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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.
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Xavier lowered his gaze, eyes soft but steady as they fell on Matty. “Matty… do you want Daddy to stand up for you?”
Matty shook his head slightly. “This started because someone tripped Sharon at Theo’s birthday party. If you really want to do something for me, then make the people who humiliated Sharon pay for that instead.”
“Fair enough. Then bring in everyone who caused Sharon to trip that day. First, let’s hear them apologize. As for punishment… that’s up to Carter.”
Carter’s brows lifted, something like surprise flickering in his eyes. “So… are you standing up for Matty, or for Sharon?”
Xavier smiled. “Matty doesn’t need me to fight his battles. If he really couldn’t handle it, he would’ve told me himself. But he didn’t. Which means… to him, this wasn’t anything serious.”
His gaze slid lazily, but unmistakably, toward Nate.
“But honestly… picking on a five-year-old? That’s pathetic.” His tone sharpened, each word slicing clean. “Carter, there’s something I probably shouldn’t say… but I’ll say it anyway.”
Carter met his eyes. “Go on.”
Xavier’s voice dipped, smooth but laced with quiet ridicule. “A man like you-powerful, influential-and yet you surround yourself with someone like him. You’ve never heard the saying? A man’s taste is reflected in the company he keeps. And frankly … yours is pretty terrible.”
The insult was gentle in volume but brutal in meaning.
Nate’s face darkened instantly. His chest rose like he was about to snap back, but before the words could form, Kelly yanked on his arm, shaking her head at him.
Nate ground his teeth but swallowed it down.
Xavier noticed, one brow arching lazily. “Oh? What’s this, Nate? Feeling guilty? Ready to take responsibility now?”
Nate’s mouth opened, but no words came. His fists clenched, jaw tightening. If Xavier really wanted to hold him accountable, it’d be more than just a slap on the wrist.
Fine. Let him go after those other idiots. As long as the blame didn’t land squarely on him, it was survivable.
Brotherhood? Loyalty? That was always negotiable.
Xavier casually pulled out his phone and relayed some instructions.
Then, hurried footsteps echoed down the hallway.
A fat, sweating middle-aged man burst into the room, gasping for air.
“Mr. Cooper! You’re here! Oh, I’ve been looking everywhere for you…” His eyes locked on Xavier instantly, his face folding into a panicked, obsequious smile. “Mr. Cooper, if there’s anything we’ve done wrong, just say the word. Why the sudden decision to pull your investment-”
His words stopped dead.
A shrill, shocked voice cut him off. “Honey? What… what are you doing here?”
The man’s head whipped around. His jaw slackened as his eyes landed on his wife.
Only now did he finally notice the atmosphere-the suffocating tension thick in the air. His gaze flicked around, and he saw Carter, Nate, his wife, and his son.
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A bad feeling crawled up the back of his neck.
“Mr. Biggs… Mr. Hendricks…” His voice faltered. “You… you’re here too?”
Carter’s face barely twitched, but the flash of cold disgust in his eyes was impossible to miss.
It wasn’t forgotten. Not for a second. This family was the one who had led the charge in isolating and bullying his son.
And the moment Mr. Cosgrove caught that flicker of disgust, his heart practically stopped.
The situation with Xavier was already a disaster. The Cooper Group had abruptly pulled out of all partnerships with the Cosgrove family. And now they’d issued an open warning: anyone who dared to continue working with the Cosgrove Group would be considered an enemy of the Cooper Group.
If the Biggs Group turned against them too, the Cosgrove Group was finished.
Mr. Cosgrove’s eyelid twitched uncontrollably as the reality of the scene hit him full force.
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“What… what is going on here?” Mr. Cosgrove finally broke his silence, voice tight with confusion.
It was Sharon who answered. “Your son, Bob, was the ringleader in isolating and bullying my son, Theo, back at the previous kindergarten. Today, he got into a fight with Matty after another argument.”
She handed her phone to Mr. Cosgrove. “Here’s the surveillance footage. Why don’t you take a look for yourself?”
Mr. Cosgrove accepted the phone, forcing an awkward, ingratiating smile. “Thank you, Mrs. Biggs.”
He’d attended Theo’s birthday party before-he’d been there, had seen that scene, that moment when Sharon had been utterly
humiliated.
But unlike his wife, Mrs. Cosgrove, who was arrogant and shortsighted, Mr. Cosgrove was a seasoned player in the business world. He was slick and calculating. He knew exactly when to grovel.
So now, in front of Sharon, he showed not the slightest hint of disrespect. Quite the opposite-his spine practically folded in half, nodding, smiling, flattering.
Mrs. Cosgrove stood frozen, eyes bulging. Her heart thudded with a sudden, creeping panic. She’d just mocked Sharon, run her mouth like she owned the world. Had she… miscalculated?
When Mr. Cosgrove finished watching the footage, his face drained of color. His fingers trembled as he held the phone.
So that’s why. That’s why Xavier and Carter had been looking at him like that.
His son hadn’t just bullied Carter’s child. He’d also had the guts to lay hands on Xavier’s son.
A muscle in his cheek twitched uncontrollably as he forced a shaky smile.
“Mr. Cooper… Mr. Biggs… they’re just kids. Too young to understand. I sincerely apologize to both of you and your children.” He bowed his head lower and lower, spine bending almost to the floor. “Please… tell me what I can do. Anything. As long as you’re willing to forgive us.”
His humility was suffocating, practically scraping his knees on the floor.
Mrs. Cosgrove gaped, horrified, sputtering. “But… but it was Xavier’s kid who threw the first punch! Look at Bob-he got beat up so badly-”
She dragged Bob forward, thrusting him toward her husband.
Mr. Cosgrove snapped. He glared at his wife. “Shut up!”
Xavier said, “Funny. When I first walked in, your wife was suggesting that Sharon and my kid should kneel to apologize to hers.
“Now… it’s not that I enjoy making people kneel. Really. But since it was your wife’s idea… wouldn’t it be rude if I didn’t accept her suggestion?”
Mr. Cosgrove felt the blood drain from his face.
He finally understood exactly how he’d pissed off Xavier.
Without hesitation, he turned, raised his hand-
Smack!
The sound echoed through the office, crisp and brutal.
Mrs. Cosgrove staggered, seeing stars, clutching her face in disbelief. “You… you hit me?”
Mr. Congrone’s face twisted in rage. “I’m out there busting my ass for this family, and you-you useless woman-spend your time casing trouble for vs Kneel. Right now. Get on your damn knees and apologize to Mr. Cooper. Or so help me, I’ll ruin you “*
His hand shot out, yanking Bob by the arm. “And you—”
Xavier lazily cut in, “Forget the kid. “A father’s failure is reflected in his son. Adults should be the ones apologizing ”
At this point, Mr. Cosgrove couldn’t care less about dignity. He couldn’t care less about shame.
His knees hit the floor without hesitation.
“I’m sorry. I’m truly, deeply sorry. Matty. this was our fault. We hope you can forgive us.”
Best Matty didn’t even glance his way. He pointed, small hand steady, straight at Sharon.
“The person you should be apologizing to isn’t me. It’s Sharon.”
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Mr. Cosgrove froze for a moment, then quickly adjusted, bowing his head toward Sharon.
“Sharon… I sincerely apologize. This was entirely our fault. We shouldn’t have bullied your son… and we definitely shouldn’t have laid a hand on Matty.”
By now, it was clear to him-Xavier and his son weren’t actually that angry over Bob’s behavior. What they were truly furious about… was the humiliation Sharon had suffered.
But… wasn’t this woman supposed to be Carter’s wife? Why would Xavier and his son stand up for her?
Questions burned in his mind, but Mr. Cosgrove wasn’t foolish enough to ask them out loud.
His gaze slid toward his wife, who still stood frozen in place. Rage surged in his chest. Without warning, he slapped her again.
“What are you waiting for? Get on your knees and apologize to Sharon!” he barked.
If it hadn’t been for this useless wife of his failing to manage their son and flaunting her arrogance right in Sharon’s face, how the hell would they have ended up offending both Carter and Xavier?
Mrs. Cosgrove trembled. Pride burned in her throat, but survival instincts won. She wasn’t stupid. If she didn’t lower her head now, their company was finished.
The thought of losing her status, her cushy life as a socialite, was more terrifying than death itself.
No matter how vicious she’d been moments ago, now she was equally pathetic, her voice shaking.
“S-Sharon… I… I’m so sorry. I spoke out of line. Please… you’re a bigger person. Don’t hold it against me…”
Dignity? Pride? What did those matter in the face of losing everything?
The way Mr. Cosgrove knelt without hesitation, the way he folded, made it painfully clear. Xavier really did have the power to destroy the Cosgrove Group with a single word.
Mrs. Cosgrove was filled with nothing but bitter regret.
How had she not seen it? How had Sharon—someone her husband’s circle never even respected-ended up climbing her way to
someone like Xavier?
Not just him-his son, too, stood beside her without hesitation, shielding her like she was family.
Sharon stood there, expression calm, eyes as still as water. She didn’t speak right away.
The silence only made the Cosgrove couple more anxious.
Finally, after what felt like an eternity, Sharon’s gaze shifted toward Theo.
“Theo… do you want to forgive them?”
Theo blinked, stunned. He hadn’t expected her to ask him.
Wasn’t she supposed to be standing up for Matty? Why… why was she giving him the choice? Didn’t she… didn’t she not want him anymore?
But a mother knows her child. Sharon could see straight through his confusion.
“Because of me, you were bullied and isolated. And I didn’t even realize it was happening. That’s my failure as a mom.
“I know… in your heart, you think I’m a useless mom. Someone weak. Someone you can’t rely on.
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“But this is the best I can do, Theo. This… standing up for you…. is the last gift I can give you as your mother.”
For a second, Theo felt something twist painfully in his chest.
For the first time, he realized…. maybe his mom wasn’t completely powerless.
And in this moment-between him and the “bad kid”—she didn’t choose Matty. She chose him. She gave him the right to
decide.
His throat tightened, and his eyes burned in a way he couldn’t quite explain.
Bob, watching all of this, finally broke down in terrified sobs. Nobody made him kneel, but an apology was non-negotiable.
Theo was still just a child. Despite everything, a kind-hearted one. In the end… he forgave Bob.
But Carter? He hadn’t said a word. His face remained stone-cold.
Sharon knew his temperament. Forgiveness wouldn’t come easily-not from him.
But none of that mattered anymore. Not to her.
And just as Sharon had predicted, Nate’s so-called “buddies” never bothered to show up.
Why should they? They were Nate’s friends, weren’t they?
No matter what happened, they figured, as long as Nate said a few words to Carter, no one would dare touch them.
Even if the sky fell-so what? They had Nate holding it up for them.
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Xavier turned to Sharon. “Sharon… how do you plan to deal with those guys? If you’d like, I can cause some trouble for their families. Block a few major orders… Even if you want them bankrupt, that’s not exactly hard.”
Nate scoffed, his tone dripping with mockery. “Hah. And here I thought Sharon was something special. Turns out you’re just waiting for a man to fight your battles.”
Sharon glanced at him, her eyes cool. “Relax. Even if I didn’t rely on anyone, I’d still make sure justice is served.”
Then, she turned to Xavier. “I have everything I need. Evidence of their DUIs, hit-and-runs, assault, fights… even forcing girls against their will. What I need from you is simple. Just make sure no one shuts it down when it goes public. That’s enough.”
She’d swallowed her humiliation at Theo’s birthday party. But forgiveness? No. That was never part of the plan.
For a long time, she’d quietly been gathering evidence against those spoiled, arrogant heirs.
And now… the timing was perfect.
Xavier’s gaze slid lazily over Carter and Nate. “Easy enough. No matter how powerful someone thinks they are… they can’t bury the truth forever.”
Sharon nodded lightly, then looked down at Matty. “Matty… is there anything else you want?”
Matty shook his head. “No. Sharon… let’s go home. I want to eat your pastries.”
A soft smile tugged at her lips. “Alright.”
She held Matty’s hand and walked out of the office.
Xavier followed, lips curved in that signature lazy grin, trailing a step behind them.
