Saving the Villain

"Pride is not entirely a bad trait... sometimes, it will do us more damage..."

Conrad's words repeated in Maxen's head like a broken record. Before he knew it, his feet were standing by the door where the pool was at. Stopping in his tracks, he raised his head only to catch Cosette and Luke laughing in the lounge chairs.

"You know that well, do you, Mister Cloven?" once again, Conrad's voice rang in his head, making him ball his hand into a tight fist.

From this vantage point, watching Cosette and Luke made him realize — what he already thought previously — the two of them suit each other. Both of them were around the same age, they were good-looking, and they had chemistry. Not just that, but there wouldn't have a problem if they liked each other, since both of them were well-born.

But still... this left a bitter taste in his mouth.

Why would the two of them be a good match while he wasn't? Luke was annoying and pushy and a spoiled young master.

'I hate myself,' Maxen thought, loosening his grip. 'Do I have the right to get angry?'

He doesn't have even the slightest right to feel this pain in his heart, was what he believed. Cosette and he were friends. She could choose any man she likes and whoever she wanted to be friends with. He couldn't hog her all to himself just because he was afraid she would abandon him.

'He was right.' He mentally nodded. 'I have a long way to go.'

Feelings alone weren't enough. It might be a bitter pill to swallow, but Conrad was right. Her father already knew where his budding feeling was going even before Maxen could realize it.

Jealousy would eat him... alive.  After all, love was an unstoppable force and no one could stop it.

'You should think this through, Max. Don't get swayed just yet.' He gritted his teeth while keeping his eyes on her. His face relaxed seeing her smiling and laughing. 'Will she think I was taking advantage of her?'

A quiet sigh slipped past his lips before he turned around to leave. Aside from his pride, there was one thing that was stopping Maxen from agreeing with Conrad's offer. That was... what would Cosette think of him?

Would she think Maxen took advantage of her and her father's kindness? Would she feel betrayed? Used? Disgusted? There were endless negative thoughts that were hovering over his head, and they only grew even more negative. He couldn't blame himself, since that was how it had always been.

Maxen was used to doing things on his own without anyone's help. So, accepting Conrad's charity work was him lowering his pride and opening his heart to vulnerability. But no one would think of that, right? They would only see the fact that a nobody like him, befriended an heiress, and got into the good graces of her father. That story would sound more believable to others... and Maxen already knew where that story would go.

"It's always been like that," he whispered.

******

"What's taking them so long?" Cosette let out a deep exhale as she reclined, hands on either side of her. "It's about dinner. I wonder what Papa talks about with Maxen?"

"I bet he told him to stay away with you." Luke shrugged when Cosette glared at him. "I mean, he obviously likes you."

"You don't know Maxen."

"Hey! I am a man, alright?" Luke rolled his eyes as he leaned forward and then pointed a finger at her. "Even if he says he will not like you, he will eventually do. Do you know why?"

"Because I'm beautiful?"

"Exactly!"

Cosette's frown grew uglier as she gazed at him with judgy eyes. "Luke, do you think appearance is the only important factor for people?"

"Of course not! Money, too!" Luke scrunched his nose up. "You have the looks, money, and status. If I were him, I will seduce you and secure my future! You're like a walking ticket from his hellish life, you know?"

"You talk so cruelly, Luke."

"I'm talking honestly! Cozie, do you think that guy is hanging out with you without an ulterior motive? If only I know he is probably working behind your back." He shook his head as Cosette was surprisingly unsuspecting towards Maxen. "Cozie, had it ever crossed you that his cold demure towards you is his tactic to hook you?"

"Huh?"

"Men are like that! Goodness!" Luke clicked his tongue a few times whilst shaking his head mildly. "They will pull out the hard-to-get card or will disappear for a while until their prey looks for them! I think that's what he is doing to keep you wrapped around his fingers. That bastard --!"

"So what?" Cosette sighed while Luke looked at her in dismay. "So what if he sees me as his ticket to a good life?"

"Cozie, what the --"

"At least Maxen had to live a good life. I don't see any problem with that if he had such an ambition. If anything, I will just give him everything if that is what he needs."

"Wow, Cozie. Do you like him!?" Luke sprung up to his feet, making her look up at him. "No! You can't!"

"I like Maxen."

"No!"

"Luke, don't be so dramatic." Her frown deepened as she let out another sigh. "I like Maxen, but not romantically, okay?"

"Really?" He asked, and she nodded. "Then why do you sound like a hopeless romantic?! Are you cheating on me?"

Her face contorted but ignored his last question. "Max is a dear friend to me." She lowered her eyes and smiled subtly.

"Helping him the best I can is what friends do, isn't it?" she raised her head once again. "I will do the same to you if you need my help."

His breath hitched before he calmed down. "Really?"

"Mhm. Really." Cosette nodded because that was true. "If you need someone — not as a wife or a girlfriend — I will certainly be there for you."

"Cozie... do you really have to spell out that wife and girlfriend role?"

"Hehe... you're good at twisting people's words." He giggled mischievously before she turned her head to the entrance of the pool.

"Cozie," called Conrad, making her face brighten up as she immediately sprung up. Cosette skipped her steps while Luke followed closely behind.

"Papa! How's your talk with Max?" she asked as soon as she stood in front of her father, tilting her upper body to the side to search for Maxen. "Huh? Where is he?"

"He left."

"He left? Already?" she frowned, setting her eyes back to him, only to see Conrad nodding. "He didn't even say goodbye..."

"Cozie, you have to understand your friend's schedule is different from yours." Conrad patted her head gently. "Let's head inside. Dinner is served."

Cosette forced a smile as she nodded. "Alright."

"Can I stay for dinner?" Conrad shifted his eyes at Luke when the latter raised a hand.

"Sure."

"Nice!"

With that being said, the three of them head to the dining hall, where they enjoyed a lavish dinner. As usual, Conrad barely spoke while Luke acted like he was the host of the dinner. Cosette wasn't particularly sad, and she indulged with Luke, but it was obvious she was worried about Maxen.

Conrad, who noticed this, didn't voice it out, though. He simply pretended he didn't notice since he understood Maxen needed time and they should respect that.

******

Once the dinner ended, Cosette had to send Luke off. It would be a lie if she said she didn't enjoy Luke's company; she did. However, it bothered her that Maxen left without saying goodbye to her.

"Was he avoiding me?" she wondered, sitting on the pink chair in front of the desk in her room. She had already finished freshening up and was ready for bed. But following her routine, Cosette had to write in her daily journal.

But because her head had been drifting elsewhere, she hadn't written a word yet. Cosette simply played with the pen with her fingers, deep in thought. As she was thinking about Maxen, Luke's word back in the pool crossed her head.

Her eyes softened. "That's the problem," she mumbled. "I wish Max had an ulterior motive. It will be easier that way since that means he has an option of not becoming a Devilsin."

The main villain who appeared in volume 2 of the The Devil's Den was named Maxen Devilsin. Handsome, powerful, and wicked.

Looking at Maxen now, he was struggling with life as if there was no way he would ever step foot in the upper echelon. However, there would be a turning point in his life when Maxen was abducted to meet his father, eventually changing his surname from Cloven — his mother's surname — to Devilsin.

In the , it was called, a young boy selling his soul to the devil since Maxen had become villainous.

"Devilsin…" she whispered and bit her lower lip, tapping the end of the pen against the open journal. "The family who leads an underground organization… I'm scared."