Loved You Once But He's My Forever (Chloe) novel Chapter 424

I never expected her to answer my question, but after a brief silence, she spoke calmly, "Believe it or not, your death in the last life had nothing to do with me."

"Then who was it?"

"Chloe, the more you know, the quicker you die. Why dig into things that are already in the past?"

My mind raced. If she wasn't lying, then this time, her attempt to kill me must have been to protect Carter and stop the life exchange.

"So, it was someone from the Carlyns?"

She didn't respond, which was as good as an admission.

Years ago, the Sanders had left the Carlyns with deep-seated hatred—a grudge so intense that the Carlyns loathed the Sanders with every fiber of their being.

That's why they took Whitney when she was just five years old, planting the seed of revenge that grew into this mess.

Wisteria, her father, and other members of the Carlyns had all played a part in the revenge against the Sanders.

It was getting late, so I decided not to press further. After all, I wasn't someone she cared for, and we weren't exactly friends.

To her, I was a thorn in her side, so there was no way she'd open her heart to me.

Still, she'd made me suffer on that island, living in fear and torment. It was only fair that I retaliated.

"Amber, make sure you wake up early tomorrow morning."

She was confused.

She probably didn't want to bother me, so she stayed silent.

I continued, "For breakfast, I'd like ravioli and soy milk—not the kind made by a machine, but freshly ground with a millstone."

Her voice came out through gritted teeth. "Would you like to eat crap instead?"

"Amber, how crude of you. Where's your dignity as an elder? Maybe I should punish you by having you prepare stuffed dumplings as well."

"Chloe!"

"Your cooking is amazing. I only had it once, but I've been dreaming about it ever since. And after losing so much blood tonight, don't you think I deserve a proper meal to replenish myself? You're so kind and considerate—you'll probably start grinding beans at three in the morning for me, won't you?"

"What time is it now?"

I smiled slyly. "One-thirty."

"Chloe, if you want to die, I can help you with that!"

"I've heard that older people are light sleepers. I'm sure you'll be able to fulfill my request."

She gritted her teeth. "Fine!"

I could practically see her imagining a hundred ways to kill me.

But the truth was, she thought Carter and I were bound by a life-exchange curse, and that fate wasn't limited to just life and death.

In essence, the worse my life got, the worse things would become for Carter. Conversely, the better I lived, the better off Carter would be.

It was all interconnected.

She couldn't imprison me. She had to cater to me, pamper me, and ensure I lived a life of luxury.

If I thrived in wealth and comfort, Carter would live free of worry. If I suffered or died early, Carter's life would hang by a thread.

Her love for Carter forced her to care for me as well.

Carter and I were stuck in this together.

Amber turned over, her back to me, but I smirked. "Amber, I can't sleep."

"Not my problem."

"Tell me a story."

"I'm not an insomniac—I just don't need much sleep. And now you expect me to wake up at three to grind beans for you? You've got no right to order me around."

"But I want to hear a story. Amber, won't you tell me one?"

I wondered if Amber regretted everything.

After I kept her up half the night, she had to sit by my bed and tell me stories.

What she said didn't matter—what mattered was that the angrier she got, the happier I became.

Somewhere along the way, I fell asleep.

When I woke up the next morning, the first thing I saw was a familiar face.

Bathed in sunlight, Carter leaned against the edge of the bed, dozing. His dark hair shimmered with a golden hue, and his handsome features were accentuated by the soft light.