His Substitute Wife

The Demirsoy siblings

Zayd greeted his best friend, Ilhan Demirsoy, with a genuine smile and hug. It had been over a month since the two had last seen one another as Ilhan was sent out of the city for a business deal on behalf of Zayd. 

In the world, Ilhan was the only person that Zayd would have entrusted his life to. The two of them had known one another since their childhood days and although their relationship didn't start off on a good foot, it grew into a strong brotherhood. 

"How have you been? Has everything been well?" Zayd asked his friend as the two sat down. 

As soon as they were seated, there was a soft knock on the door and moments later Ilhan's younger sister, Melek, stepped in with a tray of tea and a large smile on her face. 

Zayd smiled at her in response with only made Melek's own smile grow bigger. 

Everyone and their mothers knew of Melek's affection of Zayd. Ever since she was a child, she would walk around the city telling people that she would marry Zayd one day. Of course, everyone pushed it aside as puppy love and laughed it off, but little did they know that deep in her heart, Melek strongly believed that she truly would be Zayd's final wife and his true lover. And when she heard that he had divorced, she had deluded herself into believing that her fate and his were truly entwined. 

"Should I be asking you that?" Ilhan asked with a chuckle, "I heard you got married!" 

A gasp escaped Melek's lips upon hearing that, before she lost her balance and dropped the tray she was holding in her hands to the ground. 

Both Zayd and Ilhan instinctively moved beside Melek to make sure she wasn't hurt. 

"Are you alright?" Zayd asked, examining her hands the same time her brother asked, "I told you to be more careful!"  

Melek didn't respond to either one of them. Her mind was too busy repeating the words her brother had just uttered. It couldn't have been true, could it? Zayd wouldn't marry someone else so fast. There was no way that was possible. Why hadn't he waited for her? He knew of her affection for him. He knew that she didn't mind that he had already been married before. So why, just why, had he found someone else? 

"I-I'm fine," Melek finally answered as she pushed the two of them away and stood to her feet. 

Zayd and Ilhan followed her and stood up as well, both of them still holding a look of worry on their faces. 

"Did you really get married?" Melek asked, looking betrayed. 

She remembered back to her childhood, when she had first met Zayd. She was about seven years old and she had been running around in the bull farm, unaware of the dangers that were awaiting her. She was young and careless and all she wanted was to pet one of the bulls. The animals were huge and scary but Melek wanted to prove to her friends that she was fearless. So she had run towards one of them in her bright red sundress with the intentions of petting it. However, little did she know that she was aggravating the poor animal, and soon after, the angry bull was charging towards her. Without even thinking twice, the fourteen year old Zayd who was walking home from school that day, saw the dangerous situation and ran to help her. He didn't even think once about his life, the only thought on his mind was saving the little girl. He ended up getting rammed in the shoulder by the animal but fortunately he made it out alive without any serious injuries. 

Since that day, Melek had owed her life to him and she was willing to make it up to him and serve him as his wife for the rest of her life. However, when she had turned sixteen, she received the most heartbreaking news of her life: Zayd was marrying a girl from out of town. 

Melek went crazy upon hearing that. She cried for months leading up to the marriage and didn't meet with a single person. She barely even ate. All she could of think of was ways to end that marriage. Her psychological state had become so bad that her brother had sent her out of the city in order to get treatment. She ended up listening to what the therapist told her and tried her hardest to be treated because she wanted to return back to her home as soon as possible. 

And finally, she was able to do so. The doctor told her brother that she was doing well and as long as she continued to take her prescriptions, she would keep steady without any problems. Little did they know that Melek was an excellent actress. If they wanted to see her doing well, then she would. If they wanted to see her act happy and unaffected, then she would. As long as she could return to her lover she was able to do anything. 

She was especially happy to act in any way they wanted when she found out that Zayd had divorced the b*tch that had stolen her place. She had always known he would leave her and when she found out that he truly had, she had even taken the medication to make everything more believable. It worked, and her brother personally returned to pick her up and return to Mardin with her. 

They had only returned early that morning and when Melek heard that her love would be visiting, she dressed her best and made sure to look as presentable and beautiful as possible. And it worked. When she looked in the mirror, she saw her large stunning eyes reflect the colour of her dark blue dress. Her dark golden hair was perfected into long voluminous waves that stopped in the centre of her back. The style of her hair and make-up was also identical to the way Nihal's hair and make-up so she knew that she would be attractive in front of her lover. Even the dress she was wearing was something that she had seen Nihal wear before. She remembered hearing Zayd compliment the dress and therefore she made it her mission to wear the exact same dress. It had been over a year since the last time they had seen each other after all. But it seemed it was all for nothing. 

She had put in so much effort to woo him but now she was finding out that yet another b*tch had taken her place. She felt all of her insides quiver in anger but she tried her hardest not to show her true feelings on the outside. She couldn't let her brother send her away again. This time, she needed to stay close to Zayd and show him exactly why she was the best match for him and why his new wife was no different than his ex-wife. 

"Yes," Zayd responded to her earlier question, coldly. He really didn't know how much he was hurting her. "We signed the papers a few days ago." 

"Oh," Melek said, her heart beating fast and hard against her rib cage. She felt a terrible, bruised type of feeling in her heart but she brushed it aside and forced a smile on her lips. She had to remind herself to act. She could feel her brother's watchful eyes on her. She let the smile on her lips grow further before she warmly told him, "Congratulations! I wish you all the happiness in the world." 

Her eyes then turned down to the spilt tea and broken glass on the ground. 

"I'm so sorry about that," she innocently pouted as she pointed at her mess. "I tripped." 

Zayd chuckled and gently caressed her head. "It has been a year since I last saw you but you're still so klutzy like a child." 

Although his caressing hands were innocent, like an older brother caressing his younger sister's hair, Melek still felt the affection through the action. She felt at a loss when he removed his hand and turned to his friend, leaving Melek confused.

"I'm not a child," Melek mumbled underneath her breath with a pout. 

Zayd chuckled once again but did not comment on it. He knew that Melek was quite stubborn so it would never end. 

"I'll take my leave now. I have some work to do back at home." 

Ilhan wanted to complain about the fact that he just arrived, but he decided to let him go. He was feeling quite tired over their long journey back to Mardin after all. Besides, they were business partners so they would catch up later at work. 

"Can I come with you?" Melek suddenly asked before Ilhan could respond to his friend. "I haven't seen Miray in a really long time. I miss her." 

Zayd was going to tell her that Miray was out of the city but then he remembered that she was supposed to be back that morning. So instead, Zayd turned towards Ilhan for permission and although Ilhan looked as if he didn't want her to go, he ended up nodding. 

"Be back by dinner time," he told her but Zayd stopped him. 

"Come have dinner at our home. My grandmother misses you." 

Upon hearing that, Ilhan agreed. Although they had no blood ties to Rezan Sultan, she always treated him as her own and even funded both his and Melek's education after they became orphaned. He felt it would be rude to not visit her after returning. 

"I'll come over by dinner then." 

The two friends then greeted each other goodbye and Zayd and Melek left. As soon as her back was turned to her brother, a sinister smile grew on her lips. 

She couldn't wait to meet the new bride of the Arslans.