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“Working is great. You earn your own money, and no one can mock you, saying women just live off men,” the service lady added.
Theo thought of the medicinal dishes his mother had always made for him in the past and the special foods she prepared just for him.
“I’m sorry, Mommy,” he murmured softly.
Sharon shook her head gently. “It’s okay. Now that we’ve got all the vegetables, let’s go to the snack section and choose some of your favorite treats.
They moved on toward the snack aisle, with Carter trailing behind them.
For Carter, the experience was strangely novel. In the past, he had considered accompanying a woman shopping to be tedious and a waste of time. Now, instead of feeling bothered, he found himself wanting to help Sharon pick out the items.
After finishing their shopping, they left the supermarket.
Thomas saw them to the base of their apartment building. Sharon said, “Thomas, thanks for your help today. You should head back and rest early.”
She didn’t invite him upstairs to eat; she didn’t want to give Carter a chance to pester
her.
Thomas didn’t linger. “Alright, I’ll go then. If anything comes up, Sharon, you know you can call me anytime.”
He left promptly.
Once Thomas was gone, Carter finally stepped in front of them.
“Theo.”
Theo looked up, surprised. “Dad, you’re still here?”
Carter’s gaze fell on the shopping bags Sharon held. “Let me carry those for you.”
Sharon stepped back, keeping out of his reach.
“No need. Thank you,”
He watched her. “Your hands are for playing the violin. Try not to lift heavy things.”
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“I managed for five years,” Sharon said lightly. “Lifting hasn’t harmed my hands. They’re not so fragile that carrying something heavy would injure them.”
She paused, a faint smile crossing her lips. “You should help Kelly with her bags instead. I don’t need any help.”
Theo chimed in beside her. “Dad, don’t worry. I can help Mom carry them.”
He reached for one of the handles without inviting his father to join him upstairs. Even at his age, he could sense that his mother’s mood dampened whenever his father appeared.
Carter fell silent.
With Thomas gone, he didn’t press the matter. For now, resolving Kelly’s situation had to take priority before he could rightfully have Sharon back.
Carter summoned Nate over.
Since losing his position as heir, Nate had sunk deeper into idleness and indulgence, spending his days in drunken escapades with his disreputable friends, plotting against
Lex.
As for Sharon… Nate had already given up trying to get back at her. He had suffered too many setbacks and had come to regard her as extraordinary, almost uncanny.
“Carter, is there a reason you called me here in such a hurry?” Nate asked.
Carter studied him carefully. “Nate, do you still want to be the heir of the Hendricks family?”
“Of course I do!” Nate’s eyes lit up. “If I become the heir, I won’t have to grovel to those illegitimate sons. Besides, I’ll definitely not say no to wealth and status!”
Carter said, “I can help you secure that position once and for all.”
Nate’s eyes sparkled with excitement. “Carter… you’re serious?!”
Previously, when Lex had retaliated against the Hendricks family, if it weren’t for Julliard’s intervention, Carter wouldn’t have cared. Later, when Nate was stripped of his inheritance, Carter had turned a blind eye.
Nate knew his repeated provocations regarding Sharon had fully enraged Carter.
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Carter continued, “Yes, but there’s one condition.”
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Upon hearing this, Nate immediately said, “Carter, don’t worry, I’ll never go after Sharon again!”
Carter furrowed his brow but replied, “It’s not about that.”
Nate blinked. “Then what is it?”
Carter was silent for a few seconds before finally saying, “I want you to take good care of Kelly for the rest of her time.”
Nate froze. “I’ve been taking care of Kelly all along…”
His voice suddenly caught. Only then did he realize the true meaning behind Carter’s words-what kind of care was being asked of him.
“Carter, what do you mean? You don’t want to take care of Kelly anymore?!” Nate’s voice rose in urgency.
Carter’s tone remained calm and cold. “I’ve repaid what I owed Kelly. I divorced for her sake and even gave away a hundred thousand dollars. I’ve done enough for her to settle the debts of the past.
“Nate, you know Theo cannot be without his mother. I don’t want to have another conflict with Sharon over Kelly. If you agree, I will immediately negotiate with your father to restore your position as heir. If you don’t…”
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He fixed Nate with a steady gaze. “Even though leaving Kelly in your care would make me more at ease, it’s not that it can’t be done without you.”
Nate caught the implication in Carter’s words. He froze. “Carter… you mean…
Ever since Carter discovered that Kelly had framed Sharon, and that Sharon’s kidnapping and hospitalization were real, his attitude toward Kelly had changed.
