PARISIAN HEARTS

Chapter 18

The door clicked shut behind Adrien, leaving Isabelle in the quiet stillness of her apartment. She sat there for a while, her mind racing with questions she couldn’t push away. There was something going on with Adrien, something deeper than the sweet moments they shared. And as much as she tried to convince herself that it wasn’t her business, she couldn’t help but feel that it was only a matter of time before it affected their fragile connection.

The next morning, Isabelle decided to clear her mind by meeting Marie for coffee. The café was quiet, the familiar scent of roasted beans and baked goods filling the air as she slid into a seat across from her friend. Marie greeted her with a warm smile, but Isabelle’s mood was hard to hide.

“You seem lost in thought,” Marie said, stirring her cup. “Is it about Adrien?”

Isabelle sighed, looking down at her cup before meeting Marie’s gaze. “I don’t know what to think anymore. It’s like there’s this... connection between us, but I can feel him holding something back.”

Marie leaned in, her expression serious. “Do you have feelings for him?”

The question caught Isabelle off guard, but she knew she couldn’t deny it any longer. “I do,” she admitted softly. “I didn’t expect to, but I do. It’s just... I don’t know where this is going. He’s so hard to read sometimes, like he’s here with me, but a part of him is somewhere else.”

Marie nodded, her brow furrowed. “Maybe he’s dealing with something you don’t know about. But if you feel this strongly about him, you should talk to him. It’s better to know where you both stand than to be stuck in limbo.”

Isabelle bit her lip, unsure. “I’m scared to ask. What if it changes everything? What if he doesn’t feel the same way?”

“Or what if he does?” Marie countered. “You’ll never know if you don’t ask.”

Isabelle considered her friend’s words as they finished their coffee. She knew Marie was right—she needed to understand where things stood between her and Adrien. But for now, the idea of confronting him about her feelings was too daunting. She would have to wait for the right moment, if it ever came.

Later that evening, Isabelle sat by the window in her apartment, watching the sunset and thinking about her conversation with Marie. Her feelings for Adrien were undeniable, but so were her worries. She couldn’t shake the sense that something was standing in their way—something Adrien wasn’t telling her.

As the night deepened, Isabelle made a promise to herself. She would enjoy the moments they shared, but she wouldn’t let her feelings consume her without knowing the truth. Whatever Adrien was holding back, she knew it would reveal itself in time.