Chapter 20
I never thought something like this could happen to me. I, Ayaz, the cruel one—a man who'd always been decisive, always in control—found myself completely lost after I threw Leyla out of my house. I lost my appetite and retreated to my office in the mansion, replaying her last words in my mind.
After she left, the anger in my heart began to fade. I could dismiss her words and Eda’s supposed message, but a nagging unease wouldn’t leave me. Lost in thought, I heard a soft knock on the door, and my mother stepped inside.
“How are you, son?” She looked at me with concern, and my mind drifted back to everything that had just happened.
“I don’t know what to think, Mother,” I admitted as she sat down across from me. “This whole story seems crazy, but something about it won’t let me rest.”
“Ayaz, sometimes life forces us to make difficult choices. I know this is a complicated situation, but you need to be strong and think clearly. As much as you distrust Eda, that girl who just left might be telling the truth. We should consider the possibility that something bad is happening to her.” She held my hand.
“I know women better than anyone—after all, I am one—and if something worried her enough to send a message here, after the way you two separated, perhaps it would be wise to at least investigate where she is and go there. She meant a great deal to you, and if there’s a real threat, we can’t ignore it. ”
“But how can I trust a stranger? What if she’s lying?” I asked nervously, rubbing my forehead with my thumb and forefinger. “Eda already tried to deceive me once. What if this is all a lie—some kind of trap?”
“I understand it’s hard to trust someone we don’t know, or someone who’s betrayed us, but I think we should give it a chance.
You’ll be well-prepared, well-equipped, and safe, since you already suspect this might not be true.
” She looked at me seriously. “What we can’t allow is for something bad to happen to this child, especially if he’s a Yavuz.
I don’t think we have many options now,” she said, trying to convince me.
“And how will I know if I’m really the father of this baby?” I asked, still skeptical.
I took a deep breath, torn between my stubbornness and the feelings I still harbored for Eda, no matter how hard I tried to deny them.
“You men… always so oblivious to the details!” She laughed heartily. “Did you forget about the Yavuz birthmark? Just look for it, my dear.”
I looked at my mother, seeing genuine concern on her face. She was right. I couldn’t ignore what might be happening, regardless of my personal feelings about Eda. If the baby was my son—and we’d find that out soon enough—I had to do whatever it took to protect him.
“Of course!” I nodded, relieved. “What would I do without you, Mrs. ?zge?” I joked. “You’re right,” I agreed after thinking for a few minutes. “I’ll put my men on Leyla’s trail, try to get in touch with her, and find out where Eda is,” I said, some of the tension leaving my voice.
“I knew you’d make the right decision, son.
This is what a true baba of the Yavuz would do.
” She smiled and hugged me, happy to have convinced me.
“Find out where that girl is, and if everything that was said here is true, you’ll be saving your son’s life.
If it’s a lie, you each go your separate ways.
At least you won’t carry the weight of an innocent baby’s death on your shoulders, since you already carry the burden of so many others.
Go to them and do whatever it takes to keep them safe.
If what Eda claims is true, do everything in your power to bring my grandson home,” she said with determination. “I’ll be here, rooting for you.”
Those words resonated with me. My mother was right—I should investigate and go there. Even if I no longer believed Eda’s stories, there might be an innocent child in trouble, and that was enough to motivate me.
I decided it was time to act. I called some of my trusted men and filled them in on the situation.
I didn’t mention the details, but told them that if it wasn’t an ambush, we’d have to rescue a woman and a baby who were in danger.
With determination, I ordered them to track Leyla down and find out where she was—she was our only lead.
It was a difficult search, but we managed to find her before she left the city. She told us where Eda was being held captive.
A few hours later, we arrived at a remote location—a secret island, far from any prying eyes. The house looked like some kind of abandoned fortress.
With our weapons ready, we entered the shadowy structure. The smell of mold and neglect enveloped us as we moved silently through the dark corridors. That’s when I heard a faint sound coming from a nearby room. It was a baby’s cry—weak and helpless.
We followed the sound and came to a locked door.
With one precise blow, we broke it down.
What we saw on the other side took my breath away.
Eda had just given birth and was hemorrhaging, lying on a makeshift bed with her newborn baby in her arms. Her face was pale, and the sheets were stained with blood.
“Eda, stay calm.” Without thinking, I rushed to her side. “We’re getting you out of here. Now.”
“Ayaz, you came,” she said weakly, placing the baby in my arms. “I knew you’d come to save our son.”
As I held the baby in my arms, I heard a noise and realized we’d been discovered—our enemies were closing in.
There was no time to lose. I did everything I could to protect Eda and the child, positioning myself in front of the makeshift stretcher to shield them from the line of fire.
Then my men and I engaged them, shots echoing through the shadowy corridors as fists flew.
It was an intense fight, and we had no intention of backing down.
“Ayaz, don’t worry about me.” She touched my arm with trembling hands. “Take our son. Save his life.”
But I couldn’t leave her there.
“You’re coming with me, Eda,” I said without hesitation. “The baby’s still so small—he needs his mother by his side.”
“Farid!” I shouted to one of my men—his loyalty was unshakeable, his tracking skills unmatched. “Give me cover. I need to get out of here with Eda and the child now—both of them could die. Keep watch and be ready for anything.”
I scooped her up, then threw her over my shoulder, ignoring the pain in my wounded leg. Holding tight to the child who might be my son, I pressed him against my chest and carried them away from that horrible place. The way back was fraught with danger, but I knew I couldn’t give up.
Farid and I tore through the corridors, shooting like madmen as we searched for the way out, ready to face whatever lay ahead. No matter what obstacles we encountered, I was determined to get Eda and the child out of there, whatever it took.
We weren’t giving up. We fought through wave after wave of them, my men and I taking on the enemy like something out of an action movie. They were determined to stop us, but we didn’t back down. Gunfire thundered through the dark corridors as fists connected.
In the distance, we could hear screams and gunfire.
I knew they were still after us. With a deafening blast, we used an improvised bomb to clear a path and finally escaped that cursed place.
I placed Eda in the back seat of the car along with the child who might be my son, and held her hand tight.
I knew she was in danger too—that’s why I couldn’t leave her behind like she’d suggested.
I had an ICU, an operating room, and all kinds of medical equipment at the mansion.
When you live outside the law, you can’t exactly waltz into a regular hospital whenever you need to.
So as soon as we’d escaped safely, I called my mother and asked her to get Doctor Tabor—told her it was urgent.
We headed home, where Eda received the medical care she needed, my son was examined, and my men and I had our wounds treated.