Chapter 131

Chapter 131
Ricardo saw the girl dead set on her eyes, without wandering his gaze not even once.

She was really Leyla, the girl from the night of the diplomatics gathering and the one that almost tried to attack Catalina under his cousin’s order. He knew that he had a prisoner, but never did he think that he would catch her.
After all, Zuleica had assured Ricardo about her safety when he forgave her life on the night she had his secret meeting with her, establishing good relationship between their leadership, without exposing it yet to the public.

Ricardo and Zuleica knew that Omer was after the southern territories to use it for its own benefits, but Ricardo was the only one to know that Omer wanted that territory to construct his drug laboratory for his benefits and profits only.
\-“Ricardo wanted me to initiate the attack and then use it as an excuse to accuse all of the council elders in not being able to conduct the appearance with the foreigners and punish all of you the next day accordingly.”
So, this was what Omer was planning after all, Ricardo thought. Exposing his relationship with Catalina and fabricating all these lies that the council would turn against Ricardo. But he saw that even after the secret sign that he made, her pupils gaze changed slightly. It was not easy to say, but Ricardo had been used with many people’s reading emotions, and the girls hid well her emotions.

First, he saw her fear, confusion, surprise and they fear again. After all that facade, he saw her clothes long enough to cover bruises or supposed scars in her make-up. Probably Omer had his time, being careful not to leave evidence while torturing her and knowing he would expose her later.
\-“What?” Many of the elders were not happy to hear all this commotion, as after that supposed attack that never happened in the dining that night Ricardo punished some of them.
\-“How can we trust her?” One of Ricardo’s supporters asked.

\-“Well, she came to me saying this in her free will and the prove that Ricardo is having an affair with that woman confirms it all. This is why he choose that even if anything went bad, she could act herself and clean his image latter with the internationals.”
Even though Ali became distressed now, he wondered how far Omer could take this fade. Looked like his boss was right to hide his relationship with miss Catalina from everyone else. They sure had a wild imagination.

\-“If what she did saying is true then we have to take her in the council’s prison in order to be questioned properly.” The other elders said, but that cracked her calm fade. Layla understood that this was loop never ending.
Even Kane was smirking and reminding all of them how Omer and he had always kept the traditions alive and sharing the underground business with them, making them all believe in their intentions.

All the man in the room, apart Ricardo, turned their head at their outmost respected person in there. Hamiz was more surprised and shocked than they were. How had this evening unfolded. Their family name was involved in such drama.

He turned his head at where the girl was standing, with her head high, refusing to bow down, and asked her in a very serious and cold voice: -“Did Ricardo ask you to do such a thing? Is this true? Speak the truth now woman!”
It felt like the floor was shaking. His tone carried so much potence and deception. Hamiz was not sure what to think about it anymore. And the most important, they were his nephews that were against each other and that also made his blood boil and anger surface, an emotion that rarely was visible on him, because when he became angry many things collapsed.
Even Mehmet chooses to stay silent, smiling in the shadows, feeling justice for himself as well.

For Layla as well was a difficult choice, continue lying because Omer made her so by tormenting her, or choose to say the truth since Ricardo silently promised her shelter, with the protecting sign that only the Tefn did that and that was impressive as it was.
In their culture only Zuleica had that right to make that promise and the gesture itself indicated that her leader itself must have taught him so. Her heart was beating strong now. Now she realized how foolish she was to choose Omer to do business with.
But this time she would not let him win, this time she decided to choose right!
\-“This is… ” she said in a low voice pausing to inhale but Omer interrupted her:

\-“You see grandfather? I have always cared more about our country and business rather than Ricardo and I will always protect the family from those that never cared about the rules you established.”
\-“And the traitor that wants to take the profit to itself are banned or even worst, cut to pieces, given away to feed the lions.” Kane added while looking Ricardo in the eyes and smirking.
And Ricardo stood tall and quiet as a king did, as a lion waiting for all the drama to end before his wrath would burn all of them.
\-“Now these are the consequences for putting a leader that wants the innovation rather than sticking to the old traditions…” Omer said, but this time he was interrupted but Layla who found the courage to speak louder and more clear to those present in the there.

\-“This is what Omer made me say tonight, while he tortured by during theweekend to take out as much as possible information from my side.”
\-“What?” the room went crazy now.
\-“Crazy bitch? Who gave you the right to make such false accusations.” Mehmet was the first to rise from his chair, while Omer went straight to her to punch her in the face.
But he couldn’t. Ali was not waiting for an order from Ricardo to defend a woman who was about to me scarified as a lamb.  

\-“I dare you say that one more time.” Omer said while Ali blocked his punch, a grave offense but Omer would deal with him later. More man, Ricardo’s followers intervened to separate them from each other as Kane went on to fight with his brother as well.

Meanwhile, Ricardo and his grandfather were watching each other with an intense gaze that none of us minded interrupt was happening around them.
Her confession made Omer look like a fool, as the other presents were not understanding the meaning of this.
\-“STOP!” Ricardo voice echoed through the room. It was a command who made all the bodyguards feel chills in their tone. All of them stopped and paused for a moment. At that moment, Hamiz turned his head where the girl was being protected by some of his nephew’s man.

\-“Did Omer make you say all this? Speak the truth, without fear and I will be merciful to you!” he said to her as his voice sent her chills, fearing for her life.
She hesitated for a moment and added trembling.

\-“Yes!”