Side Chick Era... Over

Loving Mom 4

Theo curled his lip. “My lactose intolerance is much better now. The doctor said it’s fine if I eat a little now and then. But Mom always wants to control me—make me do what she says.”

That word—control—coming from a five-year-old’s mouth, felt too heavy, too strange.

Carter was just about to respond when his phone rang.

He answered, and Kelly’s voice came through from the other end.

“Carter, are you home now?”

“Yes.”

“Sharon hasn’t come back yet, has she?”

He paused for a moment. “Why?”

“I think I just saw her…” Kelly’s voice hesitated. “She was having dinner with a young man. They seemed… close.”

She fell silent for a beat, then carefully asked, “Is it because of what happened earlier today? Did something upset her again? Carter, maybe you should explain things to her properly.”

A chill slipped into Carter’s eyes.

Sharon didn’t come home to cook—because she was out on a date?

His voice turned colder without him realizing it. “Where is she?”

Kelly gave him an address.

“I got it,” he said, and hung up.

…

In the restaurant, John Westin looked at Sharon steadily.

“Have you really made up your mind?”

She nodded. “Shaluna was something my mother custom made just for me… and I gave it up for my family, for five whole years.”

Her voice trailed off as she let out a quiet sigh. A hint of wistfulness flickered across her face.

John’s voice was low. “If you return, you’ll have to perform regularly. It’ll

now.” A trace of irony flashed in her

what about Carter?” John asked. “Will he

Carter, her gaze

his permission. This

moment. “But he won’t allow you to be

don’t need

voice was steady, but guilt surfaced on her face as she recalled how she’d once distanced herself from John—just because of

murmured, “I’m

don’t need to apologize to me. It’s me who should be sorry. I promised your mother I’d protect you. But I didn’t have the strength

mother since childhood. Now, John was one

him beyond the classical music world,

all. But he still couldn’t compare to someone like Carter, a man with

not your fault,” Sharon said softly. “It’s

get

behind. “Sharon, what a

turned to see Kelly, dressed

someone she disliked—twice in one day—what rotten

cold. “What’s

be upset, Sharon. I just found it strange—Carter

face gentle—an image

Sharon suddenly seemed sharp, callous,

could hear the taunt

flicker of smugness in Kelly’s

shot back, “And why is it rare for Carter to go home? Isn’t it because his time is all taken up by you, Kelly? Are you really that clueless, or

She grabbed

I didn’t

Sharon yanked her hand away. “If you’re not pretending, then you really don’t know your place. And women with no

Suddenly, Kelly let out a shriek and stumbled

could even react, a tall figure caught her just in

“Kelly, are you okay?”

pale. When she looked up and saw who it was, her eyes immediately brimmed with

mean to. Please don’t be mad at her,

finally locking on Sharon

drew together, voice low and

“Sharon, apologize to Kelly.”