THE INHERITANCE CONTRACT

Coffee and gossip!

Şişli – Istanbul

Around 10 o'clock

Lena; her brown, long hair falling below her shoulders, her prominent cheekbones and delicate nose drawing a clear silhouette despite a few strands falling on her face. With her tall stature and full figure, she had an air that carried both elegance and attitude.

A glittery, sequined skirt…

A casual but elegant satin shirt on top…

And the rhythmic sound of her heels with every step…

Every step of hers rose like a melody playing in the ears; inside her, there was that tune playing like a march: strong woman confidence!

Only one thing was going through her mind...

In a moment, I will either become a businesswoman who has caught the biggest chance of my life, or a woman who has narrowly missed her dreams once again.

She looked through the restaurant window and murmured.

The only thing that determines this is whether I can impress the big shots at that table. If I choose the right words and give them enough confidence, I can finally get that loan.

La Perla, one of the most prestigious restaurants on Abdi İpekçi Street. Dim lights hit the wall panels decorated with gold details, filling the interior with a warm but impressive atmosphere. In the center, a massive wine cellar rose surrounded by glass panels; carefully arranged burgundy and gold-labeled bottles added a sophisticated air to the venue.

Round tables covered with cream-colored cloths were elegantly arranged, each flawlessly prepared with crystal glasses and silver cutlery. The faint jazz melody in the background completed the richness of the atmosphere.

Four men sat at the large table in the corner. With their dark, flawlessly tailored suits, they were in their late middle ages, well-dressed, obviously powerful names in the business world. They paused their conversation and turned toward the entrance. Lena approached them with confident steps.

"Greetings, gentlemen," she said, with an elegant but impressive smile on her lips.

The men at the table, as soon as they noticed Lena's beauty and the charm in her demeanor, responded with compliments.

"Ah, Ms. Lena, you are dazzling as always," said one of them with a warm smile.

"And of course, we admire your pen," added another. "We follow your writings with great pleasure. I'm sure you have wonderful ideas to tell us today."

Lena laughed genuinely and settled into her chair, knowing she had drawn everyone's attention at the table. Now it was time to convince them.

Lena placed the carefully prepared files in front of the four men at the table. Her gaze was confident, her tone calm but impressive.

"Honestly, gentlemen, my ideas are of a quality that will shake the advertising world. People think written texts are only used in storybooks or soap operas. But I promise to give you this power."

She paused briefly, examining the faces of the men at the table one by one. She had caught their attention, now she needed to fuel it.

"Imagine," she continued, with a mischievous glint in her eyes. "You have a publication that regularly publishes all your company's news and promotions. But this isn't a business magazine. This is a lifestyle magazine! Engineering chamber magazines, medical magazines, literary magazines… Only enthusiasts buy those. But in an active lifestyle magazine, you can find everything. Weight loss tips, beauty secrets, economical shopping tips, gossip, and much more."

One of the men at the table adopted a mocking attitude and leaned back slightly in his chair, resting his arms on it. He tilted his head and spoke.

"Honestly, Ms. Lena," he said, with a condescending smile at the corner of his lips, "with your tone and expressions, we would listen to you even if you whispered. But I think our company ads would get stuck in the corner of a magazine and then moved to the next page. The other magazines you mentioned seem more logical to us."

Lena raised her eyebrow slightly. With a sly, condescending smile appearing on her lips, she crossed her arms over her chest.

"You're right. We writers visualize every word we write as a scene before our eyes. But it must be hard to imagine that for ordinary brains. So let me make it physical for you."

Lena picked up one of the files and tossed it to the middle of the table.

"Weight loss tips… did you know that the fat cells in your body never disappear? They only shrink or grow by losing water. So how much edema you hold is important. So, what's the way to get rid of edema? Here is Abdi İrfan Company's new herbal tea for edema removal!"

As the men's eyes slid to the bright title on the cover of the file, Lena continued without slowing down. She fixed her gaze on the other man.