From the beginning, Carter had never truly wanted a divorce. If it weren’t for Kelly’s illness, he would have never agreed. Even when he did consent, he had planned to reconcile quickly.
But reality had defied his expectations. Sharon had only drifted further away.
In that case, it was time to resolve things at the root find a proper future for Kelly.
Carter continued, “Nate, think carefully. Even if you don’t agree, someone else will.”
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There was a subtle threat in his tone.
It had long been no secret that Nate liked Kelly. But he had never shown jealousy or possessiveness toward her. Even when Kelly and Carter had just started dating, Carter had never needed to hide it from Nate.
Thinking back now, Kelly had muttered more than once that Carter didn’t care about her that much.
Nate made his decision swiftly. “Carter… I’ll do it!”
With Lex plotting in the shadows, Nate knew that without the status of the Hendricks Group heir, he would be powerless to oppose him. If he turned Carter down now, any future misfortune that hit the Hendricks family wouldn’t be covered by Carter’s protection.
As for Kelly… he had always had feelings for her, and her time was running out. From his perspective, agreeing to the deal now was far more beneficial than refusing. Besides, with his all-out war against Lex at its peak, he didn’t have time to deal with Sharon anyway.
Carter nodded, satisfied. “Set up a meeting with your father for tonight. I’ll speak to him myself.”
Nate agreed. At the end of the day, Carter was still making arrangements for Kelly’s sake. The position of head of the Hendricks family would have to be secured by leveraging the power and privileges of Carter’s Biggs Group.
As for whether Carter could ever win Sharon back… Nate wasn’t optimistic. For Kelly’s sake, Carter had already burned that bridge. Winning Sharon back would be anything but easy.
Nate decided that once he secured his position as head of the Hendricks family, if Sharon rejected Carter again, Carter would finally let her go and turn his attention completely back to Kelly.
The break was brief. Sharon soon returned to her next round of competition.
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When Theo finally left, he showed a deep reluctance to part with Thomas.
During the days he stayed with Sharon, Theo would spend every morning playing with Thomas. To him, Thomas seemed like a magician straight out of a fairy tale-able to accomplish anything he asked. There was nothing Thomas couldn’t do.
He enjoyed their time together so much that, when it was time to eat, he invited Thomas to have meals at Sharon’s place. Sharon didn’t refuse; on the contrary, she welcomed him warmly.
After Theo returned home, Sharon threw herself back into the competition. In the individual round-robin, she was unstoppable. Her score was far ahead of the others.
Kelly, though she lost once to Sharon, won all her subsequent matches. Online popularity polls also put Kelly firmly in first place.
As a contestant who had been controversial from the start and fighting against her own limitations, Kelly’s performance did not disappoint. After all, even “sick” Kelly had managed to score second place. Imagine her peak condition-her power would be terrifying. She was even hyped as a top favorite for the championship, with more public support than Sharon herself.
Wendy frowned. “What nonsense is this? Kelly clearly isn’t skillful enough, yet they say her illness affected her performance, and somehow she ‘picked up’ a championship… Picked up a championship? Is that even a thing? Even her concert tickets are being scalped. The last presale sold out in three minutes flat.”
Hearing this, Sharon smiled. “Wendy, get some more boosters and create more hype for Kelly,”
Wendy’s eyes widened. “You want to boost her popularity too? What if, by the time you win the championship, she-the runner-up-gets more attention than you?”
The strengths of the contestants had already been evaluated by Wendy and John. Kelly taking second place was no surprise.
Sharon smiled faintly. “Wendy, you know the saying: the higher you stand, the harder you fall. Didn’t you also point out issues with her concert ticket sales and her online popularity data?”
Wendy nodded. “In the industry, behavior like hers isn’t uncommon. It’s easy to spot.
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But still, her rising popularity did boost her ticket sales considerably.”
She let out a soft sigh. “I guess there was some positive effect after all.”
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At that moment, Thomas, who had been sitting quietly in the studio, spoke up. “Should we also try to boost ourselves? Try to surpass Kelly?”
A flicker of hesitation crossed Wendy’s eyes. In today’s society, inflating votes or online popularity was standard practice for competitions-so-called “operations.” Many high -profile contestants had risen through such means, securing valuable resources and opportunities in the industry.
Sharon, with both talent and looks, was naturally suited for this world. Why let Kelly overshadow her? If Kelly’s aura shone too brightly, even a championship wouldn’t make Sharon stand out.
Just as Wendy wavered, Sharon spoke.
