Chapter 475: I Will Always Protect You, Chloe

While I existed as a spirit, I encountered a bracelet strung with beads crafted from my remains, a statue shaped from my flesh and blood, and even a book bound in human skin. Yet, I had never witnessed the exact moment my own body was torn apart. The sight hit me hard, even compared to seeing Randy’s decapitated head. My entire body quaked, and my eyes widened in shock. Only then did I understand that when terror reaches its peak, it silences you completely. It felt as though an unseen force had seized my throat, leaving me gasping for air.

Whitney quickly sensed something was wrong and asked, “Chloe, what happened?” Struggling to speak, I forced out just one word, “Photo.” She gave it a quick look before turning her head and calling out loudly, “Carter!”

Carter, who had initially come to help me calm down, rushed in the moment he heard the noise. Passing him the phone, Whitney said, “This photo was sent to Chloe on purpose.” Carter held me tightly, whispering words of comfort, “It’s okay, Chloe. Don’t be scared.”

My thoughts were spiraling out of control. “It’s Wisteria—she’s not dead!” No one else came to mind. The others from Carlyn Residence, assuming any of them are still alive, wouldn’t bother sending me something like this even if they had the time. Whitney had been there for the heart transplant between Wisteria and me. After the surgery, Taylor arranged for her to be sent away. Even she had never witnessed something so horrifying. Yael had once mentioned that he sculpted my body later and wasn’t around when these pictures were taken. Even if Amber was consumed by thoughts of Carter, she wouldn’t have the time for something so trivial, especially if Dominic was with her. Only Wisteria, Silas! She was the only one with the motive and the opportunity to carry out such twisted and revolting acts.

The phone buzzed again. Carter picked it up and checked for me. This time, there wasn’t a picture—just a single, chilling sentence: “I will always be watching you, Chloe! If I can’t have happiness, neither can you.” Whitney’s expression darkened as she muttered, “It’s her. She’s still alive.”

Without hesitation, Carter copied the phone number, forwarded it to his device, and sent it to someone capable of tracing its origin. After handling everything, Carter turned to reassure me. “If she’s still alive, then we’ll make sure she doesn’t…”

“Okay,” I murmured. Gradually, my panic subsided, and I regained control over my emotions.

“By the way, Carter,” Whitney mentioned, “I felt like someone was tailing me on my way to school yesterday. You should look into it. This time, the other party’s behavior is really strange.” Though the situation seemed to target me, there was an inexplicable connection to Whitney. Could it really be Wisteria’s plan to destroy everyone at the Sanders? Did she not have the chance to come after me directly, so instead, she decided to torment me this way? Still, something felt off. What were we missing?

“I’ve already sent someone to look into it,” Carter replied. “The tracking showed the route was near the school. There were a lot of people around at that time, so it’s tough to pinpoint who exactly it was. For now, you two should stay inside and avoid going out.”

Whitney nodded quietly, “Got it.” Carter stood up. “I’ll be stepping out for a while.” She looked at him with concern. “Carter, has there been any update on that person?” Carter shook his head. “Not yet. If there’s any news from the Carlyns, I’ll let you know right away.”

“Okay,” Whitney’s gaze was heavy with disappointment. “Chloe, she’s only trying to ruin your happiness. Don’t let her win. Eat a bit more.”

“Okay.” I knew a tough road was still ahead. At first, I couldn’t help but feel sick and ended up throwing up out of sheer instinct. After throwing up, I forced myself to eat again, only to vomit once more. Little by little, I started to get used to it. Watching me struggle, Whitney’s heart ached for me. She gently placed her hand on my stomach and said softly, “Baby, be good. Don’t make Mom suffer anymore, she’s already so tired.”

I wiped my mouth with a tissue and gave her a weak smile. “The baby isn’t even fully formed yet, how could it understand you?” When the topic of the baby came up, Whitney’s expression softened. “Do you think we’ll be able to hear the heartbeat in two weeks?”

