After Elise slowly calmed herself, the heavy silence in the police station began to settle.
Lucien stood a little distance away, avoiding her gaze, as if struggling to keep his emotions under control.
“…Shall we go, Enzo?” he said quietly.
Enzo, who had been standing close to Elise until now, slowly took a step back, creating some distance between them.
“Yes… let’s go,” Enzo replied softly.
Elise nodded in response.
A faint, tired “hmm” left her lips.
Enzo slowly got up first, still weak from fever and exhaustion.
Elise looked at him for a moment, then gently held his hand again.
Without saying anything, she also stood up with him, as if afraid to let him fall or disappear.
For a brief second, everything felt still.
Lucien watched them quietly.
His expression remained controlled… but his eyes carried something he refused to show.
Then he turned slightly and spoke in a calm, firm voice.
“Let’s leave.”
And together, they moved out of the station— one carrying silence, one carrying pain, and one carrying emotions he still wasn’t ready to face.
Elise and Enzo sat in the back seat together.
Meanwhile, Lucien quietly took the passenger seat beside the driver.
The car doors closed softly.
And then—
The convoy slowly left the police station.
The entire drive was filled with pin-drop silence.
Only the faint sound of the engine and the cold winter wind outside could be heard.
Golden streetlights passed one after another through the car windows, briefly illuminating their tired faces before disappearing again into the darkness.
Elise sat quietly beside Enzo, her hands resting weakly in her lap.
The exhaustion in her eyes was impossible to hide.
Meanwhile, Enzo kept glancing at her from time to time, silently making sure she was alright despite his own condition worsening.
And in the front seat—
Lucien stared outside the window silently.
His jaw remained tight.
His hands rested still, but his mind was far from calm.
Because after years of searching…
The girl he thought he had lost forever was finally sitting only a few feet away from him.
Yet somehow—
The distance between them had never felt greater.
The convoy finally reached Enzo’s palace.
One by one, the black cars came to a stop in front of the grand entrance.
The moment the doors opened, the palace staff hurried outside anxiously.
Enzo stepped out first despite his weak condition, then immediately turned back toward Elise.
Carefully, he helped her out of the car.
The moment the staff saw her—
Relief spread across their faces almost instantly.
Some looked emotional.
Others looked genuinely frightened, as if they had been terrified of losing her.
“Miss Elise…”
“Thank God you’re safe…”
One of the maids quickly came forward and gently held Elise’s hand, helping her walk toward the entrance carefully.
Another staff member immediately brought a warm coat and placed it around her shoulders because of the cold winter air.
Elise looked overwhelmed by the sudden concern surrounding her.
After everything she had suffered tonight—
This warmth almost made her want to cry again.
Meanwhile, near the cars, Enzo and Lucien remained standing silently.
They looked at each other for a long moment.
No words.
Yet both of them understood something had changed tonight forever.
Lucien glanced toward the palace entrance where the staff were carefully taking Elise inside.
Then he looked back at Enzo.
“Go and rest,” Lucien said quietly.
His voice had finally softened after the chaos of the night.
He turned slightly as if preparing to leave.
But suddenly—
Enzo held his wrist, stopping him.
Lucien looked back at him silently.
“We should talk,” Enzo said in a tired voice.
For a moment, neither of them spoke.
Cold winter air moved quietly around them while the palace lights glowed softly in the background.
Then Lucien slowly removed Enzo’s hand from his wrist—not harshly, but gently.
“First take care of yourself,” he said calmly.
“I’ll listen to you.”
His expression remained steady, carrying the same trust that had always existed between them despite everything.
“I have time for you,” Lucien continued quietly.
“Whenever you want.”
Enzo looked at him silently after hearing those words.
And somehow—
That trust only made the guilt inside him heavier.
Then Lucien finally left.
The black car slowly disappeared beyond the palace gates, carrying with it a storm of emotions he could no longer hide properly.
