"Set Me Free, or Let Me Burn."
1637 Words
And now in that villa that is like a cage for Lara, Sireen, Shams and Nour
The palace was quiet that afternoon.
Sunlight spilled through the tall windows, golden and soft.
And on the marble table in Lara’s room —
A velvet box.
Inside:
A necklace. Silver. Minimal. Expensive without showing off.
Perfectly her style.
She stared at it for a long time.
Didn’t touch it.
Didn’t smile.
Just… blinked once, slowly.
He Kept Trying
That week, the gifts kept coming.
A silk scarf from Milan.
Her favorite rare chocolate flown in from Switzerland.
A first edition of the poetry book she once mentioned two years ago.
A delicate bottle of French perfume — the one she’d worn when they first met.
Every item was wrapped carefully.
No notes.
Just silence.
As if he didn’t know how to say "I'm sorry" with words anymore.
Lara Stayed Quiet
When he passed her in the hallway, he slowed.
Waited.
Looked at her like he wanted to say something.
But she never met his eyes.
She would nod — barely — and walk on.
Not cold.
Not cruel.
Just… empty.
nour Noticed
One night in the courtyard, nour nudged Lara with her elbow.
“You know, he looks like a kicked puppy every time you walk away.”
Lara didn’t answer.
“You could at least tell him to stop wasting his money.”
Lara looked up at the moon.
“He’s not wasting money.
He’s wasting time.”
“Harsh.”
“Honest.”
Inside Lara's Heart
She sat alone that night in the library.
Surrounded by old books and older pain.
She touched the spine of the poetry book he gave her.
And for a moment…
just a moment…
her fingers lingered there.
She remembered his hand in hers.
The way he used to call her name softly, like it meant something.
But that was before.
Before the betrayal.
Before the cold months of silence.
Before he became a stranger in a suit with power but no warmth.
He walked into the library without warning.
Paused.
“You used to love this room.”
Lara didn’t turn.
“I used to love a lot of things.”
He placed something on the table beside her.
A photo.
Old. Slightly faded.
Their wedding day.
She glanced at it.
Then looked away.
“You can’t fix us with gifts.”
His voice was low.
“I’m not trying to fix us. I’m trying to remind you… we existed.”
She stood.
“Maybe we shouldn’t have.”
And walked out, leaving him with the photo in his hand.
after one day
The room was heavy with late afternoon light.
Amber shadows spilled across the marble floors.
Lara sat on the velvet chaise, dressed in black, like a queen in mourning.
The door opened behind her.
Footsteps. Familiar. Controlled.
He stood in silence for a moment before speaking.
“I came to talk.”
She didn’t move.
“Strange. You usually just command.”
He Tries Again
He walked forward.
Set a small box on the table beside her.
Inside: a ring.
Not the one she wore.
This one… was new.
Softer. Less cruel. It looked almost human.
“You said I caged you.
I want to try again. From the beginning.”
She looked at the box.
Then at him.
Eyes sharp. Voice flat.
“No.”
He stiffened.
“No?”
“Not unless you send Aya and Judy back to Han first.”
He’s Caught Off Guard
He blinked.
“What do they have to do with us?”
“Everything.”
She rose slowly. Elegant. Cold.
“Because if you still believe hurting girls makes you powerful—
Then nothing’s changed.”
“They’re spies.”
“They’re children.”
“They disrespected my authority.”
“So did I. Will you sell my organs too?”
Silence.
Her Condition
She stood toe-to-toe with him now.
“You want a conversation?
You want to fix this mess?
You want your wife back?”
She leaned in.
“Then prove to me I’m not married to a monster.”
“Free. Them.”
“Send them back home. No guards. No threats.
Let them go as if they were never here.”
His Reaction
He stared at her.
A war in his eyes.
She was challenging him — not with guns, not with knives —
But with morality.
With the very thing he buried long ago.
And worse?
She was doing it for someone else.
“Do that,” she whispered,
“and maybe we can talk.”
Then she turned her back to him.
And this time—
“Don’t bring me another ring.
Bring me proof.”
He walked out of the room without a word.
But in his jaw:
Tension.
In his heart:
Something unfamiliar.
And in his chest:
A decision forming.
The afternoon light painted golden lines on the floor of the wide lounge.
