Adam Yilmaz POV

"Dude call her already and stop hitting me like I'm your enemy"

I smirked at Johnny D and punched him in the guts again before helping him up "Bro you need practice, how long has it been since you've been in the ring?"

"Since you left?" he grabbed his towel and wiped his face "I just don't get her, why wouldn't she talk to you?"

"Trust me I have no idea, I went to her parents house a couple days ago, she literally threw everything she could reach at me" I chuckled and took a sip of water. I was laughing but I was burning on the inside, the way Lena looked at me a couple days ago was still hunting me.

"I get that she wants you all to herself but it's not like you cheated on her, you two weren't even together at that time, she even hated you"

"She never really hated me Johnny D" I sighed and rested on the post behind me. "I'll probably get the results today or tomorrow, I'll wait till then before I try and talk to her. Elise told me to give her space, it's hard but that's what I got to do"

"Elise? It's not mom anymore?"

"I still think of her like that, but it's weird, I mean I'm in love with her daughter. Now I get why Lena hated when I called her 'sis'"

"Yeah I bet. See why I love being single? No such complications"

"Yeah sure, so if my cousin walks in right now, you'd totally be okay with it?"

"Which cousin?" he looked alarmed which only made me smile even more.

"The one and only Kayra" I stated simply.

"Pfff why would she even be here? Stop messing around with me!"

"I'd be here because I can't stay away from my favorite cousin for too long" Kayra said from behind him and gave me a wink.

I smiled but didn't say anything just waiting to see Johnny's reaction. He didn't give any. He just stood there not daring to look back, not daring to speak or move. I burst in laughter and held Kayra's hand to help her in the ring. She briefly hugged me before pinching her nose.

"You stink"

"Thanks" we laughed and she turned to face a still unmoving Johnny D. She smiled and raised an eyebrow "Johnny? Are you ok?"

"ye...yeah yes I'm, great! When did you get here?"

"My plane landed this morning. I asked Adam not to tell you, I wanted it to be a surprise"

"Well it worked. I'm very surprised" he grinned like a fool and I felt like it was my cue to leave them alone. I put on my shirt, grabbed my heavy bag and left without disturbing them.

Johnny has been obsessing about Kayra since the minute I sent him a picture of her and I on the first day of college. He never managed to be with someone else, not because he didn't want to. He just couldn't. He was looking for someone who looked exactly like her, but was out of luck. Things got weirder when he actually met her, he never dated since then. Getting in my car, I smiled as I remembered how I used to tease him for becoming a nun.

I kept checking my phone nervously every minute or two awaiting the CSO to contact me and send me the results. I knew that if Emily was really my daughter I would do anything to be a great father to her, but I wasn't planning on living with her and Amanda. I knew things wouldn't be easy but I was prepared for anything. I just needed one thing... Lena's support.

"You're killing me Lena" I let out a heavy sigh as I climbed out of my car giving the keys to the valet parking and headed for the entrance. I wasn't planning on staying at the Walton's hotel, but since Celine came with me and hadn't found a place to herself yet, I let her stay in my flat. I could have shared it with her but I didn't want Lena to take it wrong, we were already having a crisis.

Just as I pushed the button to call the lift, a woman from the front desk came to me.

"Mr Yilmaz, good afternoon. Someone is waiting for you at the bar"

"Hello Ingrid" I smiled "Who exactly is waiting?"

"He didn't give me a name sir."

"Alright thank you Ingrid" I looked at the elevator as the doors opened and went in. I'd have to take a quick shower before going to the bar and meet whoever was waiting for me. I checked my phone once again before jumping in the shower and feeling the cold water come in contact with my warm skin. The water was relaxing, helping me get rid of some of the tension I was feeling. Boxing with Johnny helped a little but not as much as I wanted it to.

Half an hour later, I walked in the hotel's bar in fresh clothes and searched the faces for at least one familiar person. I sighed about to give up and just leave when I felt a hand on my shoulder. Turning slowly I was met with very familiar eyes. I grinned and hugged Karam tightly.

"You came!"

"Of course I came. I didn't like your voice a couple days ago, so instead of going back to Istanbul I took the first flight coming to New York."

"I'm glad you did, it means a lot"

"So, did you get the results?"

"Not yet, still waiting them to call or email or anything but..."

"Don't sweat it. They'll call. Let's have a drink and talk a little"

Karam and I always had a brotherly relationship, he wasn't much older than me and he never played the 'I'm your uncle' card on me too which brought us very close. Having him here with me today was helpful, even more than beating the crap out of Johnny D in the ring. We sat at the bar for what seemed like only a few minutes but were actually a couple hours now. He was telling me about Spain and I knew he was distracting me, it was working for I hadn't checked my phone once the entire time.

"So I go into this casino in Barcelona, you know just for fun. And I see this amazingly, breathtakingly woman sitting at a poker table with only men. She looked like she owned the place." I never heard him speak of a woman with so much passion before.

"I stood in a corner watching them play, I thought she was cheating at first I mean, she's very good let me tell you that. She won, took the chips and left"

"Did you get to talk to her?"

