HANA

     Mateo is not at all happy with my decision to visit Bash.

    "I can't live like this," I tried to explain. When did this happen? When did I become so close with my two colleagues that my body refused to step out without convincing Mateo that whatever I was doing was for my own good? "I need a closure. I will just talk to him and I can't reach my sister. I need to see her too."

      I felt awful for wanting to meet my sister when I was actually going to meet Bash. I never would have gone just to see her. That realisation only made me feel more selfish. I put Bash above everyone.

       "You are going with hope for the future, Hana. Not for closure. No matter what you told yourself, that's the truth." Mateo declared, and Shalini punched him on his biceps.

       "What's wrong with that?" She asked him. "What's wrong in hope for a future with the person?"

        "That will only make you an emotional fool," He says. His eyes darted to me, "You are more practical than this."

        I sighed, got up and sat beside Mateo on my couch. "I know I am. I thought I could handle this. I couldn't, Mateo. I just wanted him to know that I loved him enough to face my nightmares and that we had a chance. And if it doesn't work out, at least, I will get the closure I need. Either way, it's me who benefits from that."

        "I hope for the same," Shalini folded her arms below her chin and looked at us. "I am going to India and hopefully get married."

         Mateo and I abruptly stood up in shock. "Did he propose?" I asked her wide-eyed. She shook her head.

          "Akash's parents and my parents think that it's high time we take a step. My folks can't wait for more."

           "Will you come back if you get married?" Mateo questioned her. Shalini shook her head, and his lips immediately turned down. "I hate you both," He muttered under his breath and walked out of my bedroom.

           "He is upset," Shalini murmured.

           "Do you really want to get married to the guy who makes you wait for two days to reply to a message?" I asked her.

           "We are different when we are together. We are all fools in love anyway. Like you, either I will get my closure or I will have my happy ending."

          "Fools," I heard Mateo say from my living room. I can't help but agree with him.

           We are fools in love.

           I carefully packed the Stiletto plumps I bought for Violet. I packed clothes for a week just to be cautious. I wonder how Bash reacts when he sees me. Will he walk to me with passion in his eyes, a smile on his lips and his hands reaching out to me to draw me closer like he always did? Or will I get a closure? I don't know. But I want to end this chaos inside me.

          Shalini and I decided to depart to our respective destinations on the same day. Mateo was still upset with us.

           "I am only going for a week," I assured him.

           "And if you guys made up, you will stay there forever." He said with a thick voice.

           I cupped his face, making him focus on my face. "I will never leave without a goodbye, Mateo," I tell him. I know very well what it does to a person. I have been there.

           "What's the point? We don't get to go to the mall together," He pouted. He actually pouted like our old kid-Mateo.

            Shalini laughed ruffling his hair. "We will. Because the shopping for Indian wedding takes months. I will send you the card and both of you get your asses to Chennai no matter wherever the hell you are."

              "Yes mam," Mateo and I said in unison. I am not sure if that Akash guy is correct to her or not. But she loves him dearly. He is the only guy she has ever loved. If this marriage makes her happy, then I am happy.

             "I have to give the I- will- kill- you- if- you- don't- treat- her- right- speech to Akash," Mateo tells her. That made her laugh.

             "That's exactly what Sebastian would have said if he was alive." She said to him.

             "Sebastian?" I asked her in confusion.

              "My brother who died. His name was Sebastian."

             I always knew that she had a twin who died when she was a child. But I never thought his name was Sebastian too. Shalini seldom talks about him.

            We bid our goodbyes and departed from Istanbul. Throughout the entire flight, my mind raced with the thoughts of what might have happened. My nerves are never calm and my heart raced inside my chest. It would stop once I saw him. Everything will come to an end once I talk to him. I couldn't even sleep or eat anything on the flight. I couldn't stay calm.

            I texted Violet to let her know that I was coming. I hope she responds to my message and meets me once. It's a twelve-hour-long flight. When I landed, I changed into the dress he liked.

