promise are the sweetest lies

chapter 2

His voice sharp, eyes locked on me "Why are you late, Miss  Xhenia"?

Caught off guard, I quickly glanced at my watch, my heart racing. "I’m late? Oh... sorry." I tried to hide my anxiety, knowing this conversation wasn’t going to end well.

His eyes narrowed, lips pressed into a thin line. He leaned forward on his desk, fingers tapping impatiently against the wood. " Nova told me you two talked earlier. What did you talk about?" *His tone was calm, but beneath it, there was a threat. I could feel the tension brewing.*

I felt a wave of irritation but kept my voice steady, trying to hold into my composure. "I didn’t even look in his direction. And frankly, it’s none of your business. You made it clear: in this company, I’m your employee, and you’re the boss. So, my personal life isn’t your concern." I swallowed hard, hoping he wouldn’t press further, but deep down, I knew he would.

His jaw tightened, his voice rising as he slammed his fist on the desk, making everything on it jump. "F*ck, look at me, ____!" *He stood abruptly, anger radiating from him.* "Don’t you dare talk to me like that. I’m your boss here. Show some goddamn respect!"

*I looked up at him, my heart pounding in my chest. I kept my face blank, but I could feel the burn of unshed tears in my eyes. My voice trembled slightly as I spoke.* "Oh, sorry, *sir*. I think I need to take a break today. This day has been... overwhelming." *I was trying to hold it together, but it was getting harder by the second.*

*He leaned over his desk, his hands gripping the edges tightly as his frustration grew.* "Why is your answer so f*cking far from the question, Miss ____?" *His eyes flashed with anger.* "I asked you, what did you two talk about?"

I could feel my pulse quicken, the pressure in the room suffocating me. I didn’t want to deal with this anymore. I took a step towards the door, my voice quiet. "I can’t answer that question, sir." *I reached for the door, desperate to leave the tension behind, but before I could turn the handle, I felt his grip on my wrist, tight and unyielding.*

He pulled me back toward the sofa, forcing me to sit as he stood over me, his voice a low growl. "WHAT. DID. YOU. TWO. TALK. ABOUT?" *His face was inches from mine, eyes burning with an intensity that made my chest tighten.*

I took a deep breath, meeting his gaze with a mixture of defiance and sadness. "You really want to know what we talked about?" *I paused, my voice hardening as I continued.* "Fine. Why does she know so much about you when I know so little? I’m your girlfriend, but she’s the one you open up to. She’s the one who understands you. I’m always in the dark, always wondering. If I’ve done something wrong, tell me. But don’t keep me guessing while you run to her every time something goes wrong." *I was trembling now, my voice cracking under the weight of everything I’d held back for so long.*

He stepped back, surprised by the force of my words. He ran a hand through his hair, his expression softening slightly as he spoke."What do you mean you don’t know? You know me, right? Everything about me. You’re my girlfriend."

I laughed bitterly, shaking my head as tears finally spilled down my cheeks. "It’s not that simple. Yes, I’m your girlfriend, but I’m not the one you confide in anymore. You’re distant, and I’m left here wondering. She knows everything—how you feel, what you’re going through—while I’m just here, your girlfriend in name only." *My voice was thick with emotion, my heart breaking as I spoke.* "You don’t have time for me anymore. You always make time for her, though, don’t you?"

He hesitated, looking away as guilt flickered in his eyes. "She’s just my best friend. You know that. I’ve told you before. There’s nothing going on."

I wiped at my tears angrily, my frustration boiling over. "It’s not about whether there’s something going on. It’s about the fact that you trust her more than you trust me. You share your life with her, not me. I’m your girlfriend, and I feel like I’m competing for your attention with someone who’s already had a piece of your heart." *I paused, my voice trembling.* "Doesn’t that matter to you?"

His voice was quiet, almost pained. "I care about you. I do. But she’s been in my life for so long, it’s hard to just cut her off. You’re reading too much into this."

I stood up, my hands shaking as I wiped away my tears. My voice was louder now, filled with years of pent-up emotion. "I’m reading too much into it? How would you feel if I shared everything with another guy? If I trusted someone else more than you? I’ve been patient, trying to understand, but you’ve never fought for us. It’s always been her. I can’t compete with a ghost from your past." *I clenched my fists, the words spilling out before I could stop them.* "I’m tired of being second place in your life."

He sighed deeply, rubbing his temples, frustration evident in his face. "Let’s just end this. I don’t want to keep hurting you."

His words cut through me like a knife. I blinked, my chest tightening painfully. "That’s it? You’re just going to walk away?" *Tears filled my eyes again, and my voice broke as I spoke.* "Why can’t you fight for me? Why can’t you choose me for once? I’ve given everything to you, but you’ve never fought for us. Not even once."

His face fell, the weight of my words sinking in. He looked away, his voice barely above a whisper. "I don’t know what else to say. It’s not that I don’t care, I just... I can’t keep hurting you."

I let out a sob, my hands trembling as I spoke, my voice hoarse with emotion. "If you’re so sure, then just say it. End it. Tell me those three words, and I’ll stop hoping. I’ll let go. But don’t make me wait anymore. Just say it."

He looked at me, his own eyes filled with pain, but he couldn’t meet my gaze for long. His voice was low and broken. "I can’t."

My heart shattered into pieces at those words. I shook my head, tears streaming down my face. "Why not? Why can’t you just let me go? You clearly don’t want to fight for me." *My voice was barely a whisper now, filled with agony.* "Just say it."

He knelt down beside me, his voice trembling with emotion.*l "Because I love you. I do. But I don’t want to drag you through something that’s hurting you this much. You deserve better than this—better than me. I just want you to be happy. I don’t want to be the one holding you back."

I sobbed quietly, shaking my head in disbelief."If you love me, you would’ve fought for me. But you never did." *I wiped my tears away, but they kept coming, my voice barely audible.* "Just say those three words. Set me free."

His voice cracked, his eyes filled with regret. "You are free." "Don’t be a stranger... please."

My voice was weak, a hollow promise hanging in the air.* "I promise... but—"

Bu_

I cut him off, my voice filled with bitterness and sadness.* "Promises are the sweetest lies." *I stood up, walking toward the door, every step feeling heavier than the last. I didn’t look back.*

___________

dapat talaga may I hate you yan eh katamad eh singit 😝