Twin Peaks is a place of unparalleled beauty. Two hills stand close to one another, their summits resembling twin peaks when viewed from afar. From the top, the scenery stretches endlessly in peaceful splendor. The landscape below is mesmerizing—lush greenery spread across the horizon, rivers and lakes reflecting the sky, and distant mountains fading into a bluish sea-like haze. During sunrise or sunset, the changing colors of the sky and the shifting mountain atmosphere create a breathtaking sight, offering nature lovers an unforgettable experience.
Elizabeth stubbornly insisted on staying atop the mountain until sunset. There were still nearly two hours left before the sun would set, but a queen's command was not something to ignore. If Her Majesty became displeased due to poor service, who knew what might happen? With no other choice, Takbir agreed. Elizabeth didn't even have to repeat herself.
"So, shall we take a little walk, Elokeshi? Evening is still far away."
Adjusting her sun hat, Elizabeth looked into Takbir's dark eyes. The scorching sunlight had painted a reddish glow upon her fair skin. There were no houses in sight—only endless hills and mountain ridges. Looking down from above made her throat go dry. Swallowing nervously, she looked at Takbir and said,
"Can we walk on the lower side? This side feels scary. If I slip and fall, I'll end up on the moon."
Takbir burst into laughter. A bright, carefree smile spread across his lips. Seeing Elizabeth frown, he tried his best to suppress it, but failed miserably. Biting his lip, he continued chuckling, his shoulders shaking.
"The moon is above, Elokeshi. Not below."
Elizabeth immediately clicked her tongue in embarrassment.
"Right, right. That one."
Takbir raised an eyebrow and looked at her mischievously.
"Which one?"
Elizabeth replied without concern,
"Any one will do."
It was these childish little behaviors that had trapped a mature man in love with a charming sixteen-year-old girl. Takbir often found himself wondering how his love had grown from tiny feelings into something as vast as a mountain. Day by day, he sank deeper into an endless ocean of affection. His only wish was simple—to keep this girl happy and keep her beside him. That alone made him happy.
The heat was relentless. Sweat dripped down their bodies, and even a single breeze was nowhere to be found. Suddenly, Elizabeth's throat dried up and she broke into a violent coughing fit. Bending forward with both hands on her knees, she coughed continuously.
Takbir immediately became worried.
"Elokeshi, are you okay?"
Tears gathered in her eyes from the coughing.
"Water..."
Darkness clouded Takbir's expression. Their car was parked far below near the road because bringing it up the slope wasn't possible. The distance was considerable. In Elizabeth's current state, taking her down there would be difficult. There was no one around to ask for help either.
Where could he possibly find water in this vast, open mountain?
Meanwhile, Elizabeth's coughing only worsened.
Panic began to spread through Takbir. Looking around desperately, he suddenly noticed a wooden bench a short distance away on a flat patch of land.
Supporting Elizabeth, he guided her there and seated her carefully.
"Elokeshi, birdie, wait here for me, alright? I'll go and come back quickly. Don't move from here."
With tear-filled eyes, Elizabeth looked at him. Worry had darkened his face. She silently nodded.
Takbir nodded back before sprinting toward the road.
Elizabeth swallowed repeatedly, trying to moisten her throat and stop the coughing.
Then it happened.
Without warning, terror gripped her chest.
Everything occurred within seconds.
She only felt someone yank her violently into the air.
Her breath caught.
Her eyes squeezed shut.
Then came the sound of a horse snorting.
Elizabeth froze.
Her stunned mind slowly began functioning again.
A familiar perfume drifted into her senses.
Her heartbeat faltered.
It felt as if her chest would burst.
Even with plenty of oxygen around her, she couldn't breathe.
She didn't dare open her eyes.
Her back was pressed against a hard, tree-like frame.
Strong arms held her captive.
Mounted upon a horse like a mythical steed, she was being carried away by the king of a sorrowful kingdom.
With every hoofbeat and jolt of the horse, her hands and feet grew colder with sweat.
She found herself trapped in a suffocating nightmare.
Eventually, the horse slowed.
The surroundings became unusually quiet.
Elizabeth cautiously opened her eyes.
She found herself inside a vast stud farm.
