His Villain

44

The thunderous storm had long subsided, leaving behind a silence that enveloped the room, much like the hushed emotions between Celia and Venezio. With her eyes trained on the glass wall, Celia seemed lost in her thoughts, unaware of Venezio's gaze fixated on her back.

Venezio found himself grappling with a whirlwind of emotions he couldn't quite decipher. The revelation of Celia's past had stirred something within him, something he didn't particularly welcome. They had completed the forbidden deed, but the ensuing silence had created a divide between them. Celia had distanced herself, retreating to a corner of the bed, and Venezio, yearning for her presence, finally broke the silence after what felt like an eternity.

"Are you on birth control?" His question hung in the air, his voice laced with a hint of urgency and a tinge of longing. He had never been one for idle conversation, but when Celia was near, he found himself yearning to hear her voice.

Celia responded with a nonchalant "Hmmm," her apparent indifference fueling Venezio's dissatisfaction. Frowning at her lack of attention, he pressed on, determined to break through her walls.

"Can I ask you a question?" Celia's words were tinged with a mix of curiosity and a hint of vulnerability. Celia turned around, her gaze meeting his, and with a hint of mischief in her eyes, he agreed, "Only if you answer my questions truthfully."

"Fair enough," Celia replied, a wry smile tugging at her lips. The anticipation of her response sent a surge of energy through his veins.

"So, why aren't you married yet?" The question spilled from Celia's lips, and although she heard a chuckle in response, it was the way Venezio's eyes crinkled at the corners and the sleepy timbre of his voice that brought a genuine smile to her face.

"Are you planning to marry me, Ferrari?" His words danced with a mixture of playfulness and curiosity, drawing her further into their unspoken connection.

"No!" Celia half-yelled, a blissful laugh reverberating in the room, the sound filling the void that had separated them.

"You still haven't answered me," she whined, teasing him with a feigned sense of disappointment.

"I was, after Dalia's," Venezio admitted truthfully, his words carrying a weight that hung in the air between them. His gaze lingered on Celia, waiting for her response.

"Oh!" was all she managed to say, her voice barely a whisper, as she processed the significance of his revelation.

"Tell me about yourself," Venezio urged, a gentle yet insistent invitation for Celia to unveil her past.

"What specifically?" Celia feigned ignorance, knowing well that Venezio had already delved into her life story, albeit only the parts she had carefully presented to the world. Her true past remained known to only three people, and Venezio was not among them. Not yet.

"Your childhood and married life," Venezio specified, deliberately omitting any mention of her relatives. He understood that if he were to vocalize those words, she might seize the opportunity to conceal more from him. Not that he cared for her like a partner, but there was an undeniable curiosity burning within him, compelling him to unravel the enigmatic human before him.

"What would you do once you know the things that have happened?" Celia blinked twice, swallowing her words forcefully. She knew all too well that he wasn't unaware of her half-truths.

"I want to know my girlfriend better," he confessed, the weight of the term "my girlfriend" causing butterflies to flutter in Celia's stomach. Heat rushed to her cheeks and her entire being seemed to tingle, despite the cool breeze of the air conditioner.

"You have a way with words, Mister Don," Celia replied, her voice tinged with a mix of amusement and affection.

"In truth, my life has lacked any interesting moments for quite some time. My father left us when I was seven, and my mother remarried. However, I chose to stay with my paternal relatives. I was always a lonely child, an outsider among others, the silent one. After completing my senior secondary education, I was married off at the age of eighteen," Celia began, her voice carrying the weight of past pain.

Celia struggled to hold back tears as she continued, "I was never ready for marriage, but the pressure became too much to bear. I was wedded to him, hoping that he would not disrespect me like others, but all my hopes shattered when he began to abuse me. It started with emotional abuse, and after two months, it escalated to physical abuse. Our marriage was nothing more than a business contract between the Ferraris and the Riccis. I had severed ties with my relatives, and those months spent with him were nothing short of hell for me. Then, two weeks later, during a quarrel, he lost control and stabbed me with a broken alcohol bottle. It was too much to endure. I filed for divorce and severed all ties. I focused on my studies and became a dancer to pay my debt off. That's the extent of my story," she concluded, a smile on her face that couldn't mask the pain still residing in her eyes.

Venezio's gaze never wavered, studying the gloom that had settled upon her features. An unsteady sigh escaped his lips before he could contain it, and the words that followed were uttered without restraint. "Such a fucking bastard he was. I wish I could send that man to hell for ruining such a sweetheart." Celia's smile widened, if that were even possible, and she laughed, the sound echoing through the once-silent room. Venezio's eyes captured the radiance of her laughter, mirroring a smile that had taken root on his own lips.

"What about your cousin that day?" Venezio asked, referring to the painful memory Celia had mentioned earlier.

"They had sex in my own house, right in front of my eyes," Celia recounted, the disgust resurfacing as she recalled the incident.

"So, you're not on good terms with her?" Venezio probed further, delving into the depths of Celia's complicated relationships.

Celia's smile faded into a sad one. "Not just her, but everyone," she confessed, her voice filled with a tinge of regret.

There was a silence, a void that hung heavily in the air between them. After a momentary pause, Venezio spoke softly, cautiously delving into a subject that had yet to be fully explored.

"What about your mother and the tattoo on your mark?" he inquired, his voice barely above a whisper.

Celia's expression changed, a mixture of emotions flickering across her face. With a sad smile, she replied, "That's a story for another time, Don."

But Venezio persisted, his curiosity unyielding. "Tell me the story of the tattoo," he insisted, his eyes locked onto hers, searching for the truth hidden within her soul.

"I never planned to get it there," Celia began, her voice tinged with vulnerability, "but the mark was so prominent, it forced me to cover it up." Fatigue began to weigh heavily upon her, and a yawn escaped her lips.

"I don't regret this," Celia suddenly confessed, her words breaking the silence and hanging in the air, pregnant with meaning.

Venezio, fully aware of what she was referring to-their encounter-responded assuredly, "You won't regret your time with me, darling." His words flowed effortlessly, their impact leaving a trail of warmth and a renewed blush on Celia's features.

His hand reached out to stroke her right cheek affectionately, and as he wiped away her tears, he whispered, "Don't apologize for your emotions, Ferrari." He didn't understand why he felt compelled to assure her, but deep down, he knew that something within her story remained unfinished. He didn't press her to reveal more; he simply trusted that in due time, she would share her past with him. They had five and a half months together, after all.

Celia's exhaustion grew, her eyelids heavy. She found solace in Venezio's touch and his comforting presence. With a yawn escaping her once again, he murmured, "My blood truly complements your features, sweetheart." It was a statement filled with tenderness, an acknowledgment of their shared connection and the bond that seemed to intertwine their lives.

As the room embraced the tranquility of their whispered confessions, they drifted into a peaceful slumber, entangled in each other's arms, knowing that there were still chapters of their intertwined story waiting to be written.

Seems like we are finally going somewhere.....