Road To Revenge: Obtaining a villain system

009. City Hall

Niccolo had been driving for nearly an hour before he came across a modest looking bed and breakfast tucked between a florist and an antique shop. The place had warm lighting spilling through its windows, and though he didn’t care much for comfort at the moment, the thought of a clean bed made his tensed muscles loosen slightly.

When he stepped inside, a small brass bell above the door jingled. A woman appeared from behind the reception counter, brushing a stray curl of hair from her forehead.

“Good evening,” she greeted, her voice gentle but brisk with routine hospitality.

Niccolo blinked, momentarily thrown off. He knew her face. It took a few seconds before it clicked —she was Gregory’s wife. He had met her twice before at company gatherings. Her name was Eleanor. She had been kind then, almost shy, and she looked just the same now— except maybe there was something tired in her eyes, the kind of weariness that comes from living with a man like Gregory.

For a heartbeat, Niccolo considered turning around and leaving. But the warmth of the lobby, the faint smell of freshly baked bread, and the stiffness in his legs made the decision for him.

“Room for one?” she asked, pulling out the registration book.

He nodded, keeping his tone neutral. “Just for the night.”

Her lips curved into a polite smile. “Of course. I’ll give you one facing the garden. It’s quieter.”

He didn’t know if she recognized him. If she did, she gave no sign. As she led him upstairs, he found himself feeling an unexpected pang of pity. She was married to a monster— one he used to call his boss. She deserved better, though he doubted she’d ever get it.

Once inside the small, neatly kept room, Niccolo sat on the edge of the bed and exhaled slowly. The mattress was firm, the blanket smelled faintly of lavender, and for the first time in what felt like days, he wasn’t surrounded by hostility. He might’ve even fallen asleep right then if not for the faint vibration in his pocket.

He reached for his phone, but the sight of it made his jaw clench. The screen was cracked badly —probably from when one of the thugs had shoved him to the pavement. Through the spiderweb of broken glass, a dim glow revealed a single notification.

It was from Kimberly.

_Meet me at the city council tomorrow by 10:00 AM to finalize the divorce._

The message was short, businesslike, and almost clinical. But seeing her name was like reopening an old wound that hadn’t even begun to heal. His chest tightened, the image of her face —smiling for someone else —burning in his mind. He remembered the humiliation, the betrayal, and the way she had chosen Gregory over him without a second thought.

Niccolo’s hands tightened around the ruined phone until the edges dug into his skin. She thought this would be the end of him. She thought she could take everything —his home, his dignity— and leave him to rot.

He swore then and there, under the soft hum of the B&B’s radiator, that he would make her regret it.

★★★

The next morning, Niccolo rose early. He wasn’t going to show up at that meeting looking broken, no matter what she expected. After a quick shower, he left the B&B and headed into town.

He found a men’s boutique, the kind with spotless glass doors and mannequins dressed like they belonged at high profile galas. The sales associate looked like she wanted to send him away at first— until he casually pulled out a black credit card. Her smile instantly warmed. Before then, he had gone to the bank to deposit the money he had gotten from the Mayor, and after the bank attendant confirmed from the Mayor himself that the money was legal, Niccolo was given a black card.

An hour later, Niccolo walked out in a perfectly tailored dark charcoal suit, crisp white shirt, and polished leather shoes. The cut of the jacket hugged his frame, making him look broader, more powerful. He even stopped by a salon to have his medium length hair styled neatly. The man who stared back at him in the mirror looked nothing like the Niccolo who had been crawling out of the dirt a few nights ago.

Kimberly would see this. She would see exactly what she had thrown away.

★★★

Even though she’d asked to meet at 10, Niccolo didn’t arrive at city hall until half past. He wanted her waiting, wondering.

When he finally stepped into the high ceilinged lobby, his eyes immediately found her. Kimberly stood near the registration desk, dressed in a pale pink blouse and a fitted skirt, her hair perfectly smoothed back. But she wasn’t alone. Gregory was beside her, his hand casually resting on her lower back.

Lyla was there too, leaning against a pillar with the disinterested look of someone forced to attend. She worked at an upscale boutique— and the moment she saw Niccolo’s suit, her eyes flickered with recognition. She leaned toward Kimberly, whispering something. Niccolo saw Kimberly’s brows lift slightly in surprise.

“That’s from Milan,” Lyla murmured just loud enough for Gregory to hear. “Easily over five grand.”

Kimberly’s gaze lingered on Niccolo for a moment longer than she probably intended. He ignored her and went straight to the clerk to sign the papers.

The process was quick and mechanical. His pen scratched across the documents, sealing the end of something that had once been everything to him. When he slid the papers back across the desk, he didn’t even glance at her.

“Niccolo,” Kimberly said, her voice dripping with false sweetness. “I heard you don’t have anywhere to stay. You probably spent the night on the street, didn’t you? If you go down on your knees and beg me, I might be willing to give you the house back.”

Gregory smirked beside her. Lyla’s mouth twisted in amusement.

Niccolo turned to face her, his expression flat, voice like ice. “Keep it.”

Kimberly blinked. “What?”

“I could never live in a place where pigs like you have already ruined,” he said, each word sharp.

Her lips parted slightly in shock. She wasn’t used to this tone from him. Niccolo had always been gentle with her, soft spoken, willing to please. Now his voice held no trace of warmth, only contempt.

“When I had nothing, I gave you everything I could,” he continued. “If you had stayed, now that I’m rich, you could’ve had anything you wanted. But you threw that away. Now you’re my enemy, Kimberly. And I promise you—” his gaze hardened, “—I’ll make your life a living hell.”

The air between them felt electric, the kind that comes before a storm. Gregory shifted slightly, maybe sensing that this was not the same man he had ordered around just weeks ago.

Before Kimberly could respond, a ripple of noise spread through the lobby. Voices rose, echoing off the marble walls. A crowd was forming near the entrance, phones raised, people craning their necks for a better view.

Niccolo frowned, glancing toward the commotion.

Through the shifting bodies, he caught a glimpse— a flash of flowing hair, the glint of sunlight on jewelry, the graceful way someone moved. People were smiling, calling out to her. Some just stared like they were in the presence of someone extraordinary.

He narrowed his eyes, trying to see past the throng. And then, recognition struck.

He said her name under his breath.

The woman looked up, her gaze scanning the crowd until it landed on him. Her smile bloomed instantly, bright and unrestrained. Without hesitation, she broke away from the group and hurried toward him, her steps quick, almost eager.

“Niccolo!”

The sound of her voice carried across the marble floor, cutting through the tension he’d left behind with Kimberly and Gregory.