The Day Our Promise Breaks

"Sandy, your dad needs some rest. He'll visit you soon. Why don't you head home and get some rest too?" Charles's voice had a chilly edge to it—a subtle warning aimed at Dahlia, urging her not to use Sandy to get closer to him. This was the first time Charles had been so distant with Sandy.

"Daddy..." Sandy felt a jolt of worry and tried to move closer, but Aiden gently stopped her. "Miss Sandy, Mr. Jenkins isn't feeling well and needs his rest. If you truly care for him, you should respect his wishes instead of adding to his stress."

Sandy bit her lip, standing at the hospital room entrance with tears brimming in her eyes, looking hopefully at Charles. But Charles closed his eyes, offering no response. Left with no choice, Sandy turned and walked away, glancing back with every step. Her heart was heavy with worry. Was Daddy really upset with her? If Daddy stopped loving her, would Mommy stop too? What would she do then?

Sandy made her way downstairs to the car parked outside the hospital. She got in, and when Dahlia saw her return alone, she knew Sandy hadn't managed to win over Charles. Her expression turned icy. Though Dahlia hadn't physically lashed out at Sandy in a while, her cold demeanor was even more frightening to the little girl. A physical scolding was just a fleeting pain, but her mom's coldness left Sandy in a state of panic, terrified that Dahlia might stop loving her.

As Dahlia looked at her with those icy eyes, Sandy quickly moved closer and pleaded, "Mommy, don't be disappointed in Sandy. I'll find a way to make Daddy forgive me. Trust me."

"Sandy, don't let Mommy down again. Remember, I only have you, and you're the only one I can count on."

"If you can't bring your daddy back, we'll both lose him. You don't want to lose both your parents, do you?"

"Mommy, I promise I'll make sure Daddy and Mommy stay together," Sandy vowed, determined not to let Ms. Evelyn take her father away.

At Jenkins Enterprises, Charles had just finished a meeting and was deep into work at his desk. A knock came at the door. Without looking up, Charles called out, "Come in." Aiden entered. "Mr. Jenkins, it's Ms. Dahlia on the line."

At the mention of Dahlia, Charles looked up, his gaze cold. He should have known better than to let his feelings for Dahlia turn to bitterness. Aiden knew how Mr. Jenkins felt about Ms. Dahlia, but he also knew Sandy mattered too. Gathering his courage, he said, "Mr. Jenkins, Ms. Dahlia couldn't reach you directly, so she called the front desk. She says Miss Sandy is missing!"

The news hit Charles like a bolt of lightning. His face changed immediately. He grabbed his phone, dialing Sandy's smartwatch, but it was off. Charles couldn't sit still any longer. He grabbed his coat and headed out, Aiden following to get the car ready.

Outside, the rain was pouring. By the time Aiden had the car at the

company entrance, a security guard was holding an umbrella for Charles. Just as he was about to get in, he heard a small, kitten-like voice, "Daddy..." Charles paused, looking up to find the source. There, at the corner of the building, Sandy was crouched, her clothes soaked, her little body shivering as she looked at him.

"Sandy!" Charles's heart tightened. He hurried over, not caring that the rain soaked him. In a few quick strides, he was at Sandy's side, wrapping her in his suit jacket and scooping her up. Her hands were like ice blocks, and the chill in them squeezed his heart.

...

Sandy's big eyes were full of tears. Even as she was lifted, her body remained tense. Unlike before, when she would wrap her arms around Charles's neck and snuggle into him, sweetly calling him Daddy, now she was stiff. The cold winter rain and biting wind made Charles aware of her unusual demeanor, but he held off on asking questions.

He carried her swiftly back into the company, taking the elevator up to his office. Inside, he brought Sandy to the private lounge, starting a warm bath while instructing Aiden to bring a female employee in. Soon, the employee arrived.

"Sandy, take a warm bath first. Daddy will be right outside. We can talk once you're done, okay?" Charles's voice was gentle, trying to sooth@her. Looking at Charles, still so kind and warm, Sandy suddenly burst into tears. She rushed into his arms, clinging tightly to his waist and sobbing, "Daddy, I thought you didn't like me anymore, that you

didn't want me..."

"Sandy missed you so much, wanted to see Daddy, but was scared you were still

mad and didn't want to see her."noveldrama