Chapter Seven
Asli reached the mansion, feeling exhausted. This was the longest day ever. None of the men were staring at her in a funny way, which was a relief. It meant nobody saw her or heard about her meeting with their rival, Ahmet. She handed her coat to one of the men, who took it with a nod.
"Is Godfather home?" she asked him.
"No, boss. Godfather left this afternoon and hasn't returned yet," he replied, his expression neutral. She gave him a slight nod.
Asli climbed the stairs to the third floor, which she occupied alone, and slammed the door behind her as she stormed into her apartment.
She was unable to get rid of the uneasy feeling in her stomach. She headed to the bathroom and poured a large amount of lavender oil into the heated bathtub. She hoped the calming scent would soothe her frazzled nerves.
As she sank into the water, she closed her eyes, trying to push Ahmet's demands out of her mind. But like a broken record, his words kept playing in her head. 'Either you go to bed with me or you face your father's wrath.' She couldn't believe the audacity of the man.
Asli's eyes snapped open, and she sat up straight, the water splashing and her mind racing. How could he do this to her? She was a powerful woman in her own right, not some damsel in distress to be blackmailed into bed. But the thought of her adopted father's wrath... that was a different story altogether. He was a man who inspired terror, and she knew he would stop at nothing to protect his throne.
The thought of facing his anger, of being at his mercy, filled her with a paralyzing fear. If it had been Asli alone, she would have managed, but the thought of her innocent nanny and her family getting caught up in the crossfire scared her to her bones. She was her Achilles heel, and her adopted father knew that.
She laid back in the water, trying to calm herself down, but her brain refused to shut off. She thought about all the ways she could get out of this situation, but every option seemed to lead to more problems. She couldn't concentrate, her mind consumed by Ahmet's smirking face and his infuriating demands.
As the water began to cool, Asli realized she had been lying there for hours. She got out of the bathtub, wrapped herself in a towel, and walked over to the window. She stared out into the night, feeling trapped and helpless, two feelings she never thought she'd associate with herself.
The sound of her phone buzzing on her bed broke the silence. She went over and picked it up, only to see a text from an unknown number. "Eighteen hours, Asli. Don't think about trying to escape." Her eyes locked onto the text. She hadn't saved his number when he called her and she wished she had blocked him after that call.
Giving in to Ahmet's demands meant something even more unthinkable; surrendering her body to the enemy. She had never been with a man before, her focus solely on training and preparing to avenge her parents' death. And now, the first man she would ever be with would be the son of the man who had murdered her family. The thought made her stomach churn.
She had spent her entire life training to avenge her parents' death, and now she was being forced to consider surrendering to the same enemy. The irony was bitter, and Asli's anger and hatred for Ahmet grew with each passing moment. She knew she had to think fast and come up with a plan to silence him once and for all. But what?
Asli knew killing Ahmet wasn't an option - at least, not yet. He was a Mafia Don, and taking him out would spark a war between their organizations. Besides, he wasn't some weakling out there that she could take out at will.
She needed a different plan, one that would silence him without igniting a gang war. Killing him now would be too reckless, too impulsive. She had to think smarter and use her resources and skills to outmaneuver him. But what could she do? Ahmet had the upper hand, and time was running out. She had only Twelve hours to come up with a solution or risk losing everything, including her life.
Asli thought of Ahmet's cousin, Markus, who was secretly planning to betray him. If she could warn Ahmet about his treachery, maybe he'd be too distracted to bother her. But no, that wouldn't work. Ahmet trusted him with his life - they'd grown up together, and he was his right-hand man. Ahmet would never believe her, especially without solid proof.
Asli finally dragged herself to bed, exhausted. She lay there, staring at the ceiling. She tossed and turned, trying to calm her racing thoughts, but sleep eluded her. Hours passed, and before she knew it, the first light of dawn crept into her room. She sighed when the alarm blurred. It was time for her training.
************
Asli was almost done with her training, sweat dripping from her brow as she finished her final round of kicks. She was about to call it a day when her phone rang. She went for it and 'Twenty- Four hours' was displayed as the caller. She had saved his number before getting in bed last night.
She hesitated for a moment, wondering if she should ignore it. But something compelled her to pick up. "Hello?" she said, trying to sound calm.
"Asli, don't think you can ignore me," Ahmet's smooth voice said on the other end. "You know what I want. I expect to hear from you soon." Asli's grip on the phone tightened.
"What do you want from me, Ahmet?" she whispered, her voice barely above a whisper as she feared anyone would hear her.
"You know exactly what I want," he replied, his tone dripping with amusement. "Don't play dumb, Asli. I gave you twenty-four hours and you have less than five hours left." The line went dead, and she was left standing there, seething with rage.
Asli's eyes narrowed as she glared at the phone. "How dare he hang up on me?" she muttered to herself. She quickly dialed his number, her fingers flying across the screen. But he didn't answer. She tried again, and again he refused to pick up.
It wasn't until the fourth call that he finally decided to answer. "So, have you finally decided to see things my way?" he asked, his voice dripping with smugness.
She took a deep breath, trying to keep her cool. "I an willing to compromise," she said, trying to negotiate. "I'll give you what you want, but you have to give me more time."
Ahmet's laughter was like a slap in the face. "You think you're in a position to negotiate with me?" he sneered. "I do not think so, Asli. You will do what I say, or suffer the consequences. Do you want more time to outsmart me? No."
She could play his game. She certainly could. A mischievous grin formed on her lips. "What would you gain from sleeping with me?" she asked, trying to keep her tone neutral. "You're not exactly known for your romantic conquests. And we're rivals, not to mention the fact that our families would kill us if they found out." She paused, her eyes narrowing. "So, what is the real motive here? What could you possibly gain from this?"
There was a pause on the other end of the line, and for a moment, Asli wondered if she had caught him off guard. But then, Ahmet's smooth voice came back, dripping with confidence. "I'm glad to know you are well informed about my romantic conquests. Let's just say, Asli, that I have my reasons. And as for what I'd gain… well, that is for me to know and you to find out." His tone sent a shiver down her spine, and Asli knew she had to tread carefully. She was not going to win this against him.
"Show me what proof you have and I will give in to your demands." With that, she hung up the call, feeling a small sense of satisfaction at being the one to end the conversation this time.