Saving the Villain

Silence slowly followed as Rocco chugged the can of beer while Stella was eating silently. As he was on his second can, his eyes slid to the woman across from her. The memory he had of Stella was of an ambitious girl with a genuine heart. She was a woman full of pride, just like him, and did everything she had done with all her heart.

Back then, Rocco was certain whatever career or path Stella would take, she would excel and make a name for herself. Her energy was like that, and one would surely see her as someone who would succeed in life.

But now that Rocco was observing her, he couldn't help but wonder what happened to her.

Why did she look so miserable?

Why did she look so meek??

Where did her blinding light had gone off?

Stella just looked so gloomy, as if she failed in everything. Her energy wasn't as bright and lively as it used to be, but she just gave off this thick, dark aura that was a bit depressing.

And this piqued his curiosity.

"What happened?" he blurted out but didn't regret it as realization struck him. Instead, Rocco sat properly, facing her squarely, and waiting for her to look back at him. "Why are you a mess, Stella?"

Bitterness filled her eyes as she still smiled to cover the pain that was slowly destroying her. "Nothing."

"Stella."

"It's nothing, Rocco." She lowered her eyes, which was her habit whenever she would lie. "I know I came here without telling you and disturbing you, but it's actually nothing."

"This is about him, isn't it?"

"No."

"Stella." Rocco leaned forward, searching for her eyes. "Maynard is a good friend of mine. He's my best friend, but I won't tolerate his bullshit. You don't have to cover for him. The news of his engagement already reached me just two days ago, so…"
He shrugged. "You don't have to pretend it's nothing when it's obviously something."

Stella didn't say anything or even reacted when Rocco mentioned about the engagement.

"I didn't know that," she said, holding the cup of milk to warm her cold hands. "I didn't know he got engaged."

"What?"

"But it's fine." Stella raised her head and set her eyes back on him. "It's not like I didn't know there was someone else."

His expression turned sour, seeing the unspeakable pain she was holding back in her eyes. She might not be crying, but deep inside, she was torn, and he knew that.

"No wonder Conrad was disappointed in him. That bastard —!"

"It's not his fault, though."

"What?" Rocco gasped in disbelief, unable to believe he heard her right. He pointed at his temple and asked, "oy, Stella, did you lose your brain somewhere or what? What do you mean, it's not his fault?"

"He didn't like her."

"He got her pregnant!" Rocco exclaimed out of frustration, only for his eyes to dilate when she flinched slightly. "You don't know?"

Her lips quivered as she whispered. "I do."

"Stop lying now or I'll really…" he hesitated, knowing he couldn't beat up a girl or heartlessly send her away. "... take that milk away from you."

"I'm sorry," Stella chuckled weakly. "Yes, I don't know about that."

His anger skipped to another level, thinking that Maynard and his fickle nature didn't change at all. "That bastard. I'm going to fucking beat some senses into him."

"Don't." Stella shook her head. "As I've said, it's not his fault."

"Stella, are you blind or stupid?! He cheated on you, used you, and then threw you out like the piece of garbage he is — !"

"He fought for me" She cut him off with her meek and soft voice, staring at the steam of the milk with her hands wrapped around the cup. "Maynard… he loved me so much he is willing to ruin his life."

"What?"

"We haven't talked and I'm sure Maynard didn't tell you anything about it because he heard you were also struggling," she continued with a soft voice. "He always talks about you and understands that aside from working, you need to get your master's. He didn't want to disturb you, so he didn't tell you about what was going on in the past two years."

Stella paused, gazing up at him. "Maynard… he was willing to cut ties with the Quinn family because of me."

"What?"

"They don't like me." She forced a smile again as bitterness filled her eyes as she thought of a certain memory. "When they found out about me and Maynard, they pressured him to get married to this girl from a wealthy family."

Stella continued her story, not detailing everything she went through in the past months, but enough to make Rocco understand what happened.

Apparently, when the Quinn family showed their opposition against Maynard's relationship with his longtime girlfriend, Maynard, without a second hesitation, cut ties with them. Even though they didn't get him out of the company because of the chairman's orders, Maynard and Stella got to live in the same house.

However, Maynard's life in the Quinn Holdings wasn't the same. He would get humiliated and despite his position as an assistant director, his job was nothing any better than the lowest employee. Matter of fact, even the janitor was treated with respect. Thus, he decided to quit Quinn Holdings.

Just when Maynard thought he could do well without the Quinn family, he was wrong. Any company he would apply to refuse him because of the Quinn family. His family did their best to make sure Maynard would understand he was nothing without the Quinn family.

At first, it was alright. Stella and Maynard managed to get by day by day. However, when the Quinn family heard that their interference only brought Stella and Maynard closer, they started interfering with Stella's life.

pAn,Da n<0,>v,e1 Name it, the Quinn family did it.

Stella lost her job, and her family, who had nothing to do with this, were also implicated. They were but a middle-class family, and because of the influence of the Quinn family, they faced a series of problems that soon caused health problems for her parents.

Stella did everything she could to help her parent's medical needs, but they just got drowned in debt. Her brother also had to stop studying and was forced to work a part-time job. Knowing all this, Maynard went to wreak havoc in the Quinn family home to confront his cruel parents.

But what else could Maynard do?

In the end, Maynard went home to Stella with only one option. To break up with her and meet this lady, his parents told him to.

Maynard didn't want to, and she also didn't want to break up with him. However, even when she refused, Maynard was already dead set on breaking up with her. Her parents were Stella's world, and he couldn't just sit idly by knowing she might lose them.

Thus, they broke up.

But that was just the beginning, and the problems and harassment she would have to face wouldn't just end there.