Saving the Villain

Meanwhile…

"I'm sorry…"

"For what?" Rocco clicked his tongue as he put ointment on her bruised wrist. "Don't apologize for things that weren't your fault. The person who should apologize is that brat — tch!"

"I destroyed your friendship." Stella's eyes swirled with sadness as she kept her eyes on her wrist. "I could've cleared up the misunderstanding, but I didn't."

Rocco paused, sighing, looking back at her. He wanted to tell her it was fine, but honestly, Maynard and Stella were both his friends. He pitied Stella, but Rocco had never seen Maynard look so hurt and devastated.

"We can clear up the misunderstanding next time." He smiled subtly, retrieving his hand from her. "Or maybe not. That guy can be very stubborn, but he will eventually get back to his senses. I mean, he's married, and he was expecting a child. He'd soon channel that energy to his child."

The moment Rocco mentioned Maynard's child, he bit his tongue. His eyes fell on Stella's baby bump. That child was also Maynard's, and it was quite insensitive of Rocco to speak about that when another child would be born in this world without a father.

"I'm… sorry." He winced and sighed. "I didn't mean it that way."

"I know. Don't be sorry." Stella slowly raised her head and flashed him a subtle smile. "I'm just worried that he might do something to you because of me."

"Stella, Maynard might have reacted that way, but I don't think he could just throw away everything after all that we've been through." Confidence laced Rocco's gentle voice, reaching for her hand to squeeze it. "Don't worry."

Stella wanted to tell him that everyone who told her not to worry, bad things tend to happen. However, there was this little part of her spirit that wanted to believe Maynard wouldn't do anything to Rocco. Rocco and Maynard had been friends even before Stella came into their lives.

They were good friends, and even though there were misunderstandings, Rocco and Maynard were still good friends until now. Hence, she wanted to believe that this understanding would be settled after some time.

"Thank you." Stella placed her other hand on top of their hands. "I don't think I can ever repay you for everything, and I'm really sorry for causing you inconvenience."

"I told you. Don't worry about —"

"You're welcome." She cut him mid-sentence, making his brows raise. "When someone thanked you, that's what you say."

Rocco smacked his lips before he chuckled. "No problem. You're always welcome."

"Better." Stella nodded in satisfaction, smiling back at him. Her eyes then fell on her hand atop their hands, and her eyes softened. "You're so warm."

"Huh?"

"Your hands were always warm." She slowly raised her eyes to him and smiled. "Maybe because you're always a very warm person. Once you become an official public prosecutor, I'm sure you'd be able to help many people."

Rocco opened and closed his mouth, but he ended up looking away. "Girl, why are you saying embarrassing things?"

"You should get used to compliments and words of gratitude." Stella slowly retrieved her hand from his. "How can you be a public servant when you don't even know how to react to people's appreciation?"

"Well." Rocco scratched his head, making her chuckle.

Stella didn't press about the matter as she noticed the food she had prepared before the incident. Another deep sigh slipped past her lips.

"It had gone cold," she remarked and looked back at him. "I'll reheat it."

"Ah, no." Rocco stood up before she could, waving to stop her. "I'll do it."

"But —"

"I don't want to rush you to the hospital because a pot of soup slipped from your hands or you lost balance," explained Rocco nonchalantly as he carried the pot to the kitchen. "Just rest and drink lots of water."

Stella kept her eyes on his back as he reheat the dishes she made for him. As she was watching him work in the kitchen, she clutched her trembling thighs. Her heart and emotions had calmed down a bit, but her body was still trembling uncontrollably.

She tried her best not to show it or hasten her recovery from what just happened, but even when she almost deluded herself, Rocco still noticed. She raised her eyes up and her gaze landed on his back, smiling subtly.

'It seems I've only been receiving from him,' she whispered inwardly. 'How embarrassing, Stella.'

"Ah!" Rocco clapped after turning off the stove, turning his upper body to face Stella in the dining. "My beers! I dropped them outside!"

"I'll get them —"

"No, I'll do it!" Rocco didn't wait for her as he sprinted outside. "Just stay there! Don't you dare carry that pot back!"

Stella blinked, staring at where he dashed off to. She flinched when Rocco returned almost immediately, hugging the cans of beer.

"Shit! My babies got dirty!" Rocco went straight to the kitchen, cleaning the cans of beer while cursing the life out of Maynard.

While Stella listened to him, she couldn't help but laugh.

"Oy, stop laughing at other people's misfortune." Rocco frowned, putting the cans of beer on top of the table. "That's not nice, eh?"

"Right, right." Stella rocked her head while he went back to the kitchen to get the dishes he reheated. "It's just that I realized the reason you're still single."

"What?" Rocco scrunched his nose up as he placed the last dish on the table.

"Any woman would be jealous if they saw how you look at those cans of beer." She pointed at the beers, watching him sit down on the head seat near her.

"Duh? I'm single because I'm a busy man on the road to greatness." He huffed triumphantly, shrugging.

"Mhm. Whatever makes you happy."

"Oy, what's with that tone?"

Stella shook her head as the two of them served their food. She didn't have an appetite at first, but somehow, with his company, she still enjoyed the food. It was the same for Rocco; eating with someone once in a while was surely not a bad thing.

If only Stella could reverse the time, she would've wished that no matter how warm and nice being around Rocco, she would've endured everything all by herself. In that case, she wouldn't have to watch how Rocco's life and bright future take a painful, dark turn.