia", which Tolga insanely thought of as his. No, that wasn't enough. Tolga now reveled in the idea that Özgür would not only pay him rent, Özgür would have to play by his rules as well. That was not something Özgür took lightly.

But...

Nothing prepared Özgür for the blow he received to his gut, AND his ego, when Ezgi introduced Tolga as her new employer. That's right, her new employer. While Tolga smiled repulsively, Özgür tried to decide whether he should punch Tolga for being a donkey's arse, or whether he should knock the daylights out of his cousin for going after those close to him. Because one thing was clear. Tolga knew exactly what he was doing when he hired Ezgi. Moreover, he knew who he hired, and why.

But...

That wasn't all. Ezgi learned in one very painful blow just who she trusted with her work. She trusted the epitome of all definitions of a "Mr. Wrong" as a boss. Tolga was no patron. He was a provocateur. One that hated Özgür. She didn't have to look very deep to see how much Tolga hated and envied Özgür. She told Özgür right then and there that she was going to quit. On the spot without a moment of hesitation. Tolga laughed. That was exactly what he was hoping for. It was too easy even for him. He became Özgür's landlord, he was going to make sure he got "La Gabbia", and he was going to hit Özgür where it hurt the most. He was going to hit Ezgi.

Fully aware that Özgür was going to explode, Tolga handed him a piece of paper he had conveniently crafted himself. He didn't anticipate Ezgi would be by Özgür's side when he read it but, why not? Killing two birds with one stone was even better. This way he would save himself from repeating himself. And his time was pretty precious, for the ruthlessly busy businessman that he was. Tolga smirked as he watched Özgür unfold the paper and read it. He watched with utter pleasure and rapture as he saw fear, disbelief, and helplessness paint Özgür's face in a variety of colors of rage and a coming rampage.

Likewise, Tolga had to compose himself and keep from bursting out in a vicious superior laugh when he saw Ezgi's fear, disbelief, and a similar shade of helplessness in her eyes. But he misjudged Özgür and the strength of his fist. That was something his face didn't appreciate. Özgür launched at Tolga with so much force that Tolga didn't have any time to prepare for it. Özgür saw that fear in his cousin's eyes, not that he cared for it one lousy bit because he didn't. He only cared about Ezgi.

Özgür let go of Tolga's neck just long enough to grab him and throw him out. Tolga'a face hurt but so did his pride, but not for long. He composed himself and reminded Özgür that he would regret it. He would pay for his disrespect. He also reminded Özgür that as his landlord, he could flick a finger and Özgür would lose his permit to the new establishment. License or no license, he would prevent the restaurant from opening. Period. As a great token of his benevolence, Tolga reminded his cousin to keep the little piece of paper incriminating Ezgi. He had more copies of it and would surely go to the press with the statement.

When Tolga left, Özgür's temper flared so high that Ezgi could literally see it in his eyes. She feared for Özgür, for the restaurant, and for her own future. She had walked right into a trap set by Tolga. But why? What did Özgür do to Tolga that Tolga could not get over? What did she do to deserve such treatment? What did it mean for their future? Özgür looked at her as if he heard her questions in his own head. He needed to think. Most of all, he realized he would need to protect Ezgi. She fell victim to Tolga's sick game simply because she loved him.

After they left the restaurant, Ezgi still could not believe that someone would be so vile as to turn on Özgür and her to such an extent. She had dealt with her share of bad characters in her life, but even Soner did not come anywhere close to Tolga. She asked Özgür about his past with Tolga. What exactly happened between them that turned Tolga into the spineless, pathetic, and revengeful man that he was?

Özgür sighed. He knew Tolga. He knew his father too, and the apple did not fall far from the tree. Tolga was as brainless as his father. He was also too blind to see that his own actions brought on the sort of consequences he was too weak to handle, just like his father had been. Özgür looked at Ezgi and then back on the road and gave her the background. It started with their fathers. The family tolerated Tolga's father's gambling and drinking until he lost "La Gabbia". Özgür's father did everything he could to get the restaurant back into the hands of the family. After he did, Özgür's aunt turned the restaurant over from Tolga's father to Özgür' father. Tolga had sought revenge ever since.