As he passed by Carter, he said, “Since you couldn’t stand up for Sharon… I will. From now on, everything about her… is mine to protect.” (13
Carter’s eyes darkened instantly. His gaze, sharp as a hawk, snapped toward Xavier-only to catch the shadow of his back disappearing beyond the doorway.
Watching Sharon holding Matty’s hand, with Xavier right behind them… something twisted strangely in Carter’s chest.
The three of them looked unbearably like a real family.
The Biggs family estate mansion glowed brightly under the chandeliers.
Madeline sat stiffly on the sofa, her face pulled into a tight scowl as she stared at Carter’s imposing figure. Her brows furrowed in displeasure.
“At the time, the Biggs Group was at a critical stage. I told Theo to stay away from you because I didn’t want him causing more trouble. I was thinking about you, wasn’t I?
“Besides, kids fight. It’s normal. Are you seriously telling me you came running back like a child yourself when you were a kid just because of something this small? How is Theo supposed to grow up strong if the adults keep fighting his battles for him?”
Carter’s voice dropped an octave. “Mom… he’s five. Five. The entire class isolated him, and you’re telling me that’s nothing?”
Madeline’s lips pressed tight, her expression unrepentant. “Please. Look at the families in that kindergarten. None of them are worth much. Theo isn’t going to be there long. There’s no point making friends with those kids anyway. Let them ignore him.
It’s better for him.”
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Carter stood silent for a long moment, jaw tense. He knew better than anyone now impossiVIE J was to Change ne was carved deep into her bones.
- Ha
But still, he asked, “Then tell me this, at Theo’s birthday party, when Nate’s friends deliberately tripped Sharon… why did you lie to me? Why did you tell me it was an accident? Why did you say Sharon was being petty and overreacting?”
On his way back to the Biggs estate, he’d already asked Theo everything.
That day, the boy had been upstairs and he had seen everything clear as day.
Nate’s friends had stuck out a foot and tripped Sharon deliberately.
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Theo had rushed to tell his grandmother everything.
But instead of standing up for his mom, Grandma scolded his mom. Said she’d embarrassed the Biggs family at the banquet.
When his dad found out, he barely said a word to Nate. Just brushed it off, like it was nothing.
He remembered the way Mom bit her lip, holding back tears-humiliated, helpless.
In that moment, she looked so… small and pitiful.
He wanted to comfort her. But the stares from the people around them-those mocking eyes-were like needles stabbing into his skin. He stood there, frozen, not knowing what to do.
No one told him what he should do.
It was Madeline’s cold, disdainful voice that snapped him back to reality.
“So what if it was intentional or not? What, you gonna stand up for Sharon now? Those are Nate’s friends. You think they’d dare mess with her if you really cared that much about her? Every time Nate shows up, he mocks Sharon right to her face.
“Even now, kids in a kindergarten are mocking her. Whose fault is that if not yours? If you didn’t flaunt your love affair with Kelly all over town, letting everyone know your wife is unwanted, who would dare say a word about Sharon? 1
“You neglected your duties as a husband. And now you come pointing fingers at me? Oh, no. I’m not carrying that blame for you.
”
Her words came fast, relentless, each one like a slap in the face.
Carter stood there, speechless. For a long moment, he couldn’t argue back.
A thin layer of confusion floated in his eyes.
Had he… really neglected Sharon this much? 2
The next morning, the internet exploded again.
Nate’s little gang of rich brats had made it back to the trending page—this time, for all the wrong reasons.
A video surfaced.
In it, a group of young men in luxury cars broke traffic laws, hit someone, then swaggered out like they owned the city.
“You’re saying I was drunk driving? Yeah. I was. So what?” one of them sneered at the camera.
“So what if I ran someone over? I’m not paying a damn thing. Wanna know why? Go ask who my dad is. Or who my bros are. Ever heard of Carter from Biggs Group? Yeah. That’s my bro’s best friend. (1)
“No law? Screw the law. I am the law.”
The moment that video hit the web, it went viral.
By the time Carter got up, Nate’s call was already coming in.
“Carter, this is bad! Really bad!” Nate’s voice was frantic, “That video… my guys couldn’t suppress it. It’s blown up. It’s on every major trending page!”
Lately, every time Nate called, it meant trouble. And right now, Carter’s patience was paper-thin.
He opened the news, scanned the headlines, then replied coldly, “I saw it.”
His tone gave nothing away.
Nate’s stomach twisted. Last time, the fallout from the Sharon mess had tanked the Hendricks Group’s stock price. His father was so furious, he stripped Nate of major responsibilities.
Now, Nate didn’t even have the power to get the trending post taken down. But he’d bragged-loudly-to his friends, promised them he could fix it.
And now? Now he had no choice but to beg Carter.
“Carter, help me pull it down, quick. If we wait any longer, this is gonna explode even bigger!”
Carter pinched the bridge of his nose, exhaustion pressing heavy against his temples. His voice was icy. “Pull it down? You want me to admit that I and the Biggs family are the ones backing those scumbags? Let the whole world spit on us?”
Nate froze.
There was something final in Carter’s tone. His patience was gone.
Carter continued, “Nate, do you have any idea how much trouble you’ve brought me… ever since the day you decided to start screwing with Sharon?”
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Ever since Nate went head-to-head with Sharon, things had only gone downhill for him.
If not for the fact that he was the heir of the Hendricks family-and for Carter’s help-he would’ve been done for a long time
ago.
It wasn’t until Carter pointed it out that Nate finally snapped back to reality. Compared to those so-called “brothers” of his, Carter mattered far more.
He was just bitter that Sharon had openly threatened, right in front of them last night, to expose his little clique. And the worst part? She really did it. By the next morning, it was all over the internet.
Still, no matter how pissed he was, he didn’t want this to affect Carter or the company. Nate wasn’t that stupid. He knew how to weigh the pros and cons.
“I’m sorry, Carter,” Nate admitted, lowering his voice. “I wasn’t thinking straight. I just didn’t want their mess dragging you into it. That’s why I asked you to take it off the trending list.”
Carter’s voice was ice. “If you don’t want their mess tied to us, then don’t take it down. We’re doing the opposite. We’ll issue a public statement. Draw a clear line between us and them.”
Nate nodded immediately. “Got it. I’ll get someone on it right now.”
At that moment, Sharon’s phone buzzed. It was a call from Julliard.
“Sharon, I’m sorry. I’ve been out on business these past few days. I had no idea Nate was pulling all this. I would’ve warned you
sooner.”
Sharon didn’t blame him-in fact, she was genuinely grateful for how often he’d quietly helped her.
“Julliard, you’ve done more than enough for me. I really appreciate it. If you ever need anything from me, just say the word. Let
me know in advance.”
There was a small pause before Julliard chuckled lightly. “Actually… there is something.”
“What is it?” she asked.
“I heard you’re planning a concert,” he said. “Could you save me a good seat?”
Sharon was a little surprised.
She knew very well why the Hendricks Group and Biggs Group had been working overtime to promote her lately. It wasn’t charity. They just didn’t want the public thinking they were greedy, heartless capitalists. Propping her up as the face of charity and the arts was the quickest way to fix their image.
She was happy to play along. If it helped her, why not? The free publicity was boosting her reputation far beyond Kelly’s now.
Still, hearing this from Julliard caught her off guard. “You… actually want a ticket to my concert?”
“Why? Is that a problem?”
“No, it’s not that…” Sharon hesitated. “It’s just… isn’t Kelly holding a concert too? You’re not going to hers?”
Julliard chuckled softly. “Her violin is technically excellent, I won’t deny that. But I prefer the way you play. Everyone has their
own tastes. I’m sure Nate and Carter will understand.”
Hearing him say that, Sharon’s lips curved into a small smile. “Alright then. I’ll save you the best seat in the house.”
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Once the mess with Matty and Theo was finally resolved, Matty moved back into Sharon’s home.
The two of them still needed to rehearse for their upcoming foreign language competition.
To her surprise, Sharon quickly realized Matty had an incredible gift for languages. Maybe it was because of his young age-his memory was like a sponge.
She only needed to go over something with him three times before he could recite it back perfectly, clearly and fluently.
For this performance, they’d chosen Spanish.
Matty’s French was decent, but he was far less familiar with other languages. Luckily, it was just a recitation. With enough practice, he could memorize it.
If it were a written exam… well, that would be a different story.
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The foreign language competition arrived sooner than expected.
To everyone’s surprise, Uriah showed up as well, looking more spirited than ever.
“I’m an old man now,” he chuckled, “but I’ve always loved watching kids. Now that I’m retired, any time the kindergarten has an event like this, I’m coming along for the fun.”
The moment Matty saw him, his face lit up. He darted straight into Uriah’s arms.
“Mr. Malcolm! You came too!”
Uriah grinned, ruffling Matty’s hair. “Of course. I wouldn’t miss your competition for anything. I’m here to cheer you on.”
There was something childlike in the old man’s nature that matched Matty’s energy perfectly. The two of them, despite their vast age difference, always seemed to get along effortlessly, like old friends who could play together all day.
Standing nearby, Xavier watched the scene unfold. His gaze softened, a subtle wave of something unreadable flickering in his
eyes.
As if sensing his look, Uriah glanced back at him. Their eyes met briefly. The old man offered a slight nod before returning his full attention to fussing over Matty.
Xavier’s gaze darkened a shade.
It was clear now. Uriah had figured him out.
But neither said a word about it. A quiet, mutual understanding lingered in the air-both aware, neither willing to name it aloud.
Xavier shifted his attention toward Sharon.
He’d heard Matty mention this “Mr. Malcolm” plenty of times, always assuming he was just some elderly man with exceptional medical skills. It wasn’t until their last meeting that he realized the truth-Uriah was the founder of the Malcolm Group itself.
Uriah had stayed out of the spotlight for decades. Most people in the business world barely remembered his name. Xavier only recognized him by sheer coincidence.
It stunned him that Sharon, seemingly by accident, had become close to someone so formidable.
His gaze flickered as another thought crossed his mind. That childhood friend of hers-John Westin-his background seemed… complicated as well.
And then there was Wendy, always hovering at Sharon’s side. No clear history yet, but something told him she wasn’t as simple as she appeared either.
Xavier stood there, quietly watching the three-Sharon, Matty, Uriah-chatting and laughing together.
His eyes, as deep as night, softened with a faint, almost imperceptible haze.
Sharon was anything but ordinary. And the people drawn to her were just the same.
Then-right on cue-a jarring, nasal voice cut through the air.
“Tsk, Xavier, you’re really something, huh?” Nate’s voice oozed mockery. “The head of the Cooper family, and this is who you find to help raise your kid? If you wanted a babysitter, there are plenty of heiresses lined up. But no… you picked some uneducated nobody.”
He sneered, eyes sliding toward Sharon’s little circle. “Look at her. Her so-called friends? Either meatheads with no brains or wrinkly old men. Pathetic. You’ve got them cheering for your son, and you don’t even feel embarrassed?”
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The laughter, the warmth in the air snapped. Gone.
Silence.
Everyone turned to look at him.
There was no anger or shouting. Just cold, flat stares. As if they’d just stepped in something foul on the sidewalk. Something, that didn’t even deserve the effort of disgust-just a sidestep and a shake of the shoe.
Wendy didn’t even bother sparring with him this time. Once upon a time, she might’ve fired back with sharp words. Now? Not worth the breath.
She barely spared him a glance, like looking too long might actually lower her 10.
Wendy sniffed. “Sharon, it smells like crap here. Let’s move inside.”
Sharon smiled, gently took Matty’s hand, and nodded. “Yeah. Let’s go.”
Not a single one of them spared Nate another look. They turned, left, just like that.
Nate’s face darkened, lips curling into a cruel sneer.
“Go on, Sharon. Enjoy it while you can. In a bit, I’ll make sure you embarrass yourself in front of everyone.”
Once they were far enough, Wendy glanced back over her shoulder, then muttered under her breath, “Is it just me… or is Nate actually brain-damaged? 1
“I mean, seriously. How many times has he lost to you now, Sharon? And the man still doesn’t learn. What is this, some kind of masochism? Gets beat down, comes back for more?”
