Chapter 59
“Sharon!” Nate’s voice cracked through the still air, eyes bloodshot. His rage echoed down the hospital hallway.
“That’s enough.” Carter’s voice was low but cut clean through the noise. A layer of frost had settled on his face, and the light in his eyes was sharp and biting
The heat drained from Nate’s anger like water poured over flame. He froze, reality sobering him instantly.
For the past five years, whenever Nate saw Sharon, it was nothing but disdain-sarcasm, mockery, sneers. Even when Carter witnessed it, he never stepped in. Sometimes he’d even side with Nate, which only fueled Nate’s arrogance.
Nate’s stance faltered. “Carter, Sharon pushed Kelly down the stairs. We can’t just let that slide.”
A quiet scoff slipped from Sharon’s lips. “Nate, you weren’t even there. How can you be so sure I pushed Kelly? We’re all adults here. You should know words have consequences. Slander is a criminal offense.”
Nate choked, unable to fire back. He didn’t know when she had become like this-sharp and unrelenting. Every sentence knocked the air out of him.
Just then, the long-silent Theo finally spoke. “I saw it.”
All eyes turned to him.
Theo lifted a hand, pointing directly at Sharon. “I saw her push Kelly.”
Nate’s face lit up, smug and triumphant. “There, see? Your own son is saying it. What more proof do you need?”
Carter’s gaze shifted to Sharon-cold, empty of warmth.
“Why would you do that?”
Sharon smiled faintly. “If even you don’t know, how would I?”
Nate let out a harsh snort. “Why else? Jealousy. You’ve always hated seeing Kelly happy.”
Sharon turned her eyes on him. “Jealous? Didn’t she say she and Carter were just friends? Pure and innocent? Then why would I be jealous of her?”
Nate fumbled. “Well… because… you care that Kelly and Carter used to be together…”
Sharon’s smile didn’t waver. “And why would I care? Because Carter treated her too well? Or because he still carries a torch for his first love? Or maybe because they never really cut ties….”
She hadn’t finished when Carter cut her off, voice frigid.
“Sharon, that’s enough. Are you really going to say something like that in front of Theo?”
She laughed silently. Ah, here it was again-the child, always the shield. (1)
Before, she would’ve swallowed her words, smiled politely, and let it pass. She never wanted her fights with Carter to bleed into their son’s world.
But now, with father and son standing side by side, united against her, all those years of quiet endurance suddenly seemed laughable.
Her voice was cool. “You and Kelly get handsy in broad daylight without a care in the world. I didn’t do a thing. So tell me, why should I be afraid?”
Something dark flickered in Carter’s eyes. “Sharon!”
1/2
She didn’t flinch. “What, you think you’re innocent?”
Her tone chilled further. “Forget the past. Let’s just talk about today. During the parent-child event… Would you dare post those pictures and videos online? Let everyone see how cozy the three of you looked? I’m guessing no. You’d probably have every photo and video scrubbed clean before anyone could even blink.”
Carter’s face darkened further, lips pressed into a flat line.
But before he could speak, the harsh red light above the operating room clicked off.
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