I can't lose you

"You forced me to hate you

To give you pain, to wreck you

But still, there's one thing dear

which always makes my weak heart fear

That in this bloody war of love

I can't afford to lose you"

At Knight Heritage, Italy

9:10 a.m.

"But Xavier, we are running out of arms. The deal with the Russians has to be done today itself. We can't afford to defer it further."

Sebastian spoke in a serious tone but Xavier was giving him a wide berth. His face held a staid expression and he looked lost in his own world.

"But what about the leader of Red Eagle? Wasn't he going to visit us today? If we all will be busy in the meeting then who is going to attend him?"

Noah said it to Elijah who was engrossed in his laptop.

"Let's spilt up. You, Seb and Eli attend the meeting while me and Xavier would deal with Ashton Finn."

Antonio replied while glancing at Xavier who seemed spaced out. Noah looked at him.

"Ashton Finn? Leader of Red Eagle?"

Antonio nodded.

"Alright it's decided then. Antonio, can you describe his features?"

Sebastian spoke while picking up the file from the table. Antonio was about to explain him when all of a sudden, his gaze landed at the top of the stairs.

'Good timing', he mumbled to himself.

He then turned to his right and started speaking while feigning a serious expression.

"Of course, he has a slim body but sharp features. He has thick auburn hair, black eyes and- Beautiful!"

He whispered all of a sudden making Sebastian and Noah look at him with a frown.

"I didn't know you were interested in boys?"

Noah snorted. Antonio smiled smugly.

"Why should I be interested in boys when we have a real Angel roaming in our house."

Xavier immediately perked his head up as soon as he heard him. He then followed his gaze.

The rest of the others also snapped their heads up only to see Rosaline descending the stairs slowly looking stunning in her blue dress. As soon as Xavier's eyes fell on her, the world around him stopped.

Rosaline was wearing a gorgeous full sleeves floral printed chiffon dress and was looking very beautiful. His heartbeat increased with every click-clack sound that her heels made as she gracefully took each step down making her way straight to his heart. She had bloomed more with years. Her skin has grown more fairer and she had indeed turned into a beautiful graceful woman. She was not too slim but she had an appealing figure. Her enchanting eyes, pointed nose, fuller pink lips and endearing smile was enough to make anyone bewitched.

Everyone became stunned and a pin-drop silence prevailed inside the hall as the gorgeous Princess padded down the marble staircase delicately.

"Wow!!"

Noah couldn't stop himself from appreciating the hazel-eyed beauty.

Xavier immediately got pulled from his trance and shot a murderous look to Noah who was watching Rosaline with his jaw hanging to the ground. Antonio smirked and quickly made his way towards her.

Rosaline finally reached the living room, her eyes searching for Emily impatiently when all of a sudden, they met with Xavier who was staring her from afar with an intense gaze. She quickly broke the eye-contact but flinched as she heard Jennifer's chirping voice from behind.

"Rose"

Rosaline turned around only to see Jennifer staring her in awe.

"My My, you look so beautiful"

She blushed and smiled a bit. Jennifer chuckled.

"You haven't changed a bit, Rosie. You're still that shy Rosaline who always used to get flushed whenever men complimented you. Remember Rose? When we worked in Tim Corporation, how everyone in the company was all over you? They were literally crazy for you."

Rosaline smiled shyly while her cheeks turned pink but there was someone else out there who was burning with jealousy and anger as he didn't find anything humorous in this.

"Well, she still possesses the ability to turn heads. After all she's no less than an English Rose."

Antonio spoke in a seductive tone as he eyed Rosaline from top to bottom. Rosaline turned beetroot and looked down.

"Hey you two! stop bothering her"

They all turned their heads towards Emily who was glaring Antonio. She stood beside Rosaline and wrapped an arm protectively around her shoulder.

"Oh, come on. We are just playing with our beautiful Angel. Right Rosa?"

Antonio said as he pinched her cheeks playfully.

"Okay okay, we should now have our breakfast. Help me feed my roaring stomach."

Jennifer whined. Emily rolled her eyes while on the other hand Rosaline turned stiff as she turned nostalgic. Her eyes started getting watery as she remembered Rebecca. Antonio noticed her gloomy face so he immediately dismissed the topic.

