PARISIAN HEARTS

Chapter 26

Isabelle sat on the edge of her bed, staring blankly at the wall, her mind replaying the images she had just seen on the magazine covers at the vendor's stall. Adrien and Sophie, smiling for the cameras, caught in a kiss. The photos were plastered on nearly every front page, turning her world upside down.

She had hurried away from the stand without buying a single copy, but the damage was already done. Those images were seared into her memory. She had trusted him, believed in the love they shared, and now it all felt like a lie.

Isabelle’s heart pounded as she tried to make sense of it all. The Adrien she knew—the man who made her feel like the center of his world—couldn’t be the same man so publicly committed to another. But he was. The evidence was clear for all of Paris to see.

Her phone buzzed on the table, and without looking, she knew who it was. Adrien had been trying to reach her all morning. Each time the phone vibrated, it only deepened her pain. How could he explain what she’d seen with her own eyes? She wasn’t ready for his excuses.

But the buzzing didn’t stop, and finally, she couldn’t ignore it any longer. Her heart heavy with both anger and confusion, she grabbed the phone and answered, her voice cold.

"Adrien," she said flatly.

There was a pause on the other end, as if he hadn’t expected her to pick up. "Isabelle..." His voice was soft, almost pleading. "Please, let me explain."

Isabelle’s grip tightened around the phone. "Explain what, Adrien? That you're engaged? That you’ve been lying to me this entire time?"

"I never wanted it to happen like this," Adrien said, his voice filled with regret. "You weren’t supposed to find out this way."

"Then how was I supposed to find out?" Isabelle's voice rose, her anger bubbling to the surface. "Were you ever going to tell me? Or were you just going to keep stringing me along while you played the perfect fiancé for Sophie?"

"It’s not what you think," Adrien said quickly. "My family... they’ve been pushing this engagement for years. I don’t love Sophie, Isabelle. I love you. I just haven’t figured out how to get out of this mess."

Isabelle felt her throat tighten. "You love me?" she repeated, her voice breaking. "How could you say that when I saw you kissing her? When the whole city is celebrating your engagement?"

Adrien’s voice was strained, full of desperation. "It was for the press. My family arranged it. They’ve been controlling everything—pushing me to stay with Sophie for the sake of appearances. I’ve been trying to find a way to tell you, but I didn’t want to lose you."

Tears welled in Isabelle’s eyes, but she fought to keep her composure. "You didn’t want to lose me? You’ve already lost me, Adrien. The moment you kept this from me, the moment you let me believe you were mine alone, you lost me."

Adrien’s silence on the other end spoke volumes. He knew he had broken something irreparable.

"I’ll end it," he said, his voice barely above a whisper. "I’ll end the engagement, Isabelle. I promise you, it means nothing to me. You’re the one I want to be with."

But Isabelle shook her head, even though he couldn’t see it. "It’s too late, Adrien. I don’t know if I can trust you anymore. Everything between us feels tainted now."

"Please," Adrien begged. "Don’t say that. Don’t give up on us. I’ll fight for you, I’ll fight for us, just give me a little more time."

Isabelle closed her eyes, letting the tears spill over. "I don’t know if I have any more time to give you," she whispered, before hanging up the phone.

She sat there in the silence of her apartment, her heart heavy with grief. Everything she thought she knew about Adrien, about their love, had crumbled in a matter of hours. And now, she was left alone to pick up the pieces.