The Day Our Promise Breaks

Charles gently scooped Evelyn into his arms and settled her in the back seat, his touch soft and full of care. "Take us back to the hotel," he told the driver.

The car slipped quietly through the night streets.

Charles glanced down at Evelyn, unconscious but still crying silent tears. Even in sleep, she kept whispering, "Charlie," over and over.

His chest ached. It felt like his heart was being torn apart.

He leaned down, his face etched with worry, and kissed away the tears from the corners of her eyes. Resting his forehead against hers, his voice came out rough and low. "Eve, I'm so sorry."

Seeing Evelyn hurting like this was almost more than he could bear. It was all his fault. She was suffering because of him.

He hated himself for it.

When they got back to the hotel, Charles immediately called for a doctor. Only after the doctor checked Evelyn and said she'd be fine did he finally leave.

Charles carried Evelyn to their room and gently laid her on the bed. He knelt by her side and carefully slipped off her shoes.

Her feet were a mess-red, swollen, the skin raw and broken at the heels and across the tops. Charles grabbed the ointment the doctor had left and tended to her wounds with slow, steady hands before tucking her under the covers.

Evelyn was beyond exhausted. Her body was heavy, her mind even heavier. Sleep came, but it was shallow and restless.

To help her rest, Charles had the doctor give her something mild for sleep.

He didn't leave her side. He didn't even lie down. He just sat at the edge of the bed, eyes full of worry and guilt, watching over her.

face and gently smoothed away the crease in her brow with his thumb as she slept, trying-hoping to bring her a little

by, minute after

Evelyn's words from

why

How could

her so many times before. His lack of faith had broken her heart, had played a part in Charlie's death,

up something like that. Even if she'd been mistaken, he should have turned the world upside down to

Instead, he'd shut her down, refused to believe her, and made her pain

he pulled out his phone and

wasn't his turf-he

Ine

a foreign country was never easy. But he

So he called Korbin.

took a while for Korbin to answer, his voice deep and gravelly

the hotel.

minutes later, Charles received an

opened it

It didn't

him long to

saw that

stamp. The moment

figure