Enzo stood there quietly, watching until the last glimpse of the car vanished into the winter night.
A deep sigh escaped his lips.
Everything had become too heavy.
Too complicated.
Too painful.
After a moment, he finally turned and slowly walked inside the palace.
His steps were weak despite the fever reducing slightly.
Exhaustion still lingered in every part of his body.
But his mind was somewhere else completely.
On Elise.
Because even now—
A terrifying fear remained inside him.
The fear that she might suddenly disappear again the moment he looked away from her.
Elise quietly took a warm shower after entering her room.
The hot water slowly washed away the dried blood, the coldness, and the horrifying memories clinging to her skin.
But no matter how long she stood beneath the water—
She still couldn’t erase the fear inside her heart.
After changing into comfortable clothes, she slowly came downstairs.
Meanwhile, Enzo had also taken a shower and changed into more comfortable formal clothes.
His fever had reduced slightly, but exhaustion was still visible in his tired eyes.
Both of them arrived at the dining hall almost at the same time.
The large dining table was already prepared by the staff, yet the atmosphere remained unusually quiet.
Soft golden lights illuminated the room while the winter night continued silently outside the palace windows.
For a brief moment, neither of them spoke.
They simply looked at each other across the table—
As if both were still trying to process everything that had happened tonight.
A maid quietly stepped forward and began serving food for both of them.
Warm soup.
Fresh bread.
And light dishes prepared carefully for their condition.
The comforting smell slowly filled the silent dining hall.
Elise barely touched the food at first.
She simply stared at the plate quietly, still emotionally exhausted from everything that had happened.
Enzo noticed immediately.
“Eat properly,” he said softly while looking at her.
His voice carried concern more than authority.
“You need energy.”
Elise slowly looked up at him.
“You barely ate anything since yesterday.”
He gently pushed the plate slightly closer toward her.
“So eat more.”
For a moment, Elise just stared at him silently.
Then slowly—
She picked up the spoon.
And somehow, that small action alone made Enzo feel slightly relieved.
Both of them quietly continued eating in silence.
The soft sound of cutlery against plates echoed faintly through the large dining hall.
Neither of them truly had the energy to speak after such a devastating night.
Then suddenly—
Elise broke the silence.
“Why didn’t you ask me any questions?”
Enzo slowly lifted his gaze toward her.
Elise’s fingers tightened slightly around the spoon.
“I thought…” she paused weakly, “I thought you wouldn’t trust me.”
Pain quietly crossed her eyes again.
“I thought you would abandon me this time too.”
Those words made Enzo’s expression soften instantly.
He slowly put the spoon down.
Then looked directly at her.
“Because I don’t need to ask questions,” he said quietly.
His tired voice carried complete sincerity.
“I only wanted you to be safe.”
Elise’s eyes slowly trembled after hearing those words.
For the entire night—
Everyone questioned her.
Everyone doubted her.
But he didn’t.
And somehow that trust hurt her heart the most.
Enzo continued looking at her silently for a moment before speaking again in a softer voice.
“No one can abandon you, Elise.”
His words were calm.
Certain.
“You are not someone people can leave behind so easily.”
After a moment of silence, Enzo spoke again softly,
“After finishing your food… go and get some proper sleep.”
Elise slowly looked at him.
“I know you’re tired,” he continued quietly.
“I know you’re terrified.”
His voice carried a warmth that slowly eased the heaviness in her chest.
“So don’t think about anything else tonight.”
He paused briefly before adding,
“I’ll handle everything.”
The words were simple.
Yet the way he said them made Elise feel protected for the first time since the nightmare began.
As if for tonight—
She was finally allowed to stop being strong.
Meanwhile—
The President returned to his mansion alone.
The black car slowly stopped in front of the grand residence standing silently beneath the pale winter sky.
The mansion looked breathtakingly elegant in the quiet evening.
Cream-colored stone walls rose proudly against the cold atmosphere, while the tall black windows reflected the fading light like mirrors hiding untold secrets inside.
