- You have no idea how good it is to see you! - Özge spoke up, breathing a sigh of relief. - I didn't even think for a second that it could be you! Welcome to our architectural office!

- That can't be right. - Selim shook himself off and got up from his chair. He took a step towards Defne to grab her hand. - Why didn't you say anything? You didn't even say a word.

- You told me to stay away from this case,' she reminded him, looking into his eyes. - I didn't want to add to your stress because I wasn't sure if anything would come of it. I preferred to keep quiet in case something went wrong after all.

- See? - Aylin spoke up. - I'm not at all the horrible person you think I am.

- 'One good deed won't make you a hero,' Selim stated, pushing back the vacant chair to his left so that Defne could sit more comfortably. - 'You can't forget all your mistakes so easily. Tell me, what did you gain by doing this? Did you do it to have fun at my expense?

- Exactly, why did you make all this fuss? - asked Ezgi, improving her position in the chair. - It would have been much simpler if you had come to an agreement with us calmly. Especially since Selim was keen to get along with you.

Then Metin entered the conference room, which effectively distracted from the topic of conversation. Korkmaz's lawyer confirmed that the sale of the shares had gone through legally.

- 'Ms Aylin has officially divested herself of the rights to the shares in "Korkmaz - Beautiful House" by selling them,' announced a grey-haired man in a black suit, sitting on the other side of Çakir. - They were acquired by Mrs Defne Turan. So as of today, she is one of the full shareholders in your company. The documents in the white folder prove this.

The brunette slipped it under Selim's nose. The man, grunted and looked inside. He quickly examined the papers, focusing longer on the bottom page of the sheet, where the signature of his current girlfriend and ex-wife appeared.

Aylin was about to rise from her chair and leave the conference room, but Defne lavished her with a look. She stopped her intentions by grabbing her wrist.

- 'And you, where to? - She asked, tilting her head towards her ear. - Ezgi and Selim are waiting for an explanation. You're not leaving here until you've told everything.

- Tamam (Fine.) - sighed Aylin briefly, unhappy that Turan had stopped her from leaving the meeting. The things they were discussing now did not interest her one bit. At earlier meetings of this kind, when Korkmaz was just starting out, she had tried to give the appearance of focusing her attention on the ongoing discussion. Obviously for the sake of her marriage.

- Ms Defne immediately pointed out that she didn't have much of an idea of what it was like to work in this company, so we also prepared these documents. - Metin continued. The lawyer personally handed the next file to Selim. - This is a letter regarding the disposition of shares. Available in two variants.

- Nasıl? (How so?) - he quipped, scratching his chin with his right hand. - Bu da ne demek oluyor? (What does it mean?)

- 'I don't know anything about how the office works, which is why I want to hand over the shares to you or Ezgi for a limited period of time,' Defne explained, looking either at her beloved or at the girl sitting opposite. - The rules are similar, except that nothing will surprise you now. The disposition is valid for three months. I decided to take this step in order not to make the mistakes of my predecessor. I could not choose who to give my share to, so decide among yourselves who prefers to hold the majority for that time. Hence the two variants of these documents.

- A logical solution," Ezgi stated, smiling at the brunette. She had impressed her with this move. - I'm glad you joined us.

- I think it's a fair play," Turan added. - I didn't know how you guys would react to my coming into the company. You would have had much more use out of Onur. He would bring new ideas and solutions to your projects, as he himself works in a similar sector.

- 'You will also be useful to us,' Selim spoke up, watching his beloved with pride. - 'You underestimate your skills.

- Aynen. (Exactly.) - The hitherto silent Aylin spoke up. - By selling you shares, I thought you could contribute something good here, unlike me.

- Your generosity is unnecessary, Aylin," burbled Selim, rolling his eyes.

A short time later, the man conferred with Ezgi, walking to his office. He did not want to indefinitely detain the lawyer, who was waiting for their decisions. He wished to get this sorted out without unnecessary procrastination due to the fact that he was returning to Bodrum. He had had enough stress in the last week. He needed to relax and move on.

After a quarter of an hour, they both returned to the conference room, announcing their decision.

