[2] The Vicious Wife

Marry me on every continent on the planet

"Is it really that easy to kill a person?" Roseanne shifted her gaze towards Park Jimin as she wrapped the sheet around her naked body.

"Why are you talking about this while you're naked with me?" he asked, mirth apparent in his voice.

"I'm serious," Roseanne said. "I know this isn't the right time to talk about it but I think... I won't be able to sleep without knowing the answer to my question. I mean... I'm not a saint, but I always... tried to avoid causing anyone's death. I find it... I don't know. Killing innocents is..."

"They were not innocents. No one is," Park Jimin clarified. He sighed as he realised that his blunt and detached comments left Roseanne speechless. "Two hundred and thirteen people," he uttered, sending Roseanne's eyebrow flying towards her hairline. Was he going to tell her about himself? This was actually the first time that Roseanne heard him talk about this. To be exact, it was the first time that he'd ever opened up about his life.

"I've ordered my father's... my men... to kill a total of two hundred and thirteen people.  I know their names, ages, jobs, why I had them killed, when, and where...

"I didn't hold the gun or slit their throats, and yet... I was the one who ordered it. Now... let me tell you the difference between being the one who ordered a kill and being the one who personally pulled the trigger." Park Jimin paused to find the right words. "When you pull the trigger, it's not on you. You are just following an order, so if you don't do it someone else will That's it. Can you see the difference? As the person who ordered the massacre, I'm the one responsible for everyone's death. Not my men who were pulling the triggers. Not the people who burned all the dead bodies. Just me."

"All the responsibility falls on me," he repeated as his hand slowly made its way into Roseanne's. He slowly slid her fingers between his and lifted their joined hands, casting a shadow over part of his face. "Years ago... when... my adoptive father wanted to  leave the world of the Yakuzas, he was killed."

"That was around the same time as when... you were supposed to get married. So, when you disappeared, I was so occupied with my father's death and its aftermath that I was unable to focus on you. During that time, a lot of blood was spilled and a lot of people were killed, entire Yakuza families were obliterated as if they'd never existed, burned to the ground..."

"It was on me. Do I regret it? No. Do I think about it? Yes. Do I think it's wrong? No. You need to understand, the moment they decided to kill my father is the moment in which they signed their own death certificates.The moment they decided to touch you is the moment in which they deserved to die. Now...is it really easy to kill someone? " Park Jimin slowly put their hands down and turned to face Roseanne. "Pulling the trigger was easy. Deciding to pull the trigger is also easy. The gravity of it... the responsibility... the stain, now that will never leave me. It will remain with me forever. It marks me... every single time I decide to kill someone... it changes me a little. The weight of each life... knowing that there are people who will miss them... It just... changes me. Maybe it's the same for everyone who has made the same decision."

Silence followed his words as the tension began to slowly build within their room. Roseanne could feel her heart pumping, accelerating... racing.

"If you were to ask me if I regret killing the people that you deem 'innocents'... my answer would be 'no'. I will never regret any decision made or action taken if it was made to ensure your safety and protect our future." Once again, a deafening silence followed his words. "I'll understand if you are afraid of me. I'll understand..."

"I'm not," Roseanne interrupted him as she suddenly sat up in bed, her hand clutching the sheets around her body. Roseanne turned to look at him, her eyes meeting his dark brown orbs. "Thank you for sharing your past with me," she said, just barely above a whisper, her voice soft and gentle. "I'm not judging you, I don't blame you for your choices, and I would never be afraid of you."

Roseanne slowly lowered her head as she bit her lip. This brutally frank conversation was exactly what she needed to hear. His sincerity, his solemn words...were akin to an assurance, a promise...confirmation that they were in this together.. "Revenge was easy when I had no one," Roseanne admitted hesitantly. "But all this... all this killing and disposing of people like they are nothing... like they don't matter is honestly making me scared. I'm afraid that someday... somehow all this will come back to bite me, bite us... our family, and all that might ultimately lead to a never ending cycle."

"Revenge was easy when I had no one. But now... now that I have you. I..." she lifted her head and stared at him. "I don't know if all this is worth it anymore."

"All these things just made me realize that at the end of the day... despite having all this money and luxury, all we really have is each other, but... I fear that I might  lose that. I fear that I might lose you in some endless cycle of revenge. I am scared, Jimin. For the first time... since seven years ago, I feel scared." Roseanne's hands nervously pleated the blanket that was slowly sliding down due to Park Jimin sitting up and shifting to face her. She continued to look at him as he watched her, his eyes gentle as he looked into the depths of her soul.

"This was not revenge," he stated. "This was justice."

When Roseanne did not answer him, Park Jimin lifted his hand and wiped the tears from her cheeks. "I know the line between the two is often blurred. Some say that revenge is just wild justice, while others say the two are completely different. But think about it... we are not doing this just to satisfy ourselves. We were not here to get even. No. We are fighting for what they took from you - from us. Our child, your father and mother, as well as your brother. This is not retaliation. This... is us setting everything right."

"With interest," Roseanne suddenly blurted out as her lips lifted into a smile. She used her other hand to wipe away her tears before she continued, "Let's not forget the fact that my motivation has always been money and growing my grandmother's company."

"Yeah..." he chuckled. "Of course. How could you ever forget about the money part?"

"Then, What's your next plan?," Park Jimin said in all seriously. His task is done. Now it's his wife's turn to decide. "I have taken care of the people who could cause you the greatest harm. Now... it's your turn to decide."

"Ohhh... then I guess you already know what I want, don't you?" Roseanne laughed softly as he eyes drifted to the beautiful painting of her which graced their living room. She lazily leaned back, her head resting on the back of the couch.  Unhurriedly, she shifted her gaze towards Park Jimin, who was steeping tea in front of her.

"You want the Li Group," he stated as his lips lifted into a smile. "How will you manage all of these companies? You have been running around and working your ass off with the Anne Group. You are about to obtain Wang Construction, followed by the Li Group," Park Jimin paused to make sure that he had her full attention.  "With this schedule it will be hard to maintain a good relationship. When will you find time for me?"

"Oh... Shut up!" Roseanne rolled her eyes as she burst into laughter. "You sound like a white lotus wife and please.... Please stop pouting! Please don't..." She held her hand up as she looked at his pouty face and laughed even more.

"What else can I do? Once you have another company under your umbrella... When will we find time to... cultivate our marriage?" he asked. His melancholy could be heard in his tone of voice but a small smile was playing on his gorgeous lips. "You still owe me a marriage. Don't forget that."

"Excuse me?" Roseanne asked as she dramatically widened her eyes. "Aren't we already married?"

"Ah... so you think a marriage on paper is enough to pay for my first?" he said as he sat next to her. "You promised to marry me all over the world, my dear." He pulled her towards him and kissed her temple. "If you're managing another company as big as the Li Group, how will you find the time to marry me on every continent on the planet?"

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