The Day Our Promise Breaks

"Evelyn..."

Brooks called out her name, his voice edged with panic and worry.

No reply.

Brooks strode into the room, his eyes scanning every corner, searching for any sign of Evelyn.

He searched the entire suite in no time, but there was no trace of her.

A look of alarm flashed across his face.

He spun around and rushed out, practically tearing the door off its hinges.

His worry for Evelyn overwhelmed him; he lost his composure, kicking open the door to the private lounge where the party was held, and stormed inside.

The people inside noticed Brooks' grim expression and immediately stood up.

Aaron spoke first. "Brooks, what's wrong?"

Now wasn't the time to settle scores with Aaron. Brooks' voice was cold and sharp: "Evelyn's not in her room. Pull up the security footage and bring in the staff who escorted her."

Aaron's face paled at Brooks' words.

"I'll check the footage right now," he said, already striding out of the room.

As he walked, he silently prayed-Evelyn, please, let nothing happen to you.

He had only wanted to help his best friend, who had never managed to win the girl he loved. That was why he'd pushed them together tonight, why he'd slipped something into Evelyn's drink.

He'd meant well.

But if something happened to Evelyn because of him, he could never forgive himself.

Brooks followed close behind, heading straight for the security office.

With a clear timeframe to search, they quickly found the footage of Evelyn being escorted from the lounge.

But just as the video reached the floor where her room was located, the footage glitched.

"Give me a minute. I can recover the video," Brooks said, immediately sitting down. His long, deft fingers flew over the keyboard, working furiously against the clock.

Meanwhile, Aaron ordered people to search every floor thoroughly.

He was the one who'd spiked Evelyn's drink-he knew exactly what the drug would do.

Whoever Evelyn ended up with tonight, the consequences would be disastrous.

He didn't even want to imagine the outcome.

He had to find her before anything happened, or he'd never be able to face Brooks again.

Minutes ticked by.

Just as Aaron's people found the two hotel staff who'd escorted Evelyn-both unconscious-Brooks restored the corrupted footage.

The two staff members had followed orders, escorting Evelyn toward Brooks' suite.

But as soon as they entered the elevator, two men stepped in behind them. Brooks' face tightened as he recognized them.

Charles and Aiden.

The staff, under questioning, admitted that Aaron had told them to take Evelyn to Brooks' room.

Charles had wrapped Evelyn's face

in his own coat, pulling her

proteinto his arms befol

lifting her up and carrying her out.

His left leg was still recovering-he

it, and carrying someone shton

dn't put much weight

have been almost impossible.

Yet he held Evelyn tightly, leaving the hotel without hesitation. The security footage only captured Charles carrying Evelyn to his car.

Aiden, meanwhile, had taken the two staff aside to question them further. He learned that Aaron's instructions had been to bring Evelyn to Brooks' room. noveldrama

им

Once Aiden heard Brooks' name, he deliberately tampered with the security footage.

His only goal was to buy Charles more time.

He didn't want Brooks to find out too soon that Charles had taken Evelyn.

He'd seen how much Mr. Jenkins had suffered these past months, barely pulling through.

He'd saved his leg, but after losing so much muscle, he couldn't stand for long periods and bad weather brought him constant pain.

Only with relentless therapy might he regain even half his former strength.

He knew Mr. Jenkins could never let go of Ms. Evelyn.

He spent all his time either at the office or at Oakwood Manor.

Cooking alone. Eating alone. Sitting on the couch alone...

Mr. Jenkins never said a word, but Aiden knew—-every day, he was waiting.

Just like Ms. Evelyn and Miss Charlie used to wait for him.

Waiting for Ms. Evelyn.

Waiting for Miss Charlie.

Waiting for the two people who might never return to Oakwood Manor.

...

Inside the black Bentley, Evelyn had barely been taken by Charles before she began to stir from her drugged sleep.