in love with a villain | choni

-58-

"Love? May I come in?" Cheryl called outside the bedroom door. "He has left."

"Yeah, it's open," Toni tiredly replied.

When Cheryl walked in, Toni was seated on the bed and had her back facing the door. Her head was low, and Cheryl got an obvious note from that.

"Love." She held her back while sitting to her right. "I'm sorry if he came off notice. I didn't know he was gonna do this, and I've been in touch with some of my contacts to surveil specific areas because I don't want him anywhere near you. Us. I guess he slipped off their sights."

"You didn't have to explain," Toni muttered, her fingers fiddling on her lap. "I was just worried that the second our faces met, I was gonna be in trouble. I was scared for the baby, mostly."

"I'm sorry." Cheryl moved to kneel across. "It won't happen again."

"How are you so sure about that?" Toni's glistered eyes with gloom were on site. "You know him. He's not going to let us be in a quiet state unless he stops breathing."

Cheryl held both of Toni's hands close. "We had a talk, Toni. He's shared a lot about his life. That's my first time hearing that and it sounded pure. He's letting me go now. He said 'good luck' to me about being a parent."

Toni scowled. "He did that?"

Cheryl nodded.

"I'm sorry, but I don't trust him." Toni shook her head. "I can't just fall into that. If something happens again... I'm going to leave, Cheryl... with the baby. And I hope nothing comes to change my mind." She stood up and left the room with Cheryl alone inside.

Toni stayed by the living room, watching a movie. She had a bowl of gummy bears to the right side of the couch, and her left hand was holding the remote. Despite the focus her eyes gave the television screen, she still had a peek of Cheryl standing from the left through her peripheral sight.

"Love..."

One call and she turned her head in the direction. "Hmm?"

"... Can I join you?"

"Yeah." Toni tapped the space to the left. "Room for you."

After Cheryl sat down, she asked, "Are you mad?"

"No? 'Mad' is a strong word for what I'm feeling right now." Toni sighed. "I'm more anxious. In a month, I'm delivering the baby and what if he does something?" She weakly looked at her. "What if... he takes the baby? And then, you know, he's gonna raise it to be like you? I can't let that happen."

"Hey. Surely, we won't let that happen," Cheryl reassured. "I promise. I'm here, okay? And if he breaks his promise to me, I'll be the one to kill him. Not even a small pun in that. I will."

Toni eventually dug into a doleful smile.

Grandville

"Sir." Greg was the first one to meet Timothy when he entered the house. "How did it go?"

Timothy tiredly sat on the stool. He looked like he was rethinking everything that he did, and had happened. After one deep exhale, he replied, "Greg, abort the assignment."

"Sorry, what?" Greg moved closer. "But, Sir, everything's ready. I can replace Archie after the raid. I promise. And what about Cylene and the baby? Shouldn't we let them know that the baby is CM's? We got a resemblance, match sperm donor, for sure he'll take that."

He shook his head, his glaring eyes pointed to the fireplace. "No. Do as I told you. Archie will take over." He stood up, rolling up his sleeves. "As for Cylene, have her an abortion appointment. Do it as soon as possible."