Loved You Once But He's My Forever (Chloe) novel Chapter 447

After hearing Grandma's words, I was struck silent. For as long as I could remember, she had always been the person who treated me with the most kindness.

I had always thought of her as the purest, most selfless soul—someone who had devoted herself entirely to the family while showing only coldness to outsiders.

I reflected on Yael's chaotic nature, the tangled affairs between Taylor and Whitney, Amber's mental collapse at Dominic's hands, and even Wisteria's transformation into someone unrecognizable.

It all traced back to Grandma's influence on the Carlyns. Could I really claim to be blameless? Wasn't the entire Carlyn family equally guilty?

The Sanders' shadow still loomed over them after all these years.

It seemed as if Grandma thought they should have accepted their fate long ago.

She suggested that if they hadn't resisted, only Mrs. Carlyn Senior would have been the only one to suffer insult. She had already extended mercy to them, and with a little humility, the Carlyns could have healed and moved forward.

But it was their stubbornness, their refusal to let go of old grievances, that had dragged on the curse for three generations.

I could understand her reasoning—survival in a world where only the strong thrive. Everyone was trying to rise higher, but I couldn't quite agree with her way of thinking.

If the Sanders had reached their wealth and power at the expense of others, then I'd rather live in humble circumstances.

Without the hatred that plagued the Carlyns, my brothers would have had bright futures as ordinary men. I wouldn't have met Luke, and I certainly wouldn't be facing such a tragic end.

Maybe in another life, I would have been with Carter instead.

But could I really blame Grandma? We, the ones who had benefited from this situation, were the least qualified to do so.

It was too late now. All the mistakes had been made, and we had to bear the consequences of the Sanders' actions.

Grandma's words only seemed to fuel the Carlyns' anger further.

Dominic's normally gentle face hardened with fury. "So, you want me to thank you for your ‘great kindness'? My sister was ripped from our mother's arms as an infant, denied her milk, and soon after she died. And now you still have the audacity to speak this way? If we show mercy to you, who will show mercy to us?"

His eyes gleamed with cold malice as he stared down Grandma. "Do you want us to leave, or are you planning to wipe us out? You know exactly what you're doing—twisting the truth just to look good in front of your granddaughter. It's disgusting."

The truth didn't matter anymore. The fact was clear: the Sanders owed the Carlyns, and there was no denying it. I couldn't argue with that.

I stepped forward, trying to calm him. "Mr. Carlyn, the Sanders have already wronged you. They've paid the price with three lives. Whitney's been tortured for 20 years, and she's lived a life worse than death. The Sanders are on the brink of collapse, and Greg can barely survive. Isn't that enough punishment?"

I feared that if their anger wasn't quelled, none of us would leave this place alive.

"Enough?" Dominic sneered. "Let the ancestors of the Carlyn family decide. Take them to their graves."

I had known this day would come. The Carlyns would use the Sanders' blood to honor their ancestors.

Grandma and Josh, both struggling to walk, were dragged roughly away by men in black, Josh handled like a limp ragdoll.

I feared Grandma would suffer the same fate, so I quickly crouched in front of her. "Grandma, let me carry you."

"Chloe, I ... " she began, her voice weak.

"Get on my back," I insisted. Despite everything, despite how the Carlyns saw her as a devil, she would always be my Grandma.

There was nothing I could do to undo the past, but I would do what I could for her now.

Grandma had always maintained a slender figure, even in her youth. Despite her age, she was still lean, never carrying much weight.

In recent months, she hadn't gained any—if anything, she had lost some. Even now, as I carried her, she couldn't have weighed more than 80 pounds. It wasn't much for me to manage.

Her voice quivered as she whispered, "Chloe, I'm so sorry."