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

Reuniting with Chloe was the last thing Anna ever expected. It felt surreal, almost like a dream, but the warmth of Chloe's embrace was genuine.

Chloe had given her a heart, and now she had come back in another body, still trying to protect her.

At that moment, all the pain and humiliation of the past years suddenly seemed trivial. Her sister, Chloe, was alive.

Those few days were the happiest she had known in a long time. Chloe never left her side. Even when she had to go for a while, she always came back.

With her around, even Taylor didn't seem so unbearable anymore.

Still, Anna constantly feared that Taylor would find out about Chloe. So she pretended not to be close to her, acting like they barely knew each other in public.

What she didn't know was that Taylor had seen everything.

On a quiet night, he stood outside, smoking in the dark.

He had known from the start that the woman was Chloe, but he held no hostility toward her, so he simply ignored her.

After Anna's suicide attempt, their relationship hit rock bottom. Having Chloe nearby at least gave her a reason to smile. Besides, Yael had already arranged for Chloe to be by Taylor's side.

Taylor often watched quietly from the shadows as Anna and Chloe spent time together.

The once lifeless girl began to smile again.

Her appetite had always been poor, and even now, as an adult, she was so thin that holding her felt like hugging a bundle of bones.

Chloe devised creative ways to tempt her into eating more, and then Janice joined them.

Her bright, bubbly personality occasionally made Anna laugh out loud.

It felt like life was finally turning around. Taylor was finally going to fulfill his long- held wish to marry Anna.

He had prepared everything in advance. There were wedding photos and a custom wedding dress.

He wanted Anna to be the most beautiful bride in the world.

But all the planning in the world couldn't have predicted what came next.

When he got word that the bridal car carrying the three of them had crashed, his heart nearly exploded.

He knew it was the Carlyns' doing, but he was terrified. What if he couldn't protect her?

By the time he reached Anna, she was already cold and lifeless.

He and Amber rushed back to the island. As soon as the boat docked, he sprinted toward her.

His carefully styled hair was messy, his clothes were stained with blood, and the wedding was in shambles.

No matter how fast he ran, he was still too late. Josh, who should have died long ago, had forced her to kill James in front of a grave.

The girl he had cherished all his life stood there, tears streaming down her face, drowning in agony.

How could he let her live with that trauma?

So he took it upon himself. He found the right angle and stabbed the man.

Blood splattered across Anna's face.

She must've been so disappointed in him. Must've thought he was a monster. Killing her father in front of her.noveldrama

But Anna, I'm sorry.

This was the only way for you to live without fear.

While everyone was distracted by the chaos, Taylor secretly arranged for Josh to be rescued.

Then he knelt down and carried the unconscious Anna on his back, bringing her home.

The sea breeze blew away the scent of blood on his body.

It felt like time had rewound. He used to carry the little girl home like this when she was small.

But now she had grown up, and they could never go back.

He knew, even without today's tragedy, he was a Carlyns, and she was the Sanders. They were never meant to be.

That wedding had always been his dream alone. Before it even began, the dream ended.

Taylor looked at the sleeping, disheveled girl. He changed her into clean clothes and gently wiped her hands and feet with a warm towel, just like he used to when she was little.

When had he fallen in love with her? He didn't know anymore.

But he remembered the first time she called him, the first time she ran toward him, the first time she smiled at him, and the first time she clung to him and acted spoiled.

His fingers softly brushed against her cheek. "Anna, I'll remember every good moment between us."

His gaze was filled with tender

sorrow. "know what you've always

wanted is freedom. So now, I'm

letting you go. From this day on, live

your life freely. Without me, you'll be happier, won't you?"

Anna was still fast asleep, unable to respond.

Taylor smiled faintly. "No matter where you go, I'll always protect you. So go ahead and enjoy your life. You were never happy with me, so forget everything."

He handed Chloe a bottle of memory suppressant.

In the darkness, Chloe stared at the tall man before her.

There was a time when she couldn't read this man at all. He was too deep, too terrifying.

He had stolen Penelope's ashes. He had helped Josh survive.

Everything he did was murky, unexplainable.

From her perspective, she had once lain on an operating table, her heart cut out. Even if he hadn't been directly involved, Taylor had always known what the Carlyns were up to.

He was never innocent. He was their enemy.

But he had also raised Anna with incredible care and devotion.

For the first time, Chloe began to question what human nature is.

The villains you thought you knew sometimes carried painful burdens and moments of kindness.

Now that both sides had laid everything bare, the Carlyns agreed to stop fighting

the Sanders. They would continue investigating the truth.

Before handing over the medicine, Taylor shared Anna's habits with Chloe.

"Anna is sensitive, and she gets

anxious easily. She doesn't like meat and prefers vegetarian dishes and

sweet fruits, not sour ones. Her

health is fragile, and she catches colds easily, so stay warm. She had a heart transplant, and though there's no sign of rejection, she shouldn't do any intense physical activity."

He rambled on for a while, then gave a bitter smile. "Sorry. You're her sister. I shouldn't be doubting that you can take care of her. But she grew up in the palm of my hand. It's hard to let go."

Chloe's anger melted into a single sentence. "Don't worry. I'll take good care of

her."

"That's good."

As Taylor turned and walked away, she heard him murmur repeatedly, "That's

good, that's good."

At that moment, Chloe was sure. Taylor loved Anna. Desperately.

When Anna finally woke up, still drowning in grief, she grabbed Taylor by the collar

and slapped him across the face.

"You're all monsters!"

Taylor didn't argue. He just stood there, letting her take it out on him.

"Taylor, I hate you!"

"I know."

"Go ahead, kill me! I don't care!"

But when he looked into her defiant

eyes, he sighed. "Anna, I won't hurt you. I've already talked to my father, and there will be no more revenge between the Carlyns and Sanders. You can leave now."

Anna froze. "What did you say?"

"I said you're free now."