The Day Our Promise Breaks (Charles and Evelyn) novel Chapter 10

"No, I got held up with something."

Charles responded in a subdued voice, carrying Sandy into the house.

Under the bright lights, Dahlia, whose attention had been fixed on Charles, noticed his lower lip was cut. It looked like someone had bitten it.

Dahlia's smile froze for a moment.

Was Evelyn the "something" that held Charles up? Was she using her charms to keep him by her side?

...

Eight-thirty was Sandy's bedtime every night. After bathing her, Dahlia carried her to bed.

Charles picked up a bedtime storybook and sat by the bed, ready to lull her to sleep.

Sandy snuggled into his embrace, hugged his neck, and cooed softly, "Daddy, please don't go tonight. Stay and sleep with me and Mommy, okay?"

Dahlia had just finished tidying up the bathroom and stepped out. She frowned upon hearing this and scolded her daughter, "Sandy, don't make a fuss."

Sandy felt extremely hurt for being scolded by her mom. Tears quickly filled her eyes, and she watched Dahlia with a whimpering cry. "I’m not making a fuss. I just want to sleep with you and Daddy."

As she spoke, tears fell down her face. She was heartbroken.

She cried and sobbed, "Other kids can sleep with their Mommy and Daddy, so why can't I?"

Seeing her daughter cry like this, Dahlia felt a pang of heartache. Wearing the clothes that got wet from bathing Sandy, Dahlia quickly walked to the bed and bent down to soothe her daughter.

She bent down at an angle that Charles could clearly see everything from his position. She was curvaceous and perfectly shaped. Her figure could drive a man to distraction.

Dahlia, oblivious to this, seemed to have all her attention drawn to her crying daughter.

Dahlia softly tried to comfort her distraught daughter,, "Be a good girl, Sandy. Stop crying, okay? The doctor just told you yesterday not to get too worked up. Have you forgotten?"