"Yelena -"

"Please stop calling my name! It disgusts me. You know how much I look up to you. You know I respect you! But... things have changed now." Yelena growled. Her beautiful eyes were filled with disgust and contempt for this man whom she once respected.

​​

She was such a fool! She can't believe that she used to wish to follow in his footsteps! He was just an accomplice in a crime!

"I beg you. I intend to bring no harm to you or your plan. How can I make you trust me? Say it. I will do whatever you ask." Still kneeling on the cold floors, Colonel Maverick was adamant. He knows that he was in no position to do but he wanted to make sure that this young woman wouldn't get hurt like her brother.

"Tell me who the main culprit is and I will take care of the rest," Yelena said. Her voice was so calm to the point where it could be deemed dangerous. As such, her sudden calmness made the Colonel anxious.

Colonel Maverick could felt his throat running dry. His face that was already pale was now paler than before! Narrowing his eyes at the floor, he didn't know what to say, much more like he didn't want to. It would put her in more danger if he revealed anything.

"You just say that you will do whatever I ask. I want you to tell me the main culprit, Colonel." Yelena repeated herself yet she maintained her patience.

"Not this." Colonel Maverick muttered. "This will put you in danger. I can do anything but not this."

"Too bad. That's the only thing I want from you. If that's the case, I will find it out myself. I will also retrieve the Iselin's first thing in the morning." Not even sparing the Colonel a single glance, she walked past him and was about to leave the pavilion.

However, Colonel Maverick immediately stood up and grabbed her in the arm. "Yelena, please -"

"Don't touch me." She howled and shove away his hands. She felt utterly disgusted by him!

"One week. Give me just a week and I will tell you everything. Give me some time to make preparations. I know you don't believe me but I truly cared for your safety." He pleaded with her once again.

She sensed the seriousness in his voice and actions but it was too hard for her to make a decision. This matter means more to her than anything else!

Trying to think clear, she took a deep breath. "Let's talk about it tomorrow." Without saying any more word, she left the pavilion and went straight to her room.

Colonel Maverick stood still for a while, staring at the disappearing form of Yelena. The expression on his face was unreadable when he muttered, "I don't have much time."

* * *

The night was so long for the Captain. She couldn't sleep at all and end up rolling in her bed for hours.

The things that Colonel Maverick said to her were repeatedly played in her mind. Just how much did he know? Did he have any direct involvement in the death of Marvin and Eric Flavian? She had countless questions to which she was dying to know the answers!

She abruptly gets up and sat on her bed. She grabbed her backpack and take out a small wallet from it. Then she pulled out the photo of herself and her brother which she used to bring along wherever she went.

"Marvin, will it be okay if I trust Colonel Maverick? You know him better than I do, right? He was your batch mate." She muttered as she stared at the old photo.

"But what if he had any involvement with your death? If that's the case, I will never be able to forgive him no matter how much he regrets it."

She made a deliberated paused and stared out of the window. "I think I lost my way, Brother. Now that I have taken another step towards the truth, I don't know what to do."

"If only you were here... " She shifted her gaze back to the photo and an undeniable sadness was formed in her eyes. "I will be so happy. But you're not here anymore. That's why I miss you like crazy. The one who loves me the most in this world, my dear brother."

She darted her eyes to her phone when she received a call. Just the name displayed was enough to warm up her heart. How come he always called when she felt alone?! It's like he knows everything. The call always reminded her that if she felt tired, she had someone to lean on.

"Hello." She greeted him like she always did. She didn't want to make him worried but always promised that she would tell him everything as soon as they could meet up.

Even this time, she tried to sound normal but her unusual low voice made him knew right away that something was going on with her.

"My love, is there something going on? Are you alright?" Felix's warm voice echoed in her ears. She wondered how he never stopped asking her those questions yet they were the same questions that always made her feel cared and loved.

She nodded her head though he couldn't see her. "Something is going on but don't worry. I'm not injured and I look after myself well." She realized how late it was and finds it strange that he was still awake.

"It's so late now. How come you're still not sleeping? Is there something wrong?" She asked him worriedly.

"My mother has a fever but she's fine now. I look after her as soon as I reached here. But are you sure that you'll be fine? Though it's just a call, you can still tell me whatever it is that bothers you."

Felix just left his parents room now that his mother was falling asleep. He sat on the couch in a common room. He was tired due to the plane ride and nursing his mother but he called her to check if she had fallen asleep or not. Given the time, he was only trying his luck but he actually gets to talk to her. Like always, her voice made him forgets his worries.

"Don't worry. Just hearing your voice already made me feel better. I will tell you everything when we meet up." She put her phone closer to her ear and then lay down on the bed. "Shall I visit you this time? I will apply for leave and come to where you are as soon as the weekend comes. Adding the day leave, I will be able to spend at least 3 days there." She suggested.

"As long as you're willing to come, you're always welcomed here. I would be thrilled to formally introduce my fiancee to my family." He never said it because he knows how much she was caught up in her work. After skipping work for 2 months due to the gunshot wound, she was really happy to work again. That's why he never asked her to come to his country though there were many places in his homeland which he would like her to see.

"Then... I will try to visit your country this weekend. I think I lost all my energy these days and I need you to recharge it for me. But don't worry, I will do the same for you." She replied with a light chuckle.

She was really happy with the thought of visiting him. She knows that it was not the best timing to leave the country considering the issue with Colonel Maverick but... she really wished to see him. Right now, what she needed the most was him.

"I'm honored, my love. It's always great to know that I'm useful to you." He playfully said which made her burst out into a laughter.

"Hearing that from the respected Crown Prince of Edeladon truly made my day." She paused when his mother crossed her mind. "Will your mother be okay? If I will come there at weekend, that means it's just two days away. Will she be fine with meeting me? She's sick." She asked in a low voice.

"Actually, my mother said that she wanted to meet you as soon as she gets well. She asked me if she needs to go to Silveren for that." Felix said while rubbing the side of his head. He knows how she would react and he didn't get it wrong.

"What?!" Yelena abruptly get up and sat on the bed again. She recalled about the King's sudden visit. "Don't tell me that you told your father to come to Silveren if he wanted to see me?!" She gasped. That's unbelievable!

"Well... I did." He responded, inwardly scolding himself for talking too much.

"Why would you do that? They are your parents and my future in-laws. You only make things difficult for me!" She exclaimed with disbelief. Does that mean the King come all the way here because his son told him to come if he wanted to meet her?! That didn't even cross her mind!

"You're busy with work, so -"

"Don't make excuses. Put yourself in my place. If my father said that he wished to meet you and I told him to go to Edeladon because you're busy. Would you like that?" She bluntly asked.

"No way. Why would your father do that? I can just go there." The Prince response comes as fast as lightning. When he realized what he just said, he hung his head low. She was right. What he did was not an appropriate thing to do.

"Do you understand now?" She sighed. However, she knows that his intentions were pure so she couldn't be angry at him. But it would be great to teach him a lesson so that he wouldn't do anything thoughtlessly in the future.

"You truly disappointed me. I'm hanging up." Her voice was cold yet there was a playful smile on her face when she hung up the call.

Hearing the sound of the call being ended, Felix's blinked in surprise. Was she angry at him? Did he mess up?

He tried calling her again right away but she won't pick up. He called many times but it doesn't work! Putting down his phone, he holds his head with both of his hands. "Ahh! What will I do? She's mad." He grunted.....