When Özgür and Ezgi arrived at "La Gabbia", Ozan and Deniz were sitting by the bar. Ozan was happy to see them but soon figured out something wasn't right. Özgür confirmed his suspicion with the grim look on his face. When Ozan asked him if there was a problem, Özgür sighed and replied that there wasn't just a problem... there was a nightmare. They just spoke with Tolga. Deniz asked Ezgi what Özgür meant by that. Unable to speak, Ezgi passed her the document that Tolga so gleefully gave them.

What Deniz read sounded serious. It was serious and a lawyer's degree was not needed to figure that out. Ozan was appalled. It was obviously a trap set for Özgür and Ezgi got dragged into it. Deniz pointed out that this was now beside the point. If Tolga planned to punish Ezgi and it ended at a monetary fine, that was one thing. If he intended to go public with the accusation, it would end her career... if it stopped with that.

Özgür grew quiet. There was another aspect of the whole matter that they were not seeing. There must have been someone close to them who kept leaking information to Tolga. How else could it explain that Tolga was suddenly one step ahead of them, every step of the way? They all agreed. But no one realized just how close Özgür came to stating the obvious. But Emre did because he figured it out. In a heartbeat, he knew. So did Gizem. The only problem now was for Emre to find the evidence against Gizem that would show just how two-faced she truly was. Even after Özgür pointed to Serdar and they all agreed with him.

The first piece of evidence came to Emre sooner than he expected. As the group of friends left "La Gabbia '' determined to find out if there was camera footage of the act that Tolga accused Ezgi of, Gizem disappeared to send a message to Tolga. Ha! Emre was onto her. But he needed to make sure he could get his hands on her phone without getting caught. That was no easy task, even for the best detective with the most uncanny perceptive skills under the sun.

Just as Özgür suspected, when they arrived at the place where Ezgi supposedly used her laptop to send classified company information, the camera footage was unavailable. How convenient for whoever set up the trap for Ezgi. Little did Özgür know that the footage did exist. It was saved. Those responsible for incriminating Ezgi bashed their heads against one another because of their flawed and clumsy inexperience. 

Since they were unable to obtain the camera footage, Ozan decided it would be best that they head back home. Though they were leaving empty-handed, they actually didn't. Özgür was convinced more than ever that Tolga was out to get him and was NOT working alone. Özgür didn't believe in coincidences, and they were coming up with more and more examples that confirmed it. He needed to speak with Tolga and decided he could not wait any longer.

On their way to the car, Ozan asked Özgür to slow down so they could speak. What Ozan revealed to him shot another wave of temper through Özgür. So, Tolga came to "La Gabbia" to snoop around? So, he came to sow a seed of fear in his employees? So, he assumed it was okay? Ozan saw the anger brewing in Özgür's eyes. Ozan tried to calm him down and told his best friend he was going to tell him but did not want to spoil the surprise for Ezgi's birthday. Özgür calmed down and decided he had to put an end to Tolga's sleazy interference in everyone's lives. And he really did mean everyone because this time, Tolga went too far.

At the time when Özgür went to speak with Tolga, Ezgi helped Deniz figure out another piece of the puzzle that became more and more clear each time they looked over the facts. So, Tolga was not working alone. There was a spy. And somehow Serdar was involved in it. But there was still the question of the incomplete documentation for their permit. Then it dawned on Deniz. There WAS someone close to them that had access to the documentation. Irem.

When Özgür walked into Tolga's hotel, he was not surprised one bit that Tolga's employee told him where Tolga was waiting for him. "One step ahead", Özgür thought and shook his head. He tried to remain calm and he did. He figured he would not give Tolga the satisfaction of losing his temper again. Tolga chose to play dirty but he would not. He asked Tolga what he wanted from him. Tolga paused, smiled, leaned in, and whispered what Özgür knew the moment he heard of Tolga's return from America. "La Gabbia".

Özgür shook his head. It was just like Tolga and just like the old days. Tolga wanted to swoop in and take Özgür's most prized possession. Without sweat, sacrifice, or effort. Özgür asked his cousin how dark his soul must have become that it still held a grudge against him? Why did he hold so much hatred and so much anger toward Ozgür? For heaven's sake, why did Tolga even go so far as to say that Özgur envied him for his unsurpassed beauty, even since they were young? The man was either obviously too full of himself or too insecure around Özgür. Or both for that matter.

