"Why would you say that, Ella?! Are you out of your mind?" Arias promptly argued. He never once thought that she would say this! He knew that she just wants to know the truth but... he was sure that the outcome would break her!

"I already made up my mind. I want to know everything." Ella said. She was very calm in contrast to Arias.

​​

"No. I won't allow this. It will only hurt you!" Arias firmly objected to her decision. No matter how much he thought about it, he would never allow her to choose a path that would only hurt her.

"Arias - "

"This is not a trivial matter, Ella." Arias snapped, interrupting Ella from speaking. "You can hate me as long as it makes you feel better and I won't blame you but... I will never allow you to do things that you will regret forever. I don't want your life to be ruined!"

The tone of his voice was very high now but... Ella slightly smiled! It made Arias stupefied. What happened to her?!

"Yelena said the same thing. She told me that even if I hate her, she won't blame me." Ella finally muttered after a few seconds.

Arias was tight-lipped. He and Yelena were the most important persons to her apart from her family. Now, she had to hear such words from both of them. It must be so hard for her.

"Arias." Ella calmly muttered his name and holds his hand. "I'm sorry for that day. It was too sudden for me but I shouldn't have treated you that way. I'm sorry for looking only my pain."

"Ella - "

"Please don't stop me from walking this path. I won't be able to be at ease even if I don't do anything. I have to see it for myself if you are telling the truth or not." She made a deliberate pause and slightly narrowed her eyes. "If my father is indeed guilty like you and Yelena claims, then he should pay for his sins."

Arias raised a brow at her words. However, he could see the torment in her eyes and understood how hard it would be for her to utter such things. He tried to say something but...

"I will go home by myself today. I will leave first." Without even waiting for his response, Ella stood up and walked out of the room.

For the second time in just three days, Arias watched her walking away from him but... there was nothing he could do.

Ella went home with a heavy heart. All she wanted was to spend some time alone in her room. Things were so hard for her these days and she could barely sleep. As such, she was quite weak than usual.

When she entered her family house, her father was not there but her older brother was there. The Geraci siblings used to be quite close during their childhood as their mother passed away while they were very small and their father was a busy Army Officer. They used to spend most of their time together.

However, ever since Ellis Geraci started attending High School, he indulged himself with bad friends who led him astray. He started to develop many bad habits and though he barely managed to become an Army Officer under their father's strict teachings, he was never good in his job. As such, the siblings were like strangers now.

Ella always hated his brother for not taking his job seriously. If he was a bit capable, she won't have to join the army. Besides, after the brother became obsessed with her best friend and always make trouble because of that, she hated him even more.

Even this time, she tried to just ignore him like she always did but...

"Why are you so hard to see these days? I really want to ask you something but I never got the chance."

She halted when she heard her brother's voice but she had no intention to turn to him.

"Is your friend really getting married to the Crown Prince of Edeladon?" Major Ellis Geraci asked.

Ella wasn't entertained by her brother's question at all. "I already warned you many times to stop obsessing over Yelena. You only caused her trouble." She coldly said. She wasn't really in the mood to talk to him!

"That's none of your business. You should just answer my question." The brother argued. "Though it's been months since I last saw her, it's strange that she is suddenly marrying a foreign Prince. That means she won't be - "

"Please stop bothering me or Yelena!" Ella yelled and turned to her brother. "You never bother to talk to me but why must it be tonight? I want to rest and I'm not interested in your nonsense!"

Major Ellis Geraci raised a brow when he saw his sister's reaction. What made him even stupefied was her teary red eyes! He had never seen her like that ever since she was an adult!

"Are you crying?" He asked in a stupefied face.

Ella quickly turned away from him again. "No. It's none of your business." She tried to walk to her room but her brother stopped her.

"Why is it not my business? You're my younger sister." Ellis Geraci said as he stood in her way. "Is it Arias McLean? What did he do? Tell me."

Ella sighed at his persistence. "When did you ever act like an older brother? I really want to rest. So please, stop bothering me." She walked past him and quickly get inside her room. Then she locked the door.

Ellis Geraci quietly stared at the door to his sister's room. He knew that she was saying the truth. He was never a reliable older brother but still, he hated to see her in tears.

His sister was always strong and even more brave and stubborn than him. Just what thing could leave her in tears?!

* * *

The Next Day

Yelena was outside the ICU with her grandfather and father. Jason and Mrs. Corell were also there.

The heart transplant was performed on her mother successfully but she had not regained her consciousness yet. However, the doctor said that she will be awake soon.

She received a call from Felix while she was staring at her mother who was still laying on the bed in an ICU. Then she walked away to answer the call.

"Has the surgery finish?" Felix promptly asked her the moment she picked up the call.

"Yes. She is in an ICU now. It went well and the doctor also said that she will wake up soon." She instantly explained everything before he asked her more.

"That's a relief. I really hope she could recover soon." Felix remarked. He was in his room as it was already 7 p.m. in Edeladon. A genuine smile was on his face when he heard the good news.

"I hope that too," Yelena said with a small smile. "I think it's because I was too used to seeing her being tough and strong, I'm in a daze whenever I see her lying sick on the bed."

"I understand how you feel. My mother is also quite healthy but when she gets sick, I could never think clear because it's always an unfamiliar scene for me." Felix calmly said.

"Your parents will be worried. Please tell them that the surgery is successful and also greet them on behalf of me." Yelena promptly said when the King and Queen crossed her mind. She was too distracted by her mother's surgery and her mind went blank. She completely forgot to call them and even Felix.

"I will do that. You can rest assured." Felix responded. "Is everything alright there? In your work or also your brother's case. I'm quite worried." He always had a feeling that something's wrong. Besides, the sudden death of Colonel Maverick's still troubled him.

Yelena fell silent for a while before she said, "Things are quite a mess. I will tell you when we met. Things have calmed down a bit here after I release a statement in the morning. Though some reporters are still after me, it's better than before."

She was hinting at how she might be able to get to travel soon and he understood that. "Alright. I also started working again today. Things will be better soon."

Yelena had heard about one event which will be held in Edeladon by the Serano Group after a week. She also received an invitation as the ties between the two groups didn't break after the engagement was called off. Maurice Serano will also be the one who organised the event. So, she still hasn't made a decision.

Would it be good for her to visit Edeladon now? She wasn't sure. Besides, it's a given that her arrival there will surely attract much-unwanted attention. After all, it will be a big business event that would draw the attention of the media.

Not to mention that she had already released a statement claiming that everything the Prince revealed in the press conference were true.....