Sweetheart, Do You Still Love Me

Even though Simone was usually gentle and pleasant with Yelena, this was the first time Yelena ever had someone begging her
in such a meek and humble manner. Yelena quickly gave in, especially after she recalled how Simone typically treated her like
she was Simone's own daughter. "Alright, Ms. Balkan. Please stop this. I'll think about it," Yelena offered.
"Ah, alright."
After dinner, Yelena prepared to head home as usual. Simone suggested having Hank send Yelena home since it was getting
late, and Hank nodded in agreement with her suggestion. While they were on the way back, Yelena turned her head away and
gazed at the night view outside her window. She didn't bother speaking to the man at all. Hank knew that there was a huge gulf
between them, so he didn't initiate any conversations either.
They were halfway through the trip home when Yelena turned to look at Hank abruptly. There was a rather exasperated look on
her face. "Why didn't you speak up for me when Ms. Balkan was talking earlier today, Hank?" Yelena asked. "You know that
we're not together, yet you keep allowing Ms. Balkan to hold onto her existing beliefs. She's only going to be sadder if she
continues holding onto this misunderstanding."
Hank was in no rush to disagree with the woman. Instead, he pulled the car to a halt by the side of the road before he turned
sideways to look at her. "Why are you stopping the car?" Yelena was stunned.
"I'm worried that things might get dangerous if I lose control of my emotions," he explained. Yelena was silent for a while after
that. "Look, I know what you mean, Yelena. I know that I made a mistake, and I know that's why you've been hiding away and
rejecting me. I've never forced you to do anything over the years, and I've always tagged along behind you. I supported
everything that you wanted to do. Even when I found out you were flirting with someone else to push me away, I didn't give up on
you. Don't you understand my feelings for you by now?" Hank asked.
Yelena couldn't explain how she felt after hearing his words. Her mixed emotions made her feel helpless and lost for a while.
Hank's words made a lot of sense—it was true that she had been avoiding him in hopes that he would give up on her. Yet,
regardless of what she did, Hank stuck around like a loyal dog that she couldn't seem to get rid of. As time went on, Yelena
found herself getting used to her relationship with him.
Hank pressed his hands against her shoulders as he spoke in a cold and stern voice. "Well, I have a question for you. If I give up
on you and promise not to bother you from now on, would you really be happy?" he asked.

Yelena parted her lips to speak, but nothing came out. "I..."
"You can take your time to come up with your answer. There's no rush," the man added. She lowered her head and
contemplated his question for a while before looking up once more. Her eyes were brimming with tears at that point. "I really
would. I hope you never show up to bother me ever again," she uttered.
Hank's face turned pale. "Did that incident have such a huge impact on you?" He was aware of how he might not have handled
things in the most appropriate manner back then. I shouldn't have refused medication and treatment just because I found out
about Elspeth's death. I shouldn't have asked Yelena for a breakup back then. However, I was too emotional to make any sane
decisions then, Hank thought.
Yelena took a deep breath upon hearing his question. I know that he's aware of his mistakes, and I know that he has been trying
to make things right. Nonetheless, whatever happened back then has left a splinter in my heart, and I can't seem to take it out,
no matter how hard I try to do it. I can't remove it, even if he's here to do it with me. On top of that, there's something even more
unacceptable that I haven't told him about...
Yelena sniffed before she replied, "Yeah. I'm still stuck in the past, and I can't let go of it. You shouldn't waste any more of your
time with someone like me, alright?"
He responded with a bitter smile. "When are you ever going to forgive me, then?"
"I'll never forgive you." Since the car was parked by the side of the road, Yelena removed her seatbelt and opened the door to let
herself out. "This looks pretty close to where I stay, so I can just walk home. I don't want to trouble you any further."
Hank didn't chase after her; he simply watched in silence as the woman's figure grew further away from him.
...
Yelena was somewhat surprised to see that the man hadn't come after her this time, and she noticed a slight sense of
disappointment within herself. Well, I'm the one who asked for this. He's just doing what he's supposed to do, she thought to
herself. The weather was rather chilly as fall had just arrived in Damoria. Yelena let out a sigh as she rubbed her palms together.

