The Day Our Promise Breaks

Evelyn's kick landed squarely on Dahlia's face, drawing a sharp yelp of pain from her. Clutching her mouth, tears welled up as she turned to Charles. "Charles, help me." She expected him to do what he always did-push Evelyn away and comfort her. But instead...

"Eve!" Charles snapped to attention, rushing over to wrap his arms around

Evelyn, pulling her back. "Calm down." Evelyn's eyes burned with anger as she glared at Dahlia sprawled on the floor.

"Calm down? Dahlia's the reason Charlie and Grandma are gone, and now she's put my mom in the operating room, clinging to life. Charles, how can you expect me to be calm?"

"Let me go!" Evelyn struggled fiercely, but Charles's grip held firm. Her upper body was yanked back, pinned by his strength. She stopped struggling, but her fury hadn't burned out. She raised her leg again, kicking Dahlia with unrelenting force. Dahlia couldn't dodge and took a few more hits before Charles managed to pull Evelyn away.

Charles pressed his arms against the wall, effectively pinning Evelyn between him and the cold, hard surface. Caught in his hold, she couldn't escape. Her chest heaved with rage, hatred simmering beneath the surface. Over Charles's shoulder, Dahlia's defiant eyes met hers, full of malice that Charles couldn't see.noveldrama

And there stood Charles, the very reason Dahlia kept getting away with it. Her long-buried resentment cracked open wide. The deaths of Charlie and Grandma, two years past. Her mother now fighting for her life in surgery. All of it fueled the storm within Evelyn. Her gaze bore into Charles, growing more intense and unforgiving.

“Eve, just listen—” Charles began, but she cut him off, her hand swinging up to slap him, venting her fury. He didn't flinch, his eyes steady and deep, allowing her to release her pent-up rage.

Dahlia's eyes widened in disbelief. Charles was just letting Evelyn hit him. He had changed, truly changed when it came to Evelyn. Even if he still believed she was Debbie, his care for Evelyn was growing maybe even outweighing his feelings for her. Despite everything, Charles's heart was drawn to the real Debbie. From the start, it was Evelyn he truly cared about. swnovel

Dahlia couldn't let Evelyn realize that Charles cared. "Charles... if Eve

needs to hit me to feel better, let her. Don't protect me. It breaks my heart. She cried, trying to get in her wheelchair to intervene, only to stumble again. Charles didn't argue back. swnovel

Evelyn didn't care why Charles didn't dodge her blows. She wished she could truly make him feel her pain. Until Aiden's voice echoed down the hallway.

"Mr. Jenkins, I've got the surveillance footage." Hearing this, Evelyn's assault on Charles halted abruptly. Her mother's critical condition had clouded her mind, making her forget about the cameras.

As Evelyn calmed down, Charles

loosened his grip, looking at her with

soft eyes. "I was just about to tell

you, I asked Aiden to get the surveillance footage." He had

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listened to Dahlia's excuses but couldn't shake his doubts. Knowing Evelyn would suspect Dahlia, he thought the footage would give her some peace of mind. So, he had Aiden retrieve it. swnovel