Yelena was in her mother's hospital room, sitting beside the bed. She was holding her mother's hand and gently caressed her hair.

"The doctor scheduled your surgery for tomorrow. Don't worry, Mother. Your surgery will be performed successfully. So, you must regain your health and work again." She slightly smiled and said, "I'm too bored of looking after your company."

​​

"I think I finally understand how bored you would be in our home. My father and grandfather rarely come home early and I am always eating alone. I still feel like I'm living alone." Yelena let out a light chuckle when she thought of her busy family. "But I can't go home these days. I stay in a hotel and it's not that bad. It's a long story and I will tell you once you recovered. So, you must recover soon and be there for me."

Her phone went off while she was talking and she noticed that it was from Felix, she promptly answered the call.

"Where are you? Have you had dinner?" The Prince's voice echoed in her ears.

"I visit my mother and I'm in the hospital now. I will have dinner at home." Yelena glanced at her wristwatch and noticed that it was almost 7 in the night. "You have dinner, right?" She asked.

"You always make sure to check that," Felix said with a slight smile. "Don't worry. I already finish my dinner. It's almost 9 here."

"I read about Gina in the articles. What will happen to her?" Yelena asked. Thinking of Gina's physical condition, she was quite worried about her.

"Her physical condition is not good. Besides, she was threatened and she also willingly volunteered to be the witness. I think she will be safe. Don't think too much." Felix assured her.

"That's great to hear." Yelena also heard that the court had scheduled the hearing date for Alonzo's case. It will be after a week. However, she decided to change the topic thinking that Felix might feel suffocated. At least, she should provide him with some relief.

"You said that you will return to work starting tomorrow, right? I'm glad for that." She calmly said.

"Why is that?" Felix mused.

"I heard that you're the most capable among my mother's business partner. If you started working again, I might receive some help too." Yelena dryly said which made Felix chuckled.

"You're too sly." The Prince remarked. "Talking about your profit; seems like you have become a true businesswoman." He never thought that there would come a day when they talked about business!

Yelena frowned. "Like it or hate it, I already decided to replace my mother until she recovered. So, I should try my best." Her lips curved into a smile when an idea crossed her mind. "Business is your speciality. So, you can help me and also teach me. If you need help in my specialities, I can help you out in the future."

"Are you saying that you will teach me some combat skills and about guns?" Felix asked and sigh. "No thanks. I don't want my life span to be shortened."

"Why would your life span be shortened because you learn such skills? It might even help you to be more capable of protecting yourself." Yelena furrowed a brow. She wasn't that pleased by his response. Shorten his life span? What did he take her for?!

"While I was in your country, I often talked with your team members. They told me how strict of an instructor you are. They said you are the cruelest among the Captains." Felix argued. Though the members also told him that she might be strict and cruel during training and all, she was the most reasonable one. Besides, she always has the best results. However, he decided to not tell her these.

"They are so disloyal!" Yelena grunted. "I will surely teach them a lesson once I returned." She declared firmly.

Felix laughed at her words. "I have no say in that but... I won't let you teach me. I don't want to suffer."

Disappointment was so evident in Yelena's face but the Prince couldn't see as they were miles away. "Fine. I also don't want to teach a weakling like you. It will be a waste of time and energy. In the future, don't need my protection again."

Felix rapidly blinked at her words. Weakling?! How can she call him a weakling?! He couldn't just sit still! Then he made up his mind. "I will surely learn more. Who knows? When we meet again, you will be amazed by my improvement." He firmly said.

Yelena smiled in victory. "Okay. I will look forward to it."

After the call was ended, the Prince called Matthew and told him to arrange a training schedule for him each day and to also choose a good instructor for him.

* * *

In a private room of a luxurious restaurant, Arias and Ella were having dinner. Usually, they would just have dinner in a normal room but it was different this time.

It had been 3 days since they part in an unpleasant way that night. Ella avoided Arias call for three whole days and also refused to meet him outside work. However, in the evening, Arias received a call from Ella. The latter invited her to dinner and he ended up making a reservation in a private room. Was he prepared for the worst? Maybe.

The room was very quiet as both of them ate the dishes without saying anything. It was the first time they ever behaved this way and both of them finds it tormenting yet they didn't express it.

In Arias mind, the scene that day was repeatedly played. 'Don't touch me.' That's what Ella said to him and it still broke his heart.

"You can say whatever you want, Ella. I will listen." He finally broke the silence that already goes on for minutes.

Ella narrowed her eyes and recalled what Yelena said to her the other day. "I heard that you were once best friends with Colonel Maverick." She muttered and glanced at Arias.

Arias raised a brow. He deliberately didn't inform her this when he explained it to her that day. But soon, he realized that it might be Yelena. "It's true. Just like you separate your way with Yelena a year ago, Maverick distance himself from me and broke our friendship."

"Then what about you?" Ella asked.

"For me, he is still my only friend. In the past, I also ignored him because I was angry at him. I hated him for shunning me without even telling me why."

His response made Ella nervously clenched her fingers. "I never understand why you act so different these days. It turns out that this was the reason. You lost a friend and I don't even know."

"Ella, it's not like that - "

"Do you also believe it?" She muttered, interrupting him from speaking. "That my father is responsible for his death." She added in a low voice. She never thought that this day would come. She was talking about a murder case in which her father might be the suspect!

"Ella," Arias muttered. He finds it so hard to answer her question and pressure was forming inside him.

"Please answer me honestly, Arias," Ella said, meeting his gaze.

Arias fell silent for a while until he said, "There is no proof but yes. I believe that."

Arias hung his head low. He couldn't even meet her gaze any more. He didn't want to see her in pain again but...

"It will be so hard for you."

He darted his eyes to her when he heard her. Did he hear it right? Was this his hallucination?!

"You lost a friend and the one you suspect is my father," Ella mumbled, explaining why she said that it will be hard for him.

Arias wasn't happy. Instead, he was more worried about her. "Ella, don't push yourself. I'm fine. You don't have to say that." He quickly uttered the words.

"Do you still remember the words you said to me when we first met?" Ella said to the anxious Arias. "You frankly told me that you only come to meet me out of respect for my father but you also said that you are glad for coming and meeting me."

"That day, I was surprised. You made me realized that my father is a well-respected role model for many young officers while I always blamed him for forcing me to follow his will."

"Though he might not be a perfect father, he is a perfect Army Officer. That's what you made me think that day. You made me see my father in a new light." Ella calmly said though she was still nervously clenching her fingers beneath the table.

Arias didn't say anything but he was staring at her with concern the whole time.

"That's why I want to see it for myself if my father is really a murderer like you say. I heard you talking about Sergeant Korin with Yelena." Ella made a deliberate pause before she said, "I will help you to find Sergeant Korin. I want to see what kind of evidence he is holding."