Chapter 403: Are You Surprised?

Whitney had already handed me her phone. If I used it to contact someone outside, my chances of escape would greatly increase. She clearly wanted me to leave, not to be trapped here like her. Yet, deep down, a part of her still wanted to see me again. Her emotions conflicted throughout the day. I wiped her tears and made a gesture to her: If we leave, we leave together.

“Leave?” She shook her head. “He’ll never let me go. I know too much. Even if I die, it will be by his side.”

As expected, Whitney had completely lost the desire to escape. I shook my head and tried to tell her how beautiful the outside world was…

“Since the world is so wonderful, you shouldn’t stay here with me. Chloe, you must run if you get a chance…”

Whitney was only 25, yet the light in her eyes resembled someone at the end of their life. It shouldn’t be this way. I felt tears of frustration welling up. I wanted to speak, to reason with her, but no words would come. The limitations of my sign language made it impossible to fully convey my thoughts. Finally, I managed to tell her with gestures: I won’t leave you. I’ll protect you. We’ll get out of here together.

Perhaps not wanting to upset me further, she nodded vaguely. I sighed. Her mind was trapped in the confines of the past 20 years. It wasn’t something I could change in a day or two, nor with just a few words. But I could start to show her that life held more than pain.

When I first came back to life, revenge consumed my thoughts. It was Carter who taught me that love still existed in this world, that I hadn’t been abandoned, and that I was still cherished. Whitney, having suffered even more deeply, needed time and warmth to rediscover hope.

“By the way, Chloe, you asked me about Amber before, didn’t you?”

I nodded quickly, signaling to her that Amber had tried to kill me and I wanted to know more about her.

Whitney spoke as she washed up. “She’s Yael and Taylor’s biological mother.”

The answer caught me off guard. I had speculated about Amber’s connection to Carter, wondering what had motivated her to care for him for so many years. But now, learning she was the mother of the Carlyn brothers left me stunned. I recalled Yael’s reaction. He’d never referred to her as “mother” or anything familial; he always called her “that person.” He had once mentioned being abused by his mother. What kind of person was Amber to have treated her sons that way? Even Carter hadn’t uncovered who Amber’s husband was. It turned out she was married to the late patriarch of the Carlyns. Amber’s desire to kill me as a member of the Carlyns made sense, but why would she show such care toward Carter?

Was I imagining things? Or did she have ulterior motives for staying close to him? If she wanted something, surely she would’ve taken it by now. Solving one mystery only seemed to uncover more.

I gestured again, asking Whitney what else she knew about Amber. What kind of person was she in Whitney’s eyes? Whitney paused from brushing her teeth and said, “She’s terrifying.” I had already suspected as much.

“She’s cold toward the Carlyn brothers. It’s probably because of their late father.”

I scribbled a question on the fogged mirror: “Do you know her connection to the Boltons?”

Whitney shook her head. “I don’t know. I didn’t interact with her much. Honestly, even Yael and Taylor rarely see her. They’re both afraid of her. She holds a high-ranking position in that organization. Those secrets are beyond my knowledge.”

Amber was very likely the Lady Rose we’d been investigating. Whitney saw my worried expression and tried to comfort me. “Chloe, be careful. She’ll definitely show up at my wedding with Taylor.”

I nodded. Then, she handed me some toiletries. I didn’t clean my face, but I brushed my teeth and took a quick shower. Dressed in Whitney’s sleepwear, it felt as if we had traveled back in time.

She had stopped sleeping with our parents but would often cling to me. Late at night, she would stand outside my door, clutching a teddy bear. She loved wearing my clothes and jumping out from hidden corners to scare me. Although she wasn’t the smartest of the Sander siblings, she was the most lively and cheerful one. Now, I couldn’t help but sigh looking at her being fragile and timid like a little rabbit.

Since Mute Girl and Whitney weren’t on the best terms, sharing a bed wasn’t an option. I settled for making a floor bed beside hers. Knowing I was nearby, Whitney rested her head on the edge of the bed. She could see me just by looking down. That night, she fell asleep quickly. She knew she wasn’t alone anymore. I couldn’t sleep listening to her even breathing.

Carl, are you okay? His broken, dejected expression before I left haunted me. That night, Whitney didn’t have any nightmares. She slept soundly until morning. When Taylor came in, she was still fast asleep. He glanced at me, and I tactfully left the room. Before I stepped out, I saw him bend down and kiss her forehead. The way he looked at her was full of love. But after hurting Whitney so deeply, did he truly think they had a future together?

The moment I walked out, Yael appeared with breakfast. This time, I wasn’t going to starve myself. Whatever happened next, I needed energy first. As I wiped my mouth, a loud, familiar voice rang out.

“Whitney! Whitney, I’m here to see you again! Are you surprised?”

Turning around, I saw Zoey standing in the courtyard.