Lt. Gen. Haric quickly dressed up in his uniform, trying to leave for the Headquarters. However, when he was approaching the door, he heard a voice.

"Where are you going this early, Father?"

​​

He instantly halted when he heard the familiar voice. Turning around, his gaze landed on his daughter. "Ella, when did you come home? I can't reach you for days."

"Last night."

"That's good. I have something to do, let's talk when I come home." Lt. Gen. Haric promptly said and turned his back at his daughter but...

"Are you rushing out to mend your sins or to commit more?"

Once again, the father stood frozen at his place. For the next few seconds, silence fell upon the house. Ella stared at her father's back while the latter stood still with an aghast face.

Slowly, the Lt. General turned around. "You heard the news? Don't believe it, Ella. It's just - "

"I know that everything is true, Father. No, I'm sure of it." Ella cut her father off, making him fell silent.

"Why did you do it, Father? Our country is fine the way it is now." Ella asked her father. Slowly walking towards him, she halted and glanced at him with pain more than evident in her eyes.

"Did Yelena Arista tell you? I never want you to be associated with her from the start. She even makes you doubt me, your father!" Lt. Gen. Haric snapped.

"Father," Ella muttered. Narrowing her eyes, she let out a breath. "Don't you feel guilty at all?"

"I don't do anything to feel guilty. You believe that friend of yours instead of your father. You should be ashamed, Eleanor!"

"Father, please! Stop now!" Ella begged. "Admit your crimes and repent. Everything is over. Pleading innocence won't be of use!"

"What makes you sure of that? I don't have anything to repent!" The father howled and Ella shut her eyes, nervously clenching her fingers. Then the house fell silent again.

"I was the one who helped Yelena." Ella finally uttered. Opening her eyes, she glanced straight at her father's eyes. "The last meeting you held in your study with those shameless followers of yours; everything was recorded. I was the one who makes that happen."

Lt. Gen. Haric's eyes grew wide but it was filled with rage the very next second. "How dare you spy on me!" He lifted his right hand, trying to slap his daughter but...

His hand was held back by a firm and strong hand. "Don't you dare lay a hand on Ella."

Ella, who closed her eyes and didn't make any attempt to block her father's hand, quickly opened her eyes to see her older brother. "Ellis." She uttered.

The father looked at his son as if he was a ghost. Putting down his hand, he glanced at his two children. "You also gets involve, Ellis Geraci?!"

"No. I only know about it today. I don't believe it at first but... seeing you like this, I can feel that everything is true, Father. Ella have no reason to lie!" Major Ellis Geraci snapped.

"There is no way out now, Father. Everything is set in stone. Please admit your crimes and ask for forgiveness." Ella pleaded with her father again.

Lt. Gen. Haric turned away from his two children. "You are still young and you don't know anything. Do you even have an idea of how much I went through?!"

"No matter what you went through, murder cannot be justified!" Ella argued.

Lt. Gen. Haric took a step towards Ella but his son stood between them, blocking his way. "Ella didn't do anything wrong. Don't try to blame her when you're the one at fault." Ellis Geraci firmly said.

Lt. Gen. Haric stood still, glancing at his children who, according to him, looked at him as if he was an enemy. All at once, he felt a tingling pain in his heart.

For 18 long years, he dreamed of a new world and he made many efforts to build such a world, dirtying his hands along the way but... this wasn't a part of his plan!

While the house became very quiet, the sound of a doorbell was heard, echoing throughout the huge and quiet mansion. Ellis Geraci turned to the door and opened the gate of the mansion.

After a while, some soldiers sent by the judicial authorities made their way inside. They were there for the Lt. General.

Without a protest, Lt. Gen. Haric followed the soldiers out and Ella slowly took a few steps towards the door, staring at her father until he was out of her sight.

After standing still for a while, she turned to her brother who was staring at her. She finds it hard to believe that her brother actually dared to stand against their father. It's the first!

"Ellis, I - "

"Have a rest. You seem to be tired. I will try to follow up our father's case." Ellis Geraci said and turned to his room.

"Don't you blame me at all? You heard everything I said to father." Ella muttered, glancing at her brother.

Without turning around to face his sister, Ellis Geraci said, "It can't be helped. Ever since you were young, you are the righteous type. You will never be able to turn a blind eye to this big of an issue. Rest for now." Then he entered his room right away.

*

Sitting in a chair in an interrogation room, Lt. Gen. Haric's face was devoid of any expression. He quietly sat, crossing his arms without even making a movement. Even when the door was opened, he didn't pay any attention to it.

The man who entered the room makes his way to him and when Lt. Gen. Haric saw the man's shoes, he finally lifted his head to look at him. "Arias?" He muttered. "What are you doing here?"

"I asked for special permission to meet you. We only have a few minutes." Arias said and took a seat opposite the Lt. General.

"Arias, Ella is back. She - "

"I brought her home last night." Arias promptly said and looked at the Lt. General. "But today, I came to ask you why you did this, Father. Did everything start 18 years ago? The death of your twenty comrades?"

When Lt. Gen. Haric didn't say anything, Arias narrowed his eyes and braced himself. "The evidence is more than enough to convict you, Father. Even if you plead innocence, it won't make a difference."

Lt. Gen. Haric darted his eyes to Colonel Arias when he heard his words. "Arias, you... " He paused and disbelief was written all over his face. "You also help Yelena Arista?"

Arias quickly turned away. He was afraid that he would lose his composure if he sees the disappointed face of the Lt. General. After all, he was once his hero whom he respected with all his heart! It was his dream to be like him.

"You know my friendship with Maverick. You know how important he was to me but... you still killed him. How can I stay put after my only friend was murdered?"

Hearing this, there was a mocking smile on the Lt. General's face but... he was not mocking Arias, he was mocking himself. "When I heard the news, I felt lost. How did everything happen too fast?" He paused and said, "It turns out that two of the people who are the dearest to me, are betraying me. I don't even saw it coming."

"This is not a betrayal, Father. Ella and I wish to stop you from committing more sins. Do you know how much Ella suffered when she heard all the things that you did? You break her heart." Arias said in a low voice.

Lt. Gen. Haric thought of Ella's strange disappearance. Did everything already start back then? He was always cautious yet he didn't even think of this possibility!

"After all, Arias, I don't judge you wrong. I always keep this from you because I know that once you figure it out, you won't be able to ignore it. You're just like the old me." He calmly said.

"You changed, Father. And that caused the death of my three batchmates. You destroyed Nolan Iselin's life too." Arias uttered, turning back to the Lt. General.

"Do you know who killed that upright soldier who saved your life, Arias? It's this country!" Lt. Gen. Haric howled. Placing both his hands at the table, his expression was firm and unyielding.

Arias shook his head. "You're only trying to justify your actions."

Lt. Gen. Haric let out a laughter, dark and eerie. All at once, his face turned darkened. "You don't know anything. Because of the coward leaders of this country, I was forced to watch the suffering of my comrades. They were killed right before my eyes in the cruelest way!"

He paused and silence fell upon the interrogation room.

"Let me tell you, Arias." The Lt. General uttered and rose from his seat. "This country which you risk your life to protect... is nothing as long as it is ruled by those cowards!"