Chapter 621
Carter’s lawyer, Alan Specter, paused for a moment before saying, “I’d like to apply for bail for Sharon.”
The officer replied, “Sorry, Sharon is currently suspected of intentional homicide and must be detained. Bail isn’t an option right now.”
Mr. Specter smiled. “Intentional homicide? May I ask, who has Sharon killed? Or who is seriously injured and currently in critical condition?”
The officer hesitated, then said, “Well, no one has died, but four people did sustain minor injuries.”
Mr. Specter’s sharp legal mind quickly picked up on the details, pressing on. “Minor injuries? Has a medical injury report been issued?”
What laypeople call “minor injuries” often differ greatly from the legal definition, which tends to be far more severe.
The officer sensed Mr. Specter’s persistence. “Not yet, but the patients are still under hospital care.”
Mr. Specter nodded. “My client, Sharon, is a public figure with a concert coming up soon. Arresting her without solid evidence would damage her reputation. If this is a malicious false accusation, and they try to sully her name before her concert, nobody can afford to bear the responsibility for that kind of reputational harm.”
He smiled warmly, polite and composed.
“My client says she noticed the other car’s brakes failed and only tried to help them stop safely. How does that turn into intentional homicide? Her fearless, selfless act to save others should be commended as courageous, not condemned.
“Now, a good person who risked everything to help others is being wrongfully accused of murder. How many good people’s hearts would that chill? Who would dare do good deeds after this?”
The weight of this argument was clear enough that even the officers felt the pressure.
Mr. Specter continued, “This whole case started because Mr. Malcolm’s brakes failed. If Sharon tampered with his brakes, it would make sense to bring her in for questioning. But she was trying to save lives. Bringing in a rescuer to question while the real culprit runs free-how can that be fair?” 1
Even Sharon looked at Mr. Specter with newfound respect. He was clearly a formidable lawyer. No wonder Kelly and Nate kept getting bailed out by Carter.
Mr. Specter had turned the label of “murderer” into “good Samaritan,” leaving the police officers feeling cornered.
One officer said, “We’re only conducting routine questioning. There’s no intention to detain her.”
Mr. Specter smiled good-naturedly. “My client was trying to save lives, but has been twisted into a murderer. I suspect someone’s deliberately trying to ruin her reputation. Officer, I’m officially filing a complaint against whoever is spreading these lies and trying to turn truth upside down.”
The officers were speechless, completely outmaneuvered.
After a moment of silence, one said, “Since this is clearly a misunderstanding, perhaps we can all sit down and talk it over. If the other party agrees to withdraw the complaint, Sharon won’t have to be questioned.”
In other words, mediation.
Mr. Specter glanced at Carter, who nodded slightly.
“Fine,” Mr. Specter agreed, “but before that, may my client finish her treatment first?”
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Chapter 622
The police agreed and quickly went to find Lex. After they left, Carter turned to Sharon and said, “Just say you were trying to help. Leave the rest to Specter.”
Sharon glanced at Xavier for confirmation. He gave a slight nod, signaling she should accept the arrangement. A good lawyer like this was rare and invaluable. This was Amstern City, and Carter’s influence meant he had hired only the very best.
After a moment’s thought, Sharon stopped resisting.
While Carter went to buy some late-night snacks earlier, he called Mr. Specter and briefed him on the entire situation in detail. Since Carter had been with Sharon the whole time, he knew everything thoroughly. That’s how Mr. Specter could jump in immediately to defend her.
Carter’s support surprised Sharon, but now wasn’t the time to dwell on that. Carter and Nate were selfish and ruthless, but at least they hadn’t wished her dead. Lex, however, was cruel enough to want her life.
Soon, everyone was gathered together. At the moment Sharon appeared, cold glints flashed in Lex and Cole’s eyes. If not for Sharon’s collision, Victoria wouldn’t have injured her hand. 1
Rick stepped forward. Before anyone could react, he swung out and intended to slap Sharon hard across the face.
The suddenness caught everyone off guard. By the time Sharon realized what was happening, the sharp gust of wind from Rick’s hand had already landed. Her expression flickered, but it was too late to dodge.
Just as Sharon thought she couldn’t avoid the slap, Carter suddenly grasped Rick’s wrist.
“What are you doing?” Carter’s thin lips pressed into a straight line, his voice cold and displeased.
No matter how bad his relationship with Sharon had become, he had never laid a hand on her. Who was this stranger claiming to be her brother, to strike her? 1
Though divorced, Carter still regarded Sharon as his wife deep down. Once Kelly’s concert was over, he planned to stop dealing with Kelly’s affairs, then remarry Sharon. She was the mother of his child; he would never abandon Theo. (1)
Rick shot Carter a cold glance. “I’m disciplining my sister. This doesn’t concern you. As for you…’
A sneer curled his lips. “A mere ex-husband has no right to meddle in the Kalen family’s affairs.”
At that moment, Xavier smiled and spoke up.
“1
“The Kalen family’s affairs? Since when did the Kalen family gain another daughter? Since when did you get a sister? Did you announce it publicly? Hold a family recognition banquet? Because I haven’t heard a word about it.”
He paused, then sighed softly. “This is the first time I’ve heard of slapping your own sister being called a family matter. Victoria is your sister too, isn’t she? Why didn’t you hit her?”
Xavier had wanted to intervene earlier, but Carter and Mr. Specter had already taken control of the situation, moving faster and securing the upper hand.
Hearing Xavier’s words, Rick’s face darkened sharply. He wasn’t stupid. He knew Xavier was deliberately mocking him. His glare locked onto Xavier, sharp and cold.
Chapter 623
A casual smile lingered on Xavier’s lips, completely unmoved by the tension in the room.
Rick’s face darkened visibly, but he still lowered his hand. Coldly, he spat out one word-unsure whether they were meant for anyone in particular.
“Fool.”
He had already seen the full sequence of events leading up to the accident. His original plan had been to reprimand Sharon in front of Lex, then smooth things over quietly-minimize the damage, make the problem disappear.
Sharon’s motives were far too obvious; there was no room for defense. The safest bet now was reconciliation.
He intended to slap Sharon, have her apologize to Lex, and rely on the family ties between the Kalens and the Malcolms. Victoria would step in with a plea, and since no one was seriously hurt, the matter would be buried.
But Carter and Xavier had come to interfere. Apparently, their brains weren’t any sharper than Sharon’s.
Compared to Victoria, Sharon’s supporters and friends were clearly outclassed. Even with Uriah backing her, they were insignificant-simply not worthy of the stage. 1
Rick snorted coldly and turned away, ignoring Sharon.
If she refused to recognize a good thing, then she could deal with the consequences herself.
Lex was smart enough to see Rick’s real intentions. If Rick landed that slap and Victoria pleaded afterward, there would be little
room for further investigation.
But Carter and Xavier blocking the way made things perfect.
He’d been waiting for a chance to teach this woman a lesson.
A police officer spoke up, “Who reported that Sharon McKinzie committed intentional homicide?”
Cole answered, “Officer, we’ve already submitted the dashcam footage. Her actions were clearly deliberate.”
The officer repeated Mr. Specter’s earlier points.
Cole’s disbelief quickly turned to anger. “That’s nonsense. I don’t accept that.”
The officer turned to Sharon. “Sharon, do you have anything to say?”
Sharon smiled faintly. “Killing requires motive and purpose. Cole, may I ask-what motive would I have to kill you?”
Cole said, “First, Victoria was in that car. You’ve always disliked her and wanted to get rid of her. Second, you had a conflict with Uncle Lex at the auction. This was deliberate revenge. Third… I was also in the car. You hold a grudge over past events.”
Sharon nodded slightly. “Good summary. Anything else?”
Cole sneered, “No. You may begin your performance.”
Sharon didn’t rise to the bait; letting emotions take over would only cloud her reason.
“For the first point,” she said, “I need to clarify that I have no feud or conflict with Victoria. You can ask Victoria herself, or anyone in the Kalen family. Besides, she is my biological older sister. Why would I harm my own family?”
The officer looked at Victoria. “Is that true?”
Victoria nodded softly. “Yes. There is no conflict between me and Sharon.”
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Though Rick’s face remained grim, he wasn’t foolish enough to send his own sister to prison. He said coldly, “I’ve never seen any quarrel between Sharon and Victoria.” 1
Sharon continued, “As for Cole’s second point, that’s even more laughable. Before today, I had never met Lex and didn’t know who he was. Yet he came looking for trouble at the auction. If you don’t believe me, check the surveillance footage in the auction
hallway.”
Finally, Sharon fixed Cole with a faint, almost mocking smile. “Cole, weren’t we once close friends? What reason would I have to want you dead?”
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Chapter 624
Cole opened his mouth to speak, but swallowed the words back.
Besides Lex, no one else knew about his scheme to frame Sharon. He couldn’t exactly confess that he plotted against her, trying to drive her out of the Kalen family, and now she held a grudge against him.
Stammering, he said, “It’s because… because I didn’t take responsibility for you back then, so you resent me.”
Sharon smiled and countered, “Didn’t take responsibility? If I remember correctly, I chose to sever ties with the Kalen family rather than marry you. So how did that turn into you refusing responsibility and me resenting you? Cole, both Rick and Victoria are here watching. You can’t just spout nonsense.”
Cole turned his head to find Rick and Victoria staring at him in surprise.
They had been there all along during those past events. Richard didn’t want his family to be humiliated. Hence, he had wanted to marry Sharon off to Cole. But Sharon had chosen to leave the Kalen family rather than marry Cole.
Rick and Victoria knew the whole story. As they listened to the conversation, Rick and Victoria exchanged glances, sensing something was off.
Could there be more to the past than they’d known?
Rick looked at Cole and asked, “Back then, you and Sharon were close; you were her only friend. Why do you think she resents you?”
When Sharon had refused to marry Cole, they had assumed she had lost interest after realizing Victoria didn’t like Cole.
If she didn’t want to marry, that was her choice. But Cole not wanting to take responsibility was a different matter. The Kalen family wasn’t one to be trifled with.
Even Victoria looked at Cole with a puzzled expression.
Cole thought his plan had been flawless, but Sharon’s few words had already made the Kalen siblings suspicious of him. He started fumbling over his words.
“Back then… she hated everything-heaven, earth, the air. Wouldn’t it be normal for her to resent me?”
“Enough,” Lex cut in. “The past is the past. Today, we’re talking about something else.”
He looked at Sharon. “Sharon, are you trying to dig up old wounds just to avoid punishment?”
Sharon didn’t argue. “Fine, let’s leave the past behind. But I want to ask you, why didn’t you go after whoever sabotaged your brakes, and instead targeted me, the one who tried to help you stop your car?”
Lex seemed about to speak, but was cut off by Sharon.
“You want to talk about the conflict at the auction, right? Even if we had a dispute, does that mean I’d kill someone?”
She smiled lightly, scanning the faces around her. “There are many who’ve had conflicts with me. Which one of them ended up dead? Your claims about my motives for murder simply don’t hold water, do they?”
Hearing this, the police shifted their gaze to Lex.
