Ateş had pierced through the heart of the night and made it all the way to Arzu's door.
But he didn't ring the bell.
He didn't want to wake his son.
Tonight, he intended to live through the storm in silence.
He took out his phone and called.
Once... twice... three times... the ringtone dragged on, no answer.
He called again, his fingers trembling impatiently now.
By the fourth time, he clenched his jaw and muttered:
"Another sleepless night you've added to the list, beautiful..."
Just as he was about to give up, his eyes drifted to the balcony.
The apartment was right above the closed garage.
Moving like a predator in the dark, he climbed up onto the garage roof without a sound.
Gripping the balcony railing with his strong arms, he pulled himself up.
He climbed...
And there he was, standing on Arzu's balcony.
The cold ceramic tiles groaned faintly beneath his feet.
When he peered inside through the window, a wicked smile slowly spread across his face.
Arzu had passed out on the bed.
One leg was hanging off the side of the blanket, her hair cascading down from the pillow, the buttons of her shirt undone...
Even in this state, she was more seductive than that video—far more.
"Look at her... She went so far as to draft divorce papers just to sleep with me, and now she's passed out," he murmured, a sly grin on his lips.
"No way, beautiful...
You don't fall asleep before the movie even starts,"
he chuckled darkly.
He walked over to the flower pot in the corner of the balcony.
Beneath it, he found a hidden metal rod he had stashed before.
He expertly twisted it into the lock of the balcony door.
Click... and the door opened slightly.
He slipped inside like the shadow of the night.
As his feet sank into the soft carpet, his eyes were locked onto only one thing:
Arzu.
Upon entering, he quietly shut the room door behind him and turned the lock.
"I don't leave a job unfinished, beautiful... and I sure as hell don't intend to get caught,"
he whispered to himself.
Slowly, he approached the bed.
With his eyes alone, he was stripping her bare.
She had rolled to her side in her sleep.
Her hair spilled across the pillow, her white skin glowing under the moonlight.
One side of her shirt had slipped down, revealing her lacy lingerie.
Her legs were tangled together, her breathing deep but uneven—completely lost in sleep.
Ateş stood at her bedside.
For a moment, he just watched.
Finding her like this...
It was the most innocent and yet the most savage form of wanting her.
He leaned in, bringing his face close to hers.
He inhaled her scent, so familiar, so intoxicating.
When he lowered his head, his lips nearly brushed her cheek.
"Wake up, crazy woman...
It's time to start writing my petition now..."
he murmured with a sly grin.
He first caressed her hair, then moved to her face, then her bare shoulder.
Finally, his hand brushed over the lacy lingerie that made her breasts look like a feast for the eyes.
A wild fire surged through his body, but he couldn't touch her while she was unconscious.
His breathing grew heavier, a storm raging inside him.
Still, he reined himself in.
Without her consent, no touch was ever complete to him.
"Wake up, crazy woman... you called me here,"
he whispered, trailing his fingers lightly along her thighs.
Arzu's body shivered slightly.
A sweet, mischievous smile appeared on her lips.
Even in sleep, she bit her lower lip hungrily.
Seeing her like this, Ateş's patience began to crack.
"Is this woman trying to drive me insane? How can she welcome me with so much desire and then just fall asleep?"
he growled internally.
Suddenly, he leaned down and scooped her into his arms.
One hand wrapped around her neck, the other slid down to the curve of her hips.
Arzu stirred under his touch.
Ateş pressed his lips right below her shoulder, onto her chest.
He gently nipped her skin—half teasing, half punishing.
A soft moan escaped Arzu's lips.
Her face contorted in a sweet, aching frown.
In a low growl, Ateş repeated:
"Wake up, crazy woman... I'm here."
Arzu's breathing shifted, her eyelids fluttered—but she was still lost somewhere deep in sleep.
Ateş grew impatient.
He moved his hand from her hips, sliding between her thighs, up to the center of her womanhood.
With a wicked rhythm, he circled her most sensitive spot with his fingers.
He could feel her pulse, her heat, her stirring need beneath his touch.
Her body reacted to every caress, flames of desire bursting from every corner of her skin.
Arzu arched under him like a drawn bow.
Her center pulsed wildly, trembling against his fingers.
The bad news was:
Arzu wasn't the only one feeling the wild throbbing.
Ateş's fingers were trembling, too.
