Saving the Villain

No matter how hard Cosette racked her brain, she was met with a dead end. She couldn't figure out everything with just two clear memories in her head. Moreover, although she had a logical theory, there were just myriads of questions in her head that followed that theory.

She came up with different theories — both nonsense and a bit more logical. That was all Cosette thought in the entire morning and even during showering, but to no avail. In the end, she was still stuck in her first theory that Cosette and Maxen were somehow acquainted with benefits before the volume two of the novel.

"Really... is this some sort of plot hole or something? Or was the author planning to write another volume?" Cosette mumbled as she was on her way to the dining after her morning ritual. "But why upload side stories? Maybe a series?"

"Were you reading all this morning?"

Cosette jumped as soon as she stepped foot in the lobby, hearing Maxen's voice to her side. She twisted her neck to her right, seeing Maxen leaning against the wall with his arms crossed.

"Uh... good morning, Max." She bit her inner lower lip as she winced internally. What was that awkward tone? She already told herself to act normal if she bumped into Maxen.

"Were you reading all morning? That's why you only came out now?" he asked, pulling his back from the wall to face her squarely.

"Ahh... well, sort of." She massaged her nape, forcing a smile. Cosette raised her brows as she glossed her eyes around before setting them back on him.

"What are you doing here, Max? You look like you're waiting..." she trailed off and furrowed her brows. She pointed at herself. "Were you waiting for me?"

"I'm not allowed to approach your room. That's why I'm here."

"Huh? Why?" she tilted her head to the side, blinking almost innocently. Maxen's expression was duller than usual, looking back at her with a dead expression.

"What do you mean, why?"

"I mean, why would you..." Cosette pursed her lips, swallowing down a mouthful of saliva. She raised her brows, holding her hand behind her. "About last night?"

He nodded. "I need to talk to you about it, but let's have breakfast first." Maxen tipped his head in the direction of the dining hall, shoving his hands inside his pocket as he sauntered off.

As he walked away, Cosette let out a shallow breath. Her eyes stayed on his back, recalling the other memory she retrieved this morning. Compare to the Maxen Devilsin in her dreams, this Maxen didn't look that dangerous. Was it the body build or his inked body? But then again, the Cosette in those dreams didn't seem scared of him as well.

'I think I'm going crazy...' she thought, dragging her feet to follow Maxen before he looks back. 'Whenever I tell myself not to focus on the novel and live my life, this always happens. I really dislike that rotten piece of milk.'

With that being said, Maxen and Cosette navigated their way to the dining hall. Everyone was already used to their routine and seeing them dining together wasn't a new sight to behold. As usual, the table was served with a healthy breakfast. After serving all the food, the servants left them alone in the dining hall, as this had become the new norm in the manor instead of the maids standing on the side to wait for any orders from Conrad or Cosette.

Cosette could not help but glance at Maxen as they ate in silence. Maxen was acting like usual, eating without looking at her or saying anything. The anxiety building up inside her chest steadily increased, wondering what he would tell her since they somehow toed the line last night.

'Wait...' Her brows furrowed as her back stiffened. 'He won't ask me to forget last night, right? Or become friends with benefits?'

Her mouth fell open, scrunching her nose up in dismay. She glared at Maxen, narrowing her eyes suspiciously.

'I'll kick him in the gut if he ever mentions being that sort of buddies.' She threatened in her heart, shoving a piece of bacon in her mouth, eyes glinting at Maxen. 'After all we've been through, that's all he will see me? Hah! Maxen Cloven. I want to see you try.'

While Cosette's head and anxiety spiked up, creating different scenarios in her head, Maxen suddenly felt a chill run up his spine. His brows rose, glancing at Cosette, only to see her chewing intensely while looking at him angrily.

'What did I do?' he wondered, tilting his head to the side. 'Was it about last night...?'

Maxen planned for them to eat first since Cosette didn't have a proper meal last night. Although she mostly ate the snacks while watching, it was still better if she eat a meal with proper nutrition. Hence, he wasn't talking about last night's event, afraid it would affect her appetite.

