Chapter425WasntGoingAnywhere Theroomwasfilledwithstunnedfaces,especiallyfromtheCarlynsbrothers.
TheyhadnoideawhatIwasdoing.
Yael,midmotionofpassingaravioli,frozesosuddenlythathishandshook, sendingthedumplingploppingbackontotheplate.
Whitneystaredatme,dumbfounded,herthoughtslikelyracingto piecetogetherwhatonearthhadtranspired overnight.HergazeflickedbetweenAmberandme,suspicionetchedacrossherface .Shewas probablythinking,Whoeverorwhateveryouare,getoutofAmbersbody! Itwastoosurrealforhertoprocess.
Carter,ontheotherhand,seemedtohavefiguredsomethingout.Hisexpressiongrewdarkerbythesecond.
Yaelwhisperednervously,Chloe,you Itookasipofthesoymilkandsaidcasually,Whatseveryonesoshockedabout?AmberisCartersaunt.SinceCarterandIaremarried,itsonlyproperthatIrespecther.Amber,wouldntyouagree? Ambersreplywasstiffbutobedient:Yes.
Justlastnight,shecameatmewithadagger,readytoendme.Andnow?Hereweare,playingthepicture-perfecthappy family.
Thisabsurdplottwistwasbeyondanyonesimagination.Taylor,notably,remainedsilentthroughout.
EvenYael,sensingsomethingwasoff,couldntfigureoutwherethepiecesdidntfit.
The breakfastcontinued,thougheveryoneseemedlostintheirthoughts.
Assoonaswefinishedeating,AmberturnedtoTaylor.Cometothestudywithme.
Okay,Mom,Taylorreplied,butnotbeforegivingmeadeep,piercinglook.
Inthepast,Tayloroftenworeafake smile,onethatgavenothingaway.Butnow,hisexpressionhadshiftedtosomethingcolderandmoreforebodingfarmoreunsettlingthanhisfalsecheer.
HefollowedAmberout.Yael,stilluneasy,triedinchingclosertome,butCartersiey glaremadehiminstinctivelyretreat.
Whitney,restlessandonedge,finallyblurtedout,Chloe,whatexactlyhappenedlastnight? Carterwasalsowatchingmeintently,waitingforanexplanation.
ItalkedwithAmber,Isaidlightly.ShewasmovedbymysincerityandagreedtoconvinceTaylortolet yougo.
WhitneyandYaelexchangeddisbelievinglooks.Thatsimpossible,Yaelscoffed.TaylorisobsessedwithWhitney.Hedratherdiethanlethergo.
1/4 Chapter485WasntGoingAnywhere 73% Finished It wouldntbeeasy,butAmberhadalreadyagreedtohelp.Ifshemadethepromise,shewouldfindawaytocontrolTaylor.
Justthen,aloudbangechoedfromthestudy,followedbythesoundofporcelainshattering.
Taylor!Yaelcried,boltingfromhisseattowardthenose.
Ihurriedafterhim.
Insidethestudy,Taylorwasonhiskneesamidstshardsofbrokenporcelain.Bloodstreameddownhisforeheadfromafreshcutcausedbythejaggedfragments, Amber,evercomposedinCarterspresence,wasknownforhervolatiletemperotherwise.Shewasatickingtimebomb,andhersonshadlearnedtotreadcarefullyaroundher.
ButIhadunderestimatedhowmuchTaylorcaredforWhitney.
Ignoringhisinjury,TaylorstraightenedhisbackandstaredAmberdown.Mom,hesaid firmly,Illagreetoanythingyouask.ButAnnaismyeverything.Ifyouredeterminedtotearusapart,youmightas wellkillmerightnow.
Icutincoldly,Tearyouapart?Youvegotsomenervecallingitthat.Youvekept Whitneylockedawayforyears.Mutualaffectiondoesntmeanmuchwhenitsonesidedpossession.
Taylorshotmeacoldglance.Chloe,whathappensbetweenAnnaandmeisnoneofyourbusiness.Notevenifyourehersister.
You! BeforeIcouldsaymore,Carterwrappedhisarmaroundmywaist,pullingmebackandsilentlyurgingmetostaycalm.
