Chapter Text
Suna always liked to dance. Is not necessary that she is good at dancing, no she knows she looks stupid actually. When sometimes she dances, inside her own room without music, without a partner, she knows how lonely and pathetic she looks.
Still.
When she closes her eyes, she forgets her father, her aunt, all the rumors about her, after her sister being chosen over her that runs on at marketplace. Her chest fills with a feeling of euphoria that makes her smile alone. She, for a moment, was free.
She always danced alone.
Is not that she didn't want to dance with anyone. Suna was a late bloomer and in school was so obvious.Seyran always had this perfect hair for exemple.
“I don't use a dryer, it is not good for it.” She used to say when they sat under a tree when Yusuf complimented her hair. Suna for another hand, for most part of her teenage years she had the same hair as her mother.
Her curly brown hair had more of a personality than herself. Every morning she thought she had combed them enough before leaving the house to go to school, but when she entered the school bathroom she could see every strand lifted.It was one of the many things she used to hate about herself.
I don't use a dryer, it is not good for it.
Seyran hair always was perfect without any effort. Meanwhile Suna every time she washed her hair she had to dry it with a hairdryer, straightener, creams, the entire repertoire of beauty products.
What came easy to Seyran, Suna had to work twice as hard.
At least that is what Suna always believed. And is something she always accepted. Her hair was effortless beauty, every boy used to like her in the school. Ferit chose Seyran over her.Makes sense.
Untill .
It had been summer when Halis invited them to spend a few weeks at Yalı while Ferit prepared a jewelry collection for the brand. She remembers how much her father looks like a boy who picked up the cookie jar all for himself when got the message.
Suna, whatever knew better, something was up. Something was odd. Why would he invite them? Since her sister got married two years ago they never ever invited them to come to Istanbul.
The first few months were almost unbearable for Suna. The pain in the chest, the bed alone on her side when she lay down to sleep. The messages got less and less to the point it has been a year since her sister didn't write anymore.
She always danced alone anyway.
Suna survived. She always does. She even survived the suitors that came to take her hand in marriage. All the proposals started nice enough, the first one, she remembers being older than her father. He died weeks before the marriage, then, at some point, there was a very young man, skinny and shy. He was handsome at a certain angle when he smiled looking at the ground. Whatever, there was a certain sadness in his eyes that made Suna connected to him. She thought they could have a happy wedding.
One week before their marriage, his mom came to the door of the house crying. She and Kazım locked themselves in a room. Suna never heard his name again, she doesn't know his fate. Suna tried once to question her father about the conversation. Kazım looked at his daughter and grunted and called her stupid for asking. Suna never asked again.
“This will be good for you too, Suna, coming to Istanbul is a perfect opportunity to meet your new suitor.” Hattuç said monotonically while they packed their clothes. Her dad, before the Korhan chose her, had talked to an important family in İstanbul; they wanted to marry their two sons to Seyran and her. Seyran would marry Tarik, while Suna would marry Saffet. Nothing concrete had been decided at the time.
So Ifakat showed up, she wanted her to be the new lady of Korhan family. Suna was so lively. She thought she would finally be happy. Finally someone chose her. But in the engagement, she screwed up. One more thing to add on the things she hated about herself. She fell and knocked over the coffee in the living room.Her engagement was over, it was all over for her.
Meanwhile her sister got engaged to Ferit Korhan. Suna and her sister cried all night, muffling their sounds on each other's shoulders. Not long after, gossip spread through the market, and soon all the ladies were talking about Suna's dishonor.
She thought she would never get married again after Ferit and her misfortunes proposals. Then a week before they go to Istanbul, Saffet’s grandfather, who also is called Saffet, comes to her Father’s home. He made a deal with Kazim. She would marry his other son this time.Tarık.
Now, she standıng In front of the mansion. Looking at the most odd picture she could imagine.
In front of the house there was apparently the whole family. Halis was standing with his cane and a butler next to him with really cold eyes. On the left side, not far behind him stands a brunette woman old enough to her mother. Suna didn't know her. The rest of the family was behind them. She could see Ifarkat, Orhan, two blonde women. One she knew was Orhan's wife, the younger one she didn't know. Both, whatever, looked very sad.