             There is a high chance of crossing paths with Cillian if had gone to Bash's home. Before marriage, I went to his home and I remember Violet saying that Bash lives closely. I reached that place first, hoping that I could ask someone for Bash's address or at least get his number.

             I stood outside the huge mansion. Cecilia Merrick once told me that the two cousins live in separate wings here. But it feels like a bad idea. I clutched onto my backpack and exhaled deeply as though it would give me enough courage to ring the bell. The watchman looked at me with a weird expression on his face.

             "Does Sebastian live here?" I asked him.

              He gave me a nod. "Aren't you the bride who ran away?" He asked me.

            I gave him an awkward smile. He made a call to someone. I am assuming it was Bash. By now, he would know that I am here.

           "You can go in," He says and guides me through the huge mansion. We reached the same place I had been months ago, at Cillian's wing.

          "No, I want to meet Sebastian. Not Cillian," I tell him.

          Did he call Cillian instead? I am doomed if that's the case.

          The guard gave me an annoying look.

           "There is Mr. Cillian Sebastian Merrick and there is Mr. Sebastian Merrick. Whom do you want to meet?" He asked me impatiently.

           What? Cillian is Cillian Sebastian? I remember Rose's letter to Xavier where she wrote about two men who sacrificed their lives to help her run away; Cillian and Sebastian. I thought the cousins got the names from them. Why would my ex-fiance be named Cillian Sebastian? It was odd. Something about this doesn't feel right.

            Cheers erupted from outside and looked out of the window. Some kind of celebration is going on there.

            "Aren't you here for the party?" The guard asked me.

            "Which party?"

           "Your ex-fiance's engagement party of course."

           Cillian is getting engaged? With whom? I quickly nodded my head so that I would raise more suspicion to him.

           "Both of them are here, right? Cillian Sebastian and Sebastian?"

           "Yes," He said, looking at me in annoyance.

           "Thanks," I murmured and walked out into the garden. Everyone was dressed for the engagement party while I was wearing a beige skirt and a black sweater. I got some strange looks. I quickly pulled my mask over my face to avoid recognition from anyone.

         I saw Violet at a table, giggling with her friends. She is wearing a silver-colored long slit dress. She is in fact shining. I sighed in relief when I spotted her. This is a good sign. There are a lot of things I wanted to tell her. I made my way towards her.

         She didn't look at me as she was busy in talking with her friends. At some point she turned around, her eyes brightened and a huge smile touched her lips.

         My eyes followed her gaze and settled on one person I had been hoping to meet for a month now.

          Bash. My heart skipped at the sight before me.

          Black tux, slicked-back long hair, sea-green eyes, hands tugging at his watch, and full lips whose touch I never forgot.

           My Bash. Tears welled in my eyes and I quickly averted my gaze so that I wouldn't burst out. Finally. I am here.

          Before Bash.

          "Cillian," Violet called with a smile. I looked for Cillian but he was nowhere to be found.

          Violet walked towards Bash, entangled her hand with hers and placed a kiss on his lips which he returned.

           "Cillian, meet my friends." She said, and Bash smiled at the group of people before them.

            My heart pounded in my chest, my insides cringing, my brain screaming and my legs glued to the ground where I stood.

             Cillian! Cillian Sebastian Merrick.

HANA

       Someone held my wrist and dragged me away from the crowd to a secluded place. I am still looking at the person I loved, whom my sister called Cillian through the large French windows. He gave a polite smile to Lilly, my sister's best friend. His smile was so animated or that's what I thought.

       I sensed large hands, wrapping around my shoulder, and I immediately jerked away.

       "Hana, it's me," Ahmet said, removing his white mask.

       Relief flooded through my body. "Ahmet," I whispered.

       "What are you doing here?" He asked me, concern visible on his face which is odd because he never showed emotions in the months I have known him.

