The Day Our Promise Breaks

Chapter 629

Charles's breath stopped short.

He leaned in, every muscle tense, eyes glued to Charlie's little face, afraid to miss even the tiniest shift in her expression. His knuckles turned white as he gripped the edge of his chair.

Charlie met Evelyn's gentle gaze for only a moment.

Her eyes were clear, calm-just the mild curiosity a child might show a stranger in passing. Not a flicker of recognition, not a hint of warmth.

Then, without a second thought, she looked away, tipping her small face up to Luna with a puzzled frown. "Mommy, is there something over there? Aurora didn't see anything."

Her innocent, questioning voice hit Charles like a bucket of ice water. All his fragile hope, fierce and desperate, was instantly drowned and left cold and dead.

Charlie looked at Evelyn the exact same way she looked at Charles.

Utterly, heartbreakingly unfamiliar.

She'd erased every bit of Evelyn from her heart.

Even with her birth mother standing right in front of her, not a single ripple stirred in Charlie's eyes.

She pointed more deliberately toward Evelyn, coaxing, "Aurora, look again. That lady in the beige dress... are you sure you

was like lighting

to take her

girl realize right away-this was just

and resistance rose up,

changed in a heartbeat. The sweet, obedient look vanished, replaced by

jumped up, knocking over her cake plate with a

Smash!

shards scattered, buttercream and crumbs splattering

drawing Evelyn's attention dike a stone thrown

He tried to block Evelyn's view, but it was

eyes swept over, casual

saw that little f

in her soul, the

Time seemed to stop.

in her body rushed to her head, then drained

stopped breathing. The world faded to

There she was-her Charlie.

she'd thought