The Iplikci couple looked at their unexpected guest with eyes round like saucers and could not believe their ears.

"Jansu," Omer muttered. - Is everything you said your idea?

She nodded affirmatively and clarified:

- It's my idea, but my dad approved of it. Said: - A gamble, but the result is worth it.

- Yeah, you should write adventure novels. Your fantasy is big.

Omer got up. He scratched the back of his head. He sat down again. Scratched over his lip. Got up. Jansu looked at him expectantly. Defne was still recovering from the shock.

"We cannot cope without the help of the police," Omer stated the fact.

Jansu, ignoring his words, cheerfully raised her eyebrows and stated in the affirmative:

- Aha! You agree to my plan!

"I'm still thinking," Omer answered and pointed to his wife. - And Defne seems to be in a state of daze.

Without reacting to her husband's words, Defne muttered dumbfounded:

- Fake casino! In the center of Istanbul! In the basement of a jewelry boutique! And how did your father agree to this?

"He hates fathers who abandoned their children," explained Jansu. - And when these freaks come to adult, successful children, and try to blackmail them, he goes berserk. Dad himself suggested a basement of one of the shops of the Baisal chain for the casino. In terms of adventurism, he will give me a hundred points ahead.

- All like her father! - Omer said simultaneously with admiration and condemnation. - The plan is good, but it needs to be thought out to the smallest detail. I repeat - we cannot cope without the help of the police. Plus casino players. They must not arouse suspicion. This means that we need those who have an understanding of gambling and how to hold cards in their hands.

- I have an idea about gambling and I know how to hold cards. - Junsu's words sent Iplikci to the next round of shock. Looking at their surprised faces, she was indignant:

- Why do you react so violently? I'm not a gambler! But I can play cards. The cousins ​​taught me. I also know how they behave at the gaming table. When my dad and I were vacationing in Cyprus, he made concessions to me, fulfilled my request, and took me to a casino. I didn't play, but I watched the players closely. I can simulate it easily!

"You're incredible," Defne said with genuine admiration. - Do you even know that such brave girls as you are one in a million?

- I know, of course, - answered Jansu ironically. "But let's change the subject. Besides me, who else could be at the gaming table? Gorgeous and presentable men and women, from whom smells of big money ten miles away, or like me, spoiled heiresses of a fortune. People who, in a fit of excitement, can easily raise their rates to exorbitant heights. This is how Kadir Shishmaz should see them.

The husband and wife looked at each other.

"You can take a chance," Defne said. - We are not losing anything.

- How many players should be seated at the table? Omer asked Jansu.

"Eight," she replied. - Father will play the role of the owner of an underground casino.

- So we need to pick up six? - The girl nodded in the affirmative. Omer looked at Defne and said: - We need to call a general gathering. Aunt Neriman could have played such a role. Grandfather Hulusi too. Iz and Deniz Tranba. Sinan and Seda. Koray. But this decision must be made by them themselves. We cannot ask them to take risks and participate in this adventure.

"We can't," Defne agreed. She put Emine in the stroller and took the phone out of her jacket pocket. - When and where do we organize a meeting?

Omer also took out his phone and, dialing the first number, answered:

- Tomorrow at five at our house.

***

The next day, Omer and Defne stood by the living room window. It was almost five o'clock. Emine Diana was sleeping. The puppy was guarding her, stretched out on the floor near the stroller. Defne was nervous. Omer, watching her wring her hands, covered her icy fingers with his palm and asked:

- Don't worry like that.

His wife pressed her temple to his shoulder and admitted:

- This adventure scares me. What if something goes wrong?

Omer looked into her face and asked:

- Do we have a choice?

She shook her head and replied:

- Not.

- Then we will do everything in our power and may the Almighty help us.

The Porsche of Iz and Deniz Tranba drove up to the house. The Mercedes of Hulusi Iplikci parked behind it at the side of the road. Next arrived the white SUV of Koray with Neriman at the wheel. Sukru brought Topal family. Omer squeezed his wife's fingers encouragingly and said:

- Let's go meet the guests?

"Come on," she replied and walked resolutely toward the door.

