From a young age, he was the eldest, the responsible one, the one the family expected to run the show when Papa Ulusoy retired. That all came crumbling down when Ozan dared to question his parents' motives. Those expectations have impacted the man who struggles with control and is easily stressed.
STATS
- Name: Ozan Ulusoy - Nicknames: Oz or Ozzie - Neighborhood: Beachfront - Occupation: Businessman - Age & Birthday: 36 years & May 12, 1989 - Pronouns & Gender: He/him & cis-male - Ethnicity: Turkish - Sexuality: Heterosexual - Hometown & Time in BR: Briar Ridge, left 7 years ago to live in Turkey and has just returned. - Family: His younger sister is Esra Ulusoy. He is the father of Leyla Yilmaz's daughter (Billie), but he doesn't know this yet.
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BIOGRAPHY
trigger warnings: child cruelty/abuse, OCD mention
CHILDHOOD:
Ozan was born in Briar Ridge as the eldest son of the Ulusoy family, inheriting the weight of expectations from the moment he entered the world. As a young boy, he was closest to his mother, finding solace in her warmth and tender attention. That comfort was shattered when tragedy struck their household with the death of Mrs Yilmaz, a close family friend when Ozan was just ten. The loss transformed his mother into someone colder, more distant, and wicked, fracturing the bond they once shared. That was the beginning of a very lonely period for Ozan.
By the time Ozan turned 14, his summers were spent working in the family business under his father's strict and humiliating gaze. Tasks like scrubbing toilets became tools for his father’s cruel criticisms, leaving Ozan bitter and angry. This anger found an outlet in tennis, where he channeled his frustrations to become a high school star. During this time, Ozan began to show signs of obsessive-compulsive tendencies, developing unhealthy habits in an attempt to regain some semblance of control over his life. This would become something he would battle with all of his life. His time in high school was difficult, as he struggled socially. The anger and loneliness led him to find comfort in the gym, tennis court, or the loyal companionship of the family dog, Luna.
Ozan’s talent on the court earned him a scholarship offer to play tennis at UCLA. However, his father crushed that dream, insisting he attend the Darden School of Business at the University of Virginia. It was closer to home and the right path for a “real” businessman. Though Ozan resented the choice, his years at Darden gave him his first taste of freedom. He went to his first parties, experienced his first relationship, and felt like a normal young man for the first time.
NEW YORK:
At 23, freshly graduated and eager to prove himself, Ozan was placed in the main office of the family business in New York. His main responsibility was liaising with the head office back in Briar Ridge.
Fate had a habit of bringing Leyla Yilmaz into Ozan's life, especially when he seemed to need someone most. The young man exploring New York would have hated to admit that, but finding her there had brought familiarity he didn't know he would need. He had visited many big cities with his family, but this was his first time alone, and he hated being alone.
Would she have been his first choice? That was hard for young Ozan to answer. Leyla Yilmaz, a young Turkish woman from his hometown, who had once been a thorn in his side. The two had grown up together, and despite the forced family events or the high school squabbles where both stomped off hurt and flushed in the face, the two also shared some quiet moments that Ozan had never forgotten, as they were some of the few times in his life where he had felt seen. That someone cared about Ozan and not the Ulusoy.
While in New York together, this dynamic persisted, but underneath their verbal sparring, an undeniable attraction grew. What began as tension evolved into an unexpected romance.
Over time, Leyla became Ozan’s closest confidant. He supported her through the highs of her first book’s success and the heartbreaking lows of her brother’s death. The grief deepened their bond, and Ozan fell deeply in love. With Leyla, the world seemed brighter and more vibrant. He noticed colors like never before. Her presence brought out the best in him and built a confidence that improved his work, where he succeeded and inspired all those who worked with him.
For the first time, Ozan began to stand up to his father, starting with small acts of defiance. At first, his father was impressed by the man his son was turning out to be. However, the tipping point came when Ozan intervened to prevent his younger sister, Esra, from marrying a man he believed was unworthy. Ozan had heard whispers in the office about this man, and he worried for Esra. His father’s wrath was swift and unforgiving. Ozan was banished from the family home, fired from his position, and cut off from all ties to the Ulusoy name. Only his trust fund remained—a lifeline but a meager comfort in the face of such betrayal.
TURKEY:
The fallout left Ozan adrift, and in his turmoil, he blamed Leyla. She was the woman who had made him confident and encouraged him to speak freely. Those thoughts ruminated, and he spiraled back to the lonely teenage boy who was bitter and angry. Ozan knew she deserved better than the broken man he had become, so he ended their relationship. He wasn't ready to step up for her, so he had to leave — a decision he thought about every day since.
Seeking refuge, Ozan fled to Turkey to the embrace of his Anneanne (Grandma). She had always been a source of warmth during childhood summer visits, and now, without hesitation, she welcomed him back. On her farm, Ozan found solace in a simpler life, working the land and rediscovering himself. He found a new way of living and an identity outside of his father's shadow, and that brought him peace. There was always a longing for Leyla, and he tried everything to ease that ache; he even wrote in his journal to her every day, but nothing made it go away. The man who loved her was still a part of him, someone he wanted to be.
PRESENT:
One quiet night, a call from his younger sister, Esra, shattered the peace Ozan had found on the farm. Her voice, laced with masked laughter and muffled sobs, sent a chill through him. She needed his help, and though she didn’t say the words outright, Ozan could hear the desperation. Without hesitation, he packed his belongings and made plans to return to Briar Ridge. Fear tugged at his resolve—he knew what returning home could mean—but he couldn’t abandon Esra again.
Before he left, his Anneanne, ever intuitive, handed him her wedding ring. “For someone special,” she said, her eyes full of knowing warmth. Ozan threaded the ring onto a chain and wore it around his neck. He didn’t yet know what the ring’s future held, but carrying a piece of his Anneanne gave him the strength he needed.
Back in Briar Ridge, Ozan has moved into a comfortable home overlooking the beach. Slowly but steadily, he’s finding his way back into the fabric of his hometown. Though the path ahead remains uncertain, Ozan is ready to face it—this time, with purpose and, perhaps, with love still waiting to be rediscovered.
WANTED CONNECTIONS:
Buddies - gym, tennis, sports in general, anyone who needs their dog walked, coffee... anything cute really
Childhood friends/High school friends/College friends
New York friends/Connections
Neighbors - he’s living in Beachfront but grew up in Briar Ridge Hills
Platonic/Sibling dynamics
Private tennis coach - could be a fun, flirty type of connection. he played when he was younger and has kept it up, so he is highly skilled, but he doesn't have to be super serious could be an excuse to get close
Romantic connections - crushes, dates, flirtations...
Business partners - former partners, future ones, friends he met through business, someone who helps him find a new job/business in Briar... anything fun in this kind of corporate type setting.
