Loved You Once But He's My Forever

Chapter 538 Luke, Goodbye

Was it really over?

I felt completely drained, as though every ounce of energy had been sapped from me. Although I was still alive, my body felt as if it had been utterly exhausted.

"Has Luke been cremated? I need to say goodbye," I asked softly.

Zoey shook her head. "I'm not sure. After you collapsed, I had to focus on taking care of the babies. I'm sorry, Chloe. I shouldn't have left you alone."

None of us had expected that Harlan hadn't been with Carter at the time, arriving earlier than anticipated.

I gently placed a hand on Zoey's shoulder. "No one is to blame. It's fate, Zoey. We can't fight fate."

Looking around, I noticed Harlan wasn't present. Lowering my voice, I asked, "Zoey, if that was my death curse, what does that mean for your future?"

"What else can we do? We just have to go with the flow," Zoey answered, offering a smile that didn't quite reach her eyes. "I'm okay. Being able to live again, to see my parents and you, is already more than I deserve. Even one more day feels like a gift. Don't worry about me. Life and death are beyond our control, and fortune is something that belongs to the heavens."

I let out a soft sigh, knowing that despite her words, Zoey wasn't as carefree as she appeared. Like me, she too was powerless against the force of fate.

We had tried to resist, but in the end, we had no choice but to accept it.

After drinking some water and eating a little, I began to feel a bit stronger. I asked Kate to assist me as I prepared to say my final goodbyes to Luke.

He had died because of me, and no matter what the past had held-whether love or hatred it had all faded into nothing.

At the crematorium, Carter stood holding a small urn. His eyes were red from crying, and as soon as he saw me, I rushed to him, wrapping my arms around him. "Carter..."

He handed the urn to Damian and then pulled me into a tight embrace. "Are you alright? Feeling better? Is the fever gone?"

I looked at his exhausted face and shook my head.

Even though I always tried to shield him from the pain, Carter was always the one

who suffered the most. He was the one who felt the deepest sorrow.

He had just lost two family members. How could he endure this?

Yet, even in his grief, he was concerned about me and the children.

"I'm fine," I whispered, holding him tightly.

His forehead rested against my head. "You're still a bit warm, but it's not too bad."

"You've been so busy. You should eat something and rest," I urged.

"It's fine," he replied softly. "I'm not hungry. I'll stay with you. I know you want to say goodbye to Luke."

Once again, no one understood me like Carter did.

He took my hand and led me into the dim, cold morgue.

chill in the air seemed to come at me from all directions, making my skin prickle with

It had been prepared for cremation, but he was still dressed in

revealing Luke's pale and lifeless

for today," Carter said

it, so I

I nodded silently.

on the 20 years we had known each other, from the age of 8 to 28. We

worst, including the

the final memory that lingered was that

that instant, he had redeemed himself.

atoned for his mistake with his

his face, tears filled my eyes. "Luke, go now. Don't worry about me anymore. I'll live my life well. Once you get to the afterlife, just let go of all the past pain. In your next

never meant to

I had worn a wedding dress, expecting to

wore a groom's suit, only to meet death

same page, always just missing each other

you need to cry, let it all out now. After this,

soft, muffled sound as I fought to

the last time, Luke. These tears are for

"Carter, he had just one request—he wanted to be buried with my

said,

as Luke's body was carefully taken away. Only family members were allowed to remain behind. By the

had been well cared for. There were fresh flowers and offerings

been

someone had been visiting

snacks for Joy They had purchased

engraved just three

placed on the gravestone today, the visitor

man who

Adam of

Boltons and gone to meditate at a

had cared for and raised. I worried that if he learned of Luke's death, it

walked through

now, I knew that Luke wouldn't have cared

chrysanthemums on his grave,

engraved there. Today, he was truly gone from my life.

placing the flowers down, I left before the sun

heavy rain, he wanted to scatter them in the sea on

Eleanor's ashes in the room

would

touched the urn and

Harlan were

them holding the baby's arms and the other trying to manage the legs Meanwhite, Everett, as

eli

cover his hands