Özgür stood up, disgusted and annoyed with Tolga. Overinflated balloons tended to run off on thin air. He told Tolga to get over himself. He also warned his cousin to stay away from him and his loved ones. Especially his loved ones. Tolga grew cold. Özgür saw the change in his eyes and deduced that continuing their conversation would be a waste of time. He left but not before Tolga warned him to watch his step, otherwise he would go after Ezgi. Newspapers, pressing charges. You name it. He would do anything to win. Özgür knew by the tone of Tolga's voice that he wasn't kidding.

On his way into "La Gabbia, Özgür hoped to get a moment of peace. He was wrong. He walked in to see none other than his mother and his intrusive aunt Fitnat scrutinizing Ezgi. He stood for a second to hear what they were saying to her. What he heard threw his temper-meter out of its loop. His benevolent and meddling aunt accused Ezgi of quitting her job the moment she got back with Özgür. He had had enough. The island goat had more decency than her namesake human equivalent.

Özgür walked up to the table where Ezgi sat hunched down as she listened to his family accusing her of the exact opposite of what happened. He let them have a piece of his mind. He did not care who heard him or who did not. He was ashamed of his mother. He really was. Ezgi was an innocent victim in Tolga's sick game. If anything, she needed their support. She did NOT need their accusations.

Though Ezgi tried to calm him down, Özgür needed to say what laid heavy on his heart. And he did. After he was done, he took hold of Ezgi's hand and walked out of the restaurant and left his mother behind. By doing so, he showed his mother just how much her words hurt him. He showed her that she let the judgement of others influence her rather than trusting him with his own life. He also did something else. He opened a window of opportunity for Emre to reveal to his mother and aunt Fitnat all that he and Ezgi had gone through with Tolga.

Though Tolga celebrated the momentary high in his game of bitter revenge, he was completely unaware that Özgür was onto him. Little by little, Özgür was gaining more and more assurances of how sick Tolga was and how careless about who he sucked into his vile plan. Accomplice number one, Irem, had just gone down for her help. She didn't just get caught and exposed by Deniz and Ozan. She was caught red-handed by her employer who did not take the matter lightly and fired her. Needless to say, Irem realized she could not be the only one going down for what happened. If she went down, she was taking Serdar with her, one way or another.

When Özgür and Ezgi arrived home, he was not just happy because they found out that Irem got caught, he was happy to be home with Ezgi. Home and alone with her. Come to think of it, he wasn't just happy. He wasn't hungry either. He was smug. Smug and eager to hold Ezgi in his arms without any interruptions whatsoever. But before he could, Ezgi decided they would cook supper. Together. As a couple. In their kitchen.

Özgür had to admit that enjoying a meal on the terrace took on a different meaning when he shared that meal with Ezgi. Something about her brought him peace, the kind of peace that filled him completely. And he was not afraid to say it out loud. As he did, he let his feelings dictate the words that came to him. He revealed to Ezgi how much she meant to him. How he felt insecure yet strong enough to move mountains. How he felt fragile yet utterly confident in his logic and the choices he made. Next to her, he realized that somehow his good choices actually turned out badly. And his bad choices turned into the sweetest form of Fate showing him the right path to take... and he owed it all to her.

He waited for Ezgi to respond. He hoped she would understand him and would not laugh in his face. And she did not. She couldn't. Özgür's words touched her deeply. She too realized how much her life changed when he showed up in it. How much she changed. She went from a broken shell of a woman to one with enough stamina and courage to fill her heart and soul to the brim. That is something she would never forget. Never.

When Ezgi fell asleep, Özgür took advantage of the time to be with his own thoughts. He walked onto the terrace and looked out at bustling Istanbul all around him. It was strange for him to think of the logic of his ways before he met Ezgi. Where would he be now if it wasn't for her? Out and enjoying nightlife to the fullest. But where was he? Home, with the woman he loved and fully content in feeling this way. He thought of how they met, and everything that they went through. Looking back at it all, even getting stuck on the deserted island filled with goats and criminals added so much to their love.

And then it dawned on him. He fell in love...

He really did fall in love with Ezgi, didn't he? Somewhere between jumping into the same taxi and sitting on a bench overlooking the Bosphorus sharing a kiss that turned his heart on its head, he fell in love with Ezgi. He understood now what it meant to have a heart outside of one's body. Because his heart and his love now resided in Ezgi's heart.

