"What are you doing here, Lara?" Azra asked, her voice filled with shock and worry. "And... are you alright? What about Uncle? Is he okay?"

"Did Alihan see you come here, Lara?" Azra's tension grew, tears streaming from her green eyes as she saw her best friend after such a long and harsh time apart.

"Azra, I'm fine, but I'm so sorry for all of this," Lara replied hurriedly.

"What are you doing?" Azra asked, her voice trembling.

"I'm sorry, Azra. Because of me, you're stuck here with Alihan," Lara said, hugging her tightly.

"No, Lara, it's not your fault. Don't blame yourself," Azra reassured her.

"I don't have much time, Azra. I need your help," Lara said, her urgency evident.

"Wha-what help? Lara, relax," Azra said, trying to calm her friend.

"Alihan has driven my father's company into debt. It's bankrupt, Azra. I need your help, please," Lara pleaded.

"Help with what, Lara? Please explain. If Alihan sees you, we'll both be in serious trouble," Azra said, her fear palpable.

"Take this phone. Wait for my call or call me when you're alone, okay?" Lara instructed, handing Azra a phone. "Don't let anyone catch you with it."

"Lara, wait! Please contact Lily. Let me know if she's safe. Please," Azra begged.

"I'll find out about Lily, I promise," Lara said. "Take care, Lara Tell Lily that Sofie loves her a lot."

Lara left, leaving Azra standing there, her heart racing with fear

"Big B, I'm not doing it intentionally. You know how Dad is," Emir said, his voice pleading.

"I know exactly what Mr. Altan is trying to do, Emir. Don't worry. I'm well aware of his games," Alihan replied, his voice cold and eyes piercing.

"Thanks, Big B," Emir said, relief evident in his tone.

Mr. Altan wants Emir to work in Edinburgh, to manipulate him and interfere with Kalvanc. But he can't outplay me.

Where are you, Azra?

She's like a storm I can't control. Sometimes I feel like I'm babysitting a teenage girl who doesn't know how to cook, eat properly, or even take her medicine. It's infuriating. Yet, there's something about her that keeps pulling me in, something dark and magnetic.

She makes me feel things I don't want to feel. Every time I look at her, she manages to get under my skin. Her innocence and defiance mix in a way that drives me wild. I want to protect her, control her, and break her all at once. The way she looks at me with those green eyes, full of fear and defiance, stirs something deep inside me.

Whenever I try to control my anger, she ends up doing something that pushes me to the edge. I just hope this time she's not up to something fishy behind my back. Because if she is, I'll have to remind her who she belongs to.

Azra came out of the washroom, her green eyes puffy and red.

Alihan's gaze locked onto her immediately. "Where were you?" His voice was cold, demanding.

Azra looked at him, her heart pounding. She could see the concern hidden beneath his anger. "I was just....."

Alihan cut her off, his tone sharper. "Why were you crying?"

Her breath hitched, the intensity of his stare making it hard to speak. "I wasn't......"

"Don't lie to me." He stepped closer, his eyes narrowing. "Did Dilara say something to you?" His fists clenched at his sides, a clear sign of his possessive fury.

"No, it's not that..." Azra stammered, trying to find the words.

"Then why the hell were you crying?" His voice was low, dangerous.

Azra's eyes welled up again, but she forced herself to speak. "I was just... I was thinking about Lily. I miss her after talking to Ayce and Ayen."

For a moment, something flickered in Alihan's eyes, but it was quickly replaced by his usual cold demeanor. .

As they were leaving, Aysun called out from behind.

"Alihan, wait."

Alihan turned, his expression calm but his eyes sharp. "Yes?"

"Mother is coming next week. I'm not saying this because I care about her," Aysun began, her tone laced with sarcasm, "but you know well who you were supposed to marry and who you actually married." She threw a pointed look at Azra.

Alihan's gaze hardened. "I'll tell her everything about Nene and her choices, so don't worry," he replied, his voice cold and unwavering.

Azra and Alihan were in the car, Alihan driving in silence. The atmosphere was thick with unspoken tension.

