FALLEN PROMISE

As the sun cast its golden hues upon the coastal town of Eldoria, Victoria stood on the shoreline, her face illuminated by a serene smile. Nestor, her beloved, prepared to embark on his daily fishing expedition, a routine that bound him to the vast expanse of the sea.Nestor, with a weathered yet content expression, adjusted the brim of his hat and secured the net over his shoulder. Victoria, her eyes reflecting both love and a touch of sadness, walked alongside him, tracing the sandy path to the waiting boat."Take care, my love. May the sea bless you with abundance today,” she told him smiling with so much affection on her lovely face.Nestor replied to her grinning. "You worry too much, Victoria. The sea has always been kind to me,” he told her planting a soft and warm kiss on her cherry lips.As they reached the edge of the water, Nestor's boat gently rocked with the rhythm of the tide. He kissed Victoria's forehead, a gesture that spoke volumes of the unspoken bond they shared."I

Victoria and Nestor sat down for dinner, the aroma of freshly cooked dishes wafting through the air. The atmosphere was cozy, with the dim light from a nearby lamp casting a warm glow on the table."So, Nestor," Victoria began, sipping from her glass of water, "I heard some interesting news about the newcomers from Manila. They seem to have quite the story."Nestor looked up from his plate, curiosity evident in his eyes. "Oh, really? What did you hear?""Well," Victoria started, taking a bite of her meal, "apparently, there's a family that recently moved here. A daughter returned from the United States after studying culinary arts. Quite the accomplished chef, I must say."Nestor raised an eyebrow, intrigued. "A chef, you say? That's impressive. What's her name?""Carmela," Victoria replied, savoring the flavors of her dish. "Carmela, the daughter of Martin, our neighbor. She inherited her mother's beauty, they say."Nestor nodded, his interest piqued. "And what brings her to Eldoria?

As agreed, Nestor picked her up in front of her house to accompany her in talking to other fishermen in the town of Eldoria. Initially, their plan was to bring a vehicle. But eventually, they opted to walk since their destination wasn't that far."I'd like to introduce you to my girlfriend and partner, Victoria," Nestor introduced to her the beautiful woman he called Victoria."Hello," Carmela greeted, extending her hand for a handshake, which Victoria warmly accepted.A radiant smile graced Victoria's lips, accompanied by her cordial acceptance of the handshake. "I'm pleased to meet you, Carmela. I'm also happy to have the opportunity to reopen the Eldoria Hotel, Restaurant, and Resort. It's a significant help in providing jobs for the people here aside from fishing," Victoria shared.Carmela felt the sincerity in Victoria's words and responded with a smile. "That's our plan too, Papa and I. To help the locals and provide them with job opportunities.""So, my love, I'll accompany Ms.

Those days passed quickly for Victoria. That day was special for her because it marked the anniversary of her relationship with Nestor.Just like before.Nestor left early for a fishing expedition, while Victoria immersed herself in household chores, including shopping for the special dinner she planned for later."Hey, Victoria, you look beautiful today!"As usual, Victoria quickly blushed at the compliment from her friend Sinang."Are you earlier than usual?" Dolor asked her, smiling sweetly, much like Sinang."Yeah. And also, we didn't see you here yesterday. Maybe Nestor didn't leave; that's why?" Sinang teased her, causing her face to turn even redder.Victoria shook her head in succession and hesitantly opened her mouth to answer her friends' consecutive questions."No, he left yesterday. The truth is, I didn't come here because I accompanied Carmela to their place. She wasn't feeling well," she said, her voice carrying a hint of sadness that she couldn't hide.Victoria couldn't

"Why don't I know about this, Carmela?" Martin's voice carried anger, yet it refrained from outright shouting. He caught Carmela in a compromising situation, vomiting in her bathroom, which wasn't the first time he had discovered her in such a state. Perhaps that's why he had already come to his own conclusions about her condition, even before she had a chance to reveal it to him."I-I'm sorry, Papa," she stammered, her voice teary.Carmela observed the complex emotions playing across her father's face, a tumultuous mix of concern and frustration. Even though she hadn't explicitly informed him about her pregnancy, it seemed as though he had already pieced it together. Her apology served as a form of acknowledgment, a non-verbal confirmation of the news he had likely deduced."Who is the father of this child?" Martin's question remained charged with anger.Before Carmela could respond, Nanny Ising entered her room. Worriedly, the older woman approached Carmela, who, at this moment,