When everyone left and the husband and wife were left alone, Defne stepped to Omer and, clasping her slender arms tenaciously around his waist, pressed firmly against his chest.

- After all, everything will be fine, right? - asked trustingly, like a child.

- Everything will be fine! - He promised and covered her head with his hand. - Do not worry.

- I'm not worried ... - Defne sighed. - More precisely, I am worried, but there is no despair and hopelessness. The feeling when you understand that there is no help and will not be. You are alone, and you must solve all the problems, - she threw back her head and looked into the beautiful, serious face of her husband. "I'm not alone anymore, do you understand? There are so many wonderful people around me and they offer their hands to help.

"You gathered them around you," Omer replied. - Like a magnet, you pull us. Me ... and the rest. Every time you rushed to help when friends and relatives were in need. You supported, consoled, reconciled. You substituted your fragile shoulder and did not complain that it was hard for you. You are incredible, Defne. I realize this, again and again, every day. I realize and understand how lucky I am.

"I'm the lucky one," Defne smiled at him through her tears. – Allah gave me heartless, bad parents, but only so that I could appreciate my grandmother, Serdar with Esra and ... you.

Omer swallowed a lump in his throat and returned his wife's head to his chest.

"Come to me," he gently stroked her red hair. - My golden girl. Forget all your worries.

- I will forget, - deeply inhaling his bitter, dear scent, promised Defne with an oath and added: - The day after tomorrow.

***

As usual, after work, Kartal drove Mirai and Mert home in his car. Every evening he stopped at the apartment building in Etiler and promised that in an hour he would come with Kumru to drink tea. He asked what sweets to buy. And Mirai flashed a blush every time and smiled at him with a warm smile.

But today it was different. Two massive SUVs occupied the wide driveway near the building. Three men were smoking near them. Kartal recognized them. Engin and Mehmet Astarkhan, and with them Onder Gumuskaya. Mert frowned at the sight of them. Mirai looked at him in the rearview mirror and recalled:

- You gave your word.

"I know," the boy said through clenched teeth. - I'll go get the girls.

He got out of the car and walked past the men.

- Mert! - called his grandfather Engin. - We were going to the horse farm today.

"I remember," the boy said abruptly. - We'll be out in five minutes.

He left. Mirai turned to Kartal. He nodded to the three and asked:

- Why are they here?

- I told you. Engin Astarkhan demanded meetings with his grandchildren for his help. Today is the first.

- Is that hurting you? Kartal asked shrewdly.

"No," Mirai shook her head. - Just sad. I was never alone in the evenings. And you won't be able to come today. Dinner with parents is important.

Once a month, Kartal and Kumru had dinner with Kartal's parents. Today was such a day.

- In my thoughts I will be with you, - the man promised.

Mirai gently touched his cheek and said:

- I know.

She smiled at him and got out of the car. She was now to meet face to face with three men who claimed to be able to interfere in her life. Another emotional and psychological confrontation was coming, and this circumstance did not add optimism at all. Mirai was tired and now wanted only one thing - to be at home with the children. But there was no choice. She went up to the three and greeted:

- Good evening!

- Mirai, are you coming home so late from work? - Engin Astarkhan frowned with displeasure. - This is bad for a mother who has three children.

It started! Mirai suppressed a flash of irritation and calmly replied:

- I have no choice. My job allows us to live a normal life. Not starving or needing.

"So what," Mehmet said. From the moment she got out of the car, he did not take his unblinking gaze from his ex-wife. - All the time while you are at work, eight-year-old girls are at home alone?

She wanted to hit him. Hard. So that he doubled over and howled in pain. She was already opening her mouth to reject the moralizing claims of her ex-husband when a deep and confident voice rang out behind her:

- During the day, my daughter Kumru looks after the girls. She is seventeen and she is a very serious and responsible girl.

Kartal walked over and stood so close that Mirai felt the warmth of his body. It seeped through the skin, flowed into the chest, and reached the heart. It warmed her up and gave her the strength she needed now to hold confidently.

- Yes? - Mehmet angrily glanced at Kartal. - Then I can rest assured that my daughters are being looked after.

