Chapter Two Hundred and Nineteen
A month later, Asli was gone. She left her legacy, her home, and everything she had worked so hard for, behind.
Everyone she considered hers had gone with her.
The timing had been too perfect to ignore. Her adoptive father and Demir had left on a mission, and she had taken the opportunity without looking back.
She had warned everyone to turn off their phones immediately after they had left.
Except hers.
Hers couldn’t be traced.
The last month had been bloody. Demir and his men had come after Ahmet and Markus more than once. Daniel had quietly started feeding them information, though every attempt to convince him to join her permanently ended the same way.
No.
Always no.
He’d only help, thinking he was paying for Cole’s protection. She let him think that it would ease his guilt. She strongly wanted him to join them.
But joining them? Daniel refused to cross that line. She knew what he was thinking. She knew he didn’t think he was worthy enough and she was willing to give him space till he was convinced he had earned his place by her side.
And eventually, even Cole had stopped arguing with her about it.
***
The new house wasn’t exactly peaceful.
Not with Matilda’s endless chatter.
Not with Josephine trying to help everyone.
Not with her nanny practically chasing Asli around with food every few hours.
But for the first time in years...
It felt different. It felt like a full home.
Though messy and loud, it was alive.
And strangely enough, it felt safe.
It was also the first time her nanny had met Ahmet.
Likewise, it was the first time Matilda’s mother had seen him.
The woman had been sitting quietly in her wheelchair, her eyes vacant as Josephine adjusted the blanket over her lap.
Then Ahmet walked in. Immediately, everything changed.
The woman’s body stiffened violently.
Her hands began shaking.
Not even slightly.
Violently.
Her breathing became uneven.
And then, she began crying.
No sound came through. Just tears streaming down her face as she trembled.
The room froze and everyone turned.
Matilda rushed to her mother’s side.
Josephine looked confused.
Even Asli had stopped moving.
Ahmet’s smile disappeared.
His brows furrowed.
"What happened?" he asked quietly.
The woman only shook harder.
Her eyes remained fixed on him.
Terrified.
And that frightened him.
"Asli..." he murmured.
Asli was already beside the wheelchair, concern spreading across her face.
Then she looked up.
"She only reacts like this when she sees my father."
The words hit him like a slap.
Ahmet blinked.
"What?"
Something ugly flashed across his face.
He was not angry. He was rather pained.
"What do you mean?"
His voice had sharpened. It wasn’t at the woman.
But at the words that echoed inside his head.
He swallowed.
"She reacts to Marco like this?"
Asli nodded uncertainly, not noticing the disgust in his eyes.
Markus quickly stepped in.
"Maybe it’s the aura," he offered lightly. "You know... You two have the whole scary Mafia boss thing..."
"Aura my foot!" Ahmet snapped.
Everyone jumped.
Markus blinked.
Ahmet pointed helplessly.
"She doesn’t panic when she sees you!"
His finger shifted toward Cole.
"She doesn’t react to him."
Then toward Asli.
"Or her."
His voice rose.
"So why me?"
Asli slowly turned toward him.
The dirty look she gave him could’ve killed.
This.
Her eyes practically screamed.
This is why.
Ahmet saw it.
And shut up immediately.
But it didn’t make him feel better.
If anything, it made him feel worse.
Because she was afraid.
Not uncomfortable.
Not startled.
Terrified.
And somehow... he reminded her of Marco.
He couldn’t bear it.
Without another word, he turned and left the hall.
"What the hell did that beast do to her?"
Ahmet muttered under his breath once they were outside.
He paced once.
Twice.
Then suddenly, he stopped.
His expression changed.
Markus noticed immediately.
"What?"
Ahmet looked sick.
Truly sick.
"What if..." His voice came out quieter.
Markus frowned.
"What if Marco rped her?"
The thought settled between them.
And then, Markus’ eyes widened.
His mind was racing somewhere Ahmet’s hadn’t.
"Then..." he whispered.
His voice sounded absent.
"Matilda would be his daughter."
Ahmet slowly turned toward him.
Both men stared at each other.
Neither speaking.
Neither breathing.
"How the hell has Asli never thought of this?"
"Thought of what?"
They both spun around.
Asli stood in the doorway.
She had apparently arrived in time to catch them mentioning her name.
Her eyes moved between them.
Neither man answered immediately.
Markus hesitated.
Ahmet didn’t.
"That your father might be Matilda’s biological father."
Straight.
No sugar coating.
No easing her into it.
The words had barely left his mouth when...
BEEP!
BEEP!
BEEP!
The shrill sound exploded through the air.
Asli froze.
Everyone knew that sound.
It was an SOS... her SOS alarm.
Her blood ran cold.
No.
No.
No.
They found out. She shouldn’t panic but she did.
Her hand flew to her pocket.
And immediately, her phone rang.
The screen showed only one name.
Father.
Her fingers trembled.
Ahmet closed the distance between them immediately.
One arm wrapped around her shoulders, pulling her against him as she answered.
She couldn’t speak.
Couldn’t breathe.
"Sir."
"What have you done?!"
The roar blasted through the speaker.
Loud enough that Ahmet and Markus, standing beside her, heard every word.
Marco wasn’t angry.
He was furious.
"You ungrateful bitch!"
Asli flinched.
Markus froze.
Cole who had rushed outside when he heard the alarm, lifted his head sharply.
Everyone had heard that.
"You dare run from me?"
His voice shook with rage.
"Return immediately!"
Asli couldn’t speak.
Her throat had closed.
"You belong to me!"
The room had gone completely silent.
Nobody moved.
Nobody breathed.
Then...
Marco screamed.
"While at it, you better bring back my daughter! I have plans for her too!"
Every eye widened.
"What?"
Nobody moved.
Nobody blinked.
The world stopped.
Matilda.
He was talking about Matilda.
The room turned deathly quiet.
Through the corner of his eye, Ahmet saw Markus’ fingers slowly curl into fists.
Not tightly.
Violently.
His knuckles whitened.
His breathing became heavier.
"What plans?" Markus whispered.
Nobody answered.
Because nobody wanted the answer.
"The sick bastard," Markus growled.
Meanwhile, Asli stood frozen.
The phone was still pressed against her ear.
But she wasn’t hearing him anymore.
Pieces.
Memories.
The way Matilda’s mother reacted every time she saw Marco.
The terror.
The crying.
The shaking.
And she...
She had dismissed it.
Again.
And again.
And again.
Her stomach churned violently.
Her knees almost gave way.
No.
No.
No.
Her father?
The man who had rped her was Marco?
How?
How could he?
Her hand flew to her mouth.
Her vision blurred.
She was a paralyzed woman.
A helpless woman.
How?
How could he touch someone who couldn’t even run?
How many times had that woman cried?
How many times had she begged?
How many times had she looked at him and seen a monster while Asli stood beside him, blind?
And for the first time since she was a child, Asli felt genuinely sick at the thought of calling Marco...
Father.
Was Ahmet speaking the truth when he said the story her father told her about his father were lies?
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