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“Unofficially it was an accidental overdose.” Brynn’s tone tells me that she is not to be messed with right now. “Officially? No news. Can I speak with Kaan?”
“He’s gone.” I know I let Brynn down and the guilt and frustration washes over me. “I don’t know where he is.”
“Damn it, Meg.” Brynn’s voice is laced with anger. “You had one job and that was to keep Kaan on a short leash! And you lose him?”
“I can’t keep him tied to a chair, Brynn.” I snap back, unable to hide my own frustration. “He went to take a call. He didn’t come back.”
“It might have been Blair,” Brynn muses.
“I think so,” I reply, staring at my open suitcases lying on the bed, ready to be re-packed. “My flight leaves at midnight so I’ll see you tomorrow. I’ll try and track down Kaan and get back to you.”
“Fine. But do me a favour and stay away from the press if you can. Brazen really needs to distance themselves from this mess.” Brynn replies brusquely and cuts the connection. “Either way I’ll see you at the office at eight. Oh, and Meg, don’t be late!”
I stare at my mobile pondering Brynn’s words, my mind racing with more questions. Brazen, the talent agency that had represented both Blair and Kaan at one time or another, needed to distance themselves. But from what exactly? Were they trying to distance themselves from the scandal surrounding Blair’s death or were they also trying to distance themselves from Kaan?
And what does this mean for Kaan? Is he in trouble? Does Brazen know something I don’t?
A feeling of dread settles deep in my stomach. Despite his disappearance without a word Kaan is the man that I love, but he’s also my client and my responsibility. I can’t afford to lose him, not now, not after everything that had happened between us. I have to find him, make sure he’s okay and figure out what the hell is going on.
And then it hits me—Galata Tower. It is the one place where Kaan always found solace. Maybe he is there, trying to escape the chaos that has engulfed his life. Without a second thought, I grab my phone and am out the door.
I step out into the bright morning sun and start retracing my steps from a few days ago. The streets that were shrouded in fog then are now clear and bustling with people. I pass the train station where the iconic Orient Express once came to an end, and the spice markets, where Kaan jokingly told me to stock up on spices, knowing I would never have a chance to use them in my small apartment back home.
Pausing at the same spot where Kaan and I had stood only two days earlier I can see the Galata Tower in the distance, standing tall and proud against the clear blue sky. Determined to reach it, I follow the street signs and begin my uphill trek. Little did I know, I had unwittingly signed up for a mountain-climbing expedition!
With every step, I cursed under my breath, as if I had decided to challenge Everest on a whim. As my legs screamed in protest, I watch a local fly past me on a green scooter and I can’t help but wish it was me in his place. Perhaps there was a sherpa handy that could piggy-back me up the hill!
Finally, after what feels like an eternity of uphill struggle, I crane my neck like a curious giraffe and catch sight of the Galata Tower’s spire poking through the buildings. I sprint across the square now, darting through the happy tourists milling about without a care in the world. If I was here under happier circumstances, I would have stopped to appreciate the buildings, bathed in gorgeous golden hues as sunset approaches, but I don’t have time now. I need to find Kaan.
I know that it’s unlikely that he will be there, but my heart still holds onto hope. I want to believe that everything he told me was true, that he meant every word he said. If I don’t find him here, then I’ll know that it was all just a fantasy, a dream that I foolishly believed in.
I buy a ticket and make my way to the top of the tower. It’s overflowing with tourists. I step out onto the tower walk and start making a loop, scanning for any sign of Kaan in the crowd. For a brief moment, I’m distracted by the breath-taking view that stretches out before me. The sun is just beginning to set, casting a mesmerising array of colours over the entire city. The skyline in the west is bathed in golden hues, and the Bosphorus River sparkles as boats filled with tourists sail past. On the other side of the river, the ancient city shimmers as if it’s been plated in gold. It’s a sight that takes my breath away, and I can understand why Kaan keeps coming back to this spot. The city’s beauty is simply stunning.
I shake off my reverie and continue my loop around the tower as the colours of the sunset slowly meld into darkness.
Tears well in my eyes as realisation hits me like a ton of bricks. He’s really gone. Back to London, or LA or maybe even to Timbuktu for all I know! I was a fool to think he would be here. All the things he said, all the promises he made to me—they were all lies.
A tap on my shoulder makes my heart leap into my throat. I turn around hoping to see him, but it’s not. “Ginny? How? What?”
“Kaan rang.”
“I truly believed I would find him here.” I know how pitiful I sound.
“He had to leave.”
“He said he loved me.”
“And he does.” I must look like a red-hot mess, because she puts her arm around me sympathetically. “But he had to try and get back to help Blair.”
“He made a snap decision last night, and yes, it was wrong, but he needed to try.” I don’t like that she’s making excuses for him. “He rang everyone he could think of…”
“… except me.” I interrupt bitterly. “Even a text only takes a minute.”
“I understand you’re hurt, Meg, but you must realise that he was out of his mind with grief. He went crazy trying to get back to London.”
“And I went crazy wondering where he was!” My eyes pricking with tears again. “I’m sorry, Ginny, but this is total bullshit. He’s running around Istanbul telling anyone who would listen that he wants to be with me, and then he disappears without a word.”
“I hear what you’re saying, I do.” She eyes me thoughtfully, and then finally nods. “It was wrong, but don’t shoot the messenger, Meg. I’m a friend.”
