Parisian Promises: Mending Hearts in the City of Love

Seated at a lavish Manila hotel, Luna shared a meal with her Chinese business partner, Mr. Li, after an intense two-hour discussion about their groundbreaking shipping company project. Laughter and life stories flowed freely, accompanied by teasing about her married life from her colleagues, their eyes drawn to the sparkling ring on her finger. Mr. Li smiled warmly. "Luna, it seems that your life is about to set sail on a new voyage, much like our business endeavor. This calls for a toast, don't you think?" Luna grinned in agreement. "You're absolutely right, Mr. Li. To new beginnings!" Glasses clinked as they celebrated, unaware that their joyous occasion was about to take a heartbreaking turn. As Luna surveyed the opulent surroundings—the pristine white tablecloth, gleaming cutlery, and elegant china—the world outside faded away. Her attention was ensnared by a discarded newspaper, its headline revealing a cruel reality. "AUSTIN SOLACE AND ASHLEY CROMWELL, DATING FOR TWO YEARS AND HAPPY, ARE GETTING MARRIED AND EXPECTING A BABY." Disbelief clouded Luna's vision. She prayed it was a mistake, a cruel illusion. Trembling, she picked up the paper, her heart sinking with each passing word. The room seemed to spin as she fought back tears. Luna whispered to herself, "Please, let this be a lie, like the others..." But hope waned with each word. She longed to crumple the paper and erase the pain, yet couldn't bring herself to do it. Overwhelmed by emotions she couldn't contain, Luna excused herself with her voice trembling. "Excuse me, everyone. I have an urgent matter to attend to. Enjoy your meal," she stammered. She rose from her seat, stumbling away, not caring about the concerned voices and questioning gazes that followed as she left. Their words became a distant hum as she rushed to the elevator, desperate to escape the suffocating emotions that threatened to consume her. Reaching the basement where she parked her car, Luna yanked open her car door and grabbed her phone. She needed answers, a glimmer of hope to dispel the devastating truth she had just read. But article after article, interview after interview, they all told the same heart-wrenching story. Desperation filled her as she dialed his number repeatedly. "Please, just answer, just this once. AUSTIN, PLEASE! PLEASE!" Her calls met only silence, deepening her heartbreak. She sped to his apartment, longing for him for an explanation, but was met with a swarm of media circled like vultures. Shen then decided to return to their home. She yearned for his explanation, but he was nowhere to be found. Luna's steps led her to their bedroom, where she collapsed onto the bed, her body wracked with sobs. Unbearable pain enveloped her, and clarity eluded her grasp. Her phone, full of memories and once held her lifeline, now tormented her. She called and messaged relentlessly, begging for an explanation. Yet, the other line remained silent, never even reading her messages. After 50 agonizing minutes, Luna's resolve was shattered. She stood and headed downstairs, desperate to escape the constant pain. Just as she reached for the doorknob, it swung open, revealing him. Holding flowers and a box of chocolates, he seemed here to explain. Luna wanted to ask, but words failed her. "Explain," she uttered, her voice trembling. He approached her, placing the gifts on a nearby table. Attempting to hug her, he was met with a push away, her voice laced with pain. "I'm sorry," he murmured. At that moment, Luna realized the truth. She broke down, tears flowing freely. "I'M SORRY. IS THAT ALL, AUSTIN? IS THAT IT!?" she angrily demanded, met with his unyielding silence. "2 YEARS! 