His Villain

60

Celia stood outside the apartment door, her heart pounding in her chest, as she took a deep breath to steady herself. It had been three long years since she last saw Warren and Dante, and the events that unfolded during that time had left deep scars on all of them.

Beside her stood Inizio, who gazed at her with curious eyes, unaware of the emotional reunion that was about to take place. They were standing at the main entrance of Warren and Dante's apartment, a place that held memories of both happiness and heartache.

With a trembling hand, Celia raised her fist and knocked on the door. Her mind was filled with a mix of anticipation and dread as she waited for a response. Moments later, the door swung open, revealing Dante standing there. His eyes widened in surprise as he took in the sight of Celia and her child. The bruises on his face mirrored the ones on his exposed body, evidence of the struggles he had endured.

Time seemed to freeze as they stood there, neither of them blinking, both taking in the surreal moment of fate. Dante's surprise quickly transformed into relief, and Celia couldn't hold back her emotions any longer. She pulled Dante into a tight embrace, her voice choked with tears. "I missed you so much," she whispered, her voice quivering. "I'm so sorry."

Dante returned the embrace, his hand gently patting her back as he ran his other hand through her hair. "It's okay, Celia," he reassured her, his own voice cracking with emotions.

But Celia couldn't let go of her guilt. She shook her head against his shoulder, her words muffled by her sobs. "No, no, no. It's not okay. I'm really sorry, Dante. Please forgive me."

Celia tightened her hold, embracing him even more, tears streaming down her face. Dante broke the hug and wiped her tears away, his eyes filled with understanding and compassion. "Okay. I forgive you, Celia. Just don't cry. My girl."

As they stood there, Inizio looked at them with a frown of confusion, sensing his mother's distress. He reached out his tiny hands towards Celia, his innocent eyes filled with curiosity. Dante's gaze shifted from Celia to the child, his expression softening as he knelt down to Inizio's level. He studied the child's features, his heart aching at the sight of the innocence that remained untouched by the darkness of the past.

"Who is this little one?" Dante asked, his voice gentle yet filled with a mix of emotions.

Celia's tears continued to flow as she struggled to find her words, her voice trembling. "This is my son, Dante. Inizio."

Dante's eyes widened in astonishment and disbelief. "Your... Your son?" He glanced back at Celia, a torrent of emotions flooding his being. "When?"

And just as their conversation unfolded, Warren appeared behind Dante, his own face marked with bruises. His eyes widened when he saw Celia standing there. Overwhelmed with emotions, he rushed forward and embraced Celia tightly, his voice filled with a mix of joy and concern. "Celia, my God, you're here! Where have you been?"

Celia's tears streamed down her cheeks uncontrollably as she buried her face in Warren's shoulder. "Warren, I'm so sorry. So sorry, please forgive me," she pleaded, her voice muffled.

Warren held her tightly, his grip firm yet gentle. "Shh, it's okay, Celia," he whispered, his voice filled with compassion.

Celia's tears flowed down her cheeks uncontrollably, dampening the fabric of her dress. "Warren, I'm so sorry. So sorry, please forgive me," she sobbed, her voice muffled by the weight of her emotions.

Warren held her tightly, his arms enveloping her in a firm yet gentle embrace. "Shh, it's okay, Celia," he whispered, his voice filled with compassion. "We've all been through so much. We have to forgive ourselves and move forward."