Red truth:

Dracùl Castle, Brașov, year 1462.

Elena:
—Did you ask to see me? - Madam Anne asks haughtily. – I am a very busy woman, I cannot lose my time with riffraff like you.
—I want my freedom. Convince Vlad to release me and let me go to Edirne. - I beg.
She laughs out loud and looks at me with the same disdain with which she has always looked at me.
—Who do you think you are to demand anything? You are nobody! - She bellows furiously.
—You lied to your own son, Madam. Vlad thinks I betrayed him, when in fact you are the traitor.
Her expression changes and she looks at me scared.

—I wonder... who administered the poison to him and committed the crime of which I am accused?

She purses her lips and clenches her hands into fists.

—It was Justina's idea. It was not a real poison, but a purgative. It made him throw up a couple of times and left him weak but it wouldn't kill him. Justina pretended to give him an antidote and he got better quickly.

—Why? Why make all this ruse against me? What harm have I done to you,that you hate me in this way?

She looks me up and down proudly, her eyes flashing with malevolence.

—You were a mistake. A mistake that tarnished the honor of my family. My son deserved a noble wife, a worthy wife. Not to be chained to a peasant brute.

I look at her with pity, hugging myself. There is no worse liar than the one who believes his own lies, nor worse blind than the one who does not want to see.

—Lady, fool yourself but not me. You know very well that Justina is far from being the perfect wife. - I whisper.
Madam Anne pales.
—My only sin has been loving your son.
—Your sin was aiming too high, wanting to belong to the aristocracy when you nothing but a bastard! -She yells, grabbing my arm and shaking me.- Love? Ha, don't make me laugh. My son doesn't need such things, money, power, alliances with people as powerful as him, that's what Vlad needs.

I manage to break free of her grip and back away, scared. My mother-in-law looks like she was possessed by the devil. She follows my footsteps, slowly.
—You, you have been a thorn in my side since you arrived. I've tried to make my son hate you in every possible way, but he can't. That's why I agreed to Justina's plan to frame you, I had hopes of getting rid of you for good. Vlad should have had you executed for treason, but he didn't, he's just keeping you locked up here. You have him spellbound, I see. The same thing happened to my late husband with the mother of that traitor, Prince Radu.

I step back cautiously every time she takes a step forward.
—But I won't let my son ruin his future like his father did. I have put a lot of effort and blood into elevating his position and securing his throne.
—You reproach me for being a bastard and yet you know perfectly well that Justina's children are not Vlad's! – I explode with anger.
—Shut up!- Her hand connects with my cheek, her face has reddened until it almost turned purple.-Never repeat those words again or it will be the last thing you say in your filthy life!"

She grabs me by the shoulders and shakes me violently, a murderous gleam flashing in his eyes.
—I'll tell him, I'll tell Vlad everything, he deserves to know the truth. He deserves to know that...
I didn´t finish the sentence, in the face of my threats Madam Anne lost what little sanity she had, she pushed me against the beautiful glass window, the panel broke before the impulse and I fell, from the highest tower. Finding my own death.

Island of Brac, year 2025
Eleni:
—I'm so sorry. – I sigh.

He remains motionless, pale, seeming ... lost. It must be terrible what he is experiencing right now, he´s discovered all the lies that poisoned our marriage. He has discovered that I´m completely innocent, in the worst way possible.
He blinks a couple of times, and looks at me blankly.

—My mother murdered you.- he whispers again. I take one of his hands in mine.
—Yes. She did.
—She pushed you out the window because you wanted to tell me that my children were actually the product of Justina's incest with her cousin King Corvinus."
—Yes.

He takes in great gasps of air through his half-open mouth. It's like it hurts to breathe.
—That means you were never sterile, little dove.- He looks at me, thousands of shadows have taken over his green gaze. , all the hate should have been directed at me. It was me. All the time it was me, the one unable to sow children in your womb.

He covers her face with her hands, large tears welling up in her eyes, and she breathes heavily.
—I responded to your purest feelings with threats, I paid for your patience with confinement.- He´s sobbing.- Your life under my roof was the worst of tortures. And yet, it wasn't me you were running from when you wanted to go to Edirne, but Justina. It was she who slaughtered the white lark I gave you. She and my mother were not satisfied with making you suffer, they wanted to see you dead.
I am silent, Vlad has turned even paler.

—I think it's best that we take different paths.- he whispers.

I open my eyes like satellite dishes. What?!

—Are you crazy? Have you forgotten what I am? - I look at him frowning. – I need a partner.
—You were created with Olenka's blood. – He informs me coldly.- According to our laws, you were created in payment for work done. In a few days you will have to be brought before the Mégas, to be presented and you will have your freedom that was what you wanted, to go back to your country and...
—I wanted to go back to my grandparents, but now I won't be able to be near them for at least ten years!
He looks away from me, he looks crestfallen. I have never seen him that way before.
—Vlad, don't do this to me. I have seen it too. Despite the lies, despite the alleged betrayal, the day that...- I gulp. – ...I died, you were in the garden, arguing with Justina. You had just informed her of your intention to free me and leave with me for Edirne.
I take his face in my hands, forcing him to meet my eyes.
—you were willing to give me one last vote of confidence. In the end you chose me. Above your kingdom, above your mother, above Justina, and even above those you thought were your children… you chose me.
—Too late.- he whispers, pulling my hands away from his face.

I get angry. He can't do this to me!

—Is that ait? You make me go to your hotel, youwrap me in your world, make me fall in love again and when things get ugly you run away? You haven't learned anything, Vlad. You are still a coward!
—It happened because of me. They killed you again because of me! - He cries troubled.
—I'm fine, in fact I´m more alive than ever. Justine tried it, it is true that looking at it from another point of view, yes, I´m dead, but so what? - Compresses his lips in a grimace, I sigh, getting out of bed and looking for the clothes with which to cover myself.
— Okay, you're absolutely right, if you're not sure of what you want, if you really don't feel good by my side, let's give ourselves some time. What do you think if we never see each other again for the rest of eternity?