Loving DAD 1057

Hearing Sharon bring up the topic on her own, Richard thought it was the perfect opportunity to bridge the distance between father and daughter. 

He softened his tone and asked, “Sharon, will you tell me what happened?” 

Sharon’s voice was calm. “He and his first love, Kelly, were torn apart years ago by his mother. Kelly later developed depression overseas. When she returned, she told him she didn’t have long to live. When Carter found out, he was overwhelmed with guilt. He didn’t want her to die with regrets, so he did everything he could to make it up to her. 

“How he chose to make amends is his business. But he had no right to sacrifice me in the process. 

“He owed Kelly, but I didn’t. 

“To me, Kelly was the woman who stole my husband’s attention–who turned him against me every time we argued. Whenever it came to her, his choice was always clear. I couldn’t stand her. 

“So after she reappeared, it only took half a year for our marriage to end.” 

She smiled faintly at Richard. “Dad, do you think I was wrong?” 

A flicker of uncertainty passed through his eyes. “Between husband and wife, there must be mutual understanding,” he said slowly. 

Sharon’s smile deepened, though it didn’t reach her eyes. “You’re right, Dad, understanding goes both ways. 

“So I understood when he spent a fortune buying Kelly a villa, when he found her the best doctors money could buy. I understood when, every time I needed him, he was by her side instead. 

“I’ve been understanding enough. But he never once tried to understand me. 

“If being with him only means endless compromise and silence, what’s the point of staying married? Living freely on my own–doesn’t that sound better than suffocating beside him?” 

Richard shook his head, sighing deeply. “Your mother was stubborn enough on her own, but she even passed that thinking on to you.” 3 

For a moment, Sharon’s expression froze. Then she said nothing at all. 

Richard rose from his seat. “Sharon, I have work to attend to. I’ll leave you to rest. If you need anything, tell me.” 

With that, he turned and left. 

Sharon stood motionless, watching his retreating figure with a blank expression. 

Even when Kelly’s true nature had been exposed, Carter at least had the decency to reflect on his mistakes. Yet her mother had been dead for years, and Richard still blamed Shayla–still thought she was the stubborn one. 

News of Kelly’s pregnancy vanished almost overnight, wiped clean from every headline. 

1/2 

Carter’s world had no place for her chaos. And he knew the truth better than anyone–what had happened, and 

what hadn’t. 

He’d already given Kelly a final warning: if she dared to cross the line again, he wouldn’t show mercy. 

Kelly believed him–she could see it in his eyes. Carter meant every word. 

Now that he no longer trusted her, none of her tricks worked anymore. Carter had hired bodyguards. She couldn’t even get close to him now. 

Desperate, she turned to Thomas once more. 

“Thomas, what should I do? You’ll help me, won’t you? You must have a way!” 

Thomas’s voice came through the phone, “There’s a way, yes. But tell me, why should I help you?” 

Kelly froze. “I was the one who played the violin in the back garden that night. Doesn’t that mean anything to you?” 

Thomas’s tone didn’t waver. “But Johanna already proved that she was the one playing that night. You lied to me.” 

Kelly’s voice rose, trembling with desperation. “Thomas, don’t believe her! She’s lying! I’m the one you’ve been looking for–she knows nothing about that night, not a single detail!” 

Her panic only made his calm more cutting. 

“Perhaps,” he said, “but she has the other earring.”