The Problem with the Redemption of Cillian Fitzpatrick
The original ending of The Villain left many readers in a state of emotional whiplash. We spent hundreds of pages watching Cillian Fitzpatrick act as a cold, calculating machine, only to have his redemption arc condensed into a few short chapters following a health scare. For a character defined by his lack of empathy, the sudden pivot to doting father and loving husband felt, to many, like a narrative shortcut rather than a hard-earned evolution.
Fans often search for The Villain ending spoilers hoping for a deeper psychological payoff, yet the consensus remains that the 'Villain' surrendered his title too easily. The 'Sunshine' character, Persephone Penrose, was so relentlessly good that the power dynamic often felt one-sided, leaving us wondering if Cillian truly deserved the grace he received. We wanted to see him truly humbled, or perhaps, met with an equal match in the shadows.
What if the 'good girl' wasn't actually begging for a savior, but rather, selecting her mark? In the world of the Boston Belles, power is the only currency that matters. By re-imagining the catalyst of their marriage, we can fix the pacing issues of the original book and give Persy the agency she was sorely lacking. This is the version where the hunter becomes the prey without even realizing it.
To understand this shift, we must look at the foundation of the Marriage of Convenience trope. In the original text, it was a desperate plea for help. In our re-imagined reality, it is a strategic takeover. Let’s dive into the scene that should have been—the moment the mask finally slipped, not for the billionaire, but for the girl who brought him to his knees.
The Blueprint: The Reverse Villain Theory
The theory is simple: Persephone Penrose is the most intelligent person in any room she enters, including rooms occupied by Cillian Fitzpatrick. If we analyze the events leading up to the contract, Persephone had every opportunity to seek help elsewhere, but she chose the one man who would demand her soul in exchange for her father’s company. This wasn't a mistake; it was an invitation.
In this alternate scenario, we remove the 'damsel in distress' archetype. Instead of a rushed medical emergency leading to a confession of love, we introduce a psychological stalemate. Cillian remains a sociopath for longer, but Persephone stops being a victim. She becomes the one pulling the strings behind his corporate empire, making her the true 'Villain' of the story.
This fix-it fic approach addresses the 'too cruel for too long' complaint by making Cillian’s cruelty irrelevant. If Persy is the one in control, his coldness isn't an obstacle—it’s a tool. This creates a much more satisfying 'enemies to lovers' dynamic where the power balance is truly equal. Below is the narrative transformation of their final confrontation.
The Architect of the Web
The rain lashed against the floor-to-ceiling windows of the Boston penthouse, turning the city lights into a blurred watercolor of gray and neon. He was standing by the decanter, the amber liquid in his glass catching the light like a trapped spark. He didn't look at her when she entered. He never did. He was a man made of marble and cold logic, a statue that had forgotten how to breathe.
"The merger is complete," he said, his voice a low, rhythmic drone that usually sent shivers of fear through his board members. "Your father's legacy is secure. You can stop looking at me like I’m the monster under your bed. The debt is paid."
She didn't move. She stayed by the door, the hem of her white silk dress damp from the balcony. For years, she had played the role of the soft, fragile thing he could crush between his fingers. She had let him believe her tears were real. She had let him believe she was a desperate woman who had no other choice but to beg at his feet.
"The debt was never the point, Cillian," she whispered, her voice lacking the usual tremble he expected. He paused, the glass halfway to his lips. It was the first time she had used his name without a plea attached to it. He turned slowly, his eyes narrowing, searching for the crack in her facade.
"What are you talking about?" he asked, his tone sharpening. He was used to being the one who dictated the terms. He was the one who wrote the contracts, the one who owned the souls of everyone in this city. He was the architect of her salvation, or so he thought.
She walked toward him, her footsteps silent on the plush carpet. She reached into the small clutch bag she was carrying and pulled out a single, weathered piece of paper. She laid it on the mahogany table between them. It wasn't a plea for help. It wasn't a bank statement. It was a transfer of assets dated three years before their marriage.
"I didn't lose the company," she said, her eyes meeting his with a clarity that made him go still. "I moved the assets. I created the deficit. I made sure every other bank in the city turned me away until there was only one person left I could go to. I needed a reason for you to own me, because I knew it was the only way you’d ever let me close enough to own you."