"You can be calm in any case," Mirai said sternly. - It's stupid after so many years to pretend to care and make claims.

"I'm not pretending anything," Mehmet hoisted. - I really care about the life and safety of the girls.

- Didn't you care for seven years? - Mockingly retorted Mirai. - When they and Mert were left without a roof over their heads and with a real threat of starvation, then their life and safety were indifferent to you?

- You're overreacting!

"I'm just telling the truth!

They looked into each other's eyes, and Mehmet was the first to look away. Cowardly, he turned aside and muttered that it was impossible to talk sensibly with this woman. Mirai smiled ironically and said nothing.

"Daughter," said Engin Astarkhan. - You're not going to change?

- What for? - Mirai was surprised.

"On a horse farm, you will be uncomfortable in a business suit," the man explained. - Go put on something comfortable.

Mirai raised one eyebrow and looked at her former father-in-law in disbelief.

- Daughter, you are not going to come with us to watch the horses? - The father intervened. "You love them so much.

- I love, - confirmed Mirai. - But I'll look another time.

He couldn't hide his disappointment. And he didn't want to. In recent months, he rethought his life and realized that what he had been strangling in his heart for many years is the most important thing in life. The opportunity to see his daughter-in-law and grandchildren has now become the highest point in the scale of his life values. But he once destroyed this possibility and now could only be content with crumbs.

Asli and Jeren ran out of the entrance. Mert came out next. The girls, having casually greeted the men, flew up to Mirai and clung to her from both sides. She hugged both of them and asked:

- Be careful and listen to Mert.

- Okay, mommy! They promised.

Probably, it was necessary to introduce the father and grandfather to the daughters, but Mirai did not dare to do it. Deciding to let the Astarkhans figure it out on their own, she looked at her son and smiled affectionately at him.

- Son, look after the girls.

- Don't worry, Mom! We are adults and independent.

- Mert, get into our car, and let the girls sit with grandfather Onder, - Mehmet turned to his son. To which he calmly objected:

- No. The girls and I will ride in the same car.

Onder Gumuskaya opened the doors of his car and said:

- Then sit in front, - he smiled at the granddaughters and gestured to the back seat: - Get in, little sparrows. Let's go see beautiful horses.

Mirai watched the black SUVs pull out of the courtyard and disappear around the bend. It seemed to her that her heart would break in her chest. Her children were just her children for seven years. And now people who once abandoned them and threw them out of their lives are claiming a place in their lives. Damn it, is that fair?!

"Sweetheart," Kartal touched her hand, and she raised a confused gaze at him. - Do you want us to go after them? And we'll be there for this stupid date.

Mirai shook her head.

- No. You need to go home. Kumru and dinner with your parents are waiting for you. And I'll take care of the household chores. For a long time, I was going to clean the kitchen cabinets, but I didn't have time. Today I will take care of them. You go! - She gently pushed him to the car and promised: - I'll be fine.

It was forty minutes drive from Etiler to the horse farm. During the trip, Onder tried to stir up and provoke a conversation between the grandchildren, asking questions about school and hobbies. The girls answered in monosyllables and warily, Mert was silent and looked out the side window.

- Son, - the grandfather addressed to him. - Have you already chosen a direction in life?

"Yes," the boy replied.

- You can choose any university in Turkey, Europe, or the United States. I will pay for your tuition.

Mert turned away from the window, looked at his grandfather for a long time, and answered:

- Thanks, but keep your money for yourself. I have already chosen a university and a specialty. Passionis will pay for my studies on the condition that I return to work for them.

- But you do not have to fall into the bondage of Passionis! - said the grandfather hotly. - I will pay for the studies, and you can choose any company for work. Or create your own.

- I want to work in Passionis, - said Mert slowly. - You don't want me to be dependent on Passionis! How interesting! But then you sleep and see that I fall into dependence on you. It will not happen. I don't need your money, or your connections, or you.

- You are straightforward, - said the grandfather strangled.

"Yes," agreed Mert. - Mom taught me to always be honest and tell the truth, even if it is unpleasant. But to despise men who abandon their children and do not know how to protect women, I learned myself.

