Can Yaman International Presents: "Inadina Ask"- The Continuing Story

"Yalin's Guilt"

What does one say to a man who has become a brother-in-law through marriage without knowing it? How does one face such a man with the undeniable truth that one cannot live without his sister's love? Does one 'fess up and admit it standing firmly in one's tracks? Does one finally "man up" and defend the honor of the woman entrusted to him by fate? Or does one defy logic and fate yet again, and cover up the truth with yet another painful lie?

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These questions troubled Yalin Aras when he and his beloved Defne barged into her brother Toprak's office. They were hoping to stop him from finding out the truth of their secret marriage. Yalin had finally realized fate may have offered them a final plea. A final nudge to reveal the truth so he could stop pretending he did not love Defne enough to fight for her. Stop pretending he did not love her enough to be the man Toprak did not believe he was or would ever be. Stop pretending he did not love her enough to stand up to Toprak... once and for all

Yalin stood on the doorstep of Toprak's office and asked himself how things had gotten so out of hand up to this point... and why? Was it guilt that resulted from the failure of his parents' marriage? Or was it his own guilt over past fears of making a commitment to love and marriage?

Why was his wife trembling with fear in his arms? Why was she afraid to admit to her brother that she had chosen him and married him? Was he too weak a man to stand his ground? Was he a man not strong enough to admit to Toprak that Defne was his wife and establish his place by her side?

How many bruises on his face would it take for him to finally speak the truth? How long would it take before he could hold her hand and no longer pretend she did not matter the world to him? Or worse still, how long would it take for Toprak to think of chasing him away forever?

He looked down at Defne. She was looking at Toprak. He was reeling with anger because he saw her in Yalin's arms. Was this really how he wanted their lives to continue? No! Enough was enough! No more running, no more pretending, no more hiding. No more lying about the strength of his feelings for Defne. No more forcing them to hide their love. If it was true that lessons kept repeating themselves for a reason until they were learned, then he would finally take notice. He was a grown man. He was a married man. And he was man enough to take his wife to his home where she belonged, whether Toprak was ready for this step or not.

Not willing to wait to see what Toprak's sneaky spy was going to say, Yalin yelled out to Toprak that he and Defne got married. That she was his wife! His other half, for eternity and one breath longer.

Everyone looked at him in disbelief but he stood his ground. Stoic, brave, and scared straight. But he would no longer deny Defne her right to the life and love she deserved. Seeing that Yalin was serious in the words he had just said, everyone turned to look at Toprak. If anger was Toprak's middle name, fury just became his first. Both men engaged in a brief battle of stare-down. Time stopped. The only thing that could be heard was Yalin's heavy breathing and Toprak's angry snarl. Who was stronger? Who was more determined to win?

Seeing what he saw in Yalin's eyes, Toprak finally understood that he was losing the battle and the last bit of control over his family. And that... THAT realization... brought on a kind of rage he would not dare to control. He launched himself at Yalin. He would make him pay a price for ignoring their family values, their deeply rooted traditions, and Toprak himself. He rushed toward Yalin and Defne and in his attempt to grab Yalin, he pushed Defne aside. She fell down hard on to the floor, landing on her side.

Seeing that Toprak dared to push his own sister to the ground just to get to him, Yalin realized he was fighting for more than his own honor. He was fighting for his and Defne's honor and their chance at love and life itself. He flung his arm out so hard that when his fist met Toprak's face, Toprak flew halfway across the room. He flew past Leyla, onto his desk, over it, behind it, finally landing on the overturned chair on the floor. Everyone looked at Yalin, all the while he looked at his own hand in disbelief. And admiration. Boxing practices in his office sure brought on a considerable level of strength, but he surprised even himself.