Chapter 198
Sharon hadn’t expected Madeline to actually call the police.
She turned her head and saw Madeline standing off to the side, eyes gleaming with self-satisfaction.
Sharon looked to Denise. “You didn’t even try to stop her?”
Denise hesitated, her voice small. “I… I couldn’t stop her even if I tried.”
Ever since she’d watched Sharon take down Kelly, Denise had begun to feel… conflicted. It turned out her sister-in-law wasn’t
so useless after all.
She was, in fact, kind of impressive.
Back then, Denise had believed that Kelly and her brother were a better match-Kelly might have been a little manipulative, sure, but she had real skills. Genuine talent. Otherwise, how could she have been her brother’s first love, the one he could never forget?
Like her brother, Denise had always admired women with an artistic aura. She’d tried learning music, calligraphy, painting- but she simply didn’t have the gift.
Madeline let out a cold laugh.
“What now? Scared?” she sneered. “It’s too late. Spend some time in jail and reflect on your actions! I don’t care how well you play the violin. What good is that if no one wants a woman with a criminal record?”
Sharon was quiet for a moment. Then she looked at Carter.
“She’s old-maybe her brain’s going. But what’s wrong with your heads? You really let her pull a stunt like this?”
Carter had been with Theo during all the hospital checks. He’d thought Madeline was just venting. He hadn’t realized she’d
actually gone through with the report.
His brows knit. “Mom… how could you call the police?”
Before he could finish, Madeline cut him off sharply. “Carter, stay out of this. If she doesn’t learn there are consequences for her actions, who knows what kind of damage she’ll do to my grandson next time?”
Sharon let out a cold breath. “Truly dumb, and doesn’t even know it.” 1
Then she turned to the officers.
“Sorry,” she said calmly. “This child ran away from home. I didn’t abduct him. And-”
She paused, then spoke each word with measured clarity. “He’s my son. Since when does a mother abduct her own child?”
The officer blinked. “Wait-what? You’re the boy’s mother?”
Sharon nodded once.
“His biological mother?” the officer asked.
“Yes.”
The officer frowned, looking skeptical. “Please show me your ID.”
“Of course,” Sharon handed it over without hesitation.
The officer scanned it, and her full background appeared-along with her familial ties. Theo’s profile came up as well.
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His expression shifted as he glanced at Madeline.
How could this old lady accuse her daughter-in-law of kidnapping her grandson? What kind of family was this?
He turned to Madeline. “Ma’am, I think there’s been some misunderstanding. This woman is the child’s blog a mother, and they are still legally married. There’s nothing illegal about a mother taking her son somewhere. This isn’t a kidnapping”
Madeline froze, the breath catching in her throat.
She snapped back quickly, voice rising. “They’re in the middle of a divorce! She left with the child without saying word. obviously she had bad intentions!”
“And look!” she added, her voice pitching even higher. “She kidnapped the boy and he ended up in the hospital! He fell into the water. Clearly this vicious woman pushed him in!”
The officer stared at her, clearly exasperated. “Ma’am, everything you’re saying is speculation. And speculation isn’t evidence f you have any proof that this woman has harmed her child, you’re welcome to present it to us. If it’s real, we’ll take appropriate action immediately.”
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