Green grass stretched endlessly around her. Wooden fences enclosed large sections of land. On one side, several Arabian horses practiced show jumping. On another, horses grazed peacefully.
Her gaze slowly shifted downward.
Strong hands held the reins.
Tattooed hands.
The moment she recognized them, a shiver ran through her body.
Richard released the reins.
Then he leaned toward her.
His rough masculine chin settled upon her shoulder.
Elizabeth's entire body trembled.
Her heartbeat became erratic.
Then came that deep, heavy voice.
"My fucking dark red."
Elizabeth turned into ice.
Not a single sound escaped her lips.
A crooked smile appeared on Richard's face.
One arm wrapped around her waist possessively.
Elizabeth shivered uncontrollably.
Disgust crawled through every part of her body.
Grinding her teeth, she said,
"Please don't touch me with those filthy hands."
Richard's smile deepened.
"Among all my sins, you are my favorite."
The fear inside Elizabeth only grew stronger.
Her eyes became wet.
Her voice trembled.
"Why did you come again?"
Richard brushed his lips against her shoulder.
Then another kiss.
And another.
And another.
Soon, her entire neck was covered with them.
In a husky voice, he replied,
"For this."
Elizabeth clenched her jaw and struggled to free herself.
It was useless.
She couldn't move even an inch from his grip.
Driven by rage, she grabbed one of his hands and bit down hard.
So hard that blood broke through his skin.
Yet Richard remained unmoved.
A twisted smile lingered on his lips while blood dripped from his hand.
Elizabeth shouted with all the hatred in her heart,
"Even Hell doesn't deserve a monster like you! Why won't you just die?"
Richard lifted his face from her shoulder.
Surprisingly, there was no visible anger.
Only a strange smile.
In a calm voice, he answered,
"Would death really be the end? Some dead roses still carry fragrance. I'm one of them."
Elizabeth laughed mockingly.
"Some broken hearts still carry love."
At once, something changed inside Richard.
His eyes darkened.
He grabbed a fistful of her hair.
Like a beast, he growled,
"Broken hearts belong to people whn't know how to take what's theirs. Richard Kainat knows exactly how to take what belongs to him."
Pain shot through Elizabeth's scalp as Richard tightened his grip on her hair. For a moment she winced, but quickly forced herself to endure it.
In a firm voice she said,
"I belong to someone else. You'll never be able to take me away. All you'll ever do is hurt me."
Richard's eyes darkened further.
Tightening his grip even more, he seized her chin from behind with his other hand.
Like a starving predator, he growled,
"I am not the boy who flies with you. I am the man who fights for you."
Elizabeth forced herself to meet his gaze.
"Someone may be soft as cotton and get trampled underfoot, while someone else may spend a thousand years trying to earn even a moment of that person's touch. Even the thing you've thrown away has been carefully treasured by someone else. Nature never tolerates emptiness—it always seeks fulfillment."
Fury flashed across Richard's face.
His hand moved from her chin to her throat.
His eyes burned like fire.
"You seem to be forgetting how to walk."
Elizabeth struggled to breathe, but even then she managed to whisper,
"What? Are you going to break my legs? Go ahead."
A devilish smile spread across Richard's lips.
Moments later, he released her throat and hair.
Once again he rested his chin on her shoulder, pulling her firmly against him.
One hand tightened around her waist while the other wandered.
Elizabeth cried out.
Richard burst into loud laughter.
Brushing his lips against her ear, he whispered,
"I hope you get it now."
Tears streamed down Elizabeth's face.
Richard ignored every sob.
Soon he jumped down from the horse and pulled the crying girl down with him.
Only then did Elizabeth properly notice his appearance.
Richard wore a black riding jacket, a riding helmet, and riding boots. His jaw remained as sharp and intimidating as ever.
Unable to bear looking at him, she turned her face away.
Suddenly Richard spoke.
"You're not nearly as innocent as you pretend to be, ma'am."
The unexpected remark made Elizabeth stare at him.
The moment their eyes met, Richard winked.
Before she could respond, she turned to leave.
Immediately Richard grabbed her wrist.
Elizabeth spun around angrily.
Richard was about to say something when another deep masculine voice echoed across the farm.
