Loved You Once But He's My Forever (Chloe) novel Chapter 494

"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.

I gripped his shirt as if grounding myself. "Where is Whitney?"

He took a deep breath, steadying himself. "From what we found at the scene, it seems Luther and Taylor fought, and both likely went over the cliff. Whitney must have followed them. Chloe, you don't know how close you were—you almost went over, too."

Before I blacked out, I remembered hearing Carter's desperate, heart-wrenching cry. It was unlike anything I had ever heard from him, raw and haunting.

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

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

Even now, as he spoke, I could feel the faint tremor in his body.

Reaching up, I brushed his face gently. "I'm so sorry, Carl. I wasn't thinking. All I could focus on was saving Whitney. I forgot ... I forgot I was pregnant."

"Chloe, don't ever scare me like that again. Please."

Carter's voice was rough, full of sorrow.

"It's 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 as much.

I could not stop myself from asking, even though I already knew, "What about Whitney?"

"The cliff wasn't very high, but the waters below were too rough. The rescue team has been going in shifts, but the sea is vast. Chloe, you need to prepare yourself."