• • •

" The silk one looks better"

A voice spoke beside me. The sound of Elif words reached my ears, making me glance upwards from the stall of scarves towards the elderly man, with hopeful eyes.

Offering a polite smile, I felt myself glancing around the busy market. Hearing each stall keeper call out, the sounds of bargaining and dissatisfaction mixed alongside the noise bringing life all around, yet somehow despite all the commotion. I felt lonelier than ever.

" Brother, there is no way I am paying that amount. It isn't even worth that much"

Elif spoke, her doe eyes looking at the cashmere scarf in her hands as she examined it. A look of annoyance across her face as the man before her weighed in and tried showcasing the new collection that came.

" Sister, what about you- here- try this. It'll bring your eyes out"

The man with the salty moustache spoke in a thick accent as he handed me a silk cashmere scarf, with red and pink patterns on them. Reaching forward, I took it nervously from the man after his encouraging smile and held it against my hands, because despite all the noise and the yelling. I was immune to it and all I needed was the touch of something, anything, to keep me going.

" Wow it looks perfect, look sister"

The elderly man spoke as he held a mirror in front of me, allowing me to examine the fabric, feeling it across my head. Loose strands of brown hair fell near my chin, making me smile. Somehow the vibrant colours did bring out my hazel eye colour.

Looking upwards from the mirror and towards Elif, the woman gave me an encouraging smile making me reciprocate it.

" How much would you say for this?"

Elif spoke as I stared at the mirror, feeling my eyes glance at the features. Trying to search for that image I was used to. Yet no matter how much I looked, I couldn't find me. Along the lines of finding peace I lost myself to the darkness.

Glancing from the corner of my eyes, Esma stood next to a group of women under the large marquee tent, set up for the stall. The woman moved her hands animatedly as she shook her head whilst the women around her consoled their sympathies. The look evident on their faces.

She was probably talking about how I ruined her son's life.

I thought bitterly as I glanced away from her and now towards Elif who was still arguing her case.

" What is going on Elif? And what's that on your head, take it off. Have you no shame"

A voice snapped beside me and I need not to look at who it was. The familiar snarky voice was enough to conclude my theory.

" Aunt Esma, we're just bargaining for Farya"

Elif spoke kindly to which Esma shook her head. Pulling the fabric from my head I folded it neatly and passed it towards the older man. Who looked at me sympathetically.

" Who is that for?" Esma asked Elif who held a small scarf in her hand as the young woman glanced down with a smile on her face.

" This is for Mirya" Elif spoke and Esma reached towards her purse before she took the scarf off Elif.

" That's fine. We will take this"

" What about Far-"

" We don't have enough time to be messing around"

Esma snapped, causing the older man to glance at me, a sad look on his face, making me intake a sharp breath. Glancing away from them, my gaze flickered across the market and towards where the black car was parked. I could feel my breathing halting seeing the familiar tall figure lean against the Land Rover, the man's familiar grey eyes trained on me.

Walking away from where Elif and Esma stood, I now walked towards the car, seeing the sight of the man become more clearer.

Wearing his signature black suit and a long black coat, Moustafa hair was brushed to the side yet a few rogue strands came on to his forehead. Making a good few eyes to land on him.

Not that I cared, of course.

" Farya"

He spoke his eyes softening as they landed on me. Standing a little straighter I found myself offering the man a kind smile to which he did the same, showing his perfect white teeth. His face now looked boyish as I stood in front of him, feeling his large figure tower over mine.

" Anything you liked?" He asked nodding towards the market making me pause for a moment before shaking my head. I could see an unknown look flash across the man's face as he nodded.

" I'm going to sit inside. Its freezing"

" Farya"

He asked, almost as if he knew I was lying. Offering him a smile I rounded towards the car and sat at the back, next to where Elif would be, whilst Moustafa stood for a moment before he disappeared to find his mother and Elif.

Fifteen minutes didn't pass as the car was filled and a chattering Esma spoke of her latest gossip throughout the ride. Moustafa who was silent, would occasionally catch my eyes and each time, his eyes would soften before his mother took his attention again.

" Elif make me some good tea, and You cook something good for tonight"

Esma spoke as we entered the house and I could feel myself tensing, the urge to lash at the woman for not acknowledging me, overwhelmed my emotions but Moustafa beat me to it as he turned towards his mother. His grey eyes boring in to hers.

" Mother, her name is Farya! Address her as such"

He spoke to which Esma wavered it off and continued towards the room. Elif went to find Mirya to give her the new clothes she bought whilst I made my way towards the kitchen.

Walking towards the sink, I felt my reflection glancing back at me through the large window. The sight unfamiliar to me. How funny life is, the life I used to live. Where I held the world in the palm of my hands is now gone, and here I am. Penniless even with millions to my name.

I remember Nourie once saying,

'Pray to god, that you're never oppressed'

To that I'd shake my head and laugh at her. Claiming she was talking like a Seventy year old. Yet as I know stood in this large kitchen, staring at my reflection. I knew exactly what she meant, because despite Esma's taunts and Murat's glares, my biggest oppressors were my parents. The two people who were meant to love me.

