FALLEN PROMISE

CHAPTER 17 “NOSTALGIA 1”

Victoria chose to remain silent. She knew Nestor had more to say. She was sure of it.

"I'm not sure if I'm still the right person for you, Victoria," he said, his voice tinged with sorrow.

Victoria felt the deep anguish in Nestor's voice. He wasn't looking at her, but she knew he was going through something heavy because the weight of his emotions was evident in every word he uttered. His eyes, normally so full of life, were now clouded with pain and uncertainty.

"I'm happy that Lucas came into your life, Victoria," the man said, turning to look at her with eyes that seemed to search her soul.

He stared straight into her eyes and then spoke again. Honestly, in everything she saw now, even if the man said nothing, she would still understand what he wanted to convey to her. His gaze was intense, filled with a mixture of sadness and resignation.

"It's good because you'll have someone with you. Someone to take care of you when you grow old," he continued, surprising her with the unexpected sentiment.

What she heard was enough to make her heart race faster. Nestor's words, although unclear, seemed contrary to what she expected to hear from him. Her mind raced, trying to piece together the implications of his statement.

"W-What do you mean, Nestor?" Victoria couldn't help but ask, her fear quickly awakening in her heart. Her voice trembled as she spoke, each word a struggle against the rising tide of panic.

Victoria saw Nestor's chest rise and fall. Following that, he let out a heavy sigh. But everything she saw didn't matter anymore. Even if she considered all the signs the man was showing through his actions, she already knew where this was heading. Until she finally heard what Nestor thought she needed to hear.

"I'm breaking up with you, Victoria," Nestor said calmly but almost whispering, his words like a death knell.

Those words from him shook Victoria's world. Like massive waves in the sea during a storm, it swallowed the peace in her heart. The tranquility she had known was now a distant memory, replaced by a tumultuous sea of emotions.

"W-What did you say?" she asked, standing up abruptly, her body trembling.

Nestor stood up as well and then walked into the cabin. She didn't know if he did that because he didn't want anyone else to hear their conversation. But that didn't matter anymore. The walls of the cabin seemed to close in on her, suffocating her with the weight of his words.

Victoria felt like a sharp dagger was now embedded in her chest. And that dagger was Nestor's wish to end things. It brought inhuman pain and immense bleeding to her heart. The emotional wound was deep, and the pain was almost physical.

"I already told you, didn't I? I think something has changed in me, Victoria. And it's not right to keep you tied to me if this is what's happening to me and how I feel about you," he calmly but painfully confessed, his eyes filled with a mixture of regret and determination.

Victoria quickly started crying. She tried to control her sobs and succeeded, but she couldn't stop the painful hiccups that escaped her lips. Each tear that fell seemed to carry a piece of her shattered heart.

"This isn't true, Nestor..." she whispered, her voice barely audible over the sound of her breaking heart.

Despite everything, she still wanted to believe this was just a test. But when she looked into his eyes, she read something different. His eyes were resolute, devoid of the warmth and love she had once known.

She saw in Nestor's eyes that he was determined. In short, he was firm in his decision to break up with her. And that was something Victoria couldn't understand. The finality in his gaze was like a cold slap, waking her from the dream she had been living.

"Why, Nestor? Where did I go wrong? What am I lacking?" she asked one after another, her tears continuing to flow. Her voice was a desperate plea for answers, each question a cry from her wounded soul.

She wanted to believe the saying that everything good that happens in a person's life comes with a price. In the past weeks, she had been overwhelmingly happy. Because of Lucas. Even if she didn't want to admit it, it felt like this was the price for all that joy. The cruel twist of fate was almost too much to bear.

"There's nothing wrong with you, Victoria. It's me and what I feel," he admitted, his voice heavy with guilt and sorrow.

Victoria quickly wiped her tears. After that, she tried to make her tone sound normal. She straightened her posture, determined to face this with dignity.

"Is there someone else, Nestor?" she boldly asked, her voice steady despite the turmoil inside her.

Nestor looked straight at her before speaking. While waiting for his response, she couldn't calm her heart. It pounded wildly in her chest, each beat a painful reminder of the love she was about to lose.

"I love you, Victoria. I love you very much. And I know I can't reciprocate that love. So I'm setting you free," he said, his voice breaking at the end. The weight of his confession hung in the air between them.

"That's okay, Nestor," Victoria said, approaching him and holding his hand. "It's okay with me even if I love more. It doesn't matter to me if I'm the one chasing. What matters to me is that you're here. That you're with me and Lucas, our son," she said in a tone that managed to be cheerful. Her smile was forced, a mask to hide the pain.

Victoria's happiness was simple. Simple things made her happy. And that was hearing from Nestor that he loved her. But now, even that simple joy seemed out of reach.

"I can't do this anymore, Victoria," Nestor replied, carefully withdrawing his hand from hers. His touch lingered for a moment, a bittersweet farewell.

Victoria cried again. "B-But my world revolves around you, Nestor—" she said, full of pain. "I-I don't know life and I can't see it without you—" she sobbed once more, her voice raw with emotion.

Victoria moved and held Nestor's hand again. Then she knelt in front of him, her body shaking with grief.

"I'll do anything, just tell me what you want. Just don't leave me, please. Our child and I need you," she begged, but again, his response only hurt her more.

"Lucas is not my child, Victoria. I want my own child. One that comes from me!" Nestor's voice was firm and a bit raised, his frustration evident.

Victoria didn't pay much attention to his tone. What sank in more was his declaration that Lucas wasn't his real child and that he wanted his own. The rejection cut deep, leaving her feeling worthless.

It felt like a slap. Not just because Nestor made it clear that he had no affection for Lucas, but also because it seemed like he insulted her inability to give him a child. The sting of his words left a burning ache in her chest.

"W-What did you say?" she asked angrily, her voice trembling with hurt and disbelief.

She didn't know if Nestor was giving her a reason to be mad at him, but she had to admit he succeeded if that was his true intention. The anger bubbled up inside her, mingling with her sorrow.

"You heard what I said, didn't you? I want my own child. Maybe that's one of the many reasons why I can't marry you, Victoria," he said irritably, walking up the stairs. His back was turned to her, a wall she could no longer penetrate.

"W-What are you doing?" Victoria asked, following him. Her legs felt weak, but she pushed on, driven by desperation.

Victoria couldn't stop her tears. Even if Nestor didn't answer, it was obvious he was really leaving her. Despite her blurred vision from the seemingly endless tears, she clearly saw Nestor packing his things. The finality of his actions hit her like a punch to the gut.

"Don't leave me, Nestor, I love you so much!" she pleaded, her voice cracking.

Lucas, who had woken up, started crying too. And as Lucas' mother, Victoria hurried to attend to him and picked him up. She hugged the baby tightly, who still hadn't stopped crying. It was as if he was sharing her grief and knew what she was going through at that moment. The sound of his cries echoed her own heartbreak, a poignant reminder of the life they had built together.