Kelly froze. For a second, she wondered if she’d misheard.
“…What?”
Theo repeated the question, his tone serious.
“Ms. Walt, are you a mistress?”
She hadn’t expected that—hadn’t even come close.
The word “mistress” was loaded, sharp, and deeply wounding–especially for a woman.
Her expression went stiff, and for a long moment, she couldn’t respond.
“Theo. Do you even know what you’re saying? Where did all your manners go?” Carter’s voice came low and cold, displeasure laced through every word.
Snapping back to herself, Kelly quickly tried to smooth things over
“Carter, don’t be angry. He’s just a child. He doesn’t know any better.”
She paused, a trace of sorrow in her voice.
I know… Sharon never liked me. But no matter how much she dislikes me, she shouldn’t say things like that to Theo. Adults should keep children out of these matters. He’s innocent. He’s still so young…”
The implication was clear–there was no way Theo could’ve come up with those words on his own unless someone had taught him.
Carter didn’t say a word, but the tight line of his lips and the sudden chill that swept through the air made his displeasure unmistakable.
Theo was a sharp kid. Even though his father hadn’t spoken, he could still sense that something was wrong. The mood had shifted.
He opened his mouth, instinctively trying to explain. “It wasn’t Mom who said that, it was…”
Before he could finish, Kelly cut him off. “Theo, I know. That didn’t come from Sharon. Must’ve been something some random person said on the street, right?”
Theo didn’t catch the underlying message in her words. He just thought Kelly was amazing–like she somehow knew everything. He nodded seriously.
“That’s right. I heard it at the restaurant earlier. Some people at another table were talking.”
Kelly smiled gently. “Theo, I believe you.”
Just as a smile started to spread across his face, something seemed to dawn on him. His expression turned serious again. He looked over at Kelly in the passenger seat, stubbornly chasing after an answer.
“Ms. Walt, are you going to become… a mistress?”
Carter frowned, ready to speak up, but Kelly held up a hand, stopping him. She gave him a subtle shake of her head before turning back to Theo.
“Theo, did you forget? I only have at most half a year left to live.”
Usually, he called her “pretty sister” or “Kelly.” Now, hearing himself address her so differently-“Ms. Walt“-a flicker of unease stirred in Kelly’s chest.
He might only be five, but Theo wasn’t a child you could treat like fast any five–year–old.
Chapter 7
+25 BONUS
Theo paused, as it just now remembering. He didn’t even know why he’d asked that kind of question. Regret crept in. Embarrassment, too.
Kelly was so kind, so gentle–how could he have doubted her?
And besides, she didn’t have much time left.
Despite how clever he was, he was still a child. He didn’t notice that from beginning to end, Kelly had never actually answered his question.
He bit his lower lip without realizing it and murmured, “Kelly, I’m sorry.”
Kelly smiled, her voice still soft and warm. “It’s alright. Let’s not talk about that anymore. Think about what you’d like to eat later, and I will take you.”
Just like that, Theo quickly let go of the awkward moment and happily launched into a conversation with her about food.
“Kelly, I want fried chicken today!”
Without even thinking, Kelly agreed. “Sure.”
But Carter interjected. “Kelly, your health isn’t great. The doctor told you to avoid fried food.”
“It’s fine if it’s just once in a while,” she said lightly, glancing back at Theo. “Besides, Theo wants it… What’s the point of living
if everything’s always by the book? You’ve got to indulge now and then–otherwise, where’s the fun?”
Theo thought about Sharon, who never let him eat anything fun, and suddenly felt like–yeah, Kelly really understood him.
Mom just always told him what not to do.
The next morning, as Theo descended the stairs, rubbing his eyes with sleep still clouding his face, he found Carter sitting at the dining table, reading the newspaper.
Seeing Theo, still half–asleep, shuffle downstairs, Carter furrowed his brows. “Theo, why haven’t you gone to kindergarten yet?
11
Theo lowered his head. “No one woke me up. I overslept.”
At that moment, Marie, the housekeeper, appeared from the kitchen, holding a tray of breakfast.
Carter’s gaze shifted to her, sharp with irritation. “Why didn’t you wake Theo up?“.
Marie glanced at Theo, still standing there, and hesitated. Her voice was awkward as she tried to explain.
“Mr. Biggs, it’s usually Madam who wakes Theo up…”
Carter’s face hardened. “The meals are prepared by Madam, and she wakes the child. So what exactly are you hired for?”
Carter’s voice was cold, the silence between his words thick with authority.
Marie had worked there for five years, but she had never seen him this angry. His presence–long accustomed to command- filled the room with an undeniable pressure. She couldn’t help but shrink slightly.
But then, as she thought about how much Madam had done over the years, only to have it go unappreciated, Marie couldn’t hold back a sense of sympathy for Sharon.
“It’s not like that, Mr. Biggs,” she began, her voice softer now. “Madam said that you and Theo have sensitive stomachs and can’t just eat anything. You need specially prepared meals. Some of the herbs for these meals take over two hours to stew, and the process is incredibly intricate. Madam even studied herbs for a long time to learn how to prepare them.”
Specially prepared incals?
+25 BONUS
Chapter 7
Carter’s gaze flickered slightly. No wonder his stomach issues hadn’t bothered him for so long.
Marie continued. “After your health and Theo’s improved, Madam thought she could take a break for a while.”
“But…” Marie glanced at Carter and murmured, “One time, when Madam brought your meal, Miss Kelly was feeling faint from low blood sugar. You gave her the meal Madain had prepared for you.
“Miss Kelly found it to her liking. After speaking with Madam, she found out it was medicinal, and said her doctor had recommended her to eat such meals. But she couldn’t find anyone who could make them. She praised Madam’s cooking. And you said, since Madam was already preparing meals for you and Theo, it wouldn’t be much trouble to make extra for Miss Kelly.
“Madam, however, said that Miss Kelly’s tastes were different from yours and Theo’s, and was worried it wouldn’t suit her. You and Theo said, if Miss Kelly wanted it, it was fine–whatever she wanted, you both would like too. Just have her send the menu to us. I’d buy the ingredients, and Madam would cook it.”
Just then, Marie’s phone vibrated in her pocket.
She pulled it out, glanced at the screen, and handed it to Carter.
“Look, Miss Kelly just sent another menu.”
Carter glanced casually at the screen, only to see it was a three–person group chat. The group consisted of Kelly, Marie, and Sharon.
Most of the messages were from Kelly.
Kelly: [Today, I want three dishes and a soup.]
The next message was a long list of recipes that seemed to stretch on forever, filling the screen.
Before Carter could finish reading, Marie quickly grabbed the phone and typed a quick reply: [Okay]
Carter looked at her, taken aback by her hasty actions.
Seeing the confusion on his face, Marie quickly explained. “Last time, when I was cleaning, I didn’t reply in time. When I brought lunch, Miss Kelly seemed terribly upset and refused to eat.
“Later, she fainted from low blood sugar and had to be rushed to the hospital. When she woke up, she said she was a dying person–no matter how much she supplemented, it was useless. She didn’t want to trouble Madam anymore.
“Mr. Biggs, you were furious with Madam, saying she had intentionally neglected Miss Kelly. No matter how I explained, you and Miss Kelly wouldn’t believe me.”
As she spoke, Marie began to remove her
apron.
“Mr. Biggs, Theo, you two can eat breakfast for now. I’ll go buy vegetables. If I’m too late, the vegetables won’t be fresh, and Miss Kelly will think Madam is giving her spoiled food and is trying to harm her. Then she’ll come complaining to you.”
Marie grumbled to herself, but just as she moved to leave, a new message popped up in the group chat.
Her steps faltered.
