Hatred and Vengeance deprives one of happiness and serenity

~Flashback

"WHAT THE FUCK ARE YOU SAYING? I WILL NEVER GIVE PERMISSION TO SUCH A PREPOSTEROUS IDEA OF YOURS, NOAH MILLER!!"

Xavier yelled on top of his lungs while shooting daggers at Noah who was watching him blankly, unfazed by his outburst.

"Listen, everything has a limit. And this mess has to be cleared one day then why not today? You will keep running from CIA and hiding Rosaline from the world for the rest of your life? I am just trying to be reasonable. We need to stop this now.", he tried to make him understand. Xavier shot him a glare. He marched towards him like a predator and grabbed his collar.

"Are you even in your fucking mind? You are trying to risk her life. I will handle it in my own way. There-

"HOW? BY MURDERING EVERYONE AS YOU USED TO DO IN THE PAST?"

Noah shouted as he yanked away his hands harshly and growled. Xavier huffed in frustration.

"Yes. Rosaline is indispensable to me. To keep her safe and sound, I will do everything whatever it takes.", he said. Noah sighed and looked at him with tired eyes.

"Try to understand Xav-"

"Rosa will go." Elijah immediately cut their heated debate in between. Xavier and Noah snapped their neck towards his direction only to be left shocked.

There stood Rosaline along with Elijah and Sebastian, staring at the duo firmly. Xavier's shocked expression immediately turned into a fierce one. He took long strides towards her and gripped her right forearm.

"What are you doing here? Didn't I tell you to-"

But before he could lash out on her, Rosaline removed his hand and replied while looking straight in his eyes.

"Listen Xavier, I know you are worried about me but I also want to take decisions on my own. Noah is right, we can't always run away from our fears. We have to face them one day then why not today? We haven't done anything wrong that we need to hide like thieves. Moreover, Vincent will get an opportunity to slander us if we keep hiding like cowards. We need to make CIA understand that Vincent is wrong and had always misused his powers and position for his own benefits and to quench the thirst of his revenge."

"In fact, some senior officers are also using CIA's money to fill their own treasures and needs. We have a great opportunity to expose these corrupt officers. I agree that the path we are choosing is full of dangers and risks but if we play smartly, we can mould the situation in our favour.", Antonio supported her. Xavier went quiet. Their words surely convinced his mind but his heart was still groped with dread.

All of a sudden, he felt a pair of soft fingers on his right cheek. He looked down only to see Rosaline smiling at him. She cupped his face in her small hands and caressed them gently.

"Nothing will happen to me. In fact, I won't be confronting Vincent alone. Elijah has a felicitous plan. We will act according to it. Xavier, I don't know about anything. All I know that as long as my heart, the reason of my life is with me no one can even harm a single hair of mine."

She said and flashed him a smile. Xavier stared her for some time. He then sighed heavily and rested his forehead on hers.

"Okay. As you say. This time I will let you take the command.", he replied and smiled at her back.

End of flashback~

Present time

Rosaline was glaring Vincent ferociously. Her jaw was clenched and her grip on her 9 mm was firm. Her eyes turned dark in rage as soon as they landed on her Dad who was lying on the floor helplessly with a bleeding head and teary-eyes. Leon, Mr. Taylor and the other agents immediately pointed their gun at Rosaline but her eyes were fixed on Vincent who was shooting daggers at her.

Vincent glared her for some time but then all of a sudden, the corner of his lips tilted upwards. He jerked his hands, hissing in pain and turned towards her.

"Oh! The cheater is in the town tonight. What a pleasant surprise! And I must say that was one terrific entry. You finally made your teacher happy today. Well done, my wifey."

He chuckled and clapped his hands. Rosaline scoffed.

"The one who laid the foundation of deception and dirty games in this world is calling me a cheat? And my dear V, how could I have disappointed you? All my life I had acted upon your commands thinking that you are my best friend and well-wisher but as it is said, we can't fight with our fate. But see, I am still loyal to you. Even after coming to know that you were initially working for Xavier, because of you only he was able to catch me again and again, I still came back.", she said and flashed her a sweet smile. Vincent's smirk got dropped off his face. He clenched his fists and glared at the dauntless Rosaline who wasn't afraid of the countless guns which were pointed at her. She was like a lamb surrounded by ferocious wolves but he couldn't find a trace of fear in her eyes instead she kept boiling his blood by her taunts and smirks.

Vincent looked at Leon and then at Caleb. They both nodded at him and lowered their guns downs. Eventually the rest of the agents also lowered their guns. Vincent then shifted his eyes back to Rosaline and smirked.

"I see, your brothers-in-law and ex-husband had told you everything. But my wifey, Xavier had told you the things which he knows but today I am gonna tell you the things which even Xavier doesn't know."

Rosaline looked at him. His words though made her curious as she could see the truthfulness in his eyes when he said that to her but she didn't let her guards down.

