Chapter 452: Taylor, I Hope You Rot in Hell!

After everything with the Cailyns, I was beyond exhausted. Wisteria’s death seemed to lift a heavy burden I hadn’t realized was still weighing on me. Now, the only person who truly mattered was Carter. After showering and changing, I found him wrapping up his bandages. Seeing the bandages wrapped tightly around his chest deepened the pain in my heart.

“Carter…”

He reached out, a silent invitation. “Come here.”

I walked over and sat beside him as he pulled me onto his lap, wrapping his arms around me and resting his chin on my shoulder. “Chloe, let me hold you.”

“I’m sorry for worrying you again.” Even though it had only been one day, seeing the brutal violence must have shaken him deeply.

“As long as you’re safe, that’s all I care about.”

“You’re being silly. Dominic never meant to hurt me. It was me who got away without a scratch—you took the knife for me.”

His fingers gently brushed my cheek. “Chloe, the more allies you have, the better your chances. Even Aunt Amber doesn’t share much about that group. But if our fates are linked, if danger comes our way, Dominic and Aunt Amber will protect you.”

“I just don’t want to take chances. I want you to have a safety net.” I knew exactly what he meant.

I sighed, continuing, “The feud with the Carlyns may be over, but the organ trafficking operation is still active. Should we just let them get away with it?”

“Chloe, even if you report it to the police, it won’t make a difference. Dominic isn’t the leader of the whole operation. They’re just part of the Snowville network. These kinds of groups are everywhere. The real power is hidden in the shadows. We don’t even have enough proof to go after the Carlyns. And even if we did, what would we gain? You saw what happened to Sheila and Silas.”

I fell quiet, remembering Sheila’s tragic end. The thought of Amber potentially facing the same fate was unbearable. But even if they were gone, it wouldn’t stop the bosses from making money. Dominic’s place would quickly be taken by someone else. We couldn’t eliminate them all. In the spring, everything would just return to normal as if nothing happened.

“Let the content live. At least they won’t hurt anymore. We can follow their movements to learn more. Maybe we can catch the real mastermind behind it all.”

I added, “The Sanders may have brought this on themselves, but the Sanders back then were nothing more than pawns in the hands of Commander and his wife. The Sanders and the Carlyns have suffered, but those two have escaped unscathed. Where’s the justice in that?”

I told him everything that had happened, and only then did Carter begin to understand the full extent of the situation.

“So, you’re saying even the Carlyns don’t know the full truth?”

“Exactly. Grandma’s greed led to the Carlyns’ downfall, but Commander and his wife took advantage of it to make everything worse. If the Commander’s wife hadn’t let people humiliate Mrs. Carlyn Senior, or if she hadn’t orchestrated the Carlyn family’s destruction, they wouldn’t have ended up this way. The Sanders wouldn’t have been wiped out either.”

Looking back, it was clear that Commander and his wife were the turning points. If it had only been the Commander, maybe Mrs. Carlyn Senior would have lived for her children, even if there was pain between them. At least Ronald would have treated her better. They wouldn’t have had a perfect life, but they would have found peace, without the hatred the Carlyns carry now. The Sanders wouldn’t have suffered like they did.

“I really want to know where this Commander is now. What’s become of his descendants?” I asked, almost through gritted teeth.

“As far as I know, after the chaos caused by the warlords, a new order was quickly put in place. The Commander either went into business or escaped abroad. With his connections and wealth, he’s probably living comfortably, unless something catastrophic happened.”

I knew Carter was telling the truth, but I still felt unsettled. I couldn’t stop thinking about Wisteria’s twisted face, Yael hiding under a tree, covering his head, and Taylor, bloodied but fiercely protecting his brother. And then there was Dominic—charming yet so obsessive—and the rest of the Carlyn family I hadn’t even met yet. Ethan, Jake, Josh, Greg… so many faces tangled in this web of revenge. Grandma always said not to let hatred consume us—an eye for an eye just makes everyone blind. But at this point, I couldn’t help but wonder how the people who had ruined our lives were living. Did they sleep soundly, trampling over us?

“Chloe, you can’t rush this. I’ll help you with the investigation. You need to rest.” He had some ointment in his hand. “Let me check for injuries.”

“I’m fine, just some bruises.” I winced as he gently touched a tender spot. Earlier, the car crash hadn’t been too serious, but I had a few scrapes to show for it.

“Stubborn.” He had been the one stabbed, yet he was the one treating me. I couldn’t argue, so I lay there, letting him care for me.

“How are Zoey and Harlan?”

“They’ll be fine,” he answered quickly, his focus on me more than anything else.

“Can we video call them? I’m worried about Zoey.”

Carter shook his head. “The signal on this island is blocked. If Aunt Amber and the others hadn’t figured out Dominic’s plan, I wouldn’t have found you so quickly. But don’t worry. I checked earlier—Harlan only broke a few ribs. He’s not in any life-threatening danger.”

“That’s a relief.”

“You didn’t like him before.”

“Seeing how he risked his life for Zoey, I can’t hate him now. It’s just…” I sighed. They were yet another tragedy. Zoey had already chosen to play with fate, but she didn’t love Harlan. Even if she did, she would likely choose to leave him someday to protect him from a future she couldn’t control. She wouldn’t hold him back. Why did we all have to face such tragic endings?

After applying the ointment, Carter lay down with me. He hadn’t slept in over a day, but he quickly fell into a deep sleep, holding me close. I stared at his handsome face. We had solved the Wisteria issue, and the Carlyns’ feud was over. So why did I still feel so uneasy? It felt like something even bigger was lurking, waiting for me.

I couldn’t sleep. Carefully, I slipped the blanket over Carter and gently pulled away from his arms. Whitney had been through so much, and I wasn’t sure how much more she could handle. I quietly left to find her.

But when I stepped into the hallway, I saw Whitney, already changed and kneeling in front of Taylor, crying and begging, “Please, give me a proper burial for my dad.” She still didn’t know Josh was alive.

Taylor had to keep Dominic in the dark, and Whitney was the key. He had to put on an act for his father. With his back turned to her, his voice was icy. “No. He was cremated. His ashes will be scattered in the cesspit, and his name will be forgotten.”

I was speechless. I had to give it to him; he was bold. If I hadn’t seen the doctor treat Josh, I would have almost believed his lie! Whitney couldn’t take it. She leaped to her feet and slapped him across the face. “Taylor, you monster! I hope you rot in hell! I… hate… you!”