The Day Our Promise Breaks (Charles and Evelyn) novel Chapter 262

He had been the reason behind Charlie’s tragic end. Charles pulled his hand back, shutting his eyes in sheer torment. He just couldn’t bring himself to face Evelyn. Hours slipped by as he sat parked outside her building, unable to find the courage to step out and see her. It wasn’t until the clock neared midnight that he finally drove away.

Returning to the spacious flat he had called home on and off for the past five years, he didn’t bother turning on the lights. The pale glow of the moonlight streaming through the floor-to-ceiling windows was enough to guide him to the liquor cabinet, from which he grabbed a few bottles of strong spirits.

As the night wore on, Charles sat out on the balcony, downing glass after glass. Before long, empty bottles were strewn across the table. He cracked open another bottle, pouring himself yet another drink. Tilting his head back, he downed it all in one go. The alcohol scorched its path to his stomach, which immediately revolted.

His face grew even paler, his grip on the glass tightening as if it were a lifeline. It felt like someone was repeatedly carving into his chest with a knife, each cut a new wave of unbearable pain. It hurt so much. Desperate to numb the ache, he poured another round and gulped it down. His stomach protested violently, feeling as if it were being twisted inside out. But even this physical agony couldn’t overshadow the ache in his heart.

He kept drinking, hoping to drown out the heartache. The liquor dribbled down the sides of his mouth. In his rush, he half-swallowed and began coughing violently, his stomach spasming. Blood mingled with alcohol trickled from his lips. The bottle slipped from his grasp, and Charles crumpled onto the balcony, passing out from the sheer pain.