Chapter 414: Come Back to Me

When had he gotten here? It was too late to hide now. I stood up casually, holding the Stone of Duality in my hand. “What’s this?” I mouthed.

When confronted, the best defense isn’t to explain yourself, but to seize the initiative and throw the question back. As expected, Carter’s eyes flickered with a trace of panic when he met my questioning gaze. Using the chance, I pulled out the piece hanging around my neck and fitted it together with the one in my hand. In black and white, the positive and negative teardrop-shaped pieces formed a perfect circle. I grabbed his hand and demanded an explanation. I wondered if he would tell me the truth. After all, in his mind, we had already swapped fates successfully. The eighty-one days of the ritual weren’t up until midnight tonight, so he hadn’t had time to deal with this stone before I confronted him. My gaze grew more suspicious by the second, and finally, he sighed in resignation. “Chloe, I lied to you.”

Was he going to admit it now?

“The Soul-Stabilizing Pendant I gave you wasn’t just one piece,” he said. Feigning confusion, I looked at him, and he continued, “The pendant has two parts.” The moment he mentioned the Soul-Stabilizing Pendant, I knew he wasn’t being honest. He had no intention of telling me the full truth.

“At the time, I didn’t want you to worry, so I didn’t tell you. Besides needing Zoey’s parents’ blood, my own blood was also required. I’ve been hiding this piece of the stone to keep you from finding out. But don’t worry—its purpose was only for the ritual, which lasts for eighty-one days. Now that your soul is stabilized, you don’t need to wear it anymore.”

Liar! Carter, since when were you so skilled at lying? If I hadn’t uncovered your secret, were you planning to keep it from me until the day you died? He had shifted all my misfortunes onto himself in the shadows. Even if fate changed and his death seemed like an accident, no one would ever suspect it was due to these two stones. He intended to keep me in the dark forever, so I could live on without burden. One day, I would move on from the pain of losing him, get married, and have children. I’ll grow old with my family surrounding me and live a long, carefree life until the end of my days. Meanwhile, his mission would be complete, leaving behind only a lonely grave before he reincarnated. Carter, what a meticulous plan you’ve crafted!

I threw myself into his arms; my sorrow was misinterpreted as believing his lie about the Soul-Stabilizing Pendant. He gently stroked the back of my head. “It’s okay. It’s just a few drops of blood every few days—it’s not painful.” Thinking of everything he had silently done for me while still trying to comfort me, my chest tightened with an unbearable ache, as though tiny silver needles were pricking my heart. Gripping the fabric of his shirt tightly, I let my tears soak into his collar. Carter wiped them away tenderly. “Don’t cry. I’m your husband—it’s my duty to protect you.”

Just then, the sound of the iron gate opening broke the moment. He smiled at me. “That must be the doctor. If they see you like this, they’ll think I bullied you.” Sniffling, I used my sleeve to wipe my tears. No matter which lifetime it was, he always treated me with such gentleness. I was such a fool! How could I forget about him and date Luke? I had wasted twenty years for good!

The doctor who entered was a stranger to me. He was a tall man in a white coat, with a quality black shirt peeking out beneath it. He had a high nose bridge and wore silver-framed glasses. He extended his hand to greet me. “Hello, I’m Matthew Quigley.” Aside from the suited man I had seen before, this was another of Carter’s close friends. I forced a smile and shook his hand, then pointed at my throat apologetically. “I understand,” he replied, his voice calm. “Carter’s already explained the situation.” He carried a medical kit into the living room, and the matter of the Stone of Duality was left unresolved. Matthew took out a high-definition electronic laryngoscope. “Don’t worry. Just follow my instructions.” I nodded.

Once the examination was over, Carter asked, “What’s causing her inability to speak?” Matthew explained seriously, “It’s not congenital or due to physical overexertion. I checked her vocal cords carefully. There’s only one explanation. The drug she was given affected her central nervous system, disrupting her speech center.”

“How can it be treated?” Carter asked, frowning deeply.

“I’ve prepared some medicine, but the drug she was given is a rare, illegal compound. Be prepared—it might not be effective.” Carter’s brows furrowed further. “I heard the drug only lasts seven days. Could her voice recover after that?”

“No,” Matthew said. “She’s essentially been poisoned. Without the antidote, the toxins will worsen over time. The person who drugged her implied that if she takes the antidote within seven days, there won’t be any long-term effects. But the longer she waits, the higher the chances of permanent damage—even complete loss of speech.”

This result wasn’t surprising—it fit Yael’s methods perfectly. Taylor used chips and chains to trap Whitney, while Yael used poison to control me. He hadn’t told Amber I was alive because he already knew I’d have to beg him for the antidote to regain my voice. He was waiting for me to give in and come to him.

“That bastard!” Carter growled.

I grabbed his hand, shaking my head. Even without the antidote, I could still stay by his side. At worst, I’d never speak again. In the suffocating silence, Matthew broke the tension. “Don’t worry—we’ll find a solution. Let’s try the medicine for now.”

“Thank you,” Carter replied.

Leaving the medicine behind, Matthew soon took his leave. I swallowed the pills he gave me. Unlike Yael’s antidote, which restored my voice almost immediately, these didn’t seem to have an effect. After some time, I tried to speak again.

“How is it?” Carter asked, watching me closely. I opened my mouth but still couldn’t make a sound. Seeing the disappointment in his eyes, I quickly gestured. It’s okay. Talking isn’t important.

His phone buzzed, breaking the silence. I glanced at the screen and saw a number from Jaford. This was his private phone; it wouldn’t be spam. He answered, and a familiar voice came through. “Mr. Bolton, good day.”

Carter’s expression darkened. “Yael!”

Through the phone, I could practically see Yael’s smug smile as his voice rang out.

“It’s an honor to be remembered by you, Mr. Bolton,” he said cheerfully. Then, with chilling sweetness, he added, “I assume you’ve had Chloe examined by now. The drug we used is our own creation. Only I have the antidote.”

Snatching the phone from Carter, I banged on it angrily to express my outrage. Yael, ever clever, caught on immediately. “Chloe, I knew you’d be listening. I imagine you’d like to say something. But even if you don’t, that’s fine. Ah, Chloe, one more thing. Did I forget to mention? The poison worsens every seven days. At first, it’s just your voice, but if left untreated, it’ll affect your central nervous system entirely. Have you considered what that might entail?” His tone dripped with malice as he spelled it out: “Paralysis. Memory loss. Brain disorders. Loss of bodily control… Maybe even incontinence.”

“Chloe,” he said with eerie gentleness, “I can give you the antidote and let bygones be bygones. So, why don’t you be a good girl and come back to me?”