Chapter 425: Wasn’t Going Anywhere

The room was filled with stunned faces, especially from the Carlyn brothers. They had no idea what I was doing. Yael, mid-motion of passing a ravioli, froze so suddenly that his hand shook, sending the dumpling plopping back onto his plate. Whitney stared at me, dumbfounded, her thoughts likely racing to piece together what on earth had transpired overnight. Her gaze flicked between Amber and me, suspicion etched across her face. She was probably thinking, “Whoever or whatever you are, get out of Amber’s body!” It was too surreal for her to process.

Carter, on the other hand, seemed to have figured something out. His expression grew darker by the second. Yael whispered nervously, “Chloe, you…”

I took a sip of soy milk and said casually, “What’s everyone so shocked about? Amber is Carter’s aunt. Since Carter and I are married, it’s only proper that I respect her. Amber, wouldn’t you agree?”

Amber’s reply was stiff but obedient: “Yes.”

Just last night, she came at me with a dagger, ready to end me. And now? Here we are, playing the picture-perfect happy family. This absurd plot twist was beyond anyone’s imagination. Taylor, notably, remained silent throughout. Even Yael, sensing something was amiss, couldn’t figure out where the pieces didn’t fit.

Breakfast continued, though everyone seemed lost in their thoughts. As soon as we finished eating, Amber turned to Taylor. “Come to the study with me.”

“Okay, Mom,” Taylor replied, but not before giving me a deep, piercing look. In the past, Taylor often wore a fake smile, one that gave nothing away. But now, his expression had shifted to something colder and more foreboding—far more unsettling than his false cheer.

He followed Amber out. Yael, still uneasy, tried inching closer to me, but Carter’s icy glare made him instinctively retreat. Whitney, restless and on edge, finally blurted out, “Chloe, what exactly happened last night?”

Carter was also watching me intently, waiting for an explanation.

“I talked with Amber,” I said lightly. “She was moved by my sincerity and agreed to convince Taylor to let you go.”

Whitney and Yael exchanged disbelieving looks. “That’s impossible,” Yael scoffed. “Taylor is obsessed with Whitney. He’d rather die than let her go.”

It wouldn’t be easy, but Amber had already agreed to help. If she made the promise, she would find a way to control Taylor.

Just then, a loud bang echoed from the study, followed by the sound of porcelain shattering.

“Taylor!” Yael cried, bolting from his seat toward the study. I hurried after him.

Inside the study, Taylor was on his knees amidst shards of broken porcelain. Blood streamed down his forehead from a fresh cut caused by the jagged fragments. Amber, ever composed in Carter’s presence, was known for her volatile temper otherwise. She was a ticking time bomb, and her sons had learned to tread carefully around her. But I had underestimated how much Taylor cared for Whitney.

Ignoring his injury, Taylor straightened his back and stared Amber down. “Mom,” he said firmly, “I’ll agree to anything you ask. But Anna is my everything. If you’re determined to tear us apart, you might as well kill me right now.”

I cut in coldly, “Tear you apart? You’ve got some nerve calling it that. You’ve kept Whitney locked away for years. ‘Mutual affection’ doesn’t mean much when it’s one-sided possession.”

Taylor shot me a cold glance. “Chloe, what happens between Anna and me is none of your business. Not even if you’re her sister.”

“You!”

Before I could say more, Carter wrapped his arm around my waist, pulling me back and silently urging me to stay calm. I took a deep breath. “Marriage isn’t just about two people—it’s about two families as well. It’s not something driven purely by your possessiveness. If you truly love Whitney, shouldn’t you respect her feelings?”

Taylor turned to Whitney. She stood silently by my side, her thoughts unreadable.

“Anna,” Taylor said firmly, “I told you I’d marry you, and no one can come between us.” His face betrayed an unhealthy obsession, and the blood dripping slowly from his forehead only made him look more unnerving.

“Taylor, you’ve been forcing Whitney to stay by your side for years. Has she been happy? Have you?”

My question left him silent. Over the past few days, I’d noticed him trying to change. He no longer treated Whitney like something he could simply take for himself. Instead, he sought her approval, even to the point of groveling. But Whitney’s sadness lingered, a fact Taylor couldn’t ignore.

“Even if you get married and have a wedding ceremony, do you think that will change your relationship?”

“That’s between us and has nothing to do with you.”

“Whitney will be 26 this year,” I continued. “She’s spent the best years of her life with you, yet how many of those days have been truly happy? Her past has been nothing but darkness. Are you planning to dim the rest of her life, too? To make her live like a shell of herself? Sure, you might be able to comfort her today, but what about tomorrow? Next year? Years down the line? Hearts change, Taylor. And when the day comes that you lose interest in her, what then? That day will mark the end of her world. Both the Sanders and Carlyns have suffered enough. Isn’t it time to end this cycle?”

I sighed deeply. “I can see that you genuinely love Whitney and want to give her a good life. That proves you’ve already started to let go of your hatred. So why not take it a step further? Let’s compromise. I won’t interfere with your wedding, but at the very least, remove the chip from her body. Is that fair?”

“If you truly care for Whitney,” I added, “treat her like a person, not someone shackled by a leash you’re constantly tightening.”

Taylor locked eyes with Whitney. “If I remove the chip, will you leave me?”

My heart tightened. This was the critical moment. I silently prayed that Whitney wouldn’t lash out at him or say something harsh. Taylor was beginning to crack under the pressure. We couldn’t afford to lose this chance.

After a long silence, Whitney finally spoke. “I hope you’ll give me freedom—not constant surveillance. If you can do that, I promise I won’t run.”

Taylor studied her fragile frame. Perhaps he had always known the root of their problems. I was betting everything on one truth: if a man truly loves someone, he won’t let her live in misery.

Taylor closed his eyes and finally said, “Fine. I’ll do it. I trust you, and I hope you won’t betray that trust.”

A flicker of disbelief crossed Whitney’s face. “You’re willing to?”

With a bitter smile, Taylor nodded. “I don’t want to lose you. And I don’t want to hurt you anymore.”

“When can she have the surgery?” I pressed.

“Let’s schedule a check-up today. If everything looks good, she can have it tomorrow.”

Relief washed over me. All my efforts had finally paid off. Whitney would soon be free.

Amber, seemingly uninterested, rubbed her temples and looked at me. “Well, now that this is resolved, you and Carter should head back.” Dark circles shadowed her eyes, evidence of a sleepless night. She looked utterly drained.

But I smiled warmly. “Amber, why the rush to send us away? It wasn’t easy for Carter and me to find you, our dear relative. We’d love the chance to show our respect and take good care of you.”

I wasn’t going anywhere. Amber needed to understand that while getting me to come had been easy, getting me to leave would be far more difficult.