Chapter 37 - I Believe You

"Neither do I," Yelena responded right away. She flashed a smile, feeling satisfied with what Felix just told him.

For a second, she even wonders how come she met a guy like him! He always made her feel his love in a surprisingly calm way. The warm feeling of being loved, it was what she always yearned for!​​

"I think I'm the luckiest woman in the world. You're a gift from my late brother!" She exclaimed with a grin.

For Felix, it was the first time he witnessed her this happy. He can't resist the urge to smile and ends up grinning even more wider than her!

"Then will you answer me now?" He helped her up and led her to the bed. He then sat next to her and look at her.

Yelena's smile slipped a bit when she thought about the bad news she just received. "Okay." She nodded and start talking about her story.

"Since I was young, I was a very obedient daughter. The only thing I ever wanted was my parent's affection and approval. I was okay with living my whole life the way they wanted me to if that means I could win their approval."

"I could never have any friends because my mother never approved of them. She said I should only befriend those who are at our level. She only approved about two persons but I don't like them. They never considered me as a real friend. In fact, they didn't even know the meaning of true friendship."

Felix paid all his attention to her words and Yelena continued with her story.

"As a result, I was very lonely. But I can cope with it because of my brother. For me, he was not just a brother. He was a parent, friend and my everything. He was always there for me. I even forget the suffocating feeling of being lonely, thanks to him. I love him more than I love myself."

"I managed to live through many years with him as my only aide. Our parents were always busy with their work. They never had time for us. To be honest, they never even know what we were up to."

Yelena paused for a while as it was the time when she would explain the most painful part - the death of Marvin. It was never easy to talk about her brother's death even after 6 years.

"I used to thought that everything will remain the same. I will always spend my time happily with my brother right by my side but I was wrong. Marvin enrolled in the National Military Academy and trained to become an Army Officer. He was destined to follow our father's footsteps the moment he was born."

"Then everything changed. He became a completely different person. He rarely talked and kept on isolating himself, even from me. He never told me what's wrong even though I asked him many times. He kept on forcing a smile whenever he saw me."

"And when they had training in the mountains, he fell off a cliff and died. They said that it was an accident."

Yelena's eyes were all red, she was suppressing the tears which were about to flow out. She cannot cry; no, she shouldn't. She made a promise not to be weak again and according to what she believed, tears are only for the weak!

Felix calmly hold her hand when he understands her situation. He glanced at her with a message that said 'It's okay. Everything will be alright.'

"I said many times that my brother's death was not an accident. I asked them to carry out a keen investigation. But no one believed me, not even my parents."

"As it happened during the army survival training, the military authorities were also afraid to harm their reputation. Even my grandfather who is a General, cannot do anything. Besides, they were all convinced that it was an accident; so he had no choice. As such, the case was quickly closed."

One thing immediately entered Felix mind. "Is that why you joined the Army? To discover the truth?" He asked her.

"Yes. If I want to catch the lion, I need to enter the lion's den myself, isn't it?" She said with a determined face. "It's been two years since I became an Army Officer and during all those times, I never stop digging the truth. Lt. Morris is my partner in this. He also lost his brother who was in the same batch as my brother."

Unexpectedly, Yelena snickered. "The eldest son of a middle-class family, who was the pillar of his family with a bright future in the defence career suddenly committed suicide out of nowhere. Do you think that makes sense?"

When she noticed that Felix didn't process with her words, Yelena takes the initiative to explain to him. "I mean Morris older brother, Eric Flavian. He died out of suicide."

"Then who is Nolan Iselin that you mentioned on the phone?"

Yelena told him all the things that happened - how they searched Nolan for 1 year, his condition, hospitalization and how he disappeared. Felix patiently hears her out.

"It was that day." Yelena said and Felix looked at her with a confused face. "The day I was supposed to meet you in Belden. I got a call from Morris and he told me that he tracked down Nolan Iselin. Then no other thing came to my mind. All I remember was that I ran to the airport like crazy." She explained.

Felix clearly got the hidden message in her words. The message that said 'This matter is always my number one priority.' It was her way of telling him that finding out the truth is the most important thing in her life!

Felix smiled and gently ran a finger through her hair. "I'm glad that you hold out well. I'm so proud of you."

When he saw his comforting smile, Yelena was filled with guilty. "I'm -"

"Yelena." He cut her off by calling her name. "It's okay. No matter how much time you need, I can wait. I understand you and apart from all, I believe you."

'I believe you.' The beautiful and reassuring words warmed Yelena's wounded heart! It was the very words which she was dying to hear! Within a split second, her eyes became teary red and she lose her self control. She started sobbing the next second!

"It's fine. It's okay to cry once in a while." Felix rose from his seat and hugged her. He soothes her patiently.

Yelena buried her face in his broad chest, feeling ashamed for showing him her weakness. She always acts strong and tough but the truth is that she barely hold out and endured the pain. She did that not because she was strong enough, but because she had no one to lean on.

After holding out for many years, she finally breaks down and shed tears in the arms of a reliable man whom she trusts with all her heart.....