- Tebrikler! (Congratulations!)," said Selim, squeezing his friend's hand as he signed the appropriate paper. He did so with a broad smile on his face. - I know it's a good decision.

- I congratulate you too,' Ezgi replied. By having Defne's shares at her disposal, combined with her shares, she held the majority. She could make all decisions herself without consulting Korkmaz. - You have regained your company.

- Our company. - The man corrected her slip of the tongue, emphasising the first word bluntly. - I have no doubt that you will prove yourself in your new role.

- I also congratulate you all,' the lawyer said, tucking the documents into his bag. - To Mr Selim, who no longer has to worry about the future of his office. Ms Defne for making a prudent decision. To Ms Ezgi for being recognised and having the opportunity to test her competence at a higher level of personal development. And Ms Aylin for choosing well.

- Thank you for everything, Metin. - Korkmaz shook hands with his advisor.

He then escorted him politely to the exit door. When he returned, he sat down again in his seat.

- 'Now then, let's get to the explanations,' Selim ordered, intertwining the fingers of his hands together. He rested the weight of his body on his elbows placed on the table. He turned his gaze to Defne. - 'Darling, how did it happen that you went from being my girlfriend to being one of my accomplices?

- I'm already explaining. - Turan reached for the water bottle and took a little drink. - Now I can speak calmly because there is nothing standing in my way. The documents have been signed. I will probably surprise you once again. It started with me coming up with an idea of how I could get to Aylin while talking to Çinar and Mert. I shared this idea with Onur, involving him in my plan. Your cousin supported me and prompted me to record the whole conversation.

- Lütfen ne?! (Listening?!) Did you record me? - outraged Aylin, while the brunette reached for the phone. - What right did you have to do that? I'll go to the police with this!

- Bravo, sevgilim! (Bravo, darling!) - added Selim, clapping his hands.

- I had to have some proof. After listening to the recording, I will delete everything immediately,' she replied, unconcerned by her threats. - It was from me that Onur found out to whom Aylin was going to sell the shares. You will find out the rest in a moment.

Turan activated the recorder on her phone, placing it in front of her so that everyone around could hear the sound clearly.

~~~

Three days before:

- 'I have an irresistible offer for you,' Aylin announced, stirring a spoon in her coffee, which could be heard on the recording. - If you agree, you will impress Selim.

- I don't need to prove anything to him. Consider, however, that I want to impress him,' sighed Defne, aiming to coax something concrete out of Çakir. - 'What's the proposal?

- I will sell you my share of the shares. You will become a partner in 'Korkmaz - Beautiful House'.

- Me, you've got to be kidding me! I don't know anything about it at all!

- It doesn't matter at all. If you want to, you can learn everything. You're a smart person, you'll get the hang of it quickly.

- What about Ceren? A while ago you said you wanted to give her your shares. Did you trick me to get my attention?

- I was telling the truth when I mentioned Ceren. She is ready to buy them from me. I will say more than that, she is convinced that she will get them. I want to rub her nose in it.

- Why?

- Don't ask any more questions. I have told you a lot. That's enough for today. Think about what you know. Think well about my proposal. - Çakir took a piece of paper and a pen out of her bag. She wrote something down on it and handed it to Defne. - This is the amount I have to get for the shares. I say right away that this price is not subject to any discussion.

- Selim was right. You need the money. Why don't you tell him the truth?

- I'm ashamed of myself. Therefore, please don't tell him anything. He has gotten me out of trouble many times before. This time I want to correct my mistakes myself.

~

Two days earlier...

The girls met again. This time in the playground, as children could be heard playing in the background.

- 'I agree, I'll buy back your shares,' Defne announced, not believing what she was saying. It still seemed absurd to her. She had never thought of such a thing. - However, I have a condition. You must convince me that you will actually do it. The amount you expect is quite large. I have to be sure that you won't change your mind. Ceren will easily get any amount. I, unfortunately, don't.

- I expected you wouldn't trust me,' Aylin sighed. - 'I've also been doing a lot of thinking since yesterday and looking for something to make you believe in my sincere intentions. It's not easy for me, but Ceren is blackmailing me. Inside you have proof of that.

Çakir handed her a large brown envelope. Turan took out pictures of the hotel restaurant and room. In each shot she was accompanied by a strange man.

- Ceren is trying to take revenge on me because Halit left her. The boss of the company where I work hired him in my place when he found out about the pregnancy. He met his current girlfriend there. Your colleague thinks it's my fault.

- It doesn't surprise me one bit. It's just her style, to mix things up between two happy people.

- She must have planned everything, because I remember practically nothing. I don't know how I got to the hotel room. The man bumped into me at the hotel. Ayaz had invited an important client to dinner and asked me to accompany him for the sake of business. We met because he spilled a glass of wine on me....

- You allowed yourself to be approached.

- I need money for him to tell the truth. I'm sure Ceren paid him well, so I need to give him more. Otherwise, I might lose my fiancé.

- I understand, the stakes are high.

- I asked Halit to mention to Ceren that I was selling my shares in Selim Korkmaz's company. The very next day she called me, using the secretary at the company. I felt satisfaction that I had achieved my goal so quickly. She had fallen into my trap. I thought that with the money I would get from her, I would get her. That's why I didn't want to talk to Selim. Quite recently I found out about your past together.

- It wasn't colourful. I don't have the best memories of her.

- That's why I suggested you should be the one to buy my shares. Unless you want Ceren Kaya to mess up your life again.