Then there was Ferit. He didn't smile, he was wearing a suit whose collar seemed to suffocate him. On his side, Seyran was standing. Suna smiles shyly at her. But Seyran wasn't affected at all. Suna was a bit surprised and hurt. Whatever, now looking closely she could see how much her sister changed. She wore this black dress that reached her knees and shaped her body. Her father would kill them if they ever dress like that. She also wore makeup that made her eyes stand out. She looked like a woman. And at the end, a pregnant woman who looked to be the same age as Suna. Of everyone in that place. She was the only one that smiled.
They all looked like what a depressed artist of the Victorian age would paint. All miserable, dark and rich.
“Oh if it isn't Halis Ağa himself welcoming you to your home I see, I see that you have finally decided to give us due respect after all these years.” Her father said as he approached, swinging his rosary in his hand.
Halis forced a smile and nodded for them to enter.
“Come, we have a lot to talk about."
Suna didn't say much. She wasn't used to being around so many people. Even in highschool she always felt she was more a shadow that watched and followed her sister and Yusuf around than her own being.
And that made her a really good observer, now she had figured out who was the lady next to Halis Ağa, As he spoke between sips of tea or another he called her, his daughter. Suna also heard the women whisper among her. Apparently the youngest blonde girl was the wife of Mr Orhan's eldest son who recently died.
This explained the appearance and the look of sorrow on her face and her mother-in-law. The only person she didn't figure out was the pregnant girl.
“Well you must be wondering, why we called him here." Halis starts but her father leans forward on the couch and interrupts him.
“You don't need to tell me, I'm a very smart man. I read in the newspaper that the presentation of my dear son's new jewelry line will be this weekend."
“Tomorrow night actually." Her aunt interrupts. And Kazim waves her hand dismissively.
“Yeah, yeah. What matters is that the boy will be continuing his grandfather's work. And after him his future son." Kazım winks at Seyran, and Ferit pulls down his tie while the pregnant brunette smiles as if she holds a secret.
Suna narrows her eyes. Everyone was a little uncomfortable even though they tried to hide. Ferit specifically looked guiltily between Seyran and the girl….oh no.
What came easy to Seyran, Suna had to work twice as hard.
Makes sense.
Until.
“ No, we want to marry your older daughter to my grandson, Kaya.” Halis spoke dryly, making Kazım smile fall. Suna could see the anger growing in her father's eyes as his eyebrows drew together.
“ The son of your bastard daughter? I would never marry my precious rose to someone like that.” Halis tightened her grip on the cane as his trembling fingers turned white.
“I know my family and yours have a past of dishonor and stain. And That cannot be forgotten. I also know that my grandson when he chose his youngest daughter he dishonored the oldest. And for what I want at least to repair by marrying my grandson with his daughter.” Kazım was ready to respond, but Hattuç was faster.
“This is impossible. Suna is promised to someone else.”
“I didn't know she was engaged.”
“She is not.”
“So why can't she marry my grandson if she is not committed yet?”
“Well Tarık comes from a family….”
“ He is not a bastard.”
“Mr. Kazım, respect my....”
“As I said, he comes from a family we already had talked about before even Ferit engaged our Seyran. Breaking again our agreement would not be appropriate.”
Halis sighed and closed his eyes for a second.
“I don't know how much time I have, all I want is to close any past doors before going, and so leaving my family…shielded from past mistakes.”
Nobody says anything. But Suna realized this is not about his past. No, it is about the pregnant girl sitting in front of her. Halis is scared that if Kazım finds out he destroys the family image. He wants to have an ace up his sleeve and that means marrying her to whoever Kaya is.
“I think we are looking at it from the wrong angle dear father.” Halis' daughter speaks soothingly next to him.
“Nükhet, what do you suggest?”
“Well clearly, we should ask the person most interested in it. Suna.” Everyone suddenly turns to her. Except for her father.
“Tell us, who you want to marry?” Nükhet says with a tone that seemed almost disingenuous, Suna couldn't tell. She was too nervous to notice.
She always danced alone.
“My sister needs to know them first, so she can decide that, but not now, at the jewelry line's opening party.” Seyran said, looking directly at her father. Almost defiantly.
“ I agree, this sounds appropriate.Do we have a deal, Kazım?” Her father didn't look away from Seyran for even a moment. He didn't smile.
“ I agree. "