The air smelled like cinnamon tea and slow tension.
Lara sat on the edge of the couch, shoulders heavy but her eyes still sharp.
Across from her:
Shams, sitting cross-legged like a warrior ready for gossip or war — whichever came first.
Nour, hugging a pillow to her chest, wide-eyed and soft.
Sireen, half-leaning against the bookshelf, arms folded, unreadable.
until lara stert speak
“He came to me again today.”
Three heads turned instantly.
“Said he wanted to fix things between us.”
Nour blinked.
Shams raised both eyebrows.
Sireen didn’t move.
“I told him no.”
“Unless,” Lara added, “he sends Aya and Judy back home. Completely free.”
The Girls React
Shams shot upright.
“Wait—wait—WAIT. You said that to his face?”
Lara gave a small nod.
Shams jumped up and did a slow clap.
“Queen behavior. Full-on mafia wife gone rebel. I love it.”
Nour, already teary-eyed, whispered:
“That’s so brave… I don’t know if I could’ve said that to him. He scares me.”
Lara smiled softly.
“He scared me once too.”
Then Sireen Spoke
Her voice was quiet.
Cold.
Precise like a dagger between ribs.
“You’re not going back to him.”
Lara blinked.
“Sireen—”
“No. I’m saying it now before your heart forgets and your past tries to rewrite itself.”
She walked forward. Slowly.
“If he loved you, he wouldn’t need to prove it with fear.”
“You want advice?”
Sireen leaned in close, her eyes ice and fire.
“Run. Like Aya did.”
“Even if it kills you.
Because the only thing worse than dying — is dying while still his.”
The Room Fell Silent
Even Shams, usually loud, swallowed hard at that.
Lara didn’t speak.
Just looked down at her hands, trembling slightly.
Nour reached across and gently held her fingers.
“You were the one who saved us when we couldn’t speak.”
“Now let us save you — even if just by reminding you:
You are not his anymore.”
Lara stood up.
Her face unreadable.
But in her eyes — something shifted.
A door cracked open inside her.
“If he lets them go,” she said softly,
“I’ll decide what happens next.”
Then, under her breath—
“And if he doesn’t…”
Sireen answered for her.
“Then we burn this palace down together.”
After several hours
The study smelled like Turkish coffee and old leather.
The windows were tinted black, the light dim.
A chessboard sat untouched on the table, kings and queens abandoned mid-battle.
Serkan poured himself a drink, but didn’t touch it.
Across from him, standing in silence, was Demir — arms crossed, gaze hard, as if already analyzing ten moves ahead.
Serkan broke the silence.
“She said she wants a divorce.”
Demir raised an eyebrow.
“They all say that. Until they don’t.”
“She meant it.”
“And?”
Serkan exhaled slowly.
“She gave me a condition.
Said she won’t speak to me again unless I release the girls… Aya, Judy, the others.”
Demir’s jaw ticked.
“And you're considering it?”
“That’s why you're here.”
Serkan turned toward the window.
“Lara was the only woman I ever feared losing.
Not because she’d betray me…
But because she knew me.
Every part. Every flaw. Every scar.”
“She was my peace.”
“And now she’s my punishment.”
Demir’s voice came cool and low.
“Then why keep her locked in a war zone?”
Serkan looked over, sharply.
“Would you release girls who spit on your power just to get a woman back?”
Demir didn’t blink.
“If that woman made me forget I was a monster…
Then yes.”
Demir’s Hidden Truth
Demir walked slowly toward the liquor cart, ran a finger across the dustless counter.
“Aya... spat on my power too.”
A pause.
“But for some reason, when she looks at me like I’m disgusting—I didn't want to break her arm or anything like that.
Serkan smirked bitterly.
“So what do I do?”
Demir turned.
“You don’t deserve her, Serkan.
Neither do I deserve mine.”
“But if you want Lara back—”
He stepped forward, low and deadly.
“Give the girls their freedom.”
“Give your wife the choice.”
“Because if you try to force her again…
she will burn you from the inside out.”
Serkan stood in silence.
The drink still untouched.
The night heavy around him.
And somewhere deep in his mind…
he finally realized:
To keep Lara…
he might have to lose everything else.
- Writer
