Bloody War (NOW PUBLISHED IN PAPERBACK)

Epilogue

In my whole life, standing at a terrace balcony has never felt so distressing. My heart refusing to acknowledge my worries. My mind unlike my heart, preparing for the fight of it's life. It's a fight that I have fought many times. As the view of the death of Nicholas sunk in, it felt like a war was on the horizon. But this time it is different. This time I don't know, which sword I shall have to use or is it just a sword or something else that I need. In this moment I felt like the peace that I always searched for was right here but simultanously like it was far away. My hair was open, flowing till my waist. A small breeze was blowing it away, cooling my face in the process. I was beyond tired and had no energy left inside me. My body begging me to stop and take a rest, especially my leg, my head was warm even though it was quite chilly out here. My eyes clearly showing how exhausted they were. But I was not. I had to see the end of it. For 11 years, it has haunted me, making me feel nothing but emptiness, a vaccum and now it was high time for me to make it stop. It was my call to be free again. To be the person my parents thought I was meant to be before tragedy struck like a tsunami. At that moment a soothing yet deep voice, which I have grown too fond of -in my opinion-, interrupted my chain of thoughts.

"Avery...you're okay..." It whispered. Maybe I just needed to believe his words. It was just a turmoil of emotions inside me afterall. I am probably okay..? Absentmindedly, I nodded my head at him. "Uh huh...." He looked at me with those eyes speaking thousands of coherent words which I could understand but still needed to hear from his very own lips.

"As much I want to say that I regret our fight, I won't say it. Partially, because it cleared some bigger misunderstandings for the future. Look, Avery I don't expect you to be all forgiving and understanding right now. You have a very valid righ-I mean reason, to be enraged right now but I just want to tell you that I am not making some excuse for someone's actions. Nor was I justifying anyone in your flat. I can't and will never expect you to reason with what my parenst have done to your father. I just....just wanted to give you a reason. a perspective from my side. As to why this happened..." He sighed and rubbed his eyes as if he was fighting with himself internally.

"Blain...his life was at stake. The S.C Cartel wanted to groom him as their bargainer since he could speak 4 languages at a very young age. I don't know a single thing about from where my parents thought your father was the culprit. They just went out of their way to do everything they could have to save their youngest child. That included abandoning their other 4 children too. And then they died. Before dying they left several recordings in which they admitted that they killed an innocent man named Henrick Rosewood and that I was expected to find his remaining family and ask for forgiveness. But I couldn't find anyone related to him since-"

"The news reported that he, his daughter and wife were killed in the gas explosion in their beloved bunglow, INSIGHT. I know, I was the one who fabricated the news. It was safer that way." I replied. The fight within me now ceased to an extent. "I....I was also never honest with you too. The gun...it had a secret compartment with a blue pendrive in it. It contains all the dirty secrets of the bigshots of all the industries. It was gift from my father, that's why I never wanted it to land in wrong hands. My father may have worked for the cartel but he was a double agent. He tried his best to save each and every child that entered the cartel before they could be corrupted. And the money on my name is also given by him..." I confessed to him about all the lies I had to tell them to keep myself a secret. It felt right.

"Why did you refuse?" He asked solemnly. I knew what he was talking about. I saw him from my peripheral vision when Nicholas tried to offer me a deal. A deal very tempting to accept but I didn't. His voice had a thirst for my answer underlying the question. But I doubt if my answer will ever be able to quench his thirst.

"Because I don't want to lose the people I care for anymore." I replied after a moment of comforting silence. Maybe I will. Who knows? But what about me? Will it just be a dry well for my questions?

"You...care for me?" He asked. Something that I never thought someone would ask me again. Simply because I wouldn't let them get so much close to me. But he asked, a question whose answer I never thought I shall ever utter from my lips again. But right now, that one word was the only thing I wanted to say.

"Yes." My reply shocked him to his core that I could very well see. "What?" I asked him as he opened his mouth and then again closed it. "I...I just never thought I would receive an answer to 'I care for you' from you. Although it was not an answer..." He rambled like a puppy as small smile graced my lips.

"Uh...when I was in his office I found a document that looked like a pact somehow. It had the signature of 15 people on it. Some calculations were on it. Looked like a death wish, a legal death wish I think." He said suddenly after a moment of bashfulness.

"Typical Nicholas, even after his death I wouldn't be free. Let me guess they all get a share of some property after performing a task? right?"

"Actually No, Avery the paper stated that once they get the proof that you're alive they are to kill you on sight. And then they would get their own peace of mind...whatever that means."

This comment really made Avery's mind work anti-clockwise. Suddenly the deal of Nicholas came in her mind. "He had the information already, that's why he was so leneint with me having the gun. He already must have a copy of it somewhere. He threatened those people with those clips, blackmailed them to sign the paper. And...and the proof of me being alive? What could be a more greater proof than his death? And now those people will use all their power just to have that pendrive...Goodness! that bastard!!"

"Well, you can't deny he was a genius bastard!" That did it. Even though I was angry for not finding out his twisted backup plan, I couldn't help but marvel at it too. A chuckle left from my lips along with Aiden's as I slowly realised my fate now. "So lifelong marathon is it? because I won't have anyone touch that gun." I shuddered as if the thought repelled against my very being.

"So what? it can be handled....gradually." Aiden answered carelessly. A smile tugged at my lips seeing him this happy."And how?" I asked prompting myself on my elbow as I leaned forward at him.

"Like...this...."

He grabbed the back of my head with his left hand and leaned forward till his lips were touching mine, brushing against the corner of my lips and grazing my lower lip with his teeth. Looking once again at me, he kissed me finally. Gently, more like he was kissing a feather. And to my utter surprise, I kissed him back.

At that moment I realised that no matter how much I am prepared, something will always be there to knock me off my feet. Doesn't matter how many years I take as leave, whenever I come forward life will always throw a issue to knock on my door. And I'll be able to do two things, either I groan and run from it or I accept it with open arms and a smiling face. Every experience is new in life so now I won't expect to dodge any bullet, ironically, because who knows it may not be so bitter! Plus now I had someone with whom I can again learn to care, to worry, to feel concerned. Someone who'll be there when I look behind. Most importantly, now I had some people in my life with whom I don't have to be 'Agent Frost' or 'Avery Silas'. I can finally be the person I was born as, a simple girl, I can be myself, I can be Avery Victoria Rosewood again.

"What can be more better than this?"
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