He felt the same way when morning came. He let Ezgi sleep on the couch where she fell asleep the night before. He did not want to disturb her. She had gone through so much the day before, and it was all because of him and Tolga's sick vendetta. No, he did not want to wake her. Özgür crouched down by the couch and watched her sleep and realized what he needed to do to protect her. Moreover, he realized how much earthly possessions meant compared to finding true love. Or rather, how little they meant. So, he managed to bring back "La Gabbia" to the successful venue it was now. He did it and did it well. If he did it once, he would do it again. On a grander scale now because he had Ezgi beside him. He smiled, got up, wrote a sweet good morning note for Ezgi, and left to finish what Tolga started.

As his luck would have it, Özgür ran into Haydar on his way out. He didn't know if it was good luck or bad luck but talking to Hayday actually eased his temper a bit. He had to calm down while talking to Hayday. Like every day, Haydar asked him where he was heading so he told him. He was heading to... kindergarten. How else could he react when Hayday forced him to reply in a dry, witty, and purely sarcastic way. Although Özgür left shaking his head at Hayday, he had to admit he did feel better, if only a bit.

Since Özgür was determined to make sure Ezgi was out of harm's way, he decided to give Tolga what he wanted. He would give him "La Gabbia" but he needed to speak with Ozan before that happened. Though it wasn't easy, Özgür admitted to Ozan that he made the decision to do as Tolga had requested. Ozan did not know what to say. Özgür put his heart and sweat into the restaurant and was letting it go now? Özgür nodded, agreeing with Ozan. Yes, he worked hard to make sure "La Gabbia" worked like a perfectly oiled machine. Yes, it would be hard for him to let it go, especially into Tolga's hands. But Ezgi's well being mattered more than anything to Özgür. He never thought he'd fall in love. He never thought that love was hard to fight for. But if something was hard to fight for, it meant that much more. Moreover, Özgür wouldn't just give up "La Gabbia", as a condition, he would buy the location of the new establishment from Tolga.

Emre heard Özgür and couldn't agree more. Love mattered. True love mattered because it had the power to win against the world's harshness and the challenges of everyday life.  Emre could not have been more proud of his boss. The same could not be said of Gizem. She felt the exact opposite way of how Emre felt. She was furious and dismayed at the level of ungratefulness Özgür had shown her ever since Ezgi showed up in their lives. Gizem could not believe Özgür considered Ezgi above her and above the restaurant itself. Out of spite, she texted Tolga what Özgür was planning to do, unaware of just how much harm she had caused by siding with Özgür's enemy.

What happened next left Özgür wondering where Gizem's loyalties lay and left Ozan speechless. Since they were going to open up the new establishment and "La Gabbia '' would soon be turned over into Tolga's hands, Özgür needed to find out who would stay by his side. And who would side with Tolga and stay behind at "La Gabbia". So, Özgür gathered all the employees and asked them to choose. All of them chose to follow him with one exception... Gizem. Özgür gave her the benefit of the doubt and asked if she was sure. She said she was. She even went so far as to offer him an ultimatum. If he did not make her the public relations representative at the new establishment, then she did not want Özgür to be her boss anymore.

Özgür was surprised but not hurt by her words. Gizem chose who she would side with and it wasn't him. So be it. He understood it better than Gizem realized. He honored her decision pointing out that the position she requested to take was already Ezgi's, whether Gizem liked it or not. Since Özgür preferred not to speak with Gizem because he chose not to use petty words to insult her, he told Gizem to speak with Ozan about her dismissal and dissolution of employment.

After Ozan walked after Gizem, Özgür sighed. The day was getting more and more interesting by the minute. He wished for a moment where he could just get his mind off the negativity of everything pertaining to Tolga. He got his wish when Emre asked if they could talk. He asked Emre what it was about and Emre replied it was about revealing a secret. Özgür all but picked him up and threw him over the bar. If Emre was going to tell him that HE was the traitor, he had defintely picked the wrong time to do it.