      "I..." My throat clogged, expecting the worst but I forced my words out. "I came for Bash," I tell him.

       He opened his mouth to say something but shut it immediately as though he wanted more reasons for my presence here, and somehow he managed to guess them in less than five seconds.

       "You should leave," He says, rubbing the nape of his neck. "It's not a good time."

       "I could see that," I murmured, looking out of the window. "But I don't understand why my sister was calling him Cillian. The guard said there was a Cillian Sebastian Merrick and a Sebastian Merrick. I was so sure, the Bash I know is Sebastian Merrick, and my ex-fiance is Cillian Merrick. But I am confused now."

        "Bash is your ex-fiance, Hana," Ahmet said calmly as if that very truth didn't suck the oxygen out of my lungs.

        "No," I denied. "I saw my fiance, I mean my ex-fiance when I was in Ankara. I kicked him for touching me. He is Cillian. My Bash is his cousin." I told this myself rather than to Ahmet just so I could believe it for myself if I said that loud enough.

     For the first time since I had known him, I saw pity in Ahmet's eyes as he stared at him.

      "It's not my story to tell, Hana. But Bash was the person you left at the altar. He was the person you were supposed to marry."

        Two sentences, and I felt a knot in my stomach. I couldn't breathe and couldn't think straight. It's all a game.

       "The two cousins have the same name, Sebastian. Your fiance was Cillian Sebastian Merrick, whom people call Bash or Cillian. Mostly Cillian. And the person you met in Ankara was your ex-fiance's cousin, Sebastian Merrick." Ahmet explained. I couldn't wrap my head around these facts. It was so confusing because I didn't want to see the truth.

        "Why didn't you ever tell me?" I asked him.

       He nodded his head towards the window, "I work for him, Hana." He tells me.

      Translation- I don't owe you any truth. You are nothing to me.

      I never saw my ex-fiance. I never knew how he looked other than the photos of him and his cousin on the internet. When Bash met me and introduced himself as Cillian's cousin, I believed him. He disguised himself as his cousin without actually hiding anything from the world because his middle name was Sebastian.

         "But in Ankara, when I saw Cillian, I meant Sebastian, why did he act like my fiance? He called me his fiance."

         "Because he is a piece of shit. He likes to play games with anything Bash likes. Bash warned him not to reveal his identity to you if you guys met by any chance."

       I still remember Sebastian's words from last time. 'Your secrets are safe with me, brother.' He said to Bash. 'You have no idea what he is capable of, princess. One day, he will break your heart, and you will come to me.' He told me.

     So this is Bash's secret. This is the secret I wanted to ask him but never did because I have been blinded by love.

      "Is this revenge?" I asked Ahmet. "For leaving him at the altar? For running away from the wedding? For costing him his reputation?"

       I still remember the day when I first met him in Istanbul. Hate was visible in his eyes. I remember how he hated me for running away like that. Things changed when he saw his mother's chain on my neck when he found out I was the girl who helped him years ago. I thought everything that happened since then was fate when it was a lie, a well-planned game, and I fell into the trap.

       "You guys broke up, anyway. It's best if you go back." Ahmet suggested with an unusual gentleness added to his tone.

        "Did we break up?" I asked myself. We are bound to break up. I knew that from the very beginning. But it breaks my heart too.

        "I thought he loved me," I murmured, sitting on the leather couch. "I thought I....."

        My words struck in my throat. Why did I think? That I could have a chance with his? That I could have a future with him when I knew that he hid many things from me?

        "Can I talk to him?" I asked him, my voice came out thickly. I couldn't speak. I couldn't speak without wanting to cry.

         "I don't think it's a good idea," Ahemt. I don't think either. But I will get my closure. I needed this.

          "Please," I begged. "Just once," I asked him, feeling my throat close up as tears threatened to fall. "I want to...."

          The sound of footsteps got my attention. They grew closer and my body stiffened with anticipation. I knew who it was just by the sound. My heart skipped a beat when I saw Bash, standing at the door, his phone at his ear, his eyes staring at me blankly.

