Quiet Storm

Chapter 2

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Zeynep barely slept that night... Everything that happened was haunting her mind, again.
So is this how it's gonna be now? Being locked in this house with no one to talk to?
She missed her mother, her brothers, her father...

A whole week passed... Emir didn't call, didn't visit... She knew it would be like this since the beginning, it was one of the reasons she didn't want to accept his offer. That's what men do with their mistresses, right? They only visit to gain something out of it in return.
In the meantime Hakan was calling her nonstop. She had turned off her phone, however she would turn it on to check if anyone of her family was looking for her. And indeed they were. Kemal, Tarık, her mother...
How is she going to tell them?
She sighed heavily and got out of bed. It was early morning and she decided to go out for some fresh air. She could maybe grab some groceries and have a nice breakfast... But well, she didn't have enough money for it.
She smiled sadly at herself, checking her almost empty wallet.
"Good job, Zeynep..." She then stared at her reflection on the mirror before she headed out of the door.

Emir was just leaving his house for the company. He was pretty busy during the week, thinking of how to trap Kemal. He and Nihan had gotten pretty close lately and he couldn't allow that.
On his way to the Holding, his mind wandered to Zeynep. Should he go and check on her? She hasn't even called him all week... What was she up to? Not that he cared, he was just curious.
He changed his route and headed to the house. He would just check on her and leave anyway.

Zeynep was strolling by the seaside. She wanted to feel free for a little while, without thinking about anything or anyone. It was quite chilly however, so she decided to get back home.
Emir was pacing in the living room. Where the hell is she? She couldn't have left, she has nowhere to go... Her aroma is still filling the air... This means she hasn't been gone for long...
The main door opening interrupted his thoughts. Zeynep entered holding a plastic bag.
"AH!" She yelled as he suddenly popped in front her. "Are you crazy?!"
"Where were you?" He turned his head to the side, eyeing her from head to toe.
"Out. I needed some air..." She moved passed by him and entered the kitchen.
"You should inform me about your every move. What if something goes wrong?!" He scolded her, like he was talking to a child.
"What else could go wrong, Emir? My whole life went wrong ever since I met you!" She snapped, opening a cupboard.
"There we go with the drama again... I can enroll you in some acting classes, you have the talent." He mocked her, raising his eyebrows.
"Aren't you ashamed to make jokes with me? You didn't call, you didn't visit the whole week and you believe you have the right to control my moves 24/7?! Joke's on you, Emir!" She threw a glass on the floor, her voice getting hysteric.
"Calm down... I have a family and a company, I can't bother myself with you." Emir told her in a calm tone, the one that could make you go crazy.
"THEN WHY AM I HERE, HUH?! WHY?!" She ran to him, pushing him back strongly. "I am suffocating! I am suffocating in here! I can't breathe! I CANNOT BREATHE!"
"Watch it with the hands! Watch it!" Emir held both of her hands strongly to his chest. He was literally towering over her, fuming from anger.
"Let me leave... I will die in here... Slowly, I will die..." She begged him, tears rolling down her cheeks.
"You have nowhere to go..." Emir blinked his eyes slowly, looking at her.
"I'd rather sleep on the street than living this hell..." She shook her head, looking up to him again. "If you can't be with me, leave me Emir."
"Calm down and eat something..." He turned away. "I am leaving you this... Go shopping, go have fun or whatever..." Taking an envelope out of his jacket, he left it on the table.
"I don't want your money, take it." Zeynep took the envelope and handed it back to him.
"Zeynep. Stop being stubborn, take it." He raised his eyebrows as a warning.
"I don't want your money... I was never with you for your money..." She explained to him, hugging herself and heading back to the living room.
Emir shut his eyes and sighed heavily, following her lead after a few seconds.
"I have to go to the company..." He informed her. "I'll try coming tomorrow again-"
"Don't make promises you won't keep." She smiled at him softly. "Have a good day."
Nodding his head, he left the house.
Her eyes filled with tears again as she stared at the closed door. She quickly turned around and almost lost her balance, feeling dizzy.
"Uff..." She sighed, placing her palm on her forehead. "I am probably getting sick..." Sitting back down slowly, she spent sometime checking out the marvelous view of the house.
She wanted to call her mother so badly. She needed to hear her voice, to hug her, to smell her.
But what could she say to her? That she's keeping on her affair with Emir and he gave her a house as a gift? Hell no. She has to be really careful, they're already destroyed because of her.
Kemal could understand maybe... Maybe, if he was willing to listen... Why is this so hard?
Making her way to the kitchen, her eyes fell upon the envelope with the money on the table. Emir left it for her, no matter what she had told him.
"No..." She shook her head, taking the envelope and hiding it among some stuff in a drawer. She can't take his money, he already gave her this house... It's nothing compared to what he has but everything compared to what she hasn't. And she won't take advantage of it.

