Ege Yazıcı had never been someone who enjoyed corporate boardrooms or power plays. Born into affluence as the heir to Yazman Group, a real estate dynasty, he had spent the majority of his adult life trying to evade it. Instead, he discovered peace in the winds and waves of Çeşme, where he operated a modest surf school. For him, the ocean was more than just water—it represented a way of life.
However, his tranquility was disrupted when Aslı Mansoy arrived.
Aslı, the determined and ambitious CEO of Yazman Group, had one purpose—enhance the company’s reach with an extravagant seaside resort that would transform Çeşme into the Monaco of Turkey. Investors were thrilled by the concept. The board gave their approval. The only obstacles in her path were a stretch of pristine coastline… and Ege.
“You’re squandering prime real estate,” she stated, standing on the sand in immaculate heels, appearing impossibly out of her element. “This location could be something extraordinary. ”
Ege smirked. “It already is. ”
For weeks, they argued. She was resolute, proposing buyouts, exploiting legal loopholes, and employing every tactic available to push him out. But Ege wasn’t simply a surfer clinging to a youthful aspiration. This land was more than a residence—it represented his identity. He fought with everything within him, rallying community support, bringing attention to environmental issues, and even leveraging his stake in the company to delay the project.
Yet, the more they battled, the more Aslı recognized something in Ege that took her by surprise—conviction. In contrast to the corporate arena where wealth and power dictated the rules, he fought with passion, not avarice. And as much as she loathed to concede it, it intrigued her.
Then, everything shifted one stormy night.
An impulsive investor, eager to commence construction, dispatched a team to begin illegal land clearance. A storm approached, and the construction crew disregarded warnings. The outcome was catastrophic—a collapsed cliff, an injured worker, and a devastated beach.
Aslı witnessed the devastation firsthand, standing in the ruins of what was meant to be her triumph. The resort hadn’t been constructed yet, but the harm was already inflicted. She experienced something she hadn’t felt in years—guilt.
For the first time, she reevaluated everything.
Ege, bruised from the conflict yet resolute, offered a hand. “It’s not too late to amend this,” he said.
She didn’t accept it immediately. She wasn’t prepared to acknowledge defeat. But in that instant, she viewed the world from his perspective—the unrefined beauty of nature, the strength of the wind, and the individuals who genuinely cherished this locale.
So, she made a decision.
She entered the next Yazman board meeting, her meticulously crafted persona disintegrating as she uttered words she never expected to say. “We’re not constructing the resort,” she declared. “And we’re going to rectify the damage we’ve caused. ”
The backlash came swiftly. Stocks would decline. Investors would fume. Yet she remained indifferent. For the first time in years, she was not pursuing power. She was pursuing something genuine.
Months later, the construction wounds healed, and so did she. She remained in Çeşme—not as a CEO, but as someone who was learning to live outside of numbers and profits. And Ege? He still surfed the waves, but now, when he glanced back at the shore, Aslı was there, barefoot in the sand, no longer battling against the wind.
This wasn’t the existence she had envisioned.
It was an improvement.
