Chapter411TheTest Results Toavoidanydelays,Carterimmediatelysentthesamplesfortesting.Theheavyrainhelped calmhisemotionsbitbybit.
Whenhelookedatmeagain,hisgazesoftened.Youmustbestarving.Letsgohomeandeat.
Inodded.
EversincelearningthatDamianwasworkingforAmber,Carterhadchangedourlocationtoavoidhersurveillance.
Thistime,hebroughtmetoanothervilla,aplaceonlyHarlanandhiswifeknewaboutfornow.
Whenwearrived,Harlansfacewasdarkandstormy.WhateverheandZoeyhadtalkedaboutinthecarclearlyhadntgonewell.
Zoey,however,didntseemtocare.Usedtohercarefreeways,shepoutedandsaid,Ugh,thetakeouthadgonecold.GoodthingIwassmart enoughtoorderanotherbatchonthewayback.
Harlanremainedsilentashestaredather.
Cartersmoodwasntmuchbetter.Untilthetestresultscamein,heremainedtenseandirritable.
Imgoingtochange.
Harlanfollowedhimupstairs.
Zoeypulledacanofsodafromthetakeoutbagandhandedittome.Thefoodsabust,butat leastthedrinksarefine.Dontletitgetyoudown.Lifestooshortwe shouldmakeeverydayahappyone.
Ididntwantsoda.WhatIreallywantedwasalcohol.
Carterprobablyfeltthesame.
Iwenttothewinecellarandbroughtoutsomebottles.HarlanhadlikelygoneupstairstoquestionCarteraboutZoey,butIcouldntbesureifCarterwouldtellhimanything.
Whentheycamebackdown,IpulledCarterasideandaskedhim,Didyousayanything? Heshookhishead.Thismatterisntjustaboutyourrebirth;italsoinvolvesZoeyssecret.Imnotinthehabitofexposingsomeoneelsessecrets.Its uptohertotellhimifshewantsto.
IfiguredZoeywouldnttellHarlan.Sheseemedtoliveeachdayasifitwereherlast.Therewasnoway shedrevealthetruth.
Itwasntwisetogetentangledwithsomeonewhowasnevermeanttobepartofyourlife.
Shekeptsayingshewantedarelationship,butinrealityshewaslettinggo.
Bycuttingoffallties,sheensurednoonewouldgrievewhensheleft.
ThatswhysheactedsocoldlytowardHarlan,alwayspickingfightsandrefusingtoshowhimanywarmth.Shedidntwanthimtofallforher.
93% Chapter411TheTestResults +8Pearls Sheknewshecouldntofferhimafuture,soshechoseextinguishthesparkbeforeitbecameaflarne.
Shewasalwaysakindwoman.
IreachedoutandgentlycuppedCartersface.Iwantedtocheerhimup,buthiseyeswerecloudedandlifeless.
HefeltashamedofthebloodthatconnectedhimtoAmber.
Softly,Isaid,Letseat.
Hemustnothavebeeneatingproperlythesepast fewdayshisweightlosswasevident.
Staringoutatthestorm,hemurmured,Theresultswillbereadytomorrow.
Ipulledhimtothesofa andhandedhimaglassofwine.
Lets not worryabout tomorrow and drink to our hearts content tonight .
Zoeyraisedherglassofredwine.Wow,thisisgood!HowdidIneverrealizewinetastedsoamazingbefore? Althoughshewasdepressedpreviously,sheneithersmokednordrank.
Harlan,stillvisiblyirritated,shotheraglance.Dontdrinktoomuch.
Shepouted.Mindyourownbusiness.
Harlanwantedtosaysomething,butintheend,hejoinedCarterinadrinkingcontest.
Ithadbeenages sinceIhadlastindulged,buttonight,Ineededit.
FrombarelyescapingdeathontheislandtolivinginconstantfearattheCarlynResidence,itwasonlywhenIwaswithCarterthatIfelttrulysafe.
Zoeyappearedcarefree, butIknewitwasjusta facade.
