The Price of Pride

Chapter 27

Reyhan wakes the next morning to muffled voices coming from her kitchen. Just thinking about the kitchen has her stomach rumbling in hunger. She just shakes her head as she looks down at her belly.

"Time to feed you, Little One?" she wonders aloud. She lets out a laugh when her stomach lets out even more noises, seemingly in answer of her question. "Tamam, tamam. Let's go see what Daddy is cooking."

She makes a trip to the bathroom first and then grabs her robe to go out with her family. She's just reaching for the door when it opens first, Emir stepping inside.

"You're awake," he notes with a wide smile. "Why don't you get dressed. I have a surprise out here for you."

"Surprise?" she asks, curious at what he's planning. She tries to peek around him to see what's going on outside the room, but he's too big and fills the whole door frame. She just gives him an impatient glare. "Emir."

"Reyhan," he says, answering her in the same tone. But then he does his best puppy expression and she knows then and there she won't be able to resist any request. If their baby takes after him in the slightest, she realizes now she's going to be a pushover.

"Fine," she sighs. "Give me five minutes."

He leans in for a kiss and she just rolls her eyes and pushes him out the door. But at the last minute, she changes her mind and pulls him back, again unable to resist him. Or his kisses. He leaves her light headed and panting a full minute later.

"Four minutes," he says with a laugh. "Hurry up. We're waiting."

He ducks out the door before she can ask him any more questions.

She shakes her head at this antics. Sometimes she can't believe this always sweet, but sometimes silly man is the same man that she married. But to be fair, she isn't the same woman he married. It took trial and error and compromise, but together they've become the people they were meant to be. The couple they were meant to be. Before, she never imagined she could learn to live with him. But now, she can't imagine ever being able to live without him. He's the piece of her she never knew was missing.

It's hard to believe he came from a woman like Cavidan Tarhun. That woman is pure hate. Even still, Reyhan feels bad for giving up on her and that relationship. But she's just so tired. She doesn't have the strength to let that woman abuse her anymore for the sake of keeping the family together. She can't stop Emir from being with his family, but Reyhan refuses to allow her children to be abused by Cavidan the way she has been abused. Maybe one day the woman will come around, but Reyhan doesn't see it happening anytime soon. All she can do is stay out of Cavidan's way. And hopefully have a bit of peace in the meantime. She's okay with that, she realizes. She's not truly giving up. She's just stepping back. Stepping out of Cavidan's way. Out of sight, out of mind. Isn't that how the saying goes? She'll stay far out of Cavidan's sight. And maybe the woman will forget about the inexplicable vendetta she seems to have against Reyhan.

Whether she does or doesn't is not anything Reyhan can change right now. All Reyhan can do is live her life. Be healthy and happy with her own family. She has a husband who loves her. Children. Parents. After being so long without a father and suddenly without her mother, Emine and Murat have been miracles. Defne is as much a sister to her as Zafer is a brother to Emir. She's happy. She's content. And that's all that matters. That and the surprise her wonderful husband has for her. She's kept him waiting long enough. She rushes to get dressed to see what he's planned.

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"My life ... is over."

Cavidan rolls her eyes at the dramatics coming from Cemre. The girl all but flops down on the couch, focusing an angry glare at Cavidan.