Even after Her Death (Chloe and Luke) novel Chapter 427

After explaining everything, I felt a weight lift off my chest.

Keeping it a secret from him had been eating away at me with guilt. While Carter wasn't thrilled with how things turned out, he seemed resigned. At this point, all we could do was take it one step at a time.

It was as if this had been written into our fate.

Carter's plan to trade lives had been discovered in its final days, and I had disrupted it.

Nothing had changed. Destiny was impossible to rewrite.

Perhaps this was my fate—to meet an untimely end in every lifetime.

I used to have so many regrets, but being reunited with him again made everything else seem trivial. For now, we were still together, and that was enough.

My only lingering regret was not being able to leave behind a shared child with Carter. I couldn't help but wonder what our child would've been like.

If only I had more time, I would've loved to have a baby—a symbol of us.

When we returned to the living room, I learned Amber had gone to her room to catch up on sleep. The family doctor was busy tending to Taylor's wounds.

Whitney, meanwhile, stood silently by a potted plant, lost in thought.

The sound of my footsteps seemed to wake her from her reverie. She quickly turned toward me.

"Chloe, you're hurt, aren't you?"

Her eyes landed on my wrist. "This is because of me, isn't it? How could you be so foolish? You cut yourself! If something happened to you, what would I do? I wouldn't want to live anymore!"

She knew all too well that someone like Amber wouldn't let her off so easily.

If Amber were so easy to deal with, Whitney wouldn't have spent 20 years trapped by Taylor's side.

Amber couldn't possibly be serious about letting her go just because of a few words I'd said.

Results that appeared effortless were often the result of someone silently bearing the burden behind the scenes.

Not wanting to upset Whitney, I gently reassured her, "It's okay. It didn't hurt at all. I just accidentally nicked myself."

Taylor let out a cold laugh. "You went through all that trouble, didn't you?"

I shot him a smile. "Not as much as you."

Taylor smirked. "Ha."

I responded, "Ha-ha."

The tension between us was palpable, with sparks practically flying through the air.

Then, Yael's timid voice broke the standoff. "Chloe, could you help me apply some ointment?"

I had nearly forgotten about the poor kid.

Carter flexed his wrist. "Chloe's hand is injured. I'll handle it."

I watched as his fingers cracked ominously, and the chilling look in his dark eyes didn't seem like he was about to gently apply ointment. More like he was planning to rub salt into the wounds instead.

Sensing the danger, Yael hesitated. "That's okay. No need."

"Nonsense," Carter replied smoothly. "We're family. As your cousin, I must help my dear little cousin."

He smiled faintly, emphasizing the word cousin with a certain bite. A cold shiver ran down my spine.

The whole situation felt surreal.

Carter, personally tending to Yael's injuries, all while calling him his cousin?

Carter grabbed a jar of ointment and approached Yael. "Where are you hurt?"

Yael had just begun pulling his shirt halfway off when Carter abruptly clamped a hand over my eyes. "Chloe, be good and step outside. Don't look at anything filthy."

Carter's petty jealousy was downright adorable. I chuckled. "Okay."

I took Whitney's hand and pulled her along with me. She probably had a lot she wanted to say to me anyway.

Whitney bit her lip. "But, Chloe, I still feel uneasy. He won't let me go that easily."

"It's okay. One step at a time. Carter and I are here to help you. The most important thing is that you don't give up. Whitney, trust me, okay? You have so much to live for. Don't let one sc*mbag ruin your life. There are people out there who will love you."

Whitney wrapped her arms tightly around me. "Chloe, I never want to leave you again."

"Don't worry. I'm not going anywhere."

"Okay."

"For now, just cooperate with Taylor. Don't provoke him. Once the chip is out, we'll talk about the next steps."

"Got it," she nodded tearfully. "You've paved this path for me with your blood. I won't let you down."

Seeing the determination in her eyes, I finally felt at ease. "Good."

This house was full of hidden agendas.

Taylor's wound was quickly bandaged. He stood by the door, his deep eyes fixed on Whitney.

It wasn't until he stopped smiling that I noticed how his eyes bore a striking resemblance to Carter's—dark and unfathomable, like a midnight sky devoid of stars. Impossible to read.

"Anna, come here," he called.

Whitney glanced at me. I squeezed her hand gently, reminding her of our promise.

She didn't push back, calmly walking toward Taylor without aggravating him.

I knew better than to intervene right now, so I simply walked past them.

Still, I couldn't shake my concern. Amber's erratic behavior had been unsettling—she seemed almost manic. And Taylor? I worried he might have inherited her instability.

At the end of the hallway, I turned back.

What I saw stopped me cold. Taylor, towering over Whitney, had pulled her into a tight embrace. His voice, trembling with emotion, reached me. "Anna, do you want to leave me that badly?"