"Are you crazy? Why would you buy Zeynep a house?!" Asu burst into Emir's office, looking furious.
Emir flickered his eyes, not saying a word.
"Have you thought about what will happen if Kemal finds out about it?! Huh?!" She slapped her palm on his desk.
"Do I care?" He shook his head at her in disbelief.
"I DO! He's gonna have one more excuse to divorce me!"
"Then make sure that he won't find out. Stop wasting my time, my dear sister." His eyes signaled that she should take a leave.
"Instead of occupying yourself with Zeynep, why won't you try control your wife?! She was seen out and about with Kemal and their daughter like nothing's up!"
"Don't get on my nerves Asu, leave." He ordered her.
"Emir! I am warning you: If your interest in Zeynep becomes an obstacle to my plans, I will handle it on my own." Asu raised her finger on his face.
"What will you handle?! What will you handle?!" Emir raised up, slapping both of his hands on the desk. "Don't you dare putting your nose into my business! I am well aware of how to bring Kemal down step by step!" He spoke to her emphatically, his eyes seeing red.
"Okay.... Okay... Let's hope it is as you say." She nodded her head and left his office.
Emir smiled bitterly at his sister's nerve, tapping his fingers nervously on the desk. It's time to give a lesson to Nihan, he thought.

Back at her home, Zeynep was sitting on the living room watching TV. She wasn't feeling every well, her stomach was acting weird. Could it be the flu? Only her mother knew how to make her feel better in that case. Without thinking too much, she turned on her phone and dialed her mother's number.
"My baby!" Fehime's crying voice echoed from the other line.
"Mom..." Zeynep burst into tears, not being able to hold herself back.
"My beautiful girl... My lamb... How are you?! Where are you, Zeynep?!"
"I'm fine, mom... I need to see you... Please, don't say no... I need it."
"How could I ever say no, my heart? Come by tomorrow after your dad leaves for work... I will wait for you... I will cook your favorite."
"Mother... My dear mother..." Zeynep cried. "I missed you so much..."
"I missed you too, my daughter... It hasn't been a second of the day that my heart is not aching for you... My babygirl..."
"Mommy... There's so much I want to tell you, so much... I want to explain... Everything."
"Okay daughter, okay... We'll talk about anything you want tomorrow, don't cry now. I can't bear to hear you cry, my baby."
"Okay... Tomorrow then... Goodnight mommy, I love you."
"I love you too, my beautiful."
Zeynep felt like something was lifted off her chest, something that was weighing on her... She was so eager to see her mother after weeks. It has been a torture for her.
In that moment, her phone rang. It was Emir.
She sighed, answering. "Yes?"
"Are you better?" He asked her, a hint of actual worry in his tone.
"I'm fine, Emir... Are you back to Nihan?" She wanted to slap herself for asking something like that when she knew the answer already.
"Where else could I be?" His reply didn't come as a shock, it was exactly what she was expecting.
"You're right... Where else could you be?" She smiled sadly, looking down. Her heart was breaking into tiny pieces once again. But how would she manage to put them back in place?
"I have to go check on my daughter. Goodnight, little one." He hung up instantly, before she managed to stutter a word.
"Goodnight to you too..." She stared at her phone, drowning back in her tears.

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My poor Zeynep... 💔