Apprehension or Madness? - Part One

Knight Empire

One hour before

Inside Antonio's office

"But Antonio, I don't think this is a good idea. You are very well aware that you are trying to play with fire. I may not know Xavier better than you but till now what I have noticed about him is that tricking Xavier is like putting your life on the line. He is already enraged with Rosaline and her betrayal. And now you're risking your neck by being all lovey-dovey with his goddamn Rose that too in front of him. Antonio, Xavier won't even hesitate to lit you up on fire."

Emily babbled in fear while staring at Antonio and Jennifer but they were unmoved by her fear.

"Emily darling, we know you are scared of Xavier to core but we need to make that beast realize that he still cares for his beauty. We need to make him realize her importance and worth in his stone-cold heart. We need to make him realize that he still cares and love her. And on the other hand, Rosaline also should understand that Xavier is the only one who really cares for her and loves her more than anyone in this world"

Jennifer explained her. Emily shot her a glare.

"What do you mean by realize? They bloody know that don't they?"

"No they don't"

A husky voice grabbed the attention of the two ladies. They both turned around only to see Antonio staring at the glass window pensively.

"What do you mean?"

Emily snapped at him. Antonio took a deep sigh and turned around while staring her seriously.

"Xavier and Rosaline, the lovely and adorable couple whom everyone admired has been lost somewhere. The sweet couple who used to love each other are now on at daggers drawn. We can blame Vincent for influencing Rosa to leave Xavier but that's not the whole truth. I admit that Xavier did wrong but Rosa never trusted him too. He loved and trusted her more than anyone but Rosa never did."

He spat in anger. Jennifer glared him.

"Don't forget Mr. Romano that your friend abused my friend. His love was so toxic still Rosaline forgave him. She kept giving chances to him but did he improve? No, he didn't."

"YES, HE DID!!"

Antonio yelled in anger. Emily flinched but Jennifer kept glaring him back.

"You yourself know about the orphanage that Xavier had built for Rosaline."

"Orphanage?"

Emily whispered while looking both of them confused but they ignored her.

"But did he tell her about that? No right."

Jennifer rebuked. Antonio groaned in frustration watching her rebellious figure.

"He was about to but he didn't even get a chance because your so-called dumb friend came in words of a stranger and betrayed her own husband. Woah!! What a great friend you have?"

He started clapping his hands while staring her in amusement. Jennifer clenched her jaw tightly while throwing daggers at him.

"Rosaline would had never left if Xavier himself would have told her the whole truth. How stupid of you Antonio? We both know what would had happened to her if Vincent wouldn't have come on time that day. Either Xavier would have locked Rosaline in that prison which he called his home forever or would have tortured her to the point where she would have fell into oblivion, she would have really turned into his lifeless Doll, just the way he always wanted her to be. There is no doubt that he loves Rosaline but we also can't deny the fact that he is madly obsessed with her. Moreover, about the fact that Rosaline should have waited for Xavier to tell her the truth about her friends but do you really think he would have told her?"

Emily became baffled after hearing her words.

"Why? Why can't he tell her? I mean if the real intentions of her friends were not really what Rosaline thought then Xavier had the odds in favour. He should have just told her the truth. What was there to hesitate about?"

She asked her. Jennifer scoffed while looking at Antonio who was staring her quietly. She then turned to Emily and smirked.

"You all think that Rosaline never trusted Xavier but the truth is the opposite. Xavier had always been too jealous of her friends. Noah himself told me about all this when we were on good terms. Xavier always tried to forbid Rosaline from getting close to her friends. When he finally got her then too, he remained apprehensive all the time about the fact that one day she would leave him. It was because he had always kept Rosaline in dark. She didn't know he was a mafia and he dreaded that her friends would tell her the truth. And that's what happened."

Emily nodded in agreement. Antonio looked away while Jennifer continued.

"And after all the fiasco, these insecurities gripped him like strong unbreakable iron chains and I am damn sure that if Rosaline wouldn't have come to know the real truth, Xavier would have tied her in these chains forever as that Psycho Mafia just wanted to keep her by his side either by hook or crook."

She spoke in a calm dead tone. Emily looked at Antonio. He closed his eyes in frustration as Jennifer was absolutely right.

No matter how much he tries to defend his friend but deep down in his heart he knew that Xavier was too much insecure for Rosaline and this insecurity and fear turned his love into a dangerous obsession which he himself had witnessed. Even though Xavier loved Rosaline like there's no tomorrow but still the pain and scars he gave her, though unwitting, had scarred the poor soul deeply. She was traumatized of him and Antonio had seen everything himself so him denying it would be a barefaced lie.

"You both are completely at opposite poles then how come you are working together to fix their broken relationship?"

Emily spoke while looking both of them with judging eyes. Jennifer sighed.

"It's because no matter there are hundreds of faults in that psychotic devil but it is also the truth that he is the only one who can really keep Rosaline safe."

Emily looked at her in shock.

"S-Safe? What do mean?"

"It means that CIA is just using Rosaline to gain leverage over Xavier. She is just the pawn but their main goal is to trap the King. Vincent acting all lovey-dovey and caring for Rosaline is just an act so that he can manipulate her and use her against Xavier. He knew it damn well that he won't be able to defeat Xavier but can bring him down by using his weakness which is one and only Rosaline."