"About last night..." Maxen cleared his throat, biting his tongue.

"What about it?" she returned, eyes burning with intrigue and... anger? Her expression forced Maxen to consider his words, as it seemed she would end him if he ever said something amiss. Although Maxen didn't plan on proposing what was already in her head, he still couldn't help but have second thoughts in himself.

A shallow breath slipped past his lips as he fluttered his eyelashes, resting his arm against the edge of the table. He fixed his eyes on her, cheering himself to say what had been bugging him since last night. But just as he opened his mouth, his tongue rolled back when she clicked her tongue in irritation.

"Forget it." He shook his head and huffed sharply. "Let's talk about it next time."

"No, Max. We should talk about it now since it will bother me the entire day." Cosette urged with a kind smile, which looked so fake in his eyes. "What are you going to say, hmm?"

"Uh... it's alright. Let's talk --"

"Hmm?" Cosette kept her smile, raising her brows. "Don't tell me this is like an eat and run scenario?"

"Huh?" His brows furrowed, tilting his head to the side in confusion. "Eat and run...?"

"Mhm! Eat and run means you eat at your heart's content and then run away when it's time to pay," she explained in a matter-of-fact tone, scoffing with the thought as it seemed to her that would be the case. Perhaps it was because of the dream where they were simply fuck buddies that amplified her emotions. Cosette wasn't sure, but shouldn't Maxen take responsibility? He touched her everywhere and that lip of his even left hickeys around her breast. How could he do that to her, and then forget about it?

pAn,Da n<0,>v,e1 "Forget it." Cosette clicked her tongue and let out a sharp breath. "We're young and can be a little wild. It's not like we should force ourselves to have some label — tsk. Whatever."

"What are you mumbling?" he asked with an arched brow. Maxen looked around and when he was sure no one was there to listen to them, he refocused his attention on the girl across from him. "I just want to ask what are we now?"

"Huh?" Cosette slowly raised her eyes, blinking, watching him run his tongue across his inner cheek.

"Last night... we did things and crossed the line. You fell asleep soundlessly, but I couldn't. I kept thinking and asking myself questions such as 'was it just the moment?', 'what are we now?', 'should I pretend it didn't happen?', 'should we do it again?', and the sort," he explained solemnly, taking a leap of faith and putting his heart out there since Cosette had always been transparent with him. Hence, he wanted to do the same since he was the man here. It was too embarrassing if the only time he would have courage was when it was in the heat of the moment.

"What... do you mean?" came out a quiet voice, eyes fixed on him.

"What I mean is I like you." Her heart skipped a beat as he clicked his tongue and winced as if he slipped up. Maxen exhaled sharply, raising his conflicted eyes to her. "And I'm confused as hell as where to stand here. Do I have the right to hold your hand? Or what? What are we? Why did you let me... why do you keep saying it's because it's me?"

Cosette pursed her lips, lowering her eyes to hide the giddy expression. She took a deep breath before meeting his eyes again.

"You... want to be..." Cosette cleared her throat when her tongue rolled back. "What do you think?"

"Huh?" He sported a helpless countenance at her vague response. "What do you mean by that?"

"Should we start dating?" she suggested, biting her lower lip to suppress her smile, but to no avail. Her eyes shone with happiness, her heart relieved, as if she had achieved something she had been wanting to achieve.

"Date...?"

She nodded. "I mean, I don't want to force you if you don't want..."

"Uh." Her brows knitted at that brief sound he made.

"What, uh?"

"I... want to," he confessed, biting his tongue secretly. "Date, I mean."

Maxen watched how she pressed her lips together, but the corner of her lips still turned up. Her eyes shone with joy, making his heart flutter.

'She's happy?' he wondered, as he didn't expect such a reaction from her, assuming he was only the one who had such ridiculous thoughts as dating. 'God... I love her.'

"Then today is our first day!" she announced with a smile that was enough to blind him, cupping her cheek, eyes squinting, before she stressed, "you're mine now."