"Who is Nene? Is she Alihan's grandmother? Why did Dilara's mom taunt me like that in front of him?" Azra's mind raced with questions, each one adding to her anxiety.

"Who... who is Nene?" Azra finally asked, mustering all her courage.

Alihan glanced at her with his piercing blue eyes, his expression unreadable.

"Why did I have to ask that? Now he's angry," Azra scolded herself internally.

"She is my great-aunt, my father's aunt," Alihan replied after a pause, his tone steady but cold.

"Oh... okay," Azra murmured, feeling a bit more at ease but still nervous.

"By the way, thanks for earlier, for saving me from... embarrassment," Azra said, turning to look out the window to hide her vulnerability.

Alihan glanced at her again, noticing how beautiful she looked, even when distressed. Her eyes, reflecting the passing city lights, captivated him.

"Those eyes," Alihan thought to himself, feeling a mix of emotions he couldn't quite understand.

_

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"Shit," Alihan muttered, wrapping a bandage around the deep cut on his waist. He must have gotten it during the fight earlier. The clock showed 2:00 AM.

After bandaging himself properly, he downed a couple of painkillers. They dulled the pain but also made him slightly groggy.

Suddenly, he heard a noise coming from downstairs.

He moved cautiously, every step deliberate. Tomorrow wasn't cleaning day, which meant Azra was in another room tonight.

Alihan crept down the stairs, the darkness swallowing him, except for a faint light coming from the kitchen. He approached silently, his senses on high alert.

"You're dead!" he shouted, drawing his gun and pointing it at the shadowy figure in the kitchen.

The figure froze, and as Alihan's vision adjusted, he saw it was Azra. Her eyes widened in shock and fear.

"It's me... it's me..." Azra stammered, her voice trembling with fear.

Alihan didn't respond immediately. Instead, he knelt down beside her, moving in close with a predatory grace.

"Wha... what are you doing?" Azra's voice shook as she took in Alihan's shirtless form. His eight-pack abs were on full display, his muscular frame radiating heat. The dim light highlighted the sharp angles of his jaw and the smoldering intensity in his eyes.

"Shh," Alihan whispered, their breaths mingling as he leaned in, their faces inches apart. Azra's eyes fluttered shut, her heart pounding.

Suddenly, Alihan grabbed the ice cream box from her hand. "What?" Azra gasped, startled.

"It's mine," Alihan said, his voice low and seductive.

"I'm... I'm hungry," Azra managed to say.

"So you're stealing it from my fridge, sweetheart?" Alihan's tone was teasing, yet there was a dark edge to it.

"No, I'm not," Azra protested weakly.

"Then why are you eating it in the middle of the night?" Alihan's voice was husky, dripping with temptation.

"I... was... actually..." Azra's words trailed off as she struggled to find an excuse.

"Pay me," Alihan demanded, his eyes locked onto hers.

"Wh... what?" Azra asked, confused.

"The ice cream you just ate," Alihan clarified, a smirk playing on his lips.

"I don't have money," Azra admitted, her voice barely above a whisper.

"Oh, that's okay. You can pay me in a different way," Alihan said, moving closer, his eyes darkening with a mix of mischief and desire.

"What do you mean?" Azra's voice wavered as her cheeks turned crimson.

"Sweetheart, why are you so red?" Alihan asked, his tone mocking yet filled with dark amusement.

"No, I'm not," Azra denied, but her flushed face betrayed her.

"You are," Alihan said, trapping Azra against the counter with his strong arms. He leaned in closer, their bodies almost touching.

Azra, in an attempt to push him away, placed her hands on his bare chest. The contact sent a jolt through her, and Alihan's eyes darkened with desire.

"Sweetheart," Alihan whispered, his voice a low growl. He grabbed her hand and, in one swift motion, scooped her up and carried her towards the bedroom.

Azra's heart raced as she clung to him, feeling his firm muscles against her. Al

ihan's slight goofiness only added to his charm, making the moment more intoxicating.

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♡