"Alex, it's a beautiful teddy. I want it," little Azra whispered, reaching out with wide, innocent eyes.

"No! It's mine!" Alex shoved her, and she fell, her knee scraping against the ground, blood seeping out. "Mama...Papa..." Azra cried softly, clutching her wounded leg.

The boy with mismatched eyes appeared, his presence like a cold shadow. He stared at Alex, his voice icy. "Give her the teddy."

"No! I won't!" Alex shot back, clutching the toy.

The boy silently pulled a dead bird from his pocket, its neck twisted grotesquely. He dangled it in front of Alex, his gaze emotionless, but filled with a dark intent.

Alex's face drained of color. "Mama!" he screamed, dropping the teddy and running away in terror.

Azra, now holding the teddy, looked up at the boy. He didn't smile, didn't move-just stared, his eyes drilling into her, as if memorizing her happiness for some twisted purpose.

⚠︎☠︎︎⚠︎

"Track her down and make her suffer," the man ordered, his voice cold and menacing.

"She belongs to me."

_______________________

"You don't want to eat bread? I'll make you something else for breakfast," Azra said, her voice soft and caring, as Alihan walked into the kitchen.

It's the weekend, so he wasn't at the office.

"Sofie, you know how to bake now?" Lily asked, her eyes widening with surprise.

"Oh... act... actually... I..." Azra stammered.

"No, she doesn't know how to cook," Alihan said, cutting her off with a smirk.

"Oops! Good morning, Alihan," Lily greeted him cheerfully.

Alihan replied with a polite smile.

"No, no, stop... Lily, I know how to cook," Azra insisted.

"Really?" Alihan said, raising an eyebrow with a mock-shocked expression.

"Yes, I do!" Azra said proudly, her chin lifting slightly.

Alihan chuckled at her confidence.

"No, no, wait, Sofie, please don't cook," Lily said, intercepting Azra just as she was about to start.

"Why? You don't like my food?" Azra pouted.

"No, it's not that. I love your cooking, but today, why don't we try Alihan's cooking? Hmm?" Lily said, winking at Alihan to let him know she was on his side and didn't want to eat Azra's cooking.

"No, Lily, let me... I'll..." Azra started to say, but Alihan gently took her arm and led her to a stool near the cupboard.

"Sit here and watch me," Alihan commanded in a deep, authoritative tone.

Azra sat down, watching him with wide, curious eyes.

"I never imagined I’d find myself here, cooking with Azra. Before this, it was only my mom by my side. Now, her presence in the kitchen feels like a bittersweet echo of what once was, and it’s strangely comforting." Alihan thought, feeling a warmth in his heart he wasn't used to.

He glanced at Azra, her innocent eyes fixed on him, and felt a tug at his heartstrings. The tenderness in her gaze, the way she looked at him with a mixture of admiration and vulnerability, stirred emotions he had long buried.

Alihan looked incredibly hot, and Azra couldn't help but stare at him. Her gaze was intense, filled with unspoken emotions.

"Hey, Sofie, stop staring at your husband like a hungry cat," Lily teased, breaking the silence.

Azra's cheeks turned a deep shade of red. "No, I wasn't..."

Alihan glanced at Azra but didn't say anything.

"Alihan, what do you like most about Sofie?" Lily asked, her curiosity piqued.

"Shut up, Lily," Azra interjected, trying to avoid the question. "Ever since you started living in boarding school, you've become too talkative."

Alihan's eyes darkened as he spoke in an emotionless tone, "Her eyes. Her green eyes." Despite his flat tone, his gaze was intense, revealing more than his words did.

"Oh, her green eyes. I know my sister has beautiful eyes," Lily said with a grin.

"And Sofie, what do you like about Alihan?" Lily asked, turning the tables.

Azra’s mind raced. "What do I like? I’m unsure. It could be everything or nothing. It’s an emotion I wish to escape, yet it lingers."

"Say, Sofie," Lily urged impatiently.

Suddenly

"My Name" Alihan said with daring his eyes locked on azra's eyes

He moved closer to Azra, his presence overwhelming. He leaned in, his breath warm against her skin, and whispered, "She loves my name most because she wears it. Azra Alihan Erdogan." He smiled darkly. "Right, sweetheart?"

