The Day Our Promise Breaks

It took her a moment to quell the wave of anger rising inside her. She couldn't let Dahlia push her buttons.

"Alright, where's the proof? No proof, no more chatter," she snapped, turning to the man sprawled on the floor. "Come on, you're coming with me."

Evelyn motioned for her bodyguard to help Wesley up, ready to take him away. But a sharp glance from Charles halted them.

"Out of the way!" Evelyn insisted, determined to get Wesley out of there.

Immediately, Dahlia's bodyguards stepped in to block her path. Tensions were high as both sides stood their ground, evenly matched in strength. Evelyn placed herself between Wesley and Charles, refusing to let him take Wesley away.

Charles wasn't backing down either. He grabbed Evelyn's wrist, pulling her aside, and with a swift kick, sent Wesley crashing back to the ground.

Looking down at Evelyn, Charles said firmly, "Evelyn, you're not taking Wesley anywhere. He needs to face the music for what he's done."

Seven years ago, he raped Dahlia, leaving her to suffer for years. Now, he's attempted it again. If Wesley's guilty, and with Blake on the case, there's no way he's slipping through the cracks this time. He's definitely going to do time.

"If you want evidence, Blake will lay it all out in court," Charles added.

Hearing Blake's name sent Wesley into a tailspin. He remembered all too well the courtroom two years ago-the crushing pressure and Blake' relentless skill. It was Blake who secured his life sentence back then. If Evelyn hadn't survived, he'd still be locked up. And now, with Blake involved again, the odds looked grim.

Wesley, frantic and disheveled, struggled to his feet and clutched at Charles's pant leg, his voice pleading, "Mr. Jenkins, I swear I'm not a rapist. You can't send me back to prison. What about Sandy? What will happen to her if I'm locked up?"

"I can't leave Sandy alone with Dahlia. Without me, she'll keep hurting Sandy. I can't let that happen!"

Dahlia's eyes flickered with panic as Wesley accused her of abuse. Sandy wasn't Charles's biological daughter, but she'd charmed him with her sweetness, and out of guilt, he'd grown fond of her. Charles had always doted on Sandy. If he found out Dahlia had been mistreating her...

Evelyn's sudden appearance had thrown everything off course. If not for her defending Wesley and trying to take him away, Charles might have already had him locked up based on what he'd witnessed and Dahlia's tears.

Charles had been convinced for years that Dahlia had been genuinely assaulted. So, even if Wesley denied it, Charles wouldn't buy it. Everything was on track— until Evelyn showed up, turning the situation on its head.noveldrama

Watching Charles' face change at the mention of Sandy's alleged abuse, Dahlia's tears began to flow again.

"Charles, it's not true. He's just trying to smear my name. I love Sandy too much to ever hurt her," she insisted.

"Yes, Sandy was hurt, but it wasn't

me. It was one of her teachers. I didn't tell you because I didn't want to upset you. I went to the school myself and dealt with it," Dahlia explained, recalling how she had confronted the school after Wesley found the marks on Sandy the night before.