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.

voice was low. “If you return, you’ll have to perform regularly. It’ll be exhausting. You won’t have much time

health is fine now.” A trace of irony flashed in her eyes. “Besides, he doesn’t need me

Carter?” John asked. “Will

Carter, her

don’t need his permission. This is

“But he

don’t need his

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

murmured,

his head. “Sharon, you 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

her mother since childhood. Now,

and melancholic temperament 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

your fault,” Sharon said softly. “It’s

didn’t get to

cut in from behind. “Sharon,

Kelly, dressed in a

someone she disliked—twice in one day—what rotten

cold. “What’s it to

sweetly. “Don’t be upset, Sharon. I just found it strange—Carter rarely goes home, and yet you’re not

gentle—an image

seemed sharp,

hear the taunt

lifted her eyes—and saw the flicker of smugness in Kelly’s gaze that hadn’t quite been

it because his time is all taken up by you, Kelly? Are you really that clueless, or just pretending

She grabbed

I didn’t

away. “If you’re not pretending, then you really

let out a shriek

could even react, a tall figure caught her just in

“Kelly, are you okay?”

she looked up and saw who it was, her eyes immediately brimmed with tears, as if she had suffered

I’m fine. Sharon didn’t mean to. Please don’t be

finally

brows drew together, voice low

“Sharon, apologize to Kelly.”