"It's time to say goodbye for the time being, but don't go anywhere; you'll be sent a link to watch your beloved Sedar perish." His büyük baba (grandfather) exclaimed excitedly as he hung up and flicked Mercedes a cheeky wink over the phone.
"Well, she has certainly improved in appearance." He chuckles as he walks back to his table, where he places his phone and takes a seat.
"You're nothing more than a joke, old man; how can you be our family's leader when you couldn't even keep your son alive or get me to obey?" Sedar glared out into the open, his sky blue eyes blinded by the camera's light.
"As I previously stated, you have a twin, and while it is not customary in the mafia for a woman to lead the family, you have left me with no choice." As he sat upright in his chair, he grumbled.
He gave a curt nod to one of his thugs. Moments later, the double doors to the abandoned factory open and Neriman entered, looking completely transformed. She str
He watched as his abla pulled the trigger, murdering their büyük baba in execution-style, her face concealing any emotions coursing through her veins, and his breath caught when her gaze fell on his. "Mr Ozturk," she said with wide eyes, dropping the gun, "we need to get you out of here before more men arrive and you need urgent medical attention." He could hear the strain in her voice as she yanked him to his feet with every ounce of strength she possessed. With a deep breath, "There is no reason for you to address me as Mr Ozturk, abla," (sister) He croaked, his throat and chest stinging with each breath he inhaled. "Hayir (no), I don't feel comfortable formally addressing you. I am neither an Ozturk nor a Peker," Her determination to be known as Neriman Yildiz was audible in her voice. "However, there is no denying that we are twins. Now that I've found you," he huffed, "I'm not sure I want to let you go, and I'm not sure my wife will either." He m
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
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
"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
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
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
'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
"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