Chapter 871
“Leave? Sharon, even if just for form’s sake, you should have asked Thomas to stay. Don’t you think he’s exceptional?
“Think about it… If you wanted a twenty-four-hour bodyguard, assistant, and driver at his level, it would cost at least five thousand a month. And beyond that, he even helps with the kids in his spare time.
“Matty and Theo adore him. Hiring a full-time nanny alone would cost more than a thousand, and whether or not the children would actually take to them is another matter entirely.
“On top of that, Thomas can teach them horseback riding, shooting, and all sorts of skills. If you hired professional tutors for those lessons, each session would cost thousands.
“And let’s not forget, he occasionally puts your ex-husband in his place. How perfect is that?”
Wendy listed off Thomas’s merits one by one. “Even if we paid him ten thousand a month, we’d still be coming out ahead.”
The real issue was that too many people had their eyes on Sharon.
Kelly had resurfaced, and trouble from her was inevitable.
Then there were Lex and Damien.
And, of course, the scheming Kalen family.
Sharon stayed silent for several seconds before finally speaking. “I only wanted him to rest because his mood seemed so heavy. As for asking him to stay-I could, but I fear our little studio is too small to hold someone like Thomas. Wendy, do you really believe he’s just an ordinary man?”
Wendy said nothing.
A long moment passed before she let out a quiet sigh. “I just… selfishly wanted him to stay.”
Deep down, Wendy knew Sharon was right. A man like Thomas could not possibly be ordinary. If they hadn’t stumbled upon him by chance, his talents would easily earn him more than a million a year.
“Enough, Wendy,” Sharon said softly. “Let him rest for now. When he’s ready, I’ll ask him what he wants to do.”
Wendy nodded. “I suppose that’s all we can do.”
The international competition came quickly.
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This year, it was held in Zachemaine. It was a stroke of luck for Sharon, since she didn’t need to travel abroad.
In Amstern City, with Xavier and Carter keeping watch, Lex dared not act recklessly. But if they left the country, things would become far less predictable.
For all his flaws, Carter at least served a purpose in that regard.
Because the truth was, Sharon had no family backing of her own.
Lex, as head of the Malcolm family, had the clan at his back-he could do as he pleased.
But Sharon…
The Kalen family certainly couldn’t be counted on. If they didn’t actively make things worse for her, that would already be a mercy. Far from helping, they would look for every opportunity to extract whatever benefit they could from her.
Meanwhile, at the Walton family residence, Johanna had called Thomas again and again, but every attempt went unanswered.
She had sent him messages too, but he never replied.
Panic began to creep in.
Had he discovered that the person in the garden that night wasn’t her?
Her thoughts spun back to Sharon’s concert. Thomas had been seated in the front row that day. Had he recognized Sharon as the one he’d been searching for?
No, that didn’t make sense. He was with Sharon every day, listening to her practice. If recognition were possible, it would have happened long ago.
Just as Johanna’s anxiety hit its peak, her phone rang.
Her heart leapt-surely it was Thomas. She snatched up the device in a rush.
But when she saw the caller ID, she froze.
Almost on instinct, she answered.
On the other end came a man’s deep, husky voice.
“Johanna, I’ll arrive in Amstern City tomorrow.”
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