~~~

- I thought it was a great opportunity to get revenge for all the humiliation I had suffered because of her. - Defne spoke up again. - Onur decided to help me since he was already involved anyway. He contrived to come to an agreement with Aylin. He didn't want you to worry any longer.

The brunette looked at her beloved and saw tears of emotion in his eyes. She grasped his hand tightly and he hastily shed a sign of weakness.

- So Onur had no intention of becoming our partner from the beginning? - she asked Ezgi, clearly surprised by the story. - Wow! You all played it pretty well.

- I wouldn't put it that way,' Aylin stated. - 'Onur treats Selim like a brother, so he would certainly do anything to help him. And indeed, he rose to the occasion. He helped him, but in a different way.

- I am amazed," sighed Selim, wrinkling his forehead. - In my darkest dreams, I would never have imagined that you would join forces and start acting together.

- Nothing unites people like a common enemy,' Defne stated, reaching for the water. Her throat was dry again.

- Was it worth it? - she asked Ezgi, not hiding her joy that everything ended well.

- Tabii ki. (Of course.) Ceren's face was priceless - the brunette laughed. - I was finally able to play along, and Aylin saved her family.

- The man there confessed to everything. Ceren told him to put a sleeping agent in my drink - Aylin sighed. - It was all worth it, but I wouldn't want to go through it again.

A short time later, Çakir left the architectural office. After she left, there was a small party at the firm, spontaneously organised by colleagues working with Selim. Confetti was fired and there was a cake and champagne.

- 'Until now, I can't find the right words to express how much I thank you for what you did for me,' Selim said shortly after the toast and the acceptance of congratulations from colleagues. He kissed her hands. - You surprise me all the time, sevgilim. (Love.)

- If you were me, you'd do the same,' she replied, feeling her face hurt from smiling all the time.

- I guess what it must have cost you. I promise to pay you back all the money.

- 'Shh,' whispered Defne, before bringing their lips together in a kiss. - 'It's not important.

- Seni çok seviyorum! (I love you so much!) - Selim confessed, grabbing the brunette at the waist. He gently lifted her above the surface and began to spin around his axis with her.

This caused Turan to laugh out loud. The girl watched her beloved's joy with great emotion. This is what she wanted. To see a genuine smile on his face.

*

Defne and Selim stayed in Istanbul for the whole weekend. They spent time separately with their parents. They did not return to Bodrum until Monday and continued preparations for Asli and Onur's wedding. He was due to take place the following Sunday.