2 f*****g YEARS, AUSTIN! THAT LONG, AND YOU NEVER HAD THE GUTS TO TELL ME?" Luna's shock was palpable as she pounded his chest, tears streaming. "WHY? PLEASE TELL ME WHY. AUSTIN, PLEASE!" she implored, desperate for answers. Finally, he spoke, his voice laced with anguish. "I'm sorry, Luna. I'm sorry, but I love you too much to let you go. Please, I just can't." His words felt like a dagger to Luna's heart. She pushed him away as the pain she felt was intensifying. "Love? Austin, do you hear yourself? Love isn't like this. Austin, why? We're married, but how could you do that? Four years, four years of memories and promises—was it all for nothing? Did you just toss it away like garbage?" Luna's anger surged, her voice filled with disbelief. "I didn't, Hon. I held onto it in my heart. I..." "Then why? Why did you do it? Why? Please just tell me why," Luna begged, her world unraveling. Austin continued to explain through sobs. "Hon... that's not true. Yes, we had a relationship two years ago, but I ended it a long time ago. Please, believe me. She was just there when I missed you when you were busy... Please, she means nothing to me." Luna's anger flared as she shouted, "HOW COULD YOU SAY THAT IT WAS NOTHING, AUSTIN? SHE IS PREGNANT WITH YOUR CHILD! SHE IS f*****g PREGNANT, DAMN IT!" He sobbed uncontrollably, trying to explain further. "No... please... It's all a publicity stunt... please... to make the movie more popular... Please, believe me, Hon..." Tears flowed from both of them. But Luna had reached her limit. She asked him bluntly, "Austin, so that was it? What was your reason? Austin, I've been with you since the beginning of your career, never wavering in my support, hoping that one day you'd love me the way you loved Ashley. But it will never be me. I even put my dreams on hold to help you achieve yours first. Now that I've finally started to chase mine, you say that's the reason you cheated. HOW COULD YOU BE SO SELFISH?" Luna pushed him away, her heart full of regret for seeking an explanation as it caused her to grieve more for a person she lost a long time ago. "We're married, Austin! f*****g married! We made vows, we had dreams and plans together... But how could you just abandon me and go your own way? Was I never enough, Austin? Will I always be the one clinging to the hope of finding a place in your heart?" The room echoed with Luna's pain. She sat on the cold floor, tears streaming down her face, confronting the devastation of her shattered reality. Austin's pleas lingered, but Luna knew she couldn't turn back. She couldn't remain in a love that had crumbled to dust. "Darling, no... You're always in my heart... Please, Ashley was a part of my past. Please, let me make it up to you... Please, just listen to me... I can't bear to lose you. Please, stay," Austin implored, his voice filled with desperation. His voice, once her solace, now felt like a cruel reminder of betrayal. Austin reached out, his trembling hand attempting to lift her to her feet. "I'm sorry, Austin, but I can't. This relationship is beyond repair," she said, her voice trembling. Austin's face contorted with anguish as he clung to a sliver of hope, his tears softening Luna's resolve to let him go. "No, please... Please. Please give me another chance. I'll make things right. I promise. Please, don't go. I'll do anything you ask. Just give me a chance, please," he begged. Torn between the love she once felt and the self-preservation that now demanded she walk away, Luna watched his desperate plea. But she knew she couldn't risk her heart again in a relationship that had been broken from the very start. With a heavy heart, she made her way upstairs to his office, a place that once held dreams of their future together. She opened the drawer, retrieved a piece of paper, and signed it with a trembling hand. He followed her upstairs, his distress palpable as he witnessed the finality of her decision. When she handed him the paper, his eyes pleaded with her to reconsider. "No, please, Hon... No, you can't... Please, you promised to stay, please..." Austin implored. Luna sighed deeply, the weight of her decision bearing down on her. "I know, but promises can be broken, Austin, especially when staying hurts too much. You're free now. I'm sorry if I held you back from happiness, I'm sorry if my love and sacrifices were not enough to make you stay loyal to me." she said, her voice heavy and filled with regret. With a heavy heart, Luna continued, the words caught in her throat. "I tried to mend this relationship, but I can't do it alone. I loved you from the beginning to the end, even though our marriage was a thing you never wished for. I never gave up, hoping your love for me would grow. But it was all in vain. I watched it wither away. I thought that when you started to care, we could start anew, but it was just a dream, Austin. I can't keep holding on when you always let me go."