The Day Our Promise Breaks

"Evelyn!" Brooks' voice was full of concern as he watched her with eyes that mirrored his worry.

He dropped to one knee, removing his coat to gently wrap it around her fragile frame. Carefully, he lifted her from the ground, mindful of her every bruise and ache from the man's relentless kicks. Though he couldn't see the injuries beneath her clothes, her soft, unconscious moans of pain spoke volumes, deepening the sorrow in his eyes.

Brooks' touch grew more tender as he cradled Evelyn in his arms. His assistant arrived in a sleek black Mercedes, the urgency in his arrival palpable. Brooks swiftly carried her into the car, his voice firm as he directed, "To the hospital!" The car sped off into the night, headlights cutting through the darkness as they raced toward help.

At the hospital, Evelyn lay weak and fragile on the bed. Brooks sat at her side, his eyes never leaving her. He's replaying the doctor's words about her bruises. The thought of her suffering made his heart ache fiercely.

As Evelyn slowly returned to consciousness, her eyes met Brooks'. She was still hazy from sleep. For a fleeting moment, she questioned whether she'd imagined the tenderness in his gaze. How could Brooks, who was always composed, show such worry and pain?

"I'm sorry, I was too late," Brooks said, his voice filled with regret, cutting through her muddled thoughts. The raw emotion was gone as quickly as it appeared, leaving Evelyn second-guessing her own perception.noveldrama

She didn't want him to worry, so she forced a smile, trying to lighten the moment. "Brooks, don't be so hard on yourself. I should be thanking you. If you hadn't found me when you did, I'd be front-page news tomorrow."

"With me around, nothing will happen to you," Brooks replied instinctively, his words carrying a weighty promise that caught Evelyn off guard. Still, they warmed her heart.

Brooks' voice softened. "Let me check your injuries." He left no room for argument, gently taking her hand and rolling up her sleeve to assess her condition.

But just then, a firm hand gripped his arm, and Charles' cold, authoritative voice interrupted, "Brooks!"

Rosa wasn't here, so Charles' intense possessiveness over Evelyn was unmistakable. He couldn't stand anyone else touching her, not even a hand.

Back in Greenrose, after Dahlia had drifted back to sleep, Charles glanced at his watch. It was almost eleven. By now, Aiden should have picked up Evelyn, but there had been no call. Unease crept in as he realized his phone was still in the

coat he'd left in the car.

Aiden was typically reliable, but the silence gnawed at Charles. Without much hesitation, he extricated himself from Dahlia's grasp on his shirt.

"Charles..." she murmured, waking

as he pulled away. This time, Charles didn't return to her side. His voice was soothing as he reassured her, "I'll be right back." With no time for further conversation, he made his way out of the room with purposeful strides, retrieving his phone from the coat pocket.

Noticing a missed call from Aiden over an hour ago, he immediately returned the call. Aiden answered immediately, urgency lacing his

Ms. Evelyn's had an accident

words as he reported, "Mr. Jenkins,

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