Azra's world stopped. His eyes, his voice, his expression, his very presence engulfed her. Her eyes widened, her cheeks flushed a deeper red, and her mouth fell open in shock.

"Sofie!" Lily called out, snapping Azra back to reality.

Azra's breath hitched as she tried to compose herself. "Yes...i mean what Lily" she managed to say, her voice barely above a whisper. The tension in the room was palpable, the air thick with unspoken desires and dark emotions.

(Azra’s parents died in Istanbul when she was eight. After their deaths, she and Lily were sent to live with their aunt in Edinburgh. Originally named Sofia Joseph, her records in Turkey still listed her as Azra Yilmaz. Her father, a medical researcher, had come to Turkey for his work, but the tragedy occurred.)

_______________________

"Sofieeee, I'll miss you a lot," Lily said, holding Azra tightly.

"I'll miss you too," Azra replied, her voice trembling.

After a long, heartfelt conversation, Lily finally left.

As they sat in the car, Alihan glanced at Azra. Tears began streaming down her face, revealing the depth of her sorrow.

Alihan reached over, his touch firm but gentle, and handed her a handkerchief. "Here," he said, his voice steady.

Azra took it, trying to stop her tears but failing.

Suddenly, Alihan stopped the car abruptly. "Let's explore the streets and buy something for Lily as a keepsake," he said, his tone brooking no argument.

"But she's already gone," Azra said, her voice wavering.

"Omer is going to Edinburgh tomorrow," Alihan replied, his eyes unwavering.

Azra's mood brightened as she saw Istanbul's colorful streets.

"Beautiful," she said, her eyes lighting up.

Alihan looked into her eyes and whispered, "Yes, it is," his voice soft but revealing a hint of emotion.

They explored for about half an hour when Azra found a piece of jewelry. "It's perfect for Lily. She loves these kinds of things," Azra said.

"Ama bu daha da güzel" the sales lady said in Turkish. Azra didn't understand.

(But this one is even prettier,)

"What is she saying?" Azra asked Alihan.

"Buy it. It'll look extremely pretty on you," he said, his expression unreadable.

Azra ended up buying multiple lockets.

"50 lira," the sales lady said.

Alihan handed her a 200 lira note.

"Teşekkürler bayım."

(Thank you, sir.)

Alihan said nothing. Azra glanced at him and thought, "Ah, he's showing off his wealth."

"I want to try this!" Azra exclaimed, her eyes sparkling with excitement.

"Okay, you can, but you've..." Alihan began to say, but Azra had already darted toward the food stall.

"Give me two, please," Azra requested, but the vendor didn't understand English.

"Ona iki parça ver," Alihan instructed in Turkish.

(Give her two pieces)

"Yummy, it's delicious!" Azra said, her face lighting up with joy as she took a bite.

Alihan watched her, unable to ignore how adorable she looked. "Here, this is for you," Azra said, offering him the other plate from the vendor.

"I don't eat street food," Alihan replied, his tone firm.

"What? Why not?" Azra asked, her eyes wide with curiosity.

"Try it, it's yummy," Azra insisted, holding the plate closer to him.

"If you say one more word, I'll grab you and take you home, leaving your food here," Alihan said, his voice serious but a flicker of dark amusement in his eyes.

Azra pouted but didn't push further. She continued to explore other stalls, the vibrant atmosphere around them only enhancing the strange, compelling dynamic between them.

"Which one do you think looks better, this one or that one?" Azra asked, holding up two plates for Alihan's opinion.

"You can buy both," Alihan replied nonchalantly, his eyes scanning her face.

"Nooo, choose one," Azra insisted, her eyes pleading.

"Alright, the blue one," Alihan said after a brief pause.

"Like your eyes," Azra blurted out, immediately regretting it as she realized what she'd said.

Alihan's lips curved into a slow, knowing smile, his gaze darkening.

"What?" Alihan asked in a seductive voice, bending closer to her height.

"No... nothing," Azra stammered, her face heating up.

"Yes, like my eyes," Alihan whispered, his voice low and teasing.

Azra's face turned a deeper shade of red. She quickly turned to the other side of the shop, trying to escape the intensity of his gaze.