"Of course, I followed her out and well, no need to tell you what happened next" he wiggled his eyebrows at me making me forget all my worries for a moment as I burst in laughter.

But it didn't last long as I saw Amanda's name flash on my screen. I didn't feel like talking to her. She's been calling and texting everyday asking if I got the results yet, and I wasn't in the mood to even hear her voice. The only voice I needed to hear right now was Lena's.

"Did you get to talk to Lena?"

"She doesn't want to see me" I stated simply pushing my phone away.

Karam didn't say anything, instead he was busy typing away on his phone. I sighed getting up needing to stretch my legs. I glanced at him and saw him smiling. Maybe it was the girl he met in Barcelona. Just as I was about to sit back down and ask him about her, he stood up.

"Alright, I need to go it's very important but I'll likely call you in an hour or so, don't make plans please"

"Yeah... sure what plans would I make anyway" I rolled my eyes fishing my bike's keys from my pocket; a ride around the city could take my mind off of things. I followed Karam out of the bar but we each took different paths as he just exited the hotel and I went to the underground parking lot where my bike was parked.

Johnny D was right when he said "you're such a depressing motherfucker!" I kept hearing his voice through my mind as I drove around. They all found my depression weird, especially Mason. He thought that since I was able to live without her for five years it shouldn't be hard to give her space for a week.

What none of them understood was the fear and pain I was feeling. I was afraid to lose her again. When I left five years ago I knew we weren't meant to be, I knew she wanted me out of her life and I left. I should have stayed and fought for her, and I regretted leaving like that like a coward. I didn't want to do the same mistake all over again. I couldn't, not when we finally decided to give it a shot and be together after so long.

I was also still dumbstruck she could easily let go of me, for something I didn't plan, something that was as much a surprise to me as it was to her. I never thought after all these years she could tell me to leave her again.

Parking my motorcycle, I took a look around trying to find out where I was. I was driving mindlessly that I didn't pay attention to the signs. I took off my helmet and put it on top of my bike. I noticed a lake, a beautiful wooden dock and on shore I could see wooden cabins. It looked peaceful and beautiful, a place for tourists maybe. I felt the vibration of my phone and pulled it out of my pocket.

KO: Where are you?

KO: I told you not to make plans!!

KO: You're not at the Walton's!

KO: would you check your phone?

KO: God you're annoying!

KO: Where the hell are you?

I rolled my eyes and sent him my location. If he wanted me he could come and find me, I wasn't going to leave this little paradise I just found.

KO: Finally!!! Don't move I'm coming!

AY: Not going anywhere.

I went to where the cabins were and saw an old man sitting smoking a pipe. He looked up and frowned upon seeing me.

"I know you, but no... I knew someone who looked exactly like you. But he must be older now, I think he was your age when he came here with his wife"

I felt a pang in my heart, was he talking about my parents? I grabbed a chair and sat next to him looking at the clear water.

"Who was he? The man and his wife" I asked avoiding his gaze.

"A Turkish family, they were architects, they helped me build this place. But I haven't heard of them in along long time" he looked at me and narrowed his eyes at me. "They had a kid, if I'm not wrong."

"What was his name?"

"The kid? It was Adam. He came a lot here too, he loved going out on that red boat over there. The architect's name was Nejat. Him I can never forget. He was very nice and very respectable and I was very proud of him. I've looked for him for so many years but was never able to find him. I even went to his house and it was empty." he let out a chuckle.

"You wouldn't be able to find him" I said sadly letting out a sigh.

"Why is that?"

"They passed away, car accident, and they left me behind"

We both fell in a deafening silence for what seemed to be like the longest time. I heard him clear his throat and looked up only to find him silently crying. I frowned and really looked at him. He looked familiar.

"How did you meet Nejat?" I asked my voice breaking a little.

"He was my son" he cried a little more and looked up at me "And you must be my grandson"

"Ho...How? I thought you lived in Rize! You never asked about me, I thought you wanted nothing to do with me!"

"I never went to Rize. Heck I've never been to Turkey! I met your Grandma here, she was here on a trip with her family. We spent one hell of a summer together, and then she disappeared. I've never heard of her since. Nejat found me before he met your mother, Leila. He moved in with me. We lived together as father and son for only a few years before he went back to Istanbul and got married. He came back when you were only one year old and I couldn't have been happier."

I looked at him and wiped my tears, this wasn't happening "So Aref Yilmaz isn't really my grandpa?"

"That's his name? Your grandma married him just after leaving here. She was pregnant with my child and never told me."

"So that's why they never asked about me"

"I thought my son left me again, I thought he disappeared like she did"

"He did leave us. He died!"

"Don't be angry young man, it wasn't his choice"

I ran my hand through my hair looking at the old man, my old man. My Grandpa. I wanted to go over there and hug him, comfort him for the loss of his son but saw the CSO email flash through my screen. With trembling hands I clicked on it and was about to read the results when I saw a figure running towards me. I looked in the distance and frowned when I realized who it was. she was running full speed towards me, full of life. She looked like a beautiful wildfire.

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Hey guys! so what do you think? is Emily really his daughter?

how did you find this chapter?

Do you like Karam? who do you think he met in Barcelona?

thank you for reading this far <3<3