The Day Our Promise Breaks (Charles and Evelyn) novel Chapter 210

After Charles left, Evelyn stood there, feeling like her heart might burst. The words Charles had said—supposedly an apology to Charlie—felt more like a knife twisting in both her and Charlie's hearts, leaving her breathless.

She clutched her chest, knowing something was wrong. Using the couch to steady herself, she managed to get up, her hands shaking as she rummaged through her bag for her medication. She unscrewed the bottle, but nothing came out. It was empty.

The bottle slipped from her fingers, and she sank to the floor, utterly spent. Her mind spun wildly, guilt wrapping around her like a tight net. She wished she had been honest with Charlie about her father's indifference. Her desire to shield Charlie from the truth had led her to create a fantasy of a loving father, which only made Charlie love Charles all the more.

If she hadn't spun that fairy tale, maybe Charlie wouldn't have adored Charles so much, and without that love, she wouldn't have suffered so deeply. It was all her fault. As a mother, she had failed, letting her daughter face so much pain in life. And even after Charlie's death, she couldn't bring Dahlia, the one responsible, to justice. Would Charlie ever find peace?

The guilt and heartache were overwhelming, and tears flowed freely down her face. In a daze, Evelyn got to her feet, left her home, and drove off.

Forty minutes later, she pulled up at the cemetery. It wasn’t the first time she’d come here at night since Charlie was buried. On many sleepless nights, even after taking her meds, she found herself here, keeping Charlie company.