Slowly...You Will Fall In Love

Chapter 67: Gaze through the flames

suddenly, Emir's gaze met with Reyhan's, and their eyes locked for a moment. Reyhan turned away, unable to hold the intense connection. Emir continued looking at her with a mixture of emotions on his face. Ayşe noticed the exchange and said, "Emir bey, the event hasn't started yet. Let's have something. After that, you will get busy." Esra, joining the conversation, added, "Yes, Baba, I'm feeling so hungry."

Emir chuckled and agreed, "Okay, let's go." The three of them, Emir, Esra, and Ayşe, walked towards a table. Emir was feeding soup to Esra, creating a heartwarming scene. Ayşe remarked, "Emir bey, Esra feels so happy with you." Esra, with a smile, expressed, "He's my baba, and I love him the most in this world." Emir smiled back, saying, "And you're my little princess, my life."

As the tender moment unfolded, Ayşe noticed something on Emir's mustache and said, "Emir bey, there's something on your mustache. Let me remove that." She leaned closer to Emir. Reyhan, watching from a distance, felt a deep pang of heartbreak on seeing Emir with someone else. Tears welled up in her eyes.

Esra innocently asked, "Baba, where's mama?" Emir, surprised by her question, hesitated before replying, "Mama?" Esra explained, "I saw in my school, everybody has mama and baba both. But I only have you." Emir, trying to comfort her, said, "Esra, baba is enough for you, my dear. We don't need mama." Ayşe, observing the situation, commented, "Emir bey, she's growing, and she will ask such questions from you repeatedly."
Emir Frustrated and angered said, "Esra, there's no mama. And there will be no mama. Don't ever ask me about mama again." With those words, he stood up and walked away.

Now, Little Esra was crying and searching for Emir in the venue. Suddenly, she collided with Reyhan. Reyhan knelt down to her, her face still hidden, and realized she was the same little girl. Reyhan gently wiped Esra's tears and said, "Hey, oh my god, these heavy tears in these beautiful little eyes."

Esra, still sobbing, said, "My baba... he's angry with me. I'm searching for him." Reyhan inquired, "What happened to your baba? Why is he angry?" Esra replied, "Because I asked about my mama to him." Reyhan, confused, asked, "Mama?" Esra said, "I have no mama. Only baba is with me."

Reyhan, realizing the connection, thought, "That means Emir has no one in his life. Then who's this little girl?" Then she asked, "What's your name, little girl?" Esra innocently said, "My name is Esra. I'm the daughter of Emir Tarhun." Reyhan's eyes widened in shock. She whispered to herself, "That means Emir took Esra's custody after that. That's why she calls him baba. How could I doubt Emir's loyalty?" Esra, still looking for her baba, asked Reyhan, "Can you help me find my baba?" Reyhan, overwhelmed with emotions, nodded, determined to assist little Esra in finding Emir in the crowded venue.

Emir was standing and engaged in conversation with some people when Reyhan and Esra reached the same area, holding hands. Spotting Emir, Reyhan smiled and thought, "Emir, my heartbeat increases when I look at you. Like the first time I realized my love for you. You're mine, Emir. You're still mine. I... I love you so much." Just then, Emir turned, catching Reyhan's gaze. Reyhan immediately turned away. Little Esra ran towards Emir, and he asked, "Esra, who was that lady with you?" Emir glanced again in the direction where Reyhan had stood, but she wasn't there. Esra replied, "Baba, I'm sorry. I won't ask about mama, never ever." She held her ears, apologizing innocently.

Emir visibly emotional knelt down to her and said, "No, there's no need for that. Even Baba is sorry for shouting at you." Esra, holding Emir around his neck, embraced him in a hug. Reyhan, watching them from a distance, also had tears in her eyes, overwhelmed by the emotions between Emir and Esra.

Pinar took Reyhan to a quieter corner, holding her arm. "Reyhan, that little girl is Emir's daughter," Pinar revealed. Reyhan calmly responded, "I know." Pinar, while removing the cover from Reyhan's face, commented, "First, remove this; it's so irritating." Pinar then continued, "Seriously, you know?"

Reyhan affirmed, "Pinar, that little girl is Esra. Emir took her custody after I left. That's why she calls him baba." Pinar asked, "But what about that Ayşe? Why is she staying with them?" Reyhan admitted, "I don't know about her, but Emir's phone password and the way he looks away when Ayşe looks at him, there's nothing between them, I'm sure."