"So, what are we waiting for? I am famished too."

He held her hands and dragged her along with him to the dining table. Emily looked at him in shock. She then looked back at Xavier only to become horrified as he was giving killer glares to both Antonio and Rosaline with his blood-red eyes. She looked at Jennifer in fear but Jennifer winked at her making her confused.

"Don't over think too much. Just play along."

She grinned like a Cheshire cat. Emily smirked as she finally got the hint.

"Alright."

*****

~Time skips

Everyone was seated around the large dining table which was adorned with various kinds of mouth-watering comestibles. They all were busy munching the food while one was more interested to glare at a particular corner instead of enjoying the delicious dishes.

Antonio, Rosaline, Emily and Jennifer were busy chatting and laughing with each other. Noah, Sophia, Katherine, Sebastian and Elijah were eating their breakfast quietly. Katherine looked up and found Xavier glaring at the quartet while eating his food silently. The aura around him was formidable and deadly. His gaze was murderous and he was gripping the fork too tightly. She frowned and followed his gaze only to see Rosaline smiling and laughing at Antonio's jokes.

"Hey Rosie, why don't we all hang out tonight? You haven't left the house since you came here."

Jennifer chirped excitedly.

"Uhmm-"

Rosaline bit her lip in nervousness but before she could reply Emily quickly jumped in the conversation.

"Yeah, let's explore Italy today."

Rosaline looked at them with hesitation.

"Oh, come on Rosa, you should go. If you want, I can come."

Antonio smirked and rubbed his shoulders with hers.

"Aren't you busy today?"

Noah cut him off in between as he spoke in a mordant tone. Antonio looked up at him but then shrugged his shoulders.

"Don't worry even when I have too many irons in fire then too, I can take out some spare time especially for beautiful girls."

He spoke while ogling Rosaline. She gave him a fake smile. Antonio kept smirking and winking at her. Rosaline started becoming uncomfortable as she always used to get scared with all this flirtatious behaviour.

And Xavier noticed that.

He could easily see the fear and hesitation in her eyes. For him Rosaline was an open book. He could easily read her. The way she kept fidgeting in her seat and her gaze kept flickering the whole time whenever Antonio tried to get close to her was enough for him to get his answers.

His patience was running off with every ticking second. He was trying very hard to control his temper but everyone has a limit.

But Xavier was not the only one who was becoming inpatient. Someone else's patience was also wearing off and was drowning in the ocean of jealousy and anger.

Xavier cleared his throat. Everyone stopped eating and looked at him. Rosaline also put down the fork but didn't look up.

"Well, every one of us have an enviable task to accomplish tonight and I expect you all to be vigilant and forethoughtful. I will not expect failure from any one of you. You have one last chance to make this deal successful so it's all duck or no dinner with the meeting. Am I clear Noah?"

Xavier spoke in his deep voice. Noah looked at him and nodded.

"Don't worry. Consider it done Boss."

He replied. Xavier gave him a curt nod.

Rosaline's P.O.V.

'Wow! how people change so fast'

I chuckled internally as soon as I heard Noah calling Xavier 'Boss'.

Unbelievable.

The man who was the main hero of the movie before has now become one of the minions of the villain himself.

I looked at Noah. He looked at me back. I then smirked mockingly at him to which his gaze instantly turned fierce.

"What?"

He growled while gritting his teeth in anger. I shook my head innocently.

"Nothing. I was just thinking that if you can give me a lift to the office, Boss?"

I deliberately emphasized the last word. He understood my inkling as his jaw got clenched and he balled up his fists in anger.

"I won't-"

"Well, I can give you one"

I looked to my right only to see Antonio smiling at me sheepishly. I smiled back and nodded.

"Alright."

His smile widened. We immediately got up and left the scene.

"Hey wait for us."

"BRATS!!"

Jennifer and Emily yelled from behind. Antonio chuckled. He held my hand and we both ran away from there while laughing hard.

*****

Knight Empire, Italy

11:00 a.m.

"Alright I am coming."

I cut the call. I picked up the files from the desk and headed to Noah's cabin.