"If you talk to my wife, you die."
Elizabeth froze.
Fear gripped her instantly.
She knew destruction was only moments away.
Her silent prayers began immediately.
Then she felt another hand grasp hers.
Takbir.
His rough, strong fingers wrapped around her hand.
Richard smiled lazily and tilted his head.
Now Elizabeth stood between two men.
One held her from one side.
The other from the opposite side.
She looked toward Takbir.
The calmness usually present in his dark eyes was gone.
Only flames remained.
Then she looked toward Richard.
His ocean-blue eyes resembled a volcano ready to erupt.
For several moments neither man spoke.
A silent war unfolded between them.
Then Richard laughed softly and released Elizabeth's hand.
Elizabeth instantly stepped away and moved behind Takbir.
Takbir positioned himself completely in front of her.
"Elokeshi, go sit in the car."
His voice struck like thunder.
Elizabeth didn't waste another second.
She saw Takbir's car parked near the farm gate and immediately ran toward it.
Earlier, after bringing water, Takbir had been unable to find her. Panic had consumed him. He searched everywhere before remembering that Elizabeth had her phone.
After checking her location, he discovered the farm near Twin Peaks and rushed there immediately.
Now Richard stood directly before him.
Hands in his pockets.
Shoulders straight.
Takbir's burning gaze never left him.
Like a snake and a mongoose facing one another.
Finally Richard spoke first.
"So, we finally meet."
Takbir's reply came cold and hard.
"Stay away from my wife."
Richard smiled.
Taking two steps forward, he whispered,
"And if I don't?"
Takbir answered instantly.
"Then it will be a declaration of war."
Richard's smile widened.
"Challenge accepted."
Takbir laughed quietly.
Unlike his usual warm smile, this one carried no kindness.
He asked confidently,
"Will any of it even matter? When two hearts want to become one, no one can separate them. In Elizabeth's waking life and dreams, there has only ever been me—and there always will be."
Richard's eyebrows lifted.
"Dreams too?"
Takbir frowned, unable to understand the strange question.
Seeing his confusion, Richard chuckled and deliberately exhaled warm breath near his face.
Takbir's eyes reddened with anger.
Richard's voice dripped with mockery.
"I don't know about her waking life. But while she was with me, she never had enough sleep to dream."
A pause.
Then Richard added,
"Because I don't even let her sleep all night."
That was enough.
Takbir lost control.
Grabbing Richard by the collar, he pulled him forward.
Richard didn't resist.
Instead, he smiled.
The grinding sound of Takbir's teeth echoed through the air.
Strangely, it seemed to amuse Richard.
Takbir growled,
"Be a slave on my land for a few days if you want. The rest of her life belongs to me. If not in the next world, then certainly in this one."
He shoved Richard away.
Richard laughed.
Takbir smirked.
"Time will tell whose seeds actually grow in the field."
The hidden meaning behind those words immediately reached Richard.
His fists clenched.
Meanwhile Takbir turned around and began walking toward the car.
After a few steps, Richard's deep voice rang out behind him.
"I will definitely take revenge. But in a different way. A far more terrifying way. Without any warning before the war begins."
Takbir paused briefly.
He didn't understand what revenge Richard was talking about.
Yet he never looked back.
He simply continued walking.
Behind him, Richard stood alone, smiling.
A strange, unsettling smile.
Throughout the drive back, Takbir didn't say a single word.
Elizabeth sat silently as well.
Watching him drive recklessly made her nervous.
Again and again she blamed herself.
Everything happened because of her.
Everyone connected to her cursed life eventually suffered.
That was why she never wanted anyone tied to the endless destruction surrounding her existence.
By the time they reached the hotel, night had fallen.
Just like before, Takbir had rented a two-room apartment suite.
The moment they stepped inside, he slammed the door shut.
Then Elizabeth saw a side of him she had never witnessed before.
The gentle exterior disappeared.
His anger exploded.
Elizabeth flinched.
Her phone slipped from her hand and landed painfully on her foot.
She gritted her teeth and endured the pain.
Looking up, she stared at him in disbelief.
At that moment, Takbir looked like a wild beast.
Anger burned inside his eyes.
