The Day Our Promise Breaks

Chapter 496

Evelyn slipped into a fresh set of pajamas, feeling the comforting embrace of cleanliness.

"Goodnight."

"Goodnight."

Exhaustion weighed heavily on her.

Brooks lit a soothing lavender candle in the bedroom, its gentle aroma wafting through the air as Evelyn snuggled into the warm sheets.

Outside, the rain began to patter softly against the window, growing heavier by the minute.

She thought sleep would evade her after the day's turmoil, but the rhythmic dance of raindrops lulled her into an unexpected slumber.

Brooks stood on the balcony, his gaze fixed on a man who seemed like a ghost lingering in the rain.

He stood there, drenched, staring up at the glowing window.

Brooks kept Evelyn in the dark about it, silently watching Charles get soaked.

It wasn't until Charles succumbed to an infection, a fever raging through him, that

his body finally gave way, collapsing into the rain-soaked street.

Only then did Brooks call Aiden to come and collect Charles.

Charles battled through the feverish night, finally waking the next afternoon as it broke.

Finding himself in a hospital room, hope flickered in his eyes, a fragile ember.

His last memory was of standing outside Brooks' place, fading into unconsciousness in the rain, while Eve was safely upstairs.

Charles scanned the room for Evelyn, but only found Aiden, and the hope dimmed a bit.

Yet, he clung to a thread of optimism and asked Aiden, who approached upon seeing him awake,

who called you

it meant she still cared, that he still had

"It was Mr. Brooks."

Charles wanted to hear but couldn't

spoken, Charles's hope

wishing he could ask why he kept

straight to the hospital, but he chose to seek

harbored only resentment for him over Charlie's death,

to

he see it? Mr. Jenkins was a savvy businessman,

when it came

"Daddy."

her clothes with nervous little hands, timidly calling out to

brought her, urging her to apologize and seek his

of last night fresh. She had poured him the

Dahlia claimed she was the one who

led him to a point of no return with Eve, he wasn't in

thought that Sandy might have been unknowingly involved flickered through his

bear to attribute any cunning to

some rest. We'll catch up soon. Go home and get some rest

warning

the first time Charles had been so

wanting to approach,

If you care for him,

in her eyes as she stood at

closed his eyes,

choice but to leave, glancing back with every step, her heart heavy with

daddy truly

her mommy follow suit? What would she

a car parked at the hospital entrance, climbed in, and shut

look at Sandy's face and knew she hadn't managed to