Elena sighed as she walked deeper into the garden in search of Nana, her eyes scanning the endless rows of blooming flowers and twisting vines.
"Honestly, why is this garden so ridiculously big?" she couldn't help exclaiming as she muttered under her breath, brushing past a bush of lavender and ruthlessly plucking the leaves.
The moment her words left her lips, a rich laugh filled the air, scaring Elena out of her wit and she immediately turned to see Nana sitting comfortably near a bed of delicate white roses, her wrinkled hands carefully tending to the soil. "You sound like someone lost in a desert," Nana teased, shaking her head with amusement. "Did the flowers offend you, child?"
Elena crossed her arms, pouting. "No, but I don't think even the royal gardens are this big. I almost gave up looking for you."
That only made Nana laugh harder, her chuckles blending with the soft rustling of the leaves. "Come, sit with me," she said, patting the ground beside her.
Elena sighed but obeyed, plopping down and reaching for a small trowel. If she was going to sit here, she might as well help. "So, you asked for me?"
Nana hummed in agreement, but minutes passed, and she said nothing more. Elena worked alongside her in silence, pulling out weeds and loosening the soil, waiting, and waiting for Nana to speak but the older woman remained quiet.
Elena's patience, already thin from days of uncertainty, finally snapped. She stopped working and turned her full attention to Nana, staring, unblinkingly waiting.
The silence stretched between them, thick and heavy. And then—
Snap.
Nana's hand trembled under the weight of Elena's stare, and she accidentally uprooted an entire plant instead of trimming it. She blinked down at the poor thing in her palm, then looked at the culprit, Elena who was still watching her expectantly.
Nana let out a slow breath before shaking her head, a small smile playing on her lips. "You truly have no patience," she muttered, digging the soil again to replant it. "Such a contradicting image you create—you sit there looking all gentle and sweet, but in truth, you're as restless as a storm."
Elena chuckled, finally relaxing, forgetting what she wanted to ask Nana in relation to earlier's gossip she overheard. "That's why they say you shouldn't judge a book by its cover."
The words barely left her mouth before Nana burst into laughter. A deep, full-bellied laugh that made her shoulders shake until suddenly, it turned into a cough.
A rough, chesty cough that startled Elena into action. Her heart lurched. "Nana—!" She called.
Without thinking, she jumped up and ran, searching frantically for water. She barely took a few steps towards the entrance when she spotted a familiar figure standing at the garden's entrance, the maid who had escorted her here.
Elena had thought she had left, but she was still there, as if she had been watching them the whole time. And strangely enough, she already had a small bottle of water in hand, as if expecting this exact moment.
Elena wasted no time to continue this speculation as she ran to grab the water from the maid and rushing back and kneeling beside Nana, helping her drink while the maid appeared again quickly patting the elderly woman's back.
Finally, Nana let out a shaky breath and smiled at them both, her eyes twinkling despite her coughing fit. "Elena, my dear, you almost killed me," she joked weakly.
Elena exhaled in relief before rolling her eyes. "That's not funny."
Nana, still grinning, stood up with the maid's assistance and after she ignored both of them when they instinctively reached to help her walk.
"Enough fussing," she scolded, waving them off. "I still have strong bones, don't go underestimating me just yet!"
Elena blinked in surprise, then glanced at the maid, whose lips twitched as if holding back a laugh.The two of them exchanged a look and then burst into laughter.
"Come along now," Nana said, already walking away.
Still chuckling, Elena followed, the maid walking beside her in quiet steps.
For nearly an hour, they made their way through winding paths and stone-paved trails, until finally they reached it.
A building made entirely of glass stood before her, reflecting the sunlight like a jewel in the middle of the estate. Inside, empty pots and planting beds lined the walls, waiting for something to be brought to life within them.
Elena turned to Nana, confused. "What is this place?"
Nana only smiled and gave her a gentle nudge. "Go inside and see for yourself."
Curious, Elena stepped in. The air inside was warm, rich with the scent of fresh soil and the promise of growth. She walked slowly, running her fingers over the pots, already imagining what she could fill them with. She still couldn't understand why Nana had brought her here. Turning back to Nana, she asked, "Why are you showing me this?"
The older woman's expression softened. "Because I know you love flowers. And I heard you have a talent for perfumery."
Elena's brows furrowed at this reply.
Nana gestured around. "This greenhouse has been empty for years. No one has used it. I thought… perhaps it could be something for you to occupy yourself with."
Elena stood frozen, her mind struggling to process what she had just heard. She stared at Nana hard as if trying to see if she was serious, if this was some sort of joke but Nana's face, lined with age and wisdom, was filled with nothing but warmth.
Elena's heart squeezed.
For days, she had been drowning in frustration, in loneliness, and in the suffocating quiet of Lorenzo's absence and now—
Now, she had this. A space that was all hers.
Something that had been missing even she was still with her family.
Her hands clenched at her sides as she fought back an unexpected rush of emotion. "I…" she started, but the words tangled in her throat.
Nana chuckled, patting her arm. "Oh, don't cry, child. It's nothing grand just a small thing in this big house. Lorenzo won't care what happens to it."
At the mention of Lorenzo, Elena snapped out of her daze.
Immediately, she wiped at her eyes and cleared her throat. "Wait...does that mean Lorenzo approved this?"
Nana gave her an amused look. "Calm down. Out of everything in this estate, this is such a small thing. He couldn't care less about it."
Elena's face lit up in pure joy after hearing this. And without thinking, she launched herself at Nana in a grateful hug only to be * stopped mid-motion. A firm grip on her arm held her back.
Confused, she looked down only to see the maid holding onto her with an almost panicked expression as if something precious of hers was about to be stolen by Elena.
Elena blinked in shock, her body frozen in place as she gazed at the maid who quickly looked down, her face turning an impressive shade of red.
Nana let out a chuckle. "Elena, meet my youngest grandchild, Saif."
Elena's mouth fell open slightly in shock, her eyes darting between them. "Your… grandchild?"
The maid Saif shrank under Elena's gaze, looking like she wanted the ground to swallow her whole.
Elena tilted her head, studying her as she thought of when she had first met Saif in the hall, she had been poised and professional, every bit the composed maid but now she was flustered and awkward, almost like a different person entirely. And this was just like when she left her at the entrance of the garden.
This made Elena wonder if all the people in this house are just like their master. A walking contradiction.
Still, despite the surprise, warmth filled Elena's chest as she looked around the greenhouse once more. She remembered that a few hours ago, she had been consumed by frustration but now, she had something to look forward to.
A bright smile bloomed across her face, her earlier gloom long forgotten.
It was time to turn this place into something truly hers.