Yasin's office was a small room, with a desk and three chairs on one side, and four black armchairs and a coffee table on the other. Sitting there, Iskender was reminded of their father, the last time he had seen him, ten years before his death. It had also been the first time Iskender had set foot inside that house, after his mother had died and her family had decided they didn't want him. Ali had done the bare minimum expected from him as a father by taking Iskender into his own home, and then throwing him at Gulten to be raised by her.

His brother had been in his twenties back then, an age gap significant enough to make the two feel like anything but siblings. Alpaslan's father, Yunus, had been even older. They hadn't known how to act with each other. They hadn't even met each other before that day. Gulten, however, had decided quickly that Iskender would be the third son she had so much wished for.

Despite being raised in that house, Iskender had always felt that he didn't belong there. Yunus had already been married when he first met Iskender, although he had been only twenty. When he had died, eight years later, his wife had left, abandoning a three-year-old Alpaslan with them. Yasin had also had plans of marrying Meryem at that time, but he had always tried to make time for Iskender. One year after bringing his illegitimate son in his wife's house, Ali had been sent to jail, where he had died years later.

"Where is Demir?" Yasin asked. "I called him half an hour ago."

Iskender shrugged, throwing a look at his brother, who stood on the armchair next to him. "He should be here in a few minutes. Do you want me to call him?"

Yasin shook his head. "We'll wait."

Given that it was already nine, Demir should have been there earlier. Especially when his wife, Meryem's sister, was already downstairs. However, Iskender knew that Demir wasn't exactly a punctual person. Being late wasn't something he wouldn't do.

"I told him a thousand times," Yasin said. "If Edanur comes here when he have a meeting, he should come with her. Better early than late."

"You know him," Levent, a mad of average height with brown eyes and balding hair, said from the armchair in front of Iskender. "I say we should tell him we're gathering earlier, maybe at eight, so he can be here by nine and a half."

A knock on the door made all three of them turn around, waiting to see who would enter. However, instead of Demir, it was Meryem who came inside with a tray on which were two cups of coffee. She went to Levent first, placing the cup in front of him, and then to Iskender.

"Where's my coffee?" Yasin asked.

"If you want, tell your mother to make one for you. And come downstairs to take it yourself. Don't make the poor woman climb all these stairs."

With those words, Meryem walked away, slamming the door behind her.

"What's all this about?" Iskender asked, looking at his brother.

His sister-in-law was the calmest person Iskender had ever known. He doubted that she was still angry because they hadn't answered her calls yesterday. There had to be something else.

"Nothing," Yasin said, shaking his head and then getting up.

After Yasin left the office, Iskender turned towards Levent, throwing his cousin a questioning look.

"Yasin is doing this with his own hand," Levent said. "I told him a thousand times. Meryem is not the kind of woman who accepts her husband cheating on her. I told him she would make him regret it every single day."

"What are you saying?" Iskender asked, leaning forward. "My brother is cheating on Meryem?"

"Where do you live?" Levent asked. "Don't you hear what they're talking about at dinner?"

Iskender shook his head. His family talked about too many things at dinner after the children went to their rooms. It was far more easy for him to simply go in the garden or to spend time with his niece and nephew. If they talked about anything important, they would tell him later.

"In that case," Levent said, "allow me to be the first to congratulate you. Iskender, you'll have another nephew or niece."

Iskender leaned back in his chair, covering his mouth with his hand. He then shook his head, leaning forward. "What are you saying?"

Levent shrugged. "It's not my fault no one tells you anything. Though, I suppose they don't talk about this a lot with Meryem here."

It was hard to believe his brother would do something like that. Yasin, who had never betrayed anyone, was cheating on his wife.

"I have to say," Levent added, "even I was surprised. I'd have expected this from anyone else, but not Yasin. If someone would have asked me who was more likely to cheat between the two of you, I would have bet my life on you."

"Don't talk nonsense," Iskender exclaimed, gesturing with one hand.

Iskender refrained a sigh. He didn't even want to think about what his brother was doing. He had enough on his head without worrying about what Yasin did.

"Psst," Levent said, which shouldn't have come as a surprise given that he was never able to shut up. "Have you met your new sister-in-law?"

"Levent! I swear, one of these days I'm going to tell Hatice that you're cheating on her with different women every week and leave you to her mercy. Which doesn't exist!"

"But I'm not cheating on her!"

Iskender threw his hands in the air in exasperation. At that moment, Alpaslan chose to come in the office, and Iskender got up, walking towards his nephew.

"You're coming outside with me until Demir comes before I get Levent kicked out of his house."

He dragged Alpaslan outside the room, stopping a few steps away from the door. The office was the first room next to the stairs, a corridor leading to a couple of bedrooms, some used by family members, others reserved for guests. A small table stood on the only free wall, with a lamp.

"What happened?" Alpaslan asked.

Iskender shook his head. "Nothing. Where are you coming from? You didn't come to dinner."

"I went to a restaurant," Alpaslan answered. "Then got in a small altercation."

Iskender shot his nephew a glance. "What altercation? Haven't I told you a thousand times? Don't get into fights! Yasin also said. There was going to be one man in this family who wasn't head deep into this swamp! Who are you fighting with?"

"It was more a misunderstanding," Alpaslan said, defending himself. "No one got hurt."

Iskender nodded. It seemed there had been some sort of silent agreement in his family that they would not involve Alpaslan in their dirty businesses. Everything that was legal, the restaurants, the hotels, part of them would go to Alpaslan. However, everything that was underground would be taken either by Ökan or any son Iskender might ever have. Not Alpaslan, who had a bright future far away from all those things, who had lost his father because of their business.

