Even after Her Death (Chloe and Luke)

Even after Her Death

Chapter 494 A Hair's Breadth

"Whitney!"

Just before Carter reached me, Whitney broke free from my grasp and fell off the cliff.

In that moment, it felt like I had been thrown back 20 years, reliving the same nightmare.

Once again, I watched her slip away before my eyes.

"No!" my heart-wrenching scream echoed across the cliff.

Everything went black, and I felt my body falling, powerless to stop it.

""Chloe!"

Carter's anguished voice called out behind me, but it felt distant, fading.

Am I going to die again?

Is this how it ends for me?

I lost consciousness.

In my dream, I was back on that night, at just five

years old.

A little figure in the water waved at me, her voice urgent, "Chloe, help me!"

Without a second thought, I jumped into the water and grabbed her hand.

People on the shore tried to save us, but the river's current was too strong, and we were quickly swept away.

Caught in the raging waters, I clung to her and pleaded desperately, "Don't let go, no matter what happens. Please, don't let go."

"Chloe, I can't hold on anymore."

Her expression shifted, and suddenly, the little girl I was holding turned into the grown-up Whitney. Her face was calm and resigned as if she had already accepted her fate. "Chloe, please forget me." "No, Whitney!"

I shot awake from the dream, gasping, only to meet a pair of red, tear-filled eyes.

The next moment, Carter pulled me into his arms, holding me tightly. "Chloe, you almost gave me a heart attack," he said, his voice trembling.

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Chapter 494 A Hair's Breadth

I gripped his shirt as if grounding myself. "Where is Whitney?"

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He took a deep breath, steadying himself. "From what we found at the scene, it seems Luther and Taylor fought, and both likely went over the cliff. Whitney must have followed them. Chloe, you don't know how close you were-you almost went over, too." Before I blacked out, I remembered hearing Carter's desperate, heart-wrenching cry. It was unlike anything I had ever heard from him, raw and haunting.

"I'm sorry," I whispered. "I passed out. You were just in time."

Carter held me tighter, his grip unyielding. "Do you know how scared I was? My whole body was shaking, Chloe. I was terrified I wouldn't catch you."

Even now, as he spoke, I could feel the faint tremor in his body.

Reaching up, I brushed his face gently. "I'm so sorry, Carl. I wasn't thinking. All I could focus on was saving Whitney. I forgot... I forgot I was pregnant." "Chloe, don't ever scare me like that again. Please."

Carter's voice was rough, full of sorrow.

"It's fine as long as you're okay," he said softly, his hand gently stroking the back of my head. It felt like he was comforting me, but maybe he needed it just as much. I could not stop myself from asking, even though I already knew, "What about Whitney?"

"The cliff wasn't very high, but the waters below were too rough. The rescue team has been going in shifts, but the sea is vast. Chloe, you need to prepare yourself."

My fingers clenched tightly, my chest aching. Deep down, I already knew. That faint sliver of hope I had been clinging to was slipping away.

I closed my eyes, my voice faint, "Thank you for trying so hard."

Whitney had made her choice. What was the point of searching now?

Maybe she was finally with her Taylor.

"Chloe, don't cry. You still have me," Carter whispered.

I pressed my face into his chest, letting the tears flow. "Yes, I still have you, and the babies. I should be thankful, but..."

My voice cracked, the words dissolving into sobs.

"Whitney was so young. Her life was just starting. She never got the chance to fall in love again, to be a mom, or to stand beside me as my bridesmaid."

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Chapter 494 A Hair's Breadth

"Chloe..." Carter's voice was gentle, his gaze full of understanding.

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"Why does this always happen?" I choked out. "Carl, I had her hand. I'm stronger now-I've grown. I could have saved her this time, but just like before, I could only watch her slip away."

"I know," Carter said, his arms holding me tightly. "I know you did everything you could. You're incredible, Chloe. You didn't fail her or anyone else."

"But I really wanted to protect her," I said, my voice trembling. "I finally got her out of that place. I truly believed she could start over. It didn't matter if she loved someone or not, as long as she could live. Why is that such an impossible wish?"

Carter gently wiped the tears from my cheeks. "Everyone has their own path to follow. For us, life is precious, but Whitney didn't see it that way. She had no desires left and hadn't been close to her family for years. Taylor had become her everything, entwined with her very existence. Chloe, if it were me who had fallen, would you hesitate?"

I did not respond, the weight of his words sinking in even as I struggled to accept them.

"This was Whitney's decision," Carter continued. "Even if it were you, no one-human or divine-could have stopped her. You did all you could. Don't blame yourself for what happened."

"I know you're right, Carl," I whispered. "But I can't help it. It's so hard to accept that Whitney is gone. If there had been no hope from the start, there wouldn't be this overwhelming despair now. The hardest part is losing her after thinking she was safe. Her vibrant, lively face... it's just gone."

I paused, swallowing the lump in my throat. "If I'd known it would end this way, I wish I'd been the one lost all those years ago. Maybe she wouldn't have turned out like this."

"Don't say that, Chloe. How do you think I would live without you?"

He stroked my back gently, his voice softening, "You've been asleep for over ten hours. I didn't want to wake you. Mrs. Sander arrived earlier and has been waiting outside. Whitney sent her a farewell message before so I told her everything, but she refuses to leave until she sees you." I wiped my tears and nodded. "Okay, let her in."noveldrama

"You're still weak. Stay in bed. I'll bring her to you and get something for you to eat."

"Okay."

A few minutes later, the door opened, and I saw her-frail and bent with age.

Looking at her face, you would never guess she was only in her 50s.

She seemed so much older.

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Chapter 494 A Hair's Breadth

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Once a captivating beauty, she had become a gray-haired, worn-down woman in the span of half a year. She had borne the heaviest burdens at the Sander household.

The people at the Sander residence endured their share of pain, but for them, death might have been a release. It is the ones left behind who bear the burden of ongoing sorrow.

When I used to see how indifferent she seemed after my death, I was not at peace. I wanted her to face the consequences, to feel the grief.

Now, it seems that moment has arrived. As long as she lives, she will be trapped in the never-ending pain of losing her children.

Each time I see her, she appears more aged than before. Her steps are slow, her face filled with unease and discomfort.

She looked out of place, like someone from the countryside nervously visiting family in the city for the first time.

Her voice was soft and hesitant as she called out, "C-Chloe

For reasons I could not explain, the tears I had just managed to stop began to flow again as soon as I heard her speak. 2.6K