Innocent in the Dark

Chapter 10

When Açelya opened her eyes, she found the man looking down at her in utter astonishment.

"So," Açelya murmured. "The fearsome Ateş, who kills anyone without a second thought, won't kill a little girl?"

"I don't harm women; it's against my code," Ateş replied coldly. "Now get up, get dressed, and leave before you make your uncle and father my problem."

"I doubt they care much whether I'm alive or dead," she muttered, lying back down on the floor. "If I died, they'd probably just think, *'Thank God, we finally have some peace.'*"

She reached for the alcohol, but Ateş snatched the bottle away and smashed it against the floor.

"Cut it out with these stupid games. I'm not your babysitter," he snapped, grabbing her arm and pulling her to her feet.

With tears welling in her eyes, Açelya looked up at him. "But you hugged me earlier."

"I hugged you because I felt sorry for you. You're pathetic."

Hearing that, Açelya swallowed her pride and turned to leave.

"Wait, let me drive you home," Ateş offered. "Walking around looking like this at this hour is dangerous."

Açelya turned back to face him, a bitter edge to her voice. "Am I really that pathetic?" She brushed away a stray tear, squared her shoulders, and walked toward his car.

They got into the vehicle, and the entire ride passed in dead silence. When they were still a short distance from the mansion, Ateş pulled over.

"Don't let them crush you, little girl. You're stubborn, but you're too naive."

"You won't have to worry about me bothering you again."

"I hope so," Ateş muttered. Açelya looked at him with tear-filled eyes, her heart aching at his coldness. She tried to pull herself together. What was she expecting from her enemy anyway?

She stepped out of the car and slipped back into the house through the secret passage. Crawling into bed, she pressed her face into her pillow and let the tears finally break free.

*I really am pathetic,* she thought, staying awake all night.

By morning, she washed her face with ice-cold water, but when she looked in the mirror, the girl staring back at her looked utterly hollowed out.

Downstairs, she forced a polite "Good morning" to the family.

"Good morning, my beauty, come sit," Erdem said warmly.

As she looked at the table and saw her father sitting right next to the empty chair, she pulled the seat back and deliberately chose another one. Akın saw the gesture and let out a heavy, defeated sigh.

"If you'll excuse me, I want to share something with you all that I've been wanting to do for a long time," Açelya announced.

Handan frowned. "What are you talking about?"

"I don't know if you've noticed, but I love taking pictures. Even if I haven't studied it professionally, I've taught myself a lot online. I want to start drawing and selling portraits."

Cem burst into loud, mocking laughter. "Hahaha! Are your brains fried? Who's going to buy your portraits?"

"Cem is right, my girl," Altan intervened. "It would be very hard for you to find buyers."

"Why wouldn't there be buyers, Uncle? If people are out there buying the illegal weapons you sell, I'm sure someone will buy my art."

Hearing that, Akın slammed his hand onto the table.

"Açelya! Shut your mouth!"

"What, are you going to slap me again?"

"I will if you force me to."

Açelya smiled through her unshed tears. "You never change, Akın Demir."

Just then, Kerem rushed into the dining room, breathless. "Forgive me for interrupting your meal, but... Ateş Kılıç just blew up fifteen of our trucks carrying weapons. He left a message: *'Say hello to Akın Demir.'*"

Hearing the news, Açelya let out a sharp, hysterical laugh.

"Get a grip, girl," Altan warned.

"Ill-mannered, ungrateful brat! Get out of my sight!" Handan shrieked.

Açelya kept laughing, until Cem grabbed her arm and dragged her up to her room, slamming and locking the door behind them. He shook her violently by the shoulders.

"What are you laughing at, you lunatic?"

"Good for you! Whatever business you're running with Ateş, it's doing a great job of destroying us."

"I am *not* working with Ateş, you i***t!"

"Oh, stop lying, he told me everything! You intentionally brought me to that warehouse to terrify me. But don't forget—I'm not a coward like you."

Cem lost his mind. He grabbed her hand and squeezed her fingers with brutal force until a piercing scream tore from Açelya's throat.

Hearing the commotion, the family rushed upstairs. When Akın burst in and saw Açelya lying on the floor, weeping in agony, he noticed her fingers were already swelling and turning a bruised purple. He scooped her into his arms and gently laid her on the bed.

"What happened here?" Altan demanded, furious.

"She tripped and fell herself, Uncle," Cem lied smoothly.

"Fell, is that right? Fine," Altan said, his eyes darkening. Without warning, he hauled off and landed a brutal punch straight across Cem's jaw.

