The Day Our Promise Breaks

Charles glanced at Evelyn, worry etched deep into his face. He could keep going, but she was at her limit.

Her feet were swollen and blistered from hours of searching. Every step looked painful, and if she didn't stop soon, she might never recover.

He knew he had to step in. "Eve, please. That's enough. Come back to the hotel and get some rest."

But Evelyn wasn't having it. She ignored him, so he didn't give her a choice-he scooped her up and carried her toward the car that had been following them all day.

She'd spent hours searching, running on empty. She didn't have the strength to fight him off, but her glare was full of fury. "Charles, put me down!"

"Eve, please stop doing this to yourself. Take a breath. You know the truth— Charlie's gone. You were there for her cremation, you laid her to rest. There's no way she's here, not in this country."

His words trembled with pain as he spoke.

Charles held her tight, refusing to let her out of the car, refusing to let her keep hurting herself.

"Stop the car! Let me out!" Evelyn shouted, struggling to break free.

She didn't want to hear another word. All she could think about was finding Charlie.

knew Charlie was gone. She'd seen her die on the operating

Charlie was her daughter, her own flesh and blood. She'd carried her for nine months, watched her take her first breath, seen her grow from a baby to

mistake her

didn't know how Charlie could be alive, here

Charlie needed her.

thought made Evelyn fight even

held on, not

didn't want to go

hotel. she

tif Charlie cam

oer? What if

daughter all over again?

struggled, she

her

her. She broke down, tears streaming down her cheeks. "Charles, what do you want from me? Why don't you

didn't