She scoffed. “After last time, Hendricks Group’s market cap evaporated by the hundreds of millions. If it weren’t for his dad and Carter scrambling for emergency PR, they’d be halfway to bankruptcy by now.”
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“He still has the nerve to strut around like that,” Wendy scoffed.
Sharon replied calmly, “As long as Carter keeps backing him, Nate will always act like he’s untouchable.”
Wendy let out a dry laugh. “Yeah, but honestly? I think Carter’s patience is wearing thin. When Nate’s little gang of scumbags got into trouble, Carter didn’t lift a finger to help. In fact, he went out of his way to distance himself from them.”
She grinned, satisfied. “Serves them right. God, I’ve hated those disgusting creeps for years.”
Wendy had been at Theo’s birthday banquet too. She hadn’t seen the exact moment when those jerks tripped Sharon, but she had witnessed them harassing the young waitresses-leering, cracking vulgar jokes. They were absolutely vile. (
Thank God Sharon hadn’t swallowed the humiliation. Quietly gathering evidence behind the scenes, she made sure to pay them back, every last bit. If not, the whole thing would’ve stayed lodged in her throat like a fishbone.
But Sharon didn’t waste any more thought on Nate. To her, he was just another clown on a sinking stage.
As they sat in the lounge, getting ready, a knock sounded at the door-the draw for the performance order was about to start.
Sharon half-expected the person doing it to be Kelly again. But surprisingly, it was Carter.
Carter almost never attended these kinds of school events. Yet lately, this was the second time she’d seen him show up. 1
Clearly, Kelly’s position in his life was even stronger than she’d imagined.
Theo’s little childhood wish-that his father would show up to watch him perform, to cheer for him-had finally come true. Kelly had made sure of that.
Sharon glanced at him once, expression flat, then looked away as if he were invisible.
The draw itself went smoothly-no tricks this time. But Sharon’s luck wasn’t great. She pulled a later slot, near the back of the
lineup.
Carter, on the other hand, drew number five. Early, front row.
Once everyone had confirmed their places, Sharon quietly stepped out, ready to leave.
But just as she turned the corner, a shadow cut in front of her.
“Sharon.” Carter strode over, blocking her path.
Her delicate features curved into something cold, something vaguely mocking. “What is it this time, Carter? Last time, you asked me to withdraw from the violin performance. Don’t tell me… you’re here to ask me to drop out of the language competition too?”
His Adam’s apple shifted. His voice was rougher than usual. “No… I just have something I need to ask you.”
Sharon folded her arms, perfectly unbothered. “Well, since both of us are performing later, and not pressed for time like others… go ahead. Ask.”
His gaze lingered on her, deep, unreadable. His voice turned hoarse. “Why didn’t you tell me what really happened at Theo’s birthday party?” (13
A faint laugh escaped her lips. “Didn’t tell you?” she echoed, tilting her head. “I told you plenty. I told you exactly what happened. You told me they didn’t mean it, that it wasn’t intentional. You said, ‘Don’t ruin Theo’s birthday.’ Or did you forget?”
Carter’s lips pressed into a thin line. “But after that… you didn’t tell me the full story.”
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Sharon let out a soft, brittle chuckle. “Oh, believe me, I tried. The moment I opened my mouth to tell you, your phone rang. Kelly fainted, remember?
“You left me standing there mid-sentence. You ran straight to her. Then the two of you disappeared-traveled together for
more than a month.
“I called you. Told you your mother had taken Theo away. You told me, ‘She’s his grandmother. She won’t hurt him. Stop overthinking.’
“Then Theo came back. And you… you were still out there. Still sightseeing with Kelly.
“And now you show up here, asking me this. Carter… don’t you think that’s a little hypocritical?”
Her words cut deeper than she realized.
Carter stood frozen. His lips moved slightly, like searching for something useful to say-anything at all.
Finally, he squeezed out a hollow excuse. “I wasn’t traveling with Kelly… I was taking her around to seek medical treatment. The media just twisted it into something else…”
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Sharon’s expression stayed cold, her eyes calm and steady. “We’re divorced now. You don’t need to explain anything.”
Carter stared at her. “I just wanted you to know… it’s not like what you think with Kelly. The media exaggerated everything.” Back then, this was the sort of thing he wouldn’t have bothered explaining. But now, looking at Sharon’s unflinching expression, his voice softened without him realizing.
“I’m sorry. I really didn’t realize Nate and his friends would cause this much trouble… to you, and to Theo.”
Sharon let out a mocking laugh.
“You really think… all of this happened just because of one incident? The way Nate disrespects me right under your nose… that’s not some new problem. It’s been happening for years. But you always stand there repeating the same empty words like ‘enough’ or ‘let’s end it here.’
“But tell me, Carter… besides mouthing those useless lines, what exactly have you ever done?
“And now… now that Theo’s being bullied for the same reason—because his mother isn’t respected-now you suddenly realize how serious this is?
“Carter, you’re the first man I’ve ever seen who’s willing to sacrifice his own family and his own child just to protect his precious best friend.
“Keep letting Nate run wild like this… and it won’t be long before you destroy your own son.”
For a long moment, Carter didn’t respond. Maybe because deep down, he knew every word was true. “I’ll keep Nate in check… from now on.” 1
Sharon scoffed, but she didn’t reply.
‘Keep him in check…’
That was all she got. Her son’s bullying, her own humiliation-all exchanged for a single empty promise.
Carter had exhausted every last ounce of her hope.
“I’m done. If that’s all, I’ll be leaving now,” she said, turning.
But Carter grabbed her wrist. “Sharon… Theo’s still young. He needs his mother. Ever since you left, his mood’s been… he’s been struggling.
“I know I’ve ignored you… but I want to change. I want to put more time into this family. For Theo’s sake, at least… can you stop throwing tantrums?” 1
Tantrums…
So in his eyes… all this was just her throwing a tantrum.
Sharon laughed. “Carter… this is your idea of sincerity? You think if you lower your voice a little, say a few sweet things, I’ll turn into one of those brainless women who come running back to be your housemaid?”
No apology. Not a single word about Kelly. Nothing about Nate. Just a lazy, perfunctory attempt to coax her back.
The arrogance of it was almost laughable.
Carter frowned, clearly displeased by her calling herself his housemaid. His silence hung heavy before he finally said, “Those chores… the trivial things… can all be done by the housekeepers. As for the Biggs estate, go back if you want. If you don’t, that’s fine too. I’ll handle my mother.”
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If only he’d been willing to say that back then, when it might have meant something. If only he’d said it before his mother spent years grinding her down.
“I’m not going back,” Sharon said. “Tell me, Carter… if you’d crawled out of a grave with your own hands… would you willingly
climb back inside?”
Carter’s voice dropped several degrees. “A grave? Sharon…. for five years, I did my duty as your husband. Just because Kelly came back, I… maybe I neglected you a little, but… are you really saying that five years of marriage, and the child we share… all that still isn’t enough to outweigh a few misunderstandings?” (
“Misunderstandings?” Sharon’s laugh was hollow. “Oh, then tell me….. was it a misunderstanding when you handed our wedding to Kelly? Or when you gave my mother’s necklace to her?
“Or was it every single time you left me behind to run to her-were those misunderstandings too?”
Carter didn’t answer. He couldn’t. His lips tightened. His silence said it all.
After a long while, he managed to force out, “The wedding we can still have it if you want. It’ll be even grander this time.”
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Sharon’s expression didn’t shift. Her tone was cool and indifferent. “No, thanks. I find it disgusting to use something that’s already been used by someone else.”
Carter’s gaze darkened instantly. “Sharon!”
But she didn’t spare him another glance. She turned on her heel and walked away.
Behind her, his voice followed. “The Cosgrove family will be bankrupt soon.”
Cosgrove family?
Bob’s family.
Sharon’s steps paused for the briefest moment-but only a moment-before she kept walking.
While Carter was busy with the drawing, Nate had already pulled Kelly aside. A nasty grin crept across his face.
“Kelly, I’ve got everything set. Just wait. During the competition… Sharon’s gonna be humiliated big time.”
Kelly’s eyelid twitched. “Set? What did you do?”
She hadn’t told Nate to do anything. In fact, by now, she’d figured something out-every single time Nate went up against Sharon, he never won.
Not once.
Every scheme backfired. Not only did he fail to cause trouble, but half the time, he accidentally helped her instead.
She thought back to that day when Sharon had asked to meet Carter. She’d assumed it was a date because Nate told her so.
But no. It wasn’t a date. It was Sharon asking for a divorce.
If she hadn’t rushed over to stop it, Carter would’ve signed those papers right then and there-and Sharon wouldn’t have gotten that 100 million dollars.
Sure, Sharon hadn’t kept that money either in the end, but without it, Kelly’s recent PR disaster would’ve completely destroyed her. Sharon never would’ve bounced back as a “charity ambassador.” Her follower count wouldn’t have exploded overnight.
And as a result, both the Hendricks family and the Biggs family had to scramble to help clean up the mess-doing PR, boosting Sharon’s public image, making her name bigger than ever.
Sharon had spent a lot of money… but in exchange, she now had reputation, influence, and a fiercely loyal fanbase.
At this point, as long as Sharon didn’t get hit with some massive scandal, even if minor dirt popped up, her fans would drown it
out.
If Carter and Sharon had finalized their divorce that day, she wouldn’t have had the resources to rise so fast. Not even close.
Honestly… Kelly was starting to wonder if Nate was Sharon’s secret agent planted on the inside.
Nate’s voice yanked her out of her thoughts. “Relax, Kelly. I’ve got this handled. Can you believe how stupid Sharon is? Letting us know so early that she’s planning to enter the competition with Matty? She practically handed me this chance.”
His face twisted into something venomous. “Just wait. This time… I’m gonna ruin her.”
Kelly hesitated. “Nate… maybe… maybe just let it go. Language competitions don’t rely on talent that much. Theo’s always ranked first in this stuff. Compared to him, Matty’s honestly not that strong.
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“We’ve got a really high chance of winning even without doing anything.”
Nate blinked in surprise, then smirked. “Of course. That idiot Sharon can’t hold a candle to you.”
He waved a hand dismissively. “I’m not doing this for the results. I just want her embarrassed. As for the actual scores…”
He sneered “She might scrape together something average with enough cramming, but that’s boring.”
Kelly still wasn’t entirely convinced.
Nate glanced toward the lounge. Madeline and the others were chatting with Theo, too preoccupied to notice them. He lowered his voice, leaned in, and explained the plan.
As he spoke, the tightness in Kelly’s expression slowly eased.
For once, Nate actually had an idea that wasn’t completely brain-dead. (19
A grin tugged at her lips. “Nate, I have to say it’s brilliant. Why didn’t I think of this?”
Nate beamed at the praise, puffing up like a rooster. “Heh… just wait. It’s gonna be a great show.”
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The foreign language competition this time was nothing short of a vibrant showcase. Every child had chosen something different. Some picked mainstream languages, while others went for more obscure, niche ones.
Aside from the usual English and French, German, Mandarin, and Spanish were still among the most popular choices. Compared to music competitions, which heavily relied on talent and instinct, language contests were an entirely different game. If a child had enough time to prepare and memorize diligently, good results were entirely possible.
If music was a competition of talent, then language was a competition of effort.
Sharon had to admit that this elite kindergarten knew exactly what it was doing. No wonder the wealthy flocked to send their children here.
Still, effort could only go so far. The contestants were, after all, just kids. Despite their preparations, the skill levels were wildly
uneven.
Some got nervous the moment they stepped onstage, their memorized words evaporating in an instant. Some parents who participated didn’t even have particularly accurate pronunciation, either.
As a result, the highest score among the groups that had already performed was only 85.
Wendy leaned in close and whispered, “Sharon… do they always invite this many judges? Wow… more than half of them are foreigners!”
She did a quick count-there were over twenty judges on the panel. Only five were responsible for scoring directly, but those five were clearly taking input from the larger panel behind them.
Sharon nodded slightly. “Yeah. When Matty and I joined the talent showcase last time, there were over twenty judges too. All professionals.”
This really was the mark of a top-tier school. Lavish. Serious. Excessively meticulous.