“Dirty tricks are still dirty tricks; they never last. What looks like a flourishing garden to the outside world is really oil on a raging fire.”
Thomas looked at her. “Why do you say that?”
Sharon said, “I can’t imagine who suggested such a toxic idea to her… boosting concert ticket sales and online popularity metrics. Also…”
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Sharon’s voice faltered for a moment, and a subtle, almost enigmatic smile curved her lips.
“And then there’s the whole thing with her faking an illness… I don’t know whether it was her own idea or some terrible scheme suggested by Nate.”
Wendy frowned. “Terrible scheme? How could it be? If Kelly hadn’t faked her illness to gain sympathy, neither you nor Carter would have divorced over it.”
Sharon shook her head. “The reason Carter and I divorced isn’t because of Kelly. Our marriage had its own cracks from the start. Kelly was just the fuse that lit the fire. Even if she hadn’t appeared, other problems would have arisen between Carter and me eventually.”
Wendy thought for a moment and realized it made sense.
“Then why do you say that faking an illness is such a terrible idea?” she asked.
Sharon looked at her steadily. “Because lies are always discovered eventually. They’re like a sword hanging over your head—any moment, it can drop. Even if she achieves her goals through deception, what will she do when the truth comes out? Don’t forget, the image she sells to the world is that of a pitiful, considerate, and delicate woman. And to make matters worse, she’s faking a terminal illness…’
She shook her head lightly with a wry smile. “I honestly don’t know what Kelly’s thinking. Doesn’t she worry that if she doesn’t die when expected, she’ll have to cover her tracks somehow?”
Hearing Sharon’s words, Wendy had to admit she made a fair point.
“Exactly, Why pick a terminal illness? Even pretending to have depression or some mental disorder would have been safer. This is just digging her own grave.”
Sharon said calmly, “Have you noticed? Kelly always walks herself into a dead end. So if she wants to hype herself up online, let her. We’ll just sit back and watch her dig her own pitfall.”
Wendy asked cautiously, “But what if she never gets exposed and ends up winning in life because of it?”
Sharon put away her violin, Nameless. “If she really can deceive the world her entire life, then props to her.”
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A faint, peculiar glint flickered in Thomas’s eyes, mingled with an inexplicable warmth.
Wendy felt her mood lighten considerably after hearing Sharon speak. She glanced at the time.
“Sharon, the next round is about to start. You and Thomas should get going.”
Sharon nodded.
The first round of the round-robin ended swiftly. Sharon dominated, taking first place by a wide margin.
In the second round, the solo competition, she scored a perfect score, utterly outclassing Kelly, who came in second, and solidifying her position at the top.
Many professional musicians noted that Sharon’s skill seemed to have reached an even higher level as the competition progressed.
Even those unfamiliar with music online could clearly see that Sharon’s talent surpassed Kelly by a substantial margin. No matter how much Kelly inflated her numbers online, she could not steal Sharon’s spotlight.
At the Malcolm residence, Damien sat in a dimly lit room, his expression dark and menacing.
Recently, Sharon had been basking in unprecedented success, capturing the limelight at every turn. The better she fared, the more Damien’s resentment festered.
His recent bad experiences had twisted his personality, leaving him extreme and brooding. Even countless sessions with psychologists had failed to help him.
Every time he saw Sharon thriving, his mind grew darker, more twisted, to the point of being beyond cure. He hated her with a passion that no remedy could soothe.
He believed that if it weren’t for Sharon, he wouldn’t have suffered such humiliation.
Yes, Carter was the one who took action, but without Sharon whispering in his ear, Carter would never have come after him for no reason.
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Sharon’s voice faltered for a moment, and a subtle, almost enigmatic smile curved her lips.
“And then there’s the whole thing with her faking an illness… I don’t know whether it was her own idea or some terrible scheme suggested by Nate.”
Wendy frowned. “Terrible scheme? How could it be? If Kelly hadn’t faked her illness to gain sympathy, neither you nor Carter would have divorced over it.”
Sharon shook her head. “The reason Carter and I divorced isn’t because of Kelly. Our marriage had its own cracks from the start. Kelly was just the fuse that lit the fire. Even if she hadn’t appeared, other problems would have arisen between Carter and me eventually.”
Wendy thought for a moment and realized it made sense.
“Then why do you say that faking an illness is such a terrible idea?” she asked.
