The promise/pledge

bella pov

The party was in full swing, with laughter and chatter echoing throughout the house. I'd been reluctant at first to even consider attending, but boredom had won out. Plus, Grey's cooking had been too good to resist. Her roast chicken, creamy mashed potatoes, and decadent chocolate mousse had become the highlight of my week. So there I was, shoveling bite after bite into my mouth, savoring every bit of the food. I'd already ignored the occasional looks Grey shot me—part amusement, part exasperation.

"You're going to eat yourself sick, Bella," she muttered as she passed by with a tray of hors d'oeuvres. I just grinned at her, too engrossed in the heavenly food to care about anything else.

But even as I focused on the meal, I could feel eyes on me. A shiver ran down my spine, and I glanced up. Across the room, Leo stood, leaning casually against the far wall. His piercing gaze was locked on me, and there was something in his eyes—something dark and intense—that made my stomach flip. Heat crept up my cheeks, and I quickly looked away, focusing on my plate as if it held the answers to life itself.

Why did he always have that effect on me? It had been days since the bunny slipper incident, and I'd barely seen him around. Yet, even now, with the room full of people and distractions, he managed to make me feel like I was the only one there.

The entire evening, I couldn't help but notice a guilty tension hanging over Matteo and Enzo. They avoided my eyes, their smiles forced. It was as if they were keeping something from me, and the weight of their unease only added to my own. Griffin, of course, was conveniently absent, off handling some business or another.

Despite it all, I found myself enjoying the party more than I'd expected. The music was lively, the food—well, I'd already stuffed myself beyond reason—and the atmosphere had a festive energy that was contagious. For a couple of hours, I let myself forget everything. I laughed at Matteo's dry jokes and even joined Enzo in teasing Grey about her endless scolding. It felt... normal. Comfortable. Like I belonged, if only for a little while.

But as the night wore on, something began to nag at me. People kept approaching Leo, their smiles wide, their words brimming with congratulations. I noticed it in passing, thinking it odd but not enough to question it. After all, it was Leo—people probably congratulated him for just existing. Still, a small knot of curiosity began to form in my stomach.

Eventually, I excused myself to use the washroom. The hallway was quieter, the noise of the party muffled behind closed doors. I lingered for a moment after washing my hands, enjoying the brief solitude before heading back. But as I stepped out, the noise hit me again, louder this time. People were shouting, their voices filled with excitement. Curious, I followed the commotion, weaving through the crowd as they gathered in one corner of the room.

My heart sank the moment I saw it.

Leo was standing there, holding hands with a woman—his fiancée. The word hit me like a punch to the gut, knocking the air out of my lungs. She was stunning, her beauty undeniable, her confidence radiating as she smiled at him. The crowd cheered around them, their voices blurring together in a cacophony that felt distant and surreal.

I stood frozen, my feet rooted to the spot as I watched them cut a cake together. It was a celebration, their celebration. And then, as if the universe wanted to twist the knife even deeper, the crowd began chanting for them to kiss.

"Kiss! Kiss! Kiss!" they shouted, their voices growing louder with every second.

She smiled up at him, her eyes sparkling, and then she leaned in. She kissed him.

My heart shattered.

Leo didn't kiss her back, not really. But he didn't pull away either. He just stood there, letting it happen, and that small, passive gesture felt like the cruelest betrayal of all.

I couldn't breathe. My chest tightened, the air around me suddenly too thick to inhale. My stomach churned, nausea rising as the scene played out in slow motion. Every second felt like an eternity, each one cutting deeper into the fragile hope I hadn't even realized I was holding onto.

I wanted to look away, to run, to escape the pain clawing at my insides, but I couldn't. My eyes were glued to them, to him. To the man who had once meant everything to me.

A storm of emotions surged inside me, each one more overwhelming than the last. Anger, sharp and fiery, burned in my veins. How could he? How could he stand there, so calm, so composed, while I was falling apart? Sadness followed, heavy and suffocating, wrapping itself around me like a vice. And beneath it all was the heartbreak, raw and relentless, tearing me apart from the inside out.

Tears pricked at the corners of my eyes, but I refused to let them fall. Not here. Not now. I wouldn't give anyone the satisfaction of seeing me break. Instead, I clenched my fists, my nails digging into my palms as I fought to keep it together.

The noise of the crowd grew louder, their cheers and laughter like a cruel soundtrack to my misery. My mind raced with questions I didn't want to answer, memories I didn't want to relive. Every glance, every touch, every moment I'd shared with Leo now felt tainted, a painful reminder of how foolish I'd been to think I ever mattered to him.

I stole one last glance at him, searching for something—anything—in his expression that might make sense of this. But his face was unreadable, a mask of indifference that only deepened the ache in my chest. He didn't even look my way, didn't notice the girl standing in the corner, silently falling apart.

Finally, I turned away, my legs trembling as I forced myself to move. I pushed through the crowd, desperate to escape, to find somewhere—anywhere—I could be alone. The noise of the party faded behind me, but the image of them together, of her kissing him, was burned into my mind. No matter how far I ran, I knew I couldn't escape it.

As I reached the quiet hallway, the tears I'd been holding back finally spilled over. They streamed down my cheeks, hot and relentless, as sobs wracked my body. I pressed my back against the wall, sliding down until I was sitting on the floor, my head buried in my hands. The pain was overwhelming, a tidal wave that threatened to drown me.

I had been stupid to think I could ever move on, stupid to think that maybe, just maybe, he still cared. And now, as I sat there, broken and alone, I couldn't help but wonder if I'd ever be whole again.