Chapter246MsChloe D 66% +20FreeCoins Atthatmoment,itfeltasifallthebloodinmybodyrushedtomyhead,leavingmecoldandpanicked.
IhadbeensocarefulhadIbeenfoundout? Mymindraced,tryingtofigureoutawaytoescape.TheywouldntharmmeattheHudsonResidence,buttheymighthave discoveredwhoIwas.
WhatshouldIdo? JustasIwastremblinginfear,a figuresteppedforward.Tomysurprise,itwasLuke! Withacoldexpression,hesaid,Itsme.Whatareyoutwodoinghere? Heexudedanairoftithority,showingnofear,andinsteadquestionedthetwoofthem.
Toanyonewatching,itlookedlike aprivilegedyoungmanbeingquestionedbystaff,sohisreactionseemednormal.Iseizedtheopportunitytoslipaway.
Imovedbriskly,thecoldwindbrushingagainstmyfacefrombothsides.Ididntdarepauseforevenasecond.
Thefearwasoverwhelming.
WhowasbackingAnna?AsidefromthatwomanandSilas,howmanyotherswereworkingwithher?HowmanyofthemwerehiddenwithintheHudsonResidence? Andwhatweretheirintentions? Whatswrong?Cartersvoicebrokethroughmyracingthoughts,snappingmebacktoreality.
Notfaraway,DamianwaspushingCarteralong.Hemusthavenoticedmydistressedexpressionbecausehegavemeaconcernedlook.
Nothing,Irepliedquickly.Itsjustsocoldoutside.Iwanted togetindoorsasfastaspossible.
ThoughhecouldtellIwasntbeingtruthful,hechosenottopressmefurther.
ThemomentIsteppedintothelivingroom,thewarmthoftheheatersurroundedme,yetIstillfeltchilledtothecore.
WhileIhadbeenmakingmymoves,Anna hadbeendoingthesame.
Shehaddoubtedmeforsometime.
Itwasnt justarivalryitwasahiddenwar.
SadieandEthanhadalreadybecomesacrificesinthissilentconflict.
Inside,theroomwasalivewithactivity.Freshlycutflowersfromthegreenhousefilledthevases,theirdelicatescentlingeringintheair.
1/4 Chapter240MsChloe Womendressedinelegantoutline,theirmakeupimmulate,exchangedpleasantsmilesandunde,sharpcontrastintheragingsnowstormoutside AsCarterandLentered,FionabroughtAnnaovertogreetme.

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Annassharpeyesimmediatelyfellonmypaleface,heexpressionlacedwithsuspicion IfCarterhadnoticedsomethingwasoffaboutme,surelyAnnawouldtoo MyhabitsandmannerismswerenolongerthesameasZoeys.Evenifshecouldntimaginesomething,asfarfetchedasrebirth,shecouldstillsensethatIwasntwhoIappearedtobeandconsideredmean enemy Mrs.Bolton,youdontlookwell.Areyoufeelingokay?Annaasked,seeminglycausalyetproting ISilashadtestedme,whywouldntAnnadothesame? ItookawrongturnonmywayhereIexplainedquickly,Iendedupseeing,someonesugge
ringachicken/Thebloodspilledeverywhereitscaredme Theolderwomennearbychimedinwiththeirthoughts.LetsnottalkaboutbloodythingsduringtheNewYear.
Itsjustachicken,awomansaiddismissively,Whygetsofrightened? MymomapproachedfromwhereBillwasstanding,herexpressionfilledwithworry.Shewrappedherarmsaroundmeandsaid,Mydaughtersbeenthroughalot,soshesafraidofblood.Zoey,comesitwith me.
Itookaseatbesideher,deliberatelylettingthescarsonmywristsshow.Mom,wheneverIseeblood,itremindsmeofthedayIalmostlostmylife.Iregretitsomuchnow.Ishouldneverhavebeensoreckles Dontbescared.Imhereforyou,shereplied,holdingmeclose, Herhugwascomforting,herembracesoftandwarm.
