Chapter 137
Sharon glanced at Carter and Kelly, both visibly unsettled, and chuckled.
“Too bad I don’t have a special ability like that,” she said, her voice light. “Otherwise, I’d show you how to twist truths, just like that.”
“It’s okay,” Matty tilted his head toward Kelly. “Didn’t you say that Kelly does have that kind of power? Watching her perform works just as well.”
Their exchange, casual and effortless, was sharp enough that even Theo, also five years old, caught the meaning. They were mocking him and his father. Saying they were gullible. That they believed anything Kelly said without question.
Sharon knew trying to explain would be pointless. No matter what she said, they wouldn’t believe her. And frankly, she had no interest in wasting her breath.
She turned to Matty and said gently, “Don’t worry, Matty. I already promised to join you for the talent showcase. I’ll keep that promise.”
Matty looked up, hesitant. “But… Theo won’t be happy…”
“Really?” Sharon turned to Theo. “You’re not happy?”
Theo hadn’t expected her to speak to him directly. Thinking she was backing down, he lifted his chin, a smug look creeping across his face. “That’s right. I won’t let you compete with Matty!”
Sharon replied calmly, “Then… do you want me to compete with you instead?”
Matty instinctively gripped her hand tighter.
She gently patted his shoulder in reassurance.
Theo hesitated. His eyes flickered with conflict. Having his mom compete with him meant he’d probably come in dead last. He’d already bragged in front of his classmates-if he placed last, the teasing would be unbearable.
Kelly noticed his struggle and stepped in with a smile.
“Sharon, there’s no need to pressure a child like this. His results in this competition are really important to him. If you’re interested in participating, why not wait until the next one?”
She added with a gracious air, “Don’t worry, Sharon. Next time, I’ll be sure to talk to Theo about it properly.”
At that, Theo visibly relaxed.
He nodded quickly. “Right, let’s wait till next time. I already promised Kelly, and I have to keep my word.”
Sharon looked directly at him. “What if I asked you to choose between me and Kelly?”
His lips parted slightly, but no words came out. Instead, his eyes flicked instinctively to Carter, silently pleading.
Carter’s tone was icy. “Sharon, are you seriously enjoying putting a child on the spot?”
She let out a quiet laugh. “Asking him to choose between his mother and his daddy’s friend—is that really so cruel? Since when did the two even belong in the same category?”
Carter had no answer. It took him a long moment before he finally said, “Maybe if you’d taken better care of Theo, he wouldn’t have grown so attached to someone else.”
Sharon’s expression shifted as if she’d suddenly understood something.
1/2
Chapter 137
“I see. So Kelly takes great care of Theo. She knows he’s lactose intolerant and still gives him all kinds of sweets. She lets him eat nuts even though he’s allergic, so allergic he had to be hospitalized. And while he was in the hospital, she lovingly cooked seafood porridge for him.”
She looked at Carter, expression unreadable but her words razor-sharp. “Is that what you call proper care?”
Carter was silent.
And then, suddenly, Theo spoke up. “She’s still better than you!”
His gaze toward Sharon held something darker than defiance-something close to resentment.
“At least when I got sick, Kelly tried to save me. You and Matty didn’t help me at all. You probably wanted me dead.”
2/2
