All Chapters of Side Chick Era… Over: Chapter 1281 - Chapter 1290

Sharon turned back to Carter. "Carter, Theo has been kidnapped. I don't have the energy to argue. And you know as well as I do that sacrificing Thomas isn't a solution."Carter didn't flinch. "Perhaps not at this very moment. But if it comes down to it—if you're forced to choose between Theo and Thomas—who will you give up?"Her brow furrowed in frustration. "Thomas isn't a piece of property, Carter. He's a man with his own will. I can't just order him to his death. He has the right to choose, and the right to refuse."A thin, sharp smile touched Carter's lips. "Look at him. If you told him to lay down his life for your son, he wouldn't hesitate. He wouldn't just die for Theo—he'd be glad to do it."His tone, so cold and certain, ignited her anger. "Since when did you become this person? Is it only because it's Thomas? If it were Wendy, or Matty, or even Xavier in his place, would you be so quick to demand I send them to the slaughter?""Thomas is the one who started this chain of

Carter's unyielding tone left Samantha momentarily speechless. Her pride was wounded, but she wasn't about to retreat.She had instructed Victoria to find a way to keep Theo at the Kalen estate longer, hoping to buy more time to win Carter's favor. But before she could even make her move, Theo was kidnapped.Just moments ago, she had been ready to approach Carter with carefully rehearsed words of comfort when she overheard his conversation with Sharon.The truth was glaring: Sharon could have traded Thomas for Theo's safety, yet she had refused. Repeatedly. It was obvious—she couldn't bear to sacrifice Thomas.Samantha seethed at the thought. She longed to expose Thomas's true identity right then and there, to show Sharon that the man she was so desperate to protect didn't actually need her. But reason held her back—if Carter saw Sharon's true face, he might turn away from her entirely.And Thomas… silent as ever, apparently not truly loyal to Sharon either. Once Sharon's son was

What kind of credibility could a man like Toni possibly have? Every word out of his mouth was a lie.Sharon was no longer the woman she used to be—the quiet housewife who barely stepped outside her door, naïve and sheltered.Maybe, once, Toni's tricks would've fooled her. But not anymore.Julliard swallowed the bitterness rising in his throat. No matter what she said, she still couldn't bring herself to hand Thomas over."Your reasoning makes sense," he said finally, "but you can't be too sure. What if—just what if—there's still a sliver of hope for Theo? If you refuse Toni, and he snaps… what if he kills Theo?"Sharon looked at him, her gaze sharper than he'd ever seen it. Her mind had never felt clearer."Julliard," she said, "dealing with someone like Toni is no different from gambling. Do you know what people really gamble on? Not luck—psychology. The moment you show fear, the moment you flinch, you lose."Toni's the same. If I hand Thomas over too easily, he'll only ask for

Hearing Thomas's words—spoken like a man leaving instructions for after his death—Liam felt something in his chest tighten. Thomas had been through storms and close calls that would have hardened most men; he rarely talked about wills or futures. He'd always behaved as if he carried nothing with him worth missing. Let others fight over whatever he left behind; that had been the strange, private satisfaction Thomas liked. Yet now, he'd actually written a will.Liam's throat worked. "Mr. Ferrero," he said, "the Ferrero holdings are vast. If Miss McKinzie inherits everything, she might not be able to hold it alone. It could bring danger to her—more than she needs."His meaning was plain: live, keep protecting Sharon. Don't die and leave her exposed.Thomas's answer was soft and steady. "She's not the same as before. She's not weaker than anyone. If anything happens to me, you and Doug will look after her. Help her stand."Liam said, "If Julliard hadn't pushed the Noel family to

Scott shot Sharon a look full of derision. "So it seems that once someone achieves a little, they start thinking they're untouchable."Richard's expression carried a quiet disapproval. "Sharon… did you really hit Samantha?"Sharon didn't have the energy—or the patience—to argue with the Kalen family. She pulled out her phone, brought up the corridor surveillance footage, and tossed it onto the center of the carpet. The video began to play, loud and clear, capturing Silas's malicious words in full."Or are you secretly hoping Toni does the dirty work for you? Gets rid of the 'baggage' so you can move on with your life, unencumbered? You knew you had enemies, yet you flaunted Theo in public. Tell me, was that deliberate? Were you using them to get rid of your own child?"Hearing this, Rick and Scott's faces immediately darkened. Their nephew had been kidnapped, and instead of offering comfort, Silas chose to speak venom. Getting his arm twisted had been nothing compared to the venom