Sharon looked at her steadily. “Because lies are always discovered eventually. They’re like a sword hanging over your head—any moment, it can drop. Even if she achieves her goals through deception, what will she do when the truth comes out? Don’t forget, the image she sells to the world is that of a pitiful, considerate, and delicate woman. And to make matters worse, she’s faking a terminal illness…’
She shook her head lightly with a wry smile. “I honestly don’t know what Kelly’s thinking. Doesn’t she worry that if she doesn’t die when expected, she’ll have to cover her tracks somehow?”
Hearing Sharon’s words, Wendy had to admit she made a fair point.
“Exactly, Why pick a terminal illness? Even pretending to have depression or some mental disorder would have been safer. This is just digging her own grave.”
Sharon said calmly, “Have you noticed? Kelly always walks herself into a dead end. So if she wants to hype herself up online, let her. We’ll just sit back and watch her dig her own pitfall.”
Wendy asked cautiously, “But what if she never gets exposed and ends up winning in life because of it?”
Sharon put away her violin, Nameless. “If she really can deceive the world her entire life, then props to her.”
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A faint, peculiar glint flickered in Thomas’s eyes, mingled with an inexplicable warmth.
Wendy felt her mood lighten considerably after hearing Sharon speak. She glanced at the time.
“Sharon, the next round is about to start. You and Thomas should get going.”
Sharon nodded.
The first round of the round-robin ended swiftly. Sharon dominated, taking first place by a wide margin.
In the second round, the solo competition, she scored a perfect score, utterly outclassing Kelly, who came in second, and solidifying her position at the top.
Many professional musicians noted that Sharon’s skill seemed to have reached an even higher level as the competition progressed.
Even those unfamiliar with music online could clearly see that Sharon’s talent surpassed Kelly by a substantial margin. No matter how much Kelly inflated her numbers online, she could not steal Sharon’s spotlight.
At the Malcolm residence, Damien sat in a dimly lit room, his expression dark and menacing.
Recently, Sharon had been basking in unprecedented success, capturing the limelight at every turn. The better she fared, the more Damien’s resentment festered.
His recent bad experiences had twisted his personality, leaving him extreme and brooding. Even countless sessions with psychologists had failed to help him.
Every time he saw Sharon thriving, his mind grew darker, more twisted, to the point of being beyond cure. He hated her with a passion that no remedy could soothe.
He believed that if it weren’t for Sharon, he wouldn’t have suffered such humiliation.
Yes, Carter was the one who took action, but without Sharon whispering in his ear, Carter would never have come after him for no reason.
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The glow from the television screen cast an eerie light over Damien’s face, making him look almost ghostly.
As he stared at the woman being interviewed on the screen, a slow, twisted smile spread across his lips.
“Sharon… I’ll make you pay dearly.”
The solo competition had ended, and now it was time for the ensemble round.
Ensemble performances tested teamwork and coordination. In international competitions, teamwork was crucial; participants couldn’t simply rely on individual brilliance.
Among all the events, ensemble performances carried the heaviest weight in scoring.
Partners were assigned by drawing lots. Sharon’s partner was a young woman in her twenties named Abigail Lawson. Abigail was gifted and spirited, though still in need of experience to reach the final round.
Thomas drove, while Sharon sat in the passenger seat, closing her eyes to rest.
This round wasn’t particularly difficult for her, but caution was still necessary- especially with Kelly, who had a notorious knack for dirty tricks, competing in the
same event.
The car was quiet. Then, Thomas spoke.
“Sharon, today’s competition is an ensemble. Your partner isn’t that skillful. Are you worried it might lower your score?”
Sharon leaned back in her seat, eyes still closed.
“No. Ensemble scoring values coordination over individual skill. After all, each competitor’s ability varies. If rankings were based purely on strength, there would be no need for ensemble performances at all.”
“I see,” Thomas murmured.
Just then, his expression shifted subtly while driving.
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“Sharon, we may have a problem.”
Sharon’s eyes snapped open. “What happened?”
Thomas glanced in the rearview mirror, his gaze hardening.
“There are cars following us.
She turned to look and saw them: a few unmarked vehicles tailing their car, neither too
close nor too far.
Thomas maintained his speed, calm but tense.
“They haven’t realized we’ve noticed them yet. If they do, they could attempt to flank us. Sharon… what should we do?”
This road was the only route to the competition venue.
Sharon paused for a moment, thinking. “I remember a side road ahead. Turn onto it.”
“Understood.”
Ten minutes later, Thomas’s expression darkened.
“Sharon… they’ve caught up again, and—” He glanced at the oncoming vehicles. “They came prepared. They’ve got people posted all along this route, probably to box us in. My guess is they want to force us onto that side road to deal with us there.”
