Chapter 474: I’m the Dismembered Person

Carter shot her twice. At the time, she was cloaked in black, and all I could see was the blood—no way to tell exactly where she’d been hit. Then she jumped off a towering cliff. Below, the sea churned violently, making survival seem almost impossible. Carter had sent teams to scour the mountains, but her body was never found. She must have fallen into the ocean. Could it be she somehow defied the odds and survived?

The mere thought of that woman, whose hatred for me runs so deep, sent an uneasy chill through me. She held me responsible for Silas’s death—but why? She was the one who tried to kill me first!

“Chloe, Wisteria didn’t have a good childhood. She was always…different,” Whitney said softly.

“You two were together at some point?” I asked.

Whitney nodded. “We were close in age, and back then, I didn’t understand much. She used to torment me—throwing caterpillars, dead mice, even snakes at me. If it hadn’t been for Taylor…I don’t think I’d still be alive.”

“What happened after that?”

“She vanished for a while, and when she returned, she was completely different—overflowing with hostility. It was as if hatred had consumed her, and all she cared about was avenging herself against the Sanders. The only person who could calm her was Silas, but now that he’s gone…”

In other words, the one person who could control her was no longer here.

I spoke with an icy tone, “If she’s still alive, this time I’ll make her experience every bit of the pain I’ve endured!”

Whitney tried to soothe me. “Chloe, you’re pregnant now. You need to take care of yourself.”

I rested a hand on my belly. No matter what happens, I have to protect this child. The heartbreak I felt with Joy will never happen again. Still, something about this situation feels far too complicated to dismiss.

Carter walked in with a bowl of noodles. “Chloe, you haven’t eaten in ages, and you just threw up again. Try to eat a little,” he urged gently.

“Alright, I’ll eat,” I said.

The noodles were plain and lacked much oil, as he purposely made them that way, concerned I might find them too greasy. I tried to shift my focus, not letting my mind linger on the troubling thoughts.

“Ugh.”

But nothing came up, and I couldn’t bring myself to eat. I managed to take a few small sips of the soup, hoping to regain some strength. But as soon as I swallowed, my stomach lurched, and I ended up vomiting once more.

“Chloc!”

“Chloe!”

At that moment, I couldn’t tell if it was morning sickness or just my emotions causing me to throw up.

Carter let out a sigh. “Forget it, I won’t make you eat. We’ll talk when you’re feeling better.”

His phone rang, and he gave me a quick look before stepping outside to take the call. He probably didn’t want me to overhear anything about beheadings that might make my nausea worse.

Whitney gently wiped my face with a towel. “Chloe, do you want to lie down for a bit?”

“Yeah,” I replied.

I hadn’t eaten all day and was feeling lightheaded, so I curled up in bed. When Carter walked in, I couldn’t hold back my question. “Carl, is there any update?”

“Rest first, don’t worry about all this right now.”

“I’ve already witnessed the worst, so nothing else can shock me. If you don’t tell me, I won’t be able to rest.”

“It’s not a big deal, honestly. Some clues were discovered at Randy Duffy’s crime scene.”

“What clues?”

Carter spoke in a low voice. “The forensic analysis of the footprints and the traces left on the body suggests that the killer is a woman.”

“What kind of woman?”

“Someone around five feet five inches tall.”

Wisteria is just a bit shorter than me. Could it really be her?

“Did the nearby cameras pick up any suspicious women? Could it be Wisteria?”

Carter’s face grew cold, likely already considering that possibility.

“The chances are high. She wasn’t with the Carlyns. After being manipulated by the Commander’s couple for years, she’s one of them. If she’s still alive, she’s probably back for revenge. Damian deliberately picked that alley—no surveillance, and the nearby cameras were hacked at that time, so nothing was recorded.”

I gripped the blanket tightly, a look of frustration in my eyes. “She’s really lucky!”

“Sorry, Chloe, I should have finished her off with one blow.”

Carter had acted quickly and decisively back then, knowing Wisteria wasn’t an ordinary person. She’d been trained by the organization for so long, and from her attack in the dressing room, I could tell she was a skilled martial artist. It was expected that she’d avoid hitting vital points, so Carter couldn’t be faulted.

“Carl, I’m not blaming you. If it’s this crazy woman, Whitney and I will just have to stay home more often from now on.”

“Mm, but we’ve been away from this villa for nearly a month. I’m worried that someone might have tampered with it while we were gone, so it’s no longer safe. This delivery is a clear sign of that.”

“Alright, I’ll follow your lead.”

Carter gently patted my head. “We’ll stay at Dad’s place for a few days, and I still need to get the new house ready.”

“Alright, what about Whitney coming with us?”

Whitney no longer objected. “Chloe, you’re… I need to look after you.”

Seeing the seriousness on her face, I realized that’s what true sisterhood is. Fortunately, Zoey doesn’t know about this. With her she found out? Sygoing personality, who knows what she might do if…

I nodded. “Alright.”

Thinking about Zoey, she sent a message to our group chat. Speedy Granny Helper wrote, “Chloe, Whitney, are you ignoring me? Do you not care about me anymore? It’s been two hours, and I haven’t heard back from either of you.”

Her words were quickly followed by a series of dramatic emoji-filled rants. I shot Whitney a glance, silently warning her not to mention any of this to Zoey. At that moment, I felt relieved that it was me who saw the head, not her. As long as she could keep living her life under the warm sunlight, far from any trouble.

I gathered a few belongings while Carter thoughtfully included the kitten and its climbing frame in the packing. Jeffrey’s house was nearby, making the move surprisingly simple. The moment I arrived, Hugo walked up to me and asked, “Mrs. Zoey, are you alright?”

I shook my head slightly. “I’m fine, just a bit startled.”

“The rooms are prepared, Mrs. Zoey. You should head to your room and get some rest.”

“Okay,” I replied softly.

In the yard, Alisa was busy painting, but when she noticed me, she approached with her pregnant belly.

“Zoey, you’re back. This face looks familiar…I think I’ve seen her somewhere before,” Alisa said, her gaze fixed on Whitney.

Whitney had once been the Whites’ illegitimate daughter, and since Alisa came from the Hudsons, it wasn’t surprising if their paths had crossed and left a vague memory.

I offered a casual explanation. “She’s a friend I got to know in Jaford. We clicked instantly. When she first arrived in Snowville, she didn’t have many friends, so she’s staying at the Bolton Residence for now.”

“Oh, I see. Hi, I’m Alisa. It’s a pleasure to meet you,” she said with a smile.

Whitney responded coolly, “Hello, I’m Starling Sander.”

“What a unique name,” Alisa commented.

“Ms. Hudson is too kind,” Whitney replied politely.

I exchanged a few casual words and then headed back to the room with her. When Jeffrey quickly moved out of the Bolton Residence and stayed in a large apartment for a while, he relocated to a villa once he recovered, with heightened security. It was now the safest place around here.

The night had fallen, and Whitney was still concerned that I hadn’t eaten. “Chloe, Carter made you some food again. Would you like to eat?” she asked gently.

“Okay.”

I wasn’t feeling as overwhelmed at the moment, and Whitney encouraged me to eat something light. “Chloe, are you feeling better?” she asked.

“Much better,” I replied.

I gave her a faint smile. “I’m fortunate to have you and Carl by my side.”

Ding—A message notification.

“It’s probably Zoey again…”

With a sigh, I pulled out my phone. I received a message from a number I didn’t recognize. Lately, my inbox had just become filled with spam and scam emails. I opened it without thinking much of it. What I saw made my blood run cold—an appalling image of a dismembered body. And to my horror, the person in the photo was me.