***

The Boeing landed at Tahiti airport at four o'clock in the morning. When it landed, the girls pressed their noses to the window glass and watched with admiration the endless ocean, which seemed lilac-gray in the predawn haze. The sky above it was starting to turn a crimson-scarlet color, and it was unrealistically beautiful. Just for the sake of this landscape, it was worth flying to the end of the world.

- Esra, are we in paradise? Banu asked quietly.

"Looks like that," the girl replied. - I thought that there is nothing more beautiful than the sea, but the ocean is spectacular!

In the airport building, they were met by a slender man of average height. He was holding a sign with the names of the girls, but even without it, Esra recognized him immediately. He was exactly as Defne had told her - calm, balanced with a benevolent smile on his dark complexion.

"Welcome, young ladies," he said to the girls in English. - Bora Bora is waiting for you.

They collected their luggage and boarded a plane, which soon landed at Bora Bora airport. By that time, the sun had already risen, and the ocean shimmered with all shades of blue, gleaming on the surface with golden sun glare. The lagoon was piercing turquoise and so beautiful that it took your breath away. Theo used a private boat to get to the airport island, and tired travelers did not have to wait for a water taxi. The man loaded the luggage into the boat and soon brought the girls to Bora Bora. They looked at everything around them with huge eyes, round with admiration. The colors around were so bright, the smells were heady, the singing of birds was ringing, that one got the impression of the unreality of what was happening. As if from the ordinary, prosaic world, they got into a fairy tale.

From the boat, Theo put the girls into an open-top SUV. All the way from the pier to the house, they could admire the lush tropics and the white, sweet-smelling flowers of the Tahitian gardenia - tiare. Huge, multi-colored butterflies fluttered over them. Their flight fascinated and gave a sense of magic. Banu and Esra felt like they were in heaven.

The house itself also seemed fabulous to the girls. It was hidden among the bright greenery and looked at the world with huge eyes-windows. A beautiful, thin, black-haired woman came out of the house. She smiled affectionately and held out her thin arms, decorated with silver bracelets, to the guests.

- Dear girls, - her voice gurgled like a stream. - How glad I am to see you! Are you tired? Hungry? Let's go to the house soon. I will show you your rooms and make you breakfast.

***

- What do you think? - asked Omer and slowly looked around the faces of family and friends.

The Topal family looked discouraged. Grandpa Hulusi was angry. Neriman's eyes sparkled with anticipation of adrenaline and the opportunity to show herself in all her glory. The Minibaev, Mert, and Mirai with Kartal, who already knew about the blackmail, reacted calmly, Iz and Seda looked dumbfounded, and Deniz and Sinan were seething with rage. And only father and daughter Baisal did not show any emotions. They seemed calm and confident in their actions, like real poker players at the card table. Koray exploded in an angry tirade:

- Are you kidding? Does this imbecile want a million dollars for our clever girl? And-and-and! Mercantile, corrupt freak! He won't get anything! I agree to participate in the play! - He said pompously and immediately grimaced piteously. "But I don't know how to keep a poker face. Therefore, I will not sit at the table. Nero will sit down! She can do it. Yes, Nero? Neriman nodded her head vigorously. - Ay, my sweet! I believe in you! And I will set up the video cameras so that this pain of a father will be in full view. Any court will accept such evidence.

The Karakaya spoke quietly about something and Sinan spoke:

- Seda and I will also sit down at the table. True, we are not very good gamblers ... but we will try.

"Deniz and I are also in the game," Iz said.

The husband smiled at her approvingly and confirmed:

- We are good players. Let's take on the mission of raising stakes and play the gambling-crazy millionaires.

"I will also sit at the card table," said Mister Hulusi. "My assistant and I play cards every night. I think I will not fail during the performance.

Grandmother Turkan blossomed and smiled at him gratefully, from which Mr. Hulusi cheered up and proudly straightened his shoulders.

"Thank you," Omer thanked everyone seriously and from the bottom of his heart. - You are real friends. The next problem is that we need to enlist the support of the police. Gambling is illegal in Turkey. Defne and I cannot put you all and Mr. Baisal's business at risk.

"I'll try to contact the head of the Istanbul police," said Deniz. "But considering that he is the father of Hazal Chatay, I don't know if the attempt will be successful.

And then Mirai spoke. Hoarsely, stifled, but firmly:

- I'll talk to Engin Astarkhan.