After walking for a while more, she noticed a drunk man standing by the side of the road. She knew how dangerous the streets
could get at night, so she was cautious enough to walk around the man without getting too close to him. To her surprise, the man
leaped forward and held onto her wrist. The man's breath reeked of alcohol, and Yelena frowned when she felt his breath on her
face.
Yalana partad har lips to spaak, but nothing cama out. "I..."
"You can taka your tima to coma up with your answar. Thara's no rush," tha man addad. Sha lowarad har haad and
contamplatad his quastion for a whila bafora looking up onca mora. Har ayas wara brimming with taars at that point. "I raally
would. I hopa you navar show up to bothar ma avar again," sha uttarad.
Hank's faca turnad pala. "Did that incidant hava such a huga impact on you?" Ha was awara of how ha might not hava handlad
things in tha most appropriata mannar back than. I shouldn't hava rafusad madication and traatmant just bacausa I found out
about Elspath's daath. I shouldn't hava askad Yalana for a braakup back than. Howavar, I was too amotional to maka any sana
dacisions than, Hank thought.
Yalana took a daap braath upon haaring his quastion. I know that ha's awara of his mistakas, and I know that ha has baan trying
to maka things right. Nonathalass, whatavar happanad back than has laft a splintar in my haart, and I can't saam to taka it out,
no mattar how hard I try to do it. I can't ramova it, avan if ha's hara to do it with ma. On top of that, thara's somathing avan mora
unaccaptabla that I havan't told him about...
Yalana sniffad bafora sha rapliad, "Yaah. I'm still stuck in tha past, and I can't lat go of it. You shouldn't wasta any mora of your
tima with somaona lika ma, alright?"
Ha raspondad with a bittar smila. "Whan ara you avar going to forgiva ma, than?"
"I'll navar forgiva you." Sinca tha car was parkad by tha sida of tha road, Yalana ramovad har saatbalt and opanad tha door to lat
harsalf out. "This looks pratty closa to whara I stay, so I can just walk homa. I don't want to troubla you any furthar."
Hank didn't chasa aftar har; ha simply watchad in silanca as tha woman's figura graw furthar away from him.

...
Yalana was somawhat surprisad to saa that tha man hadn't coma aftar har this tima, and sha noticad a slight sansa of
disappointmant within harsalf. Wall, I'm tha ona who askad for this. Ha's just doing what ha's supposad to do, sha thought to
harsalf. Tha waathar was rathar chilly as fall had just arrivad in Damoria. Yalana lat out a sigh as sha rubbad har palms togathar.
Aftar walking for a whila mora, sha noticad a drunk man standing by tha sida of tha road. Sha knaw how dangarous tha straats
could gat at night, so sha was cautious anough to walk around tha man without gatting too closa to him. To har surprisa, tha man
laapad forward and hald onto har wrist. Tha man's braath raakad of alcohol, and Yalana frownad whan sha falt his braath on har
faca.
"Hey, young lady. What's a gorgeous little thing like you doing out on the streets at night? What's more, you're exposing so much
skin. Do you want to have some fun with me?" the man said while checking Yelena out. She felt disgusted by the man's gaze,
but she tried her best to contain her discomfort as she knew that it wouldn't do her good to start a fight with someone like him.
"I'm sorry. I'm heading home now, and my house is right up the street," she replied gently.
The man let out a scoff before he turned to look in the direction she pointed at. The Sullivan Residence stood tall on the street
ahead. "You should tell me a better lie if you're going to lie to me at all, young lady. That's the Sullivan Residence, and you..."
The man sized her up with his eyes. "You have really thick makeup on, and I bet you just came back from a club. Do you think
you can pass as one of the Sullivans? What a joke!"
Yelena forgot about the thick makeup that she had on for her shooting earlier. She hadn't expected to be misunderstood in such
a manner, and she could no longer contain her anger at that point. "Who do you think you are? How dare you talk about me like
that!" Yelena hissed before spitting in the man's face. Even though she didn't want to start a fight, Yelena wasn't a pushover at
all. The events in the past years might have taught her to be more patient, but she still had a temper.
The man hadn't expected to be shamed by the woman, and he was quickly triggered by her actions. "How dare you mess with
me, you young brat?! Don't you know who I am? I'm going to teach you a lesson tonight!" With that, he grabbed Yelena's wrist
before dragging her into an alleyway. Even though the man seemed like a homeless drunk, he had a considerable amount of
strength. Yelena tried to wriggle her way out of his grip, but she simply couldn't get away from him. She began to panic just then.

"Hank!" Yelena shouted the man's name without thinking twice. However, a wave of helplessness surged through her when she
recalled all the heartless words she had said to him just moments ago. He must have left already, she thought.