Semua Bab Side Chick Era… Over: Bab 421 - Bab 430

"Disgraced artist? Are you kidding me?!" Wendy's eyes widened. "The news about John hasn't even been verified. How can you cancel our concert based on that?!"The voice on the other end responded, "It's only a temporary cancellation. If you can prove that John has nothing to do with the scandal, the concert will proceed as planned."Wendy was furious. "They're the ones slandering us! They should be the ones providing evidence! You're basing this decision on a few edited clips. Don't you think that's incredibly reckless?"There was an awkward cough from the other end. "Well... this is an order from above. We're just following instructions."Wendy was about to argue further, but Sharon gently placed a hand on her arm, giving her a slight shake of the head.Wendy knew she was right—arguing wouldn't help. She was just too angry to let it go.At this point, their only option was to follow Sharon's plan: confront the accuser publicly, then push for a paternity test.…But just as Wen

Sharon finally relented.…Once she got into Xavier's car, she gave him Wendy's location and shut her eyes.Her head was spinning, her body drained of strength. Leaning against the seat, she drifted into a deep, feverish sleep.She didn't know how much time had passed before someone gently shook her awake."Sharon, wake up."Sharon struggled to open her eyes. For a brief moment, her mind went blank, unable to register where she was.Then it all came rushing back—Wendy was in trouble."We're here?" she asked hoarsely, fumbling with the seatbelt and pushing the door open.The moment her feet touched the ground, her knees buckled. She nearly collapsed.Xavier reached out just in time to steady her."Sharon, can you walk?" Xavier's usually warm and playful eyes were filled with rare concern. "Why don't you stay in the car and let me handle this?"In her current state, a slight breeze might be enough to knock her out."I'm fine," Sharon murmured, eyes shut, forcing herself to s

Scott's remark was swiftly met with stern reprimands from both their father and eldest brother, Rick.But when she turned to Rick—normally the serious, composed one—his expression was just as cold as before."I hope you'll know your place," he said. "Victoria is our biological relative, not some imposter. The grudges of the previous generation shouldn't be passed down to us. I expect you to adjust your mindset accordingly. The Kalen family isn't large. I don't want any rumors spreading about discord among kin."As someone born into a prestigious family, Rick had seen his fair share of scandals—illegitimate children, fake heiresses, family feuds. In order to preserve the family's image and avoid public ridicule, he made his stance clear from the start.Richard chuckled and tried to smooth things over. "Rick, you're being too serious. It's only Jenna's first day home. You're going to scare her off. As for rules and propriety, we can teach her slowly. A few days won't make a differenc

Xavier's gaze was deep and steady. "Matty was worried about you. He wouldn't stop saying how uneasy he felt and wanted to come see you last night. I happen to be on leave and have nothing urgent going on, so I figured I'd look after you on his behalf."After finishing the water, Sharon's throat no longer felt like it was burning. She spoke softly, "Thank you, Xavier. And… for what you did last night, thank you again."Xavier gave a casual wave of his hand. "You've already said that plenty of times last night."She paused. "Sorry… My head was spinning so badly, I can't remember much of what happened."He looked at her intently. "Sharon, you don't have to be so strong all the time. Matty and I are more than willing to help you. And you don't need to worry about owing us anything. Our relationship isn't so distant that it needs to be calculated in favors."His eyes locked onto hers. They were like a deep, still lake, capable of drawing a person's soul into its depths.Sharon's breat

Carter had always been this way—too proud to lie, and so brazenly honest it bordered on shameless.Sharon was silent for a few seconds before she finally spoke."I'll give you the studio. But right now, I need you to take down the trending topic about John. Track down the people who leaked the story and issue a public clarification for John."Carter paused for a moment. "Alright."Sharon continued, "As for the composing matter, I want to speak with you face-to-face tomorrow.""Fine."After ending the call, Wendy looked at her anxiously. "Sharon, are you really going to negotiate with Carter?"She knew better than anyone how ruthless Carter could be—he chewed people up and spat out nothing but bones. Trying to negotiate with someone like him was rarely a fair fight.Sharon replied lightly, "Don't worry. I won't let myself get the short end of the stick that easily."But despite Sharon's calm expression, unease gnawed at Wendy. She knew Sharon too well. She wasn't someone who wo