Chapter 60
Nate scoffed. “Kelly will tell us the truth, whether you pushed her down the stairs.”
Theo added, “Mom, if you don’t apologize to Kelly this time, I’m never going to forgive you ”
Before, Sharon would have panicked and tried to coax him, done whatever it took to make it right.
But now, she only gave him a passing glance-cool and indifferent. Not a word of explanation. Then she looked away, as if none of it mattered.
The shift in her demeanor unsettled Theo. He couldn’t quite explain why, but a strange anxiety crept into his chest.
Lately, his mom had changed into someone unfamiliar.
But Grandma and Nate had told him it was all just a ploy. That she was pretending to get attention from him and Dad. That he
shouldn’t fall for it.
Thinking of that, Theo said again, more firmly this time, “Even if you’re doing this just to get our attention, you still shouldn’t hurt Kelly. If you hurt her again, I won’t acknowledge you as my mom anymore!”
Sharon clenched her fists without meaning to, but her face remained unreadable.
“Suit yourself,” she said flatly.
Theo froze.
Was this another one of her tricks?
Just then, Kelly was wheeled out from surgery.
All of Carter and Theo’s attention shifted at once, and they followed her into the hospital room without a word.
Nate stayed behind, staring Sharon down, his expression icy.
“Sharon,” he said, voice low with threat, “you’ll have to take responsibility for what happened to Kelly. Don’t think you can just slip away in the chaos.” (1
Inside the hospital room, Kelly had already regained consciousness.
She was gently comforting Theo, whose eyes were still red from crying.
“Theo, I’m really fine,” she said softly. “I just don’t know if I’ll ever get the chance to play the violin for you again…”
A faint sadness lingered between her brows.
The moment she mentioned the violin, Theo remembered how, not long ago, she had played it in front of a crowd of children- how all the other kids had looked at her with envy and admiration.
“Theo’s mom is amazing, like a fairy! And his dad is so handsome, too!”
Not like Sharon, who couldn’t do anything. He never dared to talk about her in front of his classmates.
“Kelly, you’re definitely going to be okay,” he said, his face unusually serious. “If Mom won’t apologize to you, then I won’t acknowledge her as my mom anymore!”
Just as the words left his mouth, Sharon walked in.
For a moment, guilt flickered in Theo’s eyes.
1/2
But she didn’t even look at him.
Instead, her gaze landed on Kelly.
“Kelly,” she said calmly, “how are you feeling?”
“No serious injuries,” Kelly replied with a nod. “Thank you, Sharon, for coming to see me.”
Her expression was calm-no bitterness, no blame. That made Nate visibly unhappy.
“Kelly,” he barked, “why are you being so polite to a murderer?”
“Nate,” Sharon replied, a faint smile on her lips, “I’m not a murderer. If I were, Kelly wouldn’t be lying here, safe and sound.”
Nate exploded. “You pushed her down the stairs! You think just because she survived, you’re off the hook? That’s attempted murder. You’re a murderer!”
Sharon glanced at Kelly’s bandaged head, her voice light but firm. “Nate, words require evidence. I’ve already explained-Kelly misstepped and fell. I didn’t push her.”
“You’re twisting the truth!” Nate was the first to lash out again.
He turned toward Carter, who had stayed silent this whole time.
“Carter, don’t you want justice for Kelly?”
Carter looked at Kelly. “What do you want to do about this?”
Kelly’s pale face tilted slightly, her tone gentle and fragile.
“As long as my hand’s okay… let’s just let it go.”
