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

eating a chore-nothing tasted good, no matter what Mrs. Robinson whipped up. Soups, smoothies,

also why she hadn't gone

couldn't handle it, insisting she get stronger

and she

"Eve."

waist, holding her up, his

she felt too awful. The more

better than to push

all nerves and worry, carried her to his

hand to calm her. "Eve, don't worry. I'm taking you to the

her hand away, silent

health was all that mattered. He started the

arrived, Evelyn was out

her inside, careful as

the baby and on Evelyn

in a nutritionist to help her build her strength

the best OB-GYN in

Charles sat at

hand gently on Evelyn's

time, when

he'd been

doubts and

pregnancy.

time, he was determined not to

there for Eve and for their child, every step of the

when Evelyn

his tone soft as

asking

barely started before Evelyn

I'm not having