The morning sunlight filtered through the tall windows of the mansion's bedroom, casting long, golden streaks across the polished floor. Leah stretched her arms above her head, the stiffness from sleep easing as she sat up. The soft rustle of the curtains reminded her that, even after two years, the mansion still carried memories—of laughter, of fear, and of moments suspended in time when everything had gone wrong.
She swung her legs over the side of the bed and stood. The mirror reflected a woman no longer fragile, no longer trembling from fear or injury. She was whole again, but the absence of the man she loved still pressed heavily against her chest.
"You're up early," a calm voice said.
Leah turned to see Dante in the doorway, fully recovered and dressed for the day. His arm was bare, no sling, no bandages, just the faint hint of a scar near his shoulder. The wariness in his eyes hadn't left entirely—he had spent the last two years preparing for moments like this—but his presence was steady, grounding.
"I could say the same to you," Leah said softly.
Dante stepped inside, closing the door behind him. "I check on you. Always."
Leah gave a half-smile, placing her hands on her hips. "Always worrying about everyone else. Hasn't changed, has it?"
"No," he admitted, his lips twitching. "But you… you're stronger than I expected. And that's worrying in a different way."
She tilted her head. "Worrying?"
Dante nodded. "Because I know how stubborn you are. And stubborn women who care too much… they get themselves hurt. Or they get stuck waiting for things they can't control."
Leah's fingers brushed her side instinctively, the motion unconscious. "I'm not waiting anymore," she said quietly. "I'm surviving. Just like you said two years ago."
Dante studied her. "You've kept that promise. I see it. But… are you okay, really? Two years is a long time."
Before Leah could answer, Elias stepped into the room. His posture was upright, calm, but his eyes held the same gravity they always did. "I trust everyone slept well?" he asked lightly, though there was tension under the surface.
Leah shook her head slightly. "Not really," she admitted. "I can't stop thinking about him… Izana."
Elias's gaze softened slightly. "He's alive. That's all we can be sure of right now."
"But two years," she whispered. "Two years of not knowing. Two years of wondering if he's okay, if he's fighting, if… if he'll come back to me."
Dante placed a hand over hers. "He will. He's Izana. He doesn't give up. And neither do we."
Leah looked at him, eyes glimmering with a mixture of hope and frustration. "But what if he doesn't come back?"
Elias stepped closer. "Then we bring him back. That's our job. And we're not going to fail him—or you."
The three of them moved to the dining area. Sunlight spilled across the table where breakfast had been laid out. Leah poured coffee, the rich aroma filling the room, grounding her. Dante sat across from her, eating silently, while Elias skimmed over reports and communications from the past week.
"Virelli is still active," Elias said finally, voice clipped. "Izana's trail isn't cold, but he's been cautious. Precise. We can't risk missteps."
Leah's grip on the coffee cup tightened. "You know what he's like. He doesn't take risks. He's calculating, careful… he wouldn't expose himself unless it was necessary."
Dante nodded. "Exactly. Which means every move we make has to be calculated as well. We can't just wait."
Leah set her cup down and leaned forward. "I'm not waiting. I want to help. Even if I can't go out there myself yet… I want to know everything. I want to prepare, in case he comes back."
Elias gave her a long look. "You've recovered more than anyone expected. Physically. Emotionally… less so. The truth is, you've been holding yourself together for him, even without knowing it."
Leah swallowed hard. "Two years, and it still hurts. I can't stop thinking about the last time I saw him… the letter… the way he left without a word. I feel like I failed him somehow."
Dante shook his head, firm. "No. He didn't leave because you failed him. He left because he had to know who he was first. He's been fighting ghosts, just like we've been fighting to keep him safe. You didn't fail. You survived."
Elias interjected, voice steady: "And that survival is critical. Izana will need you when he comes back. Not the frightened girl from before… but the Leah who stands tall, unafraid, ready."
Leah's hands clenched into fists. "I am ready. I don't care what he's been through. I don't care what he's done. I just… I want him back. I want him home."
Dante leaned back in his chair. "You have to understand… he's changed in ways we can't predict. He's stronger, faster, smarter. He's learned to survive. And he may not come back in the same way we remember. We have to be ready for that, too."
Leah's jaw tightened. "I don't care. I want him. That's all that matters. And we'll find him. You and Elias… I trust you to do that. I can't go myself, but I… I need him back."
Elias placed a hand over hers, giving a small nod. "He will come back. And when he does, he will find you here. Ready. Waiting."
Leah exhaled slowly, tears glimmering at the corners of her eyes. "Two years… and still, every day I wonder if I'll ever see him again. If I'll ever get to hold him."
Dante's expression softened. "You will. And when that day comes, all the waiting, all the worry… it will be worth it. He's out there. He's alive. And he's thinking about you too, every single day."
Leah's voice dropped to a whisper. "I hope he remembers… that I never stopped… never stopped loving him."
Elias's eyes met hers. "He won't forget. He couldn't forget. He carries that same heart, the same bond you both share. Two years won't erase that."
For a long moment, silence settled over the room. The sun climbed higher, brushing golden light across the walls. Leah stood and walked to the window, staring out across the estate, imagining him returning.
"I'll wait for him," she said finally, almost to herself. "No matter how long it takes. No matter where he is."
Dante moved beside her, voice quiet but certain: "And we'll bring him back. I promise. Whatever it takes."
Elias joined them, hand resting lightly on her shoulder. "One step at a time. And when that step is ready, Izana will be home."
Leah pressed a hand to her chest, taking a deep breath. "I'll be ready. For him. Always."
And for the first time in two years, the mansion felt less like a house holding ghosts—and more like a home waiting for its heart to return.