Chapter 433 Want to Have a Child with You

The pain I had buried deep for so long surged uncontrollably, and the tears I hadn’t shed as a spirit came pouring out now. Only Carter truly understood the weight of my sorrow, the depth of my loss, and my lingering bitterness. No matter how kind Bill and Philippa were to me, they could never replace the parents who raised me. Instead, their warmth only deepened the hurt, reminding me of the parents who had abandoned me repeatedly. I sank to the floor from Carter’s arms, covering my face as sobs shook my body.

“Why? Why do they treat me like this when I’ve endured so much pain? What did I ever do to deserve this?”

“You’ve done nothing wrong, silly girl,” Carter said softly, crouching beside me and pulling my head to his chest. “It’s their blindness and foolishness—that’s where the blame lies.”

His voice was filled with regret. “Chloe, I’m sorry I couldn’t protect you in our previous life. I failed you, and you suffered because of it. But I swear, in this life, I won’t let anyone harm you.”

“I know you’re good to me,” I whispered, but his words brought me no comfort. Even though I claimed not to care about the Sanders anymore, fear still gripped me. I dreaded the moment of truth—the day they might look at me with hatred and disdain, just as they always had. That fear was why I kept my true identity hidden. But when the truth was finally revealed, it shattered the last fragile hope I’d clung to. They didn’t love me. They never had.

I tried to convince myself. “I have you. That’s enough. They don’t matter anymore.”

“Silly girl,” Carter murmured, lifting me from the floor and settling me onto the bed. He gently wiped the tears from my cheeks. “I spoke to Aunt Amber. She’s not involved in the Sanders’ troubles.”

I blinked in surprise. “She isn’t?”

“No. She holds no grudge against the Sanders. The Carlyns, on the other hand, have every reason to hate them. When Wisteria’s father was only two, they tried to intervene in a violent incident but were too late. Wisteria’s grandfather was beaten to death, and her grandmother fled into the crowd with her father, only for his leg to be broken. Her grandmother died shortly after, and her father never fully recovered. Wisteria’s hatred grew from witnessing his pain. She only got involved in the plan after learning the truth.”

“So, Wisteria’s father orchestrated the revenge on the Sanders?” I asked hesitantly.

“Yes, along with other elders of the Carlyns. The younger generation, including Wisteria, simply carried out the plan.”

The Sanders had inflicted so much suffering on the Carlyns, which explained Wisteria’s cruelty. I had called her heartless before, but now I realized she was a product of her family’s darkness. Every time she saw her father’s limp, it must have reminded her of the Sanders’ cruelty.

“Did the Carlyns and Boltons team up? Is Aunt Amber Lady Rose?”

“She’s never shared the details of the organization’s workings,” Carter replied. “But she did tell me stories about my mother’s younger years.”

It seemed that Amber, much like Silas, wasn’t the one orchestrating everything. Someone else higher up was manipulating the entire situation, using her as a mere piece in their elaborate scheme.

“How did your mother die? And if your father and his first wife were so deeply in love, then how do you even exist?” I blurted out, disregarding whether the question was rude or not. There were too many unanswered questions, and I needed clarity.

“My father never cared for my mother,” Carter began. “According to Aunt Amber, my mother fell hopelessly in love with a man 30 years older than her.”

I couldn’t hide my shock.

“When my father lost his wife at an early age, he never married again. Instead, he focused all his efforts on his work. He was a powerful and captivating man, admired by many young women. When he saved my mother by chance, she fell deeply in love with him. She pursued him relentlessly, despite the age gap. Eventually, an accident led to my birth.

“My father, however, never accepted my mother. Worn out of unrequited love, she left without telling him about her pregnancy. She was a proud woman who chose to keep her struggles to herself. When I was little, our house caught fire, and my father discovered us. He only brought me back.

“I guess, being the child of a woman he didn’t love, he couldn’t bring himself to care for me either. I never felt his affection. Later, when I moved to Jaford, Aunt Amber treated me kindly out of respect for my mother.”

Carter’s biological mother and Jeffrey seemed to have a complicated and bitter relationship.

“So, what’s the story between Aunt Amber and her husband?”

“Her love life was completely different from my mother’s. Her husband fell for her instantly and relentlessly pursued her. When she rejected him, he resorted to extreme measures, taking her home against her will and keeping her captive. He thought children would bind her to him, but instead, she grew to despise both him and their kids. It wasn’t until his sudden death in an accident that she finally gained her freedom. Otherwise, she would have taken me away long ago.”

As I listened, I couldn’t help but notice how the twin sisters’ love lives were opposites. It was clear why Amber didn’t show affection for Taylor and Yael. Perhaps it wasn’t that she couldn’t love them, but that she was too afraid to. She had no feelings for her husband and didn’t want the children to become a weight in her life. That was why she called Yael a little monster and hurt her sons—to hurt their father even more.

In this tangled web of emotions, it was hard to determine who was right or wrong. As an outsider, I could only observe.

“Aunt Amber has assured me that after the wedding, your sister will be allowed to leave. They share a similar background, so she has never wished harm upon Whitney.”

Carter’s words left me feeling adrift. What was real, and what was false in this world? The people I once saw as villains were good-hearted and filled with hope. What had driven them to become so twisted? Those I believed to be good turned out to be the ones who tore families apart.

Was it the Carlyns’ fault or the Sanders’? The grievances between them were like an endless knot, impossible to untangle. But caught in the middle was Whitney, the one who bore the most pain.

I sighed softly. “Carl, thank goodness I have you. Let’s take Whitney back to Snowville. That’s her home. Maybe she’ll find happiness away from Taylor.”

“Alright, I’ll do as you say. I’ve already started investigating Wisteria’s whereabouts. She’s the greatest threat to you. Once she’s taken care of, you’ll be safe.”

Carter’s affectionate gaze assured me he was the one I could rely on most. I wrapped my arms around his neck and whispered against his lips, “Carl, I want us to have a child together.”

If something ever happened to me, I wanted to leave behind a part of us—someone to keep him from making any reckless decisions.

“Chloe, we might not have children,” he said hesitantly.

I slid my hand beneath his pajamas, feeling his breathing quicken. “How can we be sure if we don’t try?” I murmured close to his ear.

I believed that if we had children, they would love me just as Carter did. They would never be as cold-hearted as those who had betrayed me. Pressing closer, I nuzzled him affectionately. “Carl, no precautions tonight!”

His eyes softened, and he spoke tenderly, “Alright, I’ll make sure you get pregnant. Then we’ll plan the most beautiful wedding.”