Warm golden lights glowed from within the house, making it appear welcoming—
Yet tonight, it felt painfully empty.
Leafless winter branches surrounded the mansion like silent witnesses watching over a lonely king returning home with a heavy heart.
Lucien stepped out of the car slowly.
His long coat moved slightly with the cold wind as he lifted his eyes toward the illuminated mansion.
Everything looked the same.
The luxurious entrance.
The soft lights.
The peaceful silence.
But somehow— Visit novelping.com for the full chapter.
Nothing felt like home anymore.
Because for years, he imagined the moment he would finally find Elise again.
He imagined relief.
Happiness.
Peace.
Yet tonight, after finally seeing her alive—
He returned with emptier hands than before.
Not because she was gone.
But because she was no longer his safe place to return to.
Lucien walked directly toward his bedroom the moment he entered the mansion.
The large room was silent and dimly lit, carrying the same elegant loneliness that had surrounded him for years.
Soft morning light slipped through the tall open windows, moving gently with the curtains as cold winter air entered the room quietly.
Outside, the distant Parisian buildings stood peacefully beneath the pale sky.
But inside—
Lucien felt exhausted beyond words.
Without even changing properly, he slowly loosened his coat and lay down on the bed.
The soft mattress sank beneath his weight as if finally allowing his body to feel the exhaustion he had been ignoring all night.
He closed his eyes slowly.
And for a moment, silence wrapped around him completely.
Only the sound of the wind moving through the curtains remained.
Yet even after closing his eyes—
He still saw her.
Elise crying.
Elise trembling.
Elise running into Enzo’s arms.
Lucien’s jaw tightened slightly.
Because no matter how much he tried to rest—
Tonight’s memories refused to leave him alone.
And somewhere inside that silent room, beneath all the power, pride, and control—
A lonely man quietly broke apart in the dark.
“Thank God… she’s safe.”
Lucien whispered those words to himself the moment he opened his eyes again.
But instead of peace—
More questions began consuming him.
His heart, mind, and soul felt completely at war with each other.
Because nothing made sense anymore.
Why did Enzo hide her?
Why didn’t he tell him the truth?
How long had Elise been with him?
And the most painful question of all—
Why did Elise look safer in Enzo’s arms than she ever looked with him?
Lucien pressed a hand against his forehead, exhausted by the storm inside his mind.
The silence of the bedroom suddenly felt suffocating.
So he slowly got up and walked toward the bathroom.
Warm golden lights illuminated the luxurious space softly.
The marble walls, elegant chandelier, and quiet atmosphere looked peaceful enough to calm any person.
But not him.
Lucien opened the tap and quietly watched hot water begin filling the bathtub.
Steam slowly rose into the air, softening the coldness lingering around him.
After a long moment, he finally stepped into the warm water and leaned back slowly.
The heat relaxed his exhausted muscles almost instantly.
He closed his eyes again, letting the silence surround him.
Trying to calm his restless mind.
Trying to quiet the questions tearing him apart from inside.
But no matter how much he tried—
Tonight refused to leave him alone.
Because every time he closed his eyes—
He still saw Elise crying in another man’s arms.
Almost an hour passed in complete silence.
Lucien remained inside the hot bathtub for so long that the steam had slowly faded from the air around him.
The warm water relaxed his exhausted body—
But not his thoughts.
Nothing could calm the chaos inside his mind tonight.
Finally, he slowly opened his eyes.
Water droplets slid down his pale skin as he stood up from the bathtub.
The cold air immediately touched his damp body, contrasting against the lingering warmth of the water.
After wrapping a dark bathrobe around himself, Lucien brushed his wet hair back tiredly and stepped out of the bathroom.
The bedroom remained dim and quiet.
Only the soft city lights from outside entered through the tall windows, casting faint shadows across the room.
Lucien walked slowly toward the deep chair placed near the window and sat down heavily.