Most of the judges today were likely language experts, fluent in multiple tongues. They’d even brought in specialists for the less common languages-otherwise, who would be qualified to judge?
Soon, Theo and Kelly’s group took the stage.
Just as Sharon expected, Theo delivered a flawless performance-steady, precise, no mistakes. And Kelly didn’t drag him down either. Her pronunciation was sharp, her articulation perfect.
These kinds of performances were deceptively simple. On one hand, it was just reciting lines. But on the other hand… it was
about far more than that.
Just like how every region in the country has its own accent, and English exists to unify them-foreign languages had their own barriers, too.
It was like how native speakers always found something off when foreigners spoke their language. And it worked both ways. A student who aced every language exam back home might still struggle to understand locals abroad because of dialects, slang, or pronunciation quirks.
In fact, foreigners cared far less about grammar than they did about pronunciation.
Sharon remembered her time in Marcentine-those rich, arrogant kids who mocked students from other countries simply
because their accents sounded “off.”
On stage, thanks to their fluent delivery and nearly flawless pronunciation, Kelly and Theo scored an impressive 98.
The two points deducted were for stage performance. Theo’s acting was a little stiff. This wasn’t just a simple recitation. Each
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pair had to perform a short scene, like a mini play.
Theo was academically solid, but he’d never studied acting, Naturally, he was a bit rigid in his expressions
The competition went on. Some of the later groups gave strong performances, but none got close. The next highest score was only 92-still a big gap behind Kelly’s team.
Uriah stroked his beard and commented, “Hmph… Kelly really knows what she’s doing. Looks like they’ve got the highest score
so far.”
Wendy grinned, eyes glinting with mischief. “Let her enjoy it while it lasts. She’s about to get knocked right off that pedestal.”
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Uriah glanced at Sharon. “You’re that confident, huh? I heard Kelly’s pretty well-educated.”
Wendy winked playfully at him. “Just wait. Sharon’s gonna blow Kelly’s socks off so fast she won’t even see it coming.”
Agrin slowly spread across Uriah’s face. “Oh, good. I can’t wait to see that.”
Watching the two of them whisper conspiratorially, clearly daydreaming about Kelly’s incoming humiliation, Sharon let out a helpless chuckle.
For someone his age, Uriah had the spirit of an overgrown kid -a rascal disguised in an elder’s skin.
A little while later, the teacher came over to notify Sharon and Matty that it was their turn to prepare.
Surprisingly, this time, they didn’t run into Nate, Carter, or anyone else looking to stir up trouble.
The whole process went smoothly, almost unnervingly so.
It felt like the eerie calm before a storm.
Even Matty noticed. His little eyes darted left and right, scanning the backstage area nervously.
“Sharon… why didn’t Nate and Kelly come to mess with us today?” he asked.
Sharon gave him a calm smile. “Maybe they think the win is already in their pocket.”
After all, Theo was convinced she didn’t know any foreign languages.
And Kelly and her crew? They thought her middle school diploma made her beneath notice.
Soon, the two of them stepped onto the stage.
The moment the spotlight hit, Madeline, seated in the audience, let out a sharp, disdainful snort.
“Hmph,” she sneered. “A woman with nothing but a middle school education, who used a child to gold-dig her way into our family… and now? Using our family as a stepping stone to latch onto richer men. Absolutely shameless.”
Denise tugged at her. “Mom… lower your voice. Theo’s right here. What are you saying?”
Madeline didn’t so much as flinch. “What, did I say something wrong? If she had even a shred of real ability, would Theo need to drag an outsider to help him with the competition? Sharon is nothing but a stain on the Biggs family’s name.”
Denise shot her mother frantic glances, subtly signaling her to shut up. “Mom… seriously.”
Seeing this, Kelly hurriedly stepped in to smooth things over. “Madeline, the performance is about to start. Let’s just watch first.
64
Madeline clicked her tongue but fell silent for now.
On stage, Sharon and Matty began their performance.
Sharon was stunning. Her voice was clear, melodic, every movement poised and elegant. The way she carried herself was effortless and magnetic.
Her pronunciation was flawless. Enunciation crisp. Absolutely a perfect, textbook-level delivery.
And Matty? He didn’t miss a beat. His tone rose and fell with natural rhythm. His emotions were vivid and real, breathing life
into his lines.
The judges even chuckled softly at some parts, genuinely charmed.
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When the performance ended, the applause was instant.
Nate curled his lip, scoffing. “Tch. Memorizing lines, that’s all. Bet she doesn’t even know what she was saying ”
Madeline sneered, arms crossed. “This competition’s standards must be rock-bottom. People like her, with zero real skills and all tricks, shouldn’t even be allowed on stage. Lowers the whole bar.”
As they grumbled, the judges began to hold up their scorecards.
And to everyone’s surprise, absolute uniformity. Perfect hundreds across the board.
Except, one judge suddenly raised a sign.
A zero.
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Several groups before Sharon and Matty had done poorly. Some had forgotten their lines completely and ended up freezing on stage, eventually having to abandon the performance altogether.
But even then, the lowest anyone had ever received was 60 points-a baseline encouragement score.
A zero? That had never happened.
The room instantly erupted. People murmured, heads craned, conversations overlapping.
“What’s going on? Why zero?”
“Did they mess up something serious? Anyone here speak Spanish?”
“That can’t be it. Even if they slipped up, they finished the whole thing. It should be at least an eighty.”
“Honestly, I thought Matty’s group did better than Theo’s.”
“I speak Spanish. There were no mistakes. Not a single one.”
On stage, Matty stared at the score, his little fists clenched. His nerves frayed, panic creeping in. He wondered if maybe… he had messed up. Maybe it was his fault. Maybe he’d dragged Sharon down. 1
Sharon glanced down at him. Her palm gently brushed his back as a silent reassurance.
Slowly, Matty’s breathing evened out.
The judge who’d given the zero was a man in his thirties, wearing glasses, expression stiff and self-righteous. He held up his
scorecard again, voice cold and cutting. “Miss McKinzie, I suspect you of cheating.”
“Cheating?!”
Gasps shot through the crowd like electricity. Even the other judges stared at him, wide-eyed, stunned.
Cheating at a kindergarten competition? Unforgivable. An offense against the very idea of teaching children integrity. If the kids grew up learning shortcuts like this… what kind of adults would they become?
Sharon swept her gaze to his nameplate. Gregory Finch.
Her expression didn’t flicker. There was no anger or panic. Her voice, when it came, was casual. “A suspicion isn’t evidence.”
Gregory clearly hadn’t expected her to stay this calm after being publicly accused.
His lips curled into a sneer. “I heard you never even graduated from high school. With that kind of education, you expect us to believe you’re fluent in Spanish? If it’s not cheating, then how do you explain it?”
Sharon glanced at him. “Heard? From whom? Gossip? Rumors?”
She let the words hang there, sharp and deliberate. “And since when does a junior high diploma disqualify someone from learning Spanish? Are you discriminating, Mr. Finch? Should I start listing a few world-renowned figures who had little formal education yet changed the world?”
Gregory’s face stiffened.
He realized, belatedly, that he’d overplayed his hand. His words had been too absolute, too reckless.
He was only supposed to give her a hard time-enough to embarrass her, not enough to cause a scene like this. But now, with her pushing back instead of bowing her head, his annoyance curdled into something sharper.
Fine. Since she didn’t know her place, he wouldn’t bother keeping things civil. (1)
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Gregory’s lips pulled into a cold smile. “You’re right. I misspoke. I shouldn’t judge someone solely by their education. But…” He straightened his glasses, eyes narrowing. “A woman who’s been unemployed for five years-a full-time housewife like you- what qualifications, what skills, make you think you belong on the same level as actual professionals?”
His voice grew colder, sharper, slicing through the air as though he were some kind of righteous crusader.
But Sharon’s expression didn’t shift. Not a flicker of embarrassment, nor a hint of guilt.
“I agree,” she said. “I’m not worthy of being compared to heroes or world-changers. But tell me, Mr. Finch… does your college degree make you their equal?”
Gregory’s face locked, frozen mid-expression.
In that moment, it was painfully clear-this man, all his bluster and righteous fury, wasn’t her opponent at all.
Compared to his aggressive jabs, Sharon’s words were fluid and unhurried.
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Someone whispered, “Honestly, from the way she talks, the way she carries herself… she doesn’t look like someone who barely graduated middle school. Are you sure they got that right?”
“Should be right,” another murmured. “I heard she used to be Carter Biggs’s ex-wife. She doesn’t come from a powerful background, she has no connections… and not even much of an education.”
“But still… you can’t fake class. She doesn’t look like someone who’s never seen the world.”
“Eh… she’s probably faking it.”
The murmurs spread, buzzing beneath the surface like gnats-some skeptical, some dismissive, some simply curious.
Gregory’s eyes flickered with something darker. “So, you’re saying… you still refuse to admit you cheated?”
Sharon stood there, her chin lifted, her gaze steady under the weight of every eye in the room. “That’s right. I don’t admit it.”
Offstage, Kelly’s right eyelid twitched the moment she noticed Nate fiddling with his phone. A wave of unease stirred in her
chest. (1)
She leaned in and whispered, “Nate… what are you doing?”
Nate didn’t even look up. “Livestreaming. Gotta let Sharon’s fans see how embarrassing she really is.”
Kelly frowned, actually meaning it this time. “Maybe don’t. When Carter gets off that phone and sees this, he’s gonna get upset at you again.”
She wasn’t pretending anymore-this was genuine advice. Every time Nate started a livestream thinking he’d catch Sharon slipping, it backfired without fail.
Nate grinned, completely undeterred. “It’s fine. My dad and Carter always tell me to help give Sharon publicity. Well, this counts, doesn’t it?” He tapped at the screen. “I mean, the judges gave her all those perfect scores-who would’ve guessed she was cheating? Her losing face isn’t my fault.”
Kelly opened her mouth to protest, but before she could, Gregory’s voice boomed through the microphone, echoing across the
hall.
A rapid string of Spanish spilled from his mouth.
Several people in the audience who understood Spanish froze-stunned-before laughter started breaking out, rippling through the crowd.
Madeline, sitting proudly in her seat, didn’t understand a word. She frowned, glancing around. “What’s he saying? Why’s everyone laughing?”
Suppressing her own grin, Kelly leaned over to translate. “He said… ‘I believe there’s no one here today with a lower level of education than Miss McKinzie. Of course… excluding the kindergarten kids.””
Madeline blinked. Then a sharp smile spread across her face, and she let out a dry chuckle. “Well, well…”
She turned to Kelly, her gaze sharpening, as if seeing her for the first time. “Didn’t expect you to be this impressive. You speak Spanish too?”
Feeling Madeline’s subtle shift in attitude, Kelly lowered her lashes, masking the flicker of triumph behind them. She responded softly, “You flatter me.”
Nate jumped at the chance to pile on. “Oh, Madeline, you have no idea. Kelly doesn’t just speak Spanish. She’s fluent in Mandarin, German, Korean, and Japanese too, pretty much every major language in the world, and even a few niche ones.”
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Madeline’s eyes flickered with interest, something calculating stirring beneath the surface.
For a long time, she’d hoped Carter would marry someone through a proper business alliance-a match that could elevate the Biggs family’s standing. But in the end, he married someone like Sharon. No background. No resources. Nothing.
Now, though… the Biggs family didn’t really need a business marriage anymore. Their foundation was stable.
And while there were plenty of socialite daughters lining up to marry a man like Carter-even as a second wife-there was always the question: would they treat Theo well? Would Theo even accept them?
But Kelly… Theo clearly liked her. And she, in turn, was good with him.
Madeline’s lips curved, mind already shifting.
Maybe… letting Carter marry Kelly wouldn’t be such a bad idea.
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As for Kelly’s so-called terminal illness, Madeline had already heard the full story from Nate not long ago. Apparently, they’d found a cure. As long as Kelly cooperated with the treatment, she’d recover completely.
Madeline, however, wasn’t convinced. Not one bit.
Terminal illness? More like a clever excuse to stay close to Carter. She’d seen enough women like Kelly. She knew exactly how this game was played.
