That same afternoon, Francis set off for the city without hesitation. He wanted to buy Micay a simple gift as a gesture of reconciliation. He carried his mother’s cellphone with him, leaving his own belongings behind. He feared that if he used his own number, Micay might ignore his call.
"Won't you call her first?" his mother asked as he prepared to leave.
Francis smiled. "I'll text her when I reach the city, Ma. I want to find out where she is first, then surprise her."
Erine sighed but nodded. "Alright, just be careful."
Before leaving, Francis kissed his mother on the cheek and hopped onto his motorcycle, speeding toward the city.
Upon arriving, he headed straight to the mall. After browsing through various stores, he picked out a floral-patterned dress with a matching bag and a pair of pink shoes. He imagined how well they would suit Micay. Then, he stopped by the cinema and bought two tickets for a movie scheduled for April 4 in the afternoon—he deliberately avoided the last full show, not wanting Micay to return home too late.
Satisfied with his purchases, Francis made his way to the food court, deciding to text Micay from there. However, instead of introducing himself, he sent a vague message, asking if they could meet because he had something important to tell her.
Micay, assuming it was Erine texting, quickly responded, agreeing to meet him. She informed him that she had some errands to take care of first but would head over soon. Upon receiving her reply, Francis felt a rush of excitement, though an inexplicable nervousness settled in his chest.
Half an hour later, another message came through. Micay let him know she was already inside the mall and making her way toward him. However, what she texted next sent a chill down his spine.
"It’s a good thing you left there early before they caught up to you. And it’s good you agreed to let Brother Francis come with you."
Francis’s heart pounded. Confused and alarmed, he immediately called her. But before he could even put the phone to his ear, he heard a familiar ringtone—coming from right behind him.
Turning around, he saw Micay approaching, her expression puzzled.
"Where’s Aunt Erine?" she asked. "I thought she was the one texting me."
Francis shook his head. "I’m not with her. I was the one messaging you the entire time."
Micay’s face turned pale. Fear flickered in her eyes as she instinctively grabbed onto his arm.
"Then why did you leave her?" she demanded, her voice rising. "Why didn’t you take her with you?"
Francis hesitated, unable to find an answer. Before he could respond, Micay’s voice cracked with urgency.
"Didn’t you read my text earlier, before I left?"
Francis frowned. "Text?"
Seeing his confusion, Micay snatched the phone from his hand and quickly scrolled through his messages. When she found what she was looking for, she shoved the screen in front of his face.
From: Michaella
**+90 **********
You need to get out of there right away. Tell people to be prepared. Louie's men plan to go back there and burn the whole place down.
Francis’s entire body went rigid as he read the message. A wave of dread crashed over him, and his hands clenched around the phone. He felt like the ground beneath him had disappeared.
"Don’t just stand there!" Micay snapped, shaking him. "We have to go back for Aunt Erine!"
Snapping out of his daze, Francis stuffed the phone into his pocket and grabbed Micay’s wrist, leading her toward the mall exit. But before they could get far, Micay suddenly stopped in her tracks.
Francis turned to her, confused. "What’s wrong?"
Micay’s gaze darted around nervously. "Louie’s men. They’re here."
Francis followed her line of sight and immediately recognized them. His heart pounded.
Micay exhaled sharply. "I can’t go with you. They’re still looking for me."
She subtly gestured toward the men, then reached into her pocket and pressed something into Francis’s hand—a small keychain with a hidden USB drive.
"This contains answers to the questions you have about yourself," she whispered. "Aunt Erine can help explain the rest when we meet again."
She took the paper bags from his hands and smiled weakly. "These were for me, weren’t they?"
Francis nodded, his throat dry.
Micay took a deep breath. "Go now, before they see you. You need to stop Louie’s men from carrying out their plan."
Before he could protest, she leaned in and placed a quick kiss on his cheek. Then, without another word, she turned and ran in the opposite direction, leading Louie’s men away.
Francis didn’t waste another second. He sprinted out of the mall, jumped onto his motorcycle, and sped off as fast as he could. He took every shortcut he knew, pushing his bike to its limits, hoping—praying—that he wouldn’t be too late.
But as he neared his destination, his worst fears came true.
Thick black smoke curled into the sky. Flames raged across the fields, consuming everything in their path. Some houses were already engulfed in fire, the once-familiar landscape now an inferno of destruction.
His chest tightened painfully as he skidded to a stop, his hands trembling. He barely registered the sound of someone calling his name until a neighbor, panting and tear-streaked, ran toward him.
"Francis!" the man gasped, his voice breaking. "At Grandpa Orhan’s house… your mother… she was burned alive, along with the others who were mourning with her."
The words struck him like a dagger to the heart.
Francis staggered, his breath coming in short, uneven gasps. His fists clenched, his entire body trembling with a mix of grief, rage, and disbelief. His vision blurred. The world around him spun.
And then, the weight of it all became too much. His knees buckled, and before he could stop himself, darkness swallowed him whole.
—
Sometime later, inside the Arslan household, Francis lay unconscious in a dimly lit room. The people who had rescued him had left, their murmurs fading into silence.
From the shadows, a figure emerged, stepping toward the bed. His gazed down at the young man, his expression unreadable.
Then, in a hushed voice, he spoke.
"Is it finally time for the sleeping lion to wake up?"