The Day Our Promise Breaks

Andrew had no choice but to agree.

While he went to get the hospital discharge paperwork, he called Charles to inform him.

"I'll be there right away."

Charles ended the call as soon as he answered.

He turned to Aiden and asked, "Did you get everything I asked for earlier sorted out?"noveldrama

"It's all taken care of. Should I have it delivered now?"

"Yes."

Charles nodded.

He had personally arranged for Mandy to have everything Josephine would need -clothes, food, a comfortable place to stay, all the necessities.

He just wanted to make up for lost time, to fulfill the promise he'd made to Josephine when he was ten: that he would always honor Ms. Josephine.

If Ms. Josephine were still alive, he would have moved heaven and earth to bring her the best the world had to offer, to make sure she'd never lack for anything for the rest of her life.

As the car left the correctional facility, Aiden got out to hail a cab and coordinate the delivery to Evelyn's place.

Charles drove off himself, racing straight to the hospital.

Dahlia watched as Charles's car disappeared down the road.

She immediately pushed open her own car door.

Sitting around and waiting for the worst was never her style.

She had to get in there first and make sure whether Wesley had handed over the evidence to Charles.

If he had, she'd find another way. She absolutely couldn't let that evidence fall into Charles's hands.

She couldn't bear to spend the rest of her life behind bars.

The memory of those hours in holding still haunted her. She'd barely survived forty-eight hours last time.

If Charles got that evidence-evidence of her ordering a hit-he wouldn't rest until she was locked away for good.

Seeing Dahlia finally moving to get out, the driver rushed to bring over her wheelchair.

Dahlia settled into the chair, motioned for Sandy to come over, then pulled out some concealer to cover the bruises on the girl's face. She helped her into her jacket, hiding any marks that might show.

Once everything was in order, she calmly gave Sandy some last instructions.

Then, she took Sandy to request a visit with Wesley.

Since they hadn't scheduled ahead-

"Ms. Dahlia, I'm sorry, but you don't have an appointment. We can't let you see Wesley," the guard stopped them.

Dahlia pulled Sandy to her side, her eyes welling up as she pleaded with the guard, "Please, can't you make an exception? Rules aside, you understand what it's like to be human."

"This is Wesley's daughter-the one person he's been desperate to see. When he was taken in, Sandy's kidney transplant was still uncertain, and Wesley was so worried."

"Now that the surgery's been a success, she just wants to see her dad."

Dahlia's words were full of emotion.

Right on cue, Sandy began to sob, clutching the guard's sleeve, her voice trembling, "Please, officer, let me see my daddy. I miss him so much. Please, I just want to see my dad, just for a minute."

As she spoke, she fell to her knees, ready to beg.

The guard, seeing Sandy's tears and her desperate plea, felt his own heart soften

-he was a father himself, after all.

It wasn't as if this was a major breach of protocol.

It was just a girl wanting to see her father.

And Wesley's visitation rights for the month had gone unused; he'd always said

he was saving them for his daughter.

He'd been waiting for Sandy all this time.

Finally, the guard gave in. "Alright. Come with me."

Dahlia visibly breathed a sigh of relief.

From her wheelchair's storage pouch, she pulled out a tissue to wipe Sandy's tears.

Sandy had already stopped crying, but she beamed as her mother dabbed her cheeks.

...

Inside, the guard went through the motions, skipping the prior appointment but making a quick call to notify Wesley.

"Sandy's here?"

The moment he heard, Wesley leapt off his cot, smacking his head on the metal bunk above with a loud thud.

He didn't even flinch—he just rushed over, barely daring to believe, "Is it really my Sandy? My daughter's here?"

Seeing Wesley's joy, the guard felt his little act of leniency was more than worth it. "Clean yourself up and come with me."

When Wesley was led away, the

other inmates didn't know where he

was headed, but when they heard he

was seeing his daughter, everyone

was happy for him.

Everyone in the block knew Wesley doted on his daughter-he talked about her

all the time, how smart and sweet she was.

He even called out her name in his sleep.

Now, his long-awaited daughter was finally here.

Everyone urged him to hurry.

Wesley carefully straightened his clothes and hair, even splashed water on his

face to look as presentable as possible.

When he was ready, he followed the guard to the visitation room.

The moment he walked in, his eyes found Dahlia and Sandy.

Whatever feelings he'd once had for Dahlia had long since been worn away by

her endless schemes and manipulations.

His gaze swept past Dahlia, landing on Sandy with open longing.

There was no one else in the room-just Wesley and the mother and daughter.

As soon as he sat, Wesley picked up the phone.

Across the glass, Dahlia picked up her receiver too, skipping any pleasantries and going straight to the point: "Charles is coming for the evidence, isn't he? Did you give it to him?"

Wesley looked at her, seeing through her forced calm to the panic in her eyes,

and sneered, "What's wrong, Dahlia? Are you finally scared?"