The Day Our Promise Breaks (Charles and Evelyn) novel Chapter 666

Inside the Room

After Charles walked out, Evelyn gently untangled Charlie from her arms, lifting her daughter’s tear-soaked face to look at her.

She took in those swollen, red eyes, shining with fresh tears, and the ache in her chest was almost too much to bear. Evelyn raised a trembling hand and softly wiped at Charlie’s cheeks. “Baby, shh, it’s okay. Don’t cry.”

But the more she wiped, the more Charlie sobbed, the tears spilling faster.

The warmth of her fingers seemed to sear straight into Evelyn’s heart.

Bending down, her own eyes shining with unshed tears, Evelyn pressed a kiss to Charlie’s forehead. One hand gently brushed away the tears, the other stroked the back of her daughter’s head, smoothing her hair with the tenderest touch.

Every movement radiated love—gentle, aching, overflowing.

Looking at her daughter, so small and broken by sorrow, Evelyn fought to keep her own pain in check.

She knew—even if she could never forgive Charles for all that he and Dahlia had done, she couldn’t make that decision for Charlie.

Deep down, Charlie loved her father. She craved his affection, yearned for the warmth of a dad in her life.

So even if Evelyn couldn’t forgive Charles herself, she didn’t want to sway Charlie’s feelings. If Charlie wanted to forgive him, she’d never stand in her way. All she wanted was for Charlie to be happy.

Steadying her voice, Evelyn said softly, “Charlie, listen to me, sweetheart…”

She wanted to tell Charlie that whatever she decided, even if she wanted to forgive her father, Evelyn would always be on her side.

But—

“Mommy…” Charlie cut her off.

Charlie thought her mother was about to start making excuses for Charles, just like she always had.

With a shaky breath, she said, “Mom, you don’t have to make up stories for him anymore. I’m eight now, I’m not a little kid. I get it.”

“I know you used to say Daddy loves me, but that wasn’t true. He doesn’t love me.”

“He doesn’t stay away because he’s busy. He stays away because he doesn’t want to be here. He doesn’t love me, he doesn’t want to see me.”

“He doesn’t make money for me. He does it for Sandy.”

Charlie clearly didn’t want to talk about it anymore. She wiped her face with the back of her hand, curled into Evelyn’s arms, and clung tightly around her waist, closing her eyes.

After such a storm of feelings, Charlie was exhausted. In just a few moments, she drifted off to sleep.

With her own eyes still red from crying, Evelyn got up and fetched a basin of warm water, gently wiping the tear stains from Charlie’s tiny face.

…

Out in the hallway, Charles sat slumped in his wheelchair, leaning against the wall. Every word of Charlie’s accusation cut into him like a knife.

As the night grew deeper, Charles sat at the edge of the bed, his eyes red and swollen, watching the mother and daughter huddled together.

Both of them had cried themselves red-eyed.

Even in her sleep, Charlie mumbled, “I don’t want Daddy anymore…”

Each word stabbed at Charles’ heart. Tears welled up again, spilling down his cheeks as he apologized silently, over and over.

“Charlie, I’m sorry. Daddy’s so, so sorry…”