The rain was relentless, a cold, gray curtain that had draped itself over Istanbul since the early hours of the morning. Inside the small, cozy cafe in Kadıköy, the air was warm and thick with the aroma of freshly ground coffee and cinnamon.

It was a terrifyingly absolute truth. Before Lila, Elias had moved through life like a ghost, observing the world but never truly part of it. He had seen thousands of faces, walked down countless streets, and heard a million voices. Yet, they were all just background noise.

Lila’s smile widened, a flicker of memory dancing in her eyes. "I remember. You looked at me like you were seeing a ghost."