Chapter 276: I’m Back

I wasn’t trying to provoke her, but the situation unfolded exactly as it had before. This time, however, she lay on the ground, bleeding and pleading for mercy. I stood above her, watching intently. My expression wasn't nearly as arrogant as hers had been. When I was bleeding on the ground, she mocked me coldly, trying to stop me from crawling away.

“Baby! My baby! Zoey, please save my child!”

Her voice pulled me back to the present, and I quickly pressed the emergency button. Medical staff arrived promptly to help her. Josh had already left; her brothers still had to deal with the massive trouble she had caused.

At this moment, there was no one by her side. I watched as they wheeled her into the emergency room, leaving bloodstains on the hospital floor. My hand instinctively moved to my stomach, and I couldn’t stop thinking about the day I lost my child.

“Zoey,” a familiar voice called out, pulling me from my thoughts. I looked up. Carter gently brushed against my cheek, his thumb softly wiping away my tears. I finally realized I had been crouching next to the bloodstains, crying, lost in thought for what felt like an eternity.

“I–I’m fine,” I stammered, rising to wipe my face frantically.

“Let’s go. Staying here will only attract attention.”

“Okay,” I followed him out, dazed and confused.

Carter attempted to calm my troubled mind in the car. He said, “I’ve made arrangements at the hospital. The Sanders weren’t looking after her properly. Perhaps someone from her organization will reach out to her. As for Silas, he just came out of surgery; I sent him back to the estate under Luke’s name. He’s still under anesthesia, so we can’t get any answers from him just yet.”

“Okay.” I nodded, my mind swirling with chaos.

As we passed a flower shop, I suddenly shouted, “Stop!” Startled, Carter quickly pulled over. I rushed out of the car to buy a bouquet and said, “Carter, I want to visit Joy.”

“Okay, I’ll go with you.”

According to tradition, a small fetus is not buried, especially not one lost through miscarriage. However, I still created an empty grave for little Joy, to ensure it had a place to call home.

I stood before the dark tombstone, small, incomplete, and devoid of a photo. The hospital performed countless miscarriages every day, and no one would remember it, except for me; I would never forget that it had once existed in this world.

“It’s my fault for not protecting it well enough. If I had been stronger, if I hadn’t let Anna’s words affect me, maybe it…”

“Chloe.” Carter’s voice interrupted softly. “There’s no such thing as ‘what if.’ Don’t be sad. Joy is watching over you from heaven. The baby knows how much you loved him, how much you hoped for him to come into this world. He’ll be watching over you, helping you find the real culprit, and getting revenge—for himself and for you.”

I threw myself into Carter’s arms, tears streaming down my face. “Thank goodness! I’m so lucky to have you.” The wind howled, but Carter’s embrace shielded me from the storm.

We were getting closer to the truth, yet there was no relief in my heart—only a sense of melancholy.

“Don’t be afraid. I’ll be with you. Always,” he whispered.

“Mm.” I leaned into him, letting my tears soak into his chest. He gently brushed my hair.

“Stop crying,” he said, his voice tender. “My heart is a mess with you crying.”

I nodded through my sobs. When I had calmed down a little, Carter looked at the tombstone and spoke softly, “Don’t worry. I’ll take good care of your mother.”

Maybe others would think I was overreacting, but after all, that tiny life had once been a part of me. How could I not care? Carter didn’t think I was crazy. He respected me, and he acknowledged Joy. With a husband like him, what could I possibly complain about?

On our way back, Carter received a call.

“From the hospital?” I asked.

He looked at me, his expression troubled. “Yes. Anna’s child; it’s been stabilized for now.”

“Mm.” I remained calm. “I’m not heartless enough to wish harm on a child. I’m not like Anna. If it survives, it survives. Whether it’s Luke’s or Silas’s child, it’s innocent.”

“Then, do you care whose child it is?”

I shook my head and said, “No matter whose child it is, it’s a tragedy. The fact that it might live to be born is already a miracle.”

Obediently, I leaned into his embrace. If it weren’t for the danger still looming over me, if the organization hadn’t been uncovered, we would really want to have a child with Carter. If I could bring new life into this world, I would cherish this child with all my heart. But I also feared that if I wasn’t fully out of danger, I might drag this child into the mess. Carter knew my thoughts, and he would make sure to take all the necessary precautions. He really was a wonderful husband—he had been through the rain himself and now wanted to protect others.

When we returned to the Boltons, we hadn’t yet had time to see Silas before Jeffrey summoned us to his study. He already knew about the incident at the wedding; his face was grim with anger, clearly having been upset all afternoon.

“I thought Anna was just a little troublesome, but I never imagined she would cause such a mess.”

I poured him a glass of water and said, “Don’t be mad. It’s a done deal. We’ll know the results in seven days.”

Jeffrey furrowed his brow and said, “If it’s not Luke’s child, we need to cut ties with this woman. Just thinking about her living here all these years makes me sick. Oh, one more thing: have someone clean out her room.”

“Okay.”

After leaving Jeffrey’s room, I followed Damian to the backyard. I always knew the estate was massive, but I hadn’t realized there was a small, hidden room in the tool shed.

“Mrs. Zoey, this was originally a servant’s room. Silas is healing here now. Cameras cover the entire place, so rest assured. He can’t escape.”

“Mm.”

When I arrived, Luke was already there. He was smoking but quickly put out his cigarette when he saw me. I looked at the single wooden bed, where Silas, a big man, was lying.

“He’s awake,” Luke said. “But no matter how we question him, he won’t speak. The anesthesia is wearing off, and he hasn’t made a sound.”

At first glance, you could tell he was clearly a tough man. His voice was rough, possibly from past injuries. Maybe, like Anna, he had a tragic history, which was why he was so resilient. Even with serious wounds, he didn’t utter a sound. Trying to pressure him with force wouldn’t be effective. He had that “do-whatever-you-want-to-me” attitude, ready to accept whatever fate came his way.

I spoke up. “I just came from the hospital. Anna lost a lot of blood. She’s in critical care.”

At the mention of Anna, his eyes shot up to me. His rough voice cracked, “Is she okay?”

“Don’t worry. She’s luckier than I was. The child’s been stabilized for now.”

He looked at me, as if trying to make sense of what I had said.

I motioned slightly and said, “Actually, I was once pregnant too. The baby wasn’t fully developed. I was pushed to the ground by my fiancé. While I was in the hospital trying to save the baby, Anna came in to taunt me. That day, I was on the ground, bleeding everywhere, begging her to save my child.”

His pupils dilated suddenly, realization flooding his face. “Y–you’re…”

He couldn’t finish his sentence, his face full of shock as I slowly moved closer to him, my face calm. “Come to think of it, we know each other way back. On my wedding night, by the river, you stabbed me in the back.”

“It’s impossible! You were dead… you…” He stuttered, unable to form a coherent sentence. Silas’ forehead was covered in sweat. I leaned closer to him and said softly, “Silas, I’m back.”

Chapter 277: Ripping Cart