Villain Ch 324. Scapegoat
The small café was tucked away in a quiet corner of the city, away from the bustling crowds and noise of the streets. It was their favorite spot, a cozy haven where they could escape from the world and enjoy each other's company.
Vivian and Allen sat across from each other at a small table by the window. The morning sunlight streamed in, casting a warm glow over their faces. They sipped their steaming cups of coffee and savored the aroma of freshly brewed beans, the comforting scent adding to the peaceful atmosphere.
They chatted and exchanged playful banter until someone caught their attention.
Elio entered the cafe with a haggard look, his normal face now clouded with worry and deep in thought. He seemed lost in his own world, unaware of Allen and Vivian's presence just a few feet away. His steps were heavy as if carrying a weight on his shoulders, and he let out a weary sigh as he approached the counter to place his order.
The barista greeted him with a smile, but Elio's response was distant as if his mind was elsewhere. He ordered an americano and a croissant, not even sparing a glance at the array of pastries displayed on the counter. He paid for his order mechanically and found a seat behind Allen and Vivian, separated only by a short partition.
As he sat down, he didn't even notice their presence, his gaze fixed on some distant point in the cafe. His fingers drummed nervously on the table, a clear indication of the turmoil he was going through.
Allen and Vivian exchanged glances, confusion was evident on their faces as they subtly gestured to each other, trying to make sense of the situation. They had thought Elio had come to confront them, but it seemed they were mistaken.
Believing that Elio had given up on them, they decided to maintain their silence and continued eating their breakfast, hoping to avoid any unnecessary confrontation. However, curiosity gnawed at them, and they couldn't help stealing glances at Elio and the unfamiliar man sitting beside him.
As they observed from a distance, they noticed that the man appeared to be concerned, his expression a mix of shock and worry. He leaned in closer to Elio and spoke in hushed tones, making it difficult for Allen and Vivian to hear their conversation clearly.
"Elio, what do you mean you almost did last night? She was drunk, you shouldn't have done that to her," the man said, his voice filled with concern.
Those words made Vivian hesitate, her initial impulse to leave waning as she sat back down. She glanced at Allen, silently pleading with him to discourage them from leaving. Allen, with a furrowed brow, sensed her unease and reluctantly settled back into his seat.
"Lower your voice, Henry," Elio grumbled, clearly annoyed by his friend's insistence. "I didn't do anything. It's just... complicated."
"Just what?" Henry pressed, his curiosity getting the better of him.
"I almost did it," Elio confessed in a hushed tone. "I mean, I had her clothes halfway off before I stopped myself," he admitted, his face flushing with embarrassment.
Vivian and Allen exchanged surprised glances. They had not anticipated that their casual breakfast outing would turn into a gossip-filled affair.
"Are you crazy?!" Henry asked, his eyes widening in surprise as he stared at Elio in disbelief.
Elio let out a sigh, running a hand through his hair as he tried to find some sort of justification for his actions. "Look, it's not like I planned for any of this to happen," he said defensively. "She kissed and seduced me. What do you expect me to do in that situation?"
Henry raised an eyebrow, clearly not buying Elio's explanation. "Come on, man. You know better than that. Just because she made a move on you doesn't mean you had to go along with it," he said with a huff.
Elio felt a pang of guilt, knowing that Henry was right. He had always prided himself on being in control of his actions and emotions, but in that moment with Sophia, he had lost all sense of rationality.
"I know, I know," Elio admitted regretfully. "I should have stopped myself, but in the heat of the moment, I couldn't think straight."
"But you held yourself back, right?" Henry asked, a hint of frustration in his voice as he tried to make sense of the situation.
Elio nodded, a mixture of relief and regret evident in his expression. "Yeah, I did. But it wasn't actually me holding myself back. It was her," he admitted, his voice tinged with remorse.
"Huh? What do you mean?" Henry raised an eyebrow, not quite understanding Elio's statement.
Elio let out a heavy sigh, running a hand through his hair. "When things started to get... heated, she mentioned her ex's name," he explained, a pained expression crossing his face. "It was like a wake-up call for me."
Henry's eyes widened in surprise. "Her ex's name? That Allen guy again?" he asked with a cringe.
Elio nodded, feeling a mix of emotions swirling inside him. "Yeah," he confirmed.
Henry let out a low whistle, clearly taken aback by the revelation. "Damn, that's complicated," he muttered.
Vivian, with a mischievous glint in her eyes, turned to Allen and shook her head from side to side while clicking her tongue repeatedly in a teasing tone. "You really are a magnet for trouble, aren't you?" she teased in a low voice, playfully nudging his shoulder.
Allen cringed and took a deep breath, trying to brush off the comment with a half-hearted smile. 'Right, I did nothing yet Sophia is still pulling me in trouble,' he thought, feeling the weight of responsibility for the situation he found himself in. He felt like a scapegoat, blamed for things beyond his control.
"You know, it's not like I want to be caught up in all of this drama," Allen whispered, trying to defend himself.
"You know, Elio, I think you need to let her go for now," Henry spoke again. "She clearly hasn't reconciled with her past, and she needs to settle it first before she can fully accept you into her life."
Elio's shoulders slumped in defeat, knowing that Henry was right. "I know, but it's hard," he admitted, his voice tinged with vulnerability. "But she said that she is trying to forget him. So, I thought of helping her," Elio tried to defend himself, his voice tinged with uncertainty.
Henry looked at Elio with a mix of concern and skepticism. "She said she's trying to forget him?" he repeated, trying to wrap his head around the situation.
Elio nodded, his gaze dropping to the table. "Yes," he admitted, feeling a pang of guilt. "She mentioned that she still had feelings for Allen but wanted to move on from their past. I thought that if we could be together, I could help her forget him and make her happy."
Henry let out a low whistle, still finding it hard to believe what he was hearing. "Elio, that's a dangerous path to tread," he warned. "She could be lying."
"I know. But she kissed me and hugged me all night long last night. Even before she got drunk. So, I think..." Elio's words trailed off as Henry interrupted him.
"Right, you want to give her a chance," Henry said, his voice tinged with sarcasm.
Elio nodded, feeling the need to defend his decision. "Everyone deserves a chance," he said earnestly, hoping that Henry would understand where he was coming from.
"And that is the stupidest thing I've ever heard," Henry retorted, his skepticism evident in his tone.
Vivian and Allen couldn't hide their shock at Henry's blunt response. They exchanged surprised glances, not expecting that this Henry guy would share the same thoughts as them.
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