“Lex, could you explain what irreconcilable conflict you believe justifies thinking she wanted to kill you?”
Lex’s pupils tightened as his gaze grew icier.
Sharon seemed unfazed, still smiling gracefully.
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Lex gulped. He was quiet for a while before finally saying, “It’s because she hit us with her car. That’s why I believe she intended to kill, not because of any dispute at the auction.”
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Chapter 625
A sharp gleam flickered in Mr. Specter’s eyes. “I’m curious too. What exactly is the conflict between Mr. Malcolm and my client? Why not just lay it all out so there are no misunderstandings?”
All eyes turned to Lex.
Even Victoria and the others, who knew there was tension between Lex and Sharon, weren’t clear on the cause. Lex hadn’t shared the details with them either.
Sharon noticed Lex lingering in silence and smiled. “Why are you so quiet? Too embarrassed to speak? But I get it. You were the one who provoked things first. No one would want to admit that.”
At that moment, Xavier stepped forward and pulled up the surveillance footage they had just retrieved and played it for everyone.
The video clearly showed how Lex acted high and mighty and bullied Sharon the moment they met. Even without watching, the harsh tone in the audio alone was enough to make anyone dislike Lex. (1
Cole looked at Lex with surprise. He admitted to scheming against Sharon and even had people verbally insult her. But stooping to physical violence was beneath him.
After all, Lex was the legitimate head of the Malcolm family. There was no way he would stoop to such behavior.
Cole had thought Sharon was deliberately smearing Lex’s reputation, calling him a pervert and a creep. But now, seeing the video, those accusations didn’t seem exaggerated.
Grabbing someone’s hand and stepping on their foot-
Even Cole, with his rough nature, disapproved of that.
A man hitting a woman is seriously losing face.
Still, Lex was his uncle, and he couldn’t outright condemn him. Yet, he found no reason to defend him either. He remained
silent.
Victoria and Johanna watched the footage, their expressions full of disbelief. They knew Lex was strong-willed and domineering, but they hadn’t expected him to be so unrefined. 1
Rick’s brows knit into a deep frown as his gaze turned cold and sharp toward Lex.
After taking over as the Malcolm family heir, Lex had come to propose to the Kalen family. Though Richard had not agreed, he had seriously considered Lex. Lex was one of the few young talents with genuine ability. Richard had him on a shortlist for
consideration.
Because of the relationship between Uriah and Sharon, Richard had even brought up Lex recently, wondering if he should encourage a relationship between Lex and Victoria. That hadn’t even been discussed with Victoria before this whole mess broke
out. 1
Rick’s gaze on Lex grew more critical. A man so lacking in dignity didn’t deserve Victoria—he could be dropped.
Even Carter’s face darkened watching the scene.
So the rumors about Lex stemmed from his bullying of Sharon. He had thought Nate’s framing went too far, but now it seemed Lex deserved it.
The police regarded Lex with puzzled looks.
A young officer who had just joined couldn’t help but whisper to Sharon, “Sharon, sexual harassment is also something you can report.”
1/2
An older officer lightly cleared his throat and gave the young man a warning glance, signaling him to keep quiet. Still, he had to uphold fairness and justice, so he addressed Lex.
“Lex, do you believe Sharon harbors hatred toward you because of what she sees as sexual harassment?”
He paused, then rephrased carefully, “That she’s retaliating against you for these actions?”
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Chapter 626
+15 BONUS
Chapter 626
Though he said all that, the senior officer’s eyes were full of contempt.
A grown man bullying a weak woman, then claiming she wanted to kill him… How could he even say it aloud?
Even though no one else spoke up, they all wore polite faces, but Lex knew exactly the scorn behind those polite eyes.
He’d been exceptional all his life and had never once faced looks like these. It was a profound humiliation.
Lex pushed down the coldness flickering in his eyes. “No, I’m only targeting her for crashing into me with the car.”
Mr. Specter smiled smoothly. “Sharon already explained that. She was trying to save you.”
Lex shot back coldly, “If she really had a grudge against me, why would she risk her life to save us?”
Mr. Specter’s surprised expression was practiced. “But her sister and old friend were in the car. She risked her life to save them. What’s so strange about that?”
Mr. Specter’s silver tongue could paint black as white. Lex wasn’t a match for an elite lawyer like him.
Finally, Mr. Specter said, “Officer, from the footage, it’s clear my client helped stop the car. That’s indisputable. She had no motive to kill. On the other hand…”
His tone turned meaningful. “Mr. Malcolm’s not looking for the real culprit who caused the brake failure. Instead, he keeps accusing my client maliciously. He is slandering and framing my client without any evidence. I wonder what dark secrets he’s hiding.”
Before the video came out, everyone except Carter and Xavier leaned toward Lex.
But after the footage played, Lex’s reputation crashed, and no one was buying his story anymore.
Ten minutes later, Sharon walked out of the hospital unharmed.
Lex’s so-called “intentional murder” charge didn’t stick.
Everyone except Cole testified for Sharon.
Without solid evidence, the police had no grounds to arrest her. Especially with a tough lawyer like Mr. Specter on her side.
As they reached the exit, Sharon looked at Carter.
“Thank you for finding me a lawyer.”
She knew her enemies well, but she still knew how to show gratitude.
Then she smiled at Mr. Specter. “Thank you, Mr. Specter.”
He waved it off, “It’s just my job.”
He’d known about Carter’s marriage for a while but had never met Sharon.
He often got calls to bail out Nate at the police station.
From Nate, he’d heard plenty of bad things about Sharon.
He thought Carter’s wife must be someone beneath notice.
But now, he saw a woman not only beautiful but eloquent, poised, and graceful. Not at all the middle school dropout Nate made
her out to be.
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Honestly, he thought Sharon was far more pleasant than Kelly. By every measure, Sharon seemed stronger than Kelly. He couldn’t understand why Carter would give up such a remarkable wife for someone clearly less worthy.
Most men cheat because the other woman is younger, prettier, or more powerful than the wife.
If the other woman is worse, why cheat at all?
Mr. Specter glanced at the time and said to Carter, “Mr. Biggs, if there’s nothing else, I’ll be going now.”
Carter nodded.
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Chapter 627
After Mr. Specter left, Carter looked at Sharon.
“It’s late. We’ll go pick up Theo tomorrow. I’ll take you home first.”
Before he finished, Xavier stepped forward. “No need to trouble yourself. Sharon and I are headed the same way. I’ll take her.”
Carter didn’t even glance at Xavier, dismissing him outright. He said to Sharon, “Let’s go. I’ll take you.”
Xavier didn’t seem annoyed; he chuckled lightly. “Mr. Biggs, didn’t you arrive in Sharon’s car? Now that it’s been towed, how are you going to give her a ride?”
Sharon glanced at Carter and then back to Xavier.
“Mr. Specter hasn’t gone far. If you call him now, there’s still time.”
She turned to Xavier.
“Xavier, I’ll trouble you.”
Xavier smiled.
“What trouble could it be between us? Let’s go.’
As he passed Carter, Xavier seemed to remember something and paused briefly. He deliberately teased, “Carter, you’re not thinking you want me to take you home too, are you?”
Carter frowned, about to reply, but Xavier cut him off. “Not a chance. You’d better find someone else.”
With a cheeky wave, he turned and walked away.
Sharon followed without looking back.
Once inside Xavier’s car, his smile slowly faded.
“Sharon, you played that footage at the auction in front of everyone today and humiliated Lex. Given Lex’s nature and means, I doubt he’ll let this go easily. Even if Uriah steps in, Lex might feign compliance but secretly show resistance. He’s no one who blindly obeys Uriah.”
Sharon gazed out at the rushing night lights..
“From how Lex treats me, it’s clear he hates me. He blamed the brake failure on me and even tried to ram my car. That shows he’s vengeful to the bone. Since I’ve already offended him, sparing his face won’t earn me mercy. Better to offend him completely and make sure he suffers.”
Xavier’s lips curved with a faint smile. He liked her fierce determination for justice.
He said, “Don’t worry, this is Amstern City-not a place where Lex can do as he pleases. But…”
His voice grew serious. “Sharon, remember: it’s easy to dodge open attacks, but hidden ones are harder to defend against. Lex isn’t a gentleman; he’ll probably stoop to dirty tricks. Be careful.”
Sharon nodded. “I will.”
She looked at the sharp lines of his face and said, “Thank you for what you did today.”
If Xavier hadn’t retrieved that footage in time, their words alone-hers and Mr. Specter’s-would have been empty claims, and she might have ended up accused of targeting Lex.
After all, few of those present would have believed her.
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“I don’t understand why you’re always so polite with me, Sharon.”
She smilest “Because, besides saying thank you, I don’t know how else to show my gratitude,”
Navier replies, “You’re already thanking me by taking care of Matty,”
Sharon laughest
“That’s just what I’m supposed to do. I can’t just take money from you for nothing.”
In the dim light, a gentle tenderness flickered in Xavier’s eyes.
“Don’t think I don’t know you’ve been putting the money I gave you into Matty’s education fund.” T
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Chapter 628
Sharon said, “Friends don’t need to keep score like that.”
She felt a deep gratitude toward Xavier-different from what she felt for anyone else.
He had been there in her darkest, most helpless moments. Without him, caught between Kelly and Nate’s schemes and Carter’s partiality, she might never have held on.
During that time, Xavier helped her in many ways-not just with money, but with real support.
Now that she no longer needed the money, she’d put every cent he’d ever given her into Matty’s education fund.
Xavier didn’t refuse again. “I’m glad you feel that way. If you ever need anything, just ask. Don’t be shy.”
He joked lightly, “You take care of Matty without accepting any monetary compensation-now I owe you one. You know, Sharon, friendship goes both ways.”
She suddenly remembered something and looked at him. “How did you manage to get the video of Kelly pushing me into the lake?”
Sharon wasn’t surprised by the recovered audio, but she hadn’t expected a video.
Xavier said, “When you gave me your phone, I sent people to check for nearby cameras. Unfortunately, Kelly picked her spot well. The surrounding cameras were either broken or nonexistent.
“Later, when I was looking for witnesses, someone mentioned a drone flying nearby. That footage came from the drone.”
Warmth blossomed in Sharon’s chest. She knew an investigation like this wasn’t easy, yet Xavier had gone out of his way to
deliver the truth to her.
She remembered how, when Kelly had first framed her, Xavier had repeatedly dug up video evidence—each time smacking Carter right in the face with the truth.
Sharon parted her lips to thank him, but Xavier cut her off before she could speak.
“Sharon, I don’t want to hear you say another ‘thank you’.”
She thought for a moment.
“If you liked the painting from the auction, I can paint another.”
She had originally painted it from a photo taken by Wendy. That photo was probably still around; making a second wouldn’t be
hard.
Xavier’s smile deepened.
“Alright.”
He added, “You’ve got competitions and a concert coming up. I won’t bring Matty over just yet. Once you’re through with the busy stretch, I’ll have Matty visit.”
Since the last time, after Xavier took Matty back, he hadn’t brought him over again. Sharon had thought it was to help build their father-son bond, but now she realized he simply didn’t want Matty to disrupt her life.
