Even after Her Death by Rita Bond

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09.18 Thu, Dec 19

Chapter 396 Easily Deceived.

Chapter 396 Easily Deceived.

I raised my hand and brought the knife down with all my strength.

At the same time, he moved. But instead of hitting him the blade struck a moth.

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The sharp edge sliced through the insect's wings, and the rest of its body fluttered, struggling helplessly.

It felt like a reflection of my own fate-fighting against what I couldn't change.

I glanced up at him. "Sorry, I thought it was a cockroach. You really startled me."

For a moment, a flash of something cold crossed his face, but it was gone almost immediately. I could feel the chill of fear still gripping me.

He had been testing me, hadn't he?

If I'd gone through with it, if I'd tried to strike him, he would've overpowered me in an instant. It would've completely contradicted everything I had told him about staying. What would've happened if he'd called me out on my lie?

Would I end up like Whitney, locked up and forgotten?

I managed to keep my composure in that moment. If I tried to kill him, I had no chance of winning. Not without the proper training.

Even the angle of the knife wouldn't have been enough to do any real harm.

The risks were too high. I had to change my approach.

That had been a close call.

"You're scared of cockroaches?" he asked, taking the knife from my hand and twirling it casually between. his fingers. The sound of the blade scraping against his skin made my heart skip.

"Who isn't? Snakes, cockroaches, and slugs," I replied, forcing a smile as I tried to ignore the unease creeping up my spine.

He tucked the knife away and patted my head lightly. Sorry about that. Didn't mean to scare you.

"Scare me? I keep having dreams of snakes chasing me I said, trying to act frustrated, though I wasn't sure it was convincing. Then, without warning, he pulled me into his arms. I froze, unsure of what was happening. Was this another test?

But then he said, "How about I take you away from here

Tblinked, caught off guard by his words. Was he serious

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Chapter 396 Easily Deceived,

it was another

"Really?"

already made your offering to my family.

"You're not making me into

a gentle tap. "I can do it anywhere. Sculpting stone isn't something you finish in

start, he had been toying with

"Where are we going?"

since you're so scared, I thought better of it. But you have to

thumb' brushed lightly against my

you. Even I

believe he was actually letting me go back. I

if I couldn't meet Carter face to face, just catching a glimpse

""I understand."

girl, Chloe. I think I'm

looking at me the way Taylor had looked at Whitney. There was no

me only because I had stayed with him

a mix of gratitude, appreciation,

about

to marry a

must be

we go back?"

We'll leave when the wind and rain

"Okay."

him seriously. "Do you have anything

"Yeah, I'll make something

on an apron and headed to the kitchen. I said, remember the first time we

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Chapter 396 Easily Deceived

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sat under a tree, not moving. Now look at you. You've grown up

you,

get closer to him. Maybe he'd be the key to helping me

"You remember that?"

what about your mom?

"She... wasn't a good mother. Let's not get into

wanted to kill me? She's not even part of the Carlyns. Why would she hate me so

gave a dry, bitter laugh. "Maybe

sensing that something about his connection with Amber was off. Every time he mentioned her, it was always with that distant that person' tone. It was clear they were on the same side, but how? He didn't seem interested in talking

that when we returned, more of the answers would

I was finally given a hot meal. The warmth almost

sorry. I didn't realize

I glared at him.

I'm hungry! Try kneeling on an empty stomach