Wedallbeenbroughttogetherbyourownstruggles,andtonight,wesoughtsolaceinthebottomofaglass.
Zoeyraisedherglassagain.Herestoyourfuture!Mayyouguys livelongandhappylives.
Harlanfrownedatherwords,clearlydispleased.Itswe.
Zoeysmiledfaintly.Lifesalreadyhardenough.Idontwanttolivealonglife.Youguyscandothatfor me.
Janice, dontyoudaretojumpintotheriveragain! Harlansvoicewas sharp,thinkingshewashintingatasuicideagain.Butinthenextsecond,histonesoftened.Alright,stop messingaround.Iwontmeetheranymore.Iveevendeletedhernumber.
Zoeypattedhischeck.Dont.Dontchangeformeitnotworthit.Afterwegetdivorced, goaheadand marryher.Shelovesyou,andyoutwomakeagoodmatch.Imnotbeingsarcastic,HarlanImeanit .Youdontrealizehowraretrueloveisinthisworld.Itsnoteasytofindsomeonewholovesvon.Eventhough 10:18Wed,JanMG Chapter411TheTestResults Ninasamanipulativedramaqueen,atleastshelovesyou.Thatsenough.
Shewasdrunk.Hertolerancewasevenworsethanmine ThoughIfeltabitlightheaded,mymindwasstillclear Harlancarriedhertoherroom.Youredrunk.
493% 48Pearls Imnot,Zocyprotestedwhileflailingherarms.Beforethedoorclosed,Iheardhermurmur.Dontloveme.Wewonthaveany futuretogether.
Thelivingroomfellsilent,leavingonlyCarterandme.Hisconcernedeyesheldatraceofmelancholy.Areyouokay? Ishouldvepassedoutbynow,givenmyusualdrinkinglimits.Myheartracedwildly,andmy headfeltlikeitwasbeinghammered,butIforcedmyselftostaylucid.
Atleastfortonight,Ididntwanttofallasleep.
Iwantedtostaywithhim.
Restingmyheadagainsthischest,Iwrappedmyarmsaroundhisneckandnuzzledhimgently.
Carter , Ill wait withyou for the results .Please , dont be sad .
Ididntneedwords;heunderstoodmythoughts.
Hisarmsgraduallytightentheirholdaroundme.
Chloe,thankyou… Whatwastheretothankmefor? WhenIhadbeenatmylowestaftermyrebirth,itwashewhohadstayedbymyside,helpingmeclawmywayoutofthedarkness.
AslongasIwasalive,Iwouldneverstoplovinghim.
Thunderroaredoutside,whileweclungtoeachotherindoors.
Eventually,sleepovertookme,andIdriftedoffinhisarms.Thenextmorning,IwasawakenedwhenCarterstirred.
Footstepsapproachedfromoutside.
AmanIhadneverseenbeforewalkedin.

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Hewastallandbroad,exudingaghostlyauraofdanger Hisfacewasutterlyforgettable,devoidofdistinguishingfeatures.
Thiswasthekindofmanwhocoulddisappear intoacrowdandkillwithoutleavingatrace.
Carterintroducedhim.ThisisJonas.
3/4 10:18Wed, Chapter411TheTestResults ThemanglancedatmebrieflyinacknowledgmentbeforehandingCarterasealedenvelope.
Theresultsareexpedited.
Alright,youmaytakeyourleave.
Oncehewasgone,onlyCarterandIremained.
Withtremblingfingers,Carterbeganuntyingthewhitestringontheenvelope.
Thiswasntthecalm,composedCarterIknew.
Idneverseenhimsovulnerable,soutterlylostanduneasy.
+8Pearls Takingtheenvelopefromhim,Icarefully undidthestringunderhiswatchfulgazeandpulledoutthetestresults.
ThefirstpageconfirmedTiffanyandPeterwereindeedfatheranddaughter.
MyheartpoundedasIturnedtothesecondpage.
EventhoughIhadpreparedmyselffortheworst,therealitystillhitmelikeathunderclap.
Carterleanedinandhisfacewasfullofdisbelief.Nnoway! 1