Chapter 32: The rivalry continues
Aziz remained under the tree where everything had happened. The wind still carried Sofia’s soft scent, and the warmth of the kiss still burned on his lips.
He let out a long sigh, ran a hand over his face, and finally stood up. With a faint smile, he murmured to himself:
"My... first kiss. In two lives."
He laughed, shaking his head, and brought his thumb to his lips, as if trying to preserve the sensation. The taste, the texture... they were so vivid. Soft, sweet, delicious. Impossible to forget.
As he walked toward the palace, still lost in the memory, his eyes caught a shadow standing beside one of the garden’s trees. He stopped, alert. The silhouette didn’t move, but the presence was unmistakable.
The sky above was already completely dark, and the fireflies in the garden cast small yellow glows among the leaves. The scent of night flowers mingled with the light humidity in the air, creating an almost dreamlike scene.
Aziz sighed again upon recognizing who it was.
"Zia..."
The young woman stepped out from behind the tree in silence. Her arms were crossed in front of her chest, her posture firm, her expression unreadable. Her violet eyes — intense, deep — were fixed on him, as if they could pierce through his most hidden thoughts.
Aziz furrowed his brow slightly and asked calmly:
"You saw it, didn’t you?"