Tatlı Aşk (Sweet Love) (Can & Ozge)

Chapter Forty-Four: The Return of First Loves

Ozge stared at Can or Giancarlo in disbelief. Here he was. Standing before her. Like nothing has changed. Everything has changed, of course.

Where was he five years ago?

"You two know each other?" Timoteo asked, looking at Giancarlo and Ozge.

"I'm a big fan of Miss Ozge Gurel," Giancarlo said. "I want my restaurant to be as famous as hers. Maybe even more."

"Well, you have to work harder to surpass my girlfriend," Timoteo said, putting his arm around Ozge.

"You-you're the new owner of the cafe?" Ozge asked, tongue-tied.

"Yes, my love, he bought the cafe," Timoteo said.

Ozge still stared at Giancarlo, not believing her Can as actually here.

"I have big plans for the restaurant I'm gonna have constructed once we're done with the demolition," Giancarlo said, expressionless. "I want my restaurant to be as successful as the Milani Group. I trust Timoteo will help me get there."

"Of course, Giancarlo," Timoteo said, then he gestured to the buffet table. "Anyway, please help yourself with the buffet."

"No need," Giancarlo said, checking his watch. "I still have a lot of things to do, papers to sign. I just came here to check if everything about the cafe's demolition is okay."

Timoteo looked at Ozge, who was still staring at Giancarlo.

"Everything's okay, it seems," Timoteo said.

"Well then, I'll see you soon," Giancarlo said, then he turned to leave.

Ozge followed after him. "Wait!"

***

Serkan arrived at Timoteo's party, at The St. Regis Rome hotel, as COO or Chief Operating Officer for Milani Group. He went to the party hall and congratulated Timoteo for the partnership with their company.

"Where's Giancarlo?" Serkan asked Timoteo. "He told me he'd meet me here."

"He said he still had some paperwork to do," Timoteo said. "He just left."

Serkan turned to the entrance of the party hall and his eyes widened as he saw the familiar figure. A familiar person. She looked different with her curly hair, but it was still the same deep brown eyes, rosy cheeks and red lips.

"Hande?" Serkan muttered.

She WAS the girl I saw at the park, Serkan thought.

Hande wore a black ribbed bow-front cami maxi dress, as she approached Serkan's table, holding hands with another guy. The guy grinned as he saw Timoteo.

"Timoteo, my man," the guy said, giving him a hug. "Congratulations on this project. Your next big thing, my dude."

"Thank you so much, Kerem," Timoteo said.

Serkan stared at Hande, who glanced at him every now and then.

"This is Kerem Bursin, a Turkish cardiologist in the United States but now he's residing in Rome," Timoteo said. "And this is his fiance, Hande Ercel, who is also working with me in my firm and will also be working on the new project."

Serkan's heart pounded as he heard the words.

All this time... all this time... you were okay, Hande... 

"Hi, you're Serkan Cayoglu, right?" Hande said, holding her hand out to shake Serkan's. "I'm Hande. I'm excited to work with you on this project."

Serkan shook her hand, looking at her intently. "You don't remember me, Hande?"