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.

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

irony flashed in

about Carter?” John

Carter,

permission. This is

“But he won’t

don’t need his

her face as she recalled how she’d once distanced herself from John—just because of something

murmured,

sorry. I promised your mother I’d protect you. But I didn’t have the strength to keep that promise. I

her mother since childhood. Now, John was

had propelled him beyond the classical music world, turning him into a

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

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

didn’t get to

from behind. “Sharon, what a surprise

to see Kelly, dressed in a

disliked—twice in

cold. “What’s

found it strange—Carter rarely goes home, and yet

gentle—an image

contrast, Sharon suddenly seemed sharp, callous,

hear the taunt beneath

flicker of smugness

time is all taken up

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

didn’t mean it like

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

let out a shriek and stumbled

even react, a tall figure caught her

“Kelly, are you okay?”

face had gone pale. When she looked up and saw who it was, her eyes immediately

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

gaze flicked, finally locking on Sharon

brows drew together,

“Sharon, apologize to Kelly.”