I'm somewhere between awake and asleep. Jan places his hand on my shoulder to wake me up, and I still think I'm dreaming. In my dreams, Jan isn't an "Evil King"; he's attentive, sincere, and honorable. I take his hand, looking deep into his eyes. I close my eyes and lean in to kiss him. How can I resist Jan?
"Aylla? What are you doing?"
I snap out of my trance. Jan looks at me, confused. I pull my hand away quickly and place it in my lap. I'm awake, in the real world—and in the real world, Jan is the Evil King, someone I should never idealize. I feel embarrassed, not knowing what to say. Was I really going to kiss him, or was it just a vivid dream?
"We're here, Aylla. I need you to go to the reception and ask for the model, Naz."
I get out of the car. Jan says nothing about my "daydreaming" state, and I can't believe what almost happened. Why does my heart ache when I think I might be "just another woman" to him? Why do I care enough to dream of kissing him? The farm hotel is massive and beautiful, but I can't get distracted. I receive a call from an unknown number.
"Hello?" "Aylla? It's Emre. Where are you?"
"We just arrived at the hotel. I'm going to look for the model, Emre bey."
"Remember the message: they cannot meet."
"I don't understand, Emre bey. Isn't her signing the contract good for the company?"
"I need you to stop this meeting urgently! Don't let them talk; the company depends on you. You don't understand, but this kind of contract increases the value at the time of the sale, which is why I need you."
I believe Emre's words; he seems like the only sensible one in this family. At the reception, I find out Naz went for a walk. Perfect, I thought. But when I go to tell Jan, he's already talking to a woman. He doesn't waste any time. I approach with my milkshake and hear the flirting. "Jan, I adore your work. We crossed paths once at a party in Madrid..." She tosses her shiny black hair back. Long legs, lace skirt, and heels. I roll my eyes.
"Aylla, this is Naz," Jan introduces me. I choke on my milkshake.
"She certainly is," I greet her with a weak smile.
"Can we talk about the campaign, Naz?" Jan asks.
"Sure, Jan, but tomorrow night. If you want to meet me tonight for entertainment, I'm all yours."
I'm not going to let this happen. Emre is counting on me. I take a step back and pretend to trip, dumping my entire milkshake on Jan. Point for me—take that, inner voice!
"Oh, Jan bey, a thousand apologies! I tried to clean it, but I'm just making it worse."
"Aylla, leave it. I'm going to get a room for the two of us and clean up. Naz, can I see you in half an hour?"
While we get separate rooms, I sneak into Jan's room to ensure he has no clothes for the meeting. As I grab the items, I see Jan coming out of the bathroom in a towel. On his chest, I see a tattoo of an albatross. His chest is so handsome I can't concentrate. "Allah forgive me," I whisper.
"Aylla, what are you doing here?" He looks angry.
"Clothes..." I say, unable to stop staring. Focus, Aylla! Focus on the tattoo. "Albatross? It can't be."
"I've had it for a long time, Aylla. What are you doing with my clothes?" He looks irritated.
"I came to get them cleaned. I rescheduled with Naz for tomorrow. Can I go?"
"Go, Aylla. Thank you," he sighs, sounding tired.
My heart is racing. Naz ended up going to his room anyway. I watch through the peephole: she's on the balcony, looking sexy, while he looks at nature. I enter with the excuse of water.
"HAVE MERCY!" I shout. Jan looks confused.
"Aylla?"
"Mercy on the mosquitoes! Look over there!" I cover Naz with a blanket. "Better protect yourself. Want water? I'll go get some!"
I try to be inconvenient to ruin the mood and fulfill the mission Emre gave me. Jan pulls me out of the room, gentle but irritated.
"What are you doing, Aylla?"
"I'm doing my best to make Naz comfortable and protect you so you don't lose focus! She was flirting!"
"I don't understand you. One minute you're cold, the next you're worried about protecting me? Do I look like I need protection?"
Jan turns me and pulls me close, making me face him. Our faces are so close I can feel his breath. I look deep into his brown eyes—so deep, mysterious, like a riddle written especially for me to decode. I swallow hard.
"What do you want?" he whispers. His hands are on my waist.
The princess falling for the Beast... or for the Evil King. Meanwhile, I follow the orders of Emre—the brother I trust. How long will my love for the Albatross remain pure while I surrender to Jan's charms?