           Even after the revelation of facts, a part of me wants to be in his arms, feel his warmth and hold him tight. It's hard not to touch him when we are in the same room.

           "Cillian," I whispered, and he shoved his phone into the pant's pocket and looked at me with a stoic expression. All I could think about was how he winked at me in the room full of people who were unaware that his hands were sliding up my thighs.

           He is not the same person.

          He gestured for Ahmet to go out. Ahmet gave me a long pity look before he walked out. The look killed me. That's exactly how my aunt looked after Leo molested me.

          "What are you doing here?" He questioned, his voice cold and distant.

          I missed. I came to you. I wanted to be with you. I love you. I wanted to know if we have a chance. I will do anything to make this happen if you just say the word. And if there is nothing I can do, I want to kiss you goodbye.

           But I didn't say all these things to him. I pulled the sleeves of my sweater to my fingers.

           "Why did you do that?" I ask him. "Why?" I hate how I sounded fragile. I hate how I can't raise my voice.

           He took a step forward. "Why not? You left me at the altar."

           "So it's a revenge?" I asked him, looking down. I can't see his face and talk. I don't want to believe the truth in his eyes. It hurts. "You pretend like you...lo...loved me. You didn't know if I would fall for you or not."

           "You wouldn't be here if you haven't," He says with that same distant cold voice.

           "I don't understand." I touched my temple, pushing my front bangs away from my face. "So when you laid me off, you want to punish me for running away. Didn't you? But when you saw my chain, you changed your punishment?"

           Bash shook his head as he sat on the couch. "Hana, we had a good time. It would have been good if you hadn't come here. We had fun."

           "Why?" I asked him again. "Why are you marrying my sister? I did the work you gave me. I found the culprit. You are supposed to stop the marriage. Why would you punish her for something I did? Please let her go."

             He abruptly got up and walked towards me, turning me towards the window. I felt warm with our proximity despite the ache in my heart. He leaned closer to my ear.

           "Look at her, Hana. Does that look like a punishment to you?" He asked me.

           I looked at Violet giggling along with her friends. I have never seen her happier before.

           "She doesn't want this marriage. She wants to become a model. She wants freedom." I couldn't even say those words confidently because Violet looks so happy as though her dream is coming true. Is that why she avoided me?

          "Come to your senses, Hana. She helped you so that she could take your place. You fell for a guy you left at the altar. There is nothing here for you, Hana. Leave."

            A sob erupted from my mouth which I quickly managed to control. "That's not true," I whispered to myself. "Why would you do that to me?"

            "I wanted to know you," He said.

            He said the same when he offered me the job. But the same sentence now held a different meaning. "I wanted to know the girl who left me, the girl who chose a pathetic life, leaving all the luxuries, the girl who wanted to die and the girl who killed. I..I was just momentarily taking an interest, Hana. There's nothing more."

            "And when you said you loved me?"

            "I wanted to see if you could love or not."

            He was so unfazed by my presence or my tears. Everything is a lie. I am an experiment, an object he took an interest in until he lost it. He did everything to satisfy his ego.

            "You are engaged to my sister all through the time you have been with me?" I asked him, tears dwelling in my ears.

             "Yes and no." He says.

              Maybe he postponed it when he was making the deal with me. But it doesn't change the fact that he was with my sister during the time he was with me. That broke me more. The hole in me increased for an entirely different reason.

             "How could you?"

             "Hana, it's.." He licked his lips before he looked at me. There's no softness or no warmth. "Hana, worry about yourself now. Your sister played you, and so did I. I did you a favour when I left. It was ended a month ago. I gave you happy memories, Hana."

            I nod my head. "I am the fool who couldn't see it," I murmured. When I looked out of the window again, I couldn't find my sister again.

            "What the fuck are you doing here?" I heard her say, standing at the door.