Had this been the past, she would’ve exposed the lie right in front of Carter without hesitation. But now… now, she chose to stay
silent.
She saw through it, but said nothing. Because something else had started bothering her.
She realized… Carter actually had thoughts of getting back together with Sharon, of letting Sharon return… and once again become Theo’s mother.
The mere thought sent a ripple of panic through Madeline.
She’d already burned every bridge with Sharon. If Sharon came back… wouldn’t that be absolutely embarrassing for Madeline?
No. Absolutely not.
Madeline would rather see Kelly marry into the family than ever let Sharon back through the family doors.
Leaning back in her chair, Madeline watched the scene in front of her unfold like a good show.
Sharon and Matty’s performance wasn’t bad. But in her eyes… it was nothing more than the result of rote memorization.
Who knew how many late nights Sharon had spent cramming for this competition? How many tutors she’d hired?
Madeline didn’t believe for a second that Sharon actually knew Spanish.
Just then, Carter returned from his phone call. His schedule had been packed lately. Today, he’d managed to clear some time, just to watch Theo’s performance.
Even so, his phone hadn’t stopped ringing.
But when Theo’s performance started, he’d powered it off. For those few moments, nothing else mattered.
Given their performance, the high score didn’t surprise him. He knew exactly how capable Kelly was. He knew better than
anyone.
Theo’s academic progress had never faltered. Them winning first place was practically a foregone conclusion.
His last call had dragged on longer than expected. By the time he returned, the next group onstage had already finished performing.
His gaze swept to the two people still standing under the stage lights-Sharon and Matty.
His expression darkened, brows furrowing slightly.
Turning to Denise, he asked, “What happened? Did they forget their lines?”
Denise’s mouth was still open, staring at Sharon as if seeing her for the very first time.
She snapped her head toward him. “Forget their lines? Why would you think that?”
Carter glanced around at the restless audience. “Then…. what? Did they mess up?”
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It had to be one or the other.
Clearly, in his mind, Sharon wasn’t capable of anything else.
Denise’s lips pressed together. “No… They didn’t mess up. They were incredible. Practically flawless. A bunch of the judges gave them perfect scores. But… one of the judges thinks they cheated.”
She quickly explained the whole situation.
Nate laughed, shaking his head. “Ah, Carter… gotta admit, Sharon really put in the work. Almost convincing, I’ll give her that. She really went all out trying to impress you and Theo, huh?
“But, a fake is still a fake. No matter how much you polish glass, it’ll never be a diamond. Now look, she got caught red-handed.”
The words barely left his mouth when suddenly, Sharon spoke.
Fluent Spanish spilled from her lips.
The entire hall froze.
Even the sneer that had started forming on Kelly’s face hadn’t finished setting before it stiffened completely.
Sharon said, “Mr. Finch, using someone’s education as a way to belittle them says more about your lack of class than mine.
“To see a judge openly mocking stay-at-home mothers, ridiculing someone’s education on stage like this… really makes me question whether this panel is even remotely impartial.”
“And besides, as a judge in a language competition, shouldn’t your foreign language skills be far above the average person’s?”
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“But… your pronunciation just now wasn’t quite right,” Sharon said. “The correct pronunciation should sound like this”
She paused awhile.
Then, in flawless Spanish, she repeated every word Gregory had used earlier to mock her education.
Her voice was steady, light but precise, each syllable crisp, each tone textbook-perfect.
The entire hall fell silent.
Those who had moments ago been laughing along with Gregory now sat frozen, faces stiff, expressions collapsing into awkward disbelief.
Gregory’s facial muscles twitched. His face flushed red, then turned pale, then flushed again-like someone had slapped him clean across the face, even though no one had touched him.
It burned.
He was a professor, renowned in his field. Wherever he went, people called him Professor Finch with the utmost respect. He was fine when it came to academic research, translating papers, and dissecting texts. But spoken language… well, that was always
his weakness.
Still, no one ever challenged him on it. Not in front of children. Not in front of a crowd like this.
He’d never imagined that today, of all days, it would be a housewife-a woman who hadn’t worked in five years-who would utterly humiliate him.
Gregory desperately tried to pick apart her grammar and her pronunciation, anything to prove she was wrong.
But no matter how many times he replayed her words in his head, he found nothing. Not a single flaw.
Wasn’t she supposed to be someone with nothing more than a middle school education? Wasn’t she supposed to be a stay-at- home wife these past few years?
Then how-how-was her Spanish this perfect? How was her grammar this clean, her accent this pure?
It was impossible.
In the audience, Theo stared at his mother on stage, wide-eyed, stunned. His little hands clenched tightly in his lap.
Spanish was one of the three languages he was currently learning. He’d understood every word exchanged between Gregory and
his mother.
When the judge accused his mom of cheating, even Theo had almost believed it. Even he had doubted her, just like everyone
else.
Because… he’d never once thought his mom actually knew Spanish.
But now…
She wasn’t just speaking it, she was speaking it better than the judge.
Offstage, Kelly and Nate sat frozen in disbelief.
Nate, flustered, scrambled for an excuse. “She’s cheating! Must have someone feeding her lines through an earpiece or something!”
But even Denise, who was usually quick to side against Sharon, frowned.
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“That doesn’t even make sense,” she muttered. “Even if someone were feeding her lines… if she didn’t know the language at all, how could she speak it this fluently? This smoothly? No way.”
Kelly turned to Carter. “Carter… Sharon… does she really speak Spanish?”
Carter said nothing. He simply stared at the woman on stage, eyes dark, unreadable.
He didn’t know.
He’d never known she could play the violin.
And now… he was realizing he hadn’t even known she could speak Spanish. 1
Nate, still grasping for straws, muttered, “Maybe… maybe she secretly learned it when she was hiring Theo’s language tutors… yeah, that’s probably it.”
After all, since Theo had started talking, the Biggs family had hired multiple tutors for him to teach him several languages at
once.
Carter’s lips tightened. “Maybe,” he replied quietly.
It was the only explanation that made any sense.
But then-
Theo suddenly spoke. “What if… Mom has always known Spanish?”
Silence.
Every head turned toward him.
Nate scoffed. “Impossible. A middle school dropout? No way she knows Spanish.”
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Theo continued speaking. “But… when I was learning Spanish with my teacher, Mom never joined our classes. And…” He turned to look at Sharon on stage. “She speaks better than my Spanish teacher.”
Nate scoffed, his tone dripping with contempt. “That’s just your personal opinion. If Sharon’s Spanish was really that good, why bother hiring a tutor at all? She could’ve just taught you herself. Nah… she probably just knows a couple of phrases. Got lucky. Now she’s out here showing off like she’s fluent.”
Madeline, hearing their hushed voices, frowned. “What exactly did Sharon say?”
Kelly pressed her lips together, clearly reluctant, but eventually offered a rough translation.
As the words left her mouth, Carter’s gaze darkened, deep as an ocean, locked firmly on the woman standing under the spotlight.
And just then-unexpected, uninvited-a long-buried memory floated back to him.
It was years ago, back at the Biggs family’s estate.
They were discussing hiring language tutors for Theo. Sharon had quietly said, “I could teach Theo.”
Before the sentence had even finished, Madeline had cut her off with a sneer.
“You? Teach Theo? We’re hiring professional tutors. What could someone like you possibly teach him? If he falls behind because of your nonsense, I’ll hold you personally responsible.”
After that, Sharon had never brought it up again.
And now… standing there, hearing her fluent, effortless Spanish, Carter was left stunned and surprised.
No. Not just surprised-pleasantly surprised.
His own lips twitched slightly at the realization. Pleasant surprise.
When was the last time Sharon had made him feel that way?
To him, she’d always been like plain water-tasteless, colorless, harmless.
Love? He’d never really thought about it. To him, marriage and love were two separate things. As long as he’d fulfilled the role of a responsible husband, that was enough. 1
But standing here now… watching Sharon under the lights, confident, radiant…he suddenly realized how little he’d ever truly
known her.
For a brief second, he felt disoriented.
On the other side of the hall, Uriah burst into hearty laughter. “Beautifully said, Sharon! That’s exactly how you deal with shameless judges like this!”
Wendy blinked at him in surprise. “Mr. Malcolm… you speak Spanish too?”
He shot her a mock glare. “Hah! Who do you think you’re talking to? I traveled the world in my younger years. A few languages? Child’s play.”
Wendy grinned, immediately laying on the flattery. “Wow, Mr. Malcolm, you’re not just a medical genius, you’re a language master too. What a treasure! Honestly, it’s our good fortune to know someone like you.”
Uriah laughed so hard his shoulders shook. “You cheeky little girl and your sweet-talk! I like you! You all better stick around. Your good luck’s just getting started.”
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At first, helping her had been about Matty. Purely that.
But now…
He realized something else entirely.
This woman… really was a hidden gem.
Meanwhile, Gregory stood frozen, thoroughly humiliated, unable to get a single word past the lump in his throat.
And yet Sharon wasn’t finished. “Mr. Finch… have you learned how to pronounce it correctly now?”
Gregory opened his mouth, but no words came out.
Truth be told, he was never the type to win arguments with his tongue. If he were, he wouldn’t have resorted to attacking someone’s education level like a coward.
Just as he struggled for a response, the foreign judge seated next to him-a blond-haired, blue-eyed man-suddenly spoke. His Spanish was fast, fluid, and precise.
Sharon listened, then gave a soft smile. Without hesitation, she answered back fluently. 11
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The conversation between Sharon and the blond-haired judge flowed without the slightest hitch.
The foreign judge, a man named Felipe, was thirty, a native of Spain. But unlike Gregory, his questions didn’t come from a place
of malice. He wasn’t trying to trip Sharon up. He was testing her, genuinely curious just how fluent she really was.
Every question was carefully crafted-not overtly difficult, but just sharp enough to probe her true capabilities.
And Sharon answered every one of them with ease, flawlessly and effortlessly.
By the end, Felipe offered a small, polite round of applause, his face warm with genuine admiration.
Then, switching to perfect English, he smiled. “This young lady… deserves a perfect score. No question.”
His words landed like a slap right across Gregory’s face.
But Gregory didn’t dare show even a flicker of discontent. He didn’t argue or protest. He didn’t even breathe too loudly.
Because Felipe wasn’t just anyone. He was from one of Spain’s great aristocratic families-a lineage so powerful that even international dignitaries treated them with deference.
And somehow… somehow this housewife, this divorcee, this middle-school-educated woman had captured Felipe’s attention- his admiration, no less.
It wasn’t just rare. It was unthinkable.
Felipe was famous for being impossibly picky. Ruthless with detail. Women, in his eyes, were usually not even worth a second glance. 1
Even the previous contestants like Kelly and Matty, the ones everyone expected to be front-runners, had only earned a 96 from
him.
And yet, Felipe had handed Sharon a clean 100. Without hesitation.
Gregory’s throat tightened. His pride burned hot, then cold, then collapsed into something hollow and brittle.
No matter how much his bones ached to look down on her, to believe she was nothing more than a discarded wife with no education, he couldn’t say a single word now.
Instead, he stiffly forced the words through gritted teeth. “My apologies. It… it seems I was mistaken.”
Then, under the gaze of the entire room, he took her score-originally marked zero-and changed it to a perfect 100.
Sharon’s performance concluded.
No theatrics. No gloating. No lingering bitterness.
She bowed to the audience, gracefully thanked them, then reached for Matty’s hand and walked off the stage.
The group over by Theo’s side, however, didn’t look so composed.
Their faces were stiff and ugly.
They’d thought victory was in the bag. Only to be undercut again by Sharon.
Kelly’s hands clenched into fists so tight her nails dug into her palms. Her jaw trembled, teeth grinding. If hatred alone could kill, Sharon would’ve been dead ten times over.
‘She must’ve been my enemy in a past life,’ Kelly seethed inwardly.
Chapter 279
EBOND
And then, Nat’s phone rang
He glanced at the screen. It was his father. He answered quickly “Da”
From the other end care Karl Hendricks’s cherrlid, satisfied wie “hak ant boat You finally did something amat for our
Nate Minked, completely lost. “Hod? What do you?