- Mother? - breathed out Mert. He looked in disbelief. - Will you go to the Astarkhans? Yourself?

Mirai shrugged and replied:

- When loved ones need help, it is foolish to cherish your grievances. Police Chief Engin Astarkhan and Judge Onder Gumuskaya can help. Let them help.

"I'll go with you," said Mert without allowing an objection. But Mirai did not even think to object. At that moment she was proud of her boy with all her heart.

Defne stepped forward. Unshed tears of gratitude glittered in her eyes.

- Thank you all! I will never forget this evening and your kindness.

- Ay, skinny girl! Koray waved his hands at her. - Thank us for what? Have you forgotten, how many times you and Omer, came to the aid of all of us? So what, when your family is in trouble, we won't help? Yes, we will do our best, but we will punish the greedy bastard who dared to blackmail his children.

"Koray is right," Laura said. - We are all happy people here precisely because you once rushed to help everyone. Now it's our turn to help you, Esra, and your entire family.

Grandma Turkan sobbed loudly. Serdar embraced her shoulders encouragingly, although his own eyes were suspiciously wet. And Nihan shouted at them in her usual rough-and-tumble manner:

- And why are we crying? We must rejoice! We are not alone in this world and our problems are not only ours.

Defne's phone started beeping.

- From Maya! She exclaimed, opening the message. Having read it, she smiled broadly and said: - The girls are on the island. All right, healthy and happy. They will contact us a little later when they have breakfast and settle in their rooms.

Laura and Ahtem breathed a sigh of relief. Serdar and Nihan beamed with wide smiles. Mert lowered his eyes, hiding joy behind his long eyelashes. Grandmother raised her hands to the sky and proclaimed:

- Praise be to Allah! My Esra is far from this monster! Now we have all the cards in our hands.

- Grandma, - Defne raised an eyebrow. - Now you are talking with puns!

- Puns! Look, she's getting smart! - misinterpreted the word, shouted grandmother. - Enough crushing water in a mortar! Let's start executing the plan!

***

After resting and calling their relatives, the girls went to Maya. She had just taken out washed bed linen from the washing machine and was about to hang it up. But before she had time to lift the weighty basin, Esra jumped up to her and grabbed it.

"You can't lift heavy things," she said. "When Nihan, my brother's wife, was pregnant, she didn't lift anything heavier than a pillow. We will hang it ourselves.

"As you wish," Maya smiled and handed Banu a bunch of clothespins.

She watched as the girls hung up the laundry. They did it with the grace of dancers and at the same time talked and laughed merrily. One was a black-eyed dark-skinned girl, bright and charming, the second was blue-eyed, with white skin, a delicate blush, and blond hair. So different, but at the same time similar, like sisters. There was something about the girls that united them. The same expression in the eyes, the same smiles, the grace of movement, and a cheerful, silvery laugh.

- Helpers appeared?

She shuddered in surprise, but, turning to her husband, she smiled with a warm, affectionate smile.

"You scared me," she rebuked him gently.

"Sorry," he apologized guiltily. - I did not want to.

Maya touched his cheek lightly and looked at the girls.

- They're so cute, aren't they?

"True," Theo agreed. - Are you glad that they are visiting us?

- Very much! She put her hand on her belly. - I will look at them and imagine that our girls will be just as beautiful and cute.

Theo put his hand over hers and asked:

- You still insist that these are girls?

"I feel that way," Maya replied. - When the doctor on the ultrasound said that there are two embryos, I saw them with my inner eye. Two girls. So pretty. Are you upset? - She caught herself. - Do you want a son?

Theo put his hand to her lips.

- Hush. I want children. And who they will be, boys or girls does not matter at all.

Esra and Banu hung up the laundry and, having fun talking, walked back. Theo addressed them:

"Young ladies, would you like to ride horses?

- Yes! Yes! Yes! - Both exclaimed joyfully.

"Then run, change, and don't forget to put on your swimwear," he looked at his wife and gently pushed her in the back. - It concerns you too. Let's go to the wild beach. We will swim in the lagoon and show the girls the island.

