Side Chick Era... Over

Chapter 7

Loving Mom 7

Kelly froze. For a second, she wondered if she’d misheard.

“…What?”

Theo repeated the question, his tone serious.

“Ms. Walt, are you a mistress?”

She hadn’t expected that—hadn’t even come close.

The word “mistress” was loaded, sharp, and deeply wounding–especially for a woman.

Her expression went stiff, and for a long moment, she couldn’t respond.

“Theo. Do you even know what you’re saying? Where did all your manners go?” Carter’s voice came low and cold, displeasure laced through every word.

Snapping back to herself, Kelly quickly tried to smooth things over

“Carter, don’t be angry. He’s just a child. He doesn’t know any better.”

She paused, a trace of sorrow in her voice.

I know… Sharon never liked me. But no matter how much she dislikes me, she shouldn’t say things like that to Theo. Adults should keep children out of these matters. He’s innocent. He’s still so young…”

The implication was clear–there was no way Theo could’ve come up with those words on his own unless someone had taught him.

Carter didn’t say a word, but the tight line of his lips and the sudden chill that swept through the air made his displeasure unmistakable.

Theo was a sharp kid. Even though his father hadn’t spoken, he could still sense that something was wrong. The mood had shifted.

He opened his mouth, instinctively trying to explain. “It wasn’t Mom who said that, it was…”

Before he could finish, Kelly cut him off. “Theo, I know. That didn’t come from Sharon. Must’ve been something some random person said on the street, right?”

Theo didn’t catch the underlying message in her words. He just thought Kelly was amazing–like she somehow knew everything. He nodded seriously.

“That’s right. I heard it at the restaurant earlier. Some people at another table were talking.”

Kelly smiled gently. “Theo, I believe you.”

to dawn on him. His expression turned serious

Walt, are you going to

ready to speak up, but Kelly held up a hand, stopping him. She gave him a subtle shake of her

have at most half a year left

address her so differently-“Ms. Walt“-a flicker of

only be five, but Theo wasn’t a child you

Chapter 7

+25 BONUS

even know why he’d asked that

was so kind, so gentle–how could he have doubted

besides, she didn’t have much time

he was, he was still a child. He didn’t notice that from beginning to

bit his lower lip without realizing it and murmured, “Kelly,

still soft and warm. “It’s alright. Let’s not talk about that anymore. Think about what you’d like to eat later, and

awkward moment and happily launched into a conversation with

want fried chicken

even thinking,

health isn’t great. The doctor told you

glancing back at Theo. “Besides, Theo wants it… What’s the point

got to indulge now and then–otherwise,

Sharon, who never let him eat anything fun, and suddenly

him

rubbing his eyes with sleep still clouding his face, he found Carter sitting at

shuffle downstairs, Carter furrowed his brows. “Theo,

11

lowered his head. “No one woke me up.

moment, Marie, the housekeeper, appeared from the kitchen,

her, sharp with irritation.

glanced at Theo, still standing there, and hesitated. Her voice

it’s usually Madam

by Madam, and she wakes the child. So what exactly

was cold, the silence between his words thick with

had never seen him this angry. His presence–long accustomed to command- filled the

then, as she thought about how much Madam had done over the years, only to have it go unappreciated, Marie couldn’t hold

eat anything. You need specially prepared meals. Some of the herbs for these meals take over two hours to stew, and the process is incredibly intricate. Madam even studied herbs for a long

Specially prepared incals?

+25 BONUS

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