"Economical shopping tips… Every woman wants to have both style and a quality look. So why are quality and luxury so expensive? DHM stores have brought year-end special haute couture products to their windows! With discounts up to 70 percent!"

She tossed the file in front of another man, then lifted her chin slightly, fixing her eyes on the other names at the table.

"Would you like me to explain it this way for all of you, or has it become clear in your minds?"

There was a brief silence at the table. As the men looked at each other, Lena waited for the most experienced among them to speak.

The man she guessed was a banker loosened his tie slightly, leaned his arms on the table, and turned to her.

"Ms. Lena, we must admit that you have magnificent ideas." His voice carried a heavy but sharp seriousness. "However, money is more concrete than ideas. Unfortunately, your father, even if not by his own fault, failed in a business idea that raised millions. And the people who believed in him and invested also lost millions. Honestly, you need a guarantor. I'm sorry, but this doesn't happen just with your impression."

Lena looked carefully at the man's face. She understood that they would never give this loan. When she realized she had been invited here only as a formality with superficial politeness, she tried to suppress the sudden rising anger inside her.

But her lips involuntarily tightened, her eyes sharpened.

"You should have called then." Her voice was icy. "Your time might not be valuable, but mine is."

She pushed her chair back harshly and stood up. As she took her bag, none of them could look her in the eyes. Without even turning around, she left the restaurant with the sharp clicking of her heels.

As if being a woman wasn't enough, did one have to be someone's man to exist in the business world? Apparently, being strong, ambitious, and talented wasn't enough on its own. She felt as if all her effort, knowledge, and talent had been pushed aside.

She sighed to herself. Lena had never been someone who stayed in place. Art was her soul; she painted, she was a master of world cuisines, an expert swimmer. When she had a goal, she would always succeed, so much so that she had learned to use a gun and become an expert marksman just because her boyfriend annoyed her with a single word. She could speak four languages fluently, and even her music lists had been listened to millions of times.

Thanks to ADHD (Attention Deficit and Hyperactivity Disorder), she had been curious about everything throughout her life and wanted to be the best at everything. But in the business world, talent and effort weren't as valued as a surname.

Just as she was drowning in these thoughts, her phone rang.

The screen said Ivy.

Like a reminder of a friendship that warmed her heart…

"Hey babe, what are you doing?"

"I'm fine, honey. I'm in Şişli. Heading to the office."

"Ooh, your voice sounds down. Did the meeting go badly?"

Lena sighed. "More than badly."

"If you have time, come by. My studio is close. Let's have coffee and recharge your energy!"

Lena smiled slightly. "Okay, that would be good."

Ivy was Lena's roommate from university. They had been rooted in each other's lives since then. Ivy's profession suited her character perfectly. She was a yoga and pilates instructor and had made it her principle to keep life balanced. She accompanied Lena's ups and downs with her calm, balancing demeanor.

When Lena entered the studio's door, she immediately breathed in the peaceful atmosphere. This wasn't a large, corporate studio; it was truly boutique and warm. The wooden floors gave a feeling of comfort when walking barefoot. There were large macrame decorations on the walls and small crystals and natural stones on the shelves. The resting area in the corner with a few cushions was completed by a small tea corner. Candles and an aromatherapy diffuser spread the scent of lavender and sandalwood. This environment silenced the noise in Lena's head a little.

And there, in the middle of the studio, was Ivy, smiling with her arms wide open…

Ivy was an energetic person like the sun. Her wavy, natural red hair fell over her shoulders, and the freckles scattered on her fair skin gave her a fairy-tale look. She was thin and petite, forming a complete contrast to Lena's tall and full figure.

But wasn't that what friendships were about? The perfect harmony of opposites…

Ivy's smile was huge, her eyes warmly sparkling.

"Ahh baby, come here!" she said cheerfully.

Lena sighed and smiled. Before throwing herself into Ivy's arms, she murmured, "You came to save me, didn't you?"

Ivy winked and smiled. "With your favorite method… Coffee and gossip!"