Just then, Ayşe, from a distance, looked at Reyhan and was shocked to see her. Ayşe whispered to herself, "Reyhan... She's back. But how? She left years ago. Now... Emir... No, I can't let you snatch Emir away from me. He's mine, Reyhan, and all those years I wasted on his daughter, not for this day that one day you will come and take everything from me."

Pinar told Reyhan, "Ahh One more important thing, I met a manager down there.. he promised me to give me a job here. So you wait in some room, and I will get back to you." Reyhan nodded, and Pinar left. Meanwhile, Ayşe, with an evil smile, muttered, "Now the game will start, Reyhan. Today, I will finish you. Before you could start anything again, you will be gone." She took a candle lamp from a nearby table and deliberately set the room's curtain on fire.

Just then, little Esra saw Reyhan entering a room and innocently started running to follow her. As Reyhan entered the room, Esra came from behind, giggling, and said, "Thank you, aunty, for helping me reach my baba." Reyhan smiled and replied, "You're most welcome, little princess." Suddenly, Reyhan realized the room had caught fire. In a panic, she reached Esra and while reassuring her she said, "Esra, be careful. The room has caught fire, but we will escape safely, don't worry." Outside, Ayşe smirked and locked the door from behind, not knowing that Esra was also in the same room.She maliciously said, "Reyhan, you will be over," and walked away, leaving them trapped.

Emir approached Ayşe and urgently asked, "Ayşe, where is Esra?" Ayşe, already scared and fearing being caught, tried to appear normal and said, "She must be running around with other kids." Emir sternly responded, "Ayşe, she is your responsibility in my absence. You should be alert and know where she is at all times."

Suddenly, the crowd started panicking about the fire in the room at the venue. Emir, concerned, asked, "What's happening there?" He ran towards the room, and people informed him that the room had caught fire. Just then, Esra's voice echoed, "Baba, where are you? Baba!" Reyhan, in an attempt to protect Esra from the fire, held her close. Emir, hearing Esra's voice, was overcome with emotion. He said with tears, "Esra, my baby, I'm here. Esra, baba is coming, my child." Emir tried to enter the room, and concerned people around warned him that it could be risky, advising him to wait for the fire extinguishers. Emir, desperate to reach his daughter, declared, "My daughter is inside. I can't wait for anything."

Emir, fueled by concern for Esra, broke the window and entered the room engulfed in flames. In the midst of smoke, he spotted Reyhan, whose face was still covered, embracing Esra to shield her from the fire. Emir rushed towards them, took Esra into his arms, and reassured her, "Don't be scared, okay? Baba is here. We'll safely go out."

While holding Esra, Emir extended his hand towards Reyhan and said, "Please, ma'am, come. I can't thank you enough for saving my daughter." Reyhan, hesitantly looking at his hand, was caught in a moment of mixed emotions as she considered taking his hand after their years of separation and the unexpected reunion in the face of danger.

In a moment of realization, Reyhan finally held Emir's hand. As Emir looked at her hand, he noticed the familiar ring he had given her. His eyes filled with tears, and he looked back at Reyhan, understanding that she was indeed Reyhan. Emir's breathing became heavy as he held her hand tightly.

With determination, Emir heroically kicked the flaming door to break out of the room, holding Esra. Reyhan, who was following Emir while still holding hands, suddenly let go as Emir and Esra to walk out. Emir realized Reyhan had left his hand and looked back to see Reyhan moving a pillar, preventing it from falling on Emir and Esra.

Despite the danger, Emir safely brought Esra out and looked back at Reyhan through the flames. At that moment, Pinar reached the scene, panicking and shouting, "Reyhan, Reyhan, please, somebody save my friend." Emir's gaze shifted to Pinar, and now, it was confirmed for him that she was indeed Reyhan.

Emir, fueled by determination and concern, rushed back into the room, leaving Pinar with a glimmer of hope in her eyes. Inside, he found Reyhan, and without hesitation, he helped her let go of the pillar. Seeing burns on her hand, Emir swiftly removed his coat and draped it around Reyhan. Emir took Reyhan's hand, urging her to walk out with him. As they moved, Emir realized Reyhan wasn't walking. He looked back, and Reyhan slowly removed the cover from her face. Emir, with teary eyes, saw her actions as a gesture of letting him know who he was saving and giving him the choice to leave if he wished.