As soon as he heard someone coming upstairs, Iskender moved his gaze on the stairs to see his brother and Demir. He noticed their grave expressions and immediately knew something was wrong.

"Let's go inside," Yasin said, gesturing towards the office.

Iskender followed his brother, seating on the same armchair, while Demir sat in front of him, and Alpaslan at one of the chairs near the desk.

There were a lot of things that could go wrong, and Iskender didn't know which one would do less damage. One of their fabrics might have encountered a problem. Worse, a transport might be malfunctioning, and then they would be accused of trying to fool Hazım. Part of him wondered if Alpaslan might have done something stupid, but Iskender didn't believe that to be the case. Between the two of them, Alpaslan was the calmer, and he wasn't reckless.

"Șeref woke up," Yasin said, and Iskender signed, running a hand through his beard.

From all the possibilities, that had to be the worst. If Șeref had stayed in that comma or if he had died, things would have been easier for them. He was dangerous, both to the organisation and to Iskender's family. Șeref wanted something that was not possible. He had wanted Hazım and the rest to end all their illegal affairs. He had wanted to bring the end of the organisation. But it was impossible. Even if Hazım, his family and everyone else, including Iskender's family, died or were sent to jail, someone else would come and take their place. It would never end. Șeref was smart enough to know this, so he had decided on something that, despite him believing otherwise, was equally impossible. He wanted Yasin to take Hazım's place. He wanted Iskender's brother to betray all those men at that table, as if the consequences wouldn't be deadly.

"Hazım will either send someone to kill him," Levent said after a moment of silence. "Or Șeref will pester us again and get us all killed."

There was no doubt that if Hazım learned that Yasin had been seeing Șeref, he would order their deaths. No one would dare to contest that, not if Yasin did something as stupid as working with the Intelligence.

"Șeref's reasons are clear," Yasin said."And so is what Hazım will do. In a few days, Șeref will die."

"But it won't end," Alpaslan intervened, leaning forward. "If Șeref dies, if Hazım dies, it doesn't matter. Someone else will come every time."

Iskender nodded. That made it even harder. He knew his brother didn't want to fight the state, but selling the organisation wasn't the solution. Șeref had made beautiful promises about assuring their safety, but he didn't understand that Hazım would find them wherever they hid. He didn't understand that, if Yasin betrayed the others, he betrayed himself.

"We need to choose a side," Levent said after a moment of silence. He was right, of course. But Iskender didn't think one side was better than the other. Hazım and Șeref were both dangerous, and it wasn't clear who could do more harm to their family yet.

"We either make a move," Yasin said, his gaze lowered before moving to Iskender. "Or we overturn the board."

"This isn't chess, abi," Iskender said.

"But it is just the same, Iskender," Yasin answered with a strange amused look in his eyes. Iskender recognised that. It was the look his brother had when he made a mad plan that Iskender ended up hating.

"What are you planning?" he asked, unsure. Whatever it was, it couldn't be good. Brilliant, most likely, but not something Iskender would like.

Sometimes, he wanted his brother to be more like Hazım. He wanted Yasin to handle the discussions, and let Iskender risk his life. The thought of dying in his brother's place didn't bother him. It was better than seeing Yasin die and be powerless to save him. It was better than looking into Mrs. Gülten's eyes and telling her that her son had died. It was better than standing before Meryem and telling her that her husband was dead. It was better than going to his nephews to tell them that their father had been killed. If that happened, if Yasin died, Iskender wouldn't be able to look in the eyes of anyone in that house. He wouldn't even be able to set foot inside his brother's home.

"It doesn't matter now," Yasin answered, much to Iskender's annoyance. Because it mattered. Because if it was something that endangered his brother's life, Iskender needed to find a way to keep Yasin safe. And he couldn't do that if he had no idea what his brother was planning.

"Abi–"

"I'll tell you when the time is right," Yasin interrupted him. "But there is something else that I need to talk to you about, Iskender. Alone."

Levent, Alpaslan, and even Demir got the clue and got up from their chairs and leaving the room, Alpaslan closing the door behind him. Iskender turned towards his brother, waiting to hear what Yasin had to say.

Sighing, Yasin leaned back into his chair, looking awfully tired although it was only morning. Iskender wondered if he had gotten any sleep that night. Judging from the deep circles underneath his brown eyes, Yasin didn't look as if he had managed to get a lot of rest.

"I assume you've heard about Asiye," Yasin said.

Iskender titled his head, trying to remember who Asiye was. He didn't remember knowing anyone by that name. It wasn't a relative, he was sure of that. So who was–

The mistress!

"This," Iskender said, hesitating. "I... It's not my bussing, abi."

That was the safe answer. Because Iskender didn't dare to explain to his brother that, no matter what that woman had to say or what Yasin claimed, he didn't want to meet her. Meryem had been as much a sister to Iskender as Yasin had been a brother. He didn't want to be forced to chose between the two of them.

"Look, Iskender," Yasin said, leaning towards him. "I understand why you might not want to have anything to do with her. But the child she is carrying is mine. And, if something were to happen to me–"

"Nothing will happen to you, abi. This isn't something we need to discuss."

"But if it does," Yasin continued, seeming decided to speak, "I need you to make sure both of them have what they need. I need you to be a father for my son if I die."

Iskender moved his gaze towards the door, not wanting to look at Yasin. Of course, he would do what his brother asked. But he didn't want Yasin to get hurt. He didn't want any child to grow up without a father. Nodding, he turned his head to look at Yasin.

"I promise," Iskender said. "But you'll see there isn't a reason to ask this. Nothing will happen to you, abi."

Yasin shook his head. "Anything can happen to anyone at any time. Especially to us."

Abi - (ah-bee) - Brother (older)