Emir Jamal for president!

"What is it honey... What's with the long face?"Zeynep asked her daughter as she joined in for breakfast in the kitchen.Rubi Jamal,ambassador Emir Jamal's birth mother and the woman Elba inherited her second name from was also there.Turned out she wasn't just visiting but would stay a while longer.The woman was a pain in the ass for Elba.

"I'm fine,anne."Elba kissed her mother on the cheek then her grandmother's back palm to her forehead before she sat down.The old woman wasn't even looking at Elba which sort of said how unglad she was to see her and with that came the story behind Elba not liking the name Rubi.

According to grandmother or nene,as the old woman demanded Elba call her...Elba was a spoilt non greatful brat who did whatever she liked and suspected she was in some kind of a cult for becoming a model instead of a lawyer and following in her father's legacy.

She normally complained saying it was a shame she was her namesake,since she was a little girl.

Elba had felt the tension between her and her grandmother since she was old enough to know what the word meant.And she had done what she had to keep off the old woman's lanes.

Elba was always not right or she was acting up if she wasn't doing everything to disobey grandmother.But in Elba's defense,for starters,being independent doesn't necessarily mean rebellious and Elba loved her freedom just fine.If the old woman thought she would control whatever she did with her life because she was named after her,she was very wrong and hence the rivalry and dislike between the two.

"Honey,tell me what is bothering--"

"The girl said she is fine,for heaven's sake!"Grandmother looked up for once and glued her eyes on Zeynep.

Elba quietly sat down on her chair infront of her diet breakfast not feeling hungry anymore.

It had been a long week and her relationship with Lamar wasn't that good.Not after that voice call message from Saphire last Saturday.

Then she heard they were meeting up to talk Saphire out of the absurd lawsuit she had against the Erdogans.Why couldn't Lamuel go meet Saphire instead?And the model they chose as the new face of Grande Erdogan?Ayla had submitted Elba's interest for the post because she would be working alongside Lamar if she got the chance and a golden opportunity to keep up with his secretive life.And Lamar assured her she would get the post but her hopes were withering as fast as the affection between them.Lamar didn't go a day without seeing her or kissing her senseless and how many times had she seen him in the week? Probably everyday but on tabs... even this morning when an article speculating a romantic relationship between him and Saphire Bansaki caught her attention.

Elba stood up and decided to go for a swim to clear up her head before she met up with her agents to discuss a Paris runway opportunity.

"Where are you--you didn't touch your food!"Zeynep called trying to get up from her chair."Your grandma and I are going out for shopping,you want to join us?"

"Let her be!You spoil her too much!"Rubi Jamal spoke halting Zeynep's advance to follow her daughter.

"Give her some time and she'll come around..."Rubi said going back to her mashed breakfast.

"I don't know mom.Something is wrong with her...or with Lamar.They haven't been spending much time together."Zeynep said still looking the way her daughter had disappeared.

"Owh!Boy problems!She has to learn from experience that the Erdogans are naturally polygamous.Sorry to say this but I warned her.There is a really nice young man for her back in the province."

Zeynep breathed out heavily and drummed her palms on the dining table.

"Enough with your perfect match making schemes!If you really want to help then you should keep your wrinkled old wag shut!"

Rubi looked at her daughter in law surprised."I'm so sorry mom,I didn't mean--"

"Now you shut up!If it weren't for me you wouldn't be married to Emir.And you think you are more perfect?You couldn't get pregnant for my son and that's why we have that brat here in the first place!"

"Mom please..."Zeynep tried shushing her mother in law looking toward the kitchen entrance and afraid of someone hearing Rubi Jamal's shouts.

"I was just reminding you so you'd stop acting like a mother you're not!Her roots are finally catching up to her because who knows what her family really is like!"Grandmother finished then in turn drummed her fists on the table,pushed her chair back and left.

Zeynep took in calming breaths and fisted her small hands.

"Get a grip Zeynep...no one heard anything and Elba is my daughter.She is mine..."Zeynep continued with her cleansing breaths until her temper was back to normal.

But a maid well hidden by the indoor ornamental plants in the yard heard everything grandmother bickered.She hadn't intended to eavesdrop,only doing routine watering.And the only thing running in her head at the moment was that Elba wasn't Zeynep's birth daughter.

In the meantime,Elba did some few back and front strokes but she still didn't have her head in the game.She was still wrapped up on the fact that Saphire was trying to take Lamar from her... literally snatch him!

"She wanna play?I'm going to play!"Elba murmured kicking out of the swimming pool in a pink swimsuit.

...

"Where are you going sweetheart?"Zeynep called after her daughter who was hastily sashaying toward the mansion's exit.

"Stop worrying about me.You go out with nene without me!"

She got into one of her sports cars in the garage and drove off to the one place she knew she would find the Bansaki bitch.In the middle of her fuming,she went over the speed limit and was flagged down twice before she parked at Bansaki Corp.In the middle of Istanbul.

The building was towering over the neighboring buildings and it was busy 'specially for a Friday morning.

Elba wasn't bothered by the time of day because Saphire didn't seem to have a problem taking what wasn't hers.And where in the world was Lamar?He hadn't video called her like he did every morning before he got out of bed!

"Ma'am,can I help you?"A secretary behind a front desk with big golden 'Bansaki Corp.' inscripted asked Elba on the executive floor.

Elba didn't know the floor layout but she knew a woman's touch on an office when she saw one.

"Miss,you can't barge in here like that without an appointment!"The secretary raised her voice assuming Elba hadn't heard her the first time.She left her post and followed Elba to try and stop her before she got to the boss'office where the boss and her brother were having a heated argument.About what?The secretary didn't know but she knew what would happen if Elba walked in that office!

Elba just but heard as the room's occupants say her father's name.

Technically,she paused briefly at the door handle to hear what they were talking about.

"Emir Jamal for president!"The lady voice that was distinctively Saphire whined."As if bailing Kempinski wasn't enough now he is running for presidency!"

"Why are you so upset?Did you want to run for the seat as well?"

"Hey!"The secretary caught up with Elba and grabbed her arm.

"Let me go!"Elba grunted and walked into the office.More like a conference room because the seats and table arrangements looked so.Saphire stopped pacing and turned to the door,while her brother looked shocked into silence.

"So sorry madam,sir!I tried to stop--"

"It's okay Vishi,you can leave!"Kucuk commanded and stood up too overwhelmed at seeing Elba.Air had been literally knocked out of him when she walked in...or barged.

"What the hell do you want here?"Saphire started with the offense starting for Elba.Elba noticed the hungry gaze she usually gave Lamar was missing and she looked upset.

"Stay the hell away from Lamar!I don't know what you think you're doing or whatever schemes you have...but stay the hell away from him or --"

"Or what?What will you do,huh?"

Kucuk swiftly got between the two as they were each slowly advancing toward the other.

"Ladies please.Maybe we can all sit down and chat this out like adults?"

"No!"The ladies exclaimed at the same time."This is my battle Kucuk,stay away!"Saphire warned her brother.

"I'm not afraid of you Saphire Bansaki!And neither you!"Elba turned to Kucuk and the joy he felt was immense, though not in the best of circumstances.

Elba did notice the guy looked less wolverine with a clean shave.She inwardly smiled as she left at a memory of the first time she saw Kucuk and surprise was an understatement...the tabloids spoke so much of him that Elba thought he was an old bent man until he was introduced as a sponsor to a children's home project she had been volunteering for.

"Elba saw me today!Why didn't I think of shaving sooner?"Kucuk gasped taking the nearest chair.

"Ugh! I'm out of here.I can't look at you!"Saphire marched out of the mini conference room and left her drooling brother behind.