Quiet Storm

Chapter 19

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At the moment Kemal left, Zeynep ran upstairs crying.
"Zeynep! Zeynep!" Emir called, going after her.
She shut herself into Deniz's room, locking the door behind her.
"Open up." He tapped on the door. No response. "Open up!" He repeated, tapping harder. "Zeynep! Don't annoy me, open up!"
"I want to stay alone, leave me..." Her broken voice echoed from inside.
"Open up." He said again, slapping his palm against the wooden door. He waited for a few seconds when no response came again. He breathed out furiously, shutting his eyes. He was aware how fast everything happened for her. How her reality changed in a day. He lowered his hand hesitantly and went back down to his office.

After half an hour, Zeynep came downstairs to grab her stuff. She decided it was better to go back to her house and explain everything to her parents. At least, a part of it.
"Efsane... Tell Emir I am going to my parents, alright?" She was with one foot out of the door.
"But aren't you going to stay here, Mrs?" Efsane asked like it was obvious.
"Of course she is!" Emir stated with a decisive voice, walking to them. "Where are you going?" He focused to Zeynep, raising his eyebrows.
"I'm going to my parents... They deserve an explanation of what happened today." She was waiting impatiently, holding her jacket tightly in her hand.
"They deserve nothing. You are my wife and that's it." He blinked a few times while staring at her.
"Emir, I have to at least-"
"No, get back inside." He didn't let her finish, gripping her arm.
Efsane went back to the kitchen silently, letting them be.
"Don't do this to me..." She begged him, holding on to his shirt. "I didn't even have time to process everything that happened today, let me take some air."
"Get out in the garden, there's a plenty of air." He spoke in all seriousness, taking her bag and jacket out of her hands.
"Do you have any idea, in how much stress I got today?! Huh?!" Zeynep pushed him back slightly. "I let you use me one more time! One more time! What about me, huh?! Do you think I am made of stone?!"
"Don't shout." He warned her, raising his palm.
"I will shout as much as I want!" Taking a vase of a nearby console, she threw it on the floor.
Emir's eyes followed her movements, not reacting.
"Enjoy your freedom now! Go back to obsessing over Nihan and planning on how to avenge my brother!"
"Watch it!" Emir grabbed her arm tightly, pulling her to him.
"Is it a lie?! Huh?! Do you care about anything else?!"
"I care about my son! That's why you're here!" He shouted over her, pointing at her belly with his index finger.
"Huh.." She nodded her head nervously, smiling sadly. "I never expected anything else anyway..." Her eyes watered, trying to swallow a lump.
"You knew it since the beginning, don't dramatize it now." His tone was cold, showing that he wasn't affected.
"I hate you..." Zeynep took some steps behind, tears rolling down her cheeks freely. "I wish you had disappeared. At least I would have saved myself from you."
"You are carrying my son, it's too late for salvation." He flickered his eyes which were red from the heat of the moment.
Her hand fell on her belly, while she walked upstairs with slow steps.
Emir growled from annoyance, turning around to open the balcony door. He took some deep breaths, trying to calm himself down.
He was hard on Zeynep. He shouldn't have, knowing what she has been through today. But she knows the situation, she shouldn't ask for more.
The truth is that the marriage proposal didn't come completely at random. She chose to protect him today. She chose to warn him over what Kemal had planned. She didn't want him to go to jail despite everything he had put her through.
But she should have known better... Nihan cannot go away. She's a sickness. A sickness that is spread all over him and doesn't go away. There can't be any hope.

A few minutes later, Asu arrived at Emir's house.
"Where's my brother?" She asked Eda, who opened the door.
"Here." He sighed, coming inside.
"What is going on? I have the passports ready." She took out two passports from her bag.
"No need to, sister..." He slowly sat on the couch.
Asu was watching him expectantly, following his movements.
"I married Zeynep." Emir stated, throwing a quick glance at her.
"How? I mean... Today she asked me to-"
"I know what she asked you to. It sort of happened because of that as well... But also to not have Kemal report me to the police."
"I don't understand. What does it have to do with that?" She put a strand of hair behind her ear, crossing her legs.
"He wouldn't send me to jail to not upset Zeynep, what is hard to understand?" He told her emphatically, rolling his eyes.
Asu smiled knowingly, shaking her head. "Even in her condition, you found a way to use her again."
"You were always talking against her, what happened now?" He puckered his lips, genuinely curious.
"She truly loves you. She proved it today when she came to me."
"Old news." Standing up, he went to grab a drink from the mini bar.
"So Kemal didn't report you?" She asked a while later, staring at him sipping his drink.
"No. And he won't. He's too righteous to upset Zeynep... Even after Poyraz is born." He twirled the glass in his hand, following the liquor's movements.
"Where's Zeynep now?" Asu stood up.
Emir pointed upstairs with his hand, sipping the remaining whiskey.
"I'll go check on her..." She trailed, making her way to the upper floor.