|Ayleen's POV|

-The Next Day-

"Come on, Ayleen, there's no need to worry" Sibylle reassured me with a warm smile "I'll keep a close eye on her, I promise.. my attention will be all on her until you get back"

"Alright, Sibylle... I'll be back very soon" I said, adjusting my veil with a final touch.. I leaned down to plant a soft kiss on Nuray's cheek, then turned toward the door.

With Anastasia by my side, I made my way toward the garden where Sumbul Agha would be waiting.. I had decided that I would confide my suspicions to him, and at the same time, gain some information that could prove useful.

The garden was the perfect place; I needed to ensure no one would overhear us.. I could no longer trust the walls of this palace, and given the chain of disasters that had befallen me recently, I concluded that this was no longer a place for relaxation or enjoying peaceful moments.

I had to make my move… I had to do something for everyone’s sake, because sitting in my chambers and wallowing in guilt wasn’t going to help anyone.

"Sultanim!" Sumbul gasped, his hand covering his mouth as he processed everything I had just said, listening intently, almost as if in disbelief.

"I know this sounds insane, and if it were true, surely His Majesty or the Valide Sultan would have uncovered it by now" I said, my voice laced with uncertainty "But what if they haven't? What if no one has noticed?" I paused, my eyes quickly scanning the surroundings to ensure no one else was nearby, except for Anastasia, who stood a few steps away, vigilantly guarding the path.

"I need to ask you a few questions, and I expect clear, precise answers" I said, locking my gaze on him.. when he nodded, I pressed on "Now, focus.. Let's go back to the time of Feyza Sultan.. when she was still just a hatun.. You were here then, weren't you?"

"Yes, Sultanim... I've been here for eleven years, and I remember everything" he replied, confirming my words, his tone filled with anticipation for what was coming next.

"The beginning of her relationship with His Majesty... the first weeks, or perhaps the first months" I began, my voice steady despite the discomfort creeping up at the thought of discussing my husband with another woman.. I quickly cleared my throat, pushing aside the uneasy thoughts "Was Rana here at that time? How did she behave? Did she show any signs of dislike toward Feyza, or was it more subtle.. silent, perhaps? Or did she remain completely indifferent?"

"First of all, Sultanim, Rana Hanim Sultan never likes anyone when she's here" Sumbul replied, his memory clear and precise "She has a way of making it known, especially with the concubines.. So yes, I remember her not liking Feyza, particularly once she started receiving more attention, with everyone hoping she would give His Majesty an heir"

"Alright, tell me" I pressed, my curiosity growing with each word "After Şehzade Ahmed was born and Feyza became a Sultana... what happened with Rana?" I asked, eager for more answers, determined to piece together the full story.

"Well... When Şehzade Ahmed was born, Rana wasn't here" he began, his tone steady as he recalled the events "She and Fatma Sultan couldn't come because they were far away, visiting Fatma Sultan’s eldest daughter, who was pregnant at the time" He paused, then continued "But they arrived a few months later.. By then, though, there wasn’t much to celebrate.. Feyza Sultan was already pregnant again... but sadly, she lost the baby in the second month after falling gravely ill"

Sumbul’s face grew pale, and he looked disturbed as if reliving the events.

"To be honest... since that illness, Feyza Sultan was never the same" he added, making me feel a deep sorrow as I imagined how difficult it must have been for her "And by that, I mean physically... her health deteriorated rapidly.. she was constantly vomiting, fainting, or falling ill every month.. It was as though the evil eye had been cast upon her"

Perhaps it wasn't the evil eye after all... but the schemes of someone.

I thought to myself, the pieces of information unfolding in ways I hadn’t anticipated. Maybe, after all, my theory was starting to make sense.

"But Feyza Sultan didn't back down.. she was a bold woman, willing to do anything, even if it meant getting into trouble" He paused, his voice lowering further "And that brings us to Turhan Sultan... things were incredibly complicated.. Turhan Sultan despised Feyza's boldness, but Feyza, fully aware that His Majesty would defend her, relished every moment of it"

I knew I needed to stay focused on the key details, but those last words he added stirred something within me.. Was that really essential to the story?

"Anyway... despite the doctors warning that another pregnancy would only worsen her health and most likely result in another miscarriage, she didn’t listen and got pregnant again" Sumbul continued "Those months were nothing short of hell.. she suffered terribly while His Majesty raged at the doctors.. we gained Aysel Sultan, but we lost Feyza Sultan"

"So, it wasn't a sudden shock, but something that had been building over months" I whispered, almost to myself, my gaze dropping to the ground before meeting his eyes "And no one suspected a thing? What about Turhan Sultan? she hated her"

"Turhan Sultan would never do something like that... If she had truly wanted to, she could have gotten rid of her in a single night" he said, waving his hands helplessly "We never suspected anything because she had been ill for such a long time"

"But the suddenness of her illness should have raised some suspicions" I raised an eyebrow, nervously fiddling with my ring as the fear that had been growing within me took root "And while all of this was happening, where was Fatma Sultan and Rana?"

