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

A dagger gleamed coldly in Silas's hand, its sharp edge reflecting the dim light. Anna's heart pounded, but she forced herself to stay calm. Pointing at a nearby security camera, she said, "If you kill me, you won't get away with it."

Silas hesitated, his grip tightening around the hilt before he instinctively sheathed the dagger.

Seizing the moment, Anna turned and bolted in the opposite direction without looking back.

Now she understood why Taylor had insisted she train in self-defense and endurance. Today, that training was finally paying off.

Though she hadn't practiced in two years, her muscle memory kicked in, propelling her forward at an impressive speed.

Silas was momentarily stunned. The frail-looking girl was surprisingly fast-within seconds, she had already gained a significant lead.

He stood there, torn between chasing after her and tending to Wisteria's injury.

Wisteria, seething with rage, pressed a hand to her bleeding head and stomped her foot. "Damn it! What are you standing there for? Go after her!"

"But your injury-"noveldrama

"I'm not dying! Just don't let her escape!"

"Okay."

Silas immediately took off after Anna.

She ran as fast as she could, her heartbeat growing erratic. It had been years since she last had an episode, thanks to her medication, but now the symptoms were creeping back.

Her breaths came in short gasps, her legs weakening with each step. A wave of dizziness washed over her, but she couldn't afford to slow down.

She wanted to run toward a crowd, but this was a private estate-deserted at this hour, with no sign of people or buildings in sight.

Silas was closing in.

Anna knew she couldn't afford to take chances. Just then, a black car appeared, rolling out from a nearby driveway.

This was it.

If she fell into Silas and Wisteria's hands, she was as good as dead. This might be her only shot at survival.

Without hesitation, she sprinted into the road.

The car screeched to a stop.

Anna yanked open the door and scrambled inside, paying no mind to the startled driver.

A young man in a crisp white shirt sat in the backseat, a medical journal in his hands. He looked up in surprise as she practically collapsed onto the seat.

"You-"

Anna grabbed his wrist. "Please, help me. That man is trying to kill me."

The young man frowned at the absurdity of the situation but didn't push her out of the car. Instead, he gestured to the driver.

"Drive."

Anna's lips were turning pale. She managed to whisper a faint "Thank you" before everything went dark.

When she woke up, she found herself lying in a hospital bed.

Blinking against the soft sunlight streaming through the window, the first thing she

saw was the same young man, sitting beside her, reading a book.

His white shirt glowed in the warm light, giving him an air of quiet gentleness.

"You're awake," he said, closing his book and turning to look at her.

"You ...

saved me?"

He nodded. "You have a heart condition. Running like that was dangerous."

Anna exhaled slowly. She felt much better now. "Thank you. What's your name?"

"Luther Donovan."

"I'm..." She hesitated, then quickly corrected herself. "Alice."

Luther glanced at her. "Where's your family? You didn't have a phone on you, and I couldn't contact anyone."

The word "family" made Anna's mind flash to the Sanders. They were in the same city. Taylor wasn't around, but if she returned to the Sander Residence, she could warn them about the Carlyns.

This was the perfect opportunity. She hesitated for a moment before speaking. "My family..."

But just as the words left her lips,

ет

memories of Taylor's kindness over the years flooded her mind-along with the image of that gravestone on the island.

She didn't know what to do.

"What's wrong?"

Anna clenched the blanket tightly in her fists. Taylor had always been good to her,

but she couldn't just stand by and watch Ethan and Chloe get hurt.

Determination flashed in her eyes. "It's nothing. Hey, could you help me contact the Sand-"

Before she could finish, the door swung open.

Taylor stood at the entrance, breathing heavily as if he had sprinted all the way there.

"Whitney."

In the next second, he rushed forward and pulled her into his arms.

Anna felt his body trembling-he was shaken, and even his voice sounded different.

"I'm sorry. I was too late."

"I'm fine, don't worry. Luther saved me."

Only then did Taylor turn to look at Luther. He nodded gratefully. "Thank you for saving Whitney."

"Don't mention it."

Luther closed the book he had been reading. Taylor's gaze dropped to the bracelet on Luther's wrist, and in that instant, his expression shifted.

"I have something to take care of, so I'll be going now."

After Luther left, Anna turned to Taylor, curiosity in her eyes. "Taylor, I didn't have

my phone. How did you know I was here?"

Taylor's gaze landed on the necklace around her neck.

A long time ago, he had secretly embedded a tracking chip inside it.

Reaching out, he gently brushed his fingers against her face. "I checked the surveillance footage and saw you get into that car, so I followed it all the way here."

"Anna, I'm sorry. I should have planned better. I almost got you killed."

"Don't blame yourself. I'm fine, aren't I?"

But the truth was, her condition was worsening. Her heart was failing-sooner or later, she would need a transplant.

"Anna, rest for a few days. Once you've recovered, we'll proceed with the heart transplant. I've already found a suitable donor for you."

Anna bit her lip and asked softly, "Taylor ... where did the heart come from?"

That memory from when she was five was seared into her mind. She

still didn't know what Taylor had been doing there that day, but the fact that he was present meant he was involved in some way.

Taylor paused for a moment before responding. "Don't worry. The donor is someone with a terminal illness who had signed up for organ donation in advance."

"That's a relief." Anna exhaled, unaware she'd been holding her breath.

"Are you hungry? Want something to eat?"

"I am ...

Now that the adrenaline had worn off, Anna realized how hungry and thirsty she

was.

Taylor reached out and lightly patted her head. "Alright, I'll get you something. Just rest."

As soon as he stepped out of the hospital room, he made a call.

"The heart is ready? We need to do the surgery as soon as possible."

"Don't worry."

Anna stared into the distance, her eyes filled with disappointment.

She had been so close to her family-if only Taylor had come a little later.

For the first time, the thought of leaving crossed her mind.

Wisteria's appearance had left her feeling deeply unsettled.

She wanted to return to the Sander Residence.