Loved You Once But He's My Forever (Chloe) novel Chapter 426

Amber glared at me. If Carter weren't here, she'd probably be swearing at me by now.

"Fine, whatever. Just get out so I can rest," she snapped.

Yael helped Taylor to his feet, and they walked out. The rest of us followed suit.

Suddenly, something occurred to me. "Carter, wait. I need to say something to Amber."

Without waiting for his response, I turned back and barged in unannounced. At the door, I froze when I spotted a tall man in black leaning down, gently massaging Amber's temples.

He whispered, "You've been up all night. Let me carry you back to rest, okay?"

The two of them looked like a couple in the throes of romance.

Then again, her husband had been gone for years. Having someone around wasn't that surprising.

As soon as Amber saw me standing at the door, her face twisted in fury. "D*mn! What do you want now?"

"I just wanted to say—Amber, I want barbecue ribs for dinner!"

She glared. "I'm not running a restaurant here."

Grabbing an inkstone, she hurled it at my feet, clearly ready to explode.

But the second Carter appeared behind me, her demeanor shifted. Her lips curved into a sweet smile. "Barbecue ribs, huh? Sure, I'll make some for you. Carter, what about you? Is there something you'd like?"

"Anything's fine," Carter replied, his gaze flicking between Amber and me.

With that, he led me outside to the courtyard. It was quiet and empty, the open space amplifying the tension in the air.

Standing with his back to me, Carter's tall, lean frame exuded an unmistakable chill. Even from behind, I could feel the frostiness radiating off him.

He had given me face in front of others, but now, the cold, unyielding Carter was fully on display.

"Carter," I called softly, almost timidly.

Over the past few months, Carter had been nothing but gentle and patient with me, never raising his voice or saying a harsh word.

But now, faced with his silent anger, I felt a little afraid.

Tentatively, I reached out to tug on his sleeve. His abrupt turn caught me off guard, and his movement inadvertently grazed my injured wrist. "Ouch," I winced before I could stop myself.

Panic flashed in Carter's eyes. "Chloe, are you hurt? Did I hurt you? I'm sorry, I didn't mean to ... "

Carter's concern was genuine, and his kindness was unwavering.

I shook my head quickly. "It's nothing. I was just messing with you."

I tried to brush it off, hoping he wouldn't notice. My sleeve hid the wound well enough.

"What's going on with you and Amber?" he asked bluntly, cutting to the chase.

"Nothing. I've realized that despite her temper, she's not so bad. She ... "

Carter took a step closer, his sharp gaze pinning me in place. "Chloe, when did I become someone you needed to guard yourself against?"

He grabbed my hand, pressing it against his chest. Though his grip wasn't tight, I could feel the weight of his emotions.

"Chloe, what happened? Seeing you like this makes my heart ache," he said, his voice low and pained.

Noticing the sweat beading on my forehead, he seemed to piece something together. He reached for my sleeve.

"No, Carter. Don't," I protested.

Sensing my injury, he didn't force it, but the hurt in his eyes was evident. "Chloe, have you stopped loving me?"

I knew his insecurities all too well. If I didn't explain myself now, his mind would spiral further.

With a sigh, I stopped resisting.

"Let me see your hand," he insisted.