She turned to Xavier.
His handsome profile looked unusually gentle in the flickering light.
Her feelings were complicated.
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The only way she could repay him was by taking good care of Matty.
Now that Matty had returned to him, Sharon felt she owed Xavier even more.
She hesitated, then asked, “Xavier, the video of Kelly framing me and pushing me into the lake… did you intentionally show it to Carter?”
Given everything that happened today, they wouldn’t have time to dig into Kelly’s old tricks. And if they wanted to deal Kelly a
fatal blow, it would be better to expose all her dirt before her concert.
Xavier must’ve known this too.
His fingers paused on the steering wheel. Then he chuckled softly.
“Sharon, I really can’t keep anything from you, can 1?”
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Chapter 629
Sharon had a rough idea of Xavier’s intention but couldn’t help asking, “Why?”
Outside the car, the light flickered unevenly.
Xavier’s handsome face was cloaked in shadow, his expression unreadable. Only his low, steady voice broke the silence inside
the car.
“This isn’t just about the Malcolm family. The Walton family is involved as well. Johanna is Jamie Walton’s sister, and Jamie is one of Victoria’s many admirers.
“Lex managed to become head of the Malcolm family because of his own strength. But Jamie…”
Xavier’s voice faltered slightly, as if choosing his words carefully.
Sharon didn’t know much about Jamie. “What about him? Is he not capable enough?”
Xavier shook his head. “The Walton family situation is complicated. It’s not about ability. Sharon, you have to understand-the Malcolm family has strict rules. Illegitimate children have no inheritance rights.”
For the first time, Xavier explained the Malcolm family’s affairs in detail.
“You’ve met Uriah; you know he’s a doctor and a man of integrity. He forbids his children from keeping mistresses or having illegitimate children. Uriah set clear rules early on-no matter what, illegitimate children have no claim to inheritance.
“Worse, anyone who dares keep a mistress or have illegitimate offspring will lose their inheritance rights. The Malcolm family is large and prosperous; no one with sense would risk their inheritance for some outside affair.
“By the time Uriah’s children came of age, there were almost no illegitimate children. With no mistresses or bastards, the Malcolm family stays largely free of scandals. Although the headship is still contested, it’s among brothers. With Uriah alive,
even if some tricks are used, it stays within acceptable limits.
“But things are different in the Walton family.”
Sharon recalled gossip she’d heard from Abby about the Walton family.
She whispered, “Jamie is an illegitimate son, right?”
Xavier nodded. “Jamie was a marginal figure in the Walton family and initially had no desire to claim the family business. But after meeting Victoria, he developed ambitions to match her.
“Unlike the Malcolm family, the Walton family has many illegitimate children, and their fight for power is brutal. They don’t just compete; they kill each other, even shedding blood.
“Now, with Jamie’s sister and Victoria both in that car, I worry Jamie might turn against you. I can’t guarantee your safety if it’s just me alone.”
Lex and Jamie both emerged from a bloody battlefield. Jamie was especially ruthless in pursuing his goals.
ཇ རྭ ་རོ་ཨོཾ་ཇ
Xavier didn’t want to involve Carter for personal reasons. But he cared more about Sharon’s safety than his own pride.
Sharon quickly grasped Xavier’s meaning.
Though Carter was unscrupulous, and the Biggs Group couldn’t match the scale of the Malcolm or Walton empires on the international market, here in Zachemaine and Amstern City, Lex and Jamie couldn’t act unchecked.
With Carter holding some sway, they wouldn’t dare act recklessly.
The Cooper family was powerful too, but Xavier had only just returned to Zachemaine and couldn’t match Carter’s influence.
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Though Carter, Lex, and Jamie posed no real threat to the Cooper family, Xavier’s personal power alone was limited.
Having Carter on Sharon’s side would significantly increase her safety.
When Xavier revealed the video to Carter, making the truth clear, he felt a pang of guilt toward Sharon.
But, ultimately, Xavier knew that was the right move to make. As long as Sharon’s interests didn’t conflict with Kelly’s, Carter, feeling indebted, would be motivated to help Sharon.
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Chapter 630
Xavier continued, “But Carter’s protection is limited. If you ever come into conflict with Kelly, there’s no saying whether Carter would abandon you and side with her instead.”
He admitted to himself that this was a calculated provocation.
Xavier wasn’t blind to Carter’s desire to reconcile with Sharon. He had no intention of letting that happen.
After all, Matty was still waiting for good news from him.
And besides…
Without showing it, Xavier cast a dark, intense glance at Sharon.
He would never hand Sharon over to anyone.
Sharon nodded slightly, fully understanding. “You’re right. We can’t rely solely on Carter’s conscience. Besides, once he’s around Kelly, conscience goes out the window.”
Xavier withdrew his gaze. He seemed about to say more, but stopped short.
Sharon smiled gently. “Xavier, if there’s something you want to say, just say it. I won’t be angry.”
It was rare to see Xavier hesitate like this.
Finally, he said, “Sharon, if you return to the Kalen family, Lex or Jamie would have to think twice before acting against you. Both of them have designs on marrying Victoria. If you’re recognized as a member of the Kalen family, they wouldn’t dare lay a finger on you. Richard would never allow Victoria to marry them otherwise.
“Today’s trouble all stems from Victoria. If not for her, Lex wouldn’t have come after you, and you wouldn’t have offended Jamie. I hope you’ll consider it.”
Sharon showed no resistance. She knew Xavier was genuinely looking out for her.
A thoughtful expression crossed her eyes. “Yes, I’ll think it over carefully.”
Meanwhile, at the Kalen family’s seaside villa, by the time Rick and Victoria returned, it was late.
As he passed by Richard’s study, Rick noticed the light still on.
He paused, then knocked.
From inside came Richard’s voice. “Come in.”
Rick pushed open the door. “Dad, still awake?”
Richard replied, “Yes, dealing with some company matters.”
Rick’s eyes flickered. “Is it about the original shares?”
Richard sighed. “The original shares have always been a pain.”
His gaze hardened. “Those old-timers who hold the original shares have grown more arrogant. It’s one thing to meddle in company affairs, but now they’re even trying to interfere with our family matters. Hmph! I think they want to wrest control of the Kalen family.”
Rick, who was gradually taking over the company, understood exactly what Richard meant. He asked, “Still leftovers from when Mom took over the company?”
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Richard snorted coldly. “I’ve almost bought back all the original shares. Only twenty percent remain out of my reach. Those stubborn old men still firmly control ten percent, and no matter what offer we make, they refuse to let go.”
Rick said, “The remaining ten percent should be unlocked by year-end, right?”
He hesitated, frowning. “I still don’t understand why Mom locked up that ten percent of original shares for a full thirty years.”
Richard shook his head. “Don’t blame your mother. Thirty years ago, when I was injured and lost my memory, she was left alone to manage this huge company. If she hadn’t taken those measures, the wolves circling around her would have snatched everything without mercy.”
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Chapter 631
Rick said, “But even after all these years, those company elders remain loyal to Mom and still refuse to sell their original shares.
་་
Richard sighed. “Those people were handpicked by your mother when the company faced crisis. They’re grateful to her and haven’t forgotten her after all this time. Some of them are still waiting for her to return.”
That alone showed just how deeply Shayla had won their hearts during the years she managed the company.
But they were destined to wait forever.
After a brief silence, Rick asked, “Dad, you mentioned they want to meddle in our family affairs. What exactly do you mean?”
Richard’s voice grew heavy. “Those old fossils have lost their minds. They actually want Sharon to join the Kalen Group’s senior
management.
“Sharon didn’t grow up in the Kalen family and never received elite education. They know this well, yet stubbornly cling to their
ideals.” 1
A flash of anger crossed Richard’s eyes.
“They want me to take back Victoria’s shares and transfer them to Sharon. They’ve even joined forces with other shareholders to pressure me. They say if Sharon isn’t allowed into senior management, they will never agree to the buyout.”
Richard scoffed coldly. “They’re threatening me. I think they’re trying to stage a coup!”
Rick listened without surprise.
Looking at his father, he said, “Dad, I just learned something myself.”
Richard raised an eyebrow. “What is it?”
Rick explained, “The lawyer said Mom made a will before she died. When her original shares are unlocked at year-end, the inheritance rights belong solely to Sharon.”
Richard’s expression shifted. “What did you say?”
Rick continued, “Mom left all her original shares to Sharon.”
Richard seemed incredulous. “Are you sure?”
Rick nodded. “I’m certain.”
Richard asked again, “She didn’t leave anything for you?”
Rick pressed his lips together. “Nothing.”
A heavy disappointment showed in Richard’s eyes. “Your mother was ruthless. She abandoned you all these years, and in the end, left you nothing. Instead, she wants to pit you brothers against each other. Her resentment toward me I can accept, but you’re her children-not tools for revenge!” 1
To Richard, Shayla’s decision to give all the shares to Sharon was meant to spark a fierce battle for the heir’s position within the Kalen family.
ན ཤོར ཆ ཇ ཚོ
Plus, Shayla had many loyal elders still in the company, and once Sharon entered, those elders would surely support her.
Though Richard’s scandal with the fisherwoman had been suppressed, the company elders knew the truth.
Richard added, “Those people have always resented me for driving Shayla away. They’re unhappy with me and have even
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threatened me not to let Victoria work in the Kalen Group.”
Rick was momentarily stunned.
“Dad, what did you say?”
Richard spoke gravely, “Do you think I stopped Victoria from studying business for no reason? Because studying business won’t matter-she’s destined never to work for the Kalen Group.”
At this, Rick’s calm expression finally cracked.
“They’re holding us hostage by forbidding Victoria from joining the company? That’s outrageous! Dad, if these parasites can threaten us today, they’ll could very well stab us in the back tomorrow. It’s time we take action!”
Chapter 632
Rick’s heart ached deeply for Victoria.
He was someone who truly valued talent, and Victoria was someone he had watched grow up. He saw firsthand how exceptional
she was.
Though Victoria wasn’t born of his mother, she had been obedient and sensible since childhood-never demanding what wasn’t hers, often even giving up her own belongings for others.
She was gifted, hardworking, and driven-a prodigy from the start.
Yet despite her brilliance and her status as the eldest daughter of the Kalen family, she had never enjoyed a single day of luxury.
Rick didn’t hold any bias toward sons over daughters. As the company’s next heir, he judged solely by ability. For someone as capable as Victoria to pursue music was a waste of talent. He often wondered why Richard had insisted on forcing her down the musical path.
With this in mind, Rick asked again, “Are those stubborn old-timers using their shares to threaten and bar Victoria from joining Kalen Group?”
Richard nodded. “I’ve managed to buy back ten percent of the original shares they held, and that was their condition for agreeing to the buyout. But they’re still holding onto the remaining ten percent, and they refuse to part with them.”
Now that Kalen Group was at its peak, its market value soaring, even ten percent of the original shares was significant.
Richard had offered multiples of the market price to buy their stakes, but they refused to sell.
Their only demand was that Victoria must never work for the company.
After over thirty years of development, Kalen Group was no longer short on capital, and Richard himself certainly wasn’t short of money. He intended to reclaim those original shares sold to major shareholders long ago.
Unlike regular shares, original shares carried voting rights in company decisions.
Over the years, those old-timers had openly criticized how Richard handled matters involving Victoria’s mother and Shayla’s mother. They frequently opposed his decisions.
Learning that Shayla had left behind a daughter only thrilled them further-they pressured him to bring Sharon into Kalen Group and groom her.
They even wanted him to announce Sharon’s identity publicly.
Richard was furious.
If Sharon’s identity were revealed, Kalen Group would be dragged into scandal, vulnerable to attacks and exploitation by competitors.
Did they have no regard at all for the company?
Besides, Sharon was Shayla’s biological daughter, but weren’t Rick, Silas and Scott also Shayla’s biological sons? They shared the same blood; why treat them differently? 1
In the company, those elders showed no kindness to Rick, Silas and Scott.
Rick seemed to realize this too; his expression darkened.
After a moment, he said, “We can give Sharon some shares, but not original shares, and she can’t be allowed to work for Kalen Group. If she joins the company, those old stubborn ones will push to place her in senior management.”
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He paused for a while to think before continuing, “Sharon has no background in business management and isn’t qualified. She might even be turned against us by certain instigators.
“She already harbors resentment toward the Kalen family, and once she tastes power, she’ll be even harder to control.
“Those elders hold ten percent in original shares, and Mom left Sharon another ten percent. She could rival us completely.”
Richard pondered silently for a few seconds.
“But even if she never enters the company, your mother’s shares legally belong to her. No one can change that fact.”
He had known long ago that those shares were frozen.
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Chapter 633
But Richard had assumed that even if Shayla resented him and didn’t leave the shares to him, she would at least divide them equally among her children.
What he never expected was that she wouldn’t leave a single share to Rick, Silas and Scott.
Rick said, “I’ll find a way to convince Sharon to give up the original shares in exchange for regular shares.”
What Victoria currently held were regular shares. Kalen Group’s original shares had all been converted to regular shares by Richard. Times had changed. Richard no longer wanted other shareholders controlling company decisions.
He thought for a moment and nodded.
“Rick, I’ll leave this matter in your hands.”
The next day, as soon as Sharon arrived at the studio, Wendy and the others swarmed around her.
“Sharon, I heard you were in a car accident? What happened? Have your driving skills become rusty?” 1
Sharon calmly explained the whole story in detail.
Wendy clenched her fists in anger after hearing it.
“That scumbag Lex is a monster! He’s even more disgusting than Nate!”
Nate only knew how to shout and occasionally cook up stupid schemes to destroy Sharon’s reputation. But Lex was outright trying
to kill her.
Casey looked Sharon over. “Sharon, you didn’t get hurt, did you?”
Sharon glanced at her swollen wrist. “It’s just a little swollen, but no bone damage. Nothing serious.”
At that moment, Thomas, who had been silent until then, suddenly spoke up.
“Sharon, you said Lex’s brakes suddenly failed. Have they found out why?”
Sharon looked at Thomas, surprised by his perceptiveness.
“Lex says it was sabotage, but the details aren’t clear yet.”
Both Carter and Xavier had gone to investigate, but news wouldn’t come quickly.
Thomas pondered aloud, “Sharon, you had a fight with Lex just before his brakes failed. Do you really believe that’s just a
coincidence?”
He hit the nail on the head.
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It was understandable why Lex and Cole blamed her for the incident.
Sharon stared at Thomas. “You mean…”
Thomas nodded.
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“It’s highly possible that it was a sabotage. Lex seems like a guy with lots of enemies. My guess is the person who tampered with
his car was probably there at the scene.”
Sharon’s eyes flickered. “Why do you say that?”
Thomas said, “There aren’t many people who dare to mess with Lex. And since this happened right after your dispute at the
auction, I don’t buy the idea that it’s a coincidence. Whether the person wanted to take it out on you or frame you, they must have
known about your conflict with Lex.”
He paused a while before continuing, “Of course, this is just speculation.”
Sharon fell into thought.
Many knew about the incident, but very few had the motive to do this.
It couldn’t be Xavier.
If it were him, he would’ve admitted it outright.
Carter was ruled out too-he had repeatedly warned her not to provoke Lex while in the car.
As for Julliard…
Someone so gentle and refined was the least likely to do such a thing.
That left only one person-Nate.
Had he gotten someone to sabotage Lex’s car? Maybe Nate lacked the brains for it, but Kelly definitely had. And now, the situation
was indeed moving in the direction they wanted.
Thinking this, Sharon’s expression darkened.
She no longer bothered herself with Kelly and Nate, but they just wouldn’t back off.
Looks like it’s time to play dirty.
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Chapter 634
Sharon’s wrist was still a bit swollen, making it inconvenient to practice the violin.
Taking a few days off wouldn’t affect her much, and she could use the time to discuss the upcoming concert with Wendy.
After Thomas found out Sharon couldn’t practice for the next couple of days, he looked genuinely disappointed.
Seeing this, Wendy laughed. “Does Sharon’s violin playing have some kind of hypnotic power? You can’t sleep at night if you don’t hear it all day?”
Wendy had meant it as a joke, so she was surprised when Thomas nodded seriously.
“Sharon’s playing has a way of relaxing the mind and body. If I don’t hear her violin even for a day, I just can’t sleep.”
Wendy was momentarily stunned, then teased, “Thomas, you’re such a sweet talker!”
She had called it hypnotic, but with Thomas’s words, it sounded more like a melody lingering in the air for days.
Thomas was usually sharp and eloquent, and Wendy found herself liking him more and more-not in a romantic way, but as a friend. She said, “I have recordings of Sharon playing. Want me to send you some? Listening to those might help you sleep too.”
Thomas’s eyes lit up. “Wendy, you’re a lifesaver.”
Wendy chuckled. “We take good care of our own. Thomas, you’d better look after Sharon well.”
Thomas nodded.
That afternoon, Sharon received a call from Uriah.
“Sharon, when will you have some free time?”
Seeing the caller ID, Sharon’s heart stirred. She paused a moment before replying, “I’m not practicing these two days, so I’m free.”
Uriah sounded surprised. “Aren’t you preparing for a concert? Why aren’t you practicing?”
Uriah knew well how diligent Sharon was.
“My wrist is swollen,” Sharon said. “I need to rest for a couple of days.”
Uriah’s tone grew concerned. “Sharon, how did your wrist get swollen? Did you overdo it practicing?”
Sharon was silent a moment before answering, “I accidentally bumped it.”
“Wait right there, Sharon.”
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He didn’t hang up. From the other end, Sharon heard the crisp clinking of bottles.
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After a moment, Uriah spoke again. “I found some anti-swelling ointments for you. Apply them, and the swelling should go down
overnight.”
Hearing this, Sharon felt a warm gratitude mixed with guilt.
Uriah had long since retired. After leaving the Malcolm family affairs, he ran a clinic alone and stayed out of the family’s business.
He had even hosted a banquet for her to protect her from being bullied.
And yet, she had somehow fallen into conflict with Lex and Cole.
Cole was one thing, but Lex was the future head of the Malcolm family.
Thinking of facing Lex in the future, she felt deeply sorry for Uriah.
“Thank you, Uriah,” she said softly.
“Why are you being so polite with me, girl?” Uriah’s voice was kind. “All these years, whenever you found something delicious or
fun, you thought of me. You never treated me badly and always indulged me. I may be old, but I remember everything.
Sharon’s eyes grew moist.
Uriah cared for her more than her own father ever had. 1
He continued, “Didn’t I talk to you about Lex yesterday? If you’re free soon, you should meet him as soon as possible.”
Sharon raised an eyebrow. “Lex… agreed to meet me?”
Uriah laughed warmly. “Yes, he agreed. Said the sooner the better. He’s worried he’ll be busy with work soon and have to travel
around.”
A flicker of something unreadable crossed Sharon’s eyes.
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Sharon couldn’t believe Lex was still willing to meet her after all they’d been through.
When things seem off, there’s always a catch.
Knowing how devious Lex was, she suspected a trap waiting for her.
But Sharon wasn’t afraid, nor did she intend to back down. Rather than stay on the defensive against Lex’s scheming, she chose to
face it head-on.
Her eyes flickered down to the bruises on her wrist-the mark Lex had left when he gripped her arm, trying to break it.
A cold, sharp light flashed in her gaze. Her debt of vengeance for that injury was far from paid.
With that thought, Sharon agreed. “All right. I’ll meet him tonight.”
Uriah knew nothing of the feud between Sharon and Lex. He was glad to hear her acceptance. “I’ll tell Lex now and have him bring
you the ointment.”
After replying, Sharon hung up.
Wendy turned to her. “That was Uriah’s call?”
Sharon recounted the conversation, and Wendy frowned.
“Lex is definitely a weasel bringing trouble disguised as a gift. Sharon, you must not go! Who knows what he’s plotting against
you.”
“Who harms whom is yet to be seen,” Sharon said with a cold, wry smile. “Even if I avoid him this time, he’ll likely cause more
trouble next time. Instead of being passive and taking blows, I’d rather strike first.”
She shared her plan with Wendy, who immediately brightened. “Sharon, that’s a smart move. But…”
A shadow of worry crossed Wendy’s eyes. “Lex will only hate you more after this.”
Sharon nodded. “There’s no chance of making peace with Lex anymore. Better to be at odds and get some satisfaction out of it. It’s
just…”
Her gaze dropped, tinged with guilt.
“I feel a bit sorry for Uriah. He’s been thinking about me, hoping I’d marry into the Malcolm family. And here I am, tangled up
with Lex like this.” 1
Wendy sighed.
“Uriah believes whoever becomes head of the Malcolm family must be exceptional. It’s one thing that Lex has his own attachments, but his bias against you is unforgivable. If Lex hadn’t started this, things wouldn’t have escalated this far.”
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Her expression soured at the thought. “And Cole hasn’t helped one bit.”
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A hint of worry crept into Sharon’s brow. She wasn’t worried about Lex harming her. What weighed on her was how much Uriah
would be hurt if he knew.
Wendy comforted her. “Sharon, don’t worry about Uriah. At his age, he’s come to see many things clearly. I believe he’s not
unreasonable. We haven’t complained to him, which is already giving Lex some respect. If Uriah knew how poorly Lex behaved, he might even strip him of his inheritance.”
Sharon knew Wendy was speaking out of frustration. Lex’s position was secure-even Uriah couldn’t easily challenge him.
“I’ll get ready,” Sharon said.
“Wait,” Wendy called after her. “Sharon, I don’t feel comfortable letting you go alone. Let Thomas accompany you.’
Sharon stopped and turned to look at Wendy. “You trust him?”
Wendy nodded. “A while ago, after lunch with Casey, I saw Thomas help catch a thief. He’s brave, kind-hearted, and trustworthy.
Plus, he’s got great skills. He’d make a solid bodyguard for you.”
Chapter 636
Wendy saw Sharon hesitate and urged again, “Lex is such a lowlife. What if he lays a hand on you again and you have no one to help? At least Thomas will watch your back.”
Sharon thought it over and nodded. “All right, then.”
“I’ll go get Thomas,” Wendy said.
After Wendy left, Sharon was about to call Julliard when his call came through first.
His voice trembled with barely concealed worry, “Sharon, I heard you were in a car accident yesterday after the auction. Are you okay?”
“I’m fine,” Sharon replied.
Julliard knew about Lex’s accident-how lucky Lex was to have survived-and though he felt it was such a pity, he quickly
accepted it.
He hadn’t expected Sharon to be involved in a crash as well, especially one linked to Lex’s car.
Luckily, her driving skills were solid; otherwise, she might have been seriously harmed because of Lex.
The news had sent chills down Julliard’s spine.
Sharon recounted the incident. “Carter and I were on our way to pick up Theo. Lex was probably sending Victoria back, so we were
on the same route and happened to cross paths. Fortunately, traffic was light, or it could have been a pile-up.”
Julliard knew about her feud with Lex; Sharon hadn’t hidden anything from him.
When she confirmed she was okay, Julliard finally exhaled in relief.
“Sharon, I’m sorry.”
Puzzled, Sharon asked, “This isn’t your fault. Why are you apologizing?”
He hesitated, then said, “Because I didn’t protect you.”
Sharon smiled. “Julliard, I’m not a fragile porcelain doll. I can take care of myself. See? I’m fine.”
At that moment, she felt grateful she’d learned to drive. It probably saved her from serious injury or worse.
They chatted a while longer before Sharon said, “I need your help with something. Are you available?”
Julliard, already feeling guilty about her accident, quickly replied, “Anything you need, just say it.”
“I have a blind date with Lex tonight,” Sharon said. “Can you somehow arrange for Nate to be at the same restaurant?” 1
His voice shifted slightly. “A blind date?”
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Sharon explained, “You know my relationship with Uriah. He’s trying to set me up with Lex. He’s arranged a date between us. I guess that’s why Lex thinks I have ulterior motives, that I’m scheming-that’s why he was so rude at our first meeting.”
After going home, Sharon mulled over everything.
Lex’s hatred wasn’t sudden. It might have been building for a long time.
Even Cole suspected she was cozying up to Uriah with some hidden agenda, let alone Lex.
Sharon added, “No matter what he thinks of me, it doesn’t matter anymore. But I’m almost certain Nate was involved in Lex’s
car’s brake failure.”
Julliard’s breath caught. “Why do you say that?”
Sharon said, “Not many people dare tamper with Lex’s car, but Nate could easily do it. He knows about my conflict with Lex, and
I’m guessing he wanted to use Lex to get rid of me.”
Julliard was silent for a long time.
Because it was a phone call, Sharon didn’t notice anything unusual.
She went on, “We can’t just let this slide. It’s high time Nate was taught a lesson for his lawlessness.”
Chapter 637
Sharon wanted to imitate Nate’s tactics. If Nate was willing to use others as tools to harm her, then she saw no reason not to do
the same.
Whether this was truly Nate’s scheme didn’t concern her-he was no good anyway and had caused her trouble many times. Even if
she misunderstood him, he wouldn’t be undeserving of suspicion.
Her only worry was whether Julliard would hesitate because of friendship loyalty.
After a long silence, Julliard finally spoke. “Nate is reckless and lawless. He’s always acting as an accomplice. Maybe it’s time he
learned a lesson.”
He made no effort to defend Nate. He had intended to pin the blame on Nate from the start.
What surprised him was how coincidentally Sharon crossed paths with Lex, nearly putting herself in danger.
If Carter hadn’t asked Sharon to pick up Theo, and if their routes hadn’t overlapped by chance, none of this would have happened.
At that thought, Julliard’s fingers unconsciously tightened around his phone, knuckles whitening.
He had always weighed brotherly bonds, but Carter kept hurting the one person he cared about most.
His eyebrows lowered, shadows darkening his eyes as he thought, ‘If that’s the case… Carter, I’m sorry.’ 1
After hanging up, Sharon stared blankly at the phone.
Sometimes, she wondered if asking Julliard for help was right after all.
After all, Nate was a really good friend Julliard had grown up with. Was it too much to put him in the position of having to go
against his good friend for her sake?
As she stewed in her thoughts, a clear, calm voice suddenly broke the silence. “What are you thinking about?”
Startled, Sharon turned to see Thomas standing quietly behind her. She hadn’t even noticed him arrive.
Though she didn’t trust Thomas as much as Wendy did, her impression of him was still favorable.
“Thomas, I’ll have to trouble you to come with me today.”
Thomas smiled. “I’m your assistant. I get paid for this. You don’t have to be so formal.”
Remembering his amnesia, Sharon asked, “Has your memory improved at all?”
He shook his head. “No.”
“Not even a little?”
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“I only recall a vague feeling that I’m looking for someone very important to me ”
Curious, Sharon pressed, “Someone very important? Have you found them?”
His answer was ambiguous. “Feels like I have, but also feels like I haven’t”
Important people and events leave deep marks; even with memory loss, some impressions linger, Thom ”
entirely surprising.
Sharon said, “Then you should recover your memory soon and find that person. They must be worried without f for so long. If there’s anything you need our help with, just say the word. We’ll do our best.”
“Are they really that important?” he mused, shaking his head. “These so-called important people, these curating y
think about it, do they truly matter?”
Sharon turned to study him. His eyes-deep, pure black, like ink spilled into an unfathomable night-held que
“Maybe they’re just… hope,” he said softly. “Something to cling to, to give yourself a reason to keep moving forward r
that, how do you endure the endless days?”
Sharon fell silent, struck by his words. There was something unsettling in his perspective, yet she couldn’t deny the raw
woven through it.
Chapter 638
If it hadn’t been for Theo, Sharon knew she wouldn’t have endured her marriage for so long.
After the divorce, without a career she cared about, she doubted she would have recovered so quickly. She would have been broken,
lost, and uncertain about the future.
Thinking this over, Sharon nodded slightly in agreement.
Thomas was young but surprisingly perceptive-perhaps even more so than she was.
Sharon asked, “If you find that important person, what will you do?”
Thomas replied, “I’ll try to fulfill their wishes.”
No sooner had he spoken than his phone vibrated.
Stopping their conversation, Thomas said, “I need to take this call.”
Sharon nodded and watched him walk away.
Suddenly, she realized-besides them, Thomas actually had other contacts?
But it wasn’t too surprising. Thomas’s cheerful, sunny nature made it easy for him to quickly connect with people and make new
friends. 1
Before long, Sharon’s phone buzzed with a message from Julliard.
Julliard: [It’s done.]
Below was the restaurant’s address and the scheduled time.
After reading the message, Sharon called Uriah to inform him of the details.
Since Lex was unfamiliar with Amstern City, Sharon took the initiative to handle the restaurant reservation.
Uriah trusted her completely, without a hint of suspicion.
With the plan set, Sharon contacted Wendy.
Wendy had already arranged for the people Sharon had requested.
Sharon decided to leave early to make arrangements at the restaurant.
Before she left, she noticed Thomas was nowhere to be found.
“Wendy, where’s Thomas?” she asked.
Wendy searched around. “He was just here a moment ago. Where did he go?”
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Just then, Thomas walked slowly in through the door. His usually smiling, handsome face was clouded with an uncharacteristic
shadow.
Sharon and Wendy exchanged a glance. They rarely saw Thomas show such an expression.
Wendy couldn’t help but ask, “Thomas, what’s wrong? Did something happen?”
Thomas’s voice tightened. “I have some matters to attend to outside for a while.”
He glanced at the time. “Sharon, when are you heading over?”
Sharon replied, “If you have things to deal with, go ahead. I can go by myself.”
Wendy frowned, but Sharon cut her off softly. “Don’t worry about me. Julliard will be there, too.”
Wendy finally relaxed a little.
But Thomas insisted, “Just tell me the time. I’ll do my best to get there.”
Wendy added, “No need, Thomas. If you have something to do, go handle it.”
She didn’t absolutely need Thomas there; she just thought he was capable and worried Sharon might be bullied by Lex if she were
all alone, so having him there would provide support.
With Julliard present, it didn’t matter much if Thomas went or not.
Although Julliard masked his feelings well, Wendy could still see the affection leaking through his eyes whenever he looked at
Sharon. 1
When you like someone, you can’t hide it.
Wendy had warned Sharon many times, but Sharon never took it seriously. So Wendy kept quiet-after all, the chances of Julliard
and Sharon being together were slim.
Just the relationship between Julliard and Carter alone made their union impossible. Perhaps that was the real reason Julliard
never confessed his feelings.
Julliard cared for Sharon deeply, and with him around, Sharon felt safe.
Thomas turned to Wendy. “Wendy, since I agreed, I will see it through.”
Though his expression remained calm, his tone carried a firm edge. “Tell me the time and place.”
Wendy was momentarily stunned and struggled to respond.
In the end, Sharon was the one who gave Thomas the details.
“Thomas, call or text me before you come. Don’t just show up without warning.”
Chapter 639
Sharon worried that Thomas might inadvertently ruin her plans.
Thomas nodded. “Understood.”
Then he added, “If there’s nothing else, I’ll be going now.”
“Alright, go ahead.”
After Thomas left, Wendy finally snapped out of her daze. “Oh my god, I was actually intimidated by Thomas just now… His presence is so powerful.”
The impression Thomas left was similar to the one Lex had left on her before. It still made her uneasy.
Sharon withdrew her gaze. “Everyone has their temper. It’s normal.”
Wendy gradually regained her composure. Instead of feeling angry, she found herself admiring Thomas more. “Reliable and trustworthy-much better than that unfaithful scumbag Carter.” 2
Wendy held a deep grudge against Carter and often took any opportunity to criticize him.
Sharon said, “Alright, I’m heading out. I’ll leave the studio in your hands.”
Wendy flashed an “OK” sign. “Don’t worry, I’ve got this.”
At the hospital, Kelly lay on the bed with tears in her eyes, gasping in pain.
When the hospital room door creaked open, her eyes lit up.
But as she recognized the visitor, disappointment washed over her face.
“Oh, Thomas, it’s you.”
Seeing her expression, Thomas was unsurprised. 1
“Waiting for Carter?”
Kelly pursed her lips, her face clouded with gloom.
She glanced at her burned hand. “Looks like Thomas won’t be coming.”
Then, she lifted her head to look at Thomas’s handsome, pale face.
“Thomas! Carter saw the video of me pushing Sharon into the lake! What’s going on? Didn’t you delete that audio recording? How did they manage to get their hands on it? And why is there a video too?” (1)
Thomas lowered his gaze, observing the storm in Kelly’s eyes.
Calmly, he said, “Erasing that recording for you was already pushing my limits. Did you really think Xavier wouldn’t have his own safeguards? If I can hire skilled hackers, so can he. As for the video…”
He smiled faintly. “Honestly, Kelly-pushing her into a lake? That’s the best scheme you could come up with? And you botched even that. Knowing full well this would risk exposure, why do something so self-defeating?
“They’re divorced. What purpose does it serve? To make Carter hate her even more? She doesn’t care about Carter anymore. Whether he hates her or not means nothing to her.”
Kelly reflexively protested, “You’re wrong! Sharon would never let go of Carter…”
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Thomas interrupted, “She is the Kalen heiress. She is doted on by John, the future heir of the Westin family, and she has Xavier as her protector. Without Carter, she’s doing better than ever.” (13
His voice was gentle but emotionless, his dark eyes void of any warmth-like a robot.
“If you were in her place, would you want to go back to a husband who doesn’t care, a son who doesn’t love you, and a mother-in -law who bullies you?”
Kelly opened her mouth but found no words.
Thomas’s clear voice was soothing yet cutting.
“People only reminisce when life is hard. If life now is better than before, who has time to mourn the past?”
He cast a cold glance at her burned hand.
“Smart people never seek a man’s pity by hurting themselves. I don’t want your hand injured. If you can’t play the violin anymore, then you lose all value and meaning to me. Kelly, do you understand what I mean?”
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Kelly flinched slightly.
She had only meant to injure her hand to draw Carter’s pity. She had forgotten that Thomas’s kindness stemmed from her ability to play the violin.
He was truly cold and heartless.
This was why Kelly chose Carter over Thomas. She knew that even if she asked Thomas to marry her, he would agree. 1
But she feared the day her lies would be exposed-she would rather die than face that.
Though Thomas helped her, there was no romantic feeling between them.
To be precise, he had no feelings for her at all. He was like an emotionless machine, and all his kindness toward her was mechanical and cold.
She did not doubt Thomas’s words. Today, he could give her everything she wanted. Tomorrow, he could turn his back and deny her completely.
To him, she was utterly insignificant. The only thing that mattered was the value he assigned her when he heard her play the
violin.
Lowering her head, Kelly whispered, “I understand. It won’t happen again.”
But soon, she lifted her head once more.
“Carter has been growing colder toward me lately. I… I had no choice but to resort to this desperate measure. He said after the concert, he wouldn’t care about me anymore. Even when I’ve been pretending to be sick, he hasn’t come to see me.”
She could only deliberately burn her hand to win Carter’s sympathy and try to reclaim his affection. (1)
Thomas listened expressionlessly. “Kelly, do you know why you’re losing?”
Kelly asked bitterly, “Because I don’t have Sharon’s background or the people to help me?” 1
Though Sharon hadn’t returned to the Kalen family yet, she was basically no different from an heiress now.
No wonder Ginny refused to help her. Ginny’s fiancé was from the Kalen family. Why would Ginny support her?
Thomas said coldly, “You were never as clever as Sharon. And the lackey you have, Nate, is utterly foolish.”
Kelly pressed her lips shut, saying nothing.
Nate had indeed been a constant liability. But he was all she had to rely on.
She could fake being ill and have Carter come check on her, gaining some concern. But it was impossible to expect Carter to go after Sharon.
As for Thomas… He was not someone she could control or manipulate.
Thinking this, Kelly locked eyes with Thomas.
“Thomas, how did you end up by Sharon’s side? Is this the surprise you were talking about? This is more like a scare!”
Thomas raised an eyebrow. “What’s wrong with that? Staying close to her means I can gather information for you.”
Kelly’s breath hitched, “It’s too dangerous. What if she finds out…”
Thomas cut her off, completely unfazed. “So what if she finds out? You think she’ll kill me?”
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Indeed, what could happen if she discovered? Thomas was the head of the Ferrero family. Sharon couldn’t hurt him.
The reason Thomas could be near Sharon without anyone noticing was because hardly anyone outside of his family knew what he looked like. Though the Ferrero family knew, no one dared speak out without his order.
If Thomas gathered useful intelligence, they gained an advantage. If not, they lost nothing.
Yet, for some reason, Kelly didn’t want Thomas to have any contact with Sharon.
Then, Thomas shifted tone. “During this time by Sharon’s side, I haven’t been wasting my time. I’ve actually discovered something interesting.”
Kelly hurriedly asked, “What is it?”
Thomas gave a faint, knowing smile. “Kelly, haven’t you noticed that Julliard has been secretly helping Sharon all along?”
Kelly froze. She was first surprised, then her expression darkened steadily.
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Chapter 641
Julliard often spoke up for Sharon, and both Nate and Carter called him a good-hearted man.
But she always felt something was off-now she understood why.
Kelly asked, “Thomas, have you heard anything else? How does Sharon plan to deal with me?”
Thomas glanced at her. “She doesn’t seem to have any intention of targeting you. I haven’t heard her say anything like that. Right now, she’s focused all her energy on organizing the concert.”
In other words, Sharon didn’t even consider her worth bothering about.
Kelly’s face stiffened. “Thomas, are you sure? Could it be they’re discussing things behind your back, and you just didn’t hear?”
Thomas looked down at her with a hint of condescension.
“Kelly, you keep saying she wants to harm you, but all this time, aside from your self-inflicted injuries, she hasn’t done anything to you.”
If anything, Kelly was the one targeting Sharon. She’d even pushed Sharon into the lake with the intention to kill her. Kelly had no comeback. She knew Thomas wasn’t as easily fooled as Nate. Even Carter was starting to doubt her.
Thomas checked the time. “I have other matters. I’ll be going now.”
His gaze landed on her burned hand.
“I’ll send someone with some ointment for you. Don’t do such foolish things again. Kelly, don’t make me disappointed in you.”
With that, Thomas turned and left.
Watching his retreating figure, Kelly felt an overwhelming anxiety.
In an upscale restaurant, Sharon sat by the window, waiting for Lex.
It was five minutes before their agreed-upon time, and Lex had yet to arrive.
The spot offered a perfect view of the city’s night skyline. The restaurant was newly opened, and this was Sharon’s first visit.
At exactly six o’clock, a tall, slender figure slowly appeared before her.
Sharon lifted her gaze, meeting the man’s sharply handsome, sculpted features.
Lex had arrived.
He took the seat opposite her. “Sharon, you arrived quite early.”
Sharon replied calmly, “Arriving early is basic courtesy and good manners. What if something happens on the way and you’re
late?”
Lex was not blind to the sarcasm in her tone. He responded evenly, “True. The subordinate should never arrive after the superior; one must arrive early to show respect.”
He was a man with a strong sense of punctuality. He never arrived late but also never too early. After all, with his status, there were few who deserved him waiting for them.
Sharon smiled faintly. “That’s not necessarily true. Arriving early or late isn’t about rank. It’s about the person. In an equal society, if someone’s willing to wait, it shows their upbringing. Even if they aren’t, you can’t sentence them to death for it. Mr.
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Chapter 641
Malcolm, you’re young but your mindset is so rigid. Are you still living in ancient times?”
Lex’s eyes darkened. Just as Cole said, Sharon was quick-witted and sharp-tongued.
Shortly after he sat down, his phone rang. It was Uriah.
“Lex, did you give the ointment to Sharon?”
Lex frowned. “I just arrived.”
Uriah glanced at the time and complained, “Do you have any idea what time it is? Why have you only just arrived?”
Lex replied, “I’m right on time.”
Uriah scolded, “That’s the problem! When you’re meeting a woman, ‘on time’ is late. No wonder you’re still single. With that concrete block you call a personality, you’re bound to stay that way!”
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Chapter 642
Chapter 642
Lex didn’t want to argue with Uriah. “If there’s nothing else, I’ll hang up now. It’s not appropriate to be on the phone during, a
date.”
Hearing this, Uriah had no choice but to end the call.
After hanging up, Lex turned to Sharon. “Sharon, shall we order, or continue talking?”
Continuing the conversation would only lead to a war of words and mutual Jabs. Sharon was too tired to waste breath on him.” Let’s order.”
Better to eat first-the real drama was still to come.
After placing their orders, Sharon’s phone vibrated quietly. She glanced at the screen and saw a message from Thomas.
Thomas: [I’m sitting right in front of you.]
Her lashes flickered subtly as she glanced up without a trace of reaction.
Sure enough, Thomas was seated in the corner just ahead. He gave her a slight nod when their eyes met.
Sharon smoothly looked away.
Thomas had really come.
Since this was a restaurant and Lex was meeting her on Uriah’s orders, it was unlikely he would do anything rash here.
The dishes arrived promptly.
Sharon and Lex had nothing in common and exchanged barely a word. They ate quietly. The air was thick with silence.
When Sharon was nearly finished, she quietly sent a message out.
Not long after, a fierce woman stormed into the restaurant and approached their table. Pointing at Lex, she shouted, “You shameless scoundrel! You’re going on blind dates behind my back?! Two-timing heartbreaker, you’ve fooled me completely!”
Her voice rang out loudly, jarringly out of place in such an elegant setting. Everyone turned to look. They loved this kind of melodramatic showdown.
Not far off, Nate, who thrived on gossip, perked up at the shouting. “Whoa! More entertainment!”
Nate’s greatest pleasure was gossip-who was keeping a mistress, who had a secret lovechild, who had a messy divorce, who got into a hair-pulling fight-he knew it all. His cruel schemes against Sharon were inspired by the gossip he absorbed.
Now spotting fresh drama, Nate couldn’t hide his excitement.
“Julliard, quick, come see-another mistress showdown.”
Julliard glanced toward the noise and corrected, “It’s not a mistress fight. The guy’s the one cheating. That woman just said he’s going on blind dates behind her back.”
Nate waved off the correction, “Eh, same thing, isn’t it?”
As the two men conversed, the woman suddenly grabbed a glass from the table and threw its contents all over Lex’s face.
“Ungrateful scoundrel! I stood by you when you were nobody, and now you’ve made it big, you want to cast me aside?! Where is your conscience? How can you live with yourself?!”
Lex was a man who always carried himself with haughty dignity. He had never been publicly berated like this before. His face darkened like the bottom of a pot.
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Chapter 643
+15 BONUS
Sticky juice dripped down his handsome face, soaking into his pristine white shirt. It was utterly humiliating, and even worse than the day Sharon splashed water on him at the auction.
Stormy rage swirled in his eyes. His voice came out like it was squeezed through clenched teeth.
Slowly rising to his feet, he growled, “You’re looking for trouble!”
The woman was fiery and fearless. Her voice rose even louder, undaunted by his threat.
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Chapter 643
“Everyone, take a good look at this ungrateful scoundrel! Now that he’s made it big, he wants to throw me-his loyal girlfriend -aside! I’m not so easy to fool! He expects me to quietly disappear as if nothing ever happened? Dream on!”
The woman shouted, recounting how she had been with Lex since she was eighteen. She spoke of making him meals, caring for him tenderly, painting a picture of herself as the devoted victim.
Under her narrative, Lex became a heartless villain, utterly without conscience. She was the tragic figure, wasting her youth and love on a deceiver.
As she spoke, the crowd’s eyes turned colder and more disdainful. Like mistresses, scoundrels were never welcomed anywhere.
Lex’s face darkened with fury as the woman’s accusations grew more outrageous. Suddenly, he grabbed her by the throat. “Say one more word of nonsense, and I swear I’ll kill you!”
Seeing Lex about to strike, Sharon abruptly yanked the tablecloth. Dishes and glasses flew toward Lex.
Her expression was a mix of shock and disbelief. “Lex, I never thought you were capable of this!”
Without hesitation, she slapped him hard across the face.
The crisp sound echoed as sticky juice smeared across her hand.
Lex hadn’t expected this turn of events and froze, stunned by the solid slap. His eyes darkened with murderous intent as he stepped forward.
Before he could reach her, a lean, handsome figure blocked his path.
“Sir, what do you think you’re doing? You don’t intend to hit someone, do you?”
Sharon looked up. Thomas had stepped in.
Thomas’s expression was disapproving. “Sir, no matter how angry you are, you shouldn’t hit anyone, especially not a woman. Besides, you’re clearly at fault here. You owe these two ladies an apology for deceiving them.”
At that moment, Julliard stepped in as well. He tried to intervene, but Thomas beat him to it.
Nate remained oblivious to the tension around him, his attention fully captured by the unfolding gossip. When he realized the drama involved Sharon and Lex, his eyes gleamed with excitement.
What did that woman say just now? A blind date?
So Lex was set up on a blind date with Sharon?
‘How perfect! A creep like Lex deserves someone like Sharon,’ he mused.
Everyone at the auction, including Kelly, knew about Sharon’s conflict with Lex. The only one who was kept in the dark was Nate. No one had told him about what had happened.
Back at the auction, Nate’s wild imagination had painted Lex as an utterly despicable villain, so grotesque it was hard to look at him. Even Kelly felt queasy hearing it. It was obviously nonsense.
But Kelly didn’t bother to correct him. Whenever she did, he’d just dream up more bizarre stories about Lex. No one wanted to
hear it.
Then, Nate had the bright idea to start a live stream. Kelly had stopped him. If Nate went live, trouble was guaranteed. She wasn’t about to clean up his mess again.
But now? With Kelly gone, there was no one left to hold him back.
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Nate yanked out his phone and went live without hesitation, even tossing in some money to push it to the top of the feed.
A vicious grin split his face as he thought, ‘Sharon’s such an online darling, isn’t she? Well, let’s make her even more famous… just not the way she wants.’
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Chapter 644
At that thought, Nate’s eyes lit up gleefully.
This had to be dirt on Sharon, right? After all, she was playing the role of the “other woman.”
His excitement grew. This time, he would ruin her reputation completely. Then Kelly would see him in a new light and praise his
cleverness.
Lex’s face darkened further as Thomas blocked him. He recognized Thomas as the same man who had come with Sharon and the others to the auction.
His gaze flicked to Julliard standing nearby.
Right then, everything clicked.
He stopped and looked at Sharon, his eyes sharp and chilling. “Quite a ruthless tactic.”
Sharon feigned ignorance. “I don’t know what you’re talking about.”
Being found out by Lex was no surprise. Sharon had expected it.
Lex wasn’t stupid; he’d suspect something from this deliberate setup. She wanted to leave him no room to complain.
Lex’s eyes swept over the onlookers. Most wore expressions of contempt and disdain. His fists clenched involuntarily.
Sharon, once easily pushed out of the Kalen family by Cole’s slight maneuvering, was becoming harder to deal with.
Lex knew nothing he said now would help; it would only make things worse. The more he said, the more he’d stumble.
Sharon’s plan to provoke him was working perfectly. His gaze turned icy as he fixed Sharon with a deadly stare. “I’m keeping score.”
Without another word, he turned and left.
The restaurant murmured softly as he walked away.
“What the hell? How could he still pretend at a time like this?”
“He even tried to hit a woman. What a violent maniac.”
“He looks decent, but he’s got a horrible character.”
Nate, watching the scene end so abruptly, felt disappointed.
His live stream had just picked up momentum, and now Lex was gone? No lead actor meant no viewers.
Sharon nodded slightly at Julliard, who stood quietly nearby. Julliard didn’t step forward to greet her but said to Nate, “Nate, it’s late. We should head back.”
With Lex gone, there was nothing left to film. And Nate didn’t really want to see Sharon anymore. He nodded. “All right, let’s go.
Their departure barely registered with Sharon.
Once outside, Nate started scheming.
He could stir up some scandal to drag, Sharon through the mud. What should the headline be? A tally of Sharon’s years as the
other woman?
No, no-that wouldn’t do. She’d only just divorced, and that might look like defamation. Besides, Sharon wasn’t someone to be
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trifled with, and Carter would be angry with him too.
In the end, he decided to release the video of that woman bursting in to yell at Lex. He’d blur Sharon’s face, hire some online
trolls to steer the conversation, drop hints so people figured out it was her, then let the netizens run wild.
Wasn’t Sharon about to hold a concert? If this dirt surfaced now, it might even affect the event.
The more he thought about it, the smarter he felt.
He decided not to tell Kelly yet-he’d save it as a surprise.
A chuckle escaped him.
Julliard noticed and asked, “Nate, what are you laughing at?”
Nate snapped back to reality. “N-nothing.”
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Chapter 645
Nate wasn’t about to tell Julliard his plans. Julliard was too kindhearted-there was no way he’d approve of this plan. If Julliard told Carter, the whole scheme against Sharon would fall apart.
Nate hesitated, then tried to cover his tracks.
“Julliard, let’s not tell Carter about Sharon’s blind date today. You know how he keeps hoping she’ll come back to take care of Theo. Finding out she’s dating again would only upset him.”
Julliard glanced at Nate, the sharpness in his eyes fading.
“Yeah, I get it.”
The next day, Lex was busy with work when the door suddenly slammed open.
Cole rushed in, face tense.
“Uncle Lex, bad news! You’re all over the news!”
Lex frowned.
“Me?”
“Yeah, you.” Cole gulped. “The headlines say you’re a two-timing scumbag who dumped your girlfriend who’s been with you for years…”
Lex’s mind snapped back to yesterday. His face darkened with anger.
“Nonsense!”
Cole pressed on, “I know it’s fake, but no one else does. The Kalen family is in Zachemaine now; they’ll see this too. You have to get that trending topic taken down immediately, or it’ll ruin your reputation.”
Lex’s eyes grew cold. He pulled out his phone and made a call.
“Remove every single news article about me online.”
But soon his phone rang again. It was his assistant, voice trembling.
“Mr. Malcolm, the trending topic… we can’t get it removed. In fact, it’s topping the charts on every major platform. Everyone’s talking about it, and even the paid trolls can’t control the narrative.”
The assistant was nearly in tears.
“This isn’t Marcentine. It’s out of our reach, Sir. Maybe you should consider another plan?”
Lex narrowed his eyes. “Sharon again.”
Cole said, “I looked into it. The news came from a media company under a guy called Nate Hendricks. I’ve done some digging on him. He has serious issues with Sharon, always causing her trouble. But…”
He hesitated, weighing his words carefully.
Lex’s cold gaze pinned him.
“But what?”
Cole continued, “For Sharon to have achieved what she has so quickly, Nate’s involvement can’t be ignored.” (1
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He looked at Lex uncertainly.
“Nate always seems to publicly oppose Sharon, but somehow turns around and does her a huge favor. Do you think he’s secretly helping her? I heard he’s a close friend of Carter. So, maybe he’s secretly in love with Sharon, and he’s been putting on a show to keep Carter in the dark about his feelings. Also…”
Cole laid out everything he’d uncovered.
“At the auction, Nate openly insulted you with terrible lies. Now this news comes from his company. It’s hard not to read between the lines.”
He handed over the stack of information he’d gathered.
Lex’s eyes darkened as he scanned the documents.
“How dare a small fry like Nate go up against me!”
Cole warned, “Uncle Lex, we’re in Amstern City now. Nate has Carter and Julliard backing him. He’s not going to be easy to deal with.”
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Chapter 646
The trending topic wouldn’t go away-it was clear someone was deliberately stirring the pot. And that someone was obviously Nate. He was likely the one secretly backing Sharon.
Lex’s lips pressed into a straight line. His eyes flickered with a cold light.
To him, this kind of thing was trivial-he didn’t care what others said. Yet somehow, these recent incidents gnawed at him like
a bone stuck in his throat.
After a few moments of silence, he finally said, “Call Carter.”
At the same time, Wendy hurried to share the news with Sharon.
P
“Sharon, Lex’s trending! Haha, what goes around comes around. Now he’s being called the biggest scumbag of the century!”
She laughed with wicked glee.
“Oh, it’s priceless! A few of those high-society princesses tried playing defense-‘She’s just some nobody spreading lies,” We’ve never even heard of her!””
“But the internet eviscerated him. ‘Lex never confirmed a single relationship,’ they said. ‘Hid her like dirty laundry while playing the eligible bachelor. Classic backup girlfriend treatment-if people knew, he’d be exposed as the lying scumbag he is.””
Wendy’s laughter rang out, full of schadenfreude.
“No matter how hard those paid trolls try to spin it, they get shut down. Lex can’t clean this mess.”
Sharon was surprised.
“Do you know who’s behind spreading this news?”
Wendy replied, “I asked around. It came from a media company under the Hendricks banner.”
Sharon was silent for a moment, then said, “Nate is such a surprise. I thought he was just all talk with his buddies. Never expected he’d pull something this big.”
Wendy frowned.
“What’s gotten into Nate? Why is he cooperating like this? What does he gain from spreading rumors about Lex? Isn’t he afraid of making an enemy of Lex?”
Then, from the quiet corner, Thomas spoke up.
“The reason Nate dares to do this is that he believes exposing this will deepen the rift between Sharon and Lex. In his eyes, he’s fanning the flames, setting you both against each other until you’re both wrecked, so he can benefit from the fallout. If he’s clever enough, he can even pin the rumor-spreading on Sharon herself.”
Wendy nodded.
“That’s definitely possible. Sharon, remember not long ago when Nate’s company spun a story to make it look like you were one of their artists? If he pushes this onto you, it wouldn’t be surprising.”
Wendy flipped through the news on her phone.
“Right now, there’s another wave of voices online, condemning the ‘other woman’. Sharon, even though your face is pixelated, with your current fame, it’s only a matter of time before someone uncovers who you really are.”
Sharon looked at the phone Wendy held out, thoughtful for a moment.
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“If it’s going to come out eventually, why not add fuel to the fire?”
She met Wendy’s eyes and smiled.
“Wendy, post a statement on X clearing things up-say I only met Lex twice, I don’t really know him, and I had no idea he had a girlfriend. If I’d known, I definitely wouldn’t have gone on a blind date with him.”
Wendy blinked in surprise.
“Sharon, are you admitting to the blind date? People with agendas could twist that, calling you the other woman-especially
Nate.”
Sharon said firmly, “I’ll get Julliard and Xavier to help. If Nate can hire paid trolls, surely we can too.”
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Chapter 647
“Wendy, go ahead and do it. I know what I’m doing,” Sharon said calmly.
Wendy hesitated for a moment but decided to trust her.
“With the concert coming up, boosting your public profile isn’t a bad thing. Still, there are always some people online who can’t tell right from wrong. They jump to conclusions.”
She glanced at Sharon’s upcoming schedule. “Besides, your violin competition officially starts tomorrow. It’s a big deal. John told me many are willing to do whatever it takes just to make the finals.”
Wendy’s voice grew softer. “Sharon, I’m a little worried about you…”
Before Sharon could respond, Thomas spoke up, “During this time, I can act as Sharon’s bodyguard to ensure her safety.”
Wendy looked to Sharon. “What do you think?”
Sharon considered for a moment, then nodded. “Alright. Let’s do it that way for now.”
Meanwhile, Carter received a call from Cole. Carter’s hand paused mid-page as he flipped through documents.
“Cole, what brings you calling me all of a sudden?”
Cole said, “Your good friend Nate has been spreading negative rumors online about my uncle, Lex. Uncle Lex and Nate have no personal grudges. Although Nate has shown disrespect to my grandpa many times, my grandpa has overlooked it because Nate is a junior. My uncle hasn’t held a grudge either. Yet Nate is making trouble online, smearing my uncle’s name.”
Hearing this, Carter immediately recalled the words Nate had orchestrated against Lex that had leaked and sparked the news.
Cole continued, “My uncle wants to give the Hendricks family a chance-not to burn bridges. Since you and Nate are close, and Grandpa is your ex-wife’s mentor, my uncle doesn’t want this to escalate. He wants to give Nate an opportunity to fix this.”
He paused awhile before adding, “If Nate takes down the trending topic and publicly apologizes to my uncle, he won’t pursue
the matter further.”
It was a reasonable request, nothing excessive.
Though Lex had past conflicts with Sharon, this was a separate issue. Nate’s slander against Lex was harsh, and seeking clarification and an apology was justified.
Carter rubbed his tired brow. “I’ll look into it and get back to you.”
Cole said urgently, “Please act quickly. Dragging this out only harms my uncle’s reputation.”
After hanging up, Carter called Simon.
“In the next ten minutes, compile all news related to Lex and bring it to me.”
Carter rarely followed gossip, so he didn’t know the full story.
About seven or eight minutes later, Simon entered with a strange expression.
Carter noticed immediately.
“Is something wrong?”
Simon’s lips moved, but he seemed unsure how to explain. Finally, he placed the compiled materials on Carter’s desk.
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Chapter 64,
“Mr. Biggs, once you see it, you’ll understand.”
Carter flipped through the documents. At first, he remained composed. But when he saw insider reports revealing that Lex’s ” other woman” was Sharon, his face darkened instantly.
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Chapter 648
Nate actually leaked the news that Sharon was the third party in someone else’s relationship?
If it were anyone else, Nate might have been misled or misunderstood. But that night, he saw firsthand the tension between Sharon and Lex-no way they could just bury the hatchet; their relationship was like fire and water.
As for Sharon meeting Lex… Carter didn’t think it was strange. After all, her connection with Uriah was well known. Uriah would surely demand an apology from Lex once he found out.
That unexpected woman who stormed in? She wasn’t part of his considerations.
Whether Lex was truly a pervert or cheating on two women didn’t interest him.
Carter stared at the information before him, pondering deeply, then said, “Suppress all information related to Sharon…”
No sooner had he spoken than Simon replied, “Mr. Biggs, just before I entered, my assistant sent me a message saying Sharon has publicly clarified the matter. She admitted to going on a blind date with Lex, but said she had no idea he already had a girlfriend.”
Carter raised an eyebrow in surprise, then comprehension dawned on him.
Sharon’s move was meant to put Lex on the hot seat. If she denied any romantic involvement and called it just a meal between friends, then the woman’s outburst would seem unreasonable.
But by admitting it was a blind date, the situation changed dramatically.
Thinking this through, Carter said, “Then guide public opinion to portray Sharon as unaware and a victim.”
Simon glanced at Carter and hesitated, then asked, “And… what about Mr. Hendricks?”
If they were steering the narrative to paint Sharon as a victim, that meant Carter had no intention of removing the trending
topic.
He said coldly, “I’m grateful that he had saved my life once, so I’ve often cleaned up his messes. I’ve tolerated him time and again targeting Sharon. I warned him many times that Sharon is my wife, but he didn’t care. Seems I was far too lenient.”
Carter had lost all patience with Nate. He recalled that if not for Nate’s provocation, he and Sharon wouldn’t have divorced in the first place.
His expression darkened further as he told Simon, “Call Cole later and tell him I’m powerless to intervene.”
Simon was startled. It looked like Mr. Biggs was giving up on Nate.
But on second thought, it wasn’t surprising. Nate stirred up too much trouble, especially singling out Sharon. It was almost miraculous that Carter had tolerated him so long.
“Understood,” Simon said and left quickly.
Carter stared at the files before him, his eyes unreadable.
Lex’s scandal, manipulated by those with ulterior motives, only worsened.
Even Uriah called Sharon to apologize.
“Sharon, I’m so sorry. I had no idea Lex had been hiding a long-term girlfriend. This is my fault for dragging you into it.”
Hearing Uriah’s call, Sharon felt a pang of guilt. After all, this was a situation she had orchestrated.
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“It was just a meal. I’ll just think of it as friends having dinner. It’s no big deal,” Sharon said.
Uriah sighed. “It’s my fault for assuming he was single… If I’d known, I never would have introduced you, and you wouldn’t be the subject of gossip.”
Sharon comforted him, “This isn’t your fault. Those who want to gossip will gossip about me no matter what.”
Chapter 649
Moreover, this kind of thing really wasn’t a big deal to Sharon anymore. She was used to it.
She had faced worse online harassment before. Compared to that, this was nothing.
Sharon offered a few more comforting words to Uriah. “In a few days, I’ll bring Matty to see you.”
After hanging up, Sharon received the schedule for the violin competition. She had passed the preliminaries last time, and the official rounds were starting tomorrow.
She didn’t have much time to spare; her focus had to be on the competition. As for the online rumors-whenever Lex had the ability to silence them, he could.
For now, she would let Nate and Lex tear into each other. That way, she could concentrate fully on the contest.
The next day, Thomas drove Sharon to the competition venue.
After her car broke down halfway last time, and her newly modified car got into an accident with Lex’s, Wendy insisted she stop driving. She refused to take any chances anymore.
Since it was just the preliminaries, Sharon hadn’t brought Shayla’s Shaluna to compete.
Her skill far surpassed the other contestants; there was no need to rely on Shaluna to intimidate anyone.
This competition was highly prestigious, and on the first day of the official rounds, everyone was surrounded by cheering friends and family.
Sharon, however, had only Thomas by her side, making her seem a little lonely.
Wendy, John, even Xavier, and Matty weren’t taking the preliminaries seriously. In their eyes, Sharon was going to win the championship. What were the preliminaries to her?
Thomas handed Sharon her violin. “Sharon, good luck. If you need anything, just ask.”
Sharon took the violin. “Thank you.”
As she was about to enter the competition hall, a gentle voice called from behind.
“Sharon.”
She turned to see Julliard standing not far away.
“Julliard?” Sharon was surprised. “What are you doing here?”
A glint flashed in Julliard’s eyes, but he quickly smiled. “I came to find Carter.”
He paused, then spoke casually, as if by chance.
“Kelly’s competing today. Thomas would definitely be here cheering for her. I happened to sign a contract nearby, so I stopped by. When I was looking for Carter, I saw you.” 1
Hearing Carter’s name, Sharon didn’t even blink-she was long immune to him.
Carter coming here to cheer for Kelly didn’t surprise her at all.
Seeing Sharon unwilling to say more, Julliard changed the subject.
He glanced at Thomas, who stood quietly by her side.
“Sharon, I’ve seen this gentleman many times. Who is he?”
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Sharon realized she hadn’t introduced Thomas to Julliard yet.
“He’s Thomas, my assistant. Thomas, this is Julliard Macaron, my friend.” 1
Thomas smiled and extended his hand politely.
“Julliard, pleased to meet you.”
Julliard returned the gesture with equal courtesy.
“Thomas, nice to meet you.”
After the introductions, Julliard looked back at Sharon. “Sharon, you’re competing here too?”
Sharon nodded.
“I’m free later. I can cheer you on,” Julliard said.
Fearing she might decline, he added, “Carter will be waiting for Kelly for a long time anyway; they won’t be leaving anytime
soon.”
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Chapter 650
Julliard was waiting for Carter. He seemed to have a strong dislike for Kelly but came along to watch her competition. Sharon found it hard to refuse.
Just as she was about to speak, a familiar, youthful voice called out.
“Mom, you’re here too?!”
Theo quickly approached her, face bright with surprise.
“Theo?” Sharon was first taken aback, then she quickly realized Carter must have brought him here to watch Kelly’s competition.
Sharon looked up and, sure enough, saw Carter walking toward them.
Her expression calm, she said, “Theo, aren’t you supposed to be at the Kalen family’s?”
Theo’s eyes shone with happiness at seeing his mother.
“Today, Dad wanted to watch Kelly’s competition, so he took me out,” he said.
Carter joined them just in time to hear this. He frowned. “Theo, when did I ever say I was going to bring you to see Kelly’s competition?”
Theo looked confused. “Last time, when we had dinner with Kelly, didn’t she invite us to come watch her competition today?”
Carter blinked, suddenly recalling the incident. He instinctively glanced at Sharon and explained, “I brought Theo here to watch
you compete.”
It was the weekend. He’d deliberately brought Theo to see Sharon compete, hoping afterward to ask her out so the three of them could bond and rekindle some good memories. 1
Only then did Carter realize how few times they had actually gone out as a family these past five years—so few that there really weren’t any “good memories” to speak of.
They’d even gone out with Kelly more often than with Sharon.
Sharon’s expression stayed cool. “How thoughtful of you, Carter, to remember to drop by and watch me.”
Carter frowned. “It’s not just a casual drop-by…”
Before he could finish, Julliard interrupted. “Carter, haven’t you found Kelly yet?”
Carter turned his head and saw Julliard. His gaze flickered slightly with surprise.
“Julliard?” He glanced between Julliard and Sharon. “You’re here to watch the competition too?”
Julliard smiled. “No, I’m here to find you.”
“Find me?”
Julliard explained, “I called you earlier, but you didn’t answer. I happened to be nearby after a business meeting. I remembered Nate mentioning that Kelly would be competing nearby. Since you didn’t pick up, I thought I’d try my luck here. I’m glad I found you after all.”
Carter pulled out his phone and saw two missed calls from Julliard.
His expression softened. “Is it something urgent?”
Julliard said, “Not exactly urgent. It’s about Nate…”
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He glanced at Sharon, hesitating a moment.
“I’ll explain more later.”
Mentioning Nate made Carter frown automatically. He’d cleaned up too many messes for Nate, who never showed any gratitude or restraint, and often ignored his advice.
Now, hearing that name only stirred irritation.
If not for the fact that Nate had once saved his life, Carter would have long cut ties.
Thomas glanced at Julliard subtly.
Sharon didn’t care who exactly they were here to watch.
“The competition is about to start. I’ll go prepare.”
Theo’s eyes brightened. He loved watching his mother on stage. She always looked so radiant and brilliant on stage.
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