Side Chick Era Over (Sharon and Carter) novel Chapter 578

Chapter 578

Once the car started, Carter asked, “Home or the studio?”

“Studio,” Sharon replied.

He nodded and turned the steering wheel.

Catching a glimpse of her through the rearview mirror, he said, “You don’t seem to be in a good mood.”

Sharon’s voice was cold, laced with sarcasm. “That’s none of your business. What you should be worrying about isn’t my mood, but Kelly’s illness. If she has an episode before her concert, all your efforts on her behalf will go to waste.”

Carter could hear the sting behind her words.

“I had her undergo another full medical exam yesterday,” he said, eyes fixed ahead.

Sharon turned to look at him. “And? Has her condition worsened or improved?”

After a brief pause, Carter answered, “Mr. Malcolm’s medicine has been effective.”

Sharon let out a mocking smile. “So it’s improved.”

“She has weekly checkups,” Carter explained. “At first, I didn’t believe she was terminally ill. I even hired specialists and a top medical team to re-examine her, but the diagnosis was always the same.”

Sharon caught his implication. “So, you’re saying Mr. Malcolm lied to you just to help me?”

“That’s not what I meant.”

Sharon gave a cold laugh and said nothing more.

You can’t wake someone who’s pretending to sleep. Even if she shoved the truth of Kelly’s condition in his face, he would still

find an excuse for her.

The car fell into silence.

Theo glanced at both Sharon and Carter. He wanted to speak but hesitated.

After a while, Carter’s voice broke the stillness.

“Whether she’s truly ill or not, once the concert is over, I’ll settle what I owe her.”

Sharon remained unmoved and didn’t respond.

The car continued toward her new studio. Carter opened his mouth several times, as if to say something, but eventually chose

silence.

Then, Theo spoke up.

“Mommy, can I come stay with you for a while?”

Sharon turned to him. “Why the sudden request?”

“Dad’s rarely home, and I don’t want to be alone there. Besides… I miss you.”

His voice grew softer toward the end.

In his eyes, Sharon saw a familiar yet distant look of dependence.

She couldn’t remember the last time Theo said he missed her.

1/2

Chapter 578

+15 BONUS

A vague ache rose in her chest.

She had raised him herself. When he was younger, he clung to her like a shadow. When he first started kindergarten, he cried heartbreakingly, refusing to let her go.

But somehow, somewhere along the way, he had drifted away from her.

After a brief silence, she said, “I’m preparing for a concert right now. I’m afraid I don’t have time to take care of you.”

Theo hadn’t expected her to refuse. His eyes immediately turned red.

Just a few days ago, she had invited him.

Tears of disappointment welled up and fell silently, dimming the light in his eyes.

“Mommy…” he choked out, voice trembling

Sharon turned away from his gaze and looked out the window.

At that moment, Carter interjected, “Theo, your mom is really busy right now. Why don’t we wait until after her concert? Then you can go stay with her. Sharon, is that alright?”

Theo looked up at her, a flicker of hope rekindled in his eyes. (1)

Meeting that expectant gaze, Sharon paused for a few seconds, then gave a small nod.

His eyes lit up again, and all the sadness vanished from his face.

Soon, the car pulled up outside Sharon’s new studio.

She wasn’t surprised that Carter knew the address.

After all, with Kelly and Nate keeping constant tabs on her, if this studio turned out better than the last, they might try to seize it

too.

She opened the car door. “I’m heading in.”

Just as she was about to shut the door, she seemed to think of something and turned to Carter.

“Carter, I hope you’ll take Theo’s personal safety more seriously.”

2/2