The Day Our Promise Breaks

Charles stood his ground and took the slap right on the cheek.

Mrs. Robinson showing up was a total surprise.

But honestly, Charles was happy about it.

Eve was carrying his child.

There was no way he'd let her get engaged—or worse, married-to Brooks and have his own kid call another man "Dad."

Still, when he saw Evelyn's eyes blazing red, her whole body trembling with anger, Charles dropped his voice, trying to soothe her. "Eve, if you're mad, take it out on me. Hit me, yell at me, whatever you need. Just don't get yourself worked up and risk the baby."

He grabbed Evelyn's hand, guiding it to his face, encouraging her to let it out. Evelyn didn't hesitate. She slapped him, hard, again and again.

She didn't hold back. If she could, she'd have smacked him out of existence.

All she wanted was to start fresh, to have a normal life. Everything was finally going well, and then he showed up and threw her whole world into chaos again. A group of cyclists appeared down the street, most of them women.

Charles was too striking to go unnoticed.

Evelyn could already hear them whispering, gossipy excitement buzzing in the air. She glanced over and saw their phones come up, snapping photos.

There was no way she was getting caught on camera with Charles-it was messy enough already.

She turned away, sidestepping the cameras, yanked her hand out of his, and walked off without looking back.

"Eve."

Without thinking, Charles reached out and caught her hand.

Evelyn struggled even harder to break free.

She pulled too hard, and suddenly, the world spun.

After Charlie died, her health had crashed. No matter how much she tried to recover, she never really got back to normal.

Brooks' back, and her body just

made eating a chore-nothing tasted good, no matter what Mrs.

why she hadn't gone

insisting

out, and she stumbled right

"Eve."

waist, holding her up, his eyes searching her pale face. Without

too awful. The

than to push

nerves and worry, carried her to

hand to calm her. "Eve, don't

pulled her hand away, silent and

her health was all that mattered. He started the car and headed straight for

arrived, Evelyn was

her inside, careful as

on the

a nutritionist to help her build her strength

arrange for the best

everything was set, Charles sat at her bedside, unable to

gently

time, when

been

doubts and

pregnancy. Missed Charlie's

was determined not to miss

and for their child, every

Evelyn woke

his tone soft as

asking

started before Evelyn

I'm not having