Chapter410SecuringtheDNASample EvenHarlan,asdenseashecouldbe,noticedsomethingdifferentaboutJanicesbodycomparedtobefore.
ButI didnthavetimetoexplain.Grabbinghiscollar,Imadeaquickgesture.
Thankfully,hisbrainworked fastthistime.Youwantmetofollowhim?heasked.
Inodded.
Zoeyabandonedhermealandfollowedus.IclimbedintoHarlanscar.
Atleastbeingwithhim wouldntarousesuspicion.
IhadknownCarterforalongtime.Hewasalwayscalmbrooding,andruthless.
Buttonight,hewascompletelyoutofcontrol.
Icouldunderstandhim.Hehadbeenlivinginalieforyears.
Butthatwasnteventheworstpart.TherealblowwasthehighprobabilitythatAmberwashismother.
Thatwouldmeanhe sharedbloodtieswiththeCarlynsthosedemonswhohadkilledme.
Themorehelovedme,theharderitwasforhimtoacceptthistruth.
Ofcourse,wewerestillspeculating.Everythingwasupintheairuntilwehadthepaternitytestresults.
EvenifAmberwastrulyhismother,Iwouldntblamehim.
Iwasonly afraidhewouldntbeabletohandleit.
Afterall,ithadtakenso muchformetocomebacktohisside.Thethoughtoflosinghimagainterrified me.
Zoey,partiallyinthedarkaboutthesituation,noticedmydistress.Foronce,shedidntjokearound.Holdingmyhandsolemnly,shesaid,Dontworry.Imhere.Nomatterwhathappens,Illstandbyyou.
Inmypastlife,Ididnthavemanyfriends.EventhoseIdidhavedriftedawayaftergraduation.
IneverimaginedZoeywouldbecomemyclosestcompanion,someoneIdentrustmylifeto.
HerfacewassodifferentfromtheZoeyIonceknew.Icouldnthelpbutrecallherinthatblackdresswithherpalefacelikeawitheredflower.
Iwastouchedandmyeyesstungwithtears.
D AtleastIwasntfacingthisaloneanymore.

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Isqueezedherhandandnoddedather.
Throughtherearviewmirror,Harlansaw ourclaspedhands.Hisbrowfurrowedslightlywithconfusionflickeringinhiseyes.
1/4 10:15 Chapter410SecuringtheDNA Sample Whatsecretsareyoutwohiding?heaskedinalowvoice.
Naturally,I couldntanswer.
48Pearls Zoey,focusedoncomfortingme,snappedback,Itsgirlssecrets.Whydoyouneedtoknoweverything? Harlanwasleftspeechless.
IwasntinthemoodtodwellonthedynamicsbetweenZoeyandHarlan,MyeyesstayedgluedtoCarterscarahead.
HewasheadingstraighttotheDoltonresidence.
Withoutanyplan,hedroverightuptotheirresidence, Rainstartedtofallasweparkedontheroadsidewiththeheadlightsoff.
Withthewindshieldwipersoff,theheavyrainpoureddownlikeacurtain,blanketingeverything.
Raindropsscatteredacrossthewindows,formingadensemosaic.
Inthedistance,petalsoftherosesonthewhitewallstrembled.
Iclenchedmyfiststightly,silentlypraying.
Yaelbettertrulylikemeasmuchasheclaimed.
Ifearedthathisgoodfeelingsturnedouttobedestructive.
IfhetoldAmberIwasalive,shewouldimmediatelyguardherselfagainstCarter.
Lightningflashedacrossthesky,followedbyadeafeningclapofthunder.
Eachstrikefeltlikeahandgrippingmyhearttighter,fillingmewithdread.
Zoeygentlypattedmyback,whisperingwordsofcomfort.Its okay.Everythingwillbefine.
Ididntblinkwhilestaringahead.
Was Carter about to reveal everything ? What would he say ? Iknew Amber wouldnt harm him , but whatif she locked him upafter the confrontation ?What if he disappeared from my life forever ? Mymindspiraledintoworstcasescenarios.IhadnoideahowmuchtimehadpassedwhenCarterfinallyreappeared,walkingthroughtherainwithoutanumbrella.