A knot of anxiety tightened in Sharon’s chest.
It was too late to switch drivers now.
As she frantically weighed her options, Thomas’s voice cut through the tension again.
“Sharon… should I try to lose them?”
She hesitated, caught completely off guard by the question.
Seeing no immediate response, Thomas assumed she didn’t like the idea. “Sharon… would you prefer we cause a crash to get rid of them?”
Before Sharon could even process a reply, Thomas stomped on the accelerator.
“Sorry, Sharon,” he said, his voice eerily calm, his eyes locked on the road ahead. “I thought shaking them would work, but they’d just find us again. A total wreck… that’s the only way to make sure this ends for good.”
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Sharon froze. She hadn’t actually said anything—had she?
Before she could even react, the car lunged forward with a sharp roar.
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At the competition venue, Wendy and John scanned the surroundings, anxiety etched on their faces.
“What’s going on? Why hasn’t Sharon arrived yet?” Wendy asked.
John’s expression darkened. “I’ve called Sharon and Thomas, but no one’s picking up.”
Wendy’s concern deepened. “It’s almost her turn to perform, and she’s still not here… she might be marked as a no-show and automatically lose.”
John shook his head. “That’s not even the worst part. Today is the team competition. If Sharon doesn’t perform, she’ll drag her partner down with her.”
Wendy’s face went pale.
Sharon’s popularity online was enormous, on par with top-tier celebrities. If she skipped the competition for no reason, the backlash from haters would be merciless.
But right now, it wasn’t about online criticism.
It was about whether Sharon was… in danger.
Wendy hadn’t come with Sharon today because she was handling matters with the
concert venue.
John had left from the studio, while Sharon had departed with Thomas from their residential complex.
None of them had crossed paths, and no one knew what had happened to her.
Time ticked by.
The previous group finished their performance, and it was Sharon’s group’s turn.
Yet, only Abigail stepped onto the stage.
At first, everyone assumed Sharon was planning a grand entrance at the last moment. With her popularity, talent, and star power, it would have been a perfect moment to add flair and draw attention.
But minutes passed. The stage remained silent-no music, no lights, only Abigail standing there, visibly tense.
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The audience finally snapped out of their anticipation.
“What’s going on? Sharon didn’t come?”
“Could she be sick? If she’s absent due to illness, that’s such a shame.”
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“It can’t be an illness. If she were unwell, the organizers would have announced it already.”
“Poor Abigail… she’s going to be dragged down because of Sharon.”
As whispers spread, the host stormed onto the stage, his face dark with displeasure.
“Apologies. Due to competitor Sharon’s failure to arrive on time, the judges have decided that this round will be counted as a forfeit.”
Hearing this, Abigail burst into tears.
A murmur of shock swept through the audience.
“So Sharon didn’t show up… and lost. But this is a team event. Abigail is being penalized too. Who compensates for her score?”
“It’s unfair. This is completely unfair to Abigail!”
“There’s a flaw in the rules! If one partner is bribed or deliberately absent, the other competitor suffers too… Anyone wanting high scores could exploit this by manipulating the partner.”
“You’re right. Why didn’t I think of that?”
“Why isn’t Sharon here? There must be a reason, right?”
Backstage, Kelly watched the unfolding chaos, a gleam of delight flashing in her eyes.
In recent competitions, Thomas had been driving Sharon to the venue. Clearly, he had earned her trust. And now, at this critical point in the competition, he had stepped in to help Kelly in a huge way,
If Sharon lost this round, Kelly would tie with her for first place.
Then, with one more assist from Thomas, Sharon’s fall from grace would be complete.
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Just the thought of it sent Kelly’s heart racing with excitement.
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Thomas’s driving skills exceeded everything Sharon had imagined.
When he had said “total wreck,” it was no exaggeration.
With a few precise maneuvers, the pursuing vehicles collided with each other. Some even exploded, igniting towering flames.
Though Thomas’s skill neutralized most of them, the attackers were out for blood- they held nothing back.
Soon, Sharon’s car was wrecked. Thomas was badly injured in the process.
After neutralizing all the attackers, Sharon finally exhaled in relief.
But in the final impact, Thomas had steered to protect Sharon, taking the full force of the collision himself.
The two cars flipped multiple times through the air before landing upside down.
Sharon’s car, modified for performance, held up relatively well. Combined with Thomas’s exceptional driving, she suffered only minor scrapes and bruises.