"Again, when Aysel Sultan was born, they weren’t present and only sent letters of congratulations and condolences to Turhan Sultan.. But when they arrived a few months later, Rana Hanim Sultan was deeply concerned about the children and His Majesty" Sumbul answered, his voice heavy with unease.

These were the answers I dreaded, yet they only served to confirm the suspicions that had been steadily growing.. It was clear that Rana had been involved in orchestrating Feyza's downfall from the moment she became pregnant with her second child.

"Now, tell me about the two children who were supposed to be His Majesty's, yet they died before they were even born" I shifted to the next phase of my questioning, despite the deep sorrow these deaths stirred within me "How did that happen?"

"At first, Ayşe Hatun became pregnant, and everyone rejoiced, especially Turhan Sultan, for she was obedient and easily controlled.. then, when she reached the sixth month, our joy grew even greater upon learning that Rukiye Hatun was also pregnant" Sumbul continued, his face clouding with sadness once more "But then... the curse returned"

Was it a curse, or had Rana's dark influence struck once more?

"Allow me to take it from here" I said, struggling to maintain my composure "Ayşe Hatun contracted smallpox and tragically passed away before she could bring her child into the world.. then, Rukiye Hatun fell ill with a fever, and in the early stages of her pregnancy, she lost her child as well"

"Yes, Sultanim... this is exactly what happened" he sighed, the weight of these bad memories pressing down on him.

"And again... where was Rana during all of this?" I pressed, focusing on the core of the matter.. I still couldn't shake the feeling that she was somehow connected to everything happening to the women who came near Orhan, whom I was now sure she had feelings for.

"Since these two tragedies occurred within weeks of one another, Rana Hanim Sultan had the opportunity to witness everything firsthand, as she was here during Ramadan" he replied, his voice growing more uncertain.. His eyes widened as if the pieces were starting to come together.

"Just tell me... how did His Majesty and the Valide Sultan not suspect anything?" I asked in exasperation, my hand brushing my forehead, feeling a headache coming on while my other hand instinctively placed itself on my stomach, which twisted with both pain and anxiety.

"As for Rukiye hatun, her illness seemed natural, and although she tried accusing several girls, the investigations didn’t lead to anything, especially since it seemed like she had gone a little mad.. The Valide Sultan was about to send her to the old palace, but His Majesty insisted she stay here so she wouldn't feel more isolated" Sumbul said, raising his hands in frustration "But if only he had let her leave... just two days ago, she was on the verge of causing us immense pain"

"Don’t ever think so negatively again, Sumbul... Nuray is protected by God and us" I said softly, praying in my heart for her safety, before adding "What about Ayşe Hatun?"

"Well..." he nodded slightly "When it came to her, they began to suspect it wasn’t merely a coincidence.. Upon investigation, they discovered a girl named Alexandra.. she was the one who poisoned Ayşe Hatun’s food with smallpox.. But when she realized she was on the brink of being caught, she took her own life"

Why does it seem that everyone who gets close to uncovering the truth ends up taking their own life? There has to be a loophole... Whoever is behind all of this can’t be flawless.. There’s always a flaw.

"So, what are your thoughts now, Sumbul?" I asked, eager to hear his perspective.. his words still lingered in my mind, and while my instincts had been sharp, I needed more concrete evidence.

"Sultanim... You are right.. though these events may appear to occur naturally.. when you consider them from the standpoint of Rana Hanim Sultan’s devotion to His Majesty, it all begins to make sense" He replied, his tone steady, though a hint of shock lingered in his voice.

This was exactly what I had been thinking.. her obsession with him explained everything.. Those who couldn't grasp the depth of her fixation would never arrive at such a conclusion.

"Alright, Sumbul, I need something more from you.. and know this.. if you remain loyal to me, you will be rewarded for everything" I said, stepping a little closer, though feeling strangely out of place.. but hearing all this had pushed me to take this risk "I want you to watch Rana, discreetly... observe her every move, who she interacts with, what she discusses with her servants and her mother" I fixed my gaze on him, my voice resolute "Everything"

As I was heading inside with Anastasia, I told her to go inform Marissa and Elena to come to my room as soon as Ahmed and Aysel finished their lessons.. I then continued my way, eager to check on Nuray and make sure she was alright.

»»————-　♔　-————««

"This is truly insane" Isabel said, clutching her head as she listened, alongside Sibylle, to all the information I had gathered "It’s clear now... she’s the one who orchestrated everything.. You’re in danger"

"I know" I replied, carefully placing the sleeping Nuray in her cradle "She will not find peace until she has completely erased my existence" I turned to return to my place, but suddenly a dizzying wave overwhelmed me.

