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.

as if grounding

seems Luther and Taylor fought, and both likely went over the cliff. Whitney must have followed them.

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

sorry," I whispered. "I passed out. You were just in

his grip unyielding. "Do you know how scared I was? My whole body was shaking, Chloe. I was terrified I wouldn't

he spoke, I could feel the faint

I brushed his face gently. "I'm so sorry, Carl. I wasn't thinking. All I could focus on

I

don't ever scare me like that again.

rough,

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 it just

even

were too

vast. Chloe, you need

knew. That faint sliver of hope I had

faint, "Thank you for

her choice. What was the

was finally

You still have

face into his chest, letting the tears flow. "Yes, I still have you, and the babies. I

voice cracked, the words dissolving

fall in love again,

was gentle, his gaze

does this always happen?" I choked out. "Carl, I had

her this time, but just like before, I could only watch

"I know you did everything you could. You're incredible, Chloe. You didn't fail her

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, as long as she could live.

wiped the tears

precious, but Whitney didn't see it that way. She had no desires left and hadn't been close to her family for years. Taylor had become her everything, entwined with her very existence. Chloe, if it were me

weight of his words sinking in even as I struggled to

was Whitney's decision," Carter continued. "Even if it were you, no one-human or divine-could have stopped her. You

know you're

is gone. If there had been no hope from the start, there wouldn't be this overwhelming despair now. The hardest part is losing her

was safe. Her