Chapter 373: It’s Impossible For You Two

I don’t know how long Tiffany had been watching, but I hoped she’d come to her senses and stop repeating her mistakes. I’d already paid a heavy price—my life—for an answer. Wasting time on the wrong person only leads to heartbreak, not reciprocated love.

When I looked again, she was gone, swallowed by the crowd. Then, I saw Zoey, of all people, sneaking up on Whitney! Taylor was nearby, his eyes frequently drawn to her. My heart pounded in fear.

Zoey had learned of Whitney’s situation from me, but the Carlyns were dangerous. Even knowing Whitney was my sister, I couldn't be too obvious. She was using her new identity as an excuse. I couldn’t approach them; I was worried Taylor might discover our connection. Nearby, Nina was arguing with Zoey, and Whitney looked lost. Nina had no idea who I was, even less about Zoey’s true identity.

As the argument escalated, Harlan intervened, pulling Zoey away. “What are you doing?” he asked. Zoey quickly fabricated an excuse: “Your friend is bullying Ms. White. I’m just standing up for her!” Harlan gave a nervous smile, apologizing to the Whites. “Sorry, my wife has a bad temper.”

The Whites and Pearsons had a good relationship; they’d once considered arranging a marriage between their families, so no harm was done. James chuckled, saying, “It’s alright. Young people are full of energy. Maybe if Mrs. Pearson spends more time with Nina, they’ll become friends instead of enemies.”

“Sure, Mr. James, I’ll visit more often to hang out with my sister!” Zoey said, brimming with excitement. “Who’s your sister? That’s disgusting!” Nina scoffed.

I gripped my fork tightly. Zoey was an idiot. She knew I had no reason to approach Whitney, so she was using Nina to get closer. And I couldn’t drag her into this mess. If anything happened to her, how could I explain it to Mom?

Fearing Zoey might expose my identity, I quickly left with Carter. Outside, the air was quiet, but I heard sobbing in the distance—Tiffany crying, “I like Carter! I always thought if I waited long enough, he’d notice me, but he married that substitute! Aunt, help me, please!”

I glanced over. The woman standing next to Tiffany in the gazebo had her back to me. She wore a black gown with large red roses. Her hair was pinned up with a crystal hairpin. She had a graceful figure; from behind, she looked like a young woman in her late twenties or early thirties. But since Zoey called her aunt, she was clearly much older.

The woman didn’t speak. She gently wiped Tiffany’s tears before sighing, “I’ve told you before, it’s never going to happen between you two.”

“Why not? What makes me any worse than that fake?” Zoey began, but stopped when she saw me wheeling Carter away. She grabbed the woman’s hand and quickly left.

Carter and I returned to the car. I couldn’t stop thinking about that woman. “Carter, what’s your relationship with the Doltons?” I asked.

He took my hand and began to explain. “Years ago, when I left Snowville and moved to another country to build a career, my leg wasn’t fully healed. I got caught up in a project that threatened the local mafia’s interests. They took advantage of me when I was delirious and threw me into the sea. It was Tiffany’s father who saved me.”

“The Doltons are just an ordinary family in Jaford. Not rich, but well-off enough. I’m grateful to her father for saving me, and from then on, we kept in touch. That’s how I got to know Tiffany. She’s been chasing me for years.”

“How did she know I was the one you liked?” I asked, smiling playfully.

Carter’s ears turned pink. “I didn’t hide it. When I was abroad, I didn’t care. My phone’s screensaver was your picture, and I kept a photo of you in my wallet. Even…”

I grinned mischievously. “You didn’t leave traces of me everywhere?”

“Yep,” he admitted, and I laughed. No wonder; anyone close to him would have figured it out. But the Doltons were too distant to know.

“Have you met this aunt of hers?” I asked, puzzled.

“I’ve met her. She’s nice. Every time I visited their family house, she’d cook my favorite dishes,” he explained.

“Is she married?”

Carter shook his head. “From what I know, she’s divorced and doesn’t have kids. She visits her family house a lot. Why are you asking about her?”

“Oh, I just thought she had a sexy figure…”

Carter clearly didn’t accept that, keeping his gaze fixed on me. I laughed. “Alright, it’s just that when I saw them sneaking away after seeing us, I found it strange. You heard it too, right? Tiffany still targets me.”

“Chloe, I swear, I have nothing to do with her,” Carter reassured me.

“I know. How could I not trust you, Carter? How about we visit this benefactor of yours sometime?”

Carter gently tapped my nose. “Sure, anything you want, as long as you never doubt my feelings for you.”

I rested my head against his chest, smiling. Marriage should be built on trust. But for some reason, thinking of that woman who hadn’t even turned around, I felt something strange in my heart. Why had Tiffany asked for her help? Her tone didn’t sound like a young girl asking for advice; it sounded more like a defeated villain looking for backup. But Carter had said the Doltons saved his life, and they were decent people. Could I be overthinking this?

When we got home, Carter noticed I was upset. “What’s on your mind?” he asked. I knew how important the Doltons were to him, so I didn’t want to mention my unfounded suspicions. As I put the stone around my neck, I answered, “Nothing. I’m just a little tired.”

“Let me give you a massage?” he offered, his hands slipping under my dress, his breath growing heavier. “Chloe, you look lovely today.”

I responded, “Carter…”

We were in perfect harmony, lost in our emotions, when Zoey’s voice cut through the air. “Sis, I need to talk to you. Urghh!!! What are you two doing?”

Carter’s face darkened. In one swift motion, he pulled his jacket around me. I had never seen him so angry with Zoey. He reminded her, “Mrs. Pearson, this is my house.”

Zoey spoke with guilt, “I—I just came to… see Chloe… I didn’t expect you two to be so eager.”

“Don’t you have your own place?” Carter snapped, pulling out his phone and yelling at Harlan. “I am not concerned with your location; you must immediately return your wife to her home.”

A moment later, Harlan appeared in the living room. He looked at me in Carter’s arms and, disheveled, quickly understood the situation. “Sorry, Carter, I’ll take her right now,” he said. He effortlessly tossed Zoey over his shoulder and began to carry her out. Honestly, he didn’t need to carry her like a sack of flour. Zoey struggled, kicking and flailing. “Put me down! Damn you, Harlan, I’m not going home with you!”

“If you’re not coming home with me, where else are you going?” Harlan retorted.

“I still have something important to say to my sister!” Zoey’s voice faded as they disappeared down the hallway.