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.

return, you’ll have to perform regularly. It’ll be exhausting. You won’t have much time left—for your husband, for

trace of irony flashed in her eyes.

John asked. “Will he

Carter, her gaze turned

permission.

for a long moment. “But he won’t allow you to be around

don’t need his

was steady, but guilt surfaced on her face as she recalled

she murmured,

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 to keep

since childhood. Now, John was one of the most celebrated

had propelled him beyond the classical music world, turning him into a heartthrob with fan followings

But he still couldn’t compare to someone like

fault,” Sharon

didn’t get

voice cut in from behind. “Sharon, what a surprise to

to see Kelly, dressed in

she disliked—twice in one day—what

turned cold. “What’s

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

tone was light, face gentle—an image

suddenly seemed

Sharon could hear the

lifted her eyes—and saw the flicker of smugness in Kelly’s gaze that

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

spread across Kelly’s face. She grabbed Sharon’s hand,

wait, I didn’t mean it like

finish, Sharon yanked her hand away. “If you’re not pretending, then you really don’t know

Kelly let out a

react, a tall figure caught her just in

“Kelly, are you okay?”

had gone pale. When she looked up and saw who it was, her eyes immediately brimmed with tears, as if

fine. Sharon didn’t mean to. Please don’t be mad at

finally locking on Sharon

brows drew together, voice

“Sharon, apologize to Kelly.”