Chapter 388: Sinister Heart

A sharp jolt pierced my mind; it felt as if everything had exploded. I quickly pieced it together: Damian had betrayed me.

It all made sense. No wonder Carter was in trouble. Instead of immediately retrieving him or sending me to find him, Damian insisted on a detour to get me. Perhaps, from the outset, he planned to eliminate me.

Maybe Carter faced a life-threatening situation. Damian likely worried Carter wouldn't take a sedative, so he ensured my safety by sending me to the hotel.

Damian was Carter's closest ally, completely trusted, given control over his will and assets. Carter had no reason to doubt him. But we missed a key detail: Damian was also a Dolton.

That's when it clicked. The Doltons hadn't intended to harm Carter. When Carter was injured, the Doltons sent Damian to protect him. He stood by Carter, forming a deep bond. Damian became Carter's right-hand man, concealing my rebirth from the Doltons. Carter, determined to change my fate, even prepared for his own death, willing to remove all obstacles in my path. His plan was to take down the Carlyn brothers and save Whitney.

Simultaneously, Amber must have recognized me as Chloe when she saw the Stone of Duality around my neck. She likely shared this information with the Carlyn brothers. To prevent Carter from changing my fate, Damian handed me over to them. His plan was simple—he needed me dead before the Stone of Duality could work. As long as I was gone, Carter would live.

Now, it made sense why I heard a voice say, "I'm sorry, ma'am," just before losing consciousness. At the time, I was so dizzy that I dismissed it as a hallucination.

What should I do with you, Damian? A bitter laugh escaped me. I'd already understood Carter's plan, but you pushed me toward death. Fate. That's what this was, wasn't it? No one could predict what would happen next.

Should I be angry at Damian? He had, after all, tried to protect me in his own way. But the truth was, the heart is never a simple affair. He had his reasons and people he cared about.

Now that I understood, an unexpected calm washed over me. The earlier fear stemmed from the unknown. Now, with most of the truth revealed, there was no reason to maintain the pretense. My hands weren't tied, and I slowly sat up.

"You know everything now."

Yael studied me, his eyes showing surprise. "So, you're not scared? I figured you would be."

"I probably should be," I replied. "But now it feels like the weight has finally lifted. It's almost a relief."

I met his eyes directly. "Yael, are you planning to make a statue out of me?"

My calmness seemed to surprise him. He chuckled softly. "What led you to that conclusion?"

I couldn't help but feel a little crazy myself. Just a moment ago, I'd been afraid he'd discover my secret, careful with every move. But now, with everything out in the open, it was like I was going all in, without caring about the consequences.

"Are the stone sculptures in the matrimonial room and the wax figures in the basement your doing?" I asked.

"Yes," he replied, without hesitation.

I hadn't expected him to be so straightforward. His bluntness took me by surprise. My stomach growled loudly, breaking the silence. I looked at him and said, "I haven't eaten since yesterday afternoon. Do you have anything?"

Since he hadn't killed me while I was unconscious, I figured I was safe, at least for the moment. The last thing I wanted was to be hungry during all of this.

"I've got some," he said.

Just like the first time we met, he was eager to help, pulling out bread and milk. I didn't hesitate. At this point, what did it matter? I was already caught, so why worry if he'd drugged it? Food was my priority.

I bit into a piece of cake too quickly and nearly choked on it. He quickly handed me a straw. "Slow down."

After a few bites, I felt a little stronger. I decided to keep going. "Why are you so obsessed with one? One statue wasn't enough; you needed a wax figure too. Are you in love with me?"

The corner of Yael's mouth twitched. "I thought I was the one with the issues. Are you really going to discuss your dismemberment in the middle of a meal?"

I stared out the window at the empty, barren landscape, letting out a soft sigh. "Honestly, I wasn't always like this, some twisted person. It's all because of you. Back then, I was on edge every single day. But now, with everything in your hands, I'm not as frantic."

It felt as if the idea of fate had finally taken root in my mind. A voice, faint but clear, echoed inside me: There's no way out. You're going to die.

The car was quiet, with only the occasional rustling of the bag in my hands breaking the stillness. Just as I thought the silence would stretch on forever, he spoke. "Yes, I like you."