THE INHERITANCE CONTRACT

Strong arms;

Inside the car, Lena was trying both to hide and to watch. The scenarios in her mind were clear. Was she going to be kidnapped for ransom now because she was rich, or were they going to force her to sign over her inheritance at gunpoint? Her fingers trembled as she gripped the edge of the seat, these questions gnawing at her insides.

But there was something Lena did not know. She was in Mardin now, and this was a completely different universe. If she heard the things being discussed outside, she would be shocked speechless.

Outside the car, Blaze stood like a fortress with his tall height and strong build. The stern expression on his face, the sharp lines of his jaw, and his dark clothing gave him a threatening aura. His purpose was clear. He would not give up Lena no matter what.

Across from him stood Boran. He was a man who drew attention with his messy beard, slightly pointed chin, narrowed eyes under furrowed brows, and broad shoulders. He wore a light colored shirt and a leather jacket that looked a bit worn but still held its tough stance. His hands hovered near his waist as if ready to reach for his weapon at any moment.

Boran stretched and spoke. "My father told you, I will decide who takes the girl. But you ignored him, went and took the girl, and came back. What were you expecting, Blaze? Should we just roll out the red carpet for you and say go ahead and marry her?"

Blaze replied with a sly smile. "My dear Boran, do not trouble yourselves. We have already taken care of both the civil ceremony and the wedding night."

When Boran heard that the woman he had his eyes on had become Blaze's, his eyebrows furrowed with momentary anger. His eyes darkened. Suddenly, he pulled out his gun and fired into the air.

The gunshot was deafening. Inside the car, Lena stomped her foot on the floor in stress. Trembling with fear at the echo of the gunshot, she threw herself out of the car.

"Blaze!" she screamed in fear.

Both Blaze's and Boran's eyes immediately turned to Lena. With her mini dress and suede jacket, her long legs and striking beauty, Lena was truly dazzling. Her hair fell over her shoulder as Boran's eyes carefully scanned her, and a dirty smirk appeared on his lips.

The moment Blaze noticed Boran's gaze, he quickly moved toward Lena without a second of hesitation. He stepped in front of her, creating a wall between her and Boran. He got close enough to breathe on her face and hissed with fury.

"Did I not tell you not to get out of the car?"

Lena's pupils had widened with fear. Her hands trembled with stress, and she was struggling to speak. Blaze immediately understood from her state that she was experiencing psychological trauma.

As if trying to draw strength, Lena grabbed Blaze's hands with both of hers. "He shot… I was scared… Please step back… Let us leave, do not let anything happen… Please," she begged, her voice trembling and broken.

Blaze was momentarily stunned by Lena's state, but his instinct to protect her only grew stronger. He brought his hands to Lena's face, gently cupped her cheeks, and whispered.

"Get back in the car and close your eyes. Count to one hundred. I will be right there."

He ran his hands through her hair and tucked the curls falling over her face behind her ears. His tone was soft but authoritative.

Lena nodded timidly in agreement and ran back to the car. With trembling fingers, she closed the door and squeezed her eyes shut. As she started counting, Blaze had already turned back to Boran. The end of this matter was now certain.

Boran was a complete mountain man with his messy beard, broad shoulders, and sun tanned skin. With his sharp gaze and the sly smirk settled at the corner of his lips, he radiated a threatening aura.

He stretched and spoke. "My father told you, I will decide who takes the girl. But you ignored him, went and took the girl, and came back. What were you expecting, Blaze? Should we just say go ahead and marry her?"

Blaze replied with a sly smile. "My dear Boran, do not trouble yourselves. We have already taken care of both the civil ceremony and the wedding night."

When Boran heard that the woman he had envisioned for himself had become Blaze's, he frowned in anger and pulled out his gun, firing into the air.

Inside the car, Lena stomped her foot on the floor in stress. Trembling with fear at the sound of the gunshot, she threw herself out of the car.

"Blaze!" she screamed in fear.

Both Blaze's and Boran's eyes had turned to Lena. With her mini dress and suede jacket, her long legs and striking beauty, Lena stood out. Boran's eyes scanned Lena from head to toe, and a dirty smirk formed in his gaze.

The moment Blaze saw that look, he quickly moved to Lena's side. He stepped in front of her, got in her face, and hissed with fury, "Did I not tell you not to get out of the car?"

Lena's pupils had widened, her hands trembling from stress. Blaze immediately understood her state was psychological.

As if trying to draw strength, Lena grabbed Blaze's hands. "He shot, I was scared… Please step back, let us leave. Do not let anything happen, please," she begged.

Blaze could not make sense of Lena's state, but it tore him apart inside. He brought his hands to her face, cupped her cheeks, and whispered, "Get back in the car and close your eyes. I will be back before you reach one hundred." He tucked the hair falling over her face behind her ears.

Lena nodded timidly and ran back to the car.

Blaze approached Boran with a sly smirk and said, "My narrow minded friend, that woman is both my legally and religiously wedded wife. Now why don't you tell me which tribal code allows you to eye another man's wife, and then we can talk."

A mocking expression appeared on Boran's face. "Then you better be careful not to end up dead somewhere, my dear Blaze. Because if your marriage becomes void, the closest man takes the girl. God forbid."

Blaze snarled through his teeth. "You better watch yourself. Do not let them cut that rooster neck of yours because you crowed too loud."

As the two men's gazes practically beat each other, Boran spoke to his man without turning his back. "Let us go and tell my father what happened." With a sideways glare, he turned back to his vehicle.

Blaze watched the departing car carefully and immediately turned his eyes to the car where Lena was. Lena had finished counting but still had her eyes closed.

He opened the car door and sat next to Lena, immediately wrapping his arms around her and pulling her against his chest. "Shhh… See, it is over. No cars, they are gone," he said.

Lena had buried her face in Blaze's neck, not lifting her head. She was breathing deeply, trying to steady her breath. Blaze's scent, filling her lungs, had a strange calming effect on her. Her relaxed body stopped tensing, and her head slowly fell into Blaze's lap.

Blaze let his eyes wander over the face of the woman lying calmly against his chest. Her small nose, long eyelashes, and wonderful scent made his heart tremble. He could set the world on fire right now just because she had been scared. He could not make sense of these feelings.

But amidst all these beautiful emotions, there was one thought that terrified him.

"What have you been through that even a gunshot affects you like this, beautiful?"

Minutes later, Lena opened her eyes timidly and shyly. When she realized she was in Blaze's strong arms, a warmth spread across her face. She quickly sat up, as if fleeing from that safe harbor, trying to pull herself together. Her hands worked to fix her messy hair, but her breathing was still irregular. When she noticed Blaze's gaze on her, she quickly averted her eyes and whispered.

"I am fine… Really, I am fine."

Blaze laughed inwardly at Lena's escape but did not show it. In his eyes, that mocking glint that sensed Lena's stubbornness was shining again. As he got out of the car, he took a deep breath and turned to face the view before them.