Saving the Villain

Stella didn\'t have a good day as she finally got a spot for an interview. But alas, instead of a proper interview, all she had to hear was people belittling her because of the baseless rumors from her previous company without even looking at her credentials. She only called Rocco to tell him about the groceries, because when she arrived home, there were already there.

She was already prepared to fake her smile and tell him that the interview went well, but Rocco didn\'t even ask. Instead, he just made her laugh and talked about anything that wasn\'t any life-related matter or anything serious.

He really knew her, and she was grateful to him.

The reason, despite how terrible her day was, she happily worked in the kitchen to prepare her dearest friend a good meal. At least she could repay Rocco by feeding him nice meals.

A satisfied smile turned up on her face as she tasted the soup she cooked for him.

"It\'s good." Her smile grew brighter, excited to see Rocco\'s reaction once he had a taste of it.

Knock knock!

Her brows rose as she carefully placed the spoon on the saucer. She didn\'t rush, knowing Rocco has a key to enter. But alas, the knocking continued and soon got her attention.

"Wait!" she yelled, carrying the pot to the table carefully. "Why is he knocking? Did he forget his key somewhere?"

Stella mumbled to herself as she took off her gloves and placed them on the side of the table. As the knocking continued, Stella dragged her feet to open the door with a hand on her lower back.

"Coco, did you lose your key somewhere —" her voice stopped the moment she opened the door.

Stella slowly gazed up at the man standing in front of the apartment. Her pupils instantly went wide the moment she locked eyes with him.

"Maynard?" her shoulders stiffed as his eyes also dilated in shock.

"Stella," he called under his breath, scanning her face as if he couldn\'t believe to see her. "What are you doing… in here…?"

Maynard trailed off as his eyes fell on her casual clothes. She was wearing an apron, but he had noticed the bump on her stomach. When he lifted his eyes to her, Stella\'s entire body felt like shrinking.

"You and Rocco…?" he let out a short, ridiculing laugh. "You\'re pregnant?"

Stella\'s lips quivered as her grip on the knob tightened. Disappointment and anger swelled in her chest at the sight of him. But those feelings didn\'t come from what his family did or how his wife harassed her, but because of the sudden longing that almost overtook her.

"Oy, Stella!" Stella\'s eyes shook as two hands squeezed her shoulders, tugging her mildly. "It was just four months since we broke up, and you\'re already pregnant? Since when have you been fooling with my friend, huh?"

Stella winced at his tightening grip. "Maynard, you\'re hurting me."

"How dare you…" his grip on her shoulders tightened, even more, grinding his teeth. All rationality was thrown out of the window. "... I gave up everything for you. Everything, Stella. Everything. But you… with Rocco, of all people…"

Hearing all those words, something within her snapped. Stella ignored the pain in her shoulder and glared at her.

"What?" She balled her hands into a fist as her emotions slowly peaked. "How dare I? You have up everything for me? Hah! Are you insane?"

His expression turned blank at the increasing hatred that slowly swirled in her sharp, teary eyes.

"Maynard, am I not allowed to date and love someone just because we wasted each other\'s time for some time?" she laughed out of spite, throwing back the words he told her back then. "It\'s only been months, yes. But aren\'t you married already and expecting a child with your wife?"

As his grip loosened, Stella grabbed his collar fiercely.

"If you can, are you saying I cannot? Why, Maynard? Am I your property, hmm?" Stella\'s breathing was suspended until her neck turned taut as she pushed him back aggressively. "How dare you come in here and say all that nonsense without considering what I have to go through because of you!"

"People can say anything bad to me even if they don\'t know me. I can take it. But you, of all people, have no right to say anything to me." Stella huffed as she stood with her chin held high. "You have no right after what you and your family did to me. I won\'t let you people harass me again and ruin my life when I want nothing from you."

"Leave," Stella added strongly, keeping her ground like always. "While I\'m asking nicely. Leave and I\'ll forget you even came by."

Maynard could only stare at her in disbelief, unable to comprehend everything, as he felt like going mad at the thought of her pregnancy. He ran his fingers through his hair in distress, setting his bloodshot eyes back on her.

"Why?" he asked under his breath. "Why do you want to forget that I even came by? Hah… are you scared that Rocco will know that your former lover was here?"

"You…!" Stella\'s bloodshot up at how he made her relationship with Rocco so malicious. She raised a hand without thinking, about to strike his face, but stopped when he grabbed her wrist.

"Let me go." Her voice shook, but she tightened his grip. "Maynard Quinn! I\'m telling you right now to let me go!"

"No!" this time, Maynard raised his voice as his jealousy, the pain of \'betrayal,\' the inability to accept that she wasn\'t his anymore, but his heart yearned for her every single time he breathed took the better of him. "Forget? Well, damn, right, Stella."

When Maynard took a step forward, Stella quickly reacted and blocked him from entering the apartment. "Where do you think you\'re going?"

"Hah…" he hissed, as his eyes shone with madness. "... I\'ll make sure you will never forget me again, no matter how you try, Stella."