The next morning, Asli tried to escape.
Of course she did.
She waited until the house was quiet, her heart racing as she slowly opened the front door.
Freedom.
It was right there.
She stepped outside—
"Going somewhere?"
Her blood ran cold.
Ferhat stood behind her.
She hadn't even heard him.
"I— I just needed air," she stammered.
He walked past her and shut the door firmly.
"No leaving."
Her frustration exploded. "You can't keep me here forever!"
Ferhat turned, his expression unreadable. "You're right."
Hope sparked in her chest.
Then he crushed it.
"There's another option."
Her breath caught. "What… option?"
His eyes darkened slightly.
"Marry me."
The words hit her like a slap.
"What?!"
"It's simple," he said. "You become part of the family… and no one questions your presence."
Asli stared at him, disbelief flooding her mind.
"That's insane!"
"It's survival."
Her voice broke. "This isn't a solution… it's a prison."
Ferhat stepped closer, his tone colder now.
"It's the only way you live."
Silence fell between them.
Heavy.
Crushing.
And for the first time…
Asli understood the truth.
This wasn't a choice.
It was a sentence.