Ozgar stood on the other side of the door to Mercedes motel room. He held a large envelope that carried the new divorce papers inside, he had drafted it himself, not trusting Sedars büyük baba or Zeyneps' lawyers.
He knew they'd do her dirty, and he couldn't let it happen. She was young and innocent, and she still has a lot of potential. He's seen the effects of a broken woman as a result of a divorce, and even though he secretly knows their marriage was a contract, he won't let her walk away empty-handed.
Her soul was as pure as water, and the Ozturk name could only taint it.
He inhaled deeply, raising his hand, and knocked on the door.
***
Mercedes poked her head out of the shower cubicle; she swore she heard someone knocking on the door. She wasn't 100% positive as the shower was running in the background and her ears were filling with water. She listened intently, and sure enough, there was another knock. She sighed, turning the shower off
As Mercedes waited for Sedar's decision, she held her breath. She could hear Zeynep breathing behind her as the room was ruthlessly silent. She observed Sedar's jaw ticking, waiting for him to open his mouth and state their marital status.He sat there, trying to find a reason to stay married to her and he came up with nothing, zilch. Just like he had thought. The last time he remembered, he had no desire to marry. He still found it difficult to find a woman who could sate his sexual appetite and by the looks of the raven-haired beauty standing in front of him, he debated whether she could suppress any desire he obtained. As she stood before him, on quivering limbs, she looked too fragile to be an Ozturk, too fragile to be HIS wife.He didn't do fragile, nor did he like a woman who couldn't give two shits about her appearance. He was cringing hard on the inside, and couldn't believe her choice of attire. She wore a dress, with a long knitted cardigan with Timberl
Early Friday Morning... "Thank you for everything, Ozgar," Mercedes said, her gaze drawn to the twisting of her fingers. She had gotten to know Ozgar over the past few days, as he had taken time out of his busy schedule to check in on her and take her mind off the divorce and the media articles. She also began to see him in a different light for the first time properly, and every time he looked at her with his Emerald green eyes with flecks of gold in them. She found herself blushing, her body reacting to him more naturally compared to the way it did under Sedar's attention. She felt free to be herself around Ozgar, and she didn't have to second-guess her every move. He effortlessly made her smile. With Sedar, her body was sexually attracted to him first, then her mind started to catch up with hopes of her heart following. She soon realised why she was mad at him for divorcing her, he had forgotten her so easily, making her worse nightma
"Hey, bud, you summoned me?" Ozgar walked into Sedar's room with a spring in his step. He'd been reflecting on the kiss he'd shared with Mercedes earlier this morning. The way he feels about her has surprised him; he suddenly feels stuck; should he fight his desire for her or succumb to her alluring innocence? "Would you mind telling me what the fuck this is all about?" He tosses his iPad at him, which is filled with images of him and Cedes engrossed in their kiss. Exhaling, he scratches the back of his neck. "I had no idea we were being watched." He scolds himself internally for not taking extra precautions. "Are we just going to ignore the fact that you've got your tongue down my wife's throat?" Sedar asks, surprised. He lets out a growl. Ozgar raises his head, a frown marring his otherwise flawless complexion. "You're ex-wife?" He corrected him. "I withdrew the case a few hours ago." He smirked. "What game are you pl
Three weeks later...Mercedes stood in front of her full-length mirror, combing her towel-dried hair, humming and smiling as she prepared to pick up Ozgar from the airport. In the pit of her stomach, butterflies were fluttering. She was overjoyed to see him and couldn't wait to put her arms around his neck and kiss him to express her gratitude.For the past few nights, Ozgar has managed to become the starring character in her most private dreams since the kiss they exchanged at the airport.Now, don't go getting it twisted just yet....Mercedes has no intentions of jumping into bed with Ozgar, but a little flirting and kissing can't hurt. She wasn't seeking a long-term commitment. You're probably familiar with the expression.'In for a good time, not a long time.'Well, this is the motto she'd like to live by for the next few years. She, above all others, understands that life is too short. And she felt her marriage was much shorter, oblivio
Sedar and Ozgar sat inside the Uber and observed Mercedes as she sat in her car, which was parked in her driveway as the Uber came to a halt. They both wondered what was going through her mind as she started banging her hands against her steering wheel before gaining back her composure and exiting her car. Ozgar felt bad for her; the look of shock on her face hit him like a tonne of bricks. All he could think of doing was walking over to her, yanking her car door open, and take her in his arms, apologising for not being warier of Sedar's actions. "Go to the hotel; I'll meet you there when I'm finished here," Sedar advised. "Do you really think now is the time to confront her? She looked as if she had seen a ghost." Ozgar mumbled. The prospect of him being alone with Mercedes did not sit well with him. Neither did the thought of her letting down her guard and allowing Sedar to reclaim his position as her husband. "Yes, I noticed that as
