Chapter 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.

"And now?" John's voice was low. "If you return, you'll have to perform regularly. It'll be exhausting. You won't have much time left—for your husband, for your son."

"Theo's health is fine now." A trace of irony flashed in her eyes. "Besides, he doesn't need me anymore."

"And what about Carter?" John asked. "Will he agree?"

At the mention of Carter, her gaze turned icy.

"I don't need his permission. This is my life."

John looked at her for a long moment. "But he won't allow you to be around me."

"I don't need his approval."

Her voice 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 said.

"John," she murmured, "I'm sorry."

But John shook 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 strength to keep that promise. I let you suffer so much."

John was her senior. The two had studied violin together under her mother since childhood. Now, John was one of the most celebrated violinists in the field.

His striking features and melancholic temperament had propelled him beyond the classical music world, turning him into a heartthrob with fan followings rivaling top-tier celebrities.

Fame, fortune—he had it all. But he still couldn't compare to someone like Carter, a man with real capital behind him.

"It's not your fault," Sharon said softly. "It's mine—"

She didn't get to finish.

A soft voice cut in from behind. "Sharon, what a surprise to see you here."

Sharon turned to see Kelly, dressed in a pristine white dress.

Running into someone she disliked—twice in one day—what rotten luck.

Her voice turned cold. "What's it to you?"

Kelly smiled sweetly. "Don't be upset, Sharon. I just found it strange—Carter rarely goes home, and yet you're not there cooking dinner?"

Her tone was light, face gentle—an image of innocence and grace.

By contrast, Sharon suddenly seemed sharp, callous, and unkind.

But Sharon could hear the taunt beneath Kelly's gentle voice.

She lifted her eyes—and saw the flicker of smugness in Kelly's gaze that hadn't quite been tucked away.

She shot back, "And why is it rare for Carter to go home? Isn't it because his time is all taken up by you, Kelly? Are you really that clueless, or just pretending to be?"

Shock spread across Kelly's face. She grabbed Sharon's hand, anxious to explain.

"Sharon, wait, I didn't mean it like that—"

Before she could finish, Sharon yanked her hand away. "If you're not pretending, then you really don't know your place. And women with no self-awareness? They're very annoying."

"Ah!" Suddenly, Kelly let out a shriek and stumbled backward.

Before Sharon could even react, a tall figure caught her just in time.

"Kelly, are you okay?"

Kelly's face had gone pale. When she looked up and saw who it was, her eyes immediately brimmed with tears, as if she had suffered some great injustice.

"Carter… I'm fine. Sharon didn't mean to. Please don't be mad at her, okay?"

Carter's gaze flicked, finally locking on Sharon nearby.

His brows drew together, voice low and cold.

"Sharon, apologize to Kelly."

It wasn't the first time something like this had happened.

In the past, Sharon would've hurried to explain. "It wasn't me," "Please hear me out," "I didn't do it," "Can't you believe me?"

But Carter never took her side. He always made her apologize to Kelly.

If she refused, he'd punish her with silence.

He wouldn't answer her calls. Wouldn't reply to her messages.

He would treat her like air—not a single word, not even a glance.

Later, even Theo joined in the silent treatment.

In the end, she had no choice but to lower her head and give in.

The memory made her laugh bitterly.

"Why should I listen to you? Who do you think you are?"

Carter froze for a second, wondering if he'd misheard her.

"What did you say?"

Sharon met his gaze, calm and cold. "When I cared about you, everything you said mattered. But now? Tell me—what are you to me?"

He finally understood what she meant.

In all the time he'd known her, she had never spoken to him like this.

She had always been gentle. Always considerate.

She'd leave the lights on when he worked late.

She'd make him midnight snacks when he stayed in his study for hours.

She'd bring him tea to sober up when he came home drunk.

Even after Kelly reappeared and Sharon changed, she'd never defied him so directly.

So why now… why did his chest feel so tight?

And then, a young voice cut through the tension.

"Mommy, you taught me that when someone does something wrong, they should apologize. So… now that you've done something wrong, shouldn't you say sorry to Kelly?"