Chapter 90
Carter’s eyes went dark the second he saw Sharon’s injuries.
His voice dropped, low and tense. “Mom, that’s enough.”
But Madeline only grew more enraged. “Carter, at a time like this, you’re still taking her side? It’s bad enough she threatened me
-now Theo is being bullied because of her! Isn’t her role supposed to be taking care of her husband and raising her kid? And now, she’s failed at everything. What’s the point of keeping her around?”
Sensing the tension thickening in the room, Denise quickly stepped in, trying to smooth things over like a peacemaker. “Well… Sharon, don’t blame Mom for being upset. This has to do with Theo. Whatever happens between us adults doesn’t matter as much, but we can’t let the child be wronged, right?”
She shot Madeline a subtle look. “Mom, take it easy. Theo’s right here. Let’s not scare the kid. Just have Sharon apologize and be done with it. Right now, handling Theo’s matter is what’s important.”
Though still fuming, Madeline managed to force herself to calm down-for Theo’s sake, and perhaps even for Carter’s. But her tone remained hard as stone.
“Fine. Since Denise spoke up for you, just apologize and we’ll call it a day.” 1
Sharon dabbed at the blood trailing down her cheek, the delayed sting finally registering.
She lifted her eyes and looked straight at Madeline’s self-righteous expression. A smile slowly spread across her lips.
“No wonder Carter’s always demanding apologies from everyone-turns out it runs in the family.”
If it were any other day, Sharon would’ve worn a grateful expression and said whatever was needed. But not today. Instead, she answered with mockery. 2
Madeline’s just-cooled fury instantly reignited, flaring up like dry leaves catching flame. She had already swallowed her pride for the sake of the child, and yet Sharon had the nerve to spit on her goodwill?
“You insolent girl! Speaking to me like that? Kneel! Right now!”
Sharon’s eyes turned cold.
“I’ll kneel to God and my parents-that’s it. You? What have you ever done for me? Didn’t birth me, didn’t raise me, not even for a day. So why the hell should I bow to ‘the great Madame Biggs’? Your name means less to me than loose change. You get off on making people kneel-what, you think you’re some kind of royalty? News flash: this ain’t your fairy tale. If you want to play queen, go take a nap and dream about it. Maybe in your sleep you can be Empress of Whatever-the-Hell.”
Madeline’s chest heaved violently. Her finger trembled as she pointed at Sharon, lips quivering, but no words came out.
Seeing his own mother nearly faint from rage, Carter’s eyes darkened as they fixed on Sharon.
“Sharon,” he said coldly, “show some respect.”
Sharon’s expression didn’t change. “Respect goes both ways. I treat others how they treat me.”
Madeline clenched her teeth, voice shaking with fury. “Fine, Sharon. You come here to show off your power, huh? Come! Someone get in here. Bring out the goddamn punishment ledger!”
ཨོཾ་ཤྲཱ་ཏེ་ཛིན་ངོ་ཝེའི་ཙ་
Two maids immediately stepped forward, faces grim.
Everyone at the Biggs family estate knew Madeline didn’t like Sharon. And when it came to power, Madeline reigned like an absolute monarch. No one dared defy her. As for Sharon-her time of comfort in this house was clearly over.
Carter’s expression shifted, as if about to intervene, but just then, Sharon stepped back and raised her voice.
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“Anyone who lays a hand on me, I’ll sue for assault. Don’t think I won’t.”
Her gaze swept over the room, pausing on Madeline’s face-flat and emotionless, but sharp as ice. When she spoke again, her lips curled. 1
“Seriously? What is this-the 1800s? You still trying to enforce your little ‘house rules’ on me? Still playing vigilante judge and jury? I played along briefly, but did you actually mistake that for deference? News flash, you’re not a sovereign. You’re just a woman with a very inflated ego!”
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