Saving the Villain

When Asher slid the door open, he stopped. He lowered his head, seeing that there were people inside, aside from the woman on the bed.

"Grandma, Grandpa." Asher closed the door and approached the elderly sitting beside the bed. He stopped several steps away from them, bowing politely.

Cosette's grandparents had been frequenting in here, and even demanded to take their granddaughter to a different hospital. However, since Asher was the husband, he had refused them. Obviously, his firm refusal of their request didn't sit well with the elders, but at the same time, they couldn't blame him.

Asher had been taking care of their granddaughter and they had seen how he look at her, even though there were more times she didn't recognize him. They didn't have the heart to hate him, and they could only help him by taking turns in taking care of her even though they were already old.

"Sit, child," said Gretchen, tapping the chair beside her.

Marcel Blac, Cosette's grandfather, simply cast Asher a look and nodded. Asher let out a shallow breath and smiled weakly, sitting beside Gretchen while Marcel was sitting on the other side across from them.

"She had already fallen asleep." Gretchen smiled weakly, holding on to Cosette's hand. "You could've talked to her if you arrived earlier."

"The boy is busy," Marcel commented with a deep frown. "Cut the boy some slack. Be glad that he is still making time to take care of his wife."

"Why are you angry?" asked Gretchen in a disheartened tone. "I am just saying he missed her for just a few minutes. You know how Asher cherishes our girl. Besides, she was rather bubbly today. You do not have to get angry at me. I'm not your enemy."

"Grandpa, Grandma, please do not argue." Asher smiled, intervening before the two would argue. They had been very sensitive since Cosette's health continued to deteriorate, but he understood because these two already lost their son, Conrad, and now they were about to lose their princess.

"Do not worry, grandma Chen. I will be staying over with her tonight. I'm sure she will wake up in between and we could talk." He smiled at Gretchen and then shifted his eyes to Marcel. "Grandpa, the merging is doing well. Do not worry. Everything will smoothen out soon."

"I am not worried about the company!" Marcel's voice thundered, pounding the bottom of his fist against the armrest. "It can just disappear for all I care!"

The old man slowly turned his attention to his princess, and deep regret swelled in his chest. His eyes reddened immediately as tears shone on them.

"What's so good about having lots of money when it couldn't even save my princess?" his authoritative voice cracked, making Gretchen cover her mouth to muffle her cries. "My son is already shameless enough to die before his father, and now… my beloved princess couldn't even recognize herself. It's all because of that damn company!"

"She had wasted her life for that company, but it couldn't even save her! What's so good about it? Money, influence, and power… what is so good about them when it couldn't even save her?"

As soon as the last syllable slipped past the old man's lips, tears fell from his eyes. His heart felt so stuffy, seeing his granddaughter lying on this bed breaks his heart. There were times Cosette's dementia wasn't the scariest of all, but her other illnesses that would make her cough out blood. Whenever that happened, the sight of it ripped through the old man's soul.

No parent could bear watching their child suffer.

"I had already lived a long life," Marcel continued with a shaking voice, barely keeping himself from breaking down. "These illnesses that are slowly killing her… if only I can take them, I do not mind. I'm old and about to kick the bucket. I do not want to die after burying my princess."

"That…" he pounded his fist against his chest. "... will kill me. I already held a funeral for my son. I cannot do that again. My princess…"

Marcel bent over to hold her hand, kissing her knuckles whilst crying. "My little sweet girl, please get better for grandpa. Grandpa is wrong to leave you alone. Grandpa is already sorry. I was wrong to keep our distance. I really, really, really missed you every single day and regret not watching you closely growing up."

"Grandpa is sorry, my Cosette. It is grandpa's fault — I am the one who should suffer…"

Gretchen raised her other hand and placed it on top of the hand that was covering her lips. Her heart was breaking, watching her proud husband cry and apologize to their dearest Cosette, blaming himself for everything. Meanwhile, Asher kept his head hung low.

Asher remained silent, listening to his wife's grandparents cry. This wasn't the first time the two would cry while Cosette was sleeping; sometimes, tears would even stain their faces while talking to Cosette while she was playing with them. But it was still painful to listen to — also amplifying the guilt in his heart.

Gretchen and Marcel stayed in the room for the next hour before they finally left. Both of them were already old, so knowing they would have another breakdown again, Asher asked their assistant to drive the two of them home.

When he was left alone, sitting beside the bed where Cosette was sleeping, Asher reached for her hand. He squeezed it mildly, eyes softening apologetically. He didn't say anything and just sat there, staring at her, wondering why… was his life so tragic?

Probably because he was sinful, coveting what wasn't his in the first place. This was his punishment; the punishment Cosette gave him for everything that had happened.

As Asher stared at her blankly, he noticed her finger move. He lifted his eyes and saw her open her eyes. Cosette blinked weakly while he forced a smile, bending over and holding her hand.

"Hey, beautiful," he called lovingly, brushing her forehead. "Are you hungry?"

His gentle smile remained, but at the back of his head, he was already expecting another, "who are you?" from her, or just an aggressive reaction because she couldn't recognize him. Yet, those were better than her recognizing him.

Cosette blinked weakly, pushing him slightly. As she did so, she caught something shiny. Her eyes slid to her hand, only to see two rings on her finger. One was her engagement ring and a wedding ring she recognized and refused to wear.

Seeing her action, fear crawled under his skin, and when she moved her eyes to lock gaze with him, his heart sank. The Cosette who had woken up was the Cosette he knew and the woman who deeply hated him.

"You…" her lips quivered as her eyes shone with growing repugnance. "... disgusts me."