Side Chick Era Over (Sharon and Carter) novel Chapter 361

Chapter 361

Nate said, “Well… I just couldn’t stand that brat always picking on Theo. So yeah, I said a few things. But…”

He rushed to add, “But I swear, I only did it in my own name. I never used yours, Carter. Maybe… maybe someone misunderstood, that’s all.”

Xavier let out a dry chuckle. “Whether it’s a misunderstanding or not… doesn’t really matter. One investigation and we’ll know. Carter, you’re not planning on covering for your dear old buddy, are you?”

There was a sharpness in his tone that made the air suddenly thinner. Xavier was no fool. And he certainly wasn’t someone you

could brush off with half-truths.

Carter’s expression tightened. He’d known Nate practically his entire life. Whether Nate was lying… he could tell in an instant.

Slowly, he shut his eyes, exhaustion written across his face. “Nate… dragging kids into adult messes…” His voice dropped, heavy with disappointment. “This time, you really crossed the line.” 1

Nate’s face twitched.

Yeah. If Carter decided to dig, there was no way to hide.

“I… I just wanted to teach the kid a little lesson, that’s all,” Nate mumbled. “He’s always bullying Theo… someone had to do something.”

But the truth sat ugly in his gut. What he really wanted… was to cut Sharon off from Xavier and Matty.

As long as Xavier stood behind her, it was almost impossible to touch her.

Last time, they’d managed to freeze Sharon’s assets and properties. But barely days later, Xavier turned around and transferred her into one of his own estates, like it was nothing.

Every time Nate schemed against her, she didn’t just survive. She landed on her feet every time.

Last time, when the public turned on him-calling him a greedy, heartless vulture-his name practically drowned in a tidal wave of online hate.

Hendricks Group’s stocks plummeted for days.

His father was so furious, he hauled him home and personally whipped him within an inch of his life. The welts on his back…

still hadn’t fully healed.

And the most humiliating part? In order to salvage the family’s image, his father had pivoted-started publicly praising Sharon. Running PR campaigns, painting it all as a staged drama, nothing more than a media stunt. Not malicious. Not personal.

Nate’s father even issued a warning: if Nate so much as stirred up trouble around Sharon again… he’d kill him himself.

All that noise. All that money burned. And in the end, all he’d done… was help Sharon boost her reputation.

Bitter wasn’t a strong enough word.

And in Nate’s mind, it always circled back to the same conclusion-Xavier.

It had to be him. Xavier and that kid. If they weren’t in the picture… dealing with Sharon would’ve been as easy as squashing an

ant.

That’s when it hit Nate. If isolating Theo had worked once, it could work again.

Yeah. Back then, Theo’s isolation? It had been his doing too.

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He’d orchestrated every piece-manipulating parents, spreading whispers in the playground. All designed to pull Theo away from Sharon. To shove him closer to Kelly.

Even that disaster at the birthday party had been Nate’s idea. He’d had his cronies trip Sharon in front of everyone. Let her humiliate herself. Let her be the laughingstock.

And it worked.

Theo had pulled away from Sharon after that.

Kids weren’t built to handle that kind of humiliation.

So when it came time to target Matty, he simply reused the same playbook

And sure, he’d expected it might blow up eventually. But he figured… so what? He’d just tell Carter it was all for Theo’s sake. Carter wouldn’t hold it against him.

What he hadn’t factored in… was Xavier.

Still, Nate wasn’t scared. Not really. He was Carter’s best friend, his brother in everything but blood.

And Matty was still standing, No broken bones. No blood spilled. What was the big deal?

But Carter’s eyes narrowed slightly, catching the lack of remorse in Nate’s face.

“How do you want to handle this?” he asked, turning to Xavier.