" Farya"

The sound of Moustafa's loud voice reached my ears making me jump up a little. Turning around, I realised he was calling me from upstairs making me sigh and trail towards where the sound came from.

Walking up the old stairs, I reached towards the familiar brown doors. Pushing it open, I walked further inside seeing Moustafa walk out of the bathroom. His hair wet indicating he had just stepped out of the shower. Dressed in a grey top with matching trousers, the man grinned at me. His eyes twinkling as he suddenly stood infront of me.

" Are you high or something?"

I suddenly blurted out seeing an amused look come across the man's face as he raised an eyebrow. Slapping my hand over my mouth, I wished for the ground to open up and swallow me in. Oh god!

" No Farya, I'm not high! Not this time anyway" He smirked making my eyes widen as the man chuckled whole heartedly. Shaking my head I folded my arms and looked at him suspiciously.

" Why did you call me here?" I suddenly asked as he pointed towards something behind me. Turning around, my gaze lingered on the empty spot which he was indicating at.

Wow! Moustafa has definitely lost his mind.

" Moustafa-"

" Here"

We spoke in unison as I turned around seeing the man hold a brown paper bag. Eyeing it suspiciously he pushed it towards me.

Reaching forward, I took it off him nervously before looking down. Unsure of what he could possibly have.

" I swear if you're conspiring against me with Kenan because I added too much chilly in his food then that's low. It's not my fault he had diar-"

" Will you shut up and look"

Moustafa spoke in a stern voice making me pout but nonetheless open the bag seeing white wrapping. Pulling it off, I felt my eyes widening seeing the scarf from the market earlier, now folded neatly. Besides it were pair of silver tribal earrings wrapped in a white as well.

Looking upwards I felt my eyes landing on the grey ones before me as the man smiled lightly.

" Moustafa"

" You're a terrible liar. You should know that by now" He spoke as he reached towards me, his warm hand cupping my face as he leaned down. Pressing his lips against my forehead he pulled the scarf away from my hands and on to my head, covering it.

" That looks better"

He grinned making heat rise on my cheeks. Shaking my head I reached towards the silver earrings seeing Moustafa gaze trained on me.

" How did you know"

" Because Farya, I always know"

He spoke making me turn around and glance at the wall length mirror seeing my reflection and behind me, Moustafa's. Holding the earrings in my hand, I slowly placed them on. Seeing the silver ornaments dangling down as they made contact against each other. Echoing in my ears.

" Farya, you dont need to fear anyone not as long as I'm alive"

He spoke his hand wrapping around my waist as he pulled me towards him and in a way. He was right, I didn't need to fear anyone because fearing others was in vain when the biggest threat was from the ones that made the promises.

Moustafa had promised, all those months ago. His words sealing against my heart and as the man now stood by my doorstep. His large figure towering the ones besides him, I knew there was none I had to fear except him.

There was silence. A haunting silence as everything around us stilled, grasping us in to the moment.

They call it a silence before the storm and that's what it was. A storm was coming. I could almost hear the drums ringing loudly in my ears, warning me of the disaster that had entered my doorstep, awaiting for the right moment.

The now cold breeze brushed past my face, trickling through my skin. My fingertips suddenly turned cold and the blood rushed down from my head. All my hearing was numb except for the thunder roaring in my heart.

Thud. Thud. Thud.

Time was frozen as I stared ahead, trying to grasp on to any memory I had. To be my companion in this haunting silence, but the truth was.

I had become as empty as the silence before me. Slowly little by little, I was slipping away, and this time I had no one to catch me. The arms that I yearned for were covered in blood ready to stain me with it.

Staggering backwards, my eyes blinked rapidly daring to look in to those chaotic grey eyes. Seeing a whirlwind of storm turn in them. His large figure intimidated all those ones around us.

Hitching in a breath, I felt my eyes flickering across his face seeing hundreds of emotions through them, his jaw was clenched tightly yet the storm in his eyes speaking louder than any words.

" You had no right"

A voice spoke beside me and it was then that I realised that we had company as I glanced away from his dark eyes and now at the man beside me, seeing him take a step forward. Covering me.

Reminding me of a time when Moustafa used to to do the same. How he'd easily take a step forward and shield me away from the world, yet what I didn't know was. It wasn't other people I needed to fear. It was but him.

" He has every fucking right! He is her husband"

" And she is her own person, you have no right making that decision for her"

Deniz bellowed glaring angrily towards Kenan who looked slightly shocked from the sudden outburst yet remained firm on his ground.

" Have you ever asked her what she wants?" Deniz asked looking towards Kenan and then towards him whose eyes were glued at mine. Never leaving me.

" Farya is-"

" Farya is her own person Kenan, Farya can make decision for herself"

A loud voice boomed behind us making me tense. Glancing over my shoulders, I felt my eyes landing on Nourie who by the looks of it, had come from the back door as she walked towards us. The sound of her heels clinking against the smooth surface below, echoing around us in this haunting silence.

