The Day Our Promise Breaks

Sandy spotted Dahlia down by the beach. She dashed over, her face lit up with excitement. "Mom, he went under."

Having nailed the task Dahlia set for her, Sandy gazed up at her expectantly, waiting for some well-deserved praise. Dahlia, clearly satisfied, pulled Sandy into a warm hug. With a calm demeanor, she kissed Sandy's cheek and whispered in her ear, "Remember, no one else can know about this. If anyone asks, just say you don't know. If they keep pushing, start crying."

"If you can't do this, you'll lose more than just your dad-you'll lose me too."

Sandy shivered involuntarily. She clung tightly to Dahlia, her little face tucked into her mom's embrace. "Mom, I don't know anything."

"That's my girl." Dahlia gently ran her fingers through Sandy's hair and then glanced up at the expansive blue ocean, her eyes turning icy. This was all Wesley's doing. At first, she only meant to have him sent to prison-considering he truly cared for her just to keep him from meddling in her business. But he didn't play along, refused to take the blame for a crime he didn't commit, and even had the nerve to threaten her. Clearly, he didn't love her as much as he claimed. So he had no one to blame but himself. Only the dead can keep secrets.

...

Charles brushed off Andrew's suggestion that he'd lost interest. Lately, he hadn't been to the hospital or reached out to Evelyn, instead throwing himself into work from morning till night. He'd even spent the weekend at the office. The hustle kept his mind clear and only reinforced his feelings. Debbie was the only one in his heart, and he couldn't imagine ever having a change of heart. But when Evelyn called, that conviction took a slight hit.

His hand moved faster than his brain, and when he saw Evelyn's name, he picked up without a

second thought. "What's up?" Him et

voice was cool and composed, yet there was a tiny hint of anticipation he couldn't quite hide.

"I want to see you tonight." Evelyn's voice was calm, giving away little emotion. "Where are you? I'll come pick you up." Charles was already on his feet as he spoke.noveldrama

"Just come to my place," Evelyn replied before hanging up, not bothering to mention her address; she knew he already knew it.

Charles didn't waste any time. He swung open his office door and headed out. Aiden saw him and immediately stood up. "Mr. Jenkins, we still have half an hour before we need to leave."

Thinking Charles was heading to a business meeting, Aiden was caught off guard. "Something urgent came up. You're going instead," Charles said, not waiting for Aiden's response as he made his way to find Evelyn.

Dahlia decided to handle Wesley without any bodyguards tagging along. She called for a car to take her back but dozed off halfway there. When she came to, she found herself not in the car but inside an unfamiliar room. Dahlia scanned the strange surroundings, a sense of unease creeping in. She tried to wheel herself out of there, but she hadn't moved far when someone grabbed her wheelchair from behind, and a chill ran down her spine as a cold voice whispered, "Where do you think you're going?"

Hearing Wesley's voice sent a shiver through her. She quickly turned her head, locking eyes with a gaze filled with pure rage and hatred. It really was Wesley. He wasn't dead.

Dahlia's breath caught, her fingers digging into the arms of her wheelchair. Her eyes lowered, hiding her frustration with Sandy. What was the point of her if she couldn't even pull off one simple task? She always managed to mess things up at critical moments. Wesley grabbed her chin, forcing her to face him. "Surprised I'm not dead?"