Emre panicked and quickly replied he would never ever betray him. Instead, he revealed that he may have accidentally, not on purpose, through no fault of his own, set a small insignificant fire to the restaurant sometime in the recent past. Now Özgür did feel a different set of emotions inside. Small fire? Did Emre just say that he caused a small fire? That small fire set them back one month for renovations and fixing the damage. But as confessions went, Özgür was grateful to Emre for brightening his mood because he most certainly did.

Then it seemed Özgür's day may have turned out better than he assumed it could. Before he left the restaurant to speak with Tolga, his mother came to see him. She apologized for her behavior and for misjudging Ezgi. Özgür began to apologize to her as well but she stopped him. It wasn't his place to say he was sorry; it was hers. She had wronged both him and Ezgi. Just as Fitnat had. Özgür smiled. Fitnat surely did wrong them but neither his aunt or his mother did so out of spite. He forgave them and felt a new level of comfort knowing his mother finally accepted Ezgi as his beloved.

Just as he had set out to do, Özgür went to Tolga with the contract surrendering his rights to "La Gabbia". The contract was drafted, finalized, and it would be binding once Tolga signed it. Tolga couldn't be happier to see his cousin. He wasn't too bothered by Özgür's demand for ownership of the new establishment or by his request to not file charges against Ezgi. He also found humor in Özgür's request to stay away from him. Why? Because all that mattered was that "La Gabbia" was back in the hands of its rightful owner... him.

Özgür left Tolga's office as soon as the papers were signed. He was done dealing with his poor excuse of a cousin. Done. If he never saw his face again, it would be too soon. So, he left and called Ezgi. He was going to pick her up so that they could go to the new establishment.

No sooner had they arrived at the new location when Ozan and Deniz showed up. Though Ezgi was worried about Tolga and about what would happen to her, she was happy for Deniz. Her best friend was going to open up her own law firm and she had the support of a loving man by her side. Ezgi could not decide which one made Deniz happier. To lighten up the mood even more, Özgür announced they should open the new establishment right away. And by that, he meant in four days. Ezgi all but choked while trying to respond to him. Did he really think that four days would be enough to organize a grand opening? Özgür smiled. Why not? How hard could it be? After all, he taught her how to dance the Tango to perfection in four days.

Later that night, Ezgi worked her magic to make sure the plans for the grand opening were on schedule. Bored and not interested in work matters at all, Özgür had better plans. He smiled in a smug sort of way and suggested they should turn in and go to sleep. His suggestion was not only rejected by Ezgi, it would have been dismissed because Cansu and Levent came to visit them. Cansu couldn't hide her excitement about moving in with Levent, while Levent could not hide his dismay at the number of things Cansu had gathered over the years. He told Özgür that it was one thing for a woman to walk through a man's mind, but something completely different when she walked through the man's home. Take Levent for example. One minute he was pretending to be single to the greater audience, the next he bought a ring and was getting ready to marry Cansu.

Four days had passed and the new restaurant grand opening came sooner than they anticipated. Everyone showed up and were in great spirits. Cansu and Levent announced their wedding plans. Ezgi's mother and stepfather showed up for support, and even Özgür's mother and aunt Fitnat came. Özgür's mother couldn't have been happier to see that Ezgi wore the bracelet she had given her. Moreover, she apologized for treating Ezgi the way she did. Her words touched Ezgi and made Özgür happy as well.

At some point during the evening, Özgür and Ezgi found a bit of time to slow down and enjoy a dance together. The grand opening was a success and the restaurant would surely attract new clientele in large numbers. Ezgi kept close to Özgür and thanked him for everything. She also told him that she found out he surrendered "La Gabbia" to Tolga. Though she would have told him not to do it, she was touched that he did. Özgür smiled, leaned in closer, and whispered to her that nothing else mattered but her. Fame, money, reputation. It all paled in comparison to her. She was his everything. When Ezgi told him she loved him, he said it back to her because he meant it.

They danced, embracing each other. They were in love, they were happy, and fully content in their feelings for one another. And then... the evening took an unexpected turn when the Police showed up. They showed up for Ezgi. She was scared but not as much as Özgür was. He could not believe that Tolga went back on his promise not to press charges against her. No, wait. Özgür realized in an instant that it was Tolga he was thinking of. He should have known better. He should not have trusted him. He should have protected Ezgi because the heart of the matter lay in her own heart.

Özgür swore to himself that he would protect Ezgi at all cost. ALL COST...