He turned back to the window, showing with all his appearance that the conversation was over.

At the horse farm, the girls were shy at first and huddled close to Mert. But then the interest in handsome horses overcame the wariness, and they, leaving their brother bored under the shed, themselves approached the fence of the corral. Both grandfathers were instantly close. Onder whistled to one of the horses and let the granddaughters feed it sugar. The horse carefully took the brown cubes from their small palms, and the girls laughed when its warm, velvet lips tickled their fingers. Mert watched them with a condescending smile on his lips. With peripheral vision, he noticed his father approaching but pretended not to see him. Mehmet, however, was determined to become visible. He sat down on a bale of hay next to his son and spoke:

- Summer is in full swing. Would you like to go on vacation? To Bodrum or Marmaris. We can rent a yacht and...

"Don't try in vain," Mert interrupted his speech. He looked at his father point-blank. "You can try to charm the twins. They were small and don't remember how mom cried when you all threw us out. But I remember. And I will never forget.

- But I'm still your father! - Mehmet said through clenched teeth.

- Biologically - yes! For the rest ... - Mert chuckled. "You didn't consider me your son for seven years. And I don't care what you want now. I "- he stressed the first word - "do not consider you my father!"

He got up and walked over to the paddock. A horse with a long mane immediately ran up to him. Mert patted it on the neck and said, barely audibly:

- Hi, handsome! Difficult life, huh? But we are no strangers. The main thing is that everything goes right on Sunday and Esra finally returns to Istanbul.

***

Mirai did not reach the kitchen cabinets. Exhausted, she fell on the carpet in the living room, curled up in a ball, and burst into tears. She cried for ages. So it seemed to her. The minutes stretched out over the years, she recalled everything she had experienced, and tears flowed and flowed from her eyes in an endless stream. And then the doorbell rang. Kartal stood on the threshold. Very handsome and determined.

"How did you end up here?" Mirai wondered. - You should be with your parents?

And he clasped her tear-stained face with his palms, kissed her forehead, and said:

- Marry me. Immediately! I want to have every right to protect you, care and wipe your tears when you cry.

"But we wanted in the fall after Mert and Kumru enter the university," Mirai muttered in confusion, but her heart was beating happily in her chest.

- Why wait? Time is running out! I figured it out today. Every moment with you is priceless. I don't want to more time. Marry me!

Tears gushed out of her eyes again. But now they were different tears. Bright. Through their veil, Mirai's eyes sparkled with happiness.

"Yes," she whispered. - Yes! A hundred times yes!

***

Kadir, in his best suit, silk shirt, and polished shoes, nervously paced the hotel room. It was almost eight o'clock. He did not take his eyes off the screen and saw the message the second it arrived.

- There it is! - He exclaimed happily and hurried out into the street to catch a taxi.

- Grandma, Emine has been bathed. The next feeding is at nine in the evening. Bottles of formula on the changing table. Just take off the nipple cap and feed. A bottle of water in the same place. And diapers just in case. But I think they will not be needed. I just put on a clean one. If she cries...

- Off! Enough for you already! - Grandmother Turkan interrupted angrily the recitative of the granddaughter. - I know very well how to take care of small children. I can handle it! Yes, my sweet? - In a honeyed voice she turned to her great-granddaughter. Emine responded with a cheerful hum and a wide smile. - Ay, my caramel! - The great-grandmother was moved and angrily shouted at the grandchildren: - Go already! You will be late and ruin the whole operation. Esra has been at the end of the earth for three weeks. The girl is homesick.

"Yeah, she missed us," Serdar muttered. "She's there as much as she wants, swimming in the lagoon, riding horses, and gorging herself on exotic fruits. The girl ended up on a paradise island. Why would she want to return to Istanbul?

- Serdar, shut up! Nihan shouted at him. - Although ... you're right! Something good from this blackmail. The child visited the paradise island.

Omer looked into the room and called Defne and Serdar:

- It's time to go.

