Chapter 264: The Harsh Truth

This New Year has been busy but fulfilling. After three days at the Bolton residence, I finally returned to Philippa’s house. Without the Wilcher family’s interference, Philippa seemed more peaceful, her complexion glowing with vitality. Bill had become surprisingly adept at peeling apples, skillfully cutting them into small pieces and handing them to Philippa. She ignored him, her attention focused on crocheting small toys.

Over the years of her marriage to Bill, during long, lonely periods, Philippa had honed her craft skills to pass the time. While she crocheted little bunnies, Bill sat beside her winding balls of yarn. The scene was oddly harmonious. That harmony was quickly shattered by a ringing phone. Bill’s eyes darted nervously. “I need to step out for a bit,” he muttered. Philippa didn’t even glance at him; she simply went upstairs.

We all knew why he was leaving. Worried that Philippa might feel upset, I followed her upstairs. Just as I was about to speak, I saw her drop a coin into a glass jar. “Mom, what are you doing?” I asked.

Philippa gave me a faint smile. “It’s an old habit I picked up years ago. Back when I was young and restless, I started this little game. Every time your father disappointed me, I’d toss a coin into this jar. I told myself that once the jar was full, I’d leave him for good.”

I glanced at the large glass jar and quipped, “You must’ve been pretty forgiving to give him so many chances. If it were me, even a medium-sized coffee cup would feel too big.”

Philippa chuckled softly, cradling the jar. “You’re right. Deep down, I never really wanted to leave. I knew the Wilchers couldn’t do without him, and I didn’t have the freedom to walk away either. It was just self-deception. But the habit stuck, even to this day.”

“And now, even with a jar this big, it’s almost full.” The coins had nearly reached the rim. Just a few more, and the jar would be filled. It felt symbolic, a reflection of their relationship. If Bill turned things around now, there might still be hope for them, no matter how messy their past had been. But if he kept going down this path, there could only be one ending.

Looking at the jar brimming with coins, I thought about how many times Bill had let Philippa down over the last twenty years. I reached out and hugged my mom. “This will all be over soon, Mom. You’ll have the happiness and freedom you deserve.”

Philippa murmured, “Happiness and freedom.” I caught a tinge of sadness in her voice and quickly asked, “Mom, what’s wrong?”

She hesitated, then looked me straight in the eye. “I know this might sound abrupt. But I know you’re not my daughter. Who are you?”

My body froze. No wonder Philippa had seemed hesitant so many times before. She’d figured it out long ago. “I…”

The daughter I gave birth to and raised—I know her temperament inside and out. She’s not as brave or clever as you are. I don’t dislike you; in fact, I like you. But I just want to know, where is Zoey?” Philippa’s lips trembled as she finally gave in to the weight of her doubts and asked the question.

I lowered my head, knowing I had no choice but to tell her the harsh truth. “Mom, you know me. I’m not Zoey. My name is Chloe.”

Philippa’s face went pale with shock. Just a short while ago, she had attended my funeral. “You’re Chloe Sanders?”

“Yes. After I was murdered, I became a spirit, wandering the earth for a month. I desperately wanted to live, and during that time, I heard Zoey’s voice. She desperately wanted to die. That’s how our fates were exchanged.”

Tears streamed down Philippa’s face. “So, Zoey…”

“She’s gone. Besides you, she had nothing left to hold on to in this world. From her memories, I learned everything that had happened. As repayment, I’ll fulfill all her wishes and take care of you for her.”

“How could that foolish child do something like this?” Philippa covered her face as tears streamed through her fingers. “So that dream… she dreamt of her. She was wearing a white dress, smiling at me so gently. She said she was finally free, and someone else would come to love me in her place.”

“Mom, don’t be sad. I’ve been through depression too, so I understand how Zoey felt. She was heartbroken. Don’t worry—in this life, I’ll treat you like my own mother and take care of you. When I found out you were pregnant, I couldn’t bear to let you terminate it. I thought maybe Zoey couldn’t let go of you, so she came back as the child in your womb.”

It might sound absurd, but after experiencing my rebirth, I felt like anything was possible. Most importantly, saying this would give Philippa hope to keep going. She touched her still-flat stomach, a trace of cautious hope in her voice. “Really?”

“Yes. Whether the child is Zoey or not, it’s her little brother or sister. I’m sure Zoey would want new life to be with you, to keep you company.”

I knelt before Philippa, gently wiping her tears. “Mom, I’ll always be by your side.” She leaned down and hugged me fiercely. “No wonder you did all those things back then. You’ve been through so much.”

Kind-hearted people always find ways to empathize. Now that the truth was out, I felt relieved. If Philippa ever uncovered more about me, at least it wouldn’t come as a shock. Feeling sorry for what I’d endured, she became even more gentle with me, trying to make up for the motherly love I had missed.

That night, I stayed by Philippa’s side, telling her stories from my childhood and making her laugh until her stomach hurt. “I didn’t expect you to be such a mischievous child! Zoey was so different—impossible to figure out and rarely smiled. It was my fault for hurting her.”

“From now on, make sure your little siblings are always happy.” “I will!”

“As for Anna and Sheila, karma will come for them soon. You don’t have to do anything. Just wait and watch.” “Okay.”

Philippa hugged me tightly. “Good girl. Rest well now.”

Before I knew it, it was the night before Anna’s wedding. The Sanders hosted a banquet at their estate, and we attended. I didn’t see Kate in the crowd. Ethan and Greg looked haggard, and even Josh’s face showed signs of weariness. It was obvious they’d had a tough year. I couldn’t help but think that if only they’d believed me back then and seen Anna’s true colors sooner, none of this would have happened. Their family was on the verge of collapse.

If my guess was right, Kate had likely lost her sanity and was being kept upstairs, away from the guests. The attendees seemed aware that the Sanders were going through a lot but didn’t pry too deeply. Among the lively crowd, one figure caught my eye. He was tall, strikingly handsome, with an air of dangerous allure—the man I’d seen that night. A woman clung to his arm, but it wasn’t Whitney. Carter had looked into his license plate and uncovered… He was Taylor Carlyn. The Carlyns had emigrated to this country. As far as I knew, the Sanders didn’t have any connection…

While I was deep in thought, he suddenly raised his… Our gazes locked, and he gave me a slow, tantalizing… That suffocating sense of danger washed over me again…

Chapter 265: Wedding Night