Chapter 145 - No Choice

Hayri pulled back a chair for Allie to sit in and once she was settled comfortably, he pulled another for his own, sitting beside her. Ajie, on the other hand, picked up the seat a little farther from them, somewhere they wouldn't have to see him squarely. Seeing them together was like torturing him on broad daylight and he might not be able to hold himself. All he was keeping now was his respect for Allie and the fact that all this was his fault.

The rest of them were also agitated, they could feel what each one must be feeling at that moment. Seeing his son hurting like that, Mrs. Lopez felt like it was her own retribution for losing him when he was young. But there was no one to blame, everything happened for a reason. Every one of them was teased by fate and they were forced to play along.

"Hayri, why didn't you tell me ahead you are coming?" asked Allie. She could have prepared herself for this situation and they wouldn't have been affected like this.

"You invited Cherry and not me?" 

"It's not in the plan. Cherry suddenly called to inform me about the coming of this certain Mr. Tan and so that's how I got the idea of inviting her in for a vacation. Cherry deserves this."

"And not me?" teased Hayri. He understood the fullest sense of her unspoken reason behind.

"No..." she protested, "It's not what you think."

Before she could finish up her statement, Hayri chuckled softly while looking down at her with immense tenderness.

"I'm sorry, Zheen, for keeping you in anxiety for so many days. I truly appreciate the way you stand for your words, even if it means sacrificing your own happiness. I want to put an end to this. That's why I am here."

Allie's heart stopped for a moment and she felt the whole world also stopped rotating from its access. Did he meant he wanted to end his hiding from her? Ever since he came back to Tuzla to manage Rina DK Builders himself, she felt he was avoiding her. The only reason she could think of was because of her pregnancy and that he found it hard to accept it. And who would not?

"What do you mean?" she asked but her mind protested.

All the rest turned to him, including Jane who tried to keep her silence all throughout. A set of ear pieces never left her ears and she managed to make a world of her own. Hayri returned her gaze and before he answered, he glanced up at Ajie who was also keeping his mouth shut.

"Adrian, what is your plan for both of you?"

Ajie grimaced in confusion, wondering what he meant. He was dumbfounded for a moment and didn't know how to answer him without starting a commotion. His parents were there to enjoy and he didn't want to trigger in them a heart attack.

"What do you mean?" he recited the same question Allie made, his look was more puzzled.

"For Allie and your child," he answered. His calmness surprised them all.

Ajie sneered at his question, he just couldn't understand what was going on in this man's head. "You're asking me?" Fine tremors ran through all his system as his restrained anger threatened to get the best of him.

"Of course, in the presence of everyone, I challenge you to declare your plans!"

While everyone else was getting tensed and afraid that a fight would break in,  Mr. Dioko and Allie's parents were as calm as the still hours after the storm. Allie stood up, attempting to stop the impending trouble.  Hayri wrapped an arm around her waist and gently pulled her down, adding a blow to an already blazing fire inside Ajie's heart.

"I'm going to have her and my children back! I will forever be your shadow and forever be your ghost unless you're giving them back to me. And I want to let you know, the battle has not yet begun."

Hayri laughed out with sarcasm in his tone. "There's no way you can win over me, if not for this damn fact that she's...she's..."

Hayri couldn't bring out the words. He looked at his dad for help, his tears started to trickle down his face. Everyone was shocked. What was really happening? 

Mr. Dioko stood up and walked up to him, hugging him from the back. "Dad is proud of you, son."

"Dad, it's difficult..."

"I know," answered Mr. Dioko with a sealed smile. Looking up and running his eyes at everyone around, he continued. "Hayri is my only son and he grows up having everything all he wants. I am used to the fact that he always fights to the end, and that he never loses a battle whenever he starts on one. I just didn't expect he would have this change of heart."

They all expected that Mr. Dioko was able to convince his son to give way for Ajie and Allie, just because it was obvious that both were still in love with each other and that another baby was on the way.

"Louise boy, uncle is also proud of you. It's not an easy decision," he said in a very low and serious tone, looking at Hayri who covered his face with the spread handkerchief in his hand.

Mrs. Lopez also dared to speak out after giving Hayri a long stare, gauging at the seriousness of his decision. "Does it mean, son, your giving way?"

"Mom, he's not giving way. He just can't accept what I did. Of course, I understand him for that."

Mrs. Lopez shook her head. "Your lives are very complicated but how can I blame you? What you went through wasn't easy, either."

Allie held her gaze at Hayri. She held him in the arm and said, "Hayri, if you're indeed giving way, thank you so much."

"Is that what you want?" His tone was like a dagger piercing into the deepest chamber of her heart. She was guilty and her mind was screaming out the fact that Hayri never deserved this.

"I'm sorry, Hayri, but yes. If you still remember, I kept telling you before that you shouldn't..." She couldn't dare to say it in front of them, it was just too awkward.

Hayri straightened up and ignored her. He looked at Mrs. Lopez, instead. "Auntie, I have no choice..." he paused and looked at Allie, removing his hands on his face.

He then clawed an arm around her neck and pulled her close. "I have no choice because this beautiful  creature here is my...lovely sister!"