He stared at the paper. His mind, usually a high-speed processor of data, stuttered. He saw the shell companies. He saw the intricate web of transfers that even his best analysts hadn't flagged. She hadn't been drowning; she had been building a submarine. And he had invited her right into the center of his life, thinking he was the one doing her a favor.
"Why?" he managed to ask, his grip tightening on the glass. The air in the room felt different. The power was shifting, draining away from him and pooling at her feet. She looked at him not with the love he had found so tiresome, but with a predatory hunger that matched his own.
"Because you think you're a monster, and I wanted to see if I could be the one to tame you," she replied, stepping into his space. She reached out, her fingers tracing the sharp line of his jaw. "You think you're the one in control? Every board meeting, every acquisition, every time you thought you were punishing me... I was the one who gave you the information. I was the one who guided your hand."
He felt a strange, cold thrill run down his spine. It wasn't the anger he expected. It was something else—a recognition. He had spent his whole life looking for a partner who understood the darkness of the world, and he had been married to her for a year without knowing it. The 'good girl' was a myth. She was the storm, and he was just a man standing in the rain.
"You manipulated me," he said, his voice dropping to a dangerous whisper. He set the glass down. The marble statue was finally starting to crack, but not because of a heart attack or a health scare. It was cracking because he had finally met his match.
"I didn't manipulate you," she corrected him, her lips curving into a smile that didn't reach her eyes. "I curated an experience for you. You wanted a marriage of convenience. I gave you one. But the convenience was always mine. Now, sit down. We have a new contract to discuss, and this time, I’m the one who sets the price."
He watched her, truly seeing her for the first time. The vulnerability was gone. The desperation was a memory. She was cold, she was calculating, and she was beautiful in a way that terrified him. He realized then that he wouldn't have to change for her. He wouldn't have to learn how to love in the way the world wanted him to. He just had to learn how to survive her.
"Tell me," he said, his own smile mirroring hers, sharp and jagged. "What is the first clause?"
She leaned in close, her breath warm against his ear. "The first clause is that we stop pretending you’re the only one who knows how to destroy things. From now on, we do it together."
Deconstructing the New Dynamic
Why does this version of The Villain feel more psychologically sound? In the original L.J. Shen novel, Cillian’s change of heart is framed as a biological awakening triggered by a near-death experience. While romantic, it undermines the 'sociopath' persona that made him compelling in the first place. By shifting the perspective to Persephone as a co-conspirator or even a superior strategist, we maintain the integrity of the Dark Romance genre while providing the reader with a more balanced power dynamic.
This 'Reverse Villain' scenario satisfies the audience's desire for a smart heroine who doesn't just endure cruelty but anticipates it. It makes the Boston Belles world feel more cohesive, where every character is operating on a level of ruthless ambition. In this light, the ending isn't just a 'happily ever after' with a baby; it’s the formation of a dark dynasty.
Furthermore, this fix addresses the common complaint that Cillian was 'too cruel for too long.' When the heroine is revealed to be in on the game, the cruelty becomes a shared language rather than a one-way abuse. It transforms the book from a story about a girl surviving a monster into a story about two monsters finding home in each other. If you're looking for books with similar themes of hidden masterminds, check out the full discussion on Goodreads.
FAQ
1. Does The Villain by L.J. Shen have a happy ending?
Yes, the original novel ends with a 'Happily Ever After' (HEA). Cillian and Persephone stay together, and the epilogue reveals they have a child, showing Cillian's growth into a father figure despite his cold nature.
2. What is the secret in The Villain L.J. Shen?
The main secrets involve Cillian's past trauma and his clinical inability to feel emotions like a 'normal' person, as well as the financial ruin of Persephone's father that forces the marriage of convenience.
3. Is Cillian Fitzpatrick actually a sociopath?
He is described as having sociopathic tendencies and operating strictly on logic and profit, though the book explores whether he was born that way or shaped by his upbringing in the Fitzpatrick empire.
4. Can I read The Villain as a standalone?
Yes, while it is the second book in the Boston Belles series, it focuses on a new couple and can be enjoyed without reading the first book, although characters from the first book do make appearances.
References
goodreads.com — The Villain on Goodreads
amazon.com — The Villain on Amazon
ljshen.com — L.J. Shen Official Website