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

Zoey shot Harlan an annoyed look. "What are you doing here?"

He looked a little travel-worn as if he had just rushed over from somewhere far away. But at least he seemed better than the last time I saw him, when he was stuck in a cast.

I let out a small sigh of relief. After all, he had gotten hurt because of us.

If he had died in that accident, I would never have forgiven myself.

I had no idea how things were progressing between him and Zoey, but one thing was certain he still had feelings for her.noveldrama

You could always tell when a man was truly in love.

Just like now-his eyes, his entire world, were only filled with Zoey.

In his hand wasn't his usual briefcase, but a food container. "Didn't you say you love my staff's cooking? I asked him to make something for you before I came. I kept it warm on the way-it should still be hot. Try it."

Zoey's retort caught in her throat. "Huh? Oh. Fine."

Then, Harlan turned to Carter. "I heard Chloe made it back alive. Where is she? I even brought something she likes."

He really had to pick that topic, didn't he?

Zoey shot him a warning glance, but Harlan just frowned. "What's wrong with your eye? Got dust in it? Want me to blow it out?"

Without another word, she grabbed him by the arm and dragged him out of the room.

I turned to Carter. "He didn't mean anything by it. Don't let it bother you."

"I'm fine."

But he wasn't fine. The weight of everything still lingered in his gaze, heavy and unresolved. I knew what was tormenting him-me, but I had no way to fix it.

I wanted to return to my body, but something invisible, something I couldn't understand, kept me from getting close.

I didn't know why. Carter grew quieter and quieter.

My injuries from childbirth were healing. My heart was still beating. By all medical accounts, I was alive. But I wouldn't wake up. The doctors had made their final diagnosis-I was in a vegetative state.

They tried everything to bring me back, but nothing worked.

Carter could only rely on the flickering flame and our children's reactions to know that I was still here.

As time passed, the babies' vision improved. At first, they could only see me within a short distance. But now, they could spot me even from several yards away.

Unlike the others, they never saw me as something otherworldly. Wherever I moved, their tiny eyes followed, reacting to me just like any baby would react to their mother.

Sometimes, the nanny would chuckle. "Look at them. It's like an invisible fairy is playing with the young masters."

She had no idea.

She didn't know that what the babies saw-what they followed so intently-was their mother.

I thought about it a lot. If I could stay with them like this forever, maybe it wouldn't be so bad.

But then I worried... What would happen when they grew older?

How would they explain to others that they had a mother they could see-but could never hold?

Time passed in the blink of an eye. The twins were now three months old.

Snowville was blanketed in its long, relentless winter. Christmas came again, and with it, the reminder of my looming death anniversary.

Carter personally took care of me every single day. The nurses whispered about how they had never seen a man so devoted.

I stood beside them, nodding along. "I know, right? Even I'm impressed."

I followed Carter everywhere. Most of the time, I never left his side.

He brought the babies back to the Bolton Residence, and Jeffrey was overjoyed.

Even Luke had changed a lot. He had prepared a gift for the babies-pendants for protection.

His eyes were red as he listened to Carter introduce their names, nodding repeatedly.

"Good. Very good. Everett and Everly... Wonderful names."

But I saw it. The way he staggered as he left as if he might collapse at any moment.

The next day... My death anniversary arrived.

I had attended funerals when I was alive. And now, as a spirit, I was attending my own.

A once-in-a-lifetime experience.

Carter brought the twins to visit my grave.

There, in the snow, sat a carefully wrapped basket of hydrangeas, covered in frost. Luke limped away in the distance...

So he finally remembered that hydrangeas were my favorite. But wasn't it a little too late?

I stood beside Carter, gazing at my own gravestone. The photo etched into it would always show me at 28.

I reached out, running my fingers over my own face. It was me, and yet ... it wasn't.

I was her, and at the same time, I wasn't.

"Chloe, I want to live," Carter murmured. "What about you?"

He handed the children to Damian, then knelt down to carefully clean the snow off my grave.

Then, he placed a bouquet of red roses before it.

"Chloe, I'll take care of the children. Don't worry."

His voice was gentle. His shoulders shook slightly as he whispered, "But ... the new year is almost here. Can't you come back? Just for this one? It's first New Year as a family." en

A single tear slipped down his face, falling into the snow.

I wrapped my arms around him from behind. Carl ... I wanted to come back more than anything. To hold him. To hold our babies.

I could only watch him return home and fill every corner with decorations.

Even without me, he made everything perfect.

The babies had grown enough to roll

over now. Outside, fireworks exploded, painting the night sky in vibrant colors. Jeffrey sighed. "It's New Year's Eve. If only Chloewere still here..."

The fireworks lit up the world, dazzling and brilliant.

Everyone's attention was drawn outside except mine. I was the only one who saw it. Everett, my mischievous little boy had rolled too far. And in the next moment he tumbled off the bed.

The nanny had stepped away for just 30 seconds. There was no one there to catch him.

My heart clenched in terror. "Everett!"

I tried to grab him, but he passed through me. He fell, his tiny body hit the carpet with a thud.

And then-

A wail, sharp and heartbreaking, cut through the air.

It felt like something ripped through me-something pulled me back with a force so strong, so sudden,

that I could barely comprehend it.

What's happening?!

"Carl ... save me!"