Untangling the Web

Chapter 10

"I know she's done more to you than you've told me," Emir says to Reyhan later as they're settling down in the bed. They decided to stay the night at Zafer's since it was already so late. Plus now, neither of them are anxious to go back to the mansion. Not while Cemre is living there.

"Nothing I can prove," Reyhan shrugs. "I only have my suspicions about certain events. But they're all in the past."

They climb in the bed after changing their clothes and get into their usual sleeping position, his arm wrapped around her while she rests her head on his chest.

"I thought you two used to get along. What happened?"

Reyhan thinks about it for a minute, wondering how far back it all goes. And she realizes it started the minute she stepped into the mansion.

"She's never liked me," Rehyan admits. "I don't know how well you remember our wedding, but I almost backed out. Right before I got into my wedding clothes, Cemre came to me. She told me that you two loved each other. And that I was keeping you from marrying the woman you really loved. I felt so guilty that, oath or not, I didn't think I could go with the wedding."

"But you obviously did," he points out, stroking her hair tenderly. She lets out an adorable yawn that prompts him to place a gentle kiss on the top of her head.

"Obviously," she smiles. "Melike had overheard our conversation and set me straight about Cemre. She assured me you two were just friends. I got dressed, said 'Evet', and here we are."

Emir can only thank God over and over that she went through with the wedding. Reyhan has turned out to be the best thing in his life. It's breaking his heart to realize how many times he's come close to losing her. And all because of Cemre.

"What else do you suspect?"

She stiffens next to him and he just continues to stroke her hair until she relaxes again.

"Lütfen," he pleads. "Tell me. I think I need to know it all."

"I can't know for sure," she continues to hedge. "But I believe that every time you were mad at me, to the point of being ready to divorce me - every time I had no idea what you were mad about - I believe she was the reason. Either Cemre or your mother."

"Possibly both together." Emir is sickened by the realization. "It makes sense."

"When Dayı proclaimed you would be getting married, I believe Cemre and your mom decided Cemre would be your lucky bride. But then I arrived and messed up their plans. They've been trying to drive me away every since. It would explain a lot. My so called online friend that ended up kidnapping me? I never corresponded with that guy. Cemre was the one who gave me that computer, actually. My guess is that she's messaged him, pretending to be me."

"And I was stupid enough to believe," Emir sighs, ashamed at himself for his part in her continued torture.

"That date," she says quietly. "That beautiful dinner date by the ocean. The one that ended with you throwing money at me."

He closes his eyes to hold in the tears of shame. He doesn't deserve her forgiveness. She's right. The date was beautiful. He had gotten so wrapped up in her that he had almost forgotten about his plans for revenge. He wishes now that he had. He wishes now that that beautiful memory can remain a beautiful memory instead of the bittersweet horror show he turned it into.

"I'm so sorry," he whispers. "I thought you were only interested in my money. That's no explanation for what I did to you, though."

"You made me feel so cheap," she confesses. He hears her sniff and realizes that she's crying too. "And I never understood why. But I'm guessing Cemre had something to do with it."

"She had taken you on that shopping trip," Emir recalls. "And then she called me to tell me how much money you had spent. That, combined with the backdated document about the company shares .... I'm such a fool."

"We didn't really know each other then, Emir. But know this," she starts, rolling over so that she can look him directly in the eyes. "Know that this, what we have right here, right now ... this is everything to me. You are everything to me. I would never do anything to hurt you on purpose. And I would do anything in my power to protect you. To protect our family."

He smiles, taking her face between his hands and kissing her.

"And you are everything to me. I love you so much, Reyhan. More than I ever thought I could love anyone. You and Zeynep have given me everything. And this baby here ... the icing on the cake."

"We don't know if there's a baby yet," she giggles, laying back down and wrapping her arms around him.

But Emir knows. He can see it. He noticed the difference when he came back from his trip, but he didn't understand what it was then. He does now.

Placing his hand over her belly, he closes his eyes and drifts off into a sleep of a man with everything he's ever wanted right in the palm of his hands. Tomorrow is a new day. Tomorrow he figures out how to keep his family safe from Cemre once and for all.