Kad ducked. “Because of your current livestream, thecon’s all over the trending searches a Sex PERLE RET the discussions exploded. Netizens are saying maybe last time all that drame wasn’t sed consic, and spet promotion between you and Sharon
“Good work. You’ve stirred up attention, driven traffic. That’s good PR
But everything after that, Nate didn’t even hear.
The words hit him like a freight train.
He slowly turned, numb, staring at the phone set up on its tripod just a few lost away, will liveaning S
He had completely forgotten about it.
When he set it up earlier, he was certain Sharon was done for-no way she could turn this around Confider, he picked the best angle, the best spot, propped the phone up, then just…. left it there.
He never imagined the whole disaster had been broadcast from start to finish to the entire mener
9
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In the end, against everyone’s expectations, Sharon once again walked away with first place.
Instead of humiliating her, Nate had unknowingly handed her another round of free publicity.
His livestream exploded. Comments and gift effects filled the screen like fireworks, flooding faster than the app could keep up.
Nate had prepared meticulously for this. He had used his best-performing phone and made sure the connection was flawless. He’d been determined that when the audience laughed at Sharon-when she made a fool of herself-there wouldn’t be a single lag, no black screens, no interruptions.
But reality had a cruel way of rewriting the script.
Instead of watching her fall, viewers became her newest wave of die-hard fans.
Worse, the internet was already ablaze, calling out Gregory as a corrupt judge, claiming he must’ve taken bribes to deliberately target Sharon.
Panicking, Nate scrambled to shut the livestream down.
Off to the side, Kelly was so furious she felt like coughing up blood.
Nate was useless! Why… Why had she ever been stupid enough to listen to Nate?
When had any of his plans actually worked? Every single time, without fail, Sharon ended up shining even brighter, while they became her unwilling stepping stones.
As the realization set in, a cold jolt ran through Kelly.
She stiffened, suddenly glancing sideways.
Her heart sank.
Carter and Theo were both staring silently in Sharon’s direction. Neither blinked. Neither looked away.
A chill crept over her.
It was becoming painfully clear… making Sharon fall wouldn’t be as simple as she thought. 1
Maybe… maybe it was time to talk to that person again.
At that very moment, Kelly’s phone buzzed in her pocket.
Her hand trembled as she pulled it out.
It was a message from an unknown number.
[If you can’t handle it, come back. My door is always open.]
Her grip slipped. The phone hit the ground with a dull thud.
Carter caught the subtle shift in her expression. “Kelly? What’s wrong?”
“N-Nothing…” Kelly forced a weak smile, fingers twitching as she bent down to pick up the phone. “I’ve probably been sitting too long. I’m feeling a little lightheaded.”
Her so-called terminal illness was “recovering”-publicly, at least. But not so fast that it would seem suspicious.
She didn’t “faint” every three days or end up hospitalized every five anymore, but it was still an excuse. An excuse that allowed her to keep summoning Carter whenever she pleased.
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+15 BONUS
The rest of the competition wrapped up quickly.
Sharon and Matty’s group took first place with a perfect score.
Kelly and Theo came in second with an average score of ninety-eight.
As soon as it was over, Sharon and her group were about to head to the restaurant to celebrate when someone called out her
name.
“Miss McKinzie.”
She turned. It was Felipe, the judge.
“Could we talk privately?”
Sharon nodded, gave Wendy and the others a quick wave, and followed Felipe to a quieter corner.
His ocean-blue eyes rested on her-not intrusive, not imposing-just quietly observant.
Felipe smiled. “I heard you play violin exceptionally well.”
As he spoke, he pulled out an elegant envelope and handed it to her.
“Three days from now, Maestro Warner is hosting a private music exchange. Would you be interested in attending?”
Maestro Warner was a legend, a god among musicians. He was someone every artist in the world dreamed of meeting,
The second Sharon saw the invitation, her eyes lit up.
Five years ago, she’d missed a chance to meet Warner. Since then, she hadn’t even dared to hope for another opportunity.
She wanted to go badly. But nothing in life was free.
Her gaze turned calm and steady. “Mr. Felipe… if there are any conditions, please, feel free to state them.”
Felipe looked slightly surprised, but the admiration in his eyes deepened.
He had always been fond of elegant and composed women. Watching Sharon on stage earlier had only confirmed it. The quiet confidence, the grace, the way she commanded the room…
She was exactly his type.
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Sharon hadn’t chosen to endure Gregory’s provocation in silence. Instead, she had hit back-hard.
Every question Gregory had thrown her way, she answered with perfect fluency, leaving no room for doubt. Her brilliance wasn’t something anyone could deny.
She wasn’t just beautiful. She was sharp, articulate, and impossibly poised.
It was hard not to fall for a woman like her.
Felipe realized it, too.
So, he started looking into her quietly and learned everything there was to know.
She was divorced with a child.
But to him and frankly, to anyone in his world-that was nothing. A trivial detail.
The fact that she was a gifted violinist only made her more intriguing. So he pulled a few strings and got his hands on an invitation to an exclusive music exchange hosted by Maestro Warner.
It wasn’t exactly difficult for someone of his status. Being part of one of Spain’s major aristocratic families had its privileges.
What he didn’t expect… was her reaction.
She didn’t accept it right away, like most women would. Nor did she play coy and pretend to refuse, waiting for him to insist.
She simply asked-straightforward, clear-eyed-“What’s the condition?”
Felipe was momentarily taken aback.
In his world, giving gifts to women was natural.
But Felipe was also a man who knew how to read the room. He smiled. “Gregory was one of the judges today. His sudden outburst clearly brought you a lot of trouble. This invitation… is simply my way of offering compensation.”
Sharon raised a brow. “And how, Mr. Felipe, did you know I play violin?”
His lips curved, playful but earnest. “I’m a fan of yours, Miss McKinzie.”
Sharon wasn’t some naive girl anymore. She wasn’t easy to fool with sweet words.
If it were any other kind of gift, she’d have declined without hesitation. But this invitation… was something she genuinely
needed right now.
Her fingers brushed the edge of the envelope. “So. What do you need from me?”
Felipe read her perfectly. She was the kind of person who hated owing anyone favors.
He didn’t push. Instead, his voice softened. “Your Spanish is excellent-truly impressive. Our team happens to need someone young, elegant, and fluent like you. Would you consider working with us as a translator?”
Sharon frowned slightly. “My main job is violin. Translation… might not fit.”
Felipe shook his head gently. “No need to worry. You wouldn’t be working regularly. Only when we have tasks that align with your schedule. Most of the work would be music-related-within your comfort zone.”
He continued, “As for payment, we offer fifty percent of the total contract value. Travel and accommodations are fully covered. If the client defaults, you still get fifty percent of the penalty fee.”
It was a generous offer. More than generous.
Felipe’s team wasn’t some fly-by-night translation agency. They were world-class-contracts from them often paid ten, twenty, even fifty times the standard rate.
Joining his team wouldn’t just be profitable. It was a networking goldmine, a door into a completely different world.
Sharon thought it over for a moment, then smiled. “Deal.”
Felipe extended his hand. “Then… Miss McKinzie. I’m looking forward to working together.”
She took it, her palm steady in his. “Likewise.”
Meanwhile, in Marcentine, at the Kalen family residence.
A stunning young woman sat by the floor-to-ceiling window, elegant fingers scrolling absentmindedly through the news on
her phone.
“Scott, looks like Jenna’s trending again.”
Across from Victoria, her brother sat, expression cool and indifferent. “She seems to be trending a lot these days.”
Victoria took a slow sip of tea. “Maybe she’s just trying to prove herself… trying to show Dad and all of you that she’s capable.”
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Victoria’s lips curved with the faintest trace of a smile.
Her outfit was understated but refined. A crisp white blouse, perfectly tailored, paired with a dark, flowing skirt. Her long hair was swept casually into a loose knot, a few strands falling gently around her ears, adding an air of effortless ease.
Every movement she made carried the kind of grace that was neither deliberate nor accidental — an elegance born from quiet
confidence.
Scott replied, “Dad’s heard about her. Sounds like he’s seriously considering bringing Jenna back to the family. One way or another, she’s managed to catch his attention.”
Lately, Sharon’s name had become impossible to ignore in Zachemaine. Her rise was so sudden, so blinding, that even the Kalen family, far away in Marcentine, couldn’t help but hear whispers of her.
Victoria asked, “What about Rick and Silas? What do they think?”
Rick and Silas were her other brothers.
Scott didn’t even glance her way. “If she minds her manners, bringing her back is no different than setting an extra place at the table. But… judging by her last little performance, I doubt she’s the type to follow the rules.” 1
His face remained perfectly composed-beautiful, emotionless-as if they were discussing a stranger. No anger. No sarcasm. Only an endless, bottomless indifference.
Victoria replied, “She’s been away from home for so long. I imagine she knows she was wrong. No matter what, she’s still Dad’s concern. Let’s bring her back first.”
Scott hesitated. “But if she returns… she’ll cause you trouble. She always does.”
Victoria shook her head gently. “Back then, I was too young… and far too impulsive. It was only an engagement. If she wants it… she can have it. Besides… that fiancé was hers to begin with.” 1
Scott’s brow knitted tighter. “But you were the one who grew up with Cole. You’re the one he’s always cared for.”
“Scott.” Victoria set her teacup down. “I’ve only ever seen Cole as an older brother.”
His gaze sharpened. “You might be able to fool others. But you can’t fool me.”
A flicker of warmth broke through the usual chill in Scott’s eyes. “You were the one who wouldn’t stop saying as a kid that you
wanted to marry him.”
A helpless smile tugged at Victoria’s lips. “Scott… that was childish nonsense. It doesn’t count.”
Scott didn’t press further. “Either way… Cole isn’t worthy of you now.”
Victoria wasn’t just anyone. She was the undisputed number one socialite in the upper circles. Beautiful, brilliant, flawless. A living embodiment of perfection.
Men lined up for miles hoping to marry her-sons of billionaires, heirs to empires. No matter where she went, she was the center of gravity.
Every movement, every glance, every word became the standard that others copied. She was the textbook definition of what it
meant to be a true heiress.
No one could speak of her without praise. She was the pride of the Kalen family.
Scott said, “You’ve always been a genius. Top of every class, best at everything. You should’ve been trained to work in the Kalen Group… but for whatever reason, Dad insisted you study the arts instead.”
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Her homeroom teacher had even scheduled a private meeting with Richard, trying to persuade him to let Victoria apply to top engineering universities. Her teacher believed that her future contributions could benefit all of society.
But Richard had flat-out refused.
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Richard had said, “My daughter is born into privilege, raised to enjoy life. There’s no need for her to suffer like that.”
Still, Richard wasn’t entirely authoritarian. He gave Victoria two choices.
First-enroll in an arts university, just as he wished, and he’d grant her fifteen percent of Kalen Group’s shares.
Second-pursue any university of her choosing, follow her own path, but she would receive nothing. No financial support. No shares. No safety net.
Fifteen percent of Kalen Group wasn’t just a fortune to ordinary people. Even in elite circles, it was a staggering figure, nearly unthinkable. Among her three brothers, only the eldest held fifteen percent. The second and third sons each had just ten.
The fact that Richard was willing to transfer that much to her said everything about how much he valued her.
In the end, Victoria chose the shares. She enrolled in an arts university.
But brilliance didn’t fade just because the stage changed. She’d grown up immersed in elite education. Mastery of piano, chess, calligraphy, and painting had been her daily routine since childhood. Picking up the violin wasn’t a challenge.
Yes. Like Sharon… her major was also violin.
Richard loved the sound of the violin.
And through quiet conversations with her brothers, Victoria learned something else. Their mother-the late Mrs. Kalen-had been an exceptional violinist.
She suspected, quietly, that Richard’s insistence on her choosing the violin had more to do with their mother than he would ever admit.
But it didn’t matter to her. Whatever she learned, she excelled at.
As for Sharon… Victoria had never once regarded her as a rival.
She’d been born into the highest of circles, where every luxury and every resource was within arm’s reach. It was her default. Her birthright.
