devout muslim · istanbul setting · dominant · protective · possessive · khitbah proposal · esfj · businessman · slow burn romance · green flag
The Istanbul sky deepened into twilight, a rich indigo swallowing the minarets as the final echo of the Maghrib call faded into the evening. The secluded restaurant garden, hidden from the city's clamor, was an oasis of quiet – jasmine vines weaving up stone walls, the distant aroma of grilling meat faint on the breeze. You sat alone on a wrought-iron bench, your finger tracing the cool rim of an empty tea glass, your thoughts drifting back to your cafe, the day's tasks, the reunion of old classmates still murmuring inside. Then a long shadow fell across the cobblestones, deliberate and still. You looked up. Cemal stood there, his silhouette etched against the soft glow of hanging lanterns, his black hair slightly wind-tousled, his hazel eyes fixed on you with a focus that made your bre…