DAY DREAM (Gülçin Özbek Kuyumcu-GÜNDÜZ DÜŞÜ)

- 9 -

Chapter 9: The First Encounter...

The man looked tense and cold as a stone statue with his furrowed brows and commanding demeanor that made it clear he wouldn't leave without getting what he wanted. Despite his stillness and coldness, his eyes sparkled brightly, exuding both confidence and danger. Just by looking at me, he made me feel like he could read my entire life story. It was unsettling. For a brief moment, my body went stiff and my mind felt like it was blank. I felt like a complete idiot, unable to even ask him what he was doing in my room.

"I don't have anything to wear in this room!" I blurted out something stupid.

Was it because of the determination in his voice that I felt this way? Or was it because of the lightning bolt that struck my head and reminded me of where I knew the man from? I couldn't tell. I knew this man well, even if he wasn't a giant. Hikmet used to refer to them as the "excessively virtuous ones," and my father called him his "bosom buddy."

The man looked at me as if questioning my sanity. Well, to be honest, at first I had also doubted myself quite a bit. Oh well!

As I recognized the giant standing in front of me, like an unshakable fortress, I had to face another truth. Hikmet's impulsiveness and thoughtlessness had ruined everything. It was clear that the Hizir uncles had realized what Hikmet had stirred up! But what did they want from me? Why was the divine justice that was working for Hikmet touching me? Shouldn't they solve the problem that started with that child among themselves?

The idea of being kidnapped again because of Hikmet crossed my mind, but it was too ridiculous! No matter how much Hızır uncle has changed, he couldn't be one of those despicable mafia-like men who kidnap women to intimidate the men in their families. Even Hikmet wouldn't do something like that, so it's impossible to imagine Hızır uncle in such a situation.

During the evening we met at the restaurant, Hızır uncle did not show any slightest hint that he recognized me. Besides, even if he did recognize me, it was illogical for him to come with guns and raid my room. If he found a way to talk to me, showed some signs, or tried to communicate with me by sending a message and didn't receive a response, maybe I would understand my problem! Either my brain was not functioning and I couldn't think, or I was missing something serious.

He glanced around the nearly empty room, which only had a few comfortable chairs and a large vanity with a mirror. Without hesitation, he handed me his coat and said, "Put it on." He must have sensed that I was about to ask questions because he interrupted me before I could even start. "Hurry up, your mother has probably already gotten into the car. Once we're away, you can ask whatever questions you have about what's going on."

Without saying a word to me, my mother had added another stone to the upheaval by trying to go with these people. She had not chosen to trust me and had thrown herself into the help that came first without thinking about the consequences.

"Stop giving me orders! The only reason I'm coming with you is because my mother is in that car." I didn't lower my nose, but what was the point if it wouldn't change the outcome? I had already chased after Dev with a big coat on me and bunny slippers on my feet.

I didn't know what he was thinking when he came here to see me, but I could tell from his demeanor that he was as cold and unyielding as a solid wall. Even if we argued for hours, I wouldn't be able to get through to him. Nonetheless, I knew I was going to leave tonight, one way or another. "So be it," I told myself. Once I had cleared my head, I would figure out how to resolve this issue. I had to figure it out.

He went ahead of me, and I followed him down the stairs without hesitation. When we stepped outside, I was once again taken aback. I never would have imagined this. The yard was full of cars and people, and what surprised me the most was that most of them were police vehicles. Police officers, wearing vests with the names of several different units and carrying equipment, were moving about constantly and were everywhere.