Chapter 197: Luke, Chloe’s Back
“Chloe, don’t worry!”
Perhaps because he’d seen my reaction, Luke quickly stopped the car. It had barely stopped before I flung the door open and ran. When did this lunatic manage to get rid of my driver? My biggest worry had come true. Luke had guessed. Without personal experience, who would consider the possibility of rebirth?
Luke closed the car door and ran after me. It felt like a predator was on my heels.
After all, Luke had been acting strangely recently. No one knew what someone driven to the point of madness was capable of.
“Get lost. If you come any closer, I’ll call the police.”
“Chloe, stop. I won’t hurt you. I just want to talk to you away from the Bolton Residence.”
Luke stood at the alley entrance, a humble expression on his face. It made sense now. Several times, I’d felt Luke was holding something back at the Bolton Residence. Carter was now the head of the family, so Luke likely wanted to avoid letting him know.
I gripped my phone. I’d already dialed emergency services; any further move from him would result in an immediate call.
“I won’t run, but you have to tell me why you called me Chloe,” I said. There was no way I would admit to being Chloe Sander.
Luke looked at me helplessly, a smile playing on his lips. “Chloe, are you still holding it against me? We’ve known each other for twenty years. I met you when you were eight. Did you think I wouldn’t recognize my own wife?”
It was disgusting, the way he looked at me so affectionately.
“Wife? Luke, what happened? Chloe passed away over a month ago, and her body hasn’t even been found. Why are you saying this nonsense to me?”
“Chloe, stop pretending. I looked into Zoey Gardner. Her lifestyle, personality, and even her clothing are completely different from yours!”
I spoke indifferently. “When in Rome, do as the Romans do. Of course, I have to change—after getting married. I liked sweets and disliked spicy food when I was younger. Now, I like flavorful Cajun dishes. Of course, everyone changes over the years!”
Luke took a step forward. “As far as I know, before all this, Zoey loved Ashley deeply and wasn’t willing to marry Uncle Carter. It’s almost like she became a completely different person after she slit her wrists.”
I let out a cold laugh. “That’s your reason for such an absurd theory? Anyone on the brink of death might have a change of perspective. That reminds me, I didn’t try to kill myself because of someone like Ashley. I felt sorrow because of injustice from the Gardners; I decided to marry Carter after he saved me.”
“Chloe, don’t lie to me. You didn’t marry Uncle Carter because you loved him. You just wanted to marry into the Boltons and take revenge on me and Anna! That’s why you signed your marriage papers so quickly, without even having a wedding, and moved right into the Bolton Residence. You have other intentions!”
Did this idiot hit his head and suddenly become intelligent?
Luke continued, “If you married Uncle Carter out of gratitude, why do you harbor so much animosity toward me, Anna, and the rest of the Sanders? After reading that journal, I finally understood that we treated you poorly all these years. Chloe…” Luke’s eyes turned red, his voice choked. “Chloe, I didn’t know you were carrying such a burden. Our child… I visited the grave you set up for Joy. You must have been devastated lying on the operating table alone. I’m sorry, I do love you. It’s just that after so many years, the passion faded, and I treated you like family. When Anna seduced me, I was possessed by this new excitement. That’s why I neglected your feelings.”
The mention of Joy struck me hard. I lowered my head, clenching my fists.
How dare he mention Joy in front of me?
My gaze lowered. I spoke coldly, “Isn’t the person who killed Joy none other than you, the so-called father?”
Luke froze, probably surprised by my admission. Maybe he’d been testing me, or maybe he’d truly recognized me. I knew that if I couldn’t use this fool, he’d become the most uncontrollable element in my plan. Instead of letting him be sucked into Anna’s plan, I had to act first to control him. Since Anna loved him, I would turn him into my deadliest weapon to crush her. If I didn’t explain everything today, he might do something unpredictable to prove his point. It would be troublesome if Anna found out.
“You were the one who pushed me in the café, causing the miscarriage. When you left with Ama in your arms, if you had even turned to look at me once, you would have seen me bleeding. But you didn’t. You didn’t even spare me a glance!”
Luke stared at me. His eyes were red, filled with delight and disbelief. His voice shook as he spoke, “Chloe, it’s really you?”
I dropped the act. Surrounded by heavy snow, I stood straight, looking at Luke coldly, enunciating each word: “Luke Bolton, Chloe Sander is back.”