Saving the Villain

Mister Tong was an example of people who would cross the line to impress others. They would go so far as to pick a target to make themselves look good. Unfortunately for him, he marked the only daughter and only heiress of the Blac Family.

If Mister Tong chose another target, there was no telling if that person wouldn't be in trouble. That was the cruel reality of those in the elites. Especially those who had new wealth and just stepped into the world of the elites. It was a cruel and merciless battle between those lower aristocrats to survive and last in this world, full of glamour.

After the incident with Mister Tong, Conrad called his daughter to make sure she was alright. Meanwhile, Maynard called his son to pat his shoulder and reassure him that wouldn't happen again. They then dragged their children to introduce them to some important people.

Some people were already individuals Asher met at least once. Cosette, on the other hand, wasn't active in gatherings such as this. Therefore, it was her supposed first meeting with them. However, because Cosette was active in these social gatherings in her previous life, she remembered many of them; their likes and dislikes, and how to get on their good sides.

Everyone was impressed with her and Asher.

In the end, Asher and Cosette had to stay with their fathers and spend time with the people they were talking to. It was not new to them to mingle with people twice their age. Cosette and Asher were raised to talk to people since they were expected to inherit their father's spot in the future.

As the night deepened, Asher realized he had more similarities with Cosette than he thought. Aside from being heirs of their family business, the thought that they had many things in common impressed him. Cosette might act childish most of the time, but the Cosette he first knew was nowhere in sight throughout the evening.

She was different and knowing those two sides of her existed were utterly impressive.

Hours later, Asher excused himself to make a call while Cosette stayed with Maynard and Conrad. She stayed with them for another half an hour, enjoying herself with their company as they weren't talking about any business-related anymore.

When Cosette noticed that Asher didn't return, she also excused herself politely. She searched for Asher in the function hall and even in the restroom, but only found him in the garden outside the venue.

Asher was sitting quietly on one of the benches with a glass of wine in his hand. A shallow breath slipped past Cosette's nostrils, staring at his back. She smacked her lips and approached him quietly.

"If you're going to sneak out, you should've told me," was the first thing she said as she sat down beside him. "Or did you purposely leave, knowing I can keep them entertained while you unwind here?"

She faced him squarely, watching him turn his head ever so slowly to look back at her. "Are you okay?"

"Why wouldn't I?" he returned, smiling subtly. "I impressed them enough, so it's time for me to recharge my social battery."

"Do you think you're the only one who needs to recharge their social battery?" she pouted, leaning her back against the bench after looking away from him. "I also need some quiet. It's been a while since I attended a social gathering — I'm not used to it."

Cosette closed her eyes as she drew a deep breath, cocking her head back to enjoy the cool night breeze. The corner of her lips curled up into a satisfied smile, appreciating the serene surrounding that the party wouldn't give her.

Her brows rose after a moment, peeking from one eye and looking at him in confusion. When her other eye opened, she peeked down to see a coat over her front.

"It's cold," said Asher, making her look at him, only to see him chugging down the glass of wine.

"You'll catch a cold," he added after gulping the wine, looking back at her with a smile. "Do you want a glass?"

"Huh?" Cosette furrowed her brows, watching him bend over to pick up the bottle of wine he placed beside the bench. "I thought you were going back inside to get me a glass."

"I'm not stupid, Cosette. Will you be fine using my glass or should I give you the bottle?" he inquired while pouring glass on the one he emptied just now. "Don't worry. We won't drink until we're wasted. I learned my lesson."

Cosette just stared at the glass before he offered it to her. She lifted her gaze to her before pressing her lips into a thin line, accepting the glass, and didn't mind drinking a bit of wine with him.

"I also learned mine," she mumbled, thanking him. "Thanks."

"Napkin?"

"It's fine. It's not like you have a contagious disease, right?" she humored, raising the glass as she didn't mind drinking in the glass he used. There wasn't anything malicious in it unless they put some in sharing glasses.

"They said if you drink in another person's glass, that's akin to a direct kiss," Asher humored back playfully, chuckling as she rolled her eyes.

"Just when I thought you won't put any malice in this." Cosette shook her head mildly, guiding the glass to her lips. "Whoever invented that saying is probably a person who had wild imagination and fantasy."

Asher chuckled, leaning back while lifting the bottle to his lips. He drank a mouthful and hissed before turning his head to her, facing her side profile.

"Don't you feel bad?" he asked, making her look back at him with raised brows. "About Mister Tong. You and I knew what will happen to him."

Cosette stared at him for a moment, blinking almost innocently. "That's not my problem."

"That's a surprise."

"Why would it be? I didn't try to frame him; He dug his own grave. Why would I feel bad for someone who would bury me to hell without a second hesitation if I wasn't Cosette Blac?"

"Make sense." Asher rocked his head in understanding, peeling his eyes away from her. For a moment, there was nothing but silence between them.

"Weren't you afraid?" he asked after some time, making her gaze on his side profile. "You didn't have to call him out. I could just politely rejects him."

Asher faced her squarely again. "Why? You know you could be in a lot of trouble if things didn't go your way. Why did you do it for Asher Quinn?"

Cosette and Asher stared at each other, allowing the wind to fill in the silence between them for a while.

"Who said I did it for Asher Quinn?" she returned with a quiet voice, offering a subtle smile. "I did it because I am Cosette Blac. I didn't appreciate that he interrupted me, Cosette Blac, from teaching my friend a lesson that would haunt him forever."