His wet hair still dripped slightly onto the fabric of the robe.
Then silence surrounded him once again.
He leaned back against the chair and stared blankly into the darkness outside.
The President of an entire nation sat there alone .
Looking less like a powerful ruler…
And more like a man losing a silent battle against his own heart.
Just then—
Lucien’s phone suddenly started ringing on the small table beside him.
He slowly lowered his gaze toward the screen.
Enzo.
For a moment, Lucien simply stared at the name silently before finally picking up the call after three or four rings.
“Hello…”
His deep exhausted voice filled the quiet bedroom.
On the other side, Enzo remained silent for a brief second before speaking softly,
“Are you okay, Lucien?”
The concern in his voice was genuine despite everything that had happened tonight.
Lucien closed his eyes briefly.
“I’m fine.”
“Did you eat anything?” Enzo asked again.
“And did you have lunch properly today?”
A faint tired smile almost appeared on Lucien’s face after hearing that.
Even now—
Enzo was worrying about him first.
“You should be asking that question to yourself,” Lucien replied quietly.
“You’re the one who collapsed.”
A small chuckle escaped Enzo’s lips after hearing Lucien’s reply.
It was weak—
But real.
Then after a brief silence, he spoke again quietly,
“Should I come there?”
Lucien immediately leaned back deeper into the chair and closed his eyes.
“No,” he answered calmly.
“Take some rest.”
“I’m okay,” Enzo said softly.
Lucien remained silent for a moment after hearing those words.
Then finally—
“Good to hear that.”
The conversation became quiet again.
No politics.
No formalities.
Just two exhausted men trying to make sure the other was still standing after the longest night of their lives.
Then after a moment of silence—
Lucien finally asked the question he had been holding back since the beginning of the call.
“…Is she okay?”
There was the slightest hesitation in his voice.
Small enough that most people would never notice it.
But Enzo did.
Because even after all these years—
Lucien still spoke about Elise carefully, as if she was something painfully precious.
“Yeah,” Enzo answered quietly.
“She’s sleeping now.”
The moment he heard that—
Lucien slowly let out a calm breath he didn’t even realize he had been holding.
At least she was finally resting.
Then Enzo’s voice became lower.
“I’m sorry.”
Lucien opened his eyes slightly.
“For what?”
“For hiding her presence,” Enzo admitted quietly.
A long silence followed after those words.
Then Lucien spoke in the same calm tone as always.
“Maybe you had your own reasons.”
His gaze drifted toward the dark city outside the window.
“I don’t complain about that.”
And somehow—
That understanding only made Enzo feel guiltier.
On the other side of the call, Enzo suddenly fell silent.
The guilt inside him became heavier with every calm word Lucien spoke.
“Don’t be kind to me every time,” Enzo said weakly.
His voice sounded tired.
Broken.
“Just hit me… yell at me…”
He closed his eyes painfully.
“Don’t be so nice to me, my friend.”
A bitter laugh escaped him.
“I deserve to die.”
For a moment—
Lucien remained completely silent.
Then suddenly, a faint smile appeared on his face.
Small.
Tired.
But genuine.
“How can I not be kind to you?” Lucien asked softly.
His deep voice carried years of trust and affection within it.
“You were there when I lost everyone.”
Enzo’s breathing slowly became heavier hearing those words.
Lucien leaned his head back against the chair and closed his eyes again.
“You are the most precious person to me.”
The room around him remained silent except for his calm breathing.
“And don’t ever say you deserve death again.”
This time, his tone became firmer.
Protective.
“Even death would need my permission before taking you away from me.”
Silence filled both sides of the call afterward.
But somehow—
That silence carried more emotion than words ever could.
Enzo finally decided to tell him everything.
Because even if Lucien never asked questions—
Enzo knew him better than anyone else.
And he knew the silence inside Lucien was far more dangerous than anger.
“I don’t know how or when she came into this world,” Enzo said quietly over the phone.
His voice had become unusually serious now.
