"Good morning future first daughter."Elba pulled the duvet over her head as Alya drew the curtains.It was a chilly Monday morning, beginning of fall and she would have slept in but her schedule wouldn't allow her."Mrs J has been calling me non stop.She wants to talk to you and she sounded pretty pissed."
"Tell her I'll call her back."Apart from the cold,she had a pleasant evening with Kucuk who turned out to be a gentleman.But he wasn't Lamar.
It felt like ages since they last spoke and it's like Lamar was avoiding her on purpose.Well,if he was avoiding her,who was she not to oblige.
"The white or beige fur coat."Alya asked holding them up for her to choose.Her mother had packed plenty of those aware of the weather situation in Paris this time of the year.
"Either."Elba said resolving to finally get up and get the day started.How was she supposed to live through the week if she spent all her time in bed?Besides,winter was part of the adventure.
"It's Mrs J again."Alya handed Elba her phone when she came out the bathroom.
Elba answered going to stand in front of her window.It had a perfect view of the city which looked vibrant despite the weather.The snow hadn't settled in yet but it was due,no longer than by evening.
"What were you thinking going to opening night with Kucuk?"Ouch!That was rough and straight to the point, considering it was her mother speaking.
"I didn't realize I was under surveillance."She looked back at Alya fetching her day's outfit.Why was she even suspecting Alya of telling on her? It's not like she committed a crime spending the evening with Kucuk.And she wasn't a teenager anymore, something Mrs J had a hard time swallowing.
"What's happening between you and Lamar.A few hours apart and you ran straight into Kucuk's arms while Lamar is going to dates with Sapphire?"
That admission made Elba's blood boil.'So Lamar was really going out with that witch?'Her heart beat slowed down threatening to stop.
"It's nothing mum."
"I'm not buying that.Photos of you two snuggling in public are all over the internet."Elba's heart sank just imagining what the tabloids were speculating."I'll be there in one hour,you better have a valid answer by then."
Elba hanged up first and went straight to the tabloids.Her name and Kucuk's were top on the search engine.They weren't just photos of them.The angle they were taken on had romance written all over them.The first one was of them when Kucuk took her hand into the party.Then another shot while they were dancing,the third shot Kucuk was straightening her coat before she entered his car.And lastly,a shot of them chattering happily as they dinned at Luxembourg gardens.
"You okay?You look like you've seen a ghost."Alya spoke into her ear.Elba almost jumped as she hadn't heard Alya move.
"Owh...those are good."
Elba shut down her phone not bothering with the comments' section.She could only imagine Lamar's face when he saw the photos.He was the jealous type and wouldn't take them lightly.
But why was she repremanding herself?He was equally enjoying his date with Sapphire while she wore her brain off thinking about him!And how dare her mother insinuate she was the one at fault?Why not ask Lamar what he was doing going out with Sapphire then marrying his Italian bride Cecil in her dream?
"What are we doing today?"She took a deep cleansing breath pushing her disappointment out of the way.
...
Lamar threw his phone from across the room and it crashed as it made contact with the wall.Basak was briefing him on appointments he had to catch on during the week when he scrolled through his phone and saw the photo of Kucuk all cosy snuggled up to Elba.
"Okay this meeting is over."Basak looked up from the files staring up back at him, startled but not surprised at his son's behavior."See you when you get back from sealing the Italian deal.I believe you and Cecil will have a wedding date then."The old man was having too much fun taunting him.As if it wasn't enough sending him on errands to Italy while his girlfriend was flying to Paris with another stupid Bansaki.He'd had enough of that clan.
"Fuck Italy!I'm going to Paris.You can go get the Italian deal yourself if it's so important."He stood up and left his father's dumbstruck self in his study.
He'd lost count of the times he flew to and back from Italy yesterday.His day had kicked off on the wrong foot when he woke up and found Elba gone.Then he'd found out from Lamuel that Sapphire had requested his father a date with Lamar in order to drop her lawsuit on them.He painfully endured the afternoon with Sapphire taking all of her flirty shit.He hadn't rested and only napped between flights to Italy.There he also found out from Cecil's father the condition behind their partnership was marrying Cecil.The partnership was important for the expansion of the Erdogan's farm olive production and marketing.
"Where are you hurrying off to?"Lamuel called from out the dining area."Mum is requesting a family lunch for everyone."
"Sorry,I have a flight to catch!"
"Wait!Cecil came calling,what I'm I supposed to tell her?"Lamar paused at the door.
"Whatever you want.And get Zehra to clear the mess in the study."
'I should mark my territory in bold for Kucuk and anyone who thinks they have a chance with Elba.'Lamar thought getting into his car.An idea popped up in his head and he smiled to himself.
"Well, anything to keep her to myself."'Because she is all mine.'She was his warmth when cold,his firm pillar when he was drowning in sorrow and his sanity.No way he would ever let her that go.