            "I will give you guys, privacy," Bash said and left me with Violet.

            Just like that, we are over.

            "Why did you lie to me?" I asked her. "If you had told me that you want to get married to Bas.."I close my eyes as a tear slips out of my eye, "If you wanted Cillian, I would have talked to Dad."

            "But you never did. You left us to his wrath."

             "You helped me leave this city, Violet."

            "That's not my fault," She says. "You don't want that marriage, and I took advantage of it."

           "You don't need to lie to me for that, Violet."

           "I need to make sure that you don't come back."

           How did I miss that loathe in the way she looked at me? How did I trust her when she said she cared for me?

           "So, it's a lie. Everything you said is a lie."

           Violet gave me an annoyed look. "I am sorry. If that's what you want to fear. I said what I said to get you away from here. I wanted to be rich, Hana. I don't want to end up on the streets when Dad goes bankrupt. I wanted to live, Hana."

           "I understand. I don't judge you for that. All I am trying to say is you don't have to act for that. You could have asked."

            Especially, she doesn't have to bring out the assault that happened and act like you cared, and give me hope of friendship and sisterhood.

          "Don't look at me like you are the victim just because something happened years ago, and think that we owe you a damn thing. We don't. Don't expect us to be sorry for you for your whole goddam life." She yelled.

          I am not acting like a victim. I was a victim. I am. But Violet and Bash's words somehow make me feel like it is all my fault that this happened to me. I have been a fool. I have been stupid, ignorant and emotional.

        I watched my mom, rushing into the room and closing the door behind her. I can tell she puts a lot of effort into her dress and make-up. But all I could see was the venom in her eyes.

         "What are you doing here?" She asked me with wide eyes.

         "You will not get what you threw away, Hana. Leave before someone sees you. We are finally happy." I heard my mom say.

        For them, I am a girl who ran away from home and came back home after learning a lesson. They would laugh at my face if I said, I was ready to leave everything behind to be with the person I loved. Even the old me would laugh at my face.

       "I will leave," I tell them. "But tell me one thing. Have you ever loved me, Mom?"

        She touched her temples as though the sound of my voice gave her a headache.

         "You are good for nothing, Hana. All you do is create chaos. Then and now. Always."

         I nod my head, wondering when I did that. Is that when I was raped, is that when I was eleven and desperate for my parents' attention, is that when I stitched my hymen back as though it was nothing, is that when I ran away from my marriage because I was scared that the past would repeat or is that when I fell in love? What about the chaos inside me? Why did they never choose me? Why did no one choose me, Mom, Violet and Bash? No one.

       "Advance happy married life, Violet." I wished her well and walked out before my mom said, "Don't let your father see you. I want this party to end peacefully."

       I nod my head. "Of course."

       There is nothing here for me, no one.

        When I headed out, Bash was leaning on the wall and watching me with his beautiful green eyes. This sight will haunt me forever.

        "Stop texting your sister, Hana. You should have taken a hint when she didn't reply. And stop calling Ahmet or me." He says coolly.

        Now I am just a burden. The weight of the shoes I bought for Violet suddenly felt heavy in my backpack. I guess I can't be more pathetic than I am now.

       "Is she calling you?" Violet asked him, coming from behind.

       "Have some shame, Hana." My mother hissed. "You threw this away. And now you want to get back. What do you even want, money?"

        I looked at Bash who was staring at me blankly. "I didn't call him. I tried to reach a person called, Bash."

         He is a lie, an illusion.

         Violet huffed. "He is my man now, Hana. You should back off."

         I nod my head, "And Violet. I never expected any of you to be sorry for me. I expected my family to be there like I thought you did. There is a difference."

         "Cupcake?"

         I froze at that voice. Tears filled my eyes when I saw Micheal stand at the stairs. "What are you doing here?" He asked me.

         Just like in old times, he was standing in front of me while I was falling apart. I touched my eyes with my knuckles, trying hard not to cry.

