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.

now?” John’s voice was low. “If you return, you’ll have to perform regularly. It’ll be exhausting. You won’t have much time left—for your husband,

trace of irony flashed in her eyes. “Besides, he

John asked.

the mention of Carter, her

permission.

her for a long moment. “But he

don’t need his

steady, but guilt surfaced on her face as she recalled how she’d

she murmured,

be sorry. I promised your mother I’d protect you.

together under her mother since childhood. Now,

and melancholic temperament had propelled him beyond the classical music

But he still couldn’t compare to someone like Carter, a man with real capital behind

your fault,” Sharon said softly.

get to

from behind. “Sharon,

see Kelly, dressed in

disliked—twice

cold. “What’s it

“Don’t be upset, Sharon. I just found it strange—Carter

light, face gentle—an image of innocence

suddenly seemed

Sharon could hear the taunt beneath Kelly’s gentle

of smugness in Kelly’s gaze that hadn’t quite been

is it rare for Carter to go home? Isn’t it because his time is all

across Kelly’s face. She grabbed

didn’t mean

you’re not pretending, then you really don’t know your place. And women with no self-awareness?

Kelly let out a shriek

could even react, a tall figure caught

“Kelly, are you okay?”

saw who it was, her eyes immediately brimmed with tears, as if she

to. Please don’t be mad at

gaze flicked, finally locking on

drew together, voice low and

“Sharon, apologize to Kelly.”