Warning: female Vincent
Rody sat across from Vanessa, his hands resting awkwardly in his lap as he avoided her gaze. The soft glow of La Gueule de Saturne's candlelight flickered between them, casting shadows that seemed to stretch and warp with every breath. The restaurant was quiet, intimate-the kind of setting where couples whispered sweet nothings or celebrated milestones. But there was no celebration here. No warmth in the silence.
Vanessa looked stunning, as she always did. Even now, with the air between them thick with unspoken words, she was the picture of elegance. Her short black hair framed her face perfectly, and the sharp lines of her chef's uniform gave her an air of untouchable confidence. But behind her sharp eyes-those deep, dark eyes that had drawn him in months ago-there was a vulnerability he couldn't ignore.
She had believed in him. Believed that he was different. And yet, here he was, about to let her down like every other man had.
He cleared his throat, the words choking him before they could leave his mouth. "Vanessa, I-"
"Don't," she interrupted, her voice low but steady. She didn't look angry. Just... tired. "I can see it in your face, Rody. You don't have to say it."
He froze, caught between relief and guilt. His heart twisted painfully in his chest. He had known this conversation was coming for weeks, but now that it was here, he wasn't prepared for how deeply it would cut.
Vanessa leaned back in her chair, her fingers grazing the edge of her wine glass, tracing absent patterns. "I thought you were different," she said quietly, her eyes locking onto his. "I really did."
Rody swallowed hard, shame bubbling up inside him. "Vanessa, I-"
"You don't have to lie to me." Her voice was steady, but her eyes shimmered with something raw, something that made him feel small. "I've been through this before, Rody. So many times. I let myself believe that maybe this time... maybe you would actually stay."
The words hung in the air, heavy and thick. Rody's throat tightened. He had known about her past-how men had used her, mistreated her, left her with nothing but broken promises and empty gestures. She was the kind of woman who seemed unbreakable, but Rody had glimpsed the cracks beneath that perfect exterior. The way she held herself together after every failed relationship, refusing to let anyone see the hurt that lingered just beneath the surface.
And he was just another disappointment. Another man who would leave her heart a little more fractured.
"I didn't want to hurt you," Rody whispered, his voice barely audible.
Vanessa laughed bitterly, shaking her head. "No one ever does, Rody. But somehow, they always manage to."
He winced at the cold truth in her words, the way she spoke as if this was just another chapter in the same sad story. Maybe it was. She had given him everything-her time, her trust, her love-and he couldn't even bring himself to return it. Not in the way she deserved.
He had wanted to be that guy for her. The one who could heal the wounds left by the others. But every time he looked at Vanessa, he saw what he lacked. She was too perfect. Too composed. Too much for someone like him.
Because, deep down, he still longed for *her*-Manon. He still yearned for that soft, dependent affection that Vanessa would never give him. The fragile, bubbly energy that made him feel like someone's protector. Manon had been cute, sweet, and vulnerable in a way that Vanessa simply wasn't.
Vanessa was too strong. Too independent. Too whole.
"I don't know what I'm doing," Rody admitted, his hands trembling as he finally met her gaze. "You deserve so much more than I can give you. I-"
