Loving DAD 1164

Thomas gave a faint smile. 

“It’s no trouble. I’m Sharon’s bodyguard. Protecting her is my duty. You have been searching for her all this time. You must be exhausted. 

“No need for you to carry her. After all, a man of your standing–a refined, privileged CEO–isn’t built for this kind of work. Unlike me, whose job is to rely on muscle and endurance. My skin’s thick enough to handle it.” 

Carter’s dark eyes deepened, a shadow flickering across them. 

Thomas was mocking him–mocking his health, his weakness. 1 

But Carter didn’t rise to the bait. Instead, he turned toward Sharon. 

“Sharon,” he said evenly, “Thomas has been taking care of you for days now. He must be tired. Why don’t we let him rest for a while?” 

It was a clever move. 

If he’d asked outright to carry her himself, Sharon would have refused without hesitation. But saying it this way 

-asking her to let Thomas rest–fit perfectly with her nature. 

Sure enough, after a brief hesitation, she nodded. 

“Thomas, put me down. I’ve rested long enough. I can walk a little on my own.” 

Thomas frowned slightly. “Sharon, your leg is still injured. Walking could make it worse 

Before he could finish, Sharon began struggling to slide off his back. 

Worried she might fall, he had no choice but to lower her to the ground. 

The moment her feet touched down, Carter stepped forward and swept her into his arms. 

Sharon froze. “Carter, what are you doing?” 

He replied calmly, “Thomas said you shouldn’t be walking.” 

Sharon hadn’t wanted Thomas to tire himself out, but she certainly hadn’t wanted Carter to carry her either. 

Her expression cooled. “Carter, put me down-” 

Before she could finish, he cut in. “Sharon, don’t misunderstand. Your leg matters most. We’re not far from the exit. Just bear with me a little longer, alright?” 

Hearing that, Sharon pressed her lips together. Arguing with him here, in front of Thomas, would only make things awkward–perhaps even look ambiguous. 1 

So she said nothing, 

Carter’s thin lips curved, just barely–a trace of a smile that wasn’t quite a smile. 

1/2 

He glanced at Thomas. 

That look said everything a man needed to understand. 

It was a provocation. 

And Carter had every reason to be confident. 2 

No matter how much Sharon now trusted Thomas, those five years she had spent with Carter were something Thomas could never replace. 

Thomas’s gaze darkened, the light in his eyes dimming slightly. 

Before long, they emerged from the forest. 

Several cars were parked along the roadside. 

Carter carried Sharon to one of them. 

When Simon saw his boss carrying her out, he immediately stepped forward, opened the door, and–with a tactful smile–pulled open the passenger seat. 

“Thomas, please.” 

Thomas gave him a cool glance, then silently slid into the front seat. 

Carter climbed in with Sharon, taking the back seat beside her. 

The car started, rolling forward smoothly. 

Only then did Sharon find her voice. “Carter, how did you know where to find me?” 

He replied, “Theo told me you didn’t come home. He said that no matter how busy you usually are, you always visit him. Even if you can’t, you at least call. But the day you disappeared, you neither called him nor answered your phone. So I tracked your last signal and followed it here.” 

Hearing this, Sharon’s voice softened. “Theo must’ve been worried… Thank you, Carter. 

He shook his head. “No need to thank me. You’re Theo’s mother. What I did was only right.‘ 

He understood her too well. He didn’t guilt her, didn’t use their past as leverage–only offered reassurance. a 

He knew that trying to bind her with emotion would only drive her further away. And besides, he owed her too much already. 1 

Since Sharon had returned to the Kalen family, there hadn’t been much he could truly do for her. 

Carter added, “The Kalens are searching for you too. But they only started today, so they didn’t make as much progress.” 3