The Day Our Promise Breaks

Chapter 635

Night had fallen, draping the city in a velvet blanket of deep blue and black.

Evelyn's phone rang out of nowhere. It was Taylor, calling to remind her-the semi-finals were about to start. Once they began, she'd be cut off from the world for a whole week.

"Yes, Ms. Sanders. I got it," she replied, her voice scratchy and weary. She hung up, but the weight in her chest only grew heavier, as if she was being pressed down by a mountain.

On one side was her daughter-lost, found, but still heartbreakingly out of reach. On the other was the dream she'd built together with Charlie, the dream they'd both sacrificed so much for.

Charles watched the pain flicker across her pale face. It tore at him, sharp and merciless.

He stepped closer, voice steady and deep, a promise in every word. "Eve, I've already lined up the best people. There'll be someone outside the villa watching over Charlie, twenty-four seven. I promise you-on my life-she'll be safe."

"Just give me some time. I swear, I'll bring our daughter back to you, unharmed. I won't let anything happen to her. Please, trust me one more time. Just this once, okay?"

His eyes were dark, filled with guilt and a resolve that wouldn't be shaken.

Evelyn didn't respond. She just stared at the brightly lit villa, silent and unmoving, until the clock ticked to nine and Charlie's bedroom light blinked out.

The darkness swallowed the last bit of light, and with it, Evelyn's strength seemed to drain away.

"...Take me back to the hotel."

Her voice was barely a whisper, light as a feather.

...

hotel suite, Evelyn

guilt, and a longing that had nowhere to go churned inside her, a

sheets feeling like they were made of thorns- every minute a new kind

feed, his own heart twisting at the sight

staff to light a special candle in her room, one meant to

filled the air, cool and clean, slowly unraveling the tight knot inside

room, though, the lights

cold glow outlining the hard lines of

over the keys, searching for one name:

elite network, information

long-a complete dossier on Luna lit up

was perfect: a family,

social ties. Not a

sight.

Charles's suspicion

in

Luna's baseless animosity toward

bet

sharp

hatred come from?

he dove back into the files, scanning every

date, every gap.

in the silent,

something caught his eye-a tiny medical record: heart