The Day Our Promise Breaks (Charles and Evelyn)

Dahlia was caught off guard when Charles immediately jumped to the conclusion that Evelyn was the one who had hurt her. She hadn't expected him to make that connection so quickly. His instinctive reaction, though, was a relief for Dahlia, easing the tension that had been building up inside her.

She had thought it all through while crafting her strategy. The only possible way Evelyn could have known about her role in Charlie's death was through John. Luckily for her, John was out of the picture at just the right time. Now, there was no one left to reveal the truth. Without any solid proof laid before Charles, he'd naturally side with her, so what was there to worry about?

Feeling smug, Dahlia let a faint, almost imperceptible smile play on her lips as she looked at Charles, who was visibly bristling with anger on her behalf. "Mrs. Smith, could you take Sandy upstairs, please?" she managed to say, keeping her emotions in check. The nanny emerged from the kitchen with a cup of calming herbal tea.

No matter what was going on, Dahlia always remembered to project the image of a good mother in front of Charles. She always kept Sandy's well-being in mind. "Mommy..." Sandy looked at her, concern etched on her little face.

"Be a good girl, sweetheart. I'm fine, and Daddy's here. Don't worry about me. Just go upstairs and get some sleep," she reassured her daughter.

"Go on," Charles added, gently patting Sandy's head. With that, Sandy obediently followed the nanny upstairs.

As soon as Sandy was safely on the second floor, the door closed behind her, and Dahlia's eyes began to well up. She looked as if she could no longer suppress her emotions. "I just don't know what got into Evelyn tonight," she said, her voice trembling. "She just lost it, pulled my hair and smashed my head against the ground..."

As she spoke, Dahlia's body shook slightly, painting a picture of someone who had been genuinely frightened by Evelyn. In truth, she wasn't entirely acting. The crazed fury Evelyn displayed at the cemetery had been terrifying, and even though she was now safe, the memory still sent chills down her spine. Dahlia didn't elaborate on the details of the confrontation, but her current demeanor was enough to indicate how intense and vicious Evelyn had been. As Dahlia watched Charles' expression grow colder with every word she uttered, she seized the chance to snuggle into his embrace, pleading softly, "Charles, please don't be angry!"

"You asked why I didn't tell you earlier, and it wasn't because I wanted to hide anything from you. I was just scared you might confront Evelyn because of me. After all, she is Charlie's biological mother, and I wasn't seriously hurt."

"As long as Evelyn doesn't hurt

1.n

Sandy, I don't want to start anything with her. I really don't want to put you in a tough spot." As she spoke tears trickled down her cheeks, soaking into Charles' shirt as she pressed her face against hischest. While she "cried" in apparent distress, a smile lingered on her lips, and her eyes gleamed with a sense of victory.

'Evelyn, even if you know I caused Charlie's death, what can you do about it? With Charles' protection and favoritism, you're powerless against me,' Dahlia thought.

Watching from the sidelines, Dr.

eline

Nelson almost rolled his eyes at the theatrics. The act was a bit much. But this was Dahlia's game, and she played it well. If Charles had one flaw, it was his stubborn single-mindedness. He stuck to his beliefs unless undeniable evidence was presented to him. He had unwavering support for those he trusted.

In this Evelyn versus Dahlia drama, Dr. Nelson leaned towards Evelyn. Evelyn was genuine and sincere from any angle, unlike Dahlia, who, despite her polished exterior, didn't sit right with him. She was too much of the drama queen vibes.

When Evelyn first joined the Jenkins

family, she was always compliant and remembered she was living under someone else's roof. Only with Charles' backing did she find the confidence to change. Yet, she never took advantage of his support to be haughty or troublesome. She didn't seek out conflict but wouldn't back down if someone pushed her too far.

So, if tonight's incident was indeed Evelyn's doing, it must have been provoked by something severe enough to justify such a fierce reaction. Dr. Nelson glanced at Charles, puzzled by his inability to see the bigger picture.

He knew he shouldn't, but he couldn't resist asking, "Ms. Dahlia, why would Evelyn harm you?" Dahlia froze for a moment, then quickly recovered. Lifting her head from Charles' shoulder to face Dr. Nelson, her voice dripping with feigned innocence, she said, "I have no idea why Evelyn would want to

hurt me."noveldrama

"Dahlia, do you really not know why I hurt you?" A voice as cold as ice cut through the air like a knife from the doorway. It carried a chill that seemed to resonate from the very depths of hell.

It was Evelyn. In his haste to comfort Dahlia, Charles and Dr. Nelson had forgotten to close the door upon entering. The trio in the living room turned their heads toward the source of the voice.

Evelyn stood there, bloodstained, striding into the room with purpose. Her gaze bypassed Charles and locked onto Dahlia, a murderous glint in her eyes. Evelyn's stare sent a shiver down Dahlia's spine, causing her to clutch Charles' shirt instinctively. "Charles..."