Champagne Problems // English's Version

Chapter 16: The Lie

Agatha was lying again. After months in which she seemed to have found a fragile balance, the shadow of alcoholism had returned to insinuate itself into her life.

This time, her addiction was hidden behind the perfect excuse: evenings with her colleagues.
They were innocent meetings, designed to relax after a long day at work, and no one would suspect anything strange. Her colleagues did not know her past, they did not know how dangerous alcohol could be for her. For them, Agatha was just a young woman who joined their evenings to unwind, to have fun.

In reality, however, for Agatha those evenings had become a new refuge. She began to drink again, initially in moderation, perfectly hiding her fragility. No one noticed that the glass of wine she sipped with her colleagues had become her worst enemy. No one cared about the way Agatha refilled her glass more and more often. It seemed like everything was under control.
And maybe, somehow, Agatha wanted to believe that she did. That she could handle it.

But the truth was that she was falling back into the abyss. Every sip took her further away from the promise she had made to Kyle, from the promise she had made to herself to change. She felt the guilt building inside her, but at the same time, the alcohol gave her a momentary relief from the thoughts that tormented her. It was a lie she told first to herself, then to Kyle.

This routine went on for months. Every time she came home from a night out, she tried to appear normal, to hide every trace of what she had done. Forced smiles, empty words, but it was all an act. And Kyle, as thoughtful and attentive as he was, didn't immediately notice the change. Agatha knew how to mask her pain, how to pretend that everything was okay.

But one night, Kyle sensed something was wrong. Agatha came home later than usual, her eyes shining and her hands shaking. Kyle watched her carefully as she took off her coat and tried to avoid his gaze.

«Agatha, are you okay?» he asked, his voice full of concern.

She nodded quickly, too quickly. «Yes, everything is fine. It's just been a long night, that's all.»

But Kyle knew that wasn't the truth. He reached over and took her by the shoulders gently, looking her straight in the eyes. «Have you been drinking?»

Agatha stiffened, feeling her heart racing. Kyle's words were like a sudden blow to her chest. She didn't know how to respond, how to justify herself.

«Just one drink... with the co-workers...» she began, trying to play it down, but her tone didn't sound convincing even to herself.

Kyle took a few steps away, shaking his head. «Agatha, we talked about this. You promised me you wouldn't do it again. That you were doing better.» His voice was calm, but filled with disappointment and worry.

Agatha felt a pang in her chest. «I know, I know, Kyle. It was just one night, I swear. It's not like before, really.»

But Kyle couldn't believe her words. His face hardened, and for the first time in a long time, he felt anger rising inside him. «You can't lie to me like that, Agatha. Not again. I did everything I could to help you, to trust you. And now I find out you're making the same mistakes again?»

The argument quickly escalated. Kyle, his heart broken with worry, found himself screaming, something he rarely did. «You know how much I love you, how much I care about you! And you... you keep destroying yourself, destroying us!»

Agatha tried to defend herself, but the truth was too much to ignore. She knew she had made a mistake, she knew she had betrayed Kyle's trust. And so, as the screams blended into the silence of the house, she found herself unable to react. She felt the tension growing, until Kyle, in a trembling voice, said to her: «I can't go on like this, Agatha. If you keep hiding these things from me, I can't help you.»

Agatha, broken, burst into tears. She threw herself into Kyle's arms, trying to explain herself, to justify herself. «Please, Kyle, believe me. It won't happen again, I promise. I won't let alcohol ruin this. Please, give me another chance.»

Kyle looked at her for a long time, the evident pain in her eyes. He loved Agatha more than anything, but seeing her like this, trapped in her addiction, made him feel helpless. After a long silence, he decided to trust her again. «Okay, Agatha. I believe you. But this is the last time. You can't go on like this. You really have to fight.»

Agatha nodded, promising herself and Kyle that she would do everything she could to never fall again. But deep down, a part of her knew how fragile that promise was, how hard it was to resist her demons.