" Noursheen"

He finally spoke. The sound of his deep voice echoing around the now eerie quiet hallways, as I felt Nourie stand beside me. Her striking hazel eyes with a hint of emerald looked ahead.

" I had high hopes of you Moustafa Aydin" She spoke in a bitter tone, her arms crossing and a scowl coming on to her face.

" I need to explain-"

" You had the chance and you lost it. My Farya doesn't need it or want you. She and her child are safe, away from you"

She spoke sharply as I looked towards the man I called my husband seeing his face drop. A pained look coming across his face.

" What did you think would happen? That you'd show up after all this time and she'd happily run in to your arms" Nourie spoke standing infront of Moustafa. Her eyes narrowed and a scowl on her face.

" I may have not given birth to her, but by God she is my child and I will not allow you or your family to come near my daughter or grandchild"

Nourie continued, her sharp words piercing through my ears as she continued, making me look upwards at her confusion.

" What Tayyib and Habib did all those years ago, ended that night. Dont you dare bring my daughter in this mess"

" What Habib did to Tayyib didn't end that night Noursheen Haydar. The blood that is stained on the walls is still fresh, but your daughter"

Moustafa spoke as he took a step towards Nourie, his heightening figure towering over her smaller one. In all these years I knew, Nourie had always stood proud, her chest puffed out and a warriors pride running through her but as she cowered away a little. Her eyes widening a little from the man before her, explained exactly how intimidating the man really was.

" She is my wife. I would do anything to gain her forgiveness and have them at home. I did everything I could to protect her"

" You're wrong! You did the exact opposite. I entrusted her with you"

Nourie spoke as I found it hard to breath. Placing a hand on my stomach, I felt my knees buckling. In taking a breath I tried focusing my eyes on the people around me, but everything was spinning.

" Deniz"

I murmured reaching towards his hand as the man suddenly looked at me. His eyes widening before he gripped on to my shoulder, holding me tightly.

" Are you okay? Is it the baby?"

" Farya what happened?"

" Shit! She's falling backwards"

Hundreds of voices called at the same time. The world around me suddenly started spinning whilst I gripped on to Deniz's arm feeling him stand behind me, ready to hold me if I fall back.

Everything turned blurry and the last thing I could see through all the cries and screams, were those familiar stormy grey eyes looking back at me. Pain flashing through them as the man rushed towards me.

His familiar woodsy smell drifted through my nose, as his hands cupped my cold face.

" Fairy keep your eyes open"

The last thing I remember was slipping in to darkness as everything around me fell in to silence. A silence so haunting it turned my ears numb, and in a way I welcomed it with open arms.

. .

I didn't know how long I was out for, had it been hours, days or weeks, but the moment I felt my eyes flicker open.

I knew I was still alive.

If I knew much about heaven, it was to be the most happiest place and from the looks of it. The sight of cream walls and the wall length windows overlooking the busy streets of Istanbul wasn't described in the stories of heaven. So yes, I was still alive.

The all too familiar sounds of machines beeping in an odd pattern and the smell of strong chemicals reminded me of that one place I hated the most.

The hospital.

Trying to make a sense of what was happening I felt my eyes flicker across the unfamiliar hospital room, seeing two seats at the far end of the large room, followed by a table. Looking to my right, the machines that were somehow keeping me alive were turned on, showing my heart rates and god knows what else.

Glancing away, I looked towards my left side seeing a chair beside the bed, but it wasn't the close proximity of the chair that had my eyes widening a little. It was at the fact as to who was there.

Moustafa.

Dressed in black, the man had his head cast down and his arms rested on either side of his legs. I could feel a warm hand suddenly on my cold one. Tensing a little, I tried keeping my breathing still. Hoping to not alert the man before me.

Even if there was hatred soaring inside of me, for what he did, for his cruelty . There was a part of me that wanted to know the truth, and quite frankly. I physically didn't have enough strength to move.

" I-I can't believe you're pregnant Farya! I'm going to be a father, and you a mother. I hope we have a daughter, so she can look like you"

He spoke, his voice cracking at the end as he held on to my hand tightly, bringing it upwards before placing it against his face.

" You're angry at me, and you have every right but by God Farya, I'd do anything but hurt you. I had to"

He spoke as I felt my stomach turning, bile rising at the back of my throat at what he was referring to. Just as I was intending to get up, I heard his voice again. Knocking the breath out of me.

"God, it killed me seeing that look on your face. It'll haunt me for the rest of my life but I had to, to keep my Uncle away but the truth is-"

He spoke holding on to my hand, as I felt my eyes travel towards his face, seeing his eyes downcast, yet I could still see the lone tear run down.

Moustafa's once handsome face was now bruised as the man sported a cut on his eyebrows and his lip. Yet I urged myself to not react, to hang on a little more for his truth.

" I hadn't met your brother. He died in Canada and I was here in the army at that time. I didn't kill your brother Farya, and I never would have, because the truth is- despite how much our families hate each other. Despite everything- "

He murmured as he pressed his lips against my hand before entwining our fingers together. His eyes downcast and a sad smile falling across.

" I love you, too damn much Farya Aydin"

• • •

Hello all!