Loved You Once But He's My Forever

Chapter 494 A Hair's Breadth

"Whitney!"

Just before Carter reached me, Whitney broke free from my grasp and fell off the cliff.

In that moment, it felt like I had been thrown back 20 years, reliving the same nightmare. Once again, I watched her slip away before my eyes.

"No!" my heart-wrenching scream echoed across the cliff.

Everything went black, and I felt my body falling, powerless to stop it.

"Chloe!"

Carter's anguished voice called out behind me, but it felt distant, fading.

Am I going to die again?

Is this how it ends for me?

I lost consciousness.

In my dream, I was back on that night, at just five years old.

A little figure in the water waved at me, her voice urgent, "Chloe, help me!"

Without a second thought, I jumped into the water and grabbed her hand.

People on the shore tried to save us, but the river's current was too strong, and we were quickly swept away.

Caught in the raging waters, I clung to her and pleaded desperately, "Don't let go, no matter what happens. Please, don't let go."

"Chloe, I can't hold on anymore."

Her expression shifted, and suddenly, the little girl I was holding turned into the grown-up Whitney. Her face was calm and resigned as if she had already accepted her fate. "Chloe, please forget me." "No, Whitney!"

I shot awake from the dream, gasping, only to meet a pair of red, tear-filled eyes.

The next moment, Carter pulled me into his arms, holding me tightly. "Chloe, you almost gave me a heart attack," he said, his voice trembling.

gripped his shirt as if grounding myself. "Where

and Taylor fought, and both likely

Carter's desperate, heart-wrenching cry. It was

whispered. "I passed out. You were just

scared I was? My whole body was shaking, Chloe. I was terrified I wouldn't catch

he spoke, I could feel the faint tremor in

gently. "I'm so sorry, Carl. I wasn't

I forgot I

scare me like that

rough, full

fine as long as you're okay," he said softly, his hand gently stroking the back of my head. It felt like he was comforting me, but maybe he needed

even though I

cliff wasn't very high, but the waters below were too rough. The rescue team has

sea is vast. Chloe, you need to

knew. That faint sliver of hope I had been clinging to was

eyes, my voice faint, "Thank you

had made her choice. What was the point of searching

she was finally with her

still

pressed my face into his chest, letting the tears flow. "Yes,

the

chance to fall in love again, to be a mom, or to

Carter's voice was gentle, his gaze

happen?" I choked out. "Carl, I had her hand.

but just like before, I could only

Carter said, his arms holding me tightly. "I know you did everything you could. You're incredible,

voice trembling. "I finally got her out of that place. I truly believed she could start over. It didn't matter if she loved someone or not,

wiped the

own path to follow. For us, life is precious, but Whitney didn't see it that way. She had no desires left and hadn't been close to her family for

words sinking in even as I struggled to accept

or divine-could have stopped her. You did all you could.

know you're

so hard to accept that Whitney is gone. If there had been no hope from the start, there wouldn't be this overwhelming despair now. The hardest part

she was safe.