I looked at the enormous yet desolate house in front of me. So many memories, so much joy had once filled this place. But now? As I stepped through the door, I was greeted by walls that seemed unaccustomed to such silence. I climbed the stairs, trailing my fingers along the banister. My knees trembled as the sounds of breakfasts together, running down the stairs, and waking up in the mornings echoed in my ears.
"Merve! You're still not up, sweetheart? Come on, I made fresh bread!"
"My beautiful niece! Thank God for giving you to us. You're our greatest gift."
"Mom! Be careful! Don't fall down the stairs!"
"My dear granddaughter, after prayer, let's go pick some plums."
With every step, memories surfaced, and with every step, tears streamed down my face. I didn't have the courage to stay, but I couldn't leave either. I couldn't drag anyone else into this disaster along with me. As loneliness seeped into my very core, a timid shiver overtook my body. I even missed the cold of Rize. Back when we'd come to Rize, there'd always be excitement bubbling inside me—I'd be impatient to see my grandmother and grandfather. But now, this place was nothing but a hollow emptiness to me.
Every day, my life became more unbearable. Nothing was going right. Maybe this was how it was meant to be. Maybe happiness didn't exist, and the Creator we so dearly loved had sent us here only to suffer. I had grown so disgusted with these kinds of metaphysical thoughts that I didn't think I could ever recover. Just for this reason, I needed to stay away from him. I couldn't drag him into my swamp; that would be deeply unfair to him.
The ringing of my phone snapped me out of my thoughts, and I answered the unknown number.
"Hello?"
"Hello, hi." It was a girl's voice, but it didn't sound familiar. Just then, as I turned around, the last thing I expected to see was Emre grinning slyly behind me. Shocked, I dropped the phone.
"What are you doing here? How did you get into my house? Get out right now!" The expression on his face disgusted me. His slight swaying and inability to maintain eye contact made it obvious he was drunk.
"Shhh, little one. I'd love to say that this rebellious attitude doesn't suit you, but actually, it's exactly what draws me to you." The repulsive tone of his voice made my stomach churn.
"Get out of my house! I said, get out!"
"Oh, come on now, don't be like that, beautiful. I told you, come willingly and be mine. If you hadn't resisted so much, maybe things could've been better. But after today, once I have you, you won't have any choice but to marry me, little one."
As I tried to back away, the sheer terror of what he intended paralyzed my movements.
"I don't know what's going through your mind, but whatever it is, it's incredibly stupid." With every step he took toward me, my skin turned ice-cold. He stood right by the door, making escape nearly impossible.
"I said I loved you, and you didn't believe me. I told you there was nothing between me and that girl, and you didn't believe me. I'm proposing to you, and you're rejecting me. What do you want from me? Huh? ANSWER ME!"
As his voice rose toward the end, my fear intensified. The best option was to play along since I couldn't think of anything else.
"Emre, you're drunk, and you're not thinking clearly. You don't want to do something you'll regret. Come, let's sit down and talk calmly."
When I reached for his arm, he angrily jerked it away from my grip.
"Don't touch me, because tonight, it's my turn to touch you, little one."
With a sudden surge of strength, I tried to push him away. He grabbed my arm and pulled me closer, but I kept resisting. I managed to make it to the door, but I was struggling to move further. As I fought, his grip slipped, and I fell down the stairs. While I groaned in pain, he crouched beside me as if nothing had happened, pulling at my hair and stroking it.
"Why, Merve? Tell me, why? Are you so afraid to be mine that you'd rather forget me this easily?"
I was crying and groaning in pain, my entire body aching. I couldn't fight him like this.
"Merve! Hold on, please! I'm going to save you!"
Furkan? Hearing his voice was a miracle, and now he was at my door, here to save me. Why was he here? How had he come? I didn't care about the reasons at that moment; all I wanted was to get out of this situation.
Furkan pulled Emre off me and punched him in the face. His rage seemed to flow through his fists as he struck Emre repeatedly. Just then, a girl in a headscarf I didn't recognize came to my side.
"Furkan, stop! Merve doesn't look well at all. We need to focus on her right now!"
When the girl called out to him, Furkan stopped and turned to us. I could see just how red his eyes were in those few seconds. He crouched in front of me, his black bangs clinging to his sweaty forehead. Even in my pain, it saddened me to see the light in his eyes gone. Clenching his fists, he began to speak.
"Merve! I'm sorry! I couldn't keep my promise! I couldn't protect you! Forgive me, please forgive me! Talk to me, don't stay silent, Merve! Don't! I'll go insane—please, say something! I'm sorry, I'm sorry, I'm sorry!"
As tears streamed from his eyes to match my own, those two words kept falling from his lips. Why was he apologizing? He had kept his promise. He was here, the man who vowed to protect me until his last breath. He was here, and he had saved me. So why was he apologizing? Forcing myself to speak, I gave him a faint smile.
"I'm sorry!"
He looked at me in confusion, his expression making me smile even more.
"I'm sorry for running from you, even though I knew you'd stand by your promise, Furkan."