Untangling the Web

Chapter 11

Reyhan makes it exactly six steps before the sickness hits her. She runs the rest of the way to the bathroom to avoid a mess. She has to get to a doctor sooner rather than later. Because if she isn't pregnant, then she really needs to figure out what's causing her to be so sick.

After rinsing her mouth and washing her face at the sink, she notices a box on the counter. A pregnancy test. Emir must have gone out earlier and gotten one. She can't help but smile at how sweet a husband he's turned out to be.

"No time like the present," she mutters, opening the box to read the instructions.

Ten minutes later, she's walking out of the bathroom in shock despite what her gut had been telling her all this time.

"We're going to have a baby," she says tearfully to a smiling Emir that's been waiting for her. He had come into the room after he heard her get up and go into the bathroom.

He opens his arms and catches her when she jumps into them, the positive test still clutched firmly in her hands.

"Let me see," he tells her, reaching out for the test so he can see with his own eyes.

"A baby," she repeats needlessly. Feeling a happiness she's never known. "We're having a baby, Emir."

"Baba is going to be so excited," Emir realizes. "This may be just the news he needs for a breakthrough in his condition."

That statement is just what Reyhan needed to come back to reality. A harsh, ugly reminder of what's waiting for them in that mansion. A new sickness rises in her throat. Nothing that has anything to do with pregnancy symptoms.

"Your mother can't know," she says shakily, placing her hands protectively over her stomach. "Or Cemre. Emir, I'm terrified of what either of them would do if they knew about the baby."

She goes to sit on the bed. He sits next to her and wraps an arm around her.

"The more I think about what's going on now with Cemre, the more I begin to wonder what else she's done. Things that even I never suspected. And if she's capable of burning us alive while we slept, what else is she capable of doing?"

Emir feels helpless. All he can do is hold her. He can't guarantee he can control his mother or Cemre. He can't guarantee neither woman will hurt Reyhan or either of their children. He makes a point to remember to talk to Zeynep about how she's being treated. He unfortunately can't be around all the time so if she were being mistreated in the mansion, he wouldn't necessarily know. He doesn't want to bring it up to give Reyhan something else to worry about. He'll talk to Melike later and then to Zeynep. And if he can't get Cemre out of the house, then he'll find a new house for his family.

Although, that plan didn't work out for him the last time. And if Reyhan's accusations are right, Cemre found a way to mess up even that for him. He wonders how would she have even found out about the house to begin with. The only person who knew about his plans was Zafer. What is he overlooking?

- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -

They leave Reyhan at Zafer's house and head to the office for a work meeting. As much as he'd love to stay with her today after just finding out about the baby, he has work to do. Plus, there isn't much they can do with their Cemre investigations until they hear back from Kemal and Suna's doctor. Even knowing all this, Emir is antsy and impatient, ready to get back to Reyhan. Something important is pressing at the corners of his mind and he can't figure out what it is that's bothering him.

They get through half a day of meetings when it finally hits him. Slaps him in the face, actually. And he can't understand why he never made the connection before.

"You two are hard at work in here," Yonca says as she steps into the office, the glorious smell of coffee preceding her. "I brought you an energy boost."

"Bless you," Zafer gushes, immediately gulping down the hot liquid.

Emir takes a sip and closes his eyes at how perfect it is. Then he stops and tries to remember the last time he had coffee at the office. He had gotten so used to the way Reyhan made it at home that he refused to drink anyone else's. So how did Yonca get just what he wanted?

"This is actually perfect, Yonca," he comments. "How did you know I liked it like this?"

"Cemre and I were out having coffee. She suggested I bring this back to you. I'm glad you're enjoying it. Afiyet olsun!"

And now it all makes sense.

"I never put it together," Emir mumbles to himself, causing Zafer to give him a strange look. Emir looks out his door and sees Yonca busy at her desk and lowers his voice to a whisper. "Yonca and Cemre."

Zafer still looks puzzled, not knowing where Emir is going with this.

"I was trying to figure out how Cemre would know about certain things. Like the house. Only you and I discussed me getting the house," Emir points out. "So how did Cemre know about the house and send her con artist there to fool Reyhan about the fake affair?"

"Because you had Yonca make the arrangements. And Yonca told Cemre," Zafer realizes, finally catching on.

"The same thing happened with my Alaska trip," Emir adds. "Cemre not only knew about the trip, but she also just happened to be on my flight with me in the seat next to me. That wasn't a coincidence."

The hotel a couple months ago. Emir remembers that he had called Yonca from the park and had her make the arrangements. She obviously told Cemre and ended up booking her in the room next to theirs. Yonca was a leak right back to Cemre. And he never realized it.

He should be mad. And he'll probably fire the girl. But not until he puts her nosiness to good use.

"Come with me, Zafer," he says, a plan taking shape in his mind. "Just go along with me."

They walk out of the office and to Yonca's desk.

"Yonca," Emir asks. "Do you have a spare flash drive? One with fairly large capacity. I'm going to need it for some video files."

Yonca gives him a quizzical look but then searches her drawers briefly before pulling out a drive. He motions for her to give it to Zafer. The men walk out of Yonca's room, but go only so far that she can still hear them.

"Zafer. Take this up to the mountain cabin and download the security footage from the camera up there. We will be able to see exactly who started the fire that night Reyhan and I were there."

At Zafer's look, Emir gives him a slight head shake and points to where Yonca is, trying to hide the fact that she's eavesdropping. Not completely understanding, Zafer agrees anyway and heads out.

"Is everything okay, Emir?" Yonca asks curiously. "Did I hear something about a fire?"

"Just a small one," he assures her. "Nothing to worry about. It happened a couple months ago while Reyhan and I were away at my uncle's mountain cabin. We assumed it was accidental, but the insurance investigators have ruled it arson. So we're taking a look at the security footage up at the cabin to find out who did it."

Yonca's face pales noticeably and Emir is now almost positive Cemre set that fire. And that Yonca knew about it. And that Yonca is now going to run and tell Cemre about the security footage. Security footage that doesn't exist. But Cemre doesn't have to know that.

"Let's see what your next move is, Cemre," Emir mentally challenges her. It's time to get this woman out of his life once and for all.