"Son, stop! What are you doing?" Erdem yelled, pulling him back.

"Get out of this house, you scoundrel! You have no right to put your hands on your sister!"

"Son, please, don't let him leave, I'm begging you," Nil wept.

"Altan, Cem did the right thing!" Handan snapped. "Açelya was being disrespectful, she got what she deserved!"

Açelya couldn't stop crying from the agonizing pain in her hand. She pressed her face into her father's chest, sobbing uncontrollably.

"Shut your mouths—all of you!" Akın roared. He swept Açelya up into his arms and rushed out the door to take her to the hospital.

Altan grabbed Cem by the collar and threw him out of the house. "If Açelya got what she deserved, Handan Hanım, then Cem does too. You are banned from stepping foot in this house for a week."

"Fine, Uncle, whatever you say. But just so you know, you're going to pay a price for this too," Cem sneered, getting into his car and driving off. Altan narrowed his eyes, lingering on those ominous words.

Sinem watched anxiously. "What is wrong with that boy? How could he do something so savage to his own sister?"

Suddenly, Altan's phone rang. When he answered, a familiar, smooth voice whispered through the speaker, making his stomach churn.

"I heard the news and I felt so terrible about what happened at the house. I'm so sorry."

"How do you even know about that, Irem?"

"I'm on my way to your office right now, let's talk about it there," she said, and abruptly hung up.

"Who was that?" Sinem asked.

"Just business. Look, I'm sending you and Kerem to be with Açelya at the hospital. My brother left in a panic, go make sure they're okay."

"Don't worry, darling, I'll take care of them," Sinem said, and they hurried out.

Erdem stayed behind at the house to manage the remaining tension, while Caner had already taken his family away on vacation to escape the relentless chaos. Everything fell onto Altan's shoulders. When the image of Açelya's broken state flashed through his mind, a pang of deep sorrow hit him. Açelya felt like a daughter to him, and seeing her suffer tore him apart. He wanted to step in as a father, not just an uncle, but whenever Akın acted harshly, Altan held back to avoid starting a war with his own brother.

When he finally reached his office building, he headed straight upstairs. But the moment he pushed open his office door, he froze in sheer shock.

Irem was sitting right on top of his desk, wearing a micro-mini skirt. She had positioned herself deliberately to put her bare legs and plunging neckline on full display.

"You're finally here," she purred, sliding down off the desk.

"What are you even doing here?" Altan demanded.

"I heard about your family troubles. I felt so bad, I came to offer you some comfort," she said, wrapping her arms around Altan's neck.

"What do you think you're doing? Let go of me."

Irem looked straight into his eyes and leaned in to kiss his lips. Altan tried to shove her away, but she only pulled him closer. With a surge of fury, Altan threw her off and shoved her hard into a chair.

"You absolute piece of trash, what do you think you're doing?"

"Can't you see? I'm dying for you, Altan... I love you."

Altan's blood ran cold. *Ateş?*

"Irem, I have never raised a hand against a woman in my life, but don't push me. I am a married man!"

"I don't care if you're married! I want you, and you *will* be mine."

"You've lost your mind. You're sick—go see a psychiatrist, and stay away from Sinem!" Altan roared, grabbing her arm and literally throwing her out of the office.

He slammed the washroom door shut and frantically scrubbed at his lips and neck to wash away the traces of her kisses. The only woman he loved in this life was Sinem. He just prayed this would finally keep Irem out of his life for good. Seething with pure rage, he punched the mirror, shattering it, before retreating back to his office.

Meanwhile, Ateş was in the warehouse inspecting a new shipment of goods when an unexpected guest walked right in.

"I've got some bad news for you," Cem announced casually.

"Let's hear it," Ateş replied, arms crossed.

"Altan just kicked me out of the house."

Ateş let out a dry, mocking laugh. "Honestly, something he should've done a long time ago. Anyway, why'd he do it?"

"Açelya. She found out about our alliance, started running her mouth, so I broke her fingers."

Ateş's eye began to twitch violently.

"What did you say? What did you do to your own sister?"

"I had to, she left me no choice."

In a flash, Ateş drove his knee straight into Cem's stomach, sending him crashing hard to the concrete floor. Standing over him, Ateş grabbed him by the collar.

"Tell me... which hand did you use?"

"Ateş, hey! Come on, we're partners—"

"We are *not* partners," Ateş growled, his voice deadly quiet and freezing cold. "I am the boss. You are nothing more than a dog who follows my orders."

He tightened his grip until Cem choked.

"Now tell me... which hand did you use to break that innocent girl's fingers?"