Sharon? Sure, their mother never let her worry about basic needs. Her life, by normal standards, was more than comfortable.
But compared to the Kalen family… it was a joke.
From the very beginning, Sharon had lost the race before the starting gun even fired. What could she possibly use to compete with her?
Illegitimate or not, Victoria was still Richard’s daughter. Sharon might be born of the legitimate wife, but without the power and privilege to back it, legitimacy became little more than a hollow word.
As they spoke, the door to the room swung open. Scott’s twin brother, Silas, stepped inside.
“What’s got you two talking so happily?”
Compared to Scott’s cold, detached demeanor, Silas was far more outgoing.
His eyes flicked to the freshly steeped tea on the table. Without waiting for an invitation, he grabbed a cup. “Perfect timing. I’m parched. I’ll help myself.”
Victoria smiled softly and poured him another cup. “We were talking about Jenna.”
The motion of lifting his cup paused midair. His sharp brows lifted slightly. “You mean… Sharon?”
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Victoria’s gaze flickered at the way he said it. Ever since Sharon returned to the Kalen family, even after their father formally changed her name to Jenna, Silas had stubbornly refused to call her anything but Sharon
It was clear. He had never considered her his sister.
Catching her reaction, Silas chuckled dryly. “What? She’s been in touch with Dad? Wants to come back? No surprise, Life’s probably been rough out there. Of course, she’d want to come back and play the heiress again.
Victoria said, “Life’s been rough? That’s not the impression I got. From what I’ve seen, she’s doing pretty well in Zachemaine. A charity ambassador… massive internet following… what, tens of millions of fans?”
Silas smirked. “Oh, you’d be surprised. After Dad caught wind of her situation, he asked me to dig into her past five years to see how she’s really been doing.”
Scott raised a brow, mild curiosity finally breaking through his usual stillness. “And? What did you find?”
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Silas said, “Sharon… got married five years ago. She has a child. Her ex-husband… is Carter Biggs, one of the most powerful men in Zachemaine.”
For a moment, both Victoria and Scott were stunned.
Victoria blinked. “She was married? And has a child?”
Scott frowned. “Ex-husband? They divorced already?”
Silas nodded. “Not long ago. Apparently… the reason was Carter’s unresolved entanglement with his first love. Dad’s thrilled now that he knows he has a grandson. He’s already preparing a meeting gift for the kid.”
Victoria’s brows tightened. “Biggs Group is a powerhouse in Zachemaine. How did Jenna manage to marry someone like Carter?
”
She didn’t say it outright, but everyone in the room understood the implication.
With Sharon’s background, marrying a man like Carter should’ve been impossible. In circles like theirs, marriage wasn’t just about love; it was about matching status, family, and power. Especially for a man like Carter.
Silas’s gaze darkened slightly. “If she were known as the Kalen family’s daughter… marrying him wouldn’t have been so impossible.”
The room fell quiet. Both Victoria and Scott instantly understood what he meant.
Scott’s expression sharpened. “You mean… she told Carter the truth about her identity long ago?”
“Otherwise,” Silas replied flatly, “why would Carter ever marry her? Even with a child involved, men like him would’ve never hesitated to make her end the pregnancy.”
“A child before marriage?” Scott caught the deeper meaning buried in his words. His face darkened. “She really… did something that disgraceful? And last time… she had the nerve to claim she was framed? Looks like everything about the Cole incident was exactly what it seemed. She was the one seducing him.” 1
“Scott.” Victoria stopped him gently, steering the conversation away. “Let’s not dwell on the past. If it was a pregnancy before marriage, then… yes, it makes sense. After realizing her identity, Carter wouldn’t dare offend the Kalen family. That’s likely why
he married her.”
Silas nodded slightly, agreeing with the assessment. “Even if the marriage happened… the gap between them is too wide. Their values and worldviews were never aligned. It’s no surprise it didn’t last.”
Victoria’s voice was calm. “Silas… technically, Jenna and Carter are a match now.”
Silas let out a quiet laugh. “On paper, maybe. But that’s not the real issue. They grew up in completely different worlds. People like that rarely end up lasting. Now that she’s gone through a failed marriage… she’s realizing what this family really means.’
He let the words linger before adding, “Rick’s already discussing with Dad. They’re planning to go to Zachemaine soon… to bring her back. Hopefully, after these years away, she’s figured out where she truly belongs.”
Two days later, Sharon’s phone rang. It was John.
“Sharon, I managed to get an invitation to the Maestro Warner’s Music Exchange. I’ll have someone deliver it to you tomorrow.”
Sharon instinctively asked, “What about you? Aren’t you going?”
“I only managed to get one.” His voice was low, tinged with helplessness. “I’ve been to plenty of these music exchanges…. but
Chapter
for you, this invitation matters more.”
He wasn’t Carter. He didn’t have the same power and connections that let someone like that pull strings at will. One invitation was all he could manage.
Sharon smiled lightly. “John… keep it for yourself. I already have one.”
John went quiet. “How did you get one?”
She explained in detail how she’d gotten it from Felipe.
On the other end of the line, John didn’t answer for a long time. Only the faint sound of his breathing crossed the distance.
“Sharon.” His voice was heavy, weighed down by something difficult. “I’m sorry.”
She frowned. “For what?”
His tone dropped lower, full of guilt. “You’ve been through so much lately…and I couldn’t do anything to help. Sharon… I’m sorry. I’m… useless.”
For a moment, Sharon just listened. Then she laughed. “John, why are you saying something like that?”
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“When Mom passed so suddenly, and the Kalen family kicked me out, if it hadn’t been for you, I would’ve ended up on the streets. I probably wouldn’t have even made it to see her one last time,” Sharon said.
But John wasn’t comforted by her words. “I still feel useless… I couldn’t protect you then… I couldn’t even protect Teacher Shayla. I didn’t even know she was terminally ill.”
Sharon shook her head. “John, this wasn’t your fault. None of it. You shouldn’t blame yourself.”
Her mother had hidden her illness from everyone. She’d even sent Sharon to live with the Kalen family to keep her from noticing anything.
Despite raising Sharon alone, Shayla’s life had never resembled some tragic melodrama. They weren’t poor. In fact, they lived comfortably-upper middle class by most standards.
If not, how could her mother have afforded to help John financially back then?
When her mother left the Kalen family, she’d taken a sizable sum with her. On top of that, she was an accomplished violinist. Whether performing or teaching, she earned well.
So Sharon never went without. Never.
Her mother always gave her the best she could afford-clothes, food, education. Everything.
As Sharon grew older, she’d once told her mother she didn’t need everything to be the best. That she could live more simply.
But Shayla just smiled and said, “I give you the best so you won’t be dazzled by scraps some man offers you one day. So you won’t ever mistake small kindness for something bigger than it is.”
She took Sharon to concerts, art exhibitions, and fashion shows. They traveled often and saw the world together.
But for all the generosity, her mother’s expectations were strict.
Mastering the violin wasn’t an excuse to neglect her studies. From the time she could speak, Sharon was learning multiple languages.
In school, she was always at the top of her class.
On top of that, her mother enrolled her in everything-painting, calligraphy, etiquette. Her childhood and teenage years were
scheduled down to the minute.
There was no space for silly things like crushes or puppy love.
She hadn’t had the time.
Back then, she didn’t understand why her mother was so harsh with her.
But once she returned to the Kalen family, she finally understood.
Her mother hadn’t just raised her. She’d raised her to be a lady. A true heiress.
She’d expanded Sharon’s world so Sharon would never be intimidated by wealth or power.
And compared to ordinary families, Sharon had believed-honestly believed-her life was already a good one.
But when she set foot back in the Kalen household, she finally understood what real wealth looked like.
Her bedroom alone was larger than the entire home she’d grown up in.
In some corner, a casually placed porcelain vase was worth millions.
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And the house… no, it wasn’t a house. Not even a mansion. It was an estate. A private castle.
Driving from the main gate to the residence itself took nearly twenty minutes. The sheer size of it was staggering.
Her mother had raised her to be confident, self-assured, and proud.
But for the first time in her life, standing inside the Kalen estate, Sharon understood what it meant to feel… small.
It wasn’t like the obvious disdain someone like Nate would throw in her face. No, the Kalen family’s way was different.
Her three brothers, and her half-sister Victoria…. they never said anything cruel to her. Not once.
But the distance was there. The subtle air of indifference. The invisible wall.
They were polite. Courteous.
But with Victoria, they were warm, affectionate, and protective.
Sharon could see it clearly-they had never truly accepted her as family.
To them, she was just… someone who happened to share their blood. A stranger with familiar DNA.
And what finally ripped away the thin veil of civility between them… was that one incident.
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Chapter 386
Sharon was still lost in thought when John’s voice cut through, pulling her back.
“Since that’s the case… let’s go together on the day of the music exchange.”
She blinked, gathering herself. “Alright.”
At Kelly’s studio.
When Carter arrived, Nate was pacing, trying to comfort Kelly.
“Kelly, don’t worry,” Nate said, gritting his teeth. “I swear, I’ll find whoever did this to your studio.”
Kelly said nothing, only lowered her head, quietly wiping her tears.
The moment Carter stepped inside, Nate’s eyes lit up like someone spotting a lifeline.
“Carter, look!” He pointed furiously. “Someone’s targeting Kelly. They splashed paint all over her studio!”
Carter didn’t need him to spell it out. His gaze swept over the walls stained with jagged, violent words.
“Homewrecker Kelly!”
“A filthy mistress who ruins families!”
“Shameless gold-digging trash!”
The blood-red paint dripped down the walls and doors like some grotesque curse.
A sharp chemical stench hung heavy in the air, choking and nauseating.
Carter’s expression darkened. “Did you check the security footage? Any idea who did it?”
Nate wasn’t completely brainless. “We checked. The cameras in Kelly’s studio were already sabotaged in advance. But the surveillance at the building entrance wasn’t touched. We got something.”
He pulled out his phone. “The culprits were prepared. Four men, disguised as construction workers, carrying paint buckets. Completely covered up. Couldn’t see their faces.”
Kelly’s eyes shimmered with unshed tears, but there was rare tension in her usually soft features-a hint of anger.
“I don’t even know what I did wrong… how could someone do this to me? This is my workplace…” Her voice trembled.
Nate snapped, “Besides Sharon, who else could’ve done this? I heard she’s organizing a concert too! Clearly, she can’t stand to see Kelly doing well!”
Carter said nothing at first. His gaze stayed unreadable.
“I’ll have someone investigate this thoroughly,” he finally said.
Nate’s brows shot up. “Carter, seriously? Kelly’s only just come back to Amstern City. She doesn’t know anyone except us. Think about it. Who else could possibly hold a grudge against her?”
He glanced at Carter accusingly.
“Carter… don’t tell me you’re planning to shield Sharon again?”
Carter raised his brow. “When have I ever shielded her?” 1
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Nate scoffed, voice rising. “Really? The mess Sharon’s caused lately… with your power, crushing her would be easier than swatting a fly. But you haven’t lifted a finger. You just let her keep doing whatever she wants. If that’s not shielding her, what is?
Carter’s eyes went colder, his tone turning icy. “You want to convict someone? Bring evidence. If you think I’m protecting her, go ahead-call the police. Let’s see if they’ll arrest her based on your assumptions.”
Nate faltered, his momentum crumbling, but his mouth stayed stubborn. “Even without proof, this has Sharon written all over
it.”
Carter turned to Kelly. “Kelly, what about you? What do you think?”
Her lashes fluttered.
“Whether Sharon did this or not… it doesn’t really matter,” she murmured. “What matters is… my studio is ruined. I can’t practice. The concert preparations will be delayed. Repainting, cleaning, getting rid of the fumes… it’ll take so long.”
She lowered her head, the picture of melancholy.
Chapter 387
“I’m afraid… I might not have that much time left,” Kelly said.
Nate jumped in, his voice tight. “Kelly, don’t say things like that. That old guy, Mr. Malcolm… didn’t his meds work pretty well for you? Come on, don’t worry. You’ll get better. You will.”
He said it like he believed it, but deep down, neither he nor Carter were betting everything on Sharon. They were still quietly searching for top doctors, just in case.