         "I need a lift," I said to him.

         "Sure," He says and walks to me, taking my backpack. But I still felt the weight. I could hear the footsteps of Bash growing distant. They are leaving. I held the maple leaf locket on my chest. I don't need a reminder to live now. This pain will be a constant reminder.

         "Give me a minute," I said to Micheal and stomped to the garden area where the party was held.

          Bash and Violet are greeting everyone, standing together. Violet scowled when she saw me walking towards her. Even Bash's jaw tightened at the sight of me.

         I removed the chain around my neck and threw it at Bash's face. He didn't even flinch when I did that. Everyone around them gasped. Soon, they started to whisper.

        I am sure they will talk about the bride who left and came back to throw a tantrum. They will sympathise with Violet. But I don't care anymore.

        "By the way, Violet, Bash is a good lay. But there are better men."

         Her eyes grew wider, shock filled her face so did my mom's.

         This isn't directed at Violet but at Bash. I turned around and stomped back, but strong hands dragged me by my waist into the room I didn't know. Before I get to look at the surroundings, Bash pinned me to the wall and crashed his lips on mine.

       I struggled hard to push him away, but I failed. It's too overwhelming, the touch, the kiss, the closeness and his breath.

       "The fuck, Bash." I cursed, trying hard to hit him on his chest. But he held my hands in his one big hand, pinning them against the wall above my head as he kissed me hard. I still remember his taste, his smell and his voice. They are living rent-free inside my mind.

       By the time, he pulled back, I had my lips parted, eyes closed, and my heart thudding.

        He caressed my bottom lips with his thumb. "There are better men, Hana. But you will remember me. Just me. I will live here." He says, pointing to my heart. He moved closer, his body grazing against mine. "You will remember me, just me." He cupped my face, his lips slightly grazing mine. "You can never forget the guy you gave an orgasm. Can you?"

         That's when I lost it. That's when I cried. That's when I slapped him.

         "You are so cruel. You could never be xavier" I cried. If Bash is affected by what I said, he didn't show it except for the tightness in his jaw. "I can never forget the person I loved, Cillian. Because I will be hating him for every second of my life."

HANA

"You always do that," Mickael whispered soothingly.

I raised my head, looking at him blankly, my cheeks were stained with tears I didn't want to shed. But they escaped anyway.

"Pressing your knuckles to your eyes so that you could stop yourself from crying. I would suggest against it. Cry as much as you want."

I shook my head, doing the same damn thing again, pressing my knuckles to my eyes gently.

"I don't want to cry over them. It only reminds me of how foolish I have been."

"What happened?" He asked me, pulling over at the side of a vacant road.

I shook my head again. I know Micheal won't judge. In fact, he will take my side. But I can't take the pity anymore.

"Tell me whom do I have to put into a coma? For you, I will."

I felt choked up and teary. But I laughed at his words. "Me, put me into a coma," I tell him honestly. If I get a chance to forget everything and sleep, I will.

I heard him release a helpless sigh. "Did you guys break up?" He asked me calmly.

I nod my head.

"After or before coming here?" He asked again.

I am so grateful to Michael for leaving everything at the party and being with me. But I wish he remained silent for some time. I don't want to recall what had happened.

He touched my shoulder gently.

"Hana, why don't you stay at my apartment? It's nowhere near my parent's house."

The mention of his parent's house sends a shiver through my spine. He is careful with his words. Still, the memories rushed into my body. His parents' house is the place where Leo took me when no one was there, the place where my mom sent me when I was being the twelve years old girl I was and wouldn't sit still, the place from where she refused to get me out because I would be only headache and when she finally knew what happened, she silenced me.

I think it's better to recall what happened a few minutes ago than to recall the events that happened years ago.

"Do I always play victim?" I questioned Michael.

At this moment, I don't even understand what I am. I wouldn't have known any of these things if I hadn't come here. Any of these things wouldn't have happened if I hadn't run away. Did Bash love me? Would he have been the same if I hadn't run away?