"Fuck your explanations. You had kept me in a lie all these years. I trusted you, I believed you, I respected you. But you don't deserve any of it. Because of you, everyone called me stupid and never spared a second to threw mud slings on me. Still Vincent, I obeyed you and you dare to question my loyalty? The truth is that you are nothing but a dishonest and corrupt officer. You deserve to rot in jail and spend the rest of your life in regret. You have done enough damage to me and Xavier but not now-

"FUCKING JUST LISTEN TO ME FIRST INSTEAD OF JUMPING ON CONCLUSIONS!!"

Vincent harshly cut her off and growled making Rosaline flinched. He marched towards her in rage. She immediately tried to shoot him but Vincent was fast enough as he instantly lunged on her and slapped her hand making her gun land on the floor. Rosaline was startled but before she could understand anything, Vincent grabbed her waist with his right hand and pulled her to himself.

"WHO THE FUCK YOU THINK YOU ARE TO JUDGE ME AND MY ACTIONS? YOU DON'T KNOW ANYTHING!! AND WHAT DID YOU SAY THAT I HAVE DONE ENOUGH DAMAGE TO XAVIER? THEN WHAT WILL YOU SAY ABOUT THE INJUSTICE HIS FATHER HAD DONE TO ME AND MY FAMILY?"

He seethed on her face as he glared in her wide eyes which were staring him in shock and confusion.

"Injustice?", Rosaline whispered while staring in his red eyes which were filled with agony and rage. Vincent pulled her to his chest more as he made her stand on her toes. She instantly grabbed his shoulders for support.

"Yes. Injustice. And you're talking about my betrayal Rose? The wounds of betrayal which his father had left on my heart and the humiliation, pain, anguish, embarrassment he had made my family to go through, the hardships we had faced, it is far bigger and worse than my deception.", he gritted with clenched teeth. Rosaline could feel his body shaking when he spat those words. She could see the fire of vengeance burning in his eyes but she had lost her trust in him. She wiggled in his hold and tried to push him back.

"I don't believe a liar. Let me go.", she growled and pummelled on his chest with her tiny fists. Vincent blazed in fury watching her resistance. He coiled his large fingers around her fragile throat and brought her closer to his lips.

"I don't give a damn about it. I don't care you believe me or not but I will still tell you the truth.", he retorted. Rosaline grabbed his wrists and glared him. They both were glaring each other with murderous eyes but none of them back down. Vincent then wrapped his other arm around her waist and flushed her dainty figure completely towards his hard, rugged chest.

"You do know that our families were friends right but do you know that neither Xavier nor Mr. Knight ever treated me and my Dad as one? Once they became successful, they forgot about us. Xavier always got everything whatever I wanted in my life. A billionaire Dad, true friends, a powerful Mafia Empire, money, name, fame and lastly a girl who loved him so much. He got everything in a snap of his fingers while I had to work my ass off. Why? Just because he was the sole heir of a billionaire and I was the son of an average middle-class father.", he said.

"So, you were jealous of him since the beginning?", Rosaline mocked him. Vincent clenched his jaw and gripped her neck tightly.

"Yes and do you know why? Because I was the one who was only loyal in our friendship. Your sweet and kind Xavier took my concern and love for granted. Still, I always stayed by his side, cared for him like my own brother because he was my friend. But what did I get in return? Humiliation, pain and betrayal", he said, his voice turned a bit heavy making Rosaline's gaze soft as she found tears sparkling in his eyes.

"I met Xavier in Italy. We studied in the same school. Xavier was a new student in my class. He was a bit shy and reserved. I decided to make him comfortable and extended a hand to him for friendship. But Xavier ignored me and was always brooding. Despite of his cold behaviour, I always tried to talk to him and helped him whenever he needed. After some days, he also turned soft and we become good friends. Soon our fathers also become friends and then business partners. My Dad also cared for Mr. Knight a lot. I still remember the days when I couldn't meet him for months just because he was working hard to make Mr. Knight's empire successful. Mr. Knight knew that my Dad was suffering from hypertension and diabetes still he used to make him work the graveyard shift. That selfish old hag even took the entire credit for the hard work which was done by my father and declared himself as the CEO of Knight Enterprises. Me and Matt were enraged after hearing this but even after getting badly betrayed by his friend, Dad scolded us and forbade us to say bad words about his dishonest friend.", Vincent spoke in a hoarse voice as tears slowly cascaded down his eyes. Rosaline was shocked to hear all this and kept listening to him silently.

"How can I forget the day he insulted me when I went to ask him to lend me some money so that I can pay my Dad's medical expenses? How can I forget the way he threw my Dad out of his house when he asked for his share in his company? I was so depressed about these things so I decided to approach Xavier so that he can talk to his Dad regarding this. I told him to meet me in our school playground but that arrogant boy didn't even bother to show up. I thought that maybe it would have slipped from his mind so I visited his house but was stopped at the gate by the guards of his mansion. That memory is still fresh in my mind when I kept waiting for him, standing in the rain for hours but Xavier never came. Later I came to know that he was busy hanging out with his new friends while I kept waiting for him like a fool in the heavy rain.", Vincent cried. He rested his forehead on hers and started crying his heart out.

"I will never be able to forgive those horrible days of my life, Rose. Once Xavier and his Dad became rich, they kicked us out of their lives. I was so disheartened, my family needed them the most that time. I needed Xavier the most that time. But he never came. He didn't even bother to ask my well-being and got busy with his new life.", Vincent sobbed and slowly released her.