Unable to contain himself any longer, he pointed at her and shouted,
"You forget—you are my wife. Not his. Not anyone else's. I don't give a fck how handsome he is. You are mine, and nobody touches what's mine. Understand? Stay away from him."*
The moment he finished, Takbir stormed out of the apartment.
Elizabeth remained standing there.
Silent.
Looking at the shattered pieces of glass on the floor.
Finally, the tears she had been holding back slipped free.
With a heavy sigh, she cleaned up the broken glass herself.
Why should she expect special treatment?
Her entire life had been a struggle.
She told herself she wasn't hurt.
Not at all.
She had long ago learned how to live with neglect.
Hours passed.
It was nearly eleven at night.
Takbir still hadn't returned.
Elizabeth tried calling him repeatedly, but every attempt ended with the phone being switched off.
She knew he was angry.
Trying to calm herself, she sat alone and began revisiting the unresolved chapters of her life.
As always, the answers remained elusive.
Eventually her thoughts drifted toward Richard.
His touch still seemed to linger painfully on her skin.
There had never been love in that touch.
Only cruelty.
Then she began thinking about Takbir—
Suddenly something cold touched her foot.
Startled, she looked down.
In the dim light entering through the window, she saw Takbir kneeling beside the bed.
Quietly applying ice to her swollen foot.
The swelling had been caused when the phone fell earlier.
Elizabeth had been so lost in thought that she hadn't even noticed his return.
Quickly she pulled her foot away.
"What are you doing? Why are you touching my feet?"
Without answering, Takbir gently pulled her foot back and continued applying the ice.
"Because it's necessary."
Elizabeth stared at him.
Her voice softened.
"And what else is necessary?"
"An apology."
The answer came immediately.
Takbir finally looked up.
Guilt filled his eyes.
His face was weighed down with regret.
"I'm sorry, Elokeshi. Please forgive me. Believe me, I didn't want to talk to you like that."
Elizabeth looked away.
"I didn't mind."
But the faint hurt in her voice betrayed her.
Takbir lowered his head.
Embarrassed.
Ashamed.
After a pause she asked,
"How did you know it was hurting?"
Without lifting his gaze he replied,
"I notice everything."
After applying medicine and gently massaging her foot, he stood up.
Still unable to meet her eyes.
"I've served dinner. Come eat."
As Elizabeth prepared to step down from the bed, Takbir quickly placed her slippers beneath her feet.
A cool breeze seemed to pass through her wounded heart.
Yet she tried to remain stubborn.
"Don't do things that make your feelings obvious."
Takbir blinked.
"Why?"
Elizabeth answered quietly,
"When someone suddenly cares for you, it feels uncomfortable. Love becomes embarrassing for people who are used to neglect."
The words pierced Takbir's chest.
He knelt before her again.
His eyes carried genuine pain.
"I've heard that controlling your emotions is the greatest sign of maturity. Unfortunately, even at thirty-five, I haven't learned that lesson. Can't you forgive me?"
Elizabeth narrowed her eyes suspiciously.
"Thirty-five?"
Takbir laughed.
"Did you think I was old?"
Elizabeth wrinkled her nose.
"Your age must be at least forty."
Takbir looked genuinely offended.
"What?! Do I really look forty to you?"
For the first time that evening, Elizabeth smiled.
"Well, considering your political career..."
At last Takbir understood.
Laughing, he pinched her nose lightly.
"If fraud exists everywhere, why wouldn't it exist in politics? Politics is the biggest stage for fraud."
Elizabeth's eyes narrowed further.
Takbir shook his head with a grin.
"My age was increased on my official documents."
Both of them laughed together.
The tension gradually disappeared.
The room filled with warm laughter once again.
Then suddenly Takbir said something that stole Elizabeth's smile away.
"If you want, come into my life like cancer and slowly destroy me. But I have only one prayer—when you leave, don't leave me behind. Take me with you, because I won't be able to endure your absence. If staying beside you means death, then I'll gladly accept that death, Elokeshi."
Elizabeth fell silent.
For several moments she couldn't speak.
Takbir left for the dining room to bring the food.
Watching him go, Elizabeth whispered to herself,
"Please don't love this deeply, good man. You'll only end up shattered."