The Day Our Promise Breaks

"Ms. Evelyn, Mr. Jenkins's clothes are completely soaked through with sweat. Could you please help him change into something clean?"

Charles was running a high fever. Wearing damp clothes would only make things worse.

But even unconscious, Charles refused to let anyone else near him.

Aiden hesitated, then spoke up.

Evelyn had known Charles since she was eight years old.

She knew all about his quirks.

In the Jenkins family, aside from Rosa, only she was allowed this close.

Once, this special treatment had made her believe she was special to him.

So, without even realizing it, she'd fallen for him.

Fallen, and fallen hard.

Until Dahlia appeared...

"Yes," Evelyn answered softly.

Aiden let out a sigh of relief and hurried to fetch a clean hospital gown.

"Thank you, Ms. Evelyn. I'll be right outside-just call if you need anything."

"Alright."

Evelyn nodded.

Aiden stepped out and closed the door to the hospital room behind him.

...

She'd been with Charles for five years, intimately close more times than she could count.

Most of the time, she'd been the one to take the initiative, always with a purpose in mind.

She'd undressed him countless times before.

Back then, her cheeks would burn, her heart would race.

Now, Evelyn's expression was calm.

She had only one goal tonight: for Charles to make it through, to save his leg.

So she could finally stop owing him.

Evelyn stood by the hospital bed and reached for Charles.

The moment her fingers brushed his collar, Charles's hand shot up and gripped her wrist.

He was burning up and barely conscious, but still instinctively resisted. "Don't touch me."

"Charles, it's me."

Just those words.

The pressure on her wrist eased. Charles mumbled, "Eve?"

He struggled to open his eyes, but couldn't.

"It's me," she repeated.

Her name seemed to break through the haze. Charles let go, letting Evelyn unbutton his hospital gown.noveldrama

One button.

Two.

When she reached the third, Evelyn's hands stilled.

She caught sight of the angry burns marring his bare skin.

Her pupils trembled almost imperceptibly.

Her hands were no longer steady as she kept unbuttoning.

With the shirt open, his chest was fully exposed.

There was barely an inch of unscarred skin.

Large swathes of burns, most of them scabbed over. Some still Law

y and red, bore the areasnet

signs of skin grafts.

She'd known Charles was hurt, but never imagined the extent of his injuries.

Evelyn

after thembered the morning

the fire, when Charles had

rushed to her bedside as soonel

he'd woken up.

He'd hugged her, overcome with emotion.

She'd recoiled instinctively, struggling in his arms-and she'd smelled blood.

If she'd had burns this severe...

Evelyn exhaled slowly, steadying herself.

She kept going.

The shock of his upper body had prepared her-so she thought.

But when she pulled down his pajama pants and saw his left leg, her throat tightened.

It took her a moment to recover.

She helped Charles out of his wet clothes, gently wiped him down,

dressed him in the clean hospit

gown.

The process of undressing and redressing him felt almost mechanical now.

It was only his wounds that rattled her, made her avert her gaze.

When she was finally done, Evelyn let out a long breath.

She straightened his blanket, about to get up—when suddenly, an arm snaked around her waist.

Evelyn toppled onto Charles's chest.

Her first instinct was to worry about his injuries.

Bracing herself on the bed, she looked up, about to tell Charles to let go.

But he didn't give her the chance.

Guided by instinct, his large hand tangled in her hair, pulling her down.

His lips found hers, and he kissed her.