The Boughted Mafia Wife

First Encounter   "How much did you sell your daughter for?" he asked. I shrank deeper into my seat. Even though Mirza couldn't see me, I was terribly ashamed. I could see the tense muscles of his back. Who knows what his face looked like? Without a moment's hesitation, my father gave the price. I had a dishonorable father who sold me to pay off his debt. Upon hearing this, Mirza responded, "Then I'll give you double, because Elfin belongs to me now!" Two Days Earlier Life was harsh. It wasn’t fair to everyone. While some were very rich, others had to think about every penny. I was on the side that wasn’t treated fairly. I wasn’t saying this to rebel, but sometimes I couldn’t help but wonder why I wasn’t like them. Then the reality hit me like a ton of bricks—I would never be like them. Besides, I didn’t want to be like them. Everyone was fake, as if they had lost their identities. Their noses, lips, even their behaviors, were all the same. It was as if they all came from the same place. I, on the other hand, was just an average girl of medium height, with sun-kissed skin, hazel eyes, and black hair. According to Serenay, I was the kind of girl everyone would take a second look at, but since I didn’t have much confidence, I rarely liked what I saw in the mirror. Not generally, actually never... I had never had a boyfriend up to this point, and I didn’t want to ruin my already troubled life by involving someone else in it. No one’s hand had even touched mine. Even though I received a few offers during university, I turned them down. Since then, I had continued working at the café. I didn’t have much time either. Another reason was that the idea of being with a man seemed absurd. What if he expected s*x from me? I hated people who saw women as nothing more than s*x objects. The café was always so busy that I had no time to rest. Working so hard and getting so little in return was incredibly frustrating. Even though I didn’t care much about money, I would think hundreds of times before buying a chocolate I craved. All my money went to my father. Still, I tried to be happy with what I had. It might seem silly to some, but for me, happiness wasn’t just about money. Serenay’s voice broke my thoughts. "Elfin, could you check the second table?" Acknowledging her, I moved to the table with my tablet. Two women were sitting there. Both were dressed very elegantly. In my ordinary pants and T-shirt, I felt so dull in front of them that I suddenly began questioning myself. “What would you like?” I asked. While they looked at the menu on their tablets, they barely paid me any attention. Isn’t that always the way? The rich love to look down on us and make us feel small. The blonde woman gave me a sidelong glance. “Salad and water,” she said. The dark-haired woman across from her added, “An avocado smoothie for me.” I quickly wrote down the orders. As I moved away, the café was getting busier. This café catered to a refined clientele, so even a single mistake could cost us our jobs. Serenay, my childhood friend, had helped me get this job. I couldn’t imagine what I’d do without her. I tried to maintain a serious and aloof demeanor while working because some men would misinterpret a smile as an invitation to harass me. As I continued taking orders, the café door opened. A tall man with stubble and dark skin walked in. He made a cool entrance by removing his sunglasses and stepping inside with two or three buttons of his white shirt undone, revealing his muscles. With his shirt sleeves rolled up, he gave off a slightly rogue vibe, but the coldness in his gaze suggested, “I am a tough and serious man.” Everyone fell silent as he stopped at a table. A group of men followed him inside. Serenay, I, and the other employees exchanged glances, silently questioning what was happening as the dark-skinned man stopped in front of a seated customer. He grabbed the man by the collar and yanked him up. As I watched, frozen in place, the man said in a chilling tone, “Did you think you could escape from me?” His voice sent shivers down my spine. From the moment he first walked in, I had sensed that he reeked of danger. He was confident enough to come in and rough someone up. We’re talking about someone whose very walk shouted, “I am strong.” When his gaze swept the room and locked onto mine, I swallowed hard under his piercing stare. Even making eye contact with him was terrifying. “Mind your own business!” he roared, but I couldn’t tear my eyes away from him. While everyone else continued with their work, I remained frozen. “Take him away!” he shouted. No one dared to speak up. As they dragged the man out, I blurted, “What are you doing? Is this the middle of nowhere?” I didn’t even know why I said it. A moment of reckless courage had pushed me. When his gaze shifted to me, I averted my eyes but saw him stepping toward me. He halted right in front of me, glancing at my name tag first. “Do you always interfere in everything like this, Elfin?” His tone alone was enough to frighten me. My body was trembling like a