Side Chick Era... Over

Loving Mom 10

Carter’s patience wore thin. His voice was cold and clipped. “That’s enough.”

Nate opened his mouth to speak again, but Kelly held him back, giving a small shake of her head.

“That’s enough, Nate. It’s fulliard’s birthday tonight. Let’s go.”

Nate caught the shift in Carter’s expression–dark and unreadable. He shut up and followed them in silence.

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Inside the private room, Wendy had been planning to call in a few male escorts for the party. But Sharon firmly refused, leaving her no choice but to give up on the idea, albeit with obvious regret.

“The guys here are top–tier,” Wendy said wistfully. “Incredible bodies, killer abs… the kind that make you never want to let go once you’ve touched them. I’m telling you, it’s addictive.”

Sharon remained calm. “I’m planning to divorce Carter. I need to be careful right now. I don’t want to give them anything they can use against me.”

Wendy tapped her fingers on the table, thoughtful. “Makes sense. Wouldn’t want them flipping the script and playing the victim.

She was never the type to sit still for long. Since the models were out of the picture, she resorted to singing karaoke instead.

Time passed, though neither of them paid much attention to the clock. Sharon’s phone vibrated softly on the table. She glanced down. It was John.

She raised a finger at Wendy, mouthing a quick “hold on,” and stepped outside to take the call.

John wanted to talk about setting up his own studio. His contract with the agency was about to expire, and with Sharon considering a return to work, he figured it was the perfect time to start something new.

Sharon didn’t hesitate. She agreed on the spot.

After hanging up, she headed to the restroom. On her way out, she saw Kelly standing by the sink, touching up her makeup in

the mirror.

Their eyes met briefly. Sharon’s gaze was flat, uninterested, and she looked away.

She turned on the faucet, washed her hands, and was about to leave when Kelly called out.

“Sharon.”

“What is

pulling

do you recognize

small, worn amulet. The design

twitched. Her breath caught,

prayed for, back when he was sick. Said you stayed knelt a whole day and night

quiet. “What exactly are you

amulet a slight shake. “Theo said that after you brought this back, his fever started to break.

Chapter 10

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had been three years old when he suddenly became gravely with a high fever. Nothing worked–no medicine, no physical cooling. The doctors had exhausted every method. They even

home.

maybe had quietly suggested cuthanasia, just so

that offered hope, even

happened. Whether it was coincidence or fate, when she returned with that charm, Theo’s fever began to fade. Slowly,

her for everything, he once told her, “This is the charm Mommy got for me. I’ll wear it every day and keep

day, this same charm

tuck a stray strand of hair behind her ear, revealing the emerald bracelet on her wrist. The bracelet shimmered softly, its pale green glow delicate and serene–yet somehow, it

Sharon’s papils contracted sharply.

was meant to

Madeline, Carter’s mother, had never liked her. Not even a

she gave birth to Theo, Madeline remained cold and

Madeline favored refined, high–born women. She didn’t

with Kelly

would go on to marry someone even

family had ever truly accepted her. Even the household staff treated her with condescension, convinced

their wedding, Madeline refused to see her. On holidays and

up–looking more and more like Carter, smart and

to lower her

to Sharon, but to Theo, instructing him to one

wife.

once asked

Theo had refused.

bracelet is for my future wife. If I lose it or break it, I won’t have a wife

had made her laugh at