Azra's POV

Finally, after a long time, I'm feeling happy. The winter chill in Istanbul bites at my skin, but there's a warmth in my heart that's new and comforting.

Now, I don't feel uncomfortable around him. He... he... is, I think, not as bad as I once thought. But those piercing blue eyes of his-they make everything difficult. They're so intense, so magnetic, that I can never quite decipher what he's thinking.

There's a darkness to him, a mystery that pulls me in even as it scares me. He's just too hard to understand, and yet, I find myself wanting to unravel him, to understand the depths behind those eyes. It's like he's a puzzle, one that I can't help but want to solve, even if it means losing myself in the process.

Author's POV

"Get up," Alihan commanded, his voice low and authoritative.

"Why..." Azra started to protest, but before she could finish, Alihan had already pulled her to her feet.

Alihan reached into a bag and pulled out a beautiful, warm white scarf. He moved closer to her, the proximity making Azra's heart race. His eyes, those intense blue eyes, locked onto hers, and she felt a shiver run down her spine.

Slowly, deliberately, Alihan wrapped the scarf around her neck. His fingers brushed against her skin, sending sparks through her body. He was so close that she could feel his breath on her face, warm and steady.

His face was just inches from hers, and she could see the flicker of something deep and unreadable in his eyes.

Azra followed, the warmth of the scarf around her neck a constant reminder of his touch, her mind a whirl of emotions she couldn't quite understand but couldn't deny.

An elderly woman looked at them and spoke in Turkish, "Sen onun kız arkadaşı mısın?"

(Are you his girlfriend?)

Azra turned to Alihan, confusion clear on her face. "What...?" she asked, her eyes searching for answers.

Alihan responded in Turkish, his voice firm yet tender, "Hayır, o benim eşim Azra Alihan Erdoğan."

("No, she is my wife, Azra Alihan Erdogan.")

He then gazed at Azra with a depth of emotion that she couldn't quite decipher. His intense stare was filled with unspoken feelings, but Azra, unable to understand his words

"Çok güzel bir varlığı var; şanslısın." Women said

(She has a beautiful presence; you're lucky)

Alihan nodded, his gaze locked on Azra.

"Evet benim," he replied, his voice carrying a hint of reverence. He looked at her with a mixture of admiration and possessiveness, his eyes softening as he took in her innocent green eyes and delicate features. Azra, caught between confusion and awe, gazed back at both of them, her heart stirring with emotions she couldn't yet understand.

(Yes, I am)

_______________________

Azra's cries pierced through the stillness of the night. Her sleep was shattered by a haunting nightmare, her voice filled with desperate, heart-wrenching pleas.

"Nooo, no, Dad, please! Mama, don't leave me! Please, don't go!" she shouted, her words trembling with fear and anguish.

Alihan was jolted awake by her distress. His heart raced as he heard her cries and realized she was caught in the grips of a nightmare. He sprang from the bed, his eyes wide with concern.

"Azra! Azra!" he called out urgently, reaching for her.

Her eyes fluttered open, filled with terror. She looked around frantically, her breathing ragged. "Mama... Papa... Please, don't leave me alone. Let Sofie be... don't let them take me!" she begged, her tears streaming down her face as she stared at Alihan with haunted eyes.

"It's just a nightmare," Alihan said softly, his voice gentle but filled with urgency as he gathered her into a comforting embrace. He stroked her hair, trying to soothe her shaking body. "It's alright, Azra. I'm here. You're safe."

Today, Azra learned about her father's past in its entirety, and Alihan learned alongside her.

She discovered the tragic details of how her parents had been caught in a devastating accident, leading to their untimely deaths. The scene was horrific: the eight-year-old Azra had been forcibly taken away from her parents' home, a young girl devastated and alone.

Azra learned how she had frantically shouted and pleaded as she witnessed her parents' lifeless bodies. Her desperate cries echoed through the chaos as she begged them not to leave her behind, her voice raw with fear and sorrow.

In the dark cemetery, Azra cried, her sobs mingling with the shadows. A figure approached from behind, wrapping her in an embrace.

"I'm here with you," the voice murmured, a dark promise lingering in the air. "And I'll make sure you're never

alone in your nightmares."

_________________________

__________________

♡