November 6, 1995
I could hardly believe what I had heard from Henry. Was this man serious? Did he have some sort of head injury that made him think this was a normal thing to ask? He had appeared out of nowhere, barely introduced himself, and then casually offered me the role of a surrogate mother for his future heir. Did he think of me as nothing more than a storage unit, a mere vessel to carry his child, only to be discarded once I had fulfilled my purpose? The audacity! How could he expect me to accept something so outrageous?
That night, as I was preparing to go to bed, a soft knock on my door interrupted my thoughts. I knew instantly that it was Lola Aergul. She had always been able to sense when something was bothering me, and given how furious I had been with Henry earlier, it wasn’t surprising that she had come to check on me.
When I opened the door, she stepped inside with a knowing look. “You nearly sprouted fangs yesterday with how angry you were,” she teased lightly, but I could tell she was concerned.
I had spent the entire day at school, intentionally avoiding everyone, especially anyone who might bring up what had happened the day before. Deep down, I knew my reaction to Henry had been intense, perhaps even rude. I wasn’t someone who raised my voice often, but could anyone blame me? If Lolo Orhan and Lola Aergul hadn’t been present, I might have done something even more drastic—like throwing my juice straight at Henry’s perfectly pressed suit.
I let Grandma in, motioning for her to sit on my bed while I pulled up a chair to sit across from her.
"Are you alright (Yi misin)?" she asked, her voice gentle.
"I’m fine (Yiyim)," I answered, though I wasn’t sure how convincing I sounded.
She sighed, as if choosing her words carefully before speaking. "I know that what Henry is asking of you is not easy (Henry'nin senden istediğinin kolay olmadığını biliyorum.)," she said, her eyes filled with understanding.
I remained silent, listening, knowing she wasn’t finished yet.
"But I hope that next time, you let him finish explaining before you kick him out (Ama umarım onu evden kovmadan önce söylediklerini bitirmesine izin verirsin.)," she added with a slight smile, clearly trying to lighten the mood.
I sighed in frustration. "I’m sorry, Grandma, but what kind of rational man just makes such a sensitive proposal to a complete stranger? Even if he doesn’t have a wife, this isn’t something any normal person would do (Özür dilerim Büyükanne, karısı olmasa bile bu tür hassas şeyleri herkese teklif eden mantıklı bir adam, değil mi?)"
"Yes, I understand," she acknowledged, "but as I said, you should have at least listened to him first (Evet: Ama dediğim gibi, önce onu dinlemeliydin.)."
I didn’t respond immediately, waiting for her to continue.
"Henry has a very important reason for wanting you to carry his heir (Henry'nin bir sonraki varisi için hamile kalmanı istemesinin büyük bir nedeni var.)," she said seriously, her eyes locking onto mine.
I studied her face, sensing that whatever she was about to tell me would change everything. And I was right.
What she revealed next left me completely stunned. Suddenly, Henry’s strange and unexpected request didn’t seem so absurd anymore. The pieces of the puzzle started to fit together, and for the first time, I saw the bigger picture.
That night, just before Grandma left my room, I made a decision that I never thought I would. I asked her for Henry’s office landline number.
Tomorrow, before I returned home from school, I would call him and give him my answer.
---
November 7, 1995
The school day passed in a blur, my mind constantly drifting back to the conversation with Grandma. I had made my decision, but that didn’t mean I wasn’t nervous about it.
As I stepped outside the school gates, my eyes were immediately drawn to a sleek black car parked a short distance away. It was unmistakably expensive, standing out against the more modest vehicles around it. Before I could process what I was seeing, the door of the car opened, and Henry stepped out.
My heart jumped in surprise. Was he seriously waiting for me outside my school?
Alarmed, I quickly lifted my hand, signaling for him to stop before he could approach me. The last thing I wanted was to draw attention to myself. My classmates were pouring out of the gates, and if Henry—this obviously wealthy and well-dressed foreigner—walked straight up to me, it would cause a scene.
He seemed to understand my hesitation and got back into the car. Only after I was sure no one was watching did I approach and slip into the passenger seat beside him.
"What are you doing here?" I asked, not bothering to hide my annoyance.
"I left something at Mr. Orhan’s house yesterday, after you kicked me out," he replied smoothly, a teasing glint in his eyes.
My face burned as I remembered how I had reacted the previous day.
"Hmm... Sir Hen—"
"Just call me Henry, Erine," he interrupted with a small smile. "And don’t worry, I understand. You reacted the way any normal person would. I don’t blame you for that."
His tone was calm and matter-of-fact, making me feel slightly less guilty. Then, after a brief pause, he spoke again.
"I spoke with Lola Aergul this morning. She told me that you’ve made a decision?"
I took a deep breath, steadying myself before answering. "Grandma explained everything to me last night. At first, I could hardly believe it, but now… I understand."
Before I could react, Henry suddenly reached over and hugged me.
I stiffened in shock. "Wait… someone might see us!" I hissed, barely managing to push him away.
He immediately let go, scratching the back of his head in embarrassment. "Sorry," he muttered sheepishly.
A brief silence stretched between us before he spoke again, this time his voice more serious.
"I have one last request."
I turned to face him, my expression cautious. "What is it?"
"You must never tell my future child about me."
I had expected this after my conversation with Grandma, but I still needed clarification.
"For how long?" I asked hesitantly.
"Until he—"
"Turns eighteen?" I guessed.
"No, Erine. That’s too young."
I frowned. "But isn’t eighteen considered the legal age?"
"Yes," Henry admitted, "but I believe twenty-five would be more appropriate."
I raised an eyebrow. "Are you sure?"
He nodded firmly. "Yes. And when that time comes, make sure he’s ready."
I exhaled slowly, letting his words settle in my mind. Whether or not I fully agreed with his reasoning, one thing was certain—I was about to step into a life I had never imagined for myself.