Chapter 242
Sharon smiled faintly. “If even the most basic chores are too much for Kelly in your eyes, then I suppose there’s nothing more to
say.
“If you’re worried Mr. Malcolm might make things hard for her, you could always come with her every day. I doubt he’d mind. Who knows-he might even be moved by your sincerity and toss in your mother’s medicine while he’s at it.”
Simon couldn’t help glancing at Sharon again.
Sincerity.
That word made sense when it came to one’s own wife. But used in reference to one’s mistress-it carried a strange, bitter irony.
His mother’s medicine now depended on his wife’s sincerity, and yet Carter was exhausting himself on another woman’s behalf.
Of course, Carter wasn’t deaf to the sarcasm in her voice. “You don’t need to be so passive-aggressive. Even if Kelly is cured, I won’t be with her.”
Sharon raised her brows, as if realization had just dawned. “So it’s not about legitimacy that turns you off-it’s that you enjoy the thrill of what’s forbidden, is that it?”
“Sharon-”
She cut him off, the disdain in her eyes quickly buried. “Do you have anything else to say, Carter? If not, you should leave. I still need to clean up.”
She didn’t wait for a reply. Turning her back to him, she resumed tidying the room.
Carter stood there for a moment, watching her. Then he finally turned and walked away.
Whatever Carter had said to Kelly, she showed up the next morning.
Her tone was sweet, overly gentle. “Mr. Malcolm, Sharon, Matty… you’re all okay, I hope?”
Her gaze flicked toward Sharon, subtle and pointed. “Nate usually isn’t like that. I think there were just too many misunderstandings between him and Sharon… that’s how it got so out of hand.”
“Really, Sharon,” she added, voice laced with mild reproach, “you know what kind of temper Nate has. Why provoke him like that? There’s Mr. Malcolm, who’s already so advanced in years, and little Matty, who is still a child. Even if you don’t care about yourself, shouldn’t you at least think of them?”
As always, Kelly’s performance was steady and precise.
In just a few sentences, she’d shifted all the blame to Sharon.
But Uriah wasn’t buying it. He let out a loud, disapproving grunt. “You’re useless at everything except running your mouth. Instead of yapping here, how about doing something useful for once? Here’s your job for today.”
He dropped six large bags of unsorted herbs in front of her.
Kelly stared at them, stunned. Her voice wavered. “Why… why are there so many?”
She looked over at Matty. “He only has three. Why do I have to do six? That’s not fair.”
Uriah shot back without hesitation. “The older you get, the more shameless you become. A grown woman comparing workloads with a five-year-old child-have you no shame?”
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Chapter 242
Kelly’s brows tightened. “Mr. Malcolm… are you deliberately making things difficult for me?”
Matty stepped in kindly. “Kelly, Mr. Malcolm isn’t targeting you. On the first day, we were each supposed to sort three bags of herbs. But you only finished half of one. So today, you’re just making up what you didn’t do-plus the three bags for today. That adds up to six. It’s perfectly reasonable.”
Kelly bit her lip.
“I’m not in the best shape right now. I probably can’t manage that much. And… I have a concert to prepare for soon. If I hurt my hands, Carter will be upset.”
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