"That's the issue, Hana. You are the victim. But you never acted like one. You pretended to be brave."

But my mind tried to process everything Violet said.

'Don't look at me like you are the victim just because something happened years ago, and think that we owe you a damn thing. We don't. Don't expect us to be sorry for you for your whole goddam life.'

I didn't expect them to be sorry for me. I expect them to acknowledge my pain. I expected them to support me. Somehow it feels like everything is my fault. It feels like I ruined my sister's event because of one man.

I heard Micheal sigh again. "What did they do to you?" He asked.

"I think I did to myself. No one did anything."

"What do you mean?"

"Remember Bash?" I asked him.

"Yeah. Your ex-fiance's cousin. I tried to approach him but he kinda give me creeps. In fact, Cillian is more approachable even though he has I- will- kill- you- if- you- come- near- me face."

I smiled at the attempt he made. He wanted to talk with Sebastian because he knew we were together He wanted to bond.

"Cillian is Bash. Bash is Cillian." I laughed at my sentence. I finally accept that.

"What do you mean?" He asked me, his eyebrows furrowed.

"It's a lie. Perhaps he wants to find out whether the girl who left him will fall in love with him or not. He lied." I squeezed my eyes shut, remembering the day when he said he loved me. Everything is a lie, every kiss, every touch, every breath, and every laugh.

"You didn't know how he looked?"

"No. I know I am stupid. I never met him before marriage. I once google for both of them. That too after I met Bash, I mean after I met Cillian in Istanbul. They are together, and I thought, Cillian is Sebastian and Sebastian is Cillian. I know I am stupid, I am a fool and I ..."

Michael cupped my face, making me focus on his face. "You are no such thing, Hana. He is the fool because he lost you."

I squeeze my eyes again, controlling my tears. "Yes. He is the one at a loss. Not me. You know why I came here, Michael? I told my friends that I needed closure, a proper goodbye with him. But I came here to let him know that I would leave everything behind just to be with him, to show him that I would fight my nightmares if he said yes. I bought Violet's favourite Stilletos with my one month's salary. I am not angry about what they did, Michael. I can't take the fact that they lied to me, tricked me, and used me to get what they wanted. No one chose me, the true me, Michael. No one did, Bash, Violet, or Mom. No one. I don't know where it had gone wrong with Violet. I don't what I did for her to be like that."

Wetness coated my knuckles as I pressed them to my eyes. It will be a long battle, trying hard not to cry while all I want is to cry my heart out.

"You don't get to say that, Hana." Michael said in a serious tone. "You never chose yourself either. You were ready to get married until they did the worst just so you could impress your mom. You were prepared to leave Istanbul just so you could be with Bash. And Violet is not a child, Hana. She helped you to run away just so she could marry the richest guy in the city. Everyone is selfish. They don't deserve you. Chose yourself now."

What is left inside me to choose?

"You won't get a flight immediately. You will have to wait for hours, Hana. Stay with me till then." Michael suggested again.

"I am not staying in this city. I am never coming back."

I leaned closer to him, resting my head on his shoulder, needing something for support even if it was for a minute. "Thank you for being there despite the situation you are in."

"I don't care that Leo has gone missing or Violet is getting engaged, Hana. All I ever cared about in this family and will ever care is you."

I held his arm, and he placed his hand on me, giving it a little squeeze.

"You will always be my cupcake."

For that, I will be grateful forever.

"Cheer up, now. You are young. Breakups are bound to happen." He says, smiling.

I gave him a small smile. It's not the break-up that hurts. It's the betrayal of two persons I trusted more than my life. It's the humiliation I felt after their lies were disclosed. I had become a laughing stock for them.

Will Bash and Violet joke about how easily they tricked me? Will they talk about what a fool I had been? My insides cringed at the thought of them together. The image of them kissing and laughing wouldn't go away from my mind no matter how much I tried.