Sedar charged through the building, his small army trailing close behind. He was seething with rage, and his body trembled with vengeful anguish as he couldn't believe he had been so blind.
He burst through the door, rounding the large oak desk, and picked up his büyük baba by the lapels of his shirt and held him up against the wall.
"Where is she?" He demanded, his teeth clenched as he snarled at him.
His büyük baba (grandfather) smirked and shook his head. "Do you really believe I had anything to do with her disappearance?"
"I know you did!" He roared and punched a hole in the wall next to his büyük babas' head.
His büyük baba didn't even flinch or blink an eye at his outburst. "I am extremely flattered." He mumbled, his face gradually flushing as Sedar's hand shifted to his neck.
"Enough, Sedar. If you want to find your wife. We need him alive." The detective said as he rushed around the desk, attempting to pry Sedar off his büyük b
Mercedes rested beneath a Willow tree, the sun glistening off her skin as the scent of freshly mowed grass lingered in the air, and the warm summers breeze blew through her hair. She lay on her back, gazing up at the sky, forming animal shapes out of the soft fluffy clouds that were slowly gliding through the air. "There!" Alex exclaimed, laughing. "The long-fingered rabbit has made a comeback." "Where? I only see large marshmallow shapes." She laughed, licking her lips and revelling in the sensation of freedom. "It's always been Marshmallows with you." He sighed while he shook his head, irritated that she wasn't paying attention to the shapes forming and taking their game more seriously. "Because marshmallows are so... delicious!" She rolled to the side, giggling, sliding her glasses up, and looked down at Alex with a smile. He returned her gaze with a large grin on his face, turning his head with one eye closed. "I miss this.
Two days later in hospital... A knock on the door drew the attention of Mercedes, Sedar, and Ezekiel. When they raised their eyes, they were greeted by a middle-aged woman with red hair, sterling grey eyes that were large and round with soft features that beckoned you to open up and spill your heart to her. "Selam, (Hi) I am a detective, Pelin." She said softly as her gaze was drawn to Mercedes. "If you're willing, I'd like to ask you a few questions?" She stood in the doorway, waiting to be invited in. "Hayir." Sedar sat up in his chair and fixed his gaze on her. "Mercedes needs a few more days." He stated unequivocally. "Mr Ozturk, I understand and appreciate your point. However, if I may be candid," She stopped talking, her gaze fixed on him as he nodded. "While the events are still fresh in Mrs Ozturk's mind, it is best that we speak now and gather as much information as possible to help track down her kidnappers." She stated politely as s
"Üzgünüm, (I'm sorry) Mrs Ozturk, you had to go through that. It's a shame that Istanbul hasn't been kind to you, and I hope that from now on, your eyes will see Turkey in a different light now that you're safe and sound in your husband's arms." Pelin said with all the sincerity her voice could muster. "Thank you very much, I. Uh." She bit her lower lip as she turned to face Sedar. "Evet, askim." (Yes, my love) He gulped, knowing what she was about to say because he'd seen this expression on her beautiful face many times before. "I'm not going to stay here to recover. When the time comes, I'd like to return home with Ezekiel, and I'm asking you to respect my decision." Her gaze was drawn to where their hands were clasped, and she hoped he didn't lash out, forcing her to remain in a city that has her head spinning with anxiety. As he slipped his finger under her chin and raised her face to look at him, she heard him sigh sharply. "I won't stop yo
Mercedes was discharged from the hospital three days ago and had been down to the station within those three days to identify her captor from a police lineup of multiple possible suspects. She was unable to identify any of them as her abuser as none of them possessed a dragon tattoo or a scar running down their face with two missing teeth. It was either one or the other, and their eyes did not reawaken her fear as she stood behind the window, taking her time to carefully identify them. The longer she stayed in Istanbul with her captor on the run, the more dangerous the situation became. She had become increasingly fearful and refused to leave the house, afraid of being kidnapped once again. It was time for her to return to New Zealand and while they made their way to the airport, Ezekiel had declined Sedar's offer to use his private jet. Believing that Sedar and Mercedes would remain a target until the suspects were apprehended so he let his paranoia do the t
The jeep came to a standstill in front of the prison, Sedar glanced at his watch, pinching the bridge of his nose as he tried to regulate his breathing. He wanted to sit in front of his büyük baba with as much self-control he can muster, he needed to put on a front to get the information he required. He personally wanted to get his hands on the bastards that snatched his wife, having the audacity to touch a hair on her pretty little head! The rage within him was burning his soul and he couldn't rest or think straight until he knew the bastards were no longer lurking in the shadows. This was the most erratic thing he's ever done and he wouldn't do it for anyone o
Mercedes sat patiently in Riley's office, awaiting her appearance. As she sat on the flight back home, going through her emails, she realised she had sent copies of her marriage certificate and the divorce decree to Riley the day she had been kidnapped. She remembered thanking the Gods that Neriman needed a substantial amount of money to remain in her residency. Giving her the perfect cover to carry out her task assigned by Riley. She had benefited from Nerimans predicament. The civil courthouse was located adjoining to the bank she had visited. The vital statistics office shared a building within the courthouse. It had been a win, win situation for her. Being able to get the files she needed without her driver being too suspicious of her motives in helping Neriman out. Now she sat in the office, wishing to withdraw from the divorce proceedings and needing to inform Riley about her twin sister deceiving her. By falsely claiming that Ezekiel had gotten h
Mercedes took the stairs two at a time, desperately trying to catch Sedar in advance to walking out of the building. All she needed was a chance to explain herself and as she reached the bottom of the staircase. She achingly cursed herself for not hitting the gym and keeping herself in better shape as she tried to catch her breath, gasping and coughing for air. She ripped open the door, sighing with relief as she caught a glimpse of Sedar, exuding authority from behind as he ate up the distance between him and the double doors, fleeing the building faster than a greased bullet. He caught the attention of everyone he passed and didn't even realise it, which was one of the qualities she appreciated the most about him. "Sedar!" She called out as she chased him out of the building. "Please! Slow down; allow me to explain." She sobbed, tears streaming from her eyes. He came to a halt and turned to face her, his gaze falling on her. The soft eyes that complemented
Mercedes sat in her hotel suite, agitated, her gaze darting around the room, eventually settling on Sedar's personal bodyguards. She felt as if she was having an out-of-body experience as if she were a character in Will Smith's 'Men In Black' film. As she drummed her fingers along the armrest of the chair she was occupying, she hoped they would whip out their small memory erasing device and use it on her. Deep within, she was screaming in agony; the longer she sat stationary in her chair, the faster her mind ticked, shattering her heart and her throat throbbed as she fought back tears. She jumped to her feet as the door jerked open, and she stood there watching as Ezekiel and Zeynep walked through. Her head bobbed to one side as she waited for Sedar to appear; when he didn't, her heart lurched into her stomach as she wanted to stomp her foot and throw a fit. "Where's Sedar gone?" She inquired, attempting to keep her words free of annoyance. "H
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