PARISIAN HEARTS

Chapter 28

Isabelle didn’t sleep much that night. She tossed and turned, her mind replaying the events of the past few days on a loop. Every time she closed her eyes, she saw the magazine cover—their kiss, Sophie’s triumphant smile, Adrien’s forced expression. The weight of it all pressed down on her chest like a boulder she couldn’t shake off.

Morning came too soon, and she sat by her window, staring out at the Parisian skyline. The city, with all its beauty, felt cold and distant today. It had always been her dream to live here, to paint, to create, but now it was a place full of painful memories.

Her phone buzzed on the table beside her. Adrien. He had messaged her again, asking to meet, asking to explain. She hadn’t responded to his previous message, and a part of her didn’t want to respond to this one either. What could he say that would change what she’d seen?

But the other part of her—the part that still loved him—wanted to hear him out. Wanted to believe that there was an explanation, some reason that could make sense of everything.

After a long, silent debate with herself, Isabelle stood up, grabbed her phone, and sent a short reply: “Okay. Let’s talk.”

They agreed to meet at a small park, one they had walked through countless times before. It was quiet, tucked away from the bustling city, surrounded by trees that had just begun to show the first signs of autumn. The air was crisp, and Isabelle wrapped her coat tighter around her as she walked, her heart pounding in her chest.

When she arrived, Adrien was already there, sitting on a bench, his hands clasped tightly in his lap. He looked up when he saw her approaching, his face a mix of relief and nervousness.

“Thank you for coming,” he said softly as she sat down beside him.

Isabelle didn’t respond right away. She kept her eyes on the ground, trying to find the right words. The tension between them was palpable, a thick wall that had never been there before.

Adrien took a deep breath. “Isabelle, I’m so sorry. I should have told you sooner. About Sophie, about everything.”

Isabelle finally looked up, her eyes hard. “Why didn’t you?”

“I... I didn’t know how,” Adrien admitted, his voice pained. “When we met, I wasn’t expecting any of this. I wasn’t expecting to fall for you, and by the time I realized how much you meant to me, I was trapped. My family, Sophie’s family—they’ve been pushing for this engagement for years.”

“Years?” Isabelle repeated, her voice barely above a whisper. She felt a sharp pang in her chest. “So this wasn’t something new. You’ve been engaged this whole time.”

“No,” Adrien said quickly. “We weren’t engaged, not officially. But there was always pressure. My parents and Sophie’s parents wanted it, and I... I let them think it would happen. But then I met you.”

Isabelle shook her head, trying to make sense of it. “So you just let it happen? You let them plan an engagement party, let them parade you and Sophie in front of the press, and now what? What am I supposed to think, Adrien?”

“I’m trying to end it,” Adrien said, his voice desperate. “I don’t want to be with her. I want to be with you.”

Isabelle stared at him, her heart torn between the love she still felt and the betrayal she couldn’t ignore. “Then why didn’t you tell me? Why did I have to find out from a magazine cover, from seeing you kiss her in front of the whole city?”

Adrien winced, his eyes filled with guilt. “I didn’t know they were going to do that. Sophie... she’s been holding on to this idea of us, and I didn’t realize how far she would go to make it public. She knew I was pulling away, and she’s trying to keep me close.”

“But you kissed her,” Isabelle said, her voice breaking. “You didn’t pull away.”

Adrien’s face paled. “I know. I shouldn’t have. I didn’t want to make a scene in front of the press, and I was trying to keep things from spiraling out of control. I didn’t know how to handle it.”

Isabelle let out a bitter laugh. “So instead, you let it spiral out of control in front of me.”

They sat in silence for a moment, the weight of the situation pressing down on both of them. Adrien ran a hand through his hair, frustration etched across his face.

“I don’t know how to fix this,” he admitted quietly. “But I don’t want to lose you, Isabelle. You’re the one thing in my life that feels real, that makes sense. Please... I’m trying to make this right.”

Isabelle looked away, her heart aching. She wanted to believe him, wanted to trust that he was telling the truth. But the images of him with Sophie, the lies he had kept from her, were too fresh, too painful.

“I need time,” she finally said, her voice trembling. “I can’t just... I can’t just pretend this didn’t happen.”

Adrien’s eyes were filled with sadness, but he nodded. “I understand.”

Isabelle stood up, her legs feeling shaky beneath her. “I need to figure out what’s best for me, Adrien. And right now, I don’t know what that is.”

Adrien watched her, his expression pleading, but he didn’t try to stop her. He knew that he had lost her trust, and it wasn’t something he could fix with just words.

As Isabelle walked away, she felt the tears she had been holding back start to fall. She didn’t know what the future held for them, but right now, she needed space to heal, to decide if love was enough to overcome the hurt.