The Morning After The Rebirth

Veyra's POV

I take one last look at myself in the mirror and allow myself a small smile.

Today is not just the day I am Veyra Solenne, daughter of my parents. Today is the day I become Veyra Solenne, CEO.

The graduation ceremony held in the morning already seems like something from another lifetime. I can still hear the voice of the dean calling out my name and the feeling of the certificate in my hands. But the handing over ceremony held in the afternoon marks the end of it all.

The scene of my uncle Cassian and I standing in front of the board of directors is clear in my mind.

"For the past six years, it has been my privilege to protect the legacy of what my brother built," he said with ease. "But today, I give this back to its rightful owner. My niece has demonstrated that she is more than qualified to continue this company's legacy."

Then, he turns to me, his expression warm and almost proud.

"Veyra, your parents would be proud of the woman you've become."

I can still feel how my throat clenched hearing those words. "Thank you, Uncle Cassian. Thank you for everything. I wouldn't even be here right now if it wasn't for you."

He smiled at me and handed me the ceremonial pen so that I could sign the transfer papers. The board started clapping. Some people opened a bottle of champagne. I remember that my dad would have been proud, that my mom would have shed happy tears.

I didn't know that that day marked the end of when I trusted him.

Now, several hours later, I'm sitting at my vanity as my stylist pins down the last piece of hair. My wedding gown is hanging on my door, the ivory silk shimmering in the light of late afternoon sun.

Someone knocks, and I turn around to see Cassian come into the room.

"You look beautiful," he says, staring at me in the mirror.

"Thank you," I reply although the tone of my voice is softer than I would have liked.

He notices immediately, as always. "You look a bit nervous."

I pause before answering. "I don't know. I just think I'm a little nervous."

"Nervous about Evren?"

"No, just everything. It's been a year and I still feel like I don't know anything about him."

Cassian crosses the room and takes his seat on the edge of the chaise next to my vanity. "A year should be enough time to get a read on a man's nature, Veyra. Just look at the way he treats you, looks at you."

"But it comes with time," he adds softly. "You didn't choose this alliance without reason. We've built it together, haven't we? Evren's family will help us out. The family of Evren adds credibility to our name. They honor you more than you know."

I nod slowly, hoping that I'll believe him again as I always did before.

"Everything has already been arranged for your future," Cassian goes on speaking. "Your family company, this marriage, your position as the leader of everything. I would never let you marry someone who wouldn't suit you."

His words help me relax as they always used to do.

"You're right," I say, trying to make a small smile appear on my face. "I'm just being emotional. This is an important day."

"The most important one," Cassian says, standing up. "I could never feel prouder walking you down the aisle."

He plants a kiss on my forehead before leaving, and I am back in front of the mirror, telling myself that it is just nervousness tightening my stomach.

Later in the day, we are through with the legal process. Evren and I are standing in front of the registrar in the marriage court signing our names, becoming legally bound as husband and wife. He looks stunning in his black suit, as cool as ever, giving me an elegant smile when the registrar declares us officially married.

"Congratulations, Mrs. Daciel," says the registrar.

Evren takes my hand. "Are you ready?"

"I am ready," I reply, though that word seems alien to me now.

Everyone from our family and staff is already outside, and all we have to do is leave right away and head to the airport to catch our flight. I get in the car with Evren, waving to the crowds that have come to see us off.

The car drives away, and everything is fine for a while. Evren was busy on his phone. I watch the streetlights flash by outside the window.

Until I realize that we have taken the wrong route.

"That is not the way to the airport," I say, sitting up straight.

Evren looks out of his window and frowns. "You are right. Driver, where are you driving us?"

The driver does not respond.

"Driver!" Evren repeats, more insistently. "Do you hear me? I am asking you a question!"

There is no response. I feel myself getting nervous.

"Stop the car!" I yell. "Stop the car now!"

The car does not stop. It accelerates.

Evren tries to open the door but finds that it is locked. He tugs on the handle helplessly. "What is going on here? Who approved this route?"

"I do not know," I scream. "Evren, there is something wrong."

He reaches for his phone again, but before he even has time to call anyone, the car turns abruptly through a winding street, causing his phone to fall from his hands.

We didn't say a word after that; we just sat silently watching the city recede into the distance as we approached dark silhouettes of warehouses and vacant land.

The car eventually comes to a halt in front of an abandoned, isolated factory with rusty metal walls. The doors unlock, and strangers pull them open from the outside.

"You better get out," one of them says.

"I want to know who the hell you are!" I insist, standing where I am. "And what the hell is going on here?"

My arms are grabbed, and I'm forced out of the car against my will, while Evren yells something behind me.

"Leave me alone!" I shout, squirming in their grip. "Do you know who I am? Leave me alone!"

They do not answer, dragging me into a big metal door leading into the warehouse, my high heels grinding into the concrete floor in vain.

The place is dark, with just a few lights hanging from the ceiling. Standing there, with his hands calmly resting behind his back, is my uncle.

A wave of relief rushes through me almost making my knees buckle.

"Oh, Uncle Cassian!" I exclaim, breaking free from the men dragging me and running up to him. "Thank God. Please help me. I have no idea what's going on, these men-"

"Veyra." The sound of his voice holds me back, a few feet away from him. Calm and unhurried.

"Uncle," I say, gasping for breath. "Please, we should call the police. Evren is in here somewhere, we should-"

"Sit down, Veyra."

There is something in the way he says it that makes my legs freeze up. "What?"

"I said sit down," he repeats, waving at one of the chairs another man drags over. "There are some things we need to talk about."

"Talk about what?" My voice is shaky and barely above a whisper. "Cassian, Uncle Cassian, you're frightening me. What's happening?"

He looks at me thoughtfully for a while and then, for the first time in my entire life, I notice something that isn't affection in his gaze. It is satisfaction.

"I never cared about you, Veyra," he says. "I never loved you. Raising you, protecting you-everything that I did-it was necessary. And nothing else."

The ground seems to shift under my feet. "What do you mean by that?"

"Your parents," he replies. "Do you want to know the truth about their death?"

"They died in an accident," I say. "You told me that-"

"They were killed because they found out some... information about me," he continues. "They threatened to oust me from the company. And I could not allow that."

"They were very particular about their will," he continues, ignoring me. "In case of your death before receiving control of the company, everything would be liquidated and donated to charity. That was why I needed you alive until you became CEO. That is the only reason for which I brought you up. That is the only reason for all of this."

My vision blurs with tears. "Uncle Cassian, please, don't do this-"

"Now that you have signed the transfer papers," he tells me, "your usefulness is over. Your death can be made to appear to be an accident. A tragedy. A private plane, a newly married couple, a sad loss."

"Evren," I choke out. "What have you done to Evren?"

Cassian doesn't even blink an eye. "He was a witness. You can't leave loose ends hanging around."

"No-please, Uncle, he doesn't even know anything about this-"

Then there is the sound of one shot fired somewhere within the warehouse.

"Evren!" I scream, shaking from head to toe. "Evren!"

There's no response.

With tears pouring down my face, I turn around to look at Cassian, my hands shaking as I hold out a hand to him. "Please. Please, Uncle. I have never asked you for anything in my life. I trusted you with my life. Don't do this to me."

"I raised you well, Veyra," he says in a low voice, walking towards me. "Be proud of that, at least."

"Please," I beg, "Please don't."

He shows no remorse.

The very last thing I see is his calm expression before everything fades to black.