Tiffanytrailedbehindhim./ Shewasstill limpingfromherearlierinjuries,strugglingto catchup whileholdinganumbrellatoshield him.
Myheartleapedtomythroat.
ThenIsawTiffanywranherarmsaroundCarterfrombehind 2/4 54% Chapter470SecuringtheDNASample OnlythendidIbreatheasighofrelief.
MaybeYaelhadntspilledthetruth.
+8Pearls Ifthatwerethecase,theDoltonswouldntsuspectCarter.ToTiffany,hewasstillthemanshelongedfor.
Relaxingslightly,InoticedZoeyrollinguphersleeves,readytojump outofthecar.
Thatshamelesswoman!shespat.
Igrabbedherarmtostopher.
Harlanchimedin,Dontworry.IfCarterreallylikedher,theydhavebeentogetheryearsago.
Zoeyscoffed.Youcantbesure.Menareshameless,especiallywhensomethingishandedto themonasilverplatter.
HerwordshitHarlan likearrows,leavinghimexasperated.Janice,Iveexplainedahundredtimes.IonlyeversawNinaasasister.Helpingherwasjustakindgesture.
Zoeyshothimaglare.Acceptinghugsfromwomenotherthanyourwifemakesyouasc*mb*g.Period.
ThankstowhathappenedwithAshley,shewasparticularlyintolerantofambiguousrelationships.
Harlancouldonlysighindefeat.
Justthen,Carter shovedTiffanyaway.
Shetriedtoapproachhim again,buthedidntholdback.Withoneforcefulmotion,Tiffanyandherumbrella fellintothemuddypuddles.Carterdidntevenglancebackashestrodeoff.
WatersplashedontoTiffanyashiscarspedby,yetshestilltriedtocrawlafterhim.
Amberemergedjustintimetowitnessthescene.MyhearttightenedasHarlanquicklyfollowedCarter.
Fortunately,AmbersattentionwasentirelyonTiffanyandnotus.
Icautiouslycheckedtherearviewmirror,ensuringnoonewastailingus.
Zoeysqueezedmyhand.Thatwomanshessuspicious,isntshe? Inoddedandtracedtwowordsonherpalm.
Devil.
Thewomanwhogavebirthtotwolittledevilswasdefinitelynoordinaryperson.
Afterdrivingforawhile,Carterpulledovertothesideoftheroad.
Throughtherain,theblinkingturnsignalscastaneerieglow.Iopenedthecardoorandclimbedintohisvehicle.
Hisclothesweresoakedanddamphairwasclingingtohissharpfeatures.Hisdarkeyeswerepiercingandunyielding.
3/4 10:15Tue,Dec31O Chapter410SecuringtheDNASample 84% +8Pearls Butwhentheysettledonme,therewasatraceofguiltSorryformakingyouworry,hemurmured.
Iplacedmyhandonhisandgentlypattedit.
Hereachedupandruffledmyhair.Dontbeafraid.Iwontdo anythingreckless.Amberdoesntknowyourealive.Ivegotthesample,andIllsenditfortestingimmediately.
Iwasstunnedthathehadgottenitsoeasily.
Itfeltstrange.Yaelhadnttoldheranything? Atleasthedidntwantmedead.
Thatwasarelief.
Afteryouwentmissingtheotherday,Damianvisitedthehospital.Ambercametoseemeseveraltimes.Tonight,sheletherguarddown.EventhoughIactedout ofcharacter,shethoughtitwasbecauseIwaslosingmymindoveryourdisappearance.Shedidntsuspectanything.
Cartergazedatthedownpouroutsideandsaid,Iswitchedcars,replacedthedashcam,andheronlyControlmeanymore.informantisinthehospital.Shecant Butif thatwere true , why didntyou seem happy ? Were you afraid ?Afraid she might really be your mother ? Itypedonmyphone,Carl,nomatterwhosesonyouare,Iloveyou.Thatsanunchangeablefact.
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