Her tears wouldn't stop, and her expression showed a mixture of pain, disappointment, and anger. She looked at me for a moment, her gaze boring into mine, and then, with one last pain-filled glance, she stepped onto the elevator."I can't do this now, Habbab," she said in a halting voice as the elevator doors slowly closed, separating us even further.My hands pounded on the elevator doors in frustration and helplessness, feeling my chance to explain myself slip away. Tears gathered in my eyes as I stood in the middle of the hallway, alone and filled with regret."Melek, please don't go," I murmured, feeling hope slowly fading. "I love you, and I'll do anything to fix this."But my words were lost in the air, and Melek disappeared from my sight. I stood there, feeling a deep emptiness in my chest, regretting the damage I had caused and the loss of my true love.I knew I should respect her need for space and time, but I couldn't help but feel crushed by her departure. Now, my only hope
Chapter 40HabbabI arrived at the impressive mansion of the Erdoğans, with my heart beating rapidly in my chest. I knew the danger I was facing at coming here, but I was determined to endure it. There was no time to waste. With a strong kick, I opened the main door and called out Esat's name."Esat Erdoğan! Come out and face me!" I shouted with determination, my words echoing in the wide hallways of the mansion.Shortly after, I started hearing doors opening and closing, and then the entire Erdoğan family descended to the courtyard, their expressions filled with surprise and confusion upon seeing me there. I confronted Esat, with a firm gaze and an urgent voice."Esat, you're going to answer to me. Where is Enise? Where is Melek?" I asked, desperately searching for any clue.Esat seemed astonished by my question about Melek. He couldn't understand how I could be asking about her since I was supposed to have her with me. But I didn't have time for confusing explanations.However, the
HabbabArriving at the imposing Arslan mansion, after rescuing my cousin Enise, the great doors opened before me. With firm steps, I crossed the threshold and stepped into a setting full of mixed emotions. Enise's grandmother, my aunt, and my sister Dilay rushed to her, hugging her tightly and letting the tears of relief and gratitude flow freely.I watched the scene with a mixture of joy and melancholy. On the one hand, I was glad to have accomplished my goal of rescuing Enise and returning her safely to her home. But on the other hand, I felt a strange sense of emptiness, I didn't have Melek, she had been kidnapped and I didn't know who. Where were you? Would I get to her in time?Derya, my grandmother, slowly stood up and approached me. Her eyes reflected a mixture of gratitude and sadness. I could feel the burden of years in her trembling voice as she spoke."Habbab, dear grandson, I do not have enough words to express my gratitude for what you have done for Enise. You have risked
A new character narratesI hung up the phone and a smile of satisfaction came over my face. At last, I had succeeded in fooling Çakir Erdoğan, that man blinded by his ambition and thirst for power. For years, I had waited patiently for my chance to regain my position in the Arslan family, and now, it seemed, that time had come.For years, Derya Arslan hid me in the shadows, with the excuse that she was protecting me, nothing was further from the truth. Compared to my cousin, I always knew that our grandmother was a harpy, a snake disguised as a good person. She used her grandchildren as pieces in a game, we were nothing more to her. And now I was coming to make her pay.I managed to escape from her hands and with time I managed to learn all her secrets, now she was coming to destroy too what she had built.I decided to carry out my plan, I walked with a firm step towards the room where I knew I would find Melek, the innocent girl trapped in the middle of this twisted plot. As I opened
Chapter 41Habbab"Two long days have passed since Melek's disappearance, and anguish consumes me relentlessly. Uncertainty and fear have become constant companions, preventing me from eating, sleeping and even thinking clearly. Every second that passes without news from him is unbearable torture. Melek is my world, my reason for being, and his absence has become a dark abyss that threatens to engulf me completely.In the midst of my despair, my office door opens and my best friend Erdem bursts into the room, his breath hitching and his eyes heavy with worry. My heart races at his presence, filled with hope that he will bring news that will ease my pain."Habbab, there's something you need to know," Erdem says quietly, his tone revealing the gravity of the situation. "There's a commotion at the Erdoğan mansion. Apparently, they have found a woman who could be Melek. I don't know the exact details, but we must go there as soon as possible and find out what's going on."My eyes light up
HazarI am overwhelmed by a flood of emotions. Guilt consumes me as I hold Senay in my arms, both of us crying inconsolably. I have failed my family, my best friend, who was Melek's real father, the one to whom I promised to take care of Senay and his daughter. My heart sinks into a dark abyss because now Melek, that little girl whom I have loved as if she were my own daughter, has died.Despite not being her biological father, I always felt a deep and sincere love for Melek. I saw her as my own flesh and blood, and every smile of hers lit up my world. Now, that brightness has vanished forever, leaving an insurmountable void in my soul. It is unbearable to think that I will never again hear her melodious laughter or embrace her tenderly.In the midst of my grief, I become aware of Habbab's presence. I see him collapsing next to Melek, crying out her name in despair. At that moment, I understand the depth of his love for her. Despite all our conflicts and differences, Habbab truly love
HazarI walked into Habbab's office with a mixture of resentment and regret. I knew he was devastated by the loss of Melek, just like I and my family, but Habbab was still my enemy, still, the man who humiliated my little girl. Still, I felt I had to make a gesture out of pure politeness toward the bond Habbab had with Melek, my own daughter. I found him slumped in his grief, his eyes reddened and his voice trembling."Habbab...," I said, trying to hide my disdain as I addressed him. "I am here out of pure courtesy. I know that Melek was important to you and I want you to know that, despite our differences, I understand your suffering."Habbab looked up, his tear-filled eyes meeting mine. His broken voice echoed as he replied, "Hazar, I cannot bear this loss. Melek was everything to me, and now he is gone forever."I swallowed my resentment and continued, aware that my gesture was merely a formality. "I am not here to sympathize with you, I am here because I saw how you broke down at
Chapter 42HabbabI find myself in a lonely corner of the courtyard of the Erdoğan mansion. My presence here is like a stone in the shoe for Melek's family. They didn't want me here, I don't blame them. I am the son of their enemy, the man who humiliated and hurt their beloved Melek. But Hazar intervened and managed to calm everyone down, convincing them that I should be present at this tragic moment. I am grateful that he did that for me. I begin to see that man Melek was describing, if I were him, I would never have allowed my enemy, and the one who hurt my daughter so much, to sit in my home and share my pain. Perhaps, my grandmother had lied to me about him, about the real story.Melek's coffin remains closed, and will soon be taken to the cemetery. I begged Hazar to let me carry the coffin, and surprisingly, he agreed. I want to be part of this last act of farewell to the woman I love, even if my presence here is awkward and forced.The procession begins, and the weight of the co