Chapter 200
Carter’s face darkened. “Sharon, don’t take this too far.”
But Sharon remained still, her expression composed, her voice unwavering.
“Your mother accused me of kidnapping my own son. And I’m the one being excessive? If you were so worried about things going too far, maybe you should’ve stopped her from doing something so stupid. Instead, you stood off to the side like some spineless mama’s boy and said nothing.”
She wasn’t going to let this go. She wanted Madeline to apologize. She would no longer allow herself to be insulted over and over without fighting back.
If Madeline looked down on her so much, then she could choke on her own pride and apologize to the very person she disdained. No matter how unbearable it was, Madeline would have to swallow it.
Dragging this matter out would do no one any good-not the Biggs family, not Biggs Group.
And for all her arrogance, Madeline knew how to calculate her losses. This time, there was no way out. She’d have to eat crow.
The muscles in her face twitched, as if even her body rejected the idea.
But for the first time, it was painfully clear-Sharon wasn’t the same woman who once kept her head down and endured every humiliation in silence. Those days were over.
From this day forward, Madeline would have to watch every word she said to Sharon.
And the thought burned. She hated it. Hated Sharon.
Seeing her mother’s tightly clenched jaw and stiff posture, Denise stepped forward, worried she might lash out again.
“Mom, don’t make Carter apologize for you. If word gets out, you’ll both be embarrassed. And besides…”
She cast a glance at Sharon. “Sharon is Theo’s mother. No matter how this sounds to others, you’re in the wrong.”
Madeline knew that. Of course, she knew. But she still wanted Sharon to suffer somehow. She couldn’t stand her defiant expression and her refusal to submit.
She had planned to deny Sharon’s identity when the police arrived-make Sharon panic, force her to beg, to grovel for forgiveness.
If Sharon groveled sincerely enough, maybe she would’ve spoken up for her, played the role of the gracious elder.
But in the end, Sharon had flipped the whole situation on its head. And Madeline had ended up the fool.
How much did Sharon not want to apologize? Once upon a time, Sharon came and went at her beck and call.
But now? Now Sharon was a fire she couldn’t smother.
If she pushed any further, Sharon really would make a scene. And if it blew up, the Biggs family and Biggs Group would be the
ones to suffer.
Gritting her teeth, Madeline finally lowered her head.
“Sharon,” she forced out, “I’m sorry. I… misunderstood you.”
Sharon didn’t press it. Her reply was simple and detached. “This ends here. I hope, for the Biggs family’s sake, you’ll think twice next time-before you disgrace yourself and everyone else.”
Even though Madeline had apologized, Sharon had no intention of forgiving her. She wasn’t in the mood for sainthood.
1/2
Both Matty and Theo were awake by then
Theo had only been pretending to be unconscious. Somewhere during the act, he’d actually fallen asleep. He woke up tet long after being brought to the hospital. The doctor ran a full check-up-everything looked fine,
Matty woke a little later. His face was still pale, but he was out of danger.
In the hospital room, Sharon looked at the boy now sitting up in bed and asked gently, “Matty, what happened? How did you fall into the water?
A flicker of panic crossed Matty’s eyes. He quickly lowered his head, trying to hide it with a rushed explanation
“I… I slipped and fell. It was my fault. It had nothing to do with Theo.”
Sharon’s eyes narrowed slightly. “Matty, all the surveillance footage from that area has been pulled It clearly shows the two of you arguing by the lake… and then, in the middle of that struggle, you tell in.”
Her tone softened. “You don’t have to be afraid just tell me what really happened, okay?”
Matty kept his head bowed, looking like a child caught in the act of doing something wrong
“I… I came out of the bathroom and saw Theo,” he said, his voice low “I ran up to ask him what he was doing there. I told him you and his dad were both looking for hirm that you were worried”
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