In the evening, overwhelmed with impressions and emotions, Esra lay in the soft bed and looked at the ceiling. Paradise Island was beautiful, the water in the lagoon was crystal clear and warm, and Maya and Theo were kind and generous. The girl liked it here. For the first time, she found herself outside Turkey and immediately in such a magical place. Many would call her a really lucky girl. And so it was. Only two moments clouded her mind. The first - the hated the father, who threatened to take her away from her relatives, and the second - she missed the tall, blue-eyed boy.

Her smartphone started to vibrate. Esra looked at the screen, and her heart fluttered sweetly in her chest. The message was from him. From Mert.

"Hi, beauty! What are you thinking about?"

Esra sat up abruptly in bed. Biting her lip, she tensely considered the answer for a couple of minutes, and then quickly drummed her fingers on the screen.

"Hello, smart guy! I think that it is Sunday morning in Istanbul, and some, instead of sleeping off after a week of work, write messages to girls. "

Laughing emoticons and three blinking dots appeared on the screen - Mert was writing the answer. Esra was waiting for it with bated breath.

Ping ping!

She stuck with her eyes to the screen.

"Girls? Why plural? I only write to one girl. Esra Topal, without whom Sapphire felt gloomy and sad."

Mert added a sad smiley at the end. Esra laughed softly and replied:

"Do not exaggerate! You cannot know-how is without me in Sapphire. Today is Sunday, and I left on Friday. "

"Allah! Why are you so smart and reasonable? "

"Because I had a careless brother and a naive, romantic sister. Someone had to remain pragmatic and include logic. "

"You're good at it."

"Thanks..."

For several minutes, the smartphone showed no signs of life. Esra thought that Mert had finished the correspondence when the screen lit up, and a message appeared on it:

"Esra ..."

"Yes?"

"I miss you..."

The heart in the chest made a somersault, and the soul froze sweetly.

"Me too ..." - she wrote in a fit of feelings but was immediately frightened. Her finger was tossed between "Delete" and "Send". Blinking her eyes, Esra hit the blue arrow.

On the other side of the world, in the morning Istanbul, Mert read her message. Jumping up he threw back his head and laughed a happy laugh.

***

Kadir Shishmaz entered the building of the business center with a theatrical light gait. The week allotted to them had expired, and it was time for his rich daughter to fork out. With the anticipation that money would soon appear in his hands, everything inside trembled. Pictures of a beautiful life floated before his eyes and his lips involuntarily stretched out in a satisfied smile.

He approached the checkpoint and haughtily informed the guards that he needed Defne Iplikci in Sapphire.

- Your name? The guard asked.

- Kadir Shishmaz.

The man looked at the monitor screen and pressed a button. A green arrow on the turnstile lit up allowing passage. Kadir was delighted. Vague anxiety that his daughter might send him to hell and refuse to pay, tormented him all week. He was not going to take the girl and hang her on his neck. Although ... Esra is very pretty. If Defne doesn't pay, she can be taken and sold to a brothel. A million will not be paid, but it is quite possible to receive decent money.

In Sapphire, a tall, pretty girl stood at the front desk.

- Good morning! - Kadir smiled charmingly but did not wait for a return smile. - I need Defne Iplikci. I am her father.

- Come in, - the girl nodded coldly towards Defne's office.

Kadir walked along the corridor and pushed open the door with a sign: "Defne Iplikci. Chief designer".

Defne was not alone in the office. Her husband, in person, stood with his arms crossed on his chest and leaning his shoulder against the wall near the chair in which his wife was sitting. His gaze, with which he, like a blade, pierced the visitor through and through, Kadir did not like at all. He defiantly ignored his son-in-law and turned to Defne:

- Good morning! Can we talk in private?

She didn't budge. She only answered briefly:

- Not! Omer and I have no secrets from each other.

Kadir was angry. He had not expected such a turn of events. He thought Defne would look scared and depressed. But in front of him, with her back straightened and her chin raised, sat an iron lady. Kadir went to the sofa and wanted to sit down, but the cold voice of his daughter stopped him:

"You were not permitted to sit down. - This phrase was like a blow of a whip. The man straightened up. Defne raised her brown eyes with an imperturbable gaze and said: - The conversation will be short.

- Does that mean you have the money ready? He asked boldly.

Defne raised her eyebrows ironically.

- Million dollars? Do you think that in a week one can find and cash out such an amount?

- And how long do you need?

"Two months," Omer answered for his wife.