Admittedly, at first, Yasmin had been hesitant to accept Narin’s help. Even if she didn’t blame Yasmin for the arrest and confinement of two of her three children, Yasmin had trouble trusting a woman who’d managed to raise a trio of psychopaths. And yes, she was including Volkan on the list. She loved him, but he definitely lived on a separate plane of moral existence than her.

But as Yasmin spent more one-on-one time with Narin, she realized that the older woman was as much a hostage to her family as Yasmin was when Volkan kidnapped her. Narin had been pushed into marriage with a powerful, morally corrupt man in much the same way Yasmin had.

She raised her family the best way she knew how, and her children were given many privileges and opportunities that most people didn’t experience. The word ’no’ wasn’t one often used in the Kartel household, which led the kids to feel as though they could have whatever their heart’s desired. Money opened doors to them, convincing all three that, with enough money, no door was closed to them.

Yasmin suspected that Narin’s presence in her husband’s life had mitigated some of the children’s darker tendencies, which allowed Volkan to love his wife wholeheartedly and unselfishly. Though he could be autocratic with brutal tendencies, he was always gentle and kind with his wife and child. Since their night on the island, he hadn’t said a single harsh word to her, which allowed her to be contented in her new life.

“When is Defne’s sentencing?” Yasmin asked quietly.

Narin lifted her gaze from the baby, her face creasing in sadness. “She’ll be sentenced in a few days. I’ll go to the courthouse to be with her and her lawyer said I would be allowed to accompany her to the facility she’ll be staying at.”

After speaking with police and the family’s lawyer, Narin was convinced it would be best for her daughter to plead guilty to the murder of Caria and the attempted murder of Yasmin. Several mental health professionals had already assessed her and declared her unfit to stand trial. She would be sentenced to a minimum of twenty years in an institution that deals with such psychosis.

“They’ll be able to give her the help she needs,” Yasmin said, trying to reconcile Narin to her daughter’s fate. Narin knew this was the best thing for Defne, but it still upset her to think that her daughter might never again come home.

Narin nodded. “My brain knows it, but my heart wants her back.” Tears filled her eyes and slowly trickled down her cheeks. She hastily scrubbed at them with her hands. She let out a breath and looked up at the ceiling blinking rapidly. “Maybe I deserve this. If I’d raised them right…”