The Day Our Promise Breaks (Charles and Evelyn) novel Chapter 367

She didn't buy his act for a second. How could she trust someone who clearly didn’t care about her mom’s well-being, suddenly playing the good guy? Charles had no choice but to pull his hand back.

Evelyn held onto Josephine, her eyes red from worry as she tried to soothe her. "Mom, please don’t get upset. He’s not worth it. Let me take you back to the hospital."

Her mom really shouldn't be out of the hospital in her current state, and Evelyn was deeply concerned.

"I'm not going back to the hospital," Josephine insisted, shaking her head with eyes filled with sorrow as she gazed at Evelyn. The moment she'd seen Charles mistreating her daughter, she'd made up her mind.

Clutching Evelyn's hand tightly, she shot Charles a steely look full of resentment. "Charles, you think you can use me to manipulate Eve just because you know she cares about me?"

"Well, listen up—I’m not going through with the surgery."

Without the surgery, Charles would have no leverage over her precious Eve, who had already endured far too much.

"Mom!" Evelyn was alarmed at her mom’s resolve, gripping Josephine's hand tightly and blurting out a lie. "Mom, Charles didn’t threaten me because of you. I still love him. I’m with him because I want to be, really! It has nothing to do with you, so don’t worry about it!"

She'd lost Charlie, lost her grandmother; she couldn’t bear the thought of losing her mom too.

Josephine, hearing her daughter's words, felt her heart ache even more. Tenderly wiping Evelyn's tears, she said, "Eve, I want to get better, to always be by your side."

"But if my health means you have to sacrifice yourself, stay with that monster Charles, living in pain and misery, I'd rather not live."

Evelyn shook her head desperately, trying to change her mom’s mind, but Josephine seemed set in her decision. "Eve, I'll try to be with you as long as I can. When I’m gone, there’s Brooks. He’s a good man. With him, I’ll have peace of mind."

Even if she wasn’t around, she knew Brooks would take care of and cherish Eve, ensuring she never suffered.

Charles had heard Evelyn say she still loved him. Even though he knew she was just trying to protect Josephine, his heart skipped a beat against his will. This feeling was completely out of his control.

Before he could process this strange emotion, he heard Brooks's name. Almost reflexively, Charles wrapped an arm around Evelyn's waist. "She’s not going to be with Brooks. She’s mine!"