The Day Our Promise Breaks

"Mr. Jenkins's left thigh muscles are severely damaged. I'm afraid there's little hope for this leg. We may have to amputate."

Even the doctors couldn't understand how Charles had managed to get out of bed in his condition.

The damage to his thigh was so extensive that saving the leg was nearly impossible.

"Do you even know what you're saying?"

Aiden hadn't expected things to be this serious. The moment he heard the news, his face went pale. "I don't care what it takes-you must save Mr. Jenkins's leg."

He couldn't bear to imagine Mr. Jenkins-always so proud, so untouchable— reduced to a man with a missing limb.

How could Mr. Jenkins ever accept that?

"We'll do everything we can," the doctor replied, but his voice held no confidence.

He'd already taken Charles's case to the conference room, bringing together top specialists from across the country via video call to discuss every possible treatment. This was their conclusion after exhausting all options.

Charles understood this, too.

The hospital wouldn't give such a prognosis lightly. If they said it, it meant they had already done everything within their power.

Charles lowered his gaze to his left leg, his eyes clouded with despair.noveldrama

Amputation meant he would be disabled for the rest of his life.

He'd already hurt Eve deeply in the past.

As Ms. Josephine had once said, he didn't deserve her forgiveness in the first place.

And if he became a cripple...

The thought of facing Evelyn with only one leg, broken and incomplete, made Charles clench his fist involuntarily. His nails dug deep into his palm.

How could he ever ask her forgiveness now?

He lowered his eyelids, pain etched across his face.

...

Evelyn found out at the nurses' station that Brooks was getting his wounds dressed.

She hurried over.

Brooks's injuries weren't as severe as Charles's.

When Charles had pushed Evelyn out of harm's way, a cabinet had toppled and a splintered piece of wood had shot out.

Brooks had thrown his arm up to protect Evelyn, and his sleeve had caught fire.

All he'd cared about was getting Evelyn to safety, not the flames licking at his shirt.

He hadn't managed to put it out in time-a patch of his upper arm was badly burned.

Only after carrying Evelyn to safety had he ripped off his burning jacket and shirt.

In less than a minute, his arm was seared.

Even after Evelyn and Josephine

were

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had bed to the hospital, Brook his own wound. Conto other

With

too busy helping to bother

Only when he was sure Evelyn and Josephine were safe did he finally let a doctor treat his burns.

When Evelyn appeared in the doorway, Brooks instinctively turned his body, trying to hide his injured arm.

The burn was ugly-he didn't want her to see it.

He cared too much about her to let her see him at his worst.

But as he moved, the nurse-caught off guard-pressed the disinfecting forceps directly into the wound.

She froze.

Brooks grunted in pain.

Evelyn rushed in, worry etched across her face, grabbing his shoulder. "Don't move!"

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Seeing the blood seeping through the dressing, her heart twisted for him. She leaned down, blowing gently on the wound-an old habit.

Whenever little Charlie scraped his knee or bumped into something, she'd always

blow on it to make it better.

Charlie would say that made the pain go away.

She remembered another

time-when Charles had promised to come home for dinner. She'd spent hours preparing his favorite dishes roast beef, mashed

potatoes, apple pie-her heart full of anticipation. But all she got was a call from Aiden: "Ms. Evelyn, Mr.

Jenkins still has work to finish. He won't be home tonight."