Today I was in a happy mood. After spending some time with Antonio, Jennie and Emily, I felt a bit lively. Although I am still not over with Jennie's betrayal but I also can't forget that she was the only one I had in Paris. She was my backbone who helped me to stood up in my life back when I was bogged in despair and darkness.

But still, I need to watch my steps as I can't trust anyone blindly. I have messed things before now I can't afford to repeat the same mistake again. I have already caught Xavier's eye and I am sure he is well-aware of my each and every move. I need to be more careful. For now, I should behave normally and cautiously. I should first let myself adapt to this atmosphere so that I can know about their stratagems and get more information about their work. For now, I should behave like an average employee so that I can work on a sagacious plan without being oblivious.

With these thoughts I entered the elevator. I pressed the call buttons to floor '16'. The metallic doors closed and the lift started ascending upwards. I kept checking the numbers which were being displayed on the screen.

'9, 10, 11,12-'

All of a sudden, the lift stopped at twelfth floor with a loud thud. I held the walls for support as my purse fell down. I panicked but before I could comprehend the situation, the lights turned off leaving me in complete darkness.

"O-Oh My G-God."

I started shivering in fear. I immediately turned on the flashlight of my phone. My breathing was turning heavy but I kept trying to calm myself down. I immediately dialled Emily's number with my trembling fingers when suddenly the phone got slipped from my hands and fell on the floor with a thud.

"Shit!!"

I quickly crouched down and picked it up but to my bad, it got broken. I was again left in darkness.

"N-NO!! HELP SOMEBODY HELP!!"

I started banging the door. I was too terrified. There was not a single source of ventilation and I was scared to death. I started roaming my hands around the closed chamber in which I was trapped so as to check for the emergency button but it was too dark. I couldn't see anything.

"PLEASE EMILY, JENNIE, ANTONIO! HELP ME!"

I kept shouting and banging the door with all force.

"N-No, help God... S-Someone, SOMEONE SAVE ME!!!!!"

End of Rosaline's P.O.V.

*****

~Time skips

45 minutes later

"Where the hell is she?"

Noah muttered angrily while glaring at the door impatiently. He had been waiting for Rosaline since the past 45 minutes but there was no sign of her.

"I swear to God if this is some sort of her sick prank that she is trying to pull up with me, I will definitely kill her today for sure."

He again called her but she didn't pick up.

"WHAT THE HELL!!"

He yelled in frustration and banged his fists on the table in anger.

"That's it."

Noah then immediately buttoned up his coat and stormed outside the office while clutching his phone tightly. He made his way to the elevator and pressed the buttons.

"WHAT IS WRONG WITH THIS NOW!"

He shouted in frustration.

"What's wrong Noah?"

Noah turned around only to see Xavier standing behind him.

He smirked.

"Well today's latest news is that I had called Mrs. Rosaline Valentino to my office about an hour ago but she hasn't come till now? Do you know the reason behind this Rosaline's ex-husband or should I say Rosaline's Psychotic Husband?"

Noah said while putting up a fake smile. Xavier's gaze darkened as he heard his taunting words but then he scoffed.

"You are her head, aren't you? You should deal with your employees yourself. I think by now you must have learnt that."

He replied in a cold voice and walked away. Noah closed his eyes in frustration. He then called Mr. Smith who was the head of infrastructure and physical facilities department.

~OTP

Smith: Hello Mr. Miller?

Noah: WHAT HELLO? WHY THE ELEVATORS AREN'T WORKING?

He blared in anger.

Smith: What? I am so sorry for the inconvenience. I will check it up myself.

Noah: Make it quick.

With that he hung up. After a few minutes, the power button of the elevator blinked. Noah sighed in relief but it was short lived when all of a sudden, his eyes fell on the elevator LCD display.

"O-Oh N-No"

Realization hit him like a lightning bolt. The numbers of the floor kept increasing slowly which made him gulp in fear.

"T-That means, OH GOD!!"

Xavier was about to exit the corridor when he heard Noah's scream. He immediately turned around and ran to him.

"WHAT? WHAT HAPPENED?"

Noah looked at him but before he could speak, the doors of the elevator opened. They both shifted their eyes to the right.

'But what they saw next was enough to froze their blood'

~~~💗~~~