The Day Our Promise Breaks

She couldn't hold on much longer.

Just holding Sandy's hand seemed to drain all her strength. As she looked down at the girl, Sandy's hand slipped weakly from her grasp.

Sandy's lips, pale as porcelain, trembled.

She was so exhausted that when she tried to speak, her voice came out as nothing more than a whisper-soft enough that the nurse could barely hear her.

Even though she'd never liked this child, seeing her so close to death stirred something inside her a flicker of compassion.

Leaning down, the nurse softened her tone. "What is it, sweetheart? Is there something you want to tell me?"

Sandy drew a shallow, ragged breath, struggling to form a sentence.

"Nurse... could you send a text to my dad? Tell him..." She paused, fighting for air. "Tell him I really am dying this time. I want to see him... just one last time... I really want to..."

The effort of speaking seemed to sap the last of Sandy's strength.

Her breathing grew even fainter.

She looked at the nurse, pleading with her eyes.

It was a dying wish-one the nurse couldn't bear to refuse. She nodded gently.

"All right, sweetheart. I'll send it right now."

Sandy wanted to say thank you, but she didn't have the strength. Her lips moved silently, mouthing, "Thank you, nurse."

The nurse felt her throat tighten.

She knew Sandy couldn't last much longer. The only thing keeping her going was the hope of seeing her father.

Maybe that hope was all she had left.

Using the number Dahlia had dialed earlier, the nurse carefully typed out Sandy's words-every one of them—and sent the message to Charles.

Once she pressed send, she brought the phone close to Sandy's face and said softly, "It's sent, honey."

Sandy's vision was already blurred, but hearing the nurse's words, her lips moved in a faint response.

She stared at the screen, unable to see anything, but unwilling to look away. She wanted to see her father's reply right away, if it came.

But she waited for a long time.

No reply ever came.

"Don't worry, maybe your dad hasn't seen it yet. I'll call him for you, okay?" The nurse couldn't stand it. Afraid he hadn't seen the message, she dialed the number herself.

But the call was immediately declined.

She tried again, only to find she'd been blocked.

Sandy's gaze never left the nurse, and she could hear the faint sounds from the phone.

Her lips began to tremble, and tears blurred her vision.

She wanted so desperately to tell her father that she wasn't lying this time-she really was dying.

She'd never see him again.

As the end drew near, Sandy's mind played back every memory of Charles's love for her.

All those moments, all the little things-proof that her father had truly loved her

once.

But she'd let him down.

So much that he wouldn't even come to see her one last time.

She regretted it all.

If only she hadn't lied so much, if only she'd gotten along with Charlie maybe she could have stayed, could have really been Charles's daughter alongside Charlie.

She thought of Wesley too.

Her biological father-he'd loved her dearly, and she hadn't cherished that either.

Maybe, if

kind,

she'd just been honest and

One could have grown up whether it was with Ch

or with Wesley.

But now, that chance was gone.

Tears streamed down her cheeks.

She looked over at Dahlia, standing a few steps away.

Dahlia wasn't looking at her. Her

expression was grim, caught up net

her own thoughts-she didn't even notice Sandy.

Sandy's lips moved, mouthing "Mom."

But Dahlia didn't look at her.

It was only at the end that Sandy had to admit her mother had never loved her.

Not ever.

The tears came faster, blurring her vision.

In her final moments, Sandy stared at the closed door.

As her life ebbed away, she lost track of time.

Her final thought was the message she'd asked the nurse to send to Charles.

Even though he never replied.

Even though he never came.

She died still hoping, still waiting for her father to soften and come see her one last time.

But Charles never came.

Sandy left the world with regret.

...

Oakwood Manor

Charles saw Sandy's message.

He knew she'd wanted to see him one last time before she died.

He didn't give in.

He simply sent a message to the doctor.

Then he set his phone aside and waited.

Not long after, a message arrived from the doctor: [Mr. Jenkins, my condolences.]noveldrama

Those words "my condolences"-stung.

Charles's hand tightened around his phone.

He stared at the message, sitting in silence on the sofa for a long time before

finally heading upstairs.

He took a shower, changed into fresh clothes, and went downstairs.

He got in his car and drove out of Oakwood Manor.

He didn't go to the hospital. Instead, he drove straight to the prison.

To see Wesley.

When he saw him, Charles didn't mince words. He said flatly, "Sandy's dead.

Dahlia killed her."