Chapter 44 Caught in the Middle
9+ missed calls.
9+ unread messages.
Her throat went dry. Most of them were from Luther. A few from unknown numbers, but she could guess who they belonged to. Casper, Caelum, maybe even Knight and her other brothers.
“Oh no…” she whispered, sitting up quickly. The screen lit again, another message popping up before her eyes could even process the last ones. Her pulse quickened, the peaceful morning dissolving into dread.
She didn’t have to open them to know what they said...o
Where are you? Answer your phone. Deborah, if you don’t respond—
“Morning?”
She nearly jumped. Ylmaz’s voice came from the doorway. He leaned casually against the frame, wearing a white shirt and light trousers, hair still tousled from sleep. The faint scent of coffee followed him, rich and earthy.
“Ylmaz,” she said too quickly, locking her phone and tucking it under the pillow as if hiding a secret. “You’re up early.”
He smiled, stepping closer with two steaming mugs. “Jet lag’s an impossible beast. Thought I’d make us coffee.”
“Oh… thank you,” she murmured, trying to sound calm.
He set a cup on her bedside table, then sat in the armchair near the window, studying her with quiet curiosity. “You look nervous. Everything alright?”
Deborah forced a smile, shaking her head. “Yeah. Just… couldn’t sleep much.”
“Are you sure?” His tone was light, but his eyes, those steady blue-gray eyes.... held a trace of doubt. “You’ve been checking your phone since we got here. I thought you wanted to leave that world behind for a bit.”
Her fingers fidgeted with the hem of the blanket. “It’s nothing important. Just business stuff.”
Ylmaz raised a brow, unconvinced. “Business doesn’t give you nine missed calls at dawn.”
Her silence gave her away.
He exhaled slowly, leaning back. “Deborah,” he said softly, “did you tell anyone you were coming here? Asides your father?”
She hesitated, staring down at her coffee. The truth weighed heavy on her tongue. “No,” she said at last. “Just him.”
He nodded thoughtfully, but his voice turned careful. “And your other brothers?”
“…They don’t know.”
For a long moment, the only sound was the faint whisper of the sea outside. Ylmaz’s expression didn’t harden, but there was something like worry in his eyes, or maybe disappointment.
“Are you really sure this was a good idea?” he asked gently.
Her head snapped up. “You’re doubting me?”
He sighed, rubbing the back of his neck. “Not doubting you. I just....Deborah, your brothers are known for being… protective. Especially Caelum... If they find out you left the country without telling them, and with me of all people…”
She frowned. “You make it sound like I did something wrong.” He met her gaze evenly. “Didn’t you?”
That stung. Deborah stood from the bed, crossing her arms defensively. “You don’t understand. They never let me breathe. Every decision, every move, they always have something to say. I just wanted time for myself. To make a choice that’s mine.”
Ylmaz’s tone softened again. “I do understand. More than you think. But disappearing isn’t the same as being free, Deborah.”
She looked away, jaw tightening. “I told my father. He said he’d handle it. He promised to tell them I was sent abroad for company matters. So technically… I didn’t disappear.”
“Technically,” he repeated quietly. “But that doesn’t mean they’ll believe it.”
The truth of that made her chest ache. Ylmaz leaned forward, resting his elbows on his knees. “You know what worries me most?”
“What?” she asked, her voice quieter now.
“That you’re spending more time looking over your shoulder than enjoying the view in front of you.” His tone was tender but firm, and his eyes met hers steadily. “You came here to breathe, remember? Not to run.”
Deborah’s defenses crumbled just a little. She sank onto the edge of the bed, holding the mug with both hands. “I know. I just… I don’t want them to ruin this too.”
“They won’t,” Ylmaz said. “If they call, let them. If they ask, tell them the truth... that you needed space. You don’t owe anyone permission to find peace.”
She gave a soft, shaky laugh. “You make it sound so simple.” He smiled faintly. “It’s not. But it’s worth trying.”
The air between them grew gentler again, the tension thinning. Deborah sipped her coffee, feeling the warmth spread through her hands.
After a few quiet minutes, Ylmaz stood, his voice light once more. “Come on. Let’s get some air. The cliffs look incredible in the morning.”
She nodded, grateful for the distraction.
\---
They walked through the villa’s garden, Deborah felt her heartbeat slow, soothed by the rhythm of the sea below. Ylmaz walked beside her, hands in his pockets, his easy calm balancing her restless thoughts.
But even as she admired the waves crashing against the rocks, her mind kept replaying the unread messages.
Luther’s name on her phone screen. His stern, quiet way of speaking when he was angry. Casper’s protectiveness turning into wrath. Knight’s disappointment and Caelum's scary look.
Would they even listen if she explained?
“Ylmaz,” she said softly after a long silence, “do you ever feel like no matter what you do, it’s never enough?” He turned to her. “All the time.”
“What did you do?”
“I stopped trying to please people who measured my worth by how useful I was to them,” he said simply. “Started living for the ones who actually cared if I was happy.”
She looked at him, surprised by the honesty in his tone.
“Your family loves you,” he added gently, “but love doesn’t always mean they understand you. You don’t need their permission to live your own story.”
Deborah let out a long breath, the wind lifting strands of her hair. “You make it sound like you’ve figured everything out.”
He smiled. “I’m still figuring it out. Just trying not to repeat the same mistakes.” Their walk took them to the edge of the cliffs overlooking the sparkling Amalfi coast. Deborah stood still, letting the beauty of it sink in.
“Maybe you’re right,” she said softly. “Maybe I just need to stop hiding.”
“That’s a start,” Ylmaz said, smiling. “But maybe… turn your phone off for the rest of today. Let the world miss you a little.”
She laughed, a genuine sound that carried in the wind. “That’s cruel advice.”
“Cruel,” he said with mock seriousness, “but effective.”
She smiled wider, and for a moment, the heaviness melted away.
\---
Later that afternoon, as they sat in the villa’s terrace having lunch, Deborah glanced again at her phone. It had gone quiet, no new notifications, no calls.
But instead of comfort, the silence made her uneasy.
She opened her messages, scrolling through Luther’s last text:
\[If you don’t answer, I’ll come find you myself.\]
Her hand trembled slightly. Ylmaz noticed but said nothing. He just watched her quietly, his expression unreadable.
Finally, he said in a low, calm voice, “You can’t run from them forever. But for now—” He reached for her glass and poured her water. “—you can choose peace, even if it’s just for today.”
She met his gaze, nodding slowly. “Just for today.”
"Let's go, somewhere... I have place."