“But one day… I got a call from one of my men.”
Lucien slowly straightened slightly on the bed after hearing that.
“He said he saw a girl…”
Enzo paused briefly and took a deep breath before continuing.
“…the same girl we had been waiting for all these years.”
On the other side—
Lucien slowly sat down properly on the edge of the bed.
The city lights outside the massive windows illuminated his silent figure softly.
Far below, the entire city remained alive—
Unaware that their President’s world had just changed completely.
Lucien stared quietly at the glowing skyline while listening carefully to every word.
His grip around the phone tightened slightly. This chapter was copied from g.com without permission.
Meanwhile, Enzo closed his eyes tiredly before speaking again.
“At first… I thought it was impossible too.”
“Before I could reach her myself,” Enzo continued quietly, “she had already gone to our Royal Library.”
Lucien listened silently without interrupting even once.
“The librarian called me immediately after seeing her.”
A faint exhausted smile appeared on Enzo’s lips as if remembering that moment clearly.
“He said there was a strange girl inside the library… looking completely lost.”
Lucien slowly lowered his gaze.
And somehow—
Just imagining Elise alone in an unfamiliar world made something ache inside him.
Then Enzo continued,
“I told the librarian to make her comfortable.”
His voice softened further.
“And to keep her safe no matter what until I arrived.”
The winter wind outside brushed softly against Lucien’s windows while silence briefly filled the call again.
Because both of them knew—
From the moment Elise entered their world again—
Nothing had remained normal afterward.
“When I finally saw her…” Enzo’s voice became quieter.
“She was sitting beside the long window inside the library.”
Lucien remained completely silent while listening.
“She looked terrified.”
Enzo slowly closed his eyes as the memory replayed inside his mind.
“Scared… lost…”
His grip around the phone tightened slightly.
“Like someone who had survived a nightmare she still couldn’t escape from.”
On the other side, Lucien lowered his gaze silently.
Every description of Elise’s condition felt like another weight crushing his chest.
Enzo continued softly,
“I went to her and offered her food first.”
“She looked weak… like she hadn’t eaten properly in days.”
A faint painful smile crossed his face.
“After calming her down a little… she finally asked me something.”
Lucien’s expression changed almost invisibly.
For a second—
He thought she had asked about him too.
But Enzo’s next words shattered that thought quietly.
“I thought she was going to ask about you.”
A long pause followed.
“But when she opened her mouth…”
Enzo exhaled slowly.
“I realized she didn’t remember anything about you.”
Lucien’s fingers tightened around the phone.
Instead—
“She kept asking about her boyfriend.”
Enzo’s eyes lowered slightly.
“Joe.”
Lucien’s grip around the phone tightened slightly after hearing the name again.
Joe.
The silence on his side became heavier.
Meanwhile, Enzo continued quietly,
“I didn’t answer that question.”
His voice sounded distant now, as if reliving the memory completely.
“Instead… I asked her to come with me.”
Lucien slowly lowered his eyes.
“At first she refused.”
“She didn’t trust anyone.”
Enzo let out a tired breath.
“She looked completely lost… like someone standing in a world that didn’t belong to her.”
A faint smile touched his lips sadly.
“So I stayed with her.”
“I talked to her for hours.”
“And after a long time… I finally convinced her to come with me.”
Lucien remained silent, listening to every detail carefully.
Then Enzo’s next words made something ache inside his chest again.
“I promised her something.”
Lucien’s expression darkened slightly.
“I promised I would help her find her boyfriend.”
The room around Lucien suddenly felt quieter than before.
“Because that…” Enzo paused softly.
“That was the only condition under which she agreed to trust me.”
The atmosphere between them slowly became heavier as the conversation continued.
Every truth Enzo revealed only deepened the silence on Lucien’s side.
“The reason I didn’t tell you about her…” Enzo spoke quietly.
“…was because she already looked completely lost.”
Lucien remained silent, listening carefully.