Kelly forced a small smile. “If this concert can’t be held in the best possible way… then I’d rather cancel it. I don’t want to patch it together just to get by. I won’t disappoint the audience like that.”
Carter’s voice was calm. “We can rent a studio that’s already fully set up. Use it for now. Once the concert’s over, we’ll find a new space.” 1
It wasn’t a perfect solution. But for now, it was the only one.
Kelly nodded lightly.
Nate let out a cold laugh. “Some people are willing to stoop this low just for the sake of stealing audiences and traffic. Truly pathetic. And, Carter, I heard Sharon’s concert is scheduled for exactly three months from now. You don’t think that’s a coincidence, do you? She’s doing this to go head-to-head with Kelly, obviously.”
Carter couldn’t be bothered to argue. He didn’t even glance at Nate. Instead, he turned to Kelly. “By the way… any news on Star?”
Kelly shook her head. “No. Not a single trace. In these past few years, Star has completely vanished. Like… like they never
existed.”
Star-a name anyone in the music world knew. A composer who became a legend eight years ago.
While Zachemaine had seen rapid economic and technological growth, the music industry had stagnated. For over a decade, there had been no new classics or groundbreaking compositions. The glory days of fifteen years ago felt like a distant dream.
At one point, during an international original composition competition, a foreign contestant mocked the entire nation.
“They don’t create music,” he’d said. “Just recycle clichés over and over. There’s no originality left in them.”
His words were a slap in the face, stirring outrage across the country.
Sure, under pressure, the man eventually stood on stage and issued an apology. But even then, he logged onto his social media and doubled down: [An apology doesn’t change facts. Their original compositions are a joke.]
As much as people hated to admit it, he wasn’t entirely wrong. Zachemaine’s music scene had been in a steep decline. Nothing in years had captured the world’s attention.
Then… Star appeared.
With one violin piece-“First Love”-Star crushed that arrogant foreign composer and took the international composition title.
The song exploded overnight. It wasn’t just a competition piece-it was recorded, performed, covered, and loved worldwide.
For a time, Star wasn’t just a composer. They were a national sensation, their fame outshining even the biggest celebrities.
But despite the fame, no one knew who Star really was. Not their gender, not their age-nothing.
Star never rode the wave of attention. No endorsements, no interviews. They simply let the world cool down, then every three to five months… quietly released another masterpiece.
And yet, despite that low profile, every single piece instantly trended and became a sensation. The more mysterious Star stayed,
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the more obsessed the public became
But them, five years ago. Star disappeared
No more songs. No more appearances.
Just like the name suggested-like a brilliant meteor streaking across the sky… then vanishing without a trace.
22
Chapter 388
Nate had also been busy lately helping Kelly search for Star.
“If we can track down Star and have them compose exclusively for Kelly,” Nate said, “with Star’s nationwide recognition, Kelly’s concert would be an unprecedented success.”
Kelly was equally eager. “But… no one knows Star’s true identity. How do we even begin to find them?”
Just then, Carter’s voice sounded beside her. “I’ll have someone find Star.”
Hearing Carter’s words, Kelly’s eyes lit up, the cloud of anxiety in her gaze clearing just a little.
“Do you really think it’s possible?” she asked.
Carter responded with a quiet hum. “Julliard is very good at finding people. With his skills, it shouldn’t be a problem.”
Still, Kelly couldn’t help but voice the doubt lingering in her heart. “But… even if we do find Star, there’s no guarantee they’d agree to compose for me. I’ve heard plenty of people offered sky-high fees, and Star turned them all down.”
“They’ll agree,” Carter said firmly, his tone carrying no room for doubt. “Don’t worry about it. I’ll take care of everything.”
Nate chimed in with a grin, “Kelly, don’t worry. If Carter says it’ll get done, it’ll get done.”
Finally, Kelly’s lips curved into a soft, trusting smile. “Alright… I’ll leave it to you then.”
Sunlight spilled through the floor-to-ceiling windows, casting a warm, golden glow across the studio floor.
Sharon stood at the center, violin in hand, practicing quietly.
The door swung open.
Wendy walked in, carrying takeout, muttering under her breath.
Sharon caught the look on her face immediately. “What’s wrong?”
Wendy let out a sigh. “The landlord just called. Out of nowhere, he says he wants us to terminate the lease. He’s even offering to pay the penalty fee. I mean… seriously? John and I poured so much time and effort into renovating this studio ourselves. And we signed a five-year contract! Now they want to break it like it’s nothing?”
Sure, the penalty fee was a decent chunk of money. But with the music exchange coming up, everything was in place-the walls, the floors, the lighting, even the curtains-all personally chosen by Sharon. None of it was something she could just walk away
from.
Sharon frowned. “Someone else has their eye on this studio, huh?”
Wendy scoffed. “Probably. Either way, I told them no. We signed the contract. The studio’s ours. They’ve got no right to take it back.”
Then, as if remembering something, she paused. “Oh, right. There’s something else.”
“What is it?” Sharon asked.
“Someone reached out. They want to hire you as an exclusive composer.”
Normally, Wendy would’ve turned this kind of offer down without even mentioning it. But this time, there was a reason.
“I already told them no at first… but the number they offered was just… ridiculous. So I figured I should at least ask you.”
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Chapter 388
“How much?” Sharon asked casually.
Wendy hesitated, then answered, “10 million.”
Sharon blinked. “How much?”
“Ten Million,” Wendy repeated slowly, enunciating every word.
For a second, Sharon was stunned.
That number was absurd. Even by her standards.
But only for a second.
Then, her expression settled.
“No,” she said firmly. “The only reason they’re offering that much is because of my reputation-my public image, the credibility that comes with my name. But if something happens… if they fall from grace, I’ll be dragged down with them. No amount of money is worth gambling my future on.”
Wendy thought about it for a second, then nodded. “Yeah… you’re right. With your talent, it’s only a matter of time before you earn that kind of money anyway. No need to take a risk like this.”
She let out a sigh. “Alright. I’ll call them back with your answer.”
Chapter 389
“I heard from that assistant… sounds like his boss wants to pave the way for his lover. That’s why he’s willing to throw down ten million.”
In their circle, it wasn’t rare-wealthy men dropping obscene amounts of money and resources just to prop up their lovers.
Sharon had turned down offers like this more times than she could count.
One of the reasons she never composed for others was exactly this-she didn’t want anyone using her name for clout.
There were times she offered a compromise. She’d compose, but the credit couldn’t be under Star.
Every single one of them refused, which said everything. What they wanted wasn’t the music. It was her name.
Wendy shifted the topic. “By the way… are you and John planning to perform original pieces at the music exchange?”
Sharon nodded. “I still have five unreleased scores. I’ll have John rearrange them for the performance.”
Wendy tilted her head. “What about the composer credit? Are you putting Star on it?”
Sharon shook her head. “No. I’m not using Star this time.”
Wendy thought for a second, then nodded in agreement. “Yeah… makes sense. That name’s way too flashy. And with all the haters watching your every move, whatever you do gets twisted ten different ways.”
When Star blew up, it was to the point of being a national obsession.
And sure, people praised her. But there was no shortage of people who trashed her too.
They accused her of hyping herself, of being fake, of hiding in the shadows because she was ashamed of who she was.
Rumors flew-claims that she was greedy, that she only cared about money.
Some so-called “original composers” even dragged out garbage melodies, claiming they’d paid millions for Star to compose, only to be handed “trash.”
The same people who once worshipped her were the first to turn around and spit venom.
Some even fabricated plagiarism scandals-writing long, melodramatic posts accusing her, feeding off the traffic like vultures.
The internet demanded she come forward to prove herself and clear her name.
Even some official media outlets joined in, calling her out publicly.
Sharon ignored them all.
The truth didn’t need defending.
If she spent her days refuting every baseless accusation, there wouldn’t be time left for anything else.
And as for those shouting “fraud” or “plagiarist”, if there had been any real evidence, they would’ve gone straight to the cops instead of wasting time chasing clicks online.
It was all noise. All for show.
She knew the game. And she never played it.
Eventually, the noise died down on its own.
She hadn’t entered that composition competition for fame or money.
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Chapter 389
It was pure pettiness, really-she just couldn’t stand those arrogant foreign contestants sneering down at her country.
She never expected to blow up the way she did.
Wendy huffed. “And then those same jealous idiots had the nerve to say, since you crushed those foreign players, you should give your music away for free. That charging was somehow… immoral?”
Every profession needed to make money to survive.
But because Sharon won an international award, suddenly these people climbed up on their moral soapboxes, accusing her of selling out if she didn’t release her music for free. That she owed it to the public.
Thankfully, Sharon had her own plans. She never relied on licensing fees anyway.
So, sure, she made it free. For everyone. Forever.
She didn’t care.
What she did care about was this-
“If I use the name ‘Star’ again… people will dig until they figure out who I really am. It’s not worth the risk.”
The words had barely left her mouth when her phone buzzed.
She glanced at the screen.
It was Julliard.
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Chapter 390
Wendy glanced at the caller ID on Sharon’s phone.
“It’s Julliard… think he’s got more news for you?”
Sharon’s voice was calm. “No idea.”
She answered the call. “Hey, Julliard.”
Julliard’s voice came through, warm and polite, as always. “Sharon, do you have time lately? I’d like to take you out for a meal.”
“You’ve helped me so much. I should be the one treating you,” Sharon replied after a brief pause. “Are you free tonight?”
“I’m free,” Julliard answered almost too quickly.
Realizing that, he cleared his throat lightly. “Work’s settled for now. I’ve got free time these days. Whenever works for you.”
“Then tonight,” Sharon decided. “Tomorrow I’m attending the Maestro Warner music exchange, and I’m not sure if something else might come up the day after.”
“Alright. Tonight, then. I’ll see you there.”
“See you.”
As soon as the call ended, Sharon caught Wendy shooting her an exaggerated, knowing look.
Sharon raised a brow. “What’s with that sus look?”
Wendy smirked, eyes glinting. “Sharon, have you ever thought about why Julliard’s helping you?”
Sharon’s tone was flat. “Because he doesn’t want to see Carter and Nate keep making the same mistakes.”
Wendy scoffed. “Oh, please. That’s just an excuse. The three of them grew up together, practically shared a pair of pants. Nate’s caused plenty of messes over the years, but Carter and Julliard always cleaned up after him, no matter what.
“If he really didn’t want them messing up, wouldn’t it be easier to just help them crush you? Safer, cleaner. No risk of betraying anyone. Think about it, if Nate and Carter found out Julliard was feeding you information, would they ever speak to him again?”
“The only explanation…” Wendy tapped her chin, “When it comes to friends, you take a knife for them. But for a woman… you take a knife to your friends. Sharon, Julliard wouldn’t happen to like you, would he?”
Sharon frowned, almost instinctively rejecting the idea. “No way.”
“Why not?”
Sharon raised a brow. “I’m Carter’s ex-wife. Julliard’s his best friend. How could he possibly like me? And besides, we’ve never even spent time alone. Every time we’ve met, he’s been polite and distant. He’s never once shown any sign of anything beyond basic courtesy.”
Wendy replied, “Well, yeah. Back when you were married to Carter, of course he kept his distance. But now you’re divorced… suddenly he’s reaching out. Giving you information. Making the first move.”
Sharon thought about it, then shook her head. “Nate’s spent years trashing me in front of them. Calling me useless, a trophy wife, a middle school dropout. Julliard’s from a family like his-he’s seen every kind of beautiful woman out there. Looks alone wouldn’t attract him. And I’m divorced, with a five-year-old kid. There’s no way someone like him would be interested in me.”
Wendy rolled her eyes. “So what? Being divorced with a kid isn’t a crime. If a woman’s good enough, landing a man ten years younger is no big deal. Sharon, you are exceptional. You deserve the best this world has to offer.”
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Sharon had to admit-those words really did comfort her.
Only a true best friend could believe you deserved the absolute best.
That evening, Sharon arrived at the restaurant ten minutes early.
The moment she walked in, she spotted Julliard. He was already there, waiting.
She stepped over and offered a polite smile. “Sorry, looks like I’m late.”
