The Day Our Promise Breaks (Charles and Evelyn) novel Chapter 255

“What did you just say?” Sena asked, taking a step back, her voice tinged with fear as she hid behind Carmen, “Mom.”

“Charles, today is your grandmother's funeral—”

“Oh, now Auntie remembers it's Grandma’s funeral?” Charles cut Carmen off, his tone icy and sharp.

Evelyn pulled away from Charles’s embrace, steadying herself before walking inside without a backward glance. Charles watched her slender figure disappear, then turned his gaze to Sena.

“What did I tell you before?” he asked.

Sena knew exactly what he meant. Back in the hospital, she had called Charlie a “little brat,” and Charles had slapped her hard, sternly warning her. Being sent away overseas without the Jenkins family’s influence, and with her credit cards cut off, life had become unbearable. She dared not cross Charles again.

Sena raised her hand and gave herself a light slap. “Bro, I’m sorry. I shouldn’t have said that about Charlie.”

Charles continued to watch her with cold eyes. Sena, driven by fear, slapped herself again, much harder this time.

“If it weren’t for Grandma’s funeral today, it wouldn’t have stopped at just two slaps,” Charles said, his voice frosty. Then he turned and walked inside. Before entering, he paused and looked back at Sena and Carmen. “Charlie is my daughter, and Eve is Charlie’s mom. That will never change.”

The implication was clear: he would protect them both. No one was allowed to bully Evelyn or say anything bad about Charlie.

Two voices battled inside Evelyn's heart. One told her it was Dahlia’s fault Charlie died, that it wasn’t her fault. The other voice accused her relentlessly: it was her, it was her, it was her. She felt suffocated, struggling to breathe.

She didn’t even realize where she was until she suddenly slammed on the brakes, the car coming to a halt by the roadside. She got out, leaning against the car, trying to catch her breath. Fresh air hit her face, but she still felt like she was drowning. The voices in her head were silenced by a single, overpowering thought: if it wasn’t for her, Rosa and Charlie wouldn’t have died. It was her fault.

Without realizing it, she wandered to the riverbank. Staring into the dark water, she wondered if jumping in would set her free. She was so tired, and she missed Charlie terribly. The thought of ending it all surfaced, and Evelyn knew she was spiraling. She’d forgotten to take her medication in the last few days, but she couldn’t fight the impulse anymore.

“Charlie, Mommy’s sorry…” she whispered, feeling useless for not avenging Charlie, and for dragging Rosa into it. “Charlie, Mommy’s coming to join you.”

Evelyn touched the necklace around her neck, closed her eyes, and leaned forward. With a splash, she jumped into the water.