FALLEN PROMISE

CHAPTER 8 “KIND-HEARTED VICTORIA”

"Isn't he such a handsome baby, Nestor?" Victoria asked Nestor with excitement that night.

Lucia was buried that afternoon. And as Aling Simang hoped for, Victoria took care of Lucas and willingly embraced him as her own.

Truth be told, it wasn't just because Aling Simang talked to her that she decided to take the baby. As she mentioned, she wanted to give a chance for a family with Lucas and her beloved Nestor.

"Are you sure about what you want to happen, Victoria? Taking care of a child is a significant responsibility. Plus, we're not wealthy," Nestor remarked as he sat at the table, sipping on hot coffee.

Victoria smiled as she glanced at Nestor, then gently lowered her head to smell the head of the peacefully sleeping baby in her arms.

"Of course. And besides, I want to experience being a mother. You know the real reason why, despite being together for so long, I haven't gotten pregnant, right?" Victoria asked.

"Because your witchcraft-practicing mother cursed you," Nestor sighed before taking another sip of his coffee.

At that moment, pain immediately gripped Victoria's chest. She couldn't forget that day. It was painful—arguably the most painful event in her life.

"I don't want to dwell on that. There's nothing I can do about it," Victoria replied sadly.

Nestor stood up at that point, approached her, and embraced her.

"I'm sorry," Nestor said, planting a simple kiss on her forehead.

Victoria just smiled at him and then spoke, "Hold your son for a moment. I need to set the table for us to eat."

Nestor chuckled softly and took the baby from Victoria. After that, she started to serve dinner.

"I want to have Lucas baptized, Nestor. And I want Carmela to be his godmother. Is that okay with you?" Victoria asked as she scooped rice from the kitchen, not far from where Nestor was.

"There's no problem with that, Victoria," Nestor replied.

Victoria beamed with satisfaction at Nestor's response. She returned with a tray of dishes.

"Isn't Lucas a wonderful gift from the sea? He was born on our anniversary!" Victoria exclaimed, unable to hide her joy in her voice.

*****

Nestor couldn't fathom his emotions at that moment. A mix of emotions overwhelmed him, and he struggled to discern which one to address first.

He felt pain, knowing deep down that what he was doing was wrong. Carmela was being dragged into the situation, complicating matters even further. Fear gripped him—the fear of Victoria discovering the truth and the inevitable repercussions for Carmela.

Compassion tugged at his heart as he observed Victoria, realizing how much he truly loved her. However, his heart couldn't deny the connection he felt with Carmela. For now, he remained by Victoria's side out of concern, fearing that if Victoria learned about his relationship with Carmela, she might seek revenge—not against him, but against Carmela.

Lastly, a heavy sense of guilt weighed on him. Nestor and Victoria had been together for a long time, and everyone knew it. Yet, why hadn't they had children? The reason was Loring, the witchmother of Victoria. Loring had cursed them, angry that Victoria chose Nestor over her. As a result, she cursed Victoria, ensuring they would never have a happy and complete family.

And now, the sea has given them a baby, Lucas. Shouldn't he be happy? Finally, their long-cherished dream was coming true. A dream they had longed for even before Carmela entered their lives.

Carmela. Carmela. Carmela.

Everything seemed to revolve around Carmela.

She was the cause of his hesitation.

Because he loved her so much.

As these thoughts weighed on him, he sadly glanced at Victoria. Afterward, he let out a deep sigh.

Why didn't he stop himself? Why did he let things escalate to this point? Victoria lacked nothing, in all honesty. She endured and sacrificed so much for him. And now, in this situation, he realized it could potentially bring harm to everyone, especially once Victoria learned the truth. What was the right thing to do?

"You don't know how much joy you've brought me by agreeing to care for and raise this child together, Nestor," they were lying down, with the baby between them.

He gazed at Victoria, searching his heart for the love he once had for her. Regrettably, all of Carmela occupies his heart now, leaving no space, no matter how small, for Victoria.

"I am happy to see you happy, Victoria," he thought, choosing what he believed to be the safest response.

Nestor grappled with the uncertainty of how long he could sustain this delicate balance, particularly now that Carmela was carrying his child. However, Victoria remained blissfully ignorant of this truth. Indeed, Nestor went out of his way to convey to Carmela that they should maintain an appearance of distance from each other. He calculated that this strategy would prevent Victoria from harboring any suspicions.

As Nestor heaved another sigh, he couldn't escape the pang of guilt he felt. He knew deep down that what he was doing was inherently wrong, and Carmela became an unwitting accomplice in his act of deceit. He also felt a twinge of fear, fearful of the moment when Victoria might discover the truth. In that eventuality, Carmela would undoubtedly bear the brunt of the fallout.

His heart ached for Victoria, witnessing her unwavering love, but it was tangled in the complex emotions tied to Carmela. Compassion for Victoria, fear of exposure, and the heavy burden of guilt gnawed at him. In these moments, Nestor decided to release a heavy sigh, a breath laden with the weight of his internal struggles.

Nestor couldn't shake off his sympathy for Victoria. He could see how deeply she loved him, and it was heartbreaking to realize the extent of her dedication. However, his heart unequivocally belonged to Carmela, and he remained by her side not only out of obligation but because his feelings for her dominated his every sentiment. He mused over the conundrum of his own emotions, trapped between the loyalty he owed Victoria for their five-year journey together and the newfound passion ignited by Carmela's entrance into his life.

Victoria remained blissfully unaware, and for Nestor, this was both a relief and a source of inner turmoil. He acknowledged that their five years together were not trivial, yet he couldn't deny the powerful connection he felt with Carmela, the woman he envisioned growing old with.

"Sleep now, Victoria. Lucas may stir and seek comfort. You should drift into slumber with him," he gently suggested, reaching out to touch Victoria's face tenderly.

Nestor realized that, for now, he needed to accept that his feelings for Victoria were rooted in their shared past, while his present and future were intricately entwined with Carmela. As Victoria wished him goodnight, Nestor smiled, closing his eyes tightly, his silent prayer echoing through the depths of his conflicted soul—that when the inevitable revelation occurred, Victoria's benevolent heart would guide the course of their tangled destinies, sparing Carmela and their unborn child from harm.