leaf. Before I could respond, his piercing gaze remained fixed on me. “You’re trembling like a leaf, but you don’t hesitate to defy me! Do you know who I am?” he asked. I shook my head and stared down. Suddenly, he grasped my chin and forced me to meet his gaze. “Who am I? Answer me!” he roared. Tears began to stream down my face. “I don’t know,” I whispered, and he looked at my tears. It seemed to soften him a little. “From now on, don’t stick your nose into anyone’s business, and find out who I am,” he said, letting go of my chin roughly. As he left the café with the same swagger he’d entered with, I ran to the bathroom. Staring at myself in the mirror, Serenay walked in. “What did you do, Elfin?” she asked anxiously. I realized she knew him. I turned ghostly pale as I washed my face. “Who is he?” I asked. “He is Mirza Hanoğlu!” Who was he? Why didn’t I know him? Why was it so dangerous to stand up to him? “Also known as Kurşun. It’s said that this man has strange fantasies. Are you aware of what kind of man you’ve gotten involved with?” But I had no idea who she was talking about. How could I have known? You could tell he was dangerous, Elfin. Seriously, why did I, someone who never gets involved in anything, try to stand up for him? I felt like a complete fool. “What kind of fantasies?” “He’s with the mafia, what do you expect? From now on, don’t question what happens here,” she said. I replied, “That man you called Mirza took someone from here,” but Serenay shot me a look that said to stay out of it. “Elfin, if you want to keep working here, learn to keep quiet,” she said, patting my shoulder. As she left me in the bathroom, I resolved not to meddle in anyone’s business anymore. It was the first time in ages that I had wanted to protect someone. No one protected me when I went through similar things. That’s why everything was like this. When I returned to work, aside from the Mirza Hanoğlu incident, it was a normal day. Finally, it was time to clock out. I also found out that my salary had been deposited since it was payday. Even though I was soaked, I felt good as I walked in the rain. I tossed my hair back. My hair was the part of my body I liked the most. I had long, jet-black locks. I couldn’t bear to cut it or let anyone touch it. I opened the door cautiously when I got home. Could someone really enter their own home with fear? I stepped inside with my right foot and, seeing he wasn’t home, took a deep breath. The first thing I did was check on my mother. She was bedridden and unable to care for herself. We couldn’t even afford all her medications. “Mom, how are you? I’m doing great! I got my salary today, you know. I bought your favorite fruit,” I said, pulling a banana from the bag. My mother gave me a sad look. “My daughter, you know your father. Why did you do this?” she asked. I couldn’t buy anything I wanted with my own money, nor could I speak up about it. I shrugged. “Mom, no matter what, he gets angry anyway,” I said, peeling the banana. As I fed her, she began talking about her dreams again. “My dear, your heart is so beautiful that someone will come into your life and save you,” she said, and I smiled. “Honestly, Vildan Sultan, you keep saying that, but no one has shown up yet,” I said, and we laughed. I wished I could go out and have fun like everyone else, but it hadn’t been possible for 24 years. How did my mother end up in this condition? .. ...while giving birth to me... Hearing those words from my father's mouth every night and what followed... When the door opened, I started to tremble. When I heard my father shout, "Elfin!" my mother said, "Go quickly!" I left my mother's room and went into the hallway. My father closed the door and approached me. "Did you get your salary?" he asked. When I nodded, he said, "Give it to me." I grabbed my bag from the cabinet by the door. As I took out my wallet with trembling hands, I opened it and handed him the money. My father snatched it from my hand and started counting it greedily. I was terrified he would notice the money spent on the banana. After counting, he said, "Fifty lira is missing," and I lowered my head. "I bought a banana for my mom," I whispered. I heard my father's footsteps. My whole body shook as he grabbed my chin tightly and shoved me against the wall. "Who did you ask, huh? Are you trying to ease your conscience by buying a banana for the mother you caused this to?" he asked angrily. My chin hurt a lot. When he let go of my chin, he slapped me hard across the face. I felt the blood trickling from the corner of my lip as I fell to the floor from the impact. "Don't let it happen again, Elfin!" he said, slamming the door as he left the house. I curled up and cried silently. My mother would be upset if she heard. I could hear her calling for me, but if I went to her, she would be even more upset. What did it matter if the cold tiles froze my feet? My heart was already ice-cold. I don't know how long I stayed there, but I slowly got up and went to the bathroom. I pressed a tissue to the corner of my lip to stop the bleeding. After