In the meantime, they were busy designing Mr and Mrs Turan's house. At the beginning of the week, the exact cause of the fire was determined. Consequently, the first renovation team had already gone inside and was working inside the building. To begin with, the soot-damaged rooms had to be cleaned up, the damaged furniture cleaned up. Zeynep, meanwhile, kept an eye on her parents, who were slowly recovering from their traumatic experience.

Keen to provide Defne's parents with some positive events, the future bride and groom invited them to their wedding, stipulating that they should not worry about the cost of the trip. They did not want them to be left alone again since their daughters would be attending the ceremony, as would Janset, Kemal and Ozge with Ayaz. Hande and Emin thanked them for the invitation. They agreed to attend the wedding ceremony, forgoing participation in the party afterwards. In return, they offered to look after baby Aslan.

Before everyone knew it, the long-awaited day had arrived. From early morning, preparations were underway for the afternoon party.

A wedding table and a dozen decorated chairs for guests stood in the hotel's garden. Rooms overlooking the venue were reserved for wedding guests. The stay of tourists visiting the town had already been restricted here. The last holidaymakers left the hotel on Thursday morning. This was all thanks to the good organisation and help of Defne, keeping everything under control.

- Her şey ne kadar da güzel görünüyor (How beautiful it all looks.) - said Özge, admiring all the decoration. - You really know your stuff.

- Thank you! - replied the brunette, finishing preparing the table where Asli and Onur were to become one in a few hours. - At first, I was worried about whether I would be able to do it, but I have acquired practice and now I am skilled.

- As you can see, trying new things is not scary - replied the blonde, smoothing the white tablecloth. - You'll see, you'll also find your way in an architectural office.

- The fact that I've become a shareholder still doesn't get to me,' she sighed, taking a few steps back to assess the end result. - It will reach me when we have the press meeting, but there's still a lot of time until then, so I'm not thinking about it. My thoughts are revolving around something else.

- And very well! Now deal only with pleasant things. - Her cousin embraced her. - 'You've done a good job.

- 'That's what I'm doing,' Defne said, patting the hand that was on her shoulder. 'I'm trying to distract myself from my role tonight.

- I really don't know when you've managed to twist everyone's arm around your finger," Özge said jokingly. - Everywhere I look, everyone is talking about you.

- You're exaggerating as usual," she commented, gathering her things. It was time for her to start getting ready as well.

- And you, as always, are modest. - Özge took it upon herself to help tidy up the trinkets. - That's what I like about you. No matter what they say about you, you remain yourself.

- You know, I think it's hereditary with us,' she remarked, tucking a strand of hair behind her ear. - Zeynep wasn't too messed up by popularity either.

A few hours later, the garden was filled with guests invited to the wedding. Everyone was wearing evening dress.

Defne, together with Onur and Selim, waited at the wedding table for Asli to appear. On the day, she wore a chiffon dress before her knees in powder pink with small red hearts. The ruffles at the bottom added a lovely touch and, thanks to the airy material, she didn't feel the heat even through the long, buff sleeves, finished with a ribbed hem. Her stilettos added a few inches to her look, and her loose curls blew in the gentle breeze. Plus traditional make-up, a little more vibrant after Zeynep's suggestion. Around her neck hung a heart-shaped necklace. It had been given to her by Selim.

He opted for a classic black straight suit. Underneath he didn't even have a shirt, but a black basic t-shirt with straps. He wore sports shoes with it. His glasses with soft blue lenses added to his elegance. Silver jewellery was not to be missed. In this way, the brunet matched his partner. He left his hair down.

Like his younger cousin, Onur opted for a black dinner jacket with white trim. He combed his hair into a gel.

As the Mendelson march played in the garden, Asli appeared in a snowy wedding dress and a veil with a metre-long train. Her hair was pinned up in a low chignon, and shorter individual strands of hair, curled with a curling iron, fell freely to either side of her face. In her hand she held a bouquet of flowers.

The short ceremony went off without a hitch. It was followed by the signing of the marriage certificate by the newlywed couple and their witnesses.

- 'We'll be next,' Selim thought, signing in one of the witnesses' designated places.

As dusk fell, the wedding party kicked off in earnest. Guests danced to music played by the DJ while eating traditional food.

Defne hardly left