A deep, rumbling groan tore from his chest.
The way her body instinctively sought him, trembling at the edge of release, snapped the last threads of his self-control.
"Enough... Come here!"
he growled and pressed himself against her, letting her feel just how hard he was.
He claimed her lips hungrily, biting her lower lip as if punishing her for making him wait.
At that moment, Arzu stirred awake with a soft cry, half in surprise, half in desire.
Ateş lifted his head, his eyes burning with both passion and triumph.
"Finally... welcome back, beautiful,"
he whispered with a tender smile.
Arzu blinked at him groggily, then let out a giggle.
"My dreams are really getting out of hand..."
she muttered.
She threw her arms around Ateş's neck and, with a teasing grin, asked,
"So, handsome... what now? Are we going to make love?"
Ateş burst out laughing, looking down at the woman in his arms.
"You really are crazy!"
Cupping her cheek, his voice softened:
"I don't know... What do you want? Should we?"
"God, if I don't take advantage of a man like you while I'm dreaming, I'll never forgive myself! Of course we should!"
she cried and pulled him back into a searing kiss.
Their breaths mingled, their bodies melted into each other, searing hot in the heart of the night.
Arzu gasped for air, her eyes sparkling with raw need.
"This... feels too real..."
she whispered breathlessly.
Ateş pulled her close, his hands locking around her waist.
When she felt his hardness pressing into her stomach, Arzu's breath hitched.
In a deep, gravelly voice, Ateş growled:
"Arzu, you need to wake up now... Because this—this is real."
But Arzu's eyelids grew heavy once more.
The alcohol still dulling her senses, she was drifting back into sleep, still convinced it was all a dream.
Ateş let out a long, frustrated sigh.
He rested his head against her chest.
"You're going to drive me insane, woman...
I'm climbing the walls over here...
But don't worry—you'll pay for this,"
he muttered to himself.
Minutes passed.
His heartbeat gradually slowed, the raging storm within him settling.
He finally lifted his head and flopped down beside her.
He watched the sleeping woman beside him for a long time, his gaze full of admiration.
He couldn't make sense of the overwhelming emotions stirring inside him.
"Ah, little sparrow...
I guess I never really forgot you,"
he whispered with longing.
He tucked a stray lock of hair behind her ear.
And then, falling into the silence, he simply kept watching her.
Time slipped by, stubbornly moving forward without mercy.
The first light of dawn filtered through the window, breaking the night's heavy darkness.
The shy sun peeked over the mountains, heralding morning's arrival.
For hours, he had quietly held, smelled, and watched this woman.
But now... it was time to say goodbye.
Slowly, he slipped out of bed.
He gently pulled the blanket over Arzu's sleeping form.
Leaning down one last time, he traced his fingers lightly over her face—a silent farewell.
Then he slipped out through the balcony door into the chilly morning breeze,
leaving behind nothing but the warmth burning in his heart
and a night that would never be forgotten.
Arzu, still groggy from the night before, cracked open her eyes, her head pounding like concrete.
But what truly woke her was the frantic, panicked banging on her bedroom door.
Disoriented, she stumbled out of bed toward the door—
but it wouldn't open.
It was locked.
"I never lock my door... I'm scared of locks,"
she thought, panic rising inside her.
She quickly turned the lock and opened the door.
Standing there, pale with worry, was Natya.
"Miss Arzu, are you alright?" she asked anxiously.
Holding her forehead, Arzu rasped out,
"I'm fine... What's going on?"
"I was worried, Miss Arzu. I was scared.
You never lock your door... and I always wake you up at the same time every morning, even if you've had a drink,"
Natya added quickly.
Arzu rubbed her eyes.
"But Natya, it's still so early... It's not my usual wake-up time," she protested.
Natya glanced at her watch, confused.
"Miss Arzu... it's already 10 o'clock.
You never sleep past nine—no matter how much you drink,"
she said firmly.
Arzu turned to look at the clock.
Her pupils widened.
She was right.
What had happened last night?
How had she slept so deeply—like the dead?
Then, her eyes caught the marks on her arms.
Across her skin... her chest... her neck...
Everywhere were the traces of passion—
darkening kiss marks, bruises blooming like wildflowers.
A stunned silence fell inside her.
Her eyes flew wide open.
And from her lips, a whisper escaped:
"Shit... It wasn't a dream!"