Thomas, however, remained unconscious in the driver’s seat.
His arm had been cut by shattered glass in the crash, his pristine white shirt soaked red with blood. Even his cheeks and forehead bore scratches.
Sharon tried desperately to wake him. “Thomas! Thomas! Wake up!”
He gave no response,
The acrid smell of gasoline and scorched metal filled the air.
A chill ran through Sharon. “The car… will it catch fire?’
She quickly unbuckled her seatbelt and climbed out. Every movement was tense and difficult.
As feared, fuel leaked from the tank, and flames licked up from the rear of the car. The
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vehicle was already on fire, and it could explode at any moment.
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There was no time to think. Sharon rushed to Thomas’s side and opened his door, trying to release his seatbelt.
But the belt was jammed in the twisted frame of the car. No matter how she pulled, she couldn’t free him.
The smoke thickened, and the heat around them intensified. Sweat slid down Sharon’s forehead, dripping onto Thomas’s face.
His long eyelashes twitched, and his eyes slowly fluttered open.
Relief flooded Sharon’s chest. “Thomas, you’re stuck in the seatbelt. Try to move. See if you can shift now.”
Thomas’s gaze cleared as he assessed the situation, his clouded mind sharpening.
“You go first,” he rasped, coughing as smoke burned his throat. “Don’t worry about me.
Sharon frowned. “What are you saying? You’re heavily injured because of me! How could I ever leave you behind?”
Thomas gave a faint, bitter smile. “The car could explode at any moment. It’s too dangerous. You need to get out first. Don’t get caught in it too.”
There was no time to argue.
Sharon scanned her surroundings for something to cut the seatbelt. Her eyes finally fell on shards of glass scattered across the ground.
She picked up a larger piece and began slicing at the belt.
Her hands trembled from urgency, and the sharp edges of the glass cut her fingers, staining the clear shards with bright red blood. She barely noticed,
Sweat dripped into her eyes, stinging and swelling, but she ignored it. She was dead focused on freeing Thomas before it was too late.
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Thomas’s dark eyes narrowed slightly as he watched Sharon’s focused profile. For some reason, a strange, fleeting haze washed over him.
The flames around them grew fiercer, and Sharon coughed violently from the smoke.
Suddenly, Thomas said, “Give up. If you don’t leave now, you’ll die with me.”
The firelight illuminated his face, making him appear impossibly handsome. He didn’t look haggard at all from the wreckage he had endured.
Sharon paused for a moment, then said firmly, “Stop talking. Don’t waste time and distract me.”
Yet it was not she who was distracted-it was him.
Watching the fire spread, Sharon’s movements grew more desperate. Her eyes, red from anxiety, glimmered with urgency.
The blood from her hand wound flowed faster with every motion. Her expression showed no hesitation, as if failing to save him meant dying alongside him.
Suddenly, the seatbelt snapped.
Sharon froze for a moment, stunned, before processing what had just happened.
“The seatbelt’s off,” Thomas said, pushing the deformed car door aside. “What are you standing there for? Move! The car’s about to explode!”
They had barely run five meters when a deafening roar erupted behind them.
The burning car exploded.
Sharon went pale, fear finally crashing down on her. Her heart raced, breath ragged. Another thirty seconds and she might have died right there.
After ensuring Thomas was safe, Sharon gasped for air, her chest heaving.
Eventually, she calmed enough to think clearly,
Thomas’s white shirt was soaked with blood; she couldn’t tell the extent of his injuries. Both of their phones were left in the wrecked car, making it impossible to call for help.
Moreover, the road was remote-no one had passed for a long time, and finding
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assistance would be difficult.
“Wait here,” Sharon said. “I’ll go get help.”
Thomas nodded.
And so, he waited. Long minutes passed. Long enough for him to consider that perhaps Sharon had gone to her competition first and assigned someone else to help him.
She was willing to risk her life to save him, yet to her, the music she loved might matter even more than his life.
Thomas didn’t feel disappointment. He almost felt indifferent.
After all, that’s human nature.
He wasn’t exactly a good person himself; he had helped Kelly countless times, lurking around her for his own amusement, trying to add a little excitement to his dull life.
Last time, he even tried to set a trap for Sharon to manipulate her into inflating votes, but she had refused without hesitation.
She was completely different from Kelly.
Where shortcuts existed, she insisted on relying on her own effort.
Thomas considered it foolish.
Just now, she could have left him behind to save herself, yet she hadn’t.
What if she had failed? What if she had actually died there?
He didn’t admire such behavior.
