'If you say anything to anyone, I will make sure that your loved ones pay the price.'

It was the words Felix first heard from the video apart from the unpleasant sound of pleas and screams of three men.

​​

He immediately covered Yelena's ears and buried her face in his broad chest. "Don't look anymore. Don't try to hear anything else but my voice. Only listen to me."

He gestured Matthew to turn off the laptop and the guard instantly complied with it.

"It will be alright." He slowly withdrew his hands from her ears and caressed her head.

"My brother. H -he was like that be -because of me." Yelena stuttered as the video she received from an unknown person keeps on playing in her mind.

The screams and helplessly gritting teeth of her beloved brother, the warning of an unknown man in the video and the scenes of the ruthless torture; it was implanted in her mind.

Felix made a distance between them so that he could see her face. To saw her in such a situation, it was much harder than one could imagine! But he cannot crumble, at least for now. He needs to be a strong and reliable pillar for her. He should be someone whom she could lean on.

"Yelena." He gently called her name. "It's not your fault. Whoever did this is the one at fault. You must not crumble like this." When he saw her slowly raising her head to look at him, he continued, "You must be strong to punish the evil ones." He reminded her.

"The enemy made this kind of move to break you. He is using your love for your brother to his advantage." He grabbed her on the arms and gradually made her rise from the cold floors. "Tell me. Will you be a coward and relent just like the enemy's wish?" He asked.

She continuously shook her head when she heard him. "No. I can't do that. It will never happen."

"Then get ahold of yourself. Be stronger than ever before. Don't be afraid because if you ever fall or lose your way, I'll always be there for you." He reassured her.

While she was staring at him with an unreadable face, he gently wiped her tears away. "Have some rest for now. After that, your mind will become clear."

Without even waiting for her response, he led her to her bed and make her lie down. He then sat next to the bed and firmly hold her hand. "I'll be right here. Rest for a while. It will help you to calm down." He said to her with a nod.

Without a protest, Yelena slowly closed her eyes while gripping the Prince's comforting hands.

* * *

After ensuring that Yelena had fallen asleep, Felix took the laptop to his room, trying to know more about the video.

One big question was on his mind the whole time. Why does she say that it was her fault?

From his own story, he was well aware of how self-guilt could ruin a person. He didn't want her to have such a deadly feeling. He knows how excruciating the mental pain was and he would never allow her to experience the same!

The video was more than hard to watch! How could someone be this cruel and merciless?

If just two-third of the pain inflicted to the three men were endured by an average man, the man would have already died!

The Prince braced himself to continue watching the video until he heard the words which caught his attention.

*

In the video:

One man whose face was not revealed was asking Marvin Arista if he had changed his mind. But Marvin answered him by saying that he won't. He bravely told the man that he will tell the truth to the whole world.

Then the man showed a video to Marvin with laughter and said, "Isn't this your cherish younger sister? What if something happens to her in the next five minutes? You might even need to attend her funeral tomorrow."

Marvin Arista gulped as he watched the video where his younger sister was currently in her school, chatting with others with a smile on her face. He then glared at the man and gritted his teeth with anger. "If you even touch a single strand of my sister's hair, I will make sure to destroy you and your whole family! I will make you rot in hell!"

The man was unfazed by the warning. He instead laughed at Marvin. "Do you know? Someone is there just metres away from your sister, waiting for my order. To kill or... not to kill. One call and... your sister will be dead. Do you want me to make the call now?"

Marvin Arista tightly clenched his fist despite his hands being bound by chains but... he couldn't do anything. With his sister's life at the man's hands, what could he possibly do?

He loved his sister more than he loved himself. He was a man of justice and principles but if it's for his sister, he was willing to drop and put aside everything else.

He finally let loose his hands and when he noticed that the man was about to make the call, he instantly dropped to his knees. "Please don't harm my sister. I will do everything you say. I will keep my mouth shut and I will not tell anyone. Please... I'm begging you. Let my sister go."

The once man of justice grovelled on his knees and begged for the sake of his sister. At that moment, he let go of the things which he always valued throughout his life - truth and righteousness, all for his younger sister's sake. It was the day he let go of his own happiness.

His love for his sister was stronger than anything else! He didn't hesitate to submit himself to the man he despised if it means that he could save his sister's life.

*

Felix's closed the laptop and stared at the direction where Yelena's room was located. What will he do? How will he pull her out of this bottomless pit called 'self-guilt'?

She always told him to leave this matter to her. She said that she would see the end to this herself. But he was not sure if he could just sit and watch anymore.

After watching the video, even a fool would understand how dangerous this battle was. Yelena's safety and even her life was at stake!

Will he tell her to give up because it was so dangerous? No.

He understands her situation more than anyone. If one was desperate to find out the truth and bring justice, no one can stop the person. So, rather than discouraging them, it's best to give them full support.

To received someone support and to have someone who believed in him. It was the thing Felix longed for the past years. He was lucky that Lexus believed him and support him but it can't be compared to the support of his family which he never received.

At the moment, he made up his mind. Her war will also be his war. He will do whatever necessary to make her achieve victory in this long battle which started years ago.

He took the laptop and went back to Yelena's room. When he opened the door, he noticed that the bed was empty. Instead, she was standing next to the window and blankly stared at the outdoors.

He debated what he would say to her. He was never the type to console someone until he met her. He realized that he had already done many things which he never thought he would do. He had changed so much because of her.

In the past, he never desperately chased anyone, not to mention that he was rejected by her many times. He was a man of pride but when it comes to her, it really doesn't matter. He was never patient but she turned him into a man of patience.

How he spent his life before was not something to be proud of. Four years of suffering molded him into the man he was today and her appearance in his life perfect everything.

After standing still at the door for a minute, he finally called her name. "Yelena."

She turned around at once and he made his way to her but... he paused when he saw something which was very unexpected.

She was smiling at him.

He stood dazed while he stared at her with a puzzled face. This time, she was the one who made her way to him.

She stood before him and gently hugged him. She wrapped her arms around his back and placed the side of her head to his chest. "I'm sorry for interrupting your meeting with your cousin. I truly worried you, isn't it?" Her voice was low yet clear.

Felix blinked an eye at her actions and words. He was so taken aback that he didn't even make a movement. He stood still with his arms on his side.

He should be happy that she was getting better but... why does her action make him scared?