He wrapped his fingers around her upper arm and gently slammed her against the wall next to the door, enclosing her with his arms. He disliked being touched in such a manner unless it was in connection with sexual behaviour. She attempted to move his arm, but he remained immobile; he was far too strong for her, and she was forced to raise her head and meet his hard gaze. "Move." She stated bluntly. Instead of speaking, he snarled with his upper lip curling upwards. "Fucking move!" She cried out, pressing her hand against his chest roughly. His hands encircled her wrists, preventing her from lashing out at him physically. "The last woman who slapped me in that manner." He paused for effect as he growled. "Was taken roughly up against a wall, screaming my name and submitting herself to my every whim." He leant in close, whispering in her ear. "Is that what you want, benim kuzgun saçlı meleğim?" (my raven-haired angel) He
"At ease Soldier," Sedar told Ozgar as he took another swig of his beer. He had no desire to go toe-to-toe with his best friend, whom he also considers to be his brother. Internally, he knows he can't be completely upset with him for falling in love with his wife. He was certain he had not done it on purpose, and he was not about to tell him, giving him an excuse to pursue her further. He did, however, have a sudden urge to send Ozgar back early so that he could stay and try to get to know Mercedes again, with the hope that it would jog his memory. Because they didn't divorce, he believes that the contract they had is still in effect today. All he needed to do was find the right words to say it to her. He had secretly hoped that she would have accepted the position so that he could gradually convince her that she was, in fact, still an Ozturk. "We need to get moving if we're going to make it to this meeting on time," he said, glancing at
Her voice was like a wonderful symphony in his ears that never stopped playing, making the one word vibrate in the back of his throat, and he didn't want it to stop. With her acceptance still lingering in the air between them, he pressed his lips against hers, claiming her soft moans as his own, never wanting to let her go. But he knew it wouldn't last, and he was ready and willing to live in the moment with her. Warmth bloomed in his chest, sparks igniting as she leant in closer, their lips tentatively brushing together for the second time. The aroma of her perfume, as well as her conditioner's sweet, fruity scent, made him dizzy, and butterflies danced in his gut. As she surrendered to the kiss, her lips were impossibly soft against his own and he was overcome with emotion and warmth flooding his insides. They were brought back to reality by the sound of children laughing and the buzzing of pedestrian lights. He brushed his lips against hers one last time,
Five wonderful years later... "Alex!!" Mercedes yelled and dashed downstairs as quickly as her feet would let her without stumbling. She entered the living room "Alex, Alex! Come on, darling, it's time for your bath, and if you don't hurry up and get out, it'll become cold." She sighed and put her hand on her head, puzzled as to where the little brat had vanished to. The front door opened as she made her way to the foyer, pausing to rub the aching in her lower back. Her mouth watered as her husband walked through the door, accompanied by an army of men barking orders. Desire pooled in her panties; it was visions like this that had landed her in her current state, twice. She had no idea how much watching her husband boss people around would turn her on. She bit her lower lip, her nipples hardening against her white top, and she let out a faint moan, drawing Sedar's entire attention. He came to a halt, gesturing with his hand for his army of mobsters behind him to be quiet. With a
It's been two weeks since her fated soulmate got down on one knee and proposed to her. Mercedes could swear she blinked and was thrown into the future, she spent day and night planning for this day, jotting down her visions and ridiculous requests in her custom-made wedding planner Sedar had created for her. Zeynep insisted on including everything in the album while she and Neriman oversaw the execution of her dream wedding. They didn't want her stressing out due to the little bundle of joy growing in her swelling womb. She was eager to see how everything came together, forming dozens of butterflies in her stomach and she couldn't wait to see the look on Sedar's face as she approaches him with Ezekiel at her side while they make their way down the aisle. But for now, she stood in front of the full-length mirror, her hands running down the front of her cream mermaid, strapless gown. She couldn't stop the grin from growing larger as the pain in her cheeks incre
"Mercedes Winterburn, Your eyes are the first thing I want to see in the morning before the sun rises, and those luscious deep red lips are the last thing I want to feel as I close my eyes and drift off to sleep each night with you wrapped in my arms." He said with a husky accent, nervously inhaling and exhaling. "I'm aware that our contract marriage has been nothing short of a wild ride, and it's during that wild ride that I've fallen in love with you to the point where I'm willing to rip open my chest and give you my heart for eternity." His voice cracked as he watched her cry, hoping they were happy tears because the sight of her crying in the moonlight killed him. "I fell in love with my life the moment I fell in love with you, and I promise you that no one will work harder or cherish you as much as I will to ensure your happiness. With this ring, will you make an honest man of me and marry me with your heart?" He held his breath, watching her with his sky blue eyes, pleading to
