The Day Our Promise Breaks (Charles and Evelyn) novel Chapter 231

His eyes dove straight to the bottom right corner of the screen, zeroing in on the surveillance video timestamp. The date glaring back at him was the very day he and Charlie were supposed to meet. Even though he had bailed, Charlie had still gone to the amusement park on her own.

The video whizzed by, and soon Charlie appeared, taking off her backpack and crouching down. She unzipped it to reveal a sketchbook Charles recognized instantly. She must’ve brought it to show him, hoping he’d fulfill her dreams—hold her hand, hug her, kiss her, and let her ride the merry-go-round.

Alongside the sketchbook, she had small snacks from kindergarten in her backpack that she’d saved just for him. She packed everything she could and was planning to gift them to her dad that day. After carefully checking everything, she packed it all back, zipped up the backpack, slung it over her shoulder, and resumed her wait.

The clock at the screen’s bottom kept ticking. Noon slipped by in a flash. During that time, Charlie checked her smartwatch repeatedly, and several times, she swiped through to find her dad’s contact. But she never made the call. You could almost catch her murmuring to herself, “Daddy promised me. He’ll definitely come.”

So she sat there, patiently waiting, sure he’d show up. Hours passed, and she touched her stomach again. It was the third time she did that—she was hungry. She was so hungry she couldn’t bear it anymore. Reluctantly, she pulled out a packet of cookies from her backpack, tore it open, ate half, and then tucked it back inside. She hugged the bag close and kept waiting.

Charles saw Evelyn like this and found himself speechless. His throat tightened as panic washed over him. His mind drifted back to three days after he broke his promise to Charlie when he returned to Oakwood Manor. He had planned to make it up to her by taking her to the amusement park. But then Evelyn had said, “Charlie? Charlie’s gone! Where do you think you’re picking her up from? The afterlife?”

She had said Charlie was gone. She had told him again and again that Charlie was dead. Could it really be true? Was Charlie already gone?