Chapter 22
My consciousness began to return slowly, as if I were emerging from a dark and endless abyss. My vision was blurred, but shapes were gradually coming into focus.
I was lying in a bed, the unmistakable smell of a hospital filling my nostrils.
I blinked several times, trying to make sense of my situation.
I opened my eyes slowly again, adjusting to the soft light in the room.
Memories of my captivity and fear flooded my mind as I struggled to understand how I had gotten there.
I looked around and realized I wasn’t at home or on the island where my father had locked me away for months.
That’s when it hit me—Ayaz had managed to save me.
He was my hero. I tried to get up, but my body felt like it weighed a ton.
All I remembered was taking some strong medication that had knocked me out for hours.
When my vision finally stabilized, I gradually began to notice movement beside me and realized I wasn’t alone in the room.
Ayaz was sitting on the edge of the bed, rocking our son’s crib.
He forced a smile and looked at me with serious, worried eyes when he noticed I was awake, then helped me sit up.
“Eda, I’m glad you’re awake,” he said in a cold tone.
“Where are we?” My throat was dry and my voice came out hoarse. “What happened? Is our son okay?”
He explained everything, from the rescue to where we were now. I learned that he had brought me to his house and that our son was safe. My heart filled with gratitude, but I knew the conversation ahead would be difficult.
“Ayaz, thank you so much for saving my life too,” I began, my words trembling.
“I’m grateful for the chance to know our son and be with him.
” I searched his serious eyes. “I understand that things changed between us after that senseless argument we had in the past. I swore to myself I would never seek you out again, but I had no choice. I only asked for your help to protect our son,” I said, feeling a tightness in my chest. “Now we need to talk about everything that happened and what’s to come. ”
“It’s all very simple, Eda. You’ll stay by his side until he no longer depends on his mother.” He sighed and stopped rocking the crib. “After that, you must leave my house. Alone. My son stays.”
I was worried about where this conversation was heading.
Ayaz made it very clear that as soon as our son stopped depending on my direct care, like breastfeeding, I would have to leave.
I tried to change his mind, pleading my case, fearing for my life and what would happen once I was alone, but I couldn’t dissuade him.
“Ayaz, please, you can’t do this to me.” Anxiety began to seep into me as I tried to find the right words. “You can’t separate me from my son and leave me alone now. I don’t know what might happen if my baba finds out where I am. I fear for my life.”
I also tried to convince him to bring Leyla, the messenger I had sent to him, to work with us and be protected, since she had risked so much to help us, but that request failed too.
“Eda, don’t insist. My decision has already been made. I’ll take care of you and our son, but only while he needs your motherly care.” He looked at me, his eyes full of compassion, but his decision was unwavering. “As soon as he doesn’t need you anymore, you’ll have to leave.”
“Ayaz, I’m afraid.” My heart sank and tears filled my eyes. “I don’t know where to go. What if they catch me?”
“I’m sure you’ll figure it out, Eda. You’ll find a solution. You have time for that.” He looked at me and said suddenly, still holding our son in his arms, “I only believed he was mine after I saw the birthmark. Every legitimate Yavuz has one. Did you know that?”
“No, Ayaz, I had no idea.” I sighed deeply. “We had so little time together and you never mentioned it, but I want you to know that this unfounded suspicion of yours still hurts me deeply.”
“It’s a family secret.” He shook his head, as if processing my words. “It’s something we guard under lock and key and protect with the utmost care. It serves to protect us from opportunists.”
“As you can see, Ayaz, I didn’t betray you or your trust.” I nodded, hoping he could see how wrong he had been about me.
“Eda, you understand that things can’t go back to the way they were, don’t you?
” He sighed and turned his attention to our son.
“I can’t erase what happened, especially the murder of my baba by yours.
Besides, even though the baby is my son, I can’t trust you or believe in your love.
I still think you were part of a plan with your father to bring me down.
And when everything went wrong and you ended up pregnant with my child, he locked you on that island and wanted to kill my son too, because he has my blood. ”
“What a vivid imagination you have, Ayaz.” I knew this conversation wouldn’t end well for me, but I had to try. “Why don’t you listen to me and let me explain what actually happened?”
“This subject is closed, Eda. I turned that page a long time ago.” He looked at me with regret, but his decision seemed final. “For now, you can stay as long as our son needs your care.”
“Ayaz, I’m still deeply hurt by what you said to me back then.” My hopes crumbled and tears welled up in my eyes. “I’m not asking us to get back together—I just want to be by our son’s side and help raise him.”
“You’re starting to irritate me with all this, Eda.”
“Ayaz, what about Leyla, the messenger I sent you? We need to help her. Her life is at stake too. She risked so much for us and deserves protection.” I knew I couldn’t convince him to change his mind, so I tried another approach.
“You could hire her to work here at your house. She could help me with the baby. I’m a first-time mom and she’s a nurse—she’d be a huge help. ”
“Maybe I’ll think about it, but not right now—and I’m not making any promises, Eda.” He hesitated for a moment, and I could see the concern in his eyes as he took our baby’s tiny hand and gently uncurled it. “But for now, we need to choose a name for our son. Have you thought of any?”
The sudden change of subject caught me off guard, but I knew he was trying to steer us away from the painful moment. We both looked at the crib where our son lay sleeping, and a small, sad smile crossed my lips.
“There’s a name I really like, Ayaz. What about Can?”
“Can… It’s a beautiful name.” He smiled tenderly, his face full of warmth and affection. “Can, my son, I’ll do everything in my power to keep you safe and make you happy.”
As I watched Ayaz holding our son, a feeling of hope mixed with fear swelled in my heart. I didn’t know what the future held, but I was willing to face whatever came—for Can’s sake.