Itookadeepbreath.Marriageisntjustabouttwopeopleitsabouttwofamiliesaswell.Itsnotsomethingdrivenpurelybyyourpossessiveness.IfyoutrulyloveWhitney,shouldntyourespectherfeelings? TaylorturnedtoWhitney.She stoodsilentlybymyside,herthoughtsunreadable.
Anna,Taylorsaidfirmly,ItoldyouIdmarryyou,andnoonecancomebetweenus.
Hisfacebetrayedanunhealthyobsession,andtheblooddrippingslowlyfromhisforeheadonlymadehimlookmoreunnerving.
Taylor,youvebeenforcingWhitneytostaybyyoursideforyears.Hasshebeenhappy?Haveyou? Myquestionlefthimsilent.Overthepastfewdays,Idnoticedhimtryingtochange.HenolongertreatedWhitneylikesomethinghecouldsimplytakeforhimself.Instead,hesoughtherapproval,eventothepointofgroveling.
ButWhitneyssadnesslingered,afact Taylorcouldntignore.
Evenifyougetmarriedandhavea weddingceremony,doyouthinkthatwillchangeyourrelationship? Thatsbetweenusandhasnothingtodowithyou.
2/4 13:21Wed,Jan8 Chapter425WasntGoingAnywhere.
Finished Whitneywillbe26thisyear,Icontinued.Shesspentthebestyearsofherlifewithyou,yethowmanyofthosedayshavebeentrulyhappy?Herpasthasbeennothingbutdarkness.Areyouplanningtodimtherestofherlife,too?Tomakeherlivelikeashellofherself?Sure,youmightbeabletocomforthertoday.butwhatabouttomorrow?Nextyear?Yearsdownthene?Heartschange,Taylor.Andwhenthedaycomesthatyouloseinterestinher,whatthen?Thatdaywillmarktheendofherworld.BoththeSandersandCarlynshavesufferedenough.Isntittimetoendthiscycle? Isighed deeply.I
canseethatyougenuinelyloveWhitneyandwanttogiveheragoodlife.Thatprovesyouvealreadystartedtoletgoofyourhatred.Sowhynottakeitastepfurther?Letscompromise.Iwontinterferewithyourwedding,butattheveryleast,removethe chipfromherbody.Isthatfair? IfyoutrulycareforWhitney,Iadded,treat herlikeaperson,notsomeoneshackledbyaleashyoureconstantlytightening.
TaylorlockedeyeswithWhitney.If Iremovethechip,willyouleaveme? Myhearttightened.Thiswasthecriticalmoment.IsilentlyprayedthatWhitneywouldntlashoutathimorsaysomethingharsh.
Taylorwasbeginningtocrackunderthepressure.Wecouldntaffordtolosethischance.
Afteralongsilence,Whitneyfinallyspoke.Ihopeyoullgivemefreedomnotconstantsurveillance.Ifyoucandothat,IpromiseIwontrun.
Taylorstudiedherfragileframe.Perhapshehadalwaysknowntherootoftheirproblems.
Iwasbettingeverythingononetruth:ifamantrulylovessomeone,hewontletherliveinmisery.
TaylorclosedhiseyesandfinallysaidFine.Illdoit.Itrustyou,andIhopeyouwontbetraythattrust.
AflickerofdisbeliefcrossedWhitneysface.Yourewillingto? Withabittersmile,Taylornodded.Idontwanttoloseyou.AndIdontwanttohurtyouanymore.
Whencanshehavethesurgery?Ipressed.
Letsscheduleacheckuptoday.Ifeverythinglooksgood,shecanhaveittomorrow.
Reliefwashedoverme.Allmyeffortshadfinallypaidoff.Whitneywouldsoonbefree.
Amber,seeminglyuninterested,rubbedhertemplesandlookedatme.Well,nowthatthisisresolved,youandCartershouldheadback.

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Darkcirclesshadowedhereyes,evidenceofasleeplessnight.Shelookedutterlydrained.
ButIsmiledwarmly.Amber,whytherushtosendusaway?ItwasnteasyforCarterandmetofindyou,ourdearrelative.Wedlovethechancetoshowourrespectandtakegoodcareofyou.
Iwasntgoinganywhere.
Amberneededtounderstandthatwhilegettingmetocomehadbeeneasy,gettingmetoleavewouldbefarmoredifficult.