The Day Our Promise Breaks

Warm tears mingled with the shower's gentle flow, cascading down Evelyn's cheeks. It was an autumn shower, and she'd been lost in it for nearly an hour, until she heard a knock at the bathroom door.

"Eve?" Charles's voice broke through, sounding impatient, urging her to wrap it up. Evelyn sighed, turning off the water, and wiped her face with her hand. She snagged a nearby towel and quickly dried off. Pulling on her pajamas, she stepped out of the bathroom, her hair still a damp mess.

Without so much as a glance at Charles, she brushed past him and headed straight for the bedroom. She didn't catch the relieved sigh that slipped from Charles's lips. She'd been in there so long, and he'd started to worry.

In the bedroom, Charles found Evelyn sprawled on the bed, eyes closed, not moving a muscle. Her face was set in a look of resigned determination, like she was bracing for whatever was coming. It was still the kind of face that could stop you in your tracks, but now it was missing any trace of excitement or anticipation.

Charles approached, gently pulling her up from the bed instead of pressing her down. Evelyn kept her eyes shut tight. She seemed like a hollow shell, her spirit elsewhere. Yet, the tension in her body and the way her hands were clenched so tightly they drew blood revealed her inner turmoil and resistance. Every bit of her was pushing him away.

Charles felt like a thousand tiny pins were pricking his heart. With each step closer to Evelyn, he realized just how tough it was going to be to bring her back to how she used to be. But letting her slip away to someone else? No way.

He was determined to make things right, to win back Eve's heart. She would forgive him, fall for him all over again. It was just a matter of time.

"Come on, let

let me dry your hair,"

Charles said softly, but firmly, pulling Evelyn to her feet. Her slender frame collided with his chest, and he could feel the warmth of her lips through the fabric. It was like they were almost touching.

Charles's breath hitched, his body tensing up. It had been two years since he'd held another woman, and now here was the one he yearned for the most. His self-control was teetering on the edge, ready to break.

He held her gaze, lifting her chin with a gentle hand, ready to kiss her. Evelyn knew Charles's touch like the back of her hand. For those five years she had tried everything to hold onto him, to get him to spend time with Charlie. She knew him inside out.

So, she sensed it right away. As he leaned in, Evelyn didn't fight it, but all the color r drained from her cheeks fresh from the shower. Her eyes, unable to close in time, flashed with a loathing so sharp it cut straight into Charles's heart. She quickly shut her eyes, trying to escape herself. That one piercing look was enough to leave a mark on Charles.

In the end, his lips never met hers. Their breaths mingled in that intimate space,noveldrama

but Charles felt an invisible gap between them growing wider.

He pulled back. Evelyn's eyes snapped open, a flicker of confusion in them. In moments like this, Charles had never been one to care about her feelings. After Charlie's death, he had often acted without regard.

"Sit down," he said, avoiding her gaze and guiding her to a nearby armchair. He couldn't let Evelyn know what was really on his mind.