The Day Our Promise Breaks

Chapter 630

The clear, puzzled voice of the little girl hit Charles like a bucket of ice water, pouring straight down and freezing him to the core. In a heartbeat, the shy, burning hope he'd clung to was snuffed out, leaving nothing but cold, empty ashes.

Charlie looked at Eve with the exact same expression she gave him—a blank, unwavering unfamiliarity that made his heart sink.

That total, soul-crushing sense of being strangers.

She'd wiped Eve from her memory as thoroughly as she had Charles.

Even with her birth mother standing right in front of her, not a single flicker of recognition crossed her face.

Luna's chest tightened, but she wasn't ready to give up yet. She pointed directly at Evelyn, her voice coaxing, "Aurora, look again. That lady in the beige dress... are you sure you don't know her?"

The word "lady" was a spark to dry kindling.

The memory of Charles trying to take her away from her mom crashed over Charlie, dark and overwhelming.

Luna's probing just made things worse-suddenly, to the sensitive little girl, this was another “bad person" trying to pull her away from Mommy.

Fear and resistance surged up before she could even think.

Charlie's sweet face twisted in an instant, replaced by sharp rejection and panic. Her small body went rigid.

She shot up from her chair so quickly that she knocked over the delicate plate holding her cake.

Crash!

sound sliced through

the floor, cream

into a silent pond, instantly drawing

automatically

jumped into his throat. He moved to block Evelyn's view of

Evelyn's eyes only swept across the room, but when that little face-the one etched into her

just a few long strides. He pulled her into his arms, holding her tightly. "Eve, just listen-let me

Eve,

didn't recognize

Eve's presence would scare Charlie, or

how could Evelyn

calm, with her daughter-the

there in front

me go!" Evelyn snapped, her eyes rimmed red as she glared at

blazing in her

voice, not wanting to frighten

"Eve..."

Evelyn fought

Charles

Ouldn't budge, using his

and strength to drag