Instinctively, I grasped the edge of the bed to steady myself, and the girls hurried to my side, panic flashing across their faces.

"Are you alright?" Isabel asked, her voice full of concern as she helped me sit down, while Sibylle quickly handed me a glass of water.

"Yes... I just felt dizzy" I murmured, sipping the water and running my fingers across my forehead "I haven't eaten since yesterday, so it's only natural that this would happen"

"I’ll tell them to bring lunch immediately" Sibylle said in a commanding tone, not waiting for my refusal, before heading out.

Once I gathered my strength, I rose and made my way to the sofa by the window, settling down as I exchanged quiet words with Isabel, waiting for the others to arrive.

Anastasia arrived just as Sibylle did, gesturing for the servants to bring in the lunch.. I barely had time to take a few bites before the others arrived.. Elena with Aysel Sultan, and Marissa with Şehzade Ahmed.

"She’s always asleep... when will she finally be able to speak?" Aysel inquired with a hint of curiosity, her gaze lingering on Nuray as she slept peacefully, before gliding over to where Ahmed casually enjoyed some fruit.

"She’s still quite young... I believe it will be a few more months before that happens" I replied with a gentle smile, sharing a brief, knowing glance with Ahmed.. we both stifled a laugh, amused by her endless stream of questions.

"Alright, your highnesses, how about a little stroll in the garden?" Sibylle suggested, clapping her hands with enthusiasm, fully aware of my need for a moment of privacy with Elena and Marissa.

"Yes, and I’ll be joining you as well" Isabel added with a bright smile.

After receiving a kiss on the cheek from Aysel and another on my hand from Ahmed, I watched them leave with the others, mentally steeling myself for the conversation that awaited me.

"Is something wrong, Your Highness?" Marissa asked, her voice tinged with concern as she glanced at me.

"Listen, I have complete trust in both of you" I began, drawing in a steadying breath, my fingers absently twisting the ring on my hand "I’ve witnessed the precision and care you've shown with our Sultana and Şehzade" I paused, my gaze dropping as a wave of unease washed over me "After everything that happened with Nuray, I need to ensure the safety of all the children"

"Don’t worry, your Highness" Elena replied softly, a small smile on her face as she tried to reassure me "I never take my eyes off Aysel Sultan"

"I know, but for my own peace of mind, I need you to secure additional help" I said, raising an eyebrow my tone firm with underlying concern "Choose the new maids carefully.. ensure they are capable and vigilant, able to watch over the children without faltering, no matter the circumstances"

"Understood, your Highness" Marissa said, prompting Elena to nod as well, signaling that she would do the same.. I then dismissed them to rejoin the children in the garden.

I watched them leave, then, after giving Anastasia a few instructions, I intended to carry Nuray and sit on the balcony, watching the children from there while reflecting on my problems with Orhan and how to resolve them.. but before I could do any of that, I stood frozen in place, holding the baby, as I heard the announcement of Orhan’s arrival.

"Your Majesty" I said, offering a shallow bow, as I always did in moments when I was at a loss for words or actions.

"How is she?" he asked, approaching quickly, as if in a rush.. he gently took Nuray from my arms, pressing a soft kiss to her tiny hand, his gaze tender as he studied her delicate features.

"She’s fine" I managed to say, my voice barely above a whisper, avoiding his gaze as if not looking at him would make the situation less painful and stressful.. I didn’t want to linger on it; what had happened was already done, and now I was lost, unsure of what to do next.

"May Allah protect you" he whispered softly to her, his finger gently tracing her cheek before he carefully placed her back in my arms.. after a fleeting glance into my eyes, he turned and left abruptly, leaving me standing there, bewildered by the rush in his departure.

"Oh God, Your Highness" Anastasia exclaimed, rushing into the room moments later, her face drained of color.

"What’s wrong, Anastasia?" I asked, a growing sense of dread rising within me, even before she spoke.. but the look on her face alone told me that whatever news she bore was anything but reassuring.

"I overheard that His Majesty summoned his mother and sister to his chambers immediately" she said, her gaze dropping as if to avoid my eyes "They said he was furious today... You know the murderer of the Grand Vizier is still unknown, and now he’s forced to appoint a replacement.. It seems everything.. what happened with you and Zeynep Sultan, and the incident with Nuray Sultan.. has pushed him to his breaking point, causing him to explode at his viziers during today’s divan"

I took a step back, collapsing onto the couch, my heart pounding in my chest as Anastasia moved closer, gently taking Nuray from my arms.

Of course Orhan was furious... Turhan Sultan had mentioned yesterday that today he would announce his final decision regarding what Zeynep and I had done.

Why am I so afraid? I don’t know... but there’s a conversation happening now, and I am at the heart of the problem that led to it.

Instead of being a source of comfort for Orhan during this difficult time, after losing his right hand, I, too, have inadvertently contributed to his anger.