Antonio replied to her. Emily blanched with shock but also with anger. She had always despised Vincent but still she respected him as she had seen how much he used to care for Rosaline. But no, everything turned out to be an apocryphal story.

Jennifer sighed after watching her infuriating.

"Yes Em, that's why we are trying to bring Xavier and Rosie together. They have to be otherwise everything will get destroyed. Xavier will die in CIA's cell and Rose will live the rest of her life with guilt and sorrow. We don't want this to happen. We can't let this to happen. That's why we need your help and everyone's else's too."

Emily looked down and started to ruminate about the whole situation. Antonio and Jennifer stared each other worriedly as they feared that Emily could straight away decline this. All of a sudden, their eyes glistened with hope when she looked up at them and smiled.

"Alright. If this is what you want to bring the lovebirds together then count me in."

Jennifer smiled widely and hugged her tightly. Emily hugged her back and lifted her up in air making Antonio chuckle.

But rather they knew that there was someone standing behind the door watching them with raging eyes.

"So this what the fucking trio is planning."

A malicious smile crept on the face of that dark shadow as she came out of her hiding place.

"Don't worry I am gonna help you all in your lovely plan. The damsel in distress for sure will find her Knight but the sweet tale of our sleeping beauty will be incomplete without the Maleficent."

She smirked and turned around when suddenly her eyes landed on Rosaline who was entering the elevator. Her odious orbs glared her leaving figure with hatred and contempt. A husky demoniac laughter erupted through her throat as a vicious idea popped in her mind.

"Because of you I lost Rebecca. She died just to protect you but still you love your devil murderer husband. No, I won't let this happen. I won't let you live in peace. You will die the same way your crazy husband killed my sister."

She immediately took out her phone from her jacket and dialled a no.

"Turn off the elevator which is at the right-hand side of the second floor. Make sure that it is for the general staff one not the VIP one. And remember no one should know about this, got it?"

She then cut the call and chuckled darkly.

"Be prepared Beasty, your fairy godmother will always keep an eye on you."

*****

Present time

11:45 a.m.

As soon as the door opened, Xavier froze as he stared the view in front of him in horror.

Rosaline was inside that closed chamber lying on the floor, unconscious.

Her condition was miserable. Her eyes were puffy and swollen while the blue chiffon dress was stuck onto her like a second skin. She was completely drenched in sweat. Her shiny brown hair was sprawled all over the floor while some strands were sticking on her forehead. Streaks of sweat were glistening on her neckline and collarbone. Her lips were parted and had turned chapped and blue. Her face had turned pale and she looked....

'Dead?'

"R-Ro-Rose"

Xavier whispered in an inaudible tone while staring her fragile figure in trepidation. His heart was detonating inside his chest while his breathing turned narrow. Noah looked at him and found him numb. He immediately got inside the elevator and pulled Rosaline out of it. He laid her on the floor and glanced at Xavier but he still didn't budge and kept standing like a mannequin.

Anger rushed inside his veins and he shouted at him furiously.

"WHAT THE HELL ARE YOU DOING IDIOT? LET'S TAKE HER TO THE HOSPITAL!!"

Noah's furious roar pulled Xavier out of his trance. His eyes widened and without thinking twice he pushed Noah off Rosaline and held her in his arms.

"ROSE? ROSE? WHAT HAPPENED? OH GOD!!"

Xavier started shaking Rosaline violently but she didn't wake up. He immediately got up and ran to the golden elevator while carrying Rosaline in bridal style. It was the VIP elevator which could be only operated by him and Noah. Noah followed him and got inside too. He pressed the call buttons to the basement.

"CALL JAMES! QUICKLY!!"

Xavier shouted while staring at Rosaline's paled face with teary-eyes. Noah nodded. He fished out his phone from his breast pocket and dialled James's number.

"WHAT ARE YOU WAITING FOR?"

Xavier shouted in rage. Noah glared him.

"I CALLED HIM. HE ISN'T PICKING UP-"

~OTP

James: Hello.

Noah: Jamie there's an emergency. Are you-

Xavier: BROTHER!! MY DOLL, MY DOLL, S-SHE FAINTED!!

Noah looked at Xavier with irritation as he was going all crazy.

James: Calm down Xavier, bring her quickly to the hospital.

Xavier nodded like an obedient kid. Noah rolled his eyes at his stupidity.

Noah: Alright. We are bringing her.

He hung up.

"WHY IS THIS TAKING SO LONG?"

Xavier kicked the door in rage. Noah huffed in frustration.

"Calm down. We're almost there."

He replied sternly. He was too angry with Xavier's deranged behaviour but right now his main priority was to keep him calm and sane.

As soon as they reached the parking lot, Xavier immediately dashed to the shining black Range Rover. It belonged to Noah. Noah ran after him. They quickly got inside the car. Xavier sat on the back seat with Rosaline while Noah took the driver seat. Xavier placed Rosaline on his lap as if she was a baby and wrapped his arms around her tightly. He placed her head on his chest and started rocking back and forth.

"DRIVE QUICK!!"

Noah gritted his teeth in annoyance and pressed the gas.

"Hold your horses Psycho."

~~~💗~~~