Loved You Once But He's My Forever (Chloe)
Chapter 426 Explain

Amber glared at me. If Carter weren't here, she'd probably be swearing at me by now.

"Fine, whatever. Just get out so I can rest," she snapped.

Yael helped Taylor to his feet, and they walked out. The rest of us followed suit.

Suddenly, something occurred to me. "Carter, wait. I need to say something to Amber."

Without waiting for his response, I turned back and barged in unannounced. At the door, I froze when I spotted a tall man in black leaning down, gently massaging Amber's temples.

He whispered, "You've been up all night. Let me carry you back to rest, okay?"

The two of them looked like a couple in the throes of romance.

Then again, her husband had been gone for years. Having someone around wasn't that surprising.

As soon as Amber saw me standing at the door, her face twisted in fury. "D*mn! What do you want now?"

"I just wanted to say-Amber, I want barbecue ribs for dinner!"

She glared. "I'm not running a restaurant here."

Grabbing an inkstone, she hurled it at my feet, clearly ready to explode.

But the second Carter appeared behind me, her demeanor shifted. Her lips curved into a sweet smile. "Barbecue ribs, huh? Sure, I'll make some for you. Carter, what about you? Is there something you'd like?" "Anything's fine," Carter replied, his gaze flicking between Amber and me.

With that, he led me outside to the courtyard. It was quiet and empty, the open space amplifying the tension in the air.

Standing with his back to me, Carter's tall, lean frame exuded an unmistakable chill. Even from behind, I could feel the frostiness radiating off him.

He had given me face in front of others, but now, the cold, unyielding Carter was fully on display.

"Carter," I called softly, almost timidly.

Over the past few months, Carter had been nothing but gentle and patient with me, never raising his voice or saying a harsh word.

But now, faced with his silent anger, I felt a little afraid.

Tentatively, I reached out to tug on his sleeve. His abrupt turn caught me off guard, and his movement inadvertently grazed my injured wrist. "Ouch," I winced before I could stop myself. Panic flashed in Carter's eyes. "Chloe, are you hurt? Did I hurt you? I'm sorry, I didn't mean to ...

Carter's concern was genuine, and his kindness was unwavering.

I shook my head quickly. "It's nothing. I was just messing with you."

I tried to brush it off, hoping he wouldn't notice. My sleeve hid the wound well enough.

"What's going on with you and Amber?" he asked bluntly, cutting to the chase.

"Nothing. I've realized that despite her temper, she's not so bad. She..."

Carter took a step closer, his sharp gaze pinning me in place. "Chloe, when did I become someone you needed to guard yourself against?"

He grabbed my hand, pressing it against his chest. Though his grip wasn't tight, I could feel the weight of his emotions.

"Chloe, what happened? Seeing you like this makes my heart ache," he said, his voice low and pained.

Noticing the sweat beading on my forehead, he seemed to piece something together. He reached for my sleeve. "No, Carter. Don't," I protested.

Sensing my injury, he didn't force it, but the hurt in his eyes was evident. "Chloe, have you stopped loving me?"

I knew his insecurities all too well. If I didn't explain myself now, his mind would spiral further.

With a sigh, I stopped resisting.

"Let me see your hand," he insisted.

I relented, and Carter carefully pulled back my sleeve. His expression darkened as he noticed the blood seeping through the white bandage wrapped around my wrist. His pupils dilated, and a menacing chill crept into his voice. "Who hurt you?"

I had never seen Carter look so terrifying. Quickly, I explained, "Carter, it's not what you think. I did this to myself."

Carter fell silent for a moment before speaking in a low, hoarse voice. "So, you know everything, don't you?"

I stepped forward and wrapped my arms around him. "Yes, you fool. How long did you think you could keep lying to me?"

His voice came softly by my ear. "So the last time you went back to the town, it was to get answers about the Stone of Duality?"

I nodded. "Yes."

I'd been hurt, but Carter remained unharmed. Amber's attitude toward me had already provided him with enough clues. "What exactly is the Stone of Duality?"

"It was given to me by Grandma. She said it could fool you completely, that you wouldn't notice."

The arms holding me began to tremble. "Chloe, do you understand the consequences of this?"

าวเ

"Carter, I'm grateful that you love me, but asking you to take my place and face death for me-did you think I could live with that? If you died, I, wouldn't survive either. I don't know when this so-called death calamity will strike, but I just want to spend whatever time we have left happily together."

Carter stroked my cheek, his voice shaking. "Chloe, you'll die."

"I'm not afraid." I said, meeting his gaze. "You abandoned me once already. Are you planning to do it again?"

"You've remembered everything?"

"Yes."

I gave him a small smile. "I saw what

happened after I brought you back to life. You reclaimed your lands and became a wise ruler. The people lived in peace, and you devoted yourself to your duties. You never married, and before your next reincarnation, you said you regretted letting me down in that life and hoped to meet someone in the next life who would truly cherish me. That's why we have this life now. I fell in love with Luke, and you

watched over me silently for 20

years."

"But Carter," I continued, "everything I did was of my own will. I never regretted it. You don't need to repay me in this life with your own life. Just being together again is already the best outcome." Carter choked on his words. "But all I ever wanted was for you to live well. Why is it that in every life, you can't find peace?"

"It doesn't matter. When did you regain memories of your past life?"

"A long time ago."

"No wonder. I always thought it was strange how kind you were to me even though we hadn't known each other long. Hearing this, everything makes sense now."

"Chloe, it shouldn't have been like this," he sighed.

"Carter, I fear losing you more than I fear dying."

Carter caressed my face. "If this is how things are, then I'll do everything I can to protect you. Amber didn't harm you because she believes we've switched fates, doesn't she?"

I nodded. "Yes. I lied and told her we'd already switched. If I live, you live; if I die, so do you. She originally planned to kill me before the Stone of Duality could take effect. Say what you will, but she does love you."

"Foolish girl," he murmured, his tone a mix of frustration and affection. "Next time, don't be so reckless. And don't lie to me again."

"Alright."

Just as he said, there was little either of us could do now.

"Make sure you don't reveal anything. That way, I'll stay out of danger."

His eyes lingered on the wound on my wrist. "Does it hurt?"

"I'm used to it. Don't worry-I was careful. When I first came back to life, I nearly fainted seeing the blood on my wrist. So this time, I made sure to keep it shallow."

"You're never to do this again," Carter said, his voice filled with both heartache and helplessness.

"Okay, but you're not allowed to stay mad at me anymore."

"Silly girl, how could I ever be mad at you? No matter what you decide to do, I'll stay by your side. And if the day comes when death does catch up to us, then I'll go with you. That way, you won't be alone on the way to heaven, right?" We exchanged a smile. "Right."

As we walked away, someone stepped out from behind the plum tree, their gaze fixed intently on my retreating figure.