holding it there for a while, the bleeding stopped, leaving only a wound. Then I cooked. Even though my father took my money, he would still do the shopping. In that sense, he was merciful! According to my mother, they had married for love and eagerly awaited my arrival when she was pregnant with me. I had to give him some credit. It was me who confined the woman he loved to bed... After preparing the meal, I went to my mother. When my mother said, "Elfin, my dear!" I replied, "Come on, it's time to eat," changing the subject. By now, I was used to being beaten. Even though my mother was upset about it, she couldn't say anything. As she gave me a sad look, I started feeding her as if I wasn’t the one who had just been beaten. I didn't even have the strength to eat. When my mother said, "My dear, you should eat too," I shook my head. I ate quietly with my mother. "My dear, I wish things hadn't turned out this way," she whispered. "Mom, nothing's wrong. Why are you so worried?" I asked. She placed her hand on my cheek. "My daughter, you're living in constant pain here. The things your father does to you are unbearable..." I didn’t let her continue. "Mom, there's no need to even talk about this," I said, and she sighed. Regardless, I had nowhere else to go but this house. My father knew this very well, so he could do as he pleased. "My daughter, I dreamt last night. There was a man beside you. He was tall and dark-skinned. He held your hand and took care of you, but behind him was utter darkness," she said, and my whole body started to tremble. Could it have been him? I listened to my inner voice telling me I was being ridiculous. That man and I would only come together in situations like today. Besides, I wouldn't want to be with someone like that. After all these years of suffering, I wanted to find true happiness when I fell in love. "Mom, it was only a dream," I said dismissively. I couldn't bear to hear more. I didn’t want to upset her, but the more she talked, the more scared I became. All I wanted was to never encounter that man again. After sitting with my mom a little longer, I curled up next to her. I usually slept beside my mom. Not being able to hug me was a deep pain within. My mom was next to me, but for her to touch me, I had to get very close. Still, sleeping with her scent was enough. I moved closer to my mom and closed my eyes. In the morning, I woke up early for work. Despite being a university graduate, it was impossible for me to get a government job because I couldn’t prepare for the exams. They worked us to the bone at that café. When I wanted to reduce my shifts, they cut my pay. When I suggested this to my father, he yelled and screamed, saying he would kill me if I got fired from this job. He never realized that while he was beating me, he was crushing my spirit. I woke up early and first fed my mother. My mother usually went hungry until I came home. This bothered me the most. My father never even looked at my mother. Wasn’t love supposed to be about standing by each other in sickness and in health? Apparently, for my father, it didn’t mean that. After my mother’s breakfast, I quickly left the house. If I was late for work, the manager would be very angry. I made it to work just in time. The manager called us all to his office. “We will have important guests at lunchtime. I won’t hesitate to fire you at the slightest mistake! Get ready accordingly!” he ordered. We were used to it since there were usually important business lunches and meetings here. While I was dealing with kitchen work, Serenay and the others handled the service inside. When the preparations were finished by noon, I heard the important guests had arrived. While I was helping with meal prep in the kitchen, one of the waiters came to me. “Elfin, go upstairs immediately. The guests requested you to attend to them,” he said, surprising me. "Why me?" When he gave me a look that said, "I don't know," I headed upstairs. I gulped when I saw who it was. Mirza Hanoğlu was looking at me. With trembling legs, I moved towards them. As Serenay passed by me, she said, “He wanted you to handle it,” and my face went pale. I realized then that he was targeting me. Why didn’t I just keep my mouth shut? They were a mixed group of men and women. I stood right next to Mirza Hanoğlu. "Welcome," I said, but my voice was so faint that Mirza's lips curled into a smirk. He seemed amused by my discomfort. As the waiters brought the food, Mirza said, “You bring my food, Elfin!” I nodded in agreement. I went to the kitchen and took the pre-prepared plate. I was shaking. This is what I get for meddling in people's affairs. When I reached him, I leaned slightly towards him, struggling not to inhale the overpowering scent emanating from him. As I set the plate down, he leaned in and whispered in my ear, "Did you learn who I am, Elfin?" I nodded in fear, and he threatened, "Good. From now on, don't ever cross my path, or you'll suffer the consequences!" His voice was stern. As I quickly walked away, I knew I never wanted to see his face again.