Shesmelledfaintlyofsoap,aclean,naturalscentthatwasntoverpoweringlikeperfume.
Gradually,hertouchcasedthechillinmybody,helpingmefeelgroundedagain.
Cartercameoverandhandedmeacupoftea.Itsalright,hesaid.
Icuppedmyhandsaroundthe warmmug,lettingtheheat seepintomyskin.Astookamomenttocollectmythoughts,InoticedKatesittingacrosstheroom,hereyesfixedonme.
Shelookedfrailandwithdrawn,herfacethinnerthanbefore,andherdistantgazespokeofsorrow.
Thelossofhersonseemedtohavetakenaheavytollonher.
Katesintensestarewasunsettlingasifshewereinsomekindoftrance.Slowly,sheroseandwalkedtowardme.Chloe,Imhere.
Philippa,alwaysgentle,nowactedwithfirmresolve.
SheblockedKateshandandsaidcoldly,Mrs.Sander,thisismydaughter.Pleasekeepyourcomposure.
2/4 Chapter246MsChloe +20FreeCoss Annaquicklysteppedforward, pullingKateback.Mom,haveyouforgotten?Chloehasbeengoneforalongtime.
Kateblinkedasifwakingupfromadream.Hereyesdriftedtomyforeheadbeforeshespokeagain.Yes,mydaughterhasbeengoneforalongtime.ImsorryIthoughtyouwereher.
Itsalright,Irepliedcalmly,withoutthebitternessorsarcasmImighthaveshownbefore.
ThisincidentwasareminderIneededtotreadcarefullyaroundAnnafromnowon.
LeaningintoPhilippasembrace,Isaidsoftly,Mom,Illneverdoanythingfoolishtomakeyouworryagain.
Thatsmygoodgirl,shesaid,strokingmyarmgently Katecontinuedtowatchme,herthoughtsseeminglyfaraway.
Maybeshewasrelivingmemoriesofmeandthetimewedspenttogether.
Butthathadnothingtodowithme.
Fortherestofthenight,IstayedclosetomymomnotonlytoensureherwellbeingduringherpregnancybutalsotokeepmymindoffAnna.
ItmadesensethatZoey,afterhersuicideattempt,wouldchangeandtrytostartfresh.
Ashley,however,wasdifferent.HisconcernforAnnawasanact.Whathetrulycaredaboutwasthechildshecarried.
Thankfully,Sadiewasntheretonight.Herpresencewouldhaveonlycausedchaos.
TheHudsonswerebrimmingwithjoyovertheupcomingbaby.TheywerealreadyenthusiasticallyinvitingeveryonetotheweddingaftertheNewYear.
AlisasatclosetoLuke,servinghimwithsuchcareanddevotionthatitwas impossibletomisshowdeeplyshelovedhim.
Watchingher,Icouldnthelpbutseeareflectionofmyself.
Ihadoncebeenlikethat,livingentirelyforsomeoneelse,asthoughunderaspell.Gratitudeforbeingsavedhadconsumedme,leaving noroomformysenseofidentity.
AndthentherewasBill,whosebehaviorwasnothingshortofabsurd.Hedeliberatelyactedoverlyfamiliarwith mymominfrontofNicholas.
Iobservedthemallwithcold detachment,silentlyquestioningtheauthenticityoftheirsmiles.
Howmanyofthemtrulymeantwhattheyshowed? Itfeltasifwewereallcharactersinastagedperformance,eachplayingourroles.
Astheeveningdrewtoaclose,theguestsbegantoleave.Afterremindingmymomtotakecareofherself,Istoodbyandwatchedhergetintothecar.
3/4 15:03Tue,Dec10GB.
Chapter246MsChloe Nicholashadbeenlingeringatadistance,silentlywatevehicledisappearedfrom/view.Hisexpressionwashe Itwouldntbelongnow.Soon,thischapterwouldcom IturnedtowardtheBoltonscar,readytoleave.Butjucalledoutfrombehindme.