The brother and sister went to the door. Nihan mumbled as she saw them off:

- May the force be with you! Slice and dice your.... daddy. Take a picture of him from all angles and turn him over to the police. And don't forget to keep us posted. Call us. Otherwise, Aunt Turkan and I will burst here from suspense.

- Well, darling! Don't nag me! I'll call you first," promised Serdar.

- Of course, to me! - Nihan was indignant. - Who else? Not our neighbor mustachioed Munyu, right? Okay! Allah will help you! Go!

She threw water after the Mercedes and silently prayed for a favorable outcome of the operation, codenamed "Casino".

***

Kadir got out of the taxi a couple of blocks from the specified address and walked further. Stopping at a neighboring house, he watched the entrance to the jewelry store for twenty minutes. It was it who was listed in the sent address, as an underground casino. At the entrance stood two security guards with identical square faces and iron muscles under black jackets.

A luxurious Porsche stopped at the entrance. A man emerged in an expensive suit, snakeskin shoes and hair pulled back in a ponytail. Arrogantly scanning the street, he held out his hand to his companion. She turned out to be a very beautiful brunette in an haute couture dress and crazy expensive jewelry. The man said something to the guards, and they parted, letting them inside.

A dark blue Maserati drove up next. The man and woman who emerged from it were young and clearly rich. The amazing work of the necklace on the woman's neck attracted a hundred thousand dollars. But here's the expression on their faces ... typical naive simpletons who are easy to pluck. Kadir rejoiced inwardly. The players were selected as if by order.

After the young couple in a black Mercedes came an old man in expensive but old-fashioned clothes and a hat made of Italian straw. Leaning heavily on an ivory-encrusted silver cane, he entered the building.

The last to appear was Nero. Elegant and dazzlingly chic fluttered out of the white SUV. Coquettishly, she patted her eyes in front of the guards and disappeared through the door.

Of the seven players, six came. The time was approaching nine. Remembering the strict warning not to be late, Kadir approached the guard.

"Cooler," he said, and the men parted to give him a chance to pass.

Kadir entered the spacious hall in front of the trading floor. The hall itself was closed, and a little to the side stood a girl in a white shirt, black short skirt, and black fitted vest.

- You here, - she pointed to a massive, metal door at the end of the hall.

Behind it was a dimly lit staircase leading down. Kadir went down it and found himself in a square, almost dark room. Isles of light were directed only to the wooden table covered with green cloth and the bar in the corner. Kadir looked around slowly. Nero hadn't lied. The casino was really elite. It even smelled of luxury here. The aroma of expensive cigars and malt Scotch whiskey. Seven players were sitting at the table. Six of those he saw and the seventh was a young girl. She curled her plump lips capriciously and looked like a spoiled child who knows nothing of refusal. It was she who turned to Kadir. Nodding to the only empty chair, she ordered:

- Take your place! You are delaying the game.

"I beg your pardon, madam," he replied and sat down at the table.

"Mademoiselle," the girl corrected him haughtily, and Kadir, with malevolent pleasure, imagined how soon the arrogance would be blown off this pretty face.

From the darkness into the circle of light, a middle-aged gray-haired man with an imperious expression on a hawkish face emerged.

- Welcome to my casino, gentlemen. You all know the rules, but let me remind you: the first bet is five thousand dollars, you all have the right to leave the game. We do not play in debt. Only real money or equivalent things. We acquire chips, gentlemen!" He ordered.

Each of the players named an amount, and its equivalent appeared on the table in the form of stacks of multi-colored chips.

"We place our bets," said the croupier, a young man with dexterous hands and keen brown eyes.

The blood in Kadir's veins turned into mad excitement. Frenzied gambling.

***

Esra and Banu, with their arms around their knees, sat by a large stone on the side of the mountain and looked out at the piercing turquoise lagoon. There was an easel next to Banu, and a palette of paints lay, but she did not touch the brush. She wasn't in the mood to paint today. Her dear Esra was dying of fear and excitement. Somewhere out there, in distant, native Istanbul, her fate was being decided. Esra could not influence the situation in any way, but she fervently prayed that everything would work out for her family and friends.