The Day Our Promise Breaks

Meanwhile, Dahlia's desperate cries echoed through the living room, "No! Don't touch me! Let go of me!"

Wesley was so caught up in the moment that he didn't hear the door open, completely unaware that Charles had entered.

Dahlia's sudden struggle, resistance, and cries didn't raise a red flag for him; he figured she was just really getting into the role.

So, he played along, taking on the part of the aggressor, pinning Dahlia down. With a fake roughness, he sneered, "Scream! Louder! The louder you scream, the more it fires me up! Now that you're in my grip, let's see who comes to your rescue!"

Wesley was so wrapped up in his act that he missed the brief, triumphant smile that flitted across Dahlia's lips.

It wasn't until Dahlia cried out, "Charles, save me!" that Wesley froze at the mention of Charles.

At first, he thought he must have misheard her.

But in the next instant, he felt a powerful grip around his neck, yanking him back with force.

Whoever it was had incredible strength, effortlessly lifting his nearly six-foot frame.

Before he could wrap his head around what was happening, a swift kick hit his chest, sending him reeling back several steps, stumbling, and crashing to the floor.

His back and head hit the ground hard, pain shooting through him, and Wesley felt the blood rush in his chest.

Just as he was about to get up, a bodyguard who'd followed in planted a foot squarely on his chest, pinning him down.

Only then did Wesley clearly see who had arrived-it was Charles.

He was baffled at how Charles had shown up right on cue.

Then he saw Dahlia, looking disheveled, suddenly fling herself into Charles's arms, sobbing, "Charles, thank goodness you got here in time. I was so close to being assaulted by him."

Charles's face was dark and terrifying.

Fury blazed in his eyes as he swiftly took off his suit jacket and wrapped it around Dahlia.

Turning to Wesley, his gaze was like he was looking at a dead man.

Just a short while ago, Dahlia had called him.

On the phone, she sounded

absolutely terrified, "Charles, I feet

like someone's stalking me. Can!?

come stay with me? I'm really scared."

Her voice was thick with genuine fear.

Seven years ago, Dahlia had been assaulted, making her especially sensitive to these situations.

Even after all these years, that incident was still deeply etched in her memory.

Her words showed she truly felt threatened.

Worried for her safety, Charles had

instructed the bodyguards

responsible for Dahlia's security to head over to her place immediately.

He himself had driven over as fast as he could.

Upon arrival, he walked in to find Dahlia pinned on the couch, being harassed.

And the one doing it was Wesley, the same guy who'd messed with Evelyn's brakes two years

causing her car to crashe

into the river.

Lying on the ground, Wesley was stunned by Dahlia's accusation of assault.

It hit him like a bolt of lightning.

Slowly, it dawned on him that everything had been orchestrated.

Charles's arrival wasn't just good timing.

Everything Dahlia had said to him was a lie.

She never intended to leave with Sandy.

On top of that, she planned to use Charles to take him down.

As this realization solidified in his mind, Wesley felt as if his heart had beennoveldrama

stabbed, leaving it raw and bleeding.

He was both heartbroken and devastated.

Charles's tactics were not new to him; he'd witnessed them two years ago in Evelyn's case.