|3rd Person POV|

Halime Sultan paced her room, her anger boiling as she replayed the shocking scene in her mind. She had never expected this, not even in her worst nightmares.

"Something is wrong, Menekşe" she said, her voice tense with worry "I told you something was different... Mustafa!" She spat his name with frustration "He was just hallucinating and hated women so much that we had to force him to spend nights with them, and now! Now I find him with that wretched girl!"

"You're right, Sultana" Menekşe replied, her head shaking with concern "Even His Majesty's behavior has changed"

"I will get rid of her..." Halime finally declared, clenching her fist "I have an idea..."

---

|Victoria's POV|

I returned to my room after leaving Mustafa with his mother, who shot me deadly glances.

She would do anything to get rid of me, but I wouldn't let her, not when I'm so close to my goal.

"Are you out of your mind, Victoria!" my aunt exclaimed, worry and anger flickering in her eyes "Did we risk everything for you to end up wanting to kiss a madman?"

"Auntie Catherine, please" I sighed, placing my hands on my hips, trying to gather my thoughts "He's not mad; he has fears, but it's his mother who drove him to this"

"So? It doesn't matter!" She grabbed my shoulders, forcing me to look her in the eye "Everything could fall apart now!"

"No, don't worry" I said, sitting down to collect my thoughts "I trust Mustafa... Halime Sultan won't get rid of me so easily.
. I have something that can take her down"

I took a deep breath "That girl Rabia-one word from her in front of the Sultan, and Halime Sultan will be nothing but a memory"

"Are you crazy?" My aunt's anger was palpable "Do you think you can just waltz in here and challenge people who have spent years building their power?"

She had a point...Halime Sultan had her claws in everything, and Mustafa's mind wasn't clear enough yet to deal with this situation.

"Still, I have no other choice, Auntie.. I'll keep the poison and the maid a secret until Halime Sultan tries to play with me... Then, I'll find a way to tell Mustafa" I replied calmly.

I moved to the window, needing some fresh air to think. On one hand, there was this disaster; on the other, what had happened with Mustafa-I still couldn't fully grasp it.

Suddenly, the door swung open...Halime Sultan entered, followed by her maid Menekşe, a wicked smile on her face.

"For your own good, Victoria... pack your things and leave quickly" Halime said with an eerie calmness.

"What?" I was taken aback but quickly regained my composure "I'm here at Sultan Mustafa's request, and I won't leave until he tells me to... We have an agreement"

"We want no agreement with you...I am expelling you as Valide Halime Sultan" she said confidently.

Before I could respond, Dilruba Sultan walked in, her eyes wide, as if she had overheard us.

"What is happening here?" she asked, looking from me to her mother "Valide, why are you angry?"

"This troublemaker should leave at once" Halime said, glaring at me.

"Mother, are you serious? Victoria is my brother's guest!" Dilruba exclaimed, anger and embarrassment flooding her face "Let's talk about this later"

"Don't even try, Dilruba..." Halime warned, her tone threatening... Then she and her maid left the room.

"Oh my God" Dilruba sighed, stepping closer to me "I'm so sorry for my mother's behavior" She raised an eyebrow, curious "What's going on? What happened"

I took a deep breath, feeling slightly dizzy, and after we sat down, I shared everything that had happened since morning.

"Oh, you and... Mustafa" she said, surprised "I don't want to interfere in your relationship, but... my brother is not mentally stable, and that's concerning... There's something different about him, Victoria"

I could see the questions in her eyes, so I placed my hand over hers and smiled gently.

"Well, I think you should know, Dilruba" I began, explaining the treatment and herbs I had collected, how I discovered that her mother was secretly putting a hallucinogenic mixture in Mustafa's food, and about Rabia, who was helping me.

She was a bit shocked, but she hugged me tightly and promised to keep everything a secret.

She couldn't wait to see Mustafa become stable mentally and emotionally.

---

That evening, I stepped outside for a walk in the garden, feeling overwhelmed.

The day had taken unexpected turns, filled with shocking events, and even now, I was unsure about what Sultan Mustafa thought of it all and what had happened in the divan he mentioned.

Without realizing it, my gaze drifted to the Sultan's balcony...There he stood, looking up at the sky, absentmindedly playing with something between his fingers.

Is this a dream? Is this really Mustafa, the same man I first met when he mistook my aunt and me for dancers? I couldn't believe that if he continued his treatment, he would transform into someone entirely new... Halime's game would soon be over.

I knew I had to stay here for a few more months until his condition improved... I would keep my composure and pretend that the events of this morning never occurred, or that they were just a fleeting dream. Mustafa would be alright; he would uncover the truth about his mother. And then, I would gather my belongings and set off to rule Scotland.