Chapter 229: A Touch of Dew

My earlier tugging had left Carter’s shirt collar askew, revealing a glimpse of his collarbone. Seeing him stand so tall and straight before me, I was struck by the length of his legs. There wasn’t a hint of anything amiss! While I understood he must have had his reasons for this charade, a wave of annoyance washed over me. I raised my foot and kicked his thigh. When his entire weight shifted to that leg, I could feel the solid, muscular strength beneath the fabric.

All those times I’d been so careful, afraid of hurting his pride, not daring to touch or even ask questions, even at night. I was so restrained that I only ever touched his upper body. “Carter, you liar!”

He lifted my leg and hooked it around his waist, leaning in close so his body pressed against mine. “Chloe, I’m sorry. I had my reasons for doing this—I didn’t mean to deceive you.”

“You’ve been pretending for so long, why not just keep the act up?”

His dark eyes burned with desire, his voice deep and husky. “Because… I want to be able to satisfy my darling even more.” The moment those words left his lips, my face turned bright red. His voice carried a seductive tone as he murmured against my lips, “But this is our secret, alright? Darling, promise me you’ll keep it for me, okay?”

He was so tall that even as I sat on the piano, he still had to bend down to talk to me. From this angle, I could see the outline of his chest muscles through his shirt collar. Coupled with his low, magnetic voice, my face grew even hotter, my heart pounding faster. I didn’t have the strength to resist. So I nodded obediently, “Fine.”

Carter chuckled softly. “So sweet. Makes me want to keep you in my pocket.” I muttered under my breath, “It’s not like I’d stop you.”

“But I feel like you’re still too young, darling. If I force things, it’d be like plucking an unripe fruit.” No wonder he’d been able to stop himself last time.

I laughed, “Young? If you count both my lives, I could practically be your mother!”

“You little rascal,” he murmured, “trying to act all mature when you’re so soft and sweet.” He reached out and pinched my cheek with just enough force to sting a little, making me let out a small gasp. “Look at you—so soft it feels like a touch of dew.”

I wrapped my arms around his waist, leaning my head against his chest. “So, how long are you planning to wait?”

“Until the day you truly have me in your heart.” He tightened his hold on my waist, his voice full of emotion. “Chloe, don’t make me wait too long.”

I loved leaning against him, listening to the sound of his heartbeat. It gave me an unparalleled sense of safety and peace. “Thank you for being willing to wait for me.”

We were enjoying a rare moment of tranquility when a knock came at the door, followed by Amian’s voice from outside. “Mr. Carter, Mr. Gardner is here.” Bill, no fool, had probably grasped the situation. In Snowville, the Boltons’ influence was undeniable. Recognizing the danger, he’d wisely sought Carter’s intervention.

“Got it. Have him wait for a moment.”

“Alright.” Carter released me and began tidying up his clothes. Looking at the shirt hem I had pulled out from his waistband, my face flushed again.

“Chloe, I can help Sadie with this, but the choice is yours. Do you want to help her?”

“Absolutely not!” I retorted, my voice firm. “That pair made Zoey and my mom suffer for twenty years. They won’t get away with it that easily!”

“Alright, I got it.” I hesitated for a moment before asking quietly, “Do you think I’m being too ruthless?”

Carter patted my head gently, his gaze soft as he looked at me. “Chloe, if anything, I think you’re not ruthless enough. Don’t let yourself be shackled by morality. Just do what you truly want to do.”

“Fine.” Carter then sat back in his wheelchair, perfectly embodying the role of a paraplegic with not a single flaw in his performance. Even as the person who shares a bed with him, I hadn’t noticed anything was amiss. He really had fooled the entire world.

After he left, I picked up my shawl and began practicing the piano in the attic. In truth, I was better at the violin—my piano skills were decent but not exceptional. This was why I wasn’t afraid of performing in front of Anna.

The door creaked open, and Luke walked in, his eyes resolute, step by step toward me. “Chloe…” He stared at my face for a moment before dropping to his knees beside me.

Ever since we’d laid everything bare in the snow, Luke had been looking for a chance to speak to me alone. Over the phone, it wasn’t convenient for him to say much. Now that I was back at the Bolton Residence, he’d finally seized the opportunity.

As my fingers fell on the final note, I looked at him indifferently. “While the Bolton Residence is safer than the outside world, Anna is a dangerous woman. I hope that no matter the occasion, you’ll stop calling me that. Unless, of course, you want me to die again.”

I met his gaze, my voice filled with the echo of past pain. “Luke, it was agonizing. The blood… the helplessness… Even in death, I couldn’t avenge myself. After being given this miraculous second chance, do you really want to see me fail?”

“I don’t,” Luke said hurriedly, his face full of anguish. “At this point, all I want is to atone for my sins.”

“If you want to atone, then help me take down Anna. That’s the best way to redeem yourself. Have you made any progress with her these past few days?”

Luke hesitated before replying. “I’ve been cold to her for so long that suddenly warming up might make her suspicious. But she’s never stopped trying to win me back.”

At this, Luke handed me his phone. It contained his chat history with Anna. I remembered how, in my spirit form, I had seen him save her contact under an affectionate nickname. Now, it had reverted to her full name. He had deleted Anna before, wiping all previous records, but he’d added her back a few days ago. Most of the messages were from Anna, where she poured out her complaints about how hard her pregnancy was. Luke had replied perfunctorily, mostly asking about the baby.

“You’re doing well. She’s incredibly suspicious by nature, but the baby is a perfect way to break through her defenses.” I gave Luke some specific instructions, fueling his resentment toward Anna to ensure he wouldn’t turn on me.

Luke looked at me with pleading eyes. “Chloe, if I help you get your revenge, could we… could we start over?”

Meeting his pitiful gaze, I felt not a shred of emotion. “The moment I got stabbed with that knife, there was no going back, Luke. You’re only making up for past sins.”

Luke’s eyes dimmed with despair. “I know, Chloe.”

I stood and spoke with indifference, “From now on, you’d better call me ‘Zoey.’ I don’t want anyone to get suspicious—especially Anna. She’s a highly sensitive woman.”

I added a reminder, “Don’t forget, her goal isn’t just to kill me. She also wants to destroy both the Boltons and the Sanders. Helping me is helping yourself.”

“Alright.” His voice was hoarse, and he muttered, “I’ve caught a cold.” In the past, I would’ve been concerned about his health. Now, I couldn’t care less. But since he was still useful to me, I spared him a comment. “Then take some cold medicine. If it gets worse, go to the hospital.”

Luke remained silent. I turned and left, and behind me came his sorrowful voice, “Chloe, is there really no chance for us anymore?” Without pausing my steps, I answered decisively, “No. There’s no chance.”

As I descended to the living room, I saw Bill sitting there with a solemn expression, while Monica’s eyes were red from crying. The moment she saw me, she rushed over. “Zoey, Sadie is your sister. You’re family. You have to save her! She’s still so young—she can’t go to jail!”