Chapter 2

Carter's brows drew tightly together. He said quickly, "I'll be right there," then turned and strode off without so much as a glance back at Sharon.

Sharon stood still, expressionless, watching his retreating figure disappear into the darkness.

She'd lost count of how many times, in the middle of the night, he had left like this—rushing to Kelly's side at the news of another so-called "critical condition."

…

The next morning, Sharon wheeled out her neatly packed suitcase, ready to leave.

As she passed by Theo's room, her steps faltered.

After a moment of hesitation, she decided to go in and see him one last time.

He had been born prematurely. Ever since then, Theo had been frail and prone to illness. Because of that, she had always cared for him personally, never trusting anyone else to take her place.

He looked a lot like Carter—right down to the cool, distant temperament.

It was a weekend. Theo wasn't at school and was seated at his desk, working on his homework.

When she entered, he greeted her out of habit, "Morning, Mommy," and went right back to writing without looking up.

Sharon gazed at the profile of his face—so much like Carter's—and finally said, "Theo, I'm leaving. Take care of yourself."

He responded with a flat "Oh," eyes still glued to his paper.

Ever since Kelly had appeared in their lives, he had grown more and more distant from her.

She still remembered that video Kelly once posted on social media.

In it, Theo was munching on cotton candy as he mumbled through sticky lips, "I just like being with Kelly. I get to eat all kinds of yummy things."

Then Kelly said, "Theo, is your mommy not good to you?"

"She just nags all the time. Tells me what I can and can't do, won't let me eat this or that."

"Then between me and your mommy, who's better?"

"Of course, you! If my mommy treated me half as well as you do, I'd be so happy."

Sharon understood. Compared to a strict mother, Kelly indulged him, spoiled him, and let him do whatever he pleased—of course she'd win his heart.

To manage his condition, she made sure he went to bed on time every night. With his weak digestive system, she never let him touch outside junk food.

It had taken years of meticulous care before he finally became stronger and no longer fell ill so easily.

But in the process, he'd grown more and more distant from her.

She was almost out the door when Theo's voice suddenly called after her.

"Mommy."

Sharon turned around.

He said, "You once said… the people Theo likes, Mommy will like too. I really like Kelly. So Mommy will like her too, right?"

Sharon froze for a split second. Then, something quietly snapped inside her.

She closed her eyes and smiled faintly—without a sound.

"You've always wanted to protect Kelly, haven't you? From now on, you can protect her together with your daddy."

A flicker of confusion passed through Theo's eyes. He didn't understand what she meant.

Sharon didn't explain. She simply turned and walked out of the villa.

…

Wendy Cohen's car was already waiting outside.

After loading the suitcase into the trunk, Wendy looked at her. "Sharon… you've really decided to go through with the divorce?"

Sharon gave a small nod. "Mm. I have."

"And… what about Theo?"

"Even if I fought for custody, I couldn't win against Carter." Sharon gave a bitter smile. "And besides… Theo might not even want to come with me. To him, Kelly is the best."

Wendy frowned in disapproval. "You almost died giving birth to him—labored through an entire day and night. You've been by his side ever since, doing everything for him. How could he think some homewrecker is better than his own mother?"

Sharon said calmly, "That just proves they're father and son. Even their taste in women is the same."

Wendy hesitated. "And Carter… does he know you're leaving?"

She shook her head. "He's probably still with his precious Kelly."

Before she got married, Sharon had owned a small apartment of her own. It had been a long time since she'd lived there.

After cleaning up the space, Wendy suggested they go out.

"Sharon, we haven't gone shopping together since you had Theo. Want to hit the streets for a bit?"

It was true. Ever since Theo's birth, Sharon's life had revolved solely around home and Theo. She'd lost herself, her time, her freedom—everything.

Looking at the spark in Wendy's eyes, Sharon was suddenly reminded of who she used to be. She had once been just like her—full of light, full of life.

Five years of marriage had turned her into someone prematurely aged, spiritless, and worn.

Tears welled up in her eyes. "Okay."

Just then, Wendy's phone rang.

Whatever was said on the other end made her brow furrow.

After a moment, she said into the phone, "Alright, we'll be there soon."

Hanging up, she turned to Sharon. "Someone wants to offer a high price to buy the violin you authorized Demusica Harmony to sell—Shaluna. The manager says the buyer seems like a big deal. He didn't dare refuse. Since you're free today, we should go take a look."

Shaluna… It had been five years since Sharon had touched her violin.

She'd been so caught up in caring for Theo that everything related to music had been left in Wendy's hands.

Hearing that name again now—it felt like a lifetime ago.

…

As soon as they stepped into the music shop, Sharon's steps halted.

A tall, handsome man and a delicate, graceful woman stood together in front of a showcase labeled "Not For Sale."

The woman's soft, gentle voice floated through the air. "The legendary Shaluna… it's even more beautiful than I imagined."

"Carter, didn't you say you loved hearing me play the violin most? I want to hold one final concert before the end… I want to use this violin. What do you think?"

The man's voice was low and clear. "Okay."

The store manager followed nervously behind them, wiping sweat from his brow.

When he saw Sharon and Wendy walk in, his eyes lit up like he'd just seen his saviors.

"Wendy! You're finally here. Mr. Biggs would like to purchase Shaluna. You can set any price you like—what do you think?"