“She didn’t know anything about the truth behind her presence in this world.”
Enzo rubbed his forehead tiredly.
“She had too many questions.”
“About time…”
“About how she came here…”
“About why everything around her felt unfamiliar.”
His voice softened further.
“But even after all that…”
A painful pause followed.
“She only showed concern about Joe.”
The words settled heavily inside Lucien’s chest.
Outside his bedroom windows, the city lights continued glowing endlessly beneath the dark sky.
But inside—
Everything suddenly felt unbearably quiet.
Lucien slowly lowered his gaze toward the floor.
For years he waited for her.
Missed her.
Searched for her.
And when she finally returned—
She remembered another man instead of him.
“You know…” Enzo’s voice lowered even more.
“One day she found out she was in Paris.”
Lucien quietly lifted his eyes again.
“But she didn’t know the year.”
A painful silence followed.
Enzo leaned back tiredly while remembering that moment clearly.
“She suddenly started panicking.”
“Crying…”
“Shaking…”
His grip around the phone tightened slightly.
“She cried like a baby asking for help.”
On the other side of the call, Lucien slowly closed his eyes.
Because he could imagine it too clearly.
Elise—
Lost in an unfamiliar time.
Surrounded by strangers.
Searching desperately for answers no one could explain to her.
Enzo swallowed heavily before continuing.
“She kept asking me how it was possible.”
“How the world changed.”
“How she ended up here.”
“And do you know what scared her the most?”
Lucien remained silent.
“The thought that everyone she knew might already be gone.”
“And then…” Enzo’s voice became heavier with guilt and exhaustion.
“The day that meeting was happening… I got a call.”
Lucien listened silently.
“But I didn’t pick it up.”
A bitter laugh escaped Enzo’s lips.
“I thought I would call back later.”
His breathing slowly became uneven remembering that day.
“But when I finally checked…”
His voice lowered.
“She had disappeared.”
Silence filled the line again.
Lucien’s expression slowly darkened while listening.
“I searched for her everywhere,” Enzo admitted quietly.
“I talked to everyone.”
“I used every possible way to find her.”
His tired voice cracked slightly for the first time.
“I looked for her like a crazy man.”
Lucien slowly tightened his jaw.
Because he knew Enzo never lost control easily.
Yet Elise’s disappearance had destroyed him completely.
Then Enzo continued softly,
“But you know how she is.”
A faint painful smile crossed his face.
“She’s a spy.”
“She knows how to hide herself better than anyone.”
The city lights reflected faintly in Lucien’s eyes while he remained completely silent.
“And when I realized I truly lost her again…”
Enzo paused.
A long exhausted breath escaped him.
“That hopelessness made me sick.”
After listening to everything—
Lucien remained silent for a long moment.
Not because he was angry.
But because suddenly…
He understood Enzo more than before.
Slowly, Lucien stood up from the bed.
The cold floor beneath his feet echoed softly through the quiet room as he walked toward the wardrobe.
Meanwhile, Enzo stayed silent on the other side of the call, listening only to faint movements.
Lucien opened the wardrobe and took out a grey shirt along with black pants.
His expression remained calm again.
Controlled.
But his eyes still carried sleepless exhaustion.
“That’s good,” Lucien finally said quietly while changing his clothes.
“And honestly…”
A faint smile appeared on his lips.
“I’m proud of you.”
Enzo froze slightly after hearing those words.
“You did well,” Lucien continued calmly.
“You finally succeeded in protecting her.”
For a brief moment, Enzo couldn’t say anything at all.
Because after hiding such a huge truth—
He expected anger.
Not understanding.
Meanwhile, Lucien buttoned his shirt calmly before styling his slightly damp hair in front of the mirror.
Then he picked up his phone and car keys from the table nearby.
His expression slowly became unreadable again.
Like the President had returned once more.
But deep inside—
A part of him still remained with the terrified girl crying inside that police station.
She Returned Without Remembering Him.