Saving the Villain

Today was Cosette's last day as Conrad's assistant and she couldn't help but smile at it. Not because she would now have a break, but because she learned a lot in the months of working side by side with Conrad. She met a lot of different types of people: cunning, smart, happy-go-lucky, and even weird ones.

"It was a good summer," she mumbled while lazing on the bed after showering. "Although it is tiring, it felt rewarding in a way."

Usually, Cosette would sleep immediately once she return home. But since it was her last her, she got this sort of unknown spirit and she didn't feel that tired at all. She could only smile at the ceiling, enjoying the softness of the bed and the fresh scent of her room.

She drew a deep breath and closed her eyes. When she reopened them, her lips stretched from ear to ear.

"I should write about it tomorrow," she mumbled, thinking that she had skipped a few days of writing in her journal because of their hectic schedule. But since she still has a week of preparation before the start of school, Cosette didn't feel the need to write everything.

"Ahh... my bed... so soft." She rolled on the bed lazily, giggling when she felt deja vu.

On the first day of the summer vacation, Cosette also rolled on the bed to enjoy her first day of vacation, only to feel bored minutes later. But now, she didn't feel empty, but rather excited. It was only a week before the start of class, and she truly missed her friends.

Although she kept in touch with them, she wasn't able to hang out with them. She would sometimes have lunch with Luke since he would come by to the office, but that was it. She didn't even have time for Maxen.

"Now that I think about it..." she trailed off, lying flat on her back once more after recalling Maxen. "I heard Max was also busy doing classes the entire summer. Wow... we lived in the same house, but I don't think I saw him for the past months." — even if she did, she was probably too groggy to remember.

Cosette blinked and blinked, a little amused how she survived without seeing Maxen's charming face for a day, let alone a full two months. She knew she would be busy when she decided to tag along with Conrad, but Cosette didn't fathom she would be that busy. She didn't realize until now that it was her last day of being her father's protege.

"Max..." she whispered and her eyes softened. "... I kinda miss him. I should bother her tomorrow... he wouldn't be having classes one week before the school starts, right?"

She mulled about it for a while before coming to a conclusion. Cosette nodded, convinced that she should start focusing on Maxen again. Her confidence that he wouldn't become a villain was high, but still, she missed pampering him. Maxen was the highlight of her day, and she couldn't wait to share her experience with him and hear about his summer as well.

"I'm just glad that he is doing something during my absence," came out a murmur, smiling subtly at the thought. "I hoped he wasn't bored, and he had tons of experience to share."

Cosette stared at the ceiling until her eyes felt heavy. Her blinks grew slower until they closed and fell asleep.

As the time passed and her sleep grew deeper, Cosette was pulled into a strange dream.

In this dream, she was writing her journal like usual. But unlike the usual smile on her face, Cosette was writing it solemnly. She wasn't the sweet sixteen-year-old Cosette, but the gorgeous twenty-six-year-old woman, sitting in this very room that seemed untouched because of the difference in the style of her clothes and the room's interior.

Cosette looked unhappy as she wrote silently. Although eagerness was absent in her eyes, the way the pen moved never stopped. She was writing as if it was the last day of her life, biting her lips from time to time as if to hydrate herself.

The only time she stopped was when drops of blood smeared on the blank area of the journal. Cosette touched her upper lips and checked her fingers, but alas, she didn't react strongly as if she wasn't surprised at her nosebleed anymore. Cosette only reached for the tissue and wiped her bleeding nose. While doing so, she continued once again in silence.

One would wonder what she was writing. But well, it wasn't really important... since it was only for her entertainment.

BZZ! BZZ! BZZ!

Cosette snapped her eyes ever so tenderly when her phone kept vibrating on the desk. She looked at it for a minute, pondering whether or not to pick up the call. In the end, when the phone stopped vibrating, only to vibrate again, she finally sprawled her arms to reach it and answered.

She didn't speak as soon as she placed the phone in front of her ear, nor did her cold expression change. She just listened silently to the person talking from the other end of the line. When her lips parted, her lips curled up into a smirk.

"What for?" came out a mature, and seductive voice. "My life is not as interesting to remember. I know someone's life who is even more interesting."

Her eyes fell on the journal in front of her and smirked. Without saying another word, she ended the call while the person on the other end was still talking. After placing the phone to the side, she picked up the journal and leaned back, reading her handwriting.

"Very interesting, indeed..." she whispered, eyelids drooping. "This will keep me entertained... hopefully."

The twenty-six-year-old Cosette was gorgeous at every angle and the slightest movements of her eyes or finger screamed elegance. However, for a woman who had it all, her eyes bore emptiness. They didn't even bear sadness or happiness, making her look even more dangerous.

For someone who wasn't sad or upset about her situation, Cosette had accepted what was about to come so easily. After all, just as she said, she didn't want to remember her life that much. Not because she didn't love her luxurious life and successful career.

"If only... we had enjoyed our youth..." she whispered once more, keeping her eyes on the journal. "Maybe we wouldn't turn something like this... don't you think? Mister Devilsin?"

******

Cosette snapped her eyes open and gasped, seeing the very familiar ceiling of her room. Her brows creased as she massaged her temple.

"A dream again..." she whispered as she lazily sat up, looking at the window and seeing it was just the crack of the day. However, she didn't feel sleepy anymore after waking up to another dream of her adult self. Her lips curved down, recalling just snippets of her dream.

All she could remember was she was in this room and writing in her journal. It had always been this way for the past several weeks, and she already learned not to dwell on them. Cosette thought she was simply having dreams of her adult self since she had been involving herself in the company matters.

But this dream, in particular, left this deep impression in her heart. She felt the emptiness that Cosette had from her dreams. It wasn't like she was sad or anything of the sort, but the emptiness was something... that could make one ask, why?

Why were you so empty when you already had everything? Successful career, wealth, and fame.

"Right..." she whispered as she looked around the room and frowned, almost in tears, as she realized why that Cosette in her dreams felt empty. "I was alone."

Tears shone in her eyes at the thought of it. Although she knew she wouldn't be alone, her tears wouldn't stop flooding her face. Cosette didn't know if that was the real Cosette or her; this thought didn't even cross her. All she felt was the emptiness of having everything, but no one.

It almost felt like a waste. Her life was a waste, but it was already too late to regret it because time... was something she could never buy.

"I feel like a drama queen," she mumbled, wiping her eyes with her arms. "Why am I crying over a dream?"

Cosette wiped her eyes until she recovered from shedding tears. She took a deep breath and breathed it out through her lips, repeating it until she didn't feel like crying anymore. When she fully calmed down, the sun had already risen to announce to everyone it was another day.

She looked at the window and smiled subtly. "I'm not wasting my time now," she whispered, thinking that she had all the time in the world and she had been spending every second worthwhile.

"That's right!" she cheered herself, holding her fist up, huffing. "I will cherish every moment I have here and won't have any regrets!"

Her constant dreams felt like a reminder for her to live her life to the fullest, giving her this new drive to live day by day without worrying about the plot of the novel.