The ceremony held by the Agrana Government was attended by only a few invited people. The leaders and high ranking military officials of Agrana, the soldiers who performed the mission successfully, families of the deceased soldiers and some leaders of Silveren Government were present in the hall where the event took place.

The solemn function was going on for two hours. Speeches, the commemoration of the deceased and finally, awarding the soldiers who took part in the mission. The ceremony was followed by lunch and when the soldiers finally returned to their base, it was already 4 in the evening.

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After changing their uniforms, Ella invited Yelena for a walk around the District. They already stayed there for more than a week yet they never had a simple tour around the area, all because of their missions. They walked around the area countless times but the purpose was always to work. The past three days were mostly spent on resting.

The two friends walked around the area, chatting with the people there and they even played with the children. After chasing around the ball in the field for almost an hour, they decided to withdraw. Football was not their cup of tea!

Now they were currently sitting in one corner of the playground and watched the children playing the same game. They were too focused on the game that they didn't even talk to each other for minutes!

"I never got to play much when I was a child." Ella finally spoke up when the game was over. "What about you?" She asked Yelena.

"I used to play a lot with my brother. But not those type of sports. It's too hard." Yelena helplessly shook her head which was followed by a light chuckle.

Ella was reminded of her older brother and somehow, she felt apologetic to her friend. "Did my brother still trouble you?" Her Major brother was always obsessed with Yelena. That's why the latter never visited Ella's house anymore!

Recalling about the last time she saw Major Ellis Geraci, Yelena replied, "Nope. I think my father scared him." A little smile appeared on her face.

"That's great!" Ella exclaimed with a wide smile. "I hope your father would teach him a good lesson. He's such a troublemaker!" She grunted when she thought about her useless brother. If he was a little reliable, she won't have to join the army!

"Then what about your Prince boyfriend?" Ella asked with a little hint of displeasure. In fact, she was really looking forward to meeting the foreigner who changed her friend to this extent. But one thing bothered her. She only reconciled with her friend and she doesn't want to part again that soon! Out of all the men in this world, why a man from another country? A royal on top of that!

Yelena talked with Felix last night but the latter told him that he won't be able to come to Silveren this week. He suddenly had another important schedule but promised her that he would make it next week. "Don't worry. You will meet him soon. Besides, he's not just a boyfriend. We already got engaged." Yelena calmly replied.

Ella blinked in surprise. Engagement?! Did her friend plan to get married soon? That can't be!

"Do you really have to marry a foreigner?" She asked. She never thought that her friend would make such a decision! She knows very well how much she loved her job and her country! Leaving everything behind for a man, was it really worth it?

Yelena nodded her head with a slight smile. "You will meet him soon. When the times comes, I hope that you will understand why. Just like how I realized why Colonel Arias worth your change in principles."

Her words made Ella fell into deep thought. She knows that her friend had a point. When one fell in love, every changed was always worth it. Principles, behaviour and even life; everything can change when it comes to love.

* * *

The sun had started to set in Silveren and Lexus finds himself in Moray Hospital. He was standing in front of the door which leads to Gina's room. He wanted to set his foot inside the room but it was not easy for the Brigadier.

Three days passed after Gina woke up from a coma but her condition was still the same. She won't talk and only nodded at times. Through a test, the doctors already confirmed that she didn't lose her ability to understand a written language either. However, even if they asked her to write something, she showed no movement, not even a flinch.

Philip and Sophie looked after her most of the time but he was informed that the young Lord finds it more than hard. Sawing his beloved cousin in that condition, the weak heart of the young Lord couldn't take it! As such, Sophie asked him to come and look after Gina for a while.

To be honest, Lexus was not confident. He was convinced that he won't be much different from Philip. After all, they were the ones who loved Gina the most! One was a sibling's love while one was the love a man had for a woman.

Walking inside the room after hesitating for seconds, he saw Gina lying on the bed with her usual lifeless face. Whenever he saw her like that, there was always a thing that pained his heart. Bracing himself, he sat beside the bed. Philip and Sophie had left the hospital just a minute ago.

When he noticed that Gina was staring at him with her dimmed eyes, his throat ran dry. He didn't know what to say. His eyes swept around every corner, hesitating to meet her gaze. Then he suddenly realized what the doctor said to them.

They should try their best to act positively. If possible, it's good to tell her fun memories and something that could give her hope, something that could give her the desire to keep on living. It's evident that she had lost all hope in life, so they should try to give her back the hope. Only then she would be able to recover.

Wondering what to say, he finally meets her gaze again when one scene crossed his mind. "Gina, do you still remember the school that we used to attend? Back then, I was in high school and you were still in your senior year of middle school. Once in a while, you used to walk home after school rather than taking a car. You may not know but I always followed you around whenever you went home by foot."

Fondly reminiscing about the time he fell for the then innocent and pure girl, Lexus continued, "One day, I saw you walking home all alone. Back then, I only recognized you as Philip's cousin, so I was quite surprised to see you like that. Why did the only daughter of a noble family went home alone, by foot on top of that? So, I followed you out of curiosity."

Unconsciously, a slight smile appeared on Lexus's face when he recalled the memory that changed his life forever. "I watched you trying out many delicacies in the local market, treating every vendor and stall owners with kindness and your eyes that twinkle when you try out the foods."

"I ended up followed you the whole evening and before I could even realize, I already fell for you." Thinking about the sparks that he felt that day, he continued, "I still remembered myself smiling like a fool that day. I find happiness in watching you smile. You are the first to make me feel that way and even now, you're still the only one who can make me feel that spark."

Finally holding her hands which he didn't dare ever since she regained her consciousness, Lexus took a deep breath. "Gina, no matter what happens, I will never turn my back on you. I will always believe that you still have that pure and innocent nature in you. They are the charms that captured by heart 11 years ago. So, I will never give up on you unless you tell me that you didn't want me in your life."

"These days, I'm trying my best to hunt down the one who turned you like this. It's hard but I promise that I will hunt him down and make him pay." He paused when he noticed the hint of fear in the woman's eyes. He holds her hands tighter to gave her assurance. "Don't be afraid, Gina. As long as I'm with you, no one will hurt you again. You should trust me, okay?"

When he didn't receive any response, the pain in his heart doubled. Slowly loosening his grip on her hand, he eventually withdraws his hand from her and looked at the side with a hopeless face.

But when he felt something on his hand, his whole body became tense at once! With a perplexed face, he gradually turned his head to look at his hand.

When he saw her palm placed on the back of his, his eyes widened in shock! Did Gina just hold his hand?