Chapter 306: Cooperation Request

Carter had hoped to wait for the enemy to move, but things proved far more complicated than imagined. Silas, willing to go to extremes—even suicide—to protect his secret, had pushed Carter's patience to its limit. The Boltons' involvement only exacerbated the situation. Each passing day brought more chaos and loss.

Silas had been the only son of Carter's sister-in-law, a burden Carter carried silently. From the operating room, Anna's cries pierced the air. The procedure, endured without anesthesia, was agonizing. But it wasn't just the physical pain; the emotional torment consumed her. In one night, she had lost the love of her life and her child. Her cries eventually ceased. The doctors departed, and Anna was taken to her room.

Finding her lying in bed, her face drained of color, I was struck by her fragility. She resembled a porcelain doll on the verge of shattering. Despite knowing her past actions, I saw something else in her then—myself, the version of me who had lost everything. Her eyes were empty, her gaze fixed on nothing. Without her child, she held no value for the Boltons, yet they wouldn't release her. She knew Silas's secret, and they intended to exploit her.

I placed a bowl of chicken soup on her bedside table. Initially, after my rebirth, revenge consumed me. I wanted her to suffer, to feel my pain. But now, after everything, I had changed. My expression remained steady, unreadable. She didn't look up when I entered. It was as if she didn't care anymore.

"I heard you haven't eaten," I said, attempting to break the silence. "Drink some soup." Before today, I had viewed Anna as ruthless and cold, but seeing her sacrifice everything for Silas—even her child—revealed her humanity, her vulnerabilities. Instead of forcing answers, a gentler approach seemed necessary. Anna undoubtedly knew much about the organization. For now, I suppressed my hatred and feigned kindness. She didn't react to my voice, staring blankly ahead.

I spoke slowly. "Before Silas bit off his tongue, he left you a message." The mention of Silas snapped her to attention. Her voice, a raspy whisper, asked, "What did he say?"

I glanced at the soup. "Not before you eat." I wasn't sure if Anna had been poisoned, but unlike Silas, she still held value to the organization; they wouldn't likely kill her yet. But with Silas dead, Anna seemed to have lost her will to live. Grief was already evident.

She drank the soup mechanically, setting the bowl aside when finished. "If you're here to watch me suffer, you've seen enough," she said quietly. "I lost. Completely. Zoey, I don't want to fight with you anymore. I just want to know what Silas said."

I looked at her, my expression calm and calculated. "I'll make you a deal. You tell me what your group wants, and I'll tell you what Silas left for you. How does that sound?"

Anna stared at me, her eyes serious. "I don't have any big plans. Meeting Silas was an accident. He saved me, and I'm grateful."

"Grateful enough to carry his child and claim it was Luke's?" I raised an eyebrow. "Ms. Sander, do you need a reminder of how you ruined Luke's marriage? Do you think that story holds up?"

Anna bit her lip, looking down. "That's the truth. If you don't believe it, that's on you."

"You don't have a shield anymore," I said gently. "The Boltons won't be as lenient as I am. Silas was their heir apparent. His death won't be forgiven easily. You can't claim ignorance and think it'll end there."

I sighed. "Honestly, I used to hate you. Sadie took my ex-boyfriend, and when I found out what you and Luke did to Chloe, that's when I really began to hate you. I thought you both betrayed her, and I wanted you to pay for it. That's why I helped the doctor clear Chloe's name at the art competition."

"But now, you seem pitiful. I may not have a child, but I can imagine the pain. The way you look at Silas tells me he was the one you truly loved. Losing your lover and child… as a woman, I understand your…"

"I'm asking you on behalf of the Boltons. If you don't speak now, when they come, you won't have any choice. With me, at least you can make a deal."

Anna's gaze met mine, and she saw the pity in my eyes. Her face was torn. She wanted to know what Silas said, but revealing the truth might cost her everything. I wasn't in a rush, waiting for her to decide.

"Zoey, I haven't lied to you. Before, neither Silas nor I knew he was a Bolton. You're right, I loved him."

"Then why get involved with Luke?"

"What difference does it make?" Anna's voice trembled. "Silas came from nothing, and his face was ruined. He didn't deserve someone like me. I wanted to marry Luke. I wanted to be part of the Boltons."

Her words were a mix of truth and lies. It seemed I wouldn't get any more out of her. She wouldn't admit to any murders—not here, not now. I had stumbled upon a crucial piece of the puzzle. Neither Anna nor Silas had known the truth about his identity. That meant Silas had been used all along. He only discovered the truth about himself before his death. By then, it was too late. He couldn't speak, couldn't recognize his father. Even if he hadn't died, the organization had already planned his demise.

If Silas was a Bolton, what did that make Anna? Her own identity seemed equally questionable. Had Carter not discovered the truth by chance, Silas might have died never knowing who he truly was. It was clear now—Silas had been nothing more than a pawn.

As I rose, Anna watched me, her eyes filled with anxiety. "What did he say?"

I stood beside her, looking down. "Silas asked me to tell you he loves you."

Just three words. But the moment they left my lips, Anna's face crumpled, and tears began to fall. "Idiot! That idiot!"

"Anna," I said calmly, "since you and Silas were both played, how about we work together? The one behind all this switched Silas and Luke's identities. Silas was meant to be the Bolton heir, destined for wealth and privilege. If his life hadn't been changed, his face wouldn't have been ruined, and he wouldn't have ended up the way he did."

I leaned in closer, my fingers pressing against the bed's edge, my voice low but insistent. "If Silas had survived, you wouldn't have lost your child. You could have had the life you wanted. Your real enemy isn't us—it's the one pulling the strings from behind the scenes. Anna, let's join forces. Let's get justice for Silas."