“Yes, it won’t be long now.” I gently rubbed my belly and took another bite. I’ll eat for you.

Late that night, Carter returned to the room while Whitney stepped out for a while. I curled up in Carter’s arms, talking to him, trying to push aside all the frightening thoughts.

“Carl, do you think it would be better for me to have a C-section or go through a natural birth?” This is the greatest challenge women face during childbirth. Carter softly caressed my nose and said, “If I could, I’d spare you from all the pain, Chloe. After this pregnancy, I’ll get a vasectomy so you won’t have to go through it again, alright?”

I shook my head. “No, what if I still want more children? Didn’t we promise to have a son and a daughter?” He gazed at me with a tender expression. “I can’t bear to see you endure the pain of pregnancy and childbirth again. No child in this world is more important to me than you.”

If it were anyone else, I wouldn’t even bother dating, let alone having children. But he’s Carter, a man who would give everything for me. I nestled into his arms and said, “Let’s have a baby. Lots of them. Eight, if we can!”

Carter chuckled, his deep voice vibrating in his chest. “I told you to stop reading those silly romance novels from Zoey.”

“They’re actually really good,” I countered. “How about I share a few stories with you about the love story of the domineering CEO?” Talking about these things, I couldn’t help but feel a little excited.

“Carl, do you want to guess if I’m having a boy or a girl?” He replied with a serious expression, “Maybe it’s twins.”

“Oh?” “Don’t forget, your mother carried twins. You have that gene too, so there’s a high chance you could have twins too. We’ll know for sure in two weeks.”

I couldn’t help but daydream, “It would be amazing if it were twins, especially a boy and a girl, so they could grow up together.” He teased, “Should I get a vasectomy then?”

What kind of man thinks about getting a vasectomy every day? We laughed, and the lighthearted moment helped shift the mood from the earlier tension. Carter got me a new phone, changed my number, and even downloaded a bunch of games to keep me entertained and distracted from the unsettling world around us. Zoey finally found a group to play games with and dragged me along every day. Carter hired a tutor for Whitney, and once she finished her studies, she would be pulled into Zoey’s gaming world too.

As soon as she opened her mic, she yelled, “Jungler, do you even know how to play the game? I’m the support, why are you giving me the blue buff?”

“Jungler, why are you sticking so close to me? I’m warding, you should be taking the dragon!” A soft voice came through the microphone, “I’m protecting you,” Harlan said.

“You’re insane! Why are you following me into the game? Dude, this is a tower-pushing game, not a dating sim! I’m the support—I’m supposed to protect you!”

Harlan responded, “I’m happy because Darling is going to protect me.” Even through the screen, Zoey’s stunned silence was almost palpable. When Whitney and I got killed under the tower, Zoey completely lost it and decided to switch to the offline solo mode in frustration. Still, the occasional bursts of laughter and teasing chatter coming through the headset kept the mood light and cheerful.

Alisa entered with a bowl of soup. “Do you still enjoy gaming, Chloe? I made some chicken soup—have some with Ms. Sander.”

“Your belly’s getting bigger; you really shouldn’t be doing things like this.” She gently placed a hand on her stomach and smiled. “It’s fine. The doctor said the baby is stable and growing well. I’m not that fragile—I even visit the orphanage now and then to teach the kids how to draw.”

Perhaps it was Luke’s constant thoughts of me, but Alisa’s style of dressing had started to mirror mine more and more. After I left, she took over sponsoring the children at the orphanage. Because I enjoyed drawing, she also started teaching the children at the orphanage how to draw. At home, she was the epitome of grace and elegance, the perfect wife—but Luke barely acknowledged her presence.

“Just leave it there. I’ll drink it later,” I said. “The temperature’s perfect right now; it’ll get cold if you wait.” She removed the lid and brought the bowl closer. “I spent a long time making this.” The moment the oily aroma hit my nose, I instinctively covered my mouth and gagged.

Alisa’s eyes sparkled with excitement. “So that’s why you haven’t been going out much lately. Are you… pregnant?”