Love for Rent - The Remix Remixed

Our Souls Are Rotten

Defne walked home, numb, in disbelief that things had gotten this far. Why hadn't she just told him, why couldn't she just tell him that she was trying to free herself from the chains that Neriman had bound her with?

The closer she got to the house, the more angry she became. Was she angry at herself? Yes, of course she was! But she was angry at him too. Was their love really not strong enough to overcome this? How could he end this, when all she was trying to do was keep them together? He was too proud, too principled, too used to being on his own and getting his own way. He'd never trust her, that much was clear, he would have continuously tested her.

Angry tears fell from her eyes, and she swiped at them with the backs of her fingers. Maybe with time, maybe he'd think it over and realise that he was wrong, that he should have listened.

The money was one thing, but she couldn't tell him about his aunt's words the day that she left him at the house in the mountains. Neriman had told her that none of the family would accept her, that she wasn't good enough for Omer, that she would tell everyone that Defne had married Omer because she'd been paid to.

Defne knew what would happen if he found out, Omer would have cut his aunt off, all of his family. She couldn't do that to him, with the debt repaid, his aunt would have no leverage. His aunt's claims would hurt him professionally as well, losing his family, his business and reputation being impacted, she couldn't do that to him.

Defne and her family had always stood on their own feet, had always found solutions to their own problems. Granted, this problem was bigger than any they'd ever faced, but then, maybe that just meant that this one was more worth fighting for. Had been more worth fighting for. Money was nothing, family was everything. Omer already had very little family, she wouldn't be the cause of him to abandon them entirely.

Money had a way of coming between people, she'd seen plenty of evidence of that over the years. She and Omer, if they could work this out, needed to be able to start a life together with a clean slate. But after his words to her tonight, she wasn't sure if that new start was possible any longer.

Omer's House

Lying in his bed with an arm thrown over his eyes, he thought about everything that had happened. It was over, it was really over. How had they gotten to this point? He loved her, had wanted to marry her, had never felt this way about anyone before her. But now suddenly, he was left alone, again. Alone to deal with the pain involved in getting over her. All because she couldn't be honest with him.

Turning, he punched his pillow before hugging it to his body, closing his eyes and letting out a shaky, frustrated breath. His heart aching, stomach hollow.

Defne's House

It'd been a couple of weeks since Serdar's wedding, a couple of weeks since Omer had ended things between them, and Defne was no closer to being able to believe it now, than she had been then. No closer to removing the sickening empty feeling from the pit of her stomach.

Life around her continued. Watching Serdar and Nihan's happiness was bittersweet. She loved them both, but knowing that they had found was what she had lost was a bitter pill to swallow. Her grandma was her biggest comfort these days, and little Esra. Both cuddling with her on the sofa in the evenings, telling her that everything would be alright. Her grandma would hug her close and sing sweetly into her ear, rocking her shoulders... she'd make her favourite dishes, even though Defne couldn't bring herself to eat them. Life just seemed to have lost all meaning.

In the past couple of days though, she had decided to pull herself together, Nihan scolding her for wallowing in self-pity. Telling her that things would work out, if she would just have some faith. She hoped that Nihan was right about having faith, but she knew that her friend was right about pulling herself together. Without her income, Serdar was under pressure, and her grandma needed her help around the house. She needed to clear her head and put the past behind her.