'Do you see that spoiled young man over there?' Neriman whispered to Mercedes, pointing to the youngster loitering at the corner table, surrounded by the waiting staff. Mercedes let her gaze follow to where Neriman was pointing. "Oh, I see him, even, through the crowd of staff he sticks out like a sore thumb," Mercedes scoffed, shaking her head with disgust as she avoided making direct eye contact with him when his gaze briefly fell on theirs. Neriman quickly steered them away from the table that led to the back, where all the magic would take place once Sedar was finished. "He is the first son of the country's biggest drug lord, well, his family is like royalty in the Türk mafyasi, (Turkish Mafia) he still sucks on his annes (mothers) tit, bleeding her dry because his baba won't let him back into the family business after violating his oath," Neriman explained. "His baba, (father) Ihsan Kartal, is the one who will attempt to overthrow Sedar and claim his emp
As the black midnight skies cloaked the abandoned street, the restaurant lit up the atmosphere, radiating tones of light that could be seen a mile away. When the car came to a standstill, Sedar exited the Jeep and stood by the door, waiting for Mercedes to place her hand in his and allow him to escort her to the front entrance. While raindrops fell from the sky, men lined up along the red carpet, holding black umbrellas as the flickering lights from the cameras lit up the walkway as the press went crazy for snapshots of the guests attending. She felt like Cinderella, waiting for the clock to strike midnight, her carriage to transform into a pumpkin, and cute mice to appear as she loses her glass slipper, fleeing the dream that will quickly turn into a nightmare. She let out a small yelp after pinching herself to ensure she wasn't still trapped in her fantasy dream, and when she didn't wake up, she closed her eyes and marvelled at her life. "Are you al
Since leaving the hospital and returning to Istanbul, the press has hung around the house and company like a bad smell, scavenging for whatever information they can get their hands on.It's been just over a month since that fateful night, two weeks since Ezekiel joined them in Turkey following his escape from the country, and just a few hours until Sedar gets down on one knee and pops the big question.He took a personal day off from work and spent the majority of the morning making love to the woman who makes his heart sing and his body strum like live wires to a Destiny's harp. They were given the green light by the specialist to act on their sexual urges four days ago since the pills she was prescribed were working well and her uterine lining was nice and thick.He was having difficulty keeping up with her beneath their bedsheets, in the shower, against the wall, and even in the office, on his sofa or desk. Her sexual appetite was out of this world, but he ma
"Could you please tell me what became of my abla, Emel?" He inquired of Ezekiel, his eyes widening with a genuine interest in her well-being. "She will not be permitted to return to the country, but I deleted the footage from the laptop's hard drive to give her time to gather her belongings and fly back to Istanbul on your jet." He explained as he sat up in his chair. "You did that for her?" Sedar inquired, his face and words contorted with shock. "Yes, we must protect our own until the bitter end, don't we?" He looked both of them in the eyes, unsure if they shared his views on loyalty. "Evet," (yes) they both nodded in unison. "What if they discover you tampered with evidence?" Ozgar inquired, concerned for his job as a detective. "This is where you two come into play." He flatly stated. "I'm going to need your private jet to get out of here." His gaze was fixed on Sedar. "And I'll require your connections to gain permanent entry int
Three days later.... Sedar was taken off the hyperbaric oxygen treatment two days ago, and ever since, Mercedes has been a thorn by his side. While she slept next to him on his hospital bed, she had her leg draped across his torso, her head resting on his chest as she slept to the beat of his heart, and her arm encircled around his neck. This was her following the doctor's orders; she expended her bed rest in the hospital, laying in bed with her husband, and she couldn't care less what anyone had to say. As far as she was concerned, He was HER husband, the father of HER child, and the man who held HER heart in the palms of his hands and that's all that mattered to her until Sedar awoke from his slumber, She knew deep down that no one would bother her as long as she had a certain detective or lawyer by her side 24/7 and each time a nurse suggested for her to go home and rest or leave Sedar's side, a low growl filled the room, resulting in the nurses wa
Mercedes stood outside Sedar's hospital room, gazing out the window with her heart on her shoulder and ready to crumble at any moment. She fought back tears, knowing she was supposed to be on bed rest and had no intention of complying with the doctor's orders until she received confirmation that her husband was stable. She rested her hand against the cold glass window, resting her head against her hand, and inhaled deeply, closing her eyes. "If there is one thing I want you to understand, my love... It would have to be that I am insanely in love with you," She guffawed at her admission. "When I consider a future with you and a half-dozen crazy little Sedars running through our house, my heart sings a melody with your name ciphered into it and my body murmurs with peace." Her voice trembled. "Please, please... find your way back to us." She pleaded. "Hey, Mercedes," she exclaimed as a hand rested on her shoulder, "Üzgùnüm." (I'm sorry) In a soothing tone, a fa