Then he said quietly but with complete certainty, “No, Mom. I’m not alone anymore.” He ended the call and looked at Joanna with real tenderness. “Tomorrow is the start of a new life for us,” Kasim said.
She took a deep breath, trying to steady her racing heart. And for the first time in the last twenty-four hours, she let herself take a step toward him. He stepped toward her too, and they held each other.
It wasn’t just the embrace of two people in love. It was the embrace of two adults who had finally found solid ground. Unfortunately, the next morning came too soon.
Joanna woke with her heart already racing, as if some part of her knew the day would be hard. In her head she could still hear Nevin Hanım’s voice—cold, sharp, certain of her own authority. But from the small hotel kitchenette came the sounds of cabinet doors and dishes. Kasim was making breakfast.
She walked out to him quietly. He turned, smiling, though the strain in him was obvious. “Good morning,” Kasim said, kissing the top of her head.
“Did you sleep at all?” he asked. Joanna made a face and answered honestly. “Not much.” “Me neither,” he said with a sigh. “But I promise you, today things change.”
He sounded sure of himself. But his hand still trembled when he set a hot mug on the table. Joanna noticed immediately and stepped closer, laying her hand over his.
“Listen, you don’t have to go to war with your family for me,” she said quietly. He looked at her seriously. “I’m not doing this only for you. I’m doing it for myself. I’ve spent too long living the life other people found convenient.”
“Today, for the first time, I’m going to tell them the truth exactly as it is. It’s time I act like an adult and take responsibility for my own future,” Kasim said. She nodded.
But inside, she still felt uneasy, as if something heavier was coming. They arrived at his family’s large house at exactly nine the next morning. The air outside was cold and still, one of those rare sharp mornings in Istanbul.
Joanna noticed right away that an unfamiliar car was parked by the gate. It was a black sedan with tinted windows, clearly not a tourist rental or a family vehicle. Kasim walked into the house first, and she followed.
The moment they stepped inside, it was obvious the atmosphere had changed. It was colder now. Harder. More deliberate. In the large living room sat Nevin Hanım, dressed in a severe business suit, her face unreadable.
Beside her sat an older man with silver at his temples and a stern, professional expression. A thick leather folder lay on the polished table in front of him. Joanna knew immediately he was not there by accident.
Kasim frowned. “Mom, who is this?” he asked. Nevin answered so calmly it sent a chill through the room:
