99. The Handover!

99. The Handover!
Arabella POV

I don't understand why Rancho wants to meet me. Arthur didn't wake me up yesterday as I was in deep sleep but I found out from Garry in the morning.
He said, Rancho is getting restless. He wants to see me and that's his last wish. He is not sure how long he will live.

I never thought that meeting me would be Rancho's last wish.
I am amazed to imagine what he wants, although everyone is against it. They don't want me to meet him. They think that he might fill my mind with some negative crap.

"I want to meet him."
I turned towards Oliver, who is trying to convince me not to meet him since last one hour.

He sighed and gave up.
"Fine but we will be coming with you, you are not going there alone."

He wanted to meet me alone but that's okay, I don't think there is anything which he should tell me in isolation. My partners have all rights to be with me.
"Fine!"

They led me where Rancho was held captive. I must say, he was kept in tight security. Guards on each entrance and digital security was top-notch. I understand the safety, if Rancho somehow escape then it won't be good for anyone. Although I doubt that he would escape after Dad's torture, he has called hell on Rancho for shooting Rose. The anger was beyond explanation. His love and obsession for Rose is dangerous. I wonder if he is like this in this age then what he must have done in his prime age.

I entered inside and saw Rancho on electric chair, tied and busted from everywhere. He was hardly alive.
He deserves this after manipulating my pregnancy, hurting Rose, trying to kill my partners and trying to destroy Knights but I am feeling little disturbed after watching his state.

He looked at me with his swollen eyes and chuckled bitterly through his busted lips and missing teeth.
"Such a shameful thing to see that my best assassin now needs her partner's protection. Are you really going to be little princess now, I made you warrior."

Oliver stepped forward to hurt him but I stopped him.
"They are here because of love and you will never understand this feeling. Forget about it and tell me why you wanted to meet me. If you want to talk nonsense then I am leaving."
I warned and pulled Oliver back in his place.

Rancho sighed dramatically.
"You know, Damian is going to kill me and my death is close... I never thought that love can be this dangerous and would kill someone. Look at me, isn't this the love which is killing me. I am here because of your love and in this state because of Damian's love..."
He smiled bitterly.
"I should have also fallen in love then someone might have taken the revenge of my death... Anyways, I was recalling all my life while sitting on this death chair, death bed is not in my luck so..."
He laughed in pain.

"And what is the conclusion of your life?"
I asked. I hope he dies soon, the pain must be unbearable.

"What conclusion will you get from fucked up life. I have killed people for the rest of my life, conclusion will only be sinful... But I have found out some of my mistakes and you know what mistakes?"
He coughed.

I grabbed the water bottle and made him drink water, he groaned in satisfaction as he isn't given food and water for days. I am seeing how karma works, he used to do this with other people now it's happening with him.
He chuckled when I tossed the empty bottle away.
"You shouldn't give water to your enemy, did you forget my teaching... Why are you so soft, sweetheart?"

"What are your mistakes?"
I asked, ignoring his stupid remarks.

"My biggest mistake was, loosing you?"
He declared and I frowned. Arthur and Oliver were standing behind me with folded hands, listening to him carefully.
"I should have not sent you to kill Knights, may be then I would have not lost you. I shouldn't have forced you to come back without killing them, I might have not ended up here. I shouldn't have tortured you emotionally, I might have been more relatable to you like my father was with Rose. What a beautiful relation they had, I failed to maintain it with you... I shouldn't have let Knights purchase you again, I thought they will punish you and will send back to me but it didn't happen instead it turned out to be a nightmare for me. And I shouldn't have provoked you after choosing them, I might have retained my position... I failed!"

"Your biggest mistake was, you underestimated our love for each other... What made you think that their anger won't turn into love again? What made you think that I won't protect and love them back? Hate was never there in our relationship..."
I replied.

"Right, was there nothing which could have made me win?"
He asked confused.

Arthur smirked.
"You had it in front of your eyes, you could have killed us without threatening your position... I'll tell you how, you had Egon's sister with you for whom he was mourning. You should have tell him that his sister is alive but you kept it hidden for your selfish motives and that backstabbed you. You betrayed your own cousin... Imagine telling Egon about his sister's existence, imagine getting all the support from him, Egon would have never let Arabella fall for us, we would have never met her, our love would have happened and you would be ruling your world... It was that simple, you betrayed and controlled people instead of winning them... Renzo was a bastard too but he knew whom to win and whom to trash, unfortunately you don't have that mind. You failed your father!"

Rancho nodded in guilt.
"Right! You are right that I failed my father, nothing like you who has inherited everything from their parents... Now when I think about it, I realise that I have ruined everything my father has given me... I never deserved it, I disrespected him for his disciplined life thinking it's unnecessary but he was right. His only dream was to keep agency shining and I failed. Someone worthy needs to hold the position."
He looked at me.
"And that's why I called you here... I want you to become next Master, Arabella... I handover all my rights to you."

I frowned.
"Since when you become so generous? How should I believe that you don't have any hidden motive behind it?... You have many favourite fighters, why not them and why me because of whom you are dying?"

"Because I have realised that I am the villain, I have ruined everything but not anymore. I want my father's dream to live even if I die and I know that you can do it with the discipline and courage you have. I am leaving my legacy in safe hands... Please do me this favour. You are the best fighter I have seen in my career, the one choosen by Egon, the one who achieved special place in agency, the one who got bike from Rose. I hate that woman but if she thinks you are worthy of that bike then you are special. You have Egon's support also... You have to take this."
He requested.
"And I am giving it to the person who has given water to her enemy, this time I am not wrong with my decision."

I looked at Arthur and Oliver. I am not sure what I should do.
"We are with you, whatever decision you make."
Oliver assured me and I looked back at Rancho but he had already taken his last breath, he was gone.