The Day Our Promise Breaks

Dahlia had splashed black ink over Charlie's gravestone, and the cemetery's security guard took Evelyn's contact information, promising to keep a special watch for her. They'd let her know anytime someone visited Charlie's grave.

Evelyn scrolled through the photos the security guard had snapped on the sly. It was Charles, kneeling in front of Charlie's gravestone. He'd finally found his daughter's final resting place. Of course, nothing could have stopped him if he had really wanted to find it earlier. The fact that he hadn't known his daughter had passed for so long was just because he hadn't cared enough to put in the effort.

"He's Charlie's dad. Just let him be," she replied, sending back a quick thank you. Evelyn set her phone aside. Charles was kneeling for Charlie-it was the least he could do.

---

The guards at the cemetery left Charles alone because Evelyn had instructed them not to bother him. But every time they did their rounds, there he was, still kneeling. He stayed like that the whole night, kneeling until dawn's first light.

As the sky began to brighten, Charles finally pulled himself up. "Charlie, I'll come see you again tomorrow," he promised, gently touching the gravestone as if it were her face. He stumbled away, his steps unsteady.

Aiden had been waiting outside the cemetery all night, leaning against his car, lost in thought. It wasn't until Charles approached that Aiden snapped back to reality. "Mr. Jenkins..."

Seeing the state Charles was in, Aiden held back the words he'd been rehearsing, unsure if he should say them. "What is it? Speak!" Charles demanded as he clambered into the car, his voice raw but

commanding.

Aiden couldn't keep it in any longer. "There's something I haven't told you," he began. "It's about the guy who attacked Ms. Evelyn last time. When the bodyguards roughed him up, he mentioned why Ms. Evelyn was so protective of that necklace..."

Charles remembered that day and how Evelyn had clung to the necklace, getting hurt in the process. In a rage, he'd tossed it away. Now that Aiden brought it up again, a sense of dread crept over him. "What about it?" he pressed, his voice sharp with anxiety.

Aiden hesitated, not wanting to add to Charles' pain. Finding out about Charlie's death had already hit

Charles hard. But this was too crucial to keep secret. Aiden hadn't mentioned it before because he' hadn't thought Charlie could be dead. The idea seemed absurd. She couldn't have been alive one day and just bones the next.

Aiden finally revealed, "He said Ms. Evelyn claimed the necklace contained Miss Charlie's ashes. It was something Ms. Evelyn used to remember Charlie by..."

The phrase "Charlie's ashes" left

Charles momentarily stunned, and his mind went blank. The necklace contained Charlie's ashes, and

Charles' body shook uncontrollat

had called it worthless trash...

A part of Charlie was in that necklace, and he'd thrown it into that cold lake, leaving her to the freezing depths. What had he done?

"To the hospital!" Charles barked, his eyes bloodshot with emotion.

"Mr. Jenkins..." Aiden began, wanting to suggest rest.

"To the hospital. I won't say it again!" Charles insisted.

"Yes, sir!" Aiden didn't dare argue and drove straight to the hospital. Once there, Charles made a beeline for the artificial lake behind the building. It was just after six in thenoveldrama

morning. The early winter light be

barely broken through. The lake area was deserted. Aiden parked and hurried after Charles, just in time to see him at the spot where he'd tossed the necklace. Without a second thought, Charles shrugged off his coat and dived in!