Chapter 280 - 280: Why She Didn't Come Back?

After Team Alpha Cinco escorted Senator Mondragon and his party safely, leaving the RC Convention Center, they returned to the XXX Crime Investigation Headquarters.

They would investigate thoroughly today's incident. Erick asked the team to list down the name of the possible mastermind who had a motive to hurt Senator Mondragon, including his opponents in politics. His team immediately followed his order. 

Meanwhile, Bryan noticed that something was off with Erick since they left RC Convention Center. He looked so troubled. Something was bothering him. So Bryan decided to talk to him.

"If you are tired, you can go home first. You might get sick if you will not take care of your health. For these past few months, you were always working overtime." Bryan said as he looked at Erick worriedly.

However, Erick remained silent in his seat. He seemed that his mind was wandering somewhere and he was not paying attention to Bryan.

Bryan thought Erick didn't like to talk about this so he changed the topic.

"Did you also notice? The incident was quite suspicious. The sniper didn't use a silencer on his gun as if he was intentionally revealing himself. I thought you already saw someone suspicious that's why you were running towards the exit. Anyway, what are your thoughts about this incident?

After saying that, finally Bryan got his attention as Erick fixed his gaze to him.

"I think… Elle didn't die that day." Erick said to Bryan with certainty in his voice.

Bryan: "..."

Bryan was rendered speechless. He didn't expect Erick to say that. He thought he was thinking about this afternoon's shooting incident. But he was mistaken. Erick was definitely thinking about Elle.

'But why is he mentioning that out of the blue?' Bryan pondered to himself.

Seeing the confusion in Bryan's eyes, Erick elaborated his assumption or rather his suspicion.

"Her body was not found during the retrieval operation. There was a chance that she survived that day." Erick said desperately. There was a gleam of hope in his eyes.

"Bryan… Elle is alive. I could feel it. I always believe that she survived. All these years, I am still hoping that one day we will meet again. I-I never truly accepted that she was… gone."

Bryan was tongue-tied. He was a little bit surprised that Erick was sharing his true feelings with him right now. It's been a long time since Erick opened up to someone.

Since that unfortunate incident two years ago, Erick had been shutting himself off to the world. He learned to build a wall, hiding his true feelings from others.

Since Bryan remained quiet Erick continued speaking.

"I saw her. Bryan… I saw Elle. She was also there in the convention center." Erick smiled faintly as he remembered what happened this afternoon.

But his smile disappeared in an instant after seeing Bryan's expression.

"What? You didn't believe me, right?" Erick's expression darkened.

He let out a humorless laugh as he clenched his fists.

"Just forget that I have said these things to you." Erick sounded upset and disappointed due to Bryan's reaction.

Bryan felt alarmed. He didn't mean to make Erick mad. "Erick… I didn't say that I don't believe you. But… I doubt if that person is Elle. What if they just look alike?"

"But they have the same voice." Erick justified.

Bryan paused for a moment, contemplating whether to say what's on his mind or just let it be. He didn't want to hurt Erick. He knew he was still hoping. He didn't have the heart to crush again his remaining hope.

As if Erick sensed that Bryan had something in his mind, he urged him to speak up.

"Talk!" He said to him firmly.

Bryan shook his head.

"I said… talk or I'll never talk to you again regarding these things." 

Erick threatened him so Bryan had no choice but to tell him what's on his mind right now.

"Two years had passed. If Elle was alive… then why she didn't come back?" Bryan looked down after saying that.

Bryan's statement was like a dagger piercing his heart.

'If Elle was alive then why she didn't come back?'

Those words kept replaying on Erick's mind and his heart ached once again. He felt limp on his seat. 

"Bryan...leave! I want to be alone." Erick mumbled in a low voice.

Bryan closed his eyes and clenched his jaw. This was the reason he wanted to keep that thought in his mind. It seemed like he added salt to Erick's wound after saying that statement.

'I should have told him a lie. You are really stupid Bryan. [email protected] fool!' He was cursing himself.

Bryan had no choice but to leave Erick. When Bryan disappeared from his sight, Erick buried his face using his two hands. He was hurting inside.

"I am not mistaken. That person is definitely Elle…but why? Did you forget about me already? Did I disappoint you that much? Is that the reason why you didn't want to return to my side?"

"Or .. you don't love me anymore, do you?"

With that thought, Erick's tears poured down once again.

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On the other hand, Bryan's mood was not looking good also since he left Erick's office. He was silent while having a gloomy expression on his face.

April tried to cheer him up so when they left the office that night she invited him to have dinner in her place. Bryan and April were exclusively dating for two years now.

Six months after April gave Bryan a chance, she became his girlfriend officially. April became Bryan's strength in his saddest moment. He was grateful that April accepted his love.

They'd just done eating dinner. They went to the living room to spend more time together. Seeing Bryan in his low spirits, April decided to talk to him.

"Hey, why are you so feeling down again? You look so stressed." April softly said to him.

Bryan could feel her concern for him. He couldn't help but smile faintly.

"Don't worry. I am just fine. Do I look so haggard? Are you having a second thought now? Want to break up with me?" Bryan said as he teased her.

April just rolled her eyes at him. Bryan let out a soft chuckle when he saw her reaction.

"I am just kidding." 

Then Bryan's expression became serious again. April could feel that behind Bryan's smile he was hiding his pain and sadness.

"Bry… don't be too harsh to yourself." April mumbled as she held his hand.

Bryan was taken aback for a moment. He knew April was trying to console him.

"I know you are still blaming yourself about what happened to Elle. But you don't have to do that. That was not your fault. Even Chief Lee didn't put a blame on you."

When Bryan turned to look at her, April could see the glint of sadness in his eyes.

Hearing her kind words, Bryan suddenly felt the lump in his throat and his eyes became misty.

April gave him a gentle smile and said, "For these past two years, you changed Bry. Do you know that? You matured a lot!"

Bryan felt very helpless. Now he couldn't hold his tears any longer.

"I couldn't help it. I felt that I am responsible for Erick's suffering. I thought I protected him but why do I feel like I failed? Yes, my best friend is alive but he looks like he is not actually living." Bryan said with his trembling voice.

April could see his pain. She brought her free hand to his face as she wiped his tears.

"Everything will be fine. Erick is a strong-willed man. He can overcome this hurdle. Don't worry too much. Take care of yourself too. You were under a lot of stress lately. You are also losing some weight. How can you support Erick if you are also slowly breaking into pieces?"

Bryan smiled at her tenderly. "Don't worry about me. Compared to Erick, I have you by my side. You are giving me strength and courage just like now."

"Of course I should! I was your friend before I became your girlfriend. It's only natural that I give you support and encouragement when you are feeling down."

"Hmm. Is that true? If I could remember, you told me before that you are only my colleague, not a friend. You are always bullying me!" Bryan put on a pitiful face as he complained to her.

The two of them ended up laughing so hard when they remembered how they always fought before, teasing and annoying each other. 

After a few seconds, Bryan stopped laughing and looked at her intently.

"April… thank you for comforting me… I love you so much."

After saying that Bryan bent down as he brought his face closer to hers and sealed her lips with a gentle kiss.