The next morning, my breath caught in my throat; I didn't know how much longer I could maintain the mask on my face. Arda’s piercing gaze felt as though it was stripping my soul bare.
"You have no intention of taking revenge for your sister, do you, Lara?" he asked, and I felt the threat in his voice down to my very marrow.
"What revenge, Arda? Do you view the grief I feel over my sister's death as revenge?" I countered, trying to appear confident. But waves of panic were rising within me. The shock of discovering my pregnancy combined with the anxiety of losing my sister's letter made it incredibly difficult to stay calm.
Arda took another step closer. The intense scent of his perfume burned my throat as he leaned down toward my lips. "You know I hate lies, Lara. Especially lies coming from beautiful lips; I never forgive them".
I didn't look away. "I am not lying," I said with determination. But my inner voice whispered a different truth: You are a liar, Lara, the biggest of all. You are pregnant by him and you are hiding it.
"We shall see," Arda said with a cynical smile. "We will discuss this matter again later".
As he left the room, cold sweat poured down my back. I took a deep breath and tried to gather my senses. Who could have taken my sister's letter? And why? Did Arda have a hand in this?.
My phone rang again with an unknown number. With trembling hands, I answered. "Lara, be careful. Arda knows everything," a whispering voice warned. "That letter... you must destroy it".
"Who are you?" I asked frantically.
"It doesn't matter. I just want to help you. Don't trust Arda. He is a monster".
The phone went dead. I stared at the screen in shock. Did Arda really know everything? How? Who wanted to help me, and why?. I began to pace the room in a panic. I had to find my sister's letter and prevent it from falling into Arda's hands. Otherwise, both my baby and I would be in terrible danger.
An idea struck me. Perhaps she had hidden the letter somewhere in her room. I had to go there immediately. As I made my way down the corridor, Arda's voice stopped me: "Where are you going, Lara?".
I turned around to find Arda studying me, his hands in his pockets. "I was just going to get some air," I lied.
"At this hour? I can accompany you," he offered.
"There's no need. I want to be alone".
"Are you sure? Perhaps it would be better if I joined you. You seem a bit tense lately," he said suggestively.
I needed to get away from him to reach my sister's room. "Actually, you're right. I am a bit tense. But you are not the reason," I said.
"Is that so? Then what is?" he asked, his curiosity piqued.
"Just... pregnancy hormones," I blurted out. I watched the expression on his face transform as shock, anger, and curiosity blended together.
"Did you say pregnant?" he asked, his voice turning to ice.
"Yes, Arda. I am pregnant with your child".
Arda paused for a moment before a dark smile spread across his face. "I see. Fate is weaving its webs," he murmured. "Then we must celebrate tonight".
He grabbed me by the arm and dragged me toward his room. I tried to resist, but I couldn't match his strength. Once inside, he locked the door.
"Arda, what are you doing?" I asked in fear.
"Just... ensuring the future mother is comfortable," he said, his tone chilling me. He sat on the bed and pulled me down next to him. "Tell me more. How did you get pregnant?".
"It's... it's not a special story," I deflected.
"It must be special. After all, you are carrying my baby," he insisted. "I want you to tell me everything, Lara. Down to the finest detail".
I took a deep breath, trying to calm myself. I had to play a game with him. "I don't remember, Arda. I was so drunk that...".
"You are lying," he said, his eyes blazing with fire.
I shrank back in fear. "I'm not lying".
"Then tell me the truth".
"That is the truth," I maintained.
Arda stood up and began to pace the room. "You are lying to me, Lara. I don't know the reason, but you are lying".
"I'm not lying to you, Arda. Why would I?".
"Perhaps you are hiding something from me. Perhaps you want to take revenge for your sister," he challenged.
"Don't be ridiculous, Arda. I have no intention of seeking revenge for my sister".
"Are you sure?" he asked, leaning close and looking deeply into my eyes. "Because I know everything, Lara. I see everything".
My heart was beating wildly. It was impossible to fool him, but I had to try. "I don't know, Arda," I said. "I really don't know".
Arda stared at me for a while longer before taking a deep breath and stepping back. "Alright, Lara. I want to believe you. But if you lie to me, you will face the consequences".
The tense atmosphere in the room hadn't dissipated; if anything, it had intensified. I couldn't predict what Arda was planning, but I was acutely aware of the danger awaiting me.
Later that night, after Arda had fallen asleep, I quietly slipped out of bed. This was my chance to go to my sister's room. I crept down the corridor silently, my heart hammering as I reached her door. I opened it and stepped inside.
The room was dark and smelled of dust. My sister's belongings were exactly as she had left them, as if she were still alive. I immediately began searching, turning the place upside down, but I couldn't find the letter.
Despair washed over me. If the letter was gone, it was only a matter of time before Arda learned everything. Just as I was about to give up, I noticed a drawer in her desk. I pulled it open and sifted through the items inside.
And there it was. My sister's letter. I picked it up and opened it with trembling hands. Reading the first lines made my blood run cold.
"Arda knows everything. The illegal experiments in his company, the addictive chemicals... Everything... And he will do whatever it takes to silence me".
I continued reading. My sister had gathered evidence to expose Arda's dark secrets and hidden them, but she hadn't written down where. The final lines of the letter shocked me completely.
"If something happens to me, Lara, uncover the truth. And take revenge on Arda".
Tears streamed down my face. Taking revenge for my sister... this was my destiny. But how was I supposed to do it? Arda was incredibly powerful and controlled everything.
Suddenly, the door opened. Arda stood before me, a gun in his hand.
"So, you found the letter," he said, his voice like ice. "Now it is your turn, Lara".