His words left Rosaline tongue-tied. She had seen the honesty in his words and pain in his eyes so it was true that he wasn't lying. But the situation was too critical. She shouldn't come in his words as it could be another trap set by him just to divert her mind. She should act according to the plan which she had fabricated. Her mind screamed at her not to be silly but her heart did move by his tears. Her inner voice was persuading her to comfort him as no one can lie this skilfully. Moreover, she had even seen the shocked faces of Vincent's men through her peripheral vision which itself clarified that they were also stunned to see their Boss crying like a broken soul.

But again, she also can't deny the fact that the man who was standing in front of her was Vincent, the man who had played with her heart and mind for four years. Who had made her his puppet and kept her in darkness?

Rosaline shook those unnecessary thoughts away. Whole life she had let her emotions control her mind now she can't afford to do that. She needs to act cleverly. Rosaline took a few steps back and compelled her heart to treat his truth as a sad, fake story.

"Enough of this nonsense. I said I don't believe you. Stop your crocodile tears. You brought your whole team, narrated me your schmaltz and will now force me to believe it at gunpoint.", she chuckled when she saw that Leon was again aiming his gun at her. Her words startled him. He quickly dropped his gun and lowered his head in shame. Vincent didn't say anything. He lifted his head and peered at her through his damped eyelashes making her gulp. Hurt was visible in his eyes which was making her guilty but she kept staring him impassively.

"No one is forcing you. I know deep down you want to believe me but you won't as you had given your word to Xavier.", he smiled sadly. Rosaline looked at him with wide eyes.

'How the hell did he come to know about this?'

Vincent chuckled at her shocked face and took a few steps towards her making her immediately step back.

"You are like an open book Rose. You try to act tough but you're really naive. I admit I used you for my personal gain but the thing is I really fell for you. In my journey of vengeance and hatred, I didn't even realise when I fell in love with my enemy's wife. My initial purpose was to harm you so that I can take my revenge from Xavier but no matter how hard I tried I couldn't make myself to hurt you. You are too generous, sweet and innocent. Just like a child who is unaware about the filth and evil lurking around him in shadows. The way you used to cry for your treacherous friends, the way you used to get sad for Xavier even when he had molested and abused you, the way you used to obey me like a cute doll drew me more towards you. Your innocence was something which made me mad for you. I broke your trust but see, you're still conflicting with your mind to believe me. You are really so sweet Rose.", Vincent said and kept advancing towards her with slow steps. Rosaline shivered when she saw how his eyes slowly started turning darker with each word. Although her heart was pounding wildly inside her chest, still she kept her gaze cold and glared him.

"And you're nothing but an asshole. Even if whatever you said was the truth still, you're at fault for using me as a pawn. You say you were played with Xavier still you played with someone's heart and feelings. You broke my heart when you yourself was aware of its pain. You make light of my emotions and believes when you yourself knew how badly it hurts when you get betrayed by the ones whom you love and trust the most.", she spat.

Her words made Vincent halt in his steps. He stared in her glassy eyes which tugged his heart hard. Rosaline continued.

"You were so blinded by your revenge that you didn't even think twice about hurting the one who used to trust you blindly. I took all the blame on myself, bore Xavier's hatred and anger but my trust on you never faltered. I even agreed to become your wife. I did everything you said to me thinking that you're doing it for my good. You care for me. But no, you were busy in avenging the pain and misery which you and your family had to go through. What was my fault in all this? Tell me. Just because I was Xavier's wife.", she sneered.

Her words hit Vincent hard. He looked away as he couldn't make himself to look in her hazel eyes which were only reflecting resentment and rage for him. He was indeed at fault but his stubborn mind and ego didn't want to accept it.

Vincent knew that it was over now. He decided to cut the play and finish the game then and there. It was of no use in protracting it and he was even in no mood for redemption or to gain her apology.

He immediately removed his gun which was tugged inside his trousers. He removed the safety and aimed it at her head.

"Yes and I am still not repenting whatever I did to you. But apart from being his wife, your biggest sin is that you're an emotional fool. I saw myself in you that's why I fell for you but the jerk you are makes me hate you as well. Yes, I played with your feelings and used you for my own gain. And trust me babe, I enjoyed it a lot. Weaklings like you deserve to die. You are sick, stupid, annoying and a bloody burden on this planet. You deserve to die and I am gonna kill you with my own hands.", Vincent spat venom from his mouth. Rosaline was shocked. She became numb by his cruel words and kept staring him with tears dripping down her eyes like a waterfall.

Vincent saw her pale face. He knew he was making her hate him more but it was for the good. He was well aware of the fact that no matter how hard he tries, he won't ever be able to justify his wrongdoings to this pure soul. He had done enough harm to her so it would be better if she hates him for the rest of her life than to feel pity for his miserable past.

Vincent flashed her a smug smirk but his heart squeezed brutally watching her tear-stricken face.

"Time to say goodbye wifey.", he chuckled and with that he pulled the trigger.

~~~💗~~~