Chapter 451: Nothing to Do With the Sanders

“No chip?” I stared at him, stunned. “You lied to all of us?”

Taylor’s gaze shifted to Whitney. She lay on the ground, her wedding dress soaked in blood, the diamonds sparkling in the sunlight. She looked like an angel cast into the mud—so pure, yet irreparably stained.

His voice softened. “How could I risk implanting something so dangerous into her?”

It made sense. The chip was controlled by an organization, and if he had implanted it, anyone could easily harm Whitney. He would never endanger her life that way. Slowly, he walked over and gently lifted her from the ground. His hands were tender, as though she were a delicate treasure he feared to damage. Watching him, my heart ached. What truly was the truth?

I recalled hiding in the closet at Yael’s birthday party. Maybe Taylor had known I was there. That was why he had slept with Whitney in front of me, then taken her to the bathroom, deliberately creating an opening for me to leave. And at the funeral home, he’d made sure to have that intimate moment with Whitney in the car, almost as if to remind me of his villainous side and push me away. Then there was the time Yael had disguised me as a mute servant, and Taylor had acted like he didn’t know me. He had purposely spared me, again and again.

In the past, I avoided him at all costs, but now, I could understand his position a little better. He wanted to protect Whitney and his brother. He couldn’t defy his father’s wishes for revenge, even if it meant becoming the villain and getting his hands dirty. He was only a few years younger than Carter, in his twenties—the age when most people live recklessly. But he had been bound by hatred, unable to escape, forced to keep moving forward. Yet, this man loved Whitney with all his heart.

He whispered something to someone, then carefully carried Whitney away. As I watched them walk away, a wave of sorrow washed over me. Maybe he really did want to marry Whitney. Without a certificate, he probably still dreamed of a beautiful wedding, of fulfilling a wish he had long held. But fate is like a massive web God lays out in advance. No matter how carefully we try to avoid it, we all get caught, and no one escapes. Without all the hatred, they could have been perfect for each other.

Chapter 457: Nothing to Do With the Sanders

I held Grandma’s body, gently touching the wound on her head and wiping away the blood.

For Grandma, this might have been the best outcome; she had been so loyal to the Sanders. Despite being such a strong, determined woman, she had spent the last six months bedridden. Compared to others, she had suffered less, and in her own way, she had been lucky, especially since she had been the one to start it all.

I ran my fingers along her cheek. “Grandma, rest in peace.” This was the day I had been waiting for, and now it was here.

Greg knelt by her side, wanting to say something but looking helpless. The words he had spoken earlier came from thinking he was dying—believing he could speak his truth. Now, seeing the madness of the Carlyns, he understood the helplessness I had felt. No apology could undo the pain I had experienced.

“Chloe,” he whispered, his voice shaky.

I responded calmly, “It will be difficult to bring Grandma back to our homeland. We may have to cremate her here and take her ashes to be buried in our family cemetery.”

He nodded, understanding there was no other option. The fact that he was still alive was already a blessing.

When Kate saw that Josh had been treated, she sighed in relief and approached me. With the Carlyns gone, she finally found the courage to speak. “Chloe, I’m sorry. I…”

I looked at her tired face and asked softly, “If you truly loved me, how could you not recognize me?”

Kate froze, clearly not expecting such a response. Zoey had looked so much like me, yet not one person in my family had recognized me. How ironic. Carter had initially mistaken me for Zoey and treated me coldly, but within three days, he had noticed the subtle differences in my habits and figured out who I really was.

The Sanders family? If Wisteria hadn’t revealed the truth today, they would still see me as the villain. If Philippa and Bill hadn’t recognized their own daughter immediately, I wouldn’t feel so wronged. Comparison was the worst thing. That was the deepest wound in my heart.

Greg also seemed deeply ashamed, unsure of what to say.

I spoke softly, “You blame me for not saving Ethan and Jake, but at the time, I had no idea who the killer was. How could I have avoided the danger? On the day you lost control of the brakes, you got a phone call and turned the car around. Do you know who that call was from?”

“Honestly, I didn’t seek revenge for your cruelty. I even saved your family when I could. I don’t owe the Sanders anything anymore.”

“Chloe, I know I was wrong. Please forgive me.”

Kate grabbed my hand, tears falling from her eyes. “I’m impulsive. I never think things through. After some provocation, I forget how good you are. Please, give me another chance.”

I gently pulled my hand away. “You know, I truly did hope for this. Though I hated all of you, I still hoped you’d find my body sooner, uncover Wisteria’s true nature, regret how you treated me, and restore my reputation. But during that month as a spirit, I saw through everyone. Not every apology deserves an ‘It’s okay.’”

“Today, I’m no longer the Chloe I once was. I can’t forgive you. You gave me life and raised me, but I’ve already repaid you for that. Now that Grandma, the link I had to the Sanders, is gone, once we send her back for burial, we’ll be completely cut off.”

“From this moment forward, the past is behind us. I have no ties to the Sanders anymore!”