The sky was heavy with sorrowful clouds, and the long road to the countryside was silent... as if the air itself was in mourning.
In the back seat of the car, Rayhana sat in a black dress, her eyes swollen from crying. Beside her, Salima held her hand tightly, trying to keep her standing amid an internal collapse.
Leonardo sat in the other car, silent the entire way. Maria was beside him, and Matteo slept in the back, unaware of what was happening. Leonardo's gaze was lost, as if searching through the silence of the earth for answers that never came.
Upon arriving in the countryside, they were met by village men. Ahmad's body was quietly carried to the small cemetery behind the hill. Rayhana stepped forward with hesitant steps, her eyes unable to believe that her father lay beneath that white cloth.
The burial began. Dirt fell on the coffin with a muted sound, every grain sealing a page of the past.
Rayhana stood in the front row, her hands trembling. Her tears fell quietly—no screams, no wailing… only a long stare into the grave that had swallowed the last person she could lean on.
In the back, Leonardo watched. His heart pounded with a strange heaviness. He felt a weight in his chest as he watched her tears. His promise still echoed in his mind, Ahmad's voice repeating within him:
"Marry her... and pay off my debts... or consider my debts her dowry."
The burial ended, and a heavy silence settled over them.
Maria approached Salima, who was weeping softly. She gently placed her hand on her shoulder and said kindly:
— "Have you thought about what we agreed on? The legal waiver is necessary for us to begin the process."
Salima nodded, her eyes tired but resolute.
— "Tomorrow... we'll go to the city and sign what needs to be signed."
At the edge of the cemetery, Rayhana sat beneath a small tree. Her body was still, but her mind was in turmoil. Leonardo approached, stood before her for a few seconds, searching for words. He didn't say much—he only whispered:
— "I won't leave you."
Then walked away quietly.
That sentence felt like a light in complete darkness… though she couldn't tell if it was true warmth or a fleeting illusion.