The days following Elena's return passed heavily, as if they were months. The palace that Reyhana had once filled with Matteo's laughter had become a strange place, saturated with an unbearable coldness.
Elena did not rush; she was cautious, knowing when to approach and when to step back. In the mornings, she would sit at the breakfast table, smiling softly as she spoke to Leonardo about small details from their past. She recalled how he used to carry her during their trips, how he would buy her flowers from Milan. Her words were threads, carefully woven, an attempt to stitch herself back into his heart.
Leonardo did not return the same intimacy. Most of the time, he was silent, watching her with guarded eyes. At times he felt guilt, as if her supposed death had been his fault. At other times, he boiled inside, thinking: "Could it be that all of this was a lie?"
As for Matteo, he kept his distance. He did not reject her presence, but he did not accept it either. He remained silent when she came near, and sometimes fled toward Reyhana, who had become his only refuge.
Reyhana, on her part, saw everything. Every movement, every word. She could not prevent jealousy from seeping into her heart, yet she was more cautious than ever. She knew Elena was not only trying to reclaim her place… but to plant herself again in everyone's life.
One night, while Reyhana was walking down the corridor leading to the palace library, she heard a faint laugh. She stopped, turned, and found Leonardo and Elena sitting together. His face was calmer with her than she had seen since Elena's return.
Something broke inside her. She said nothing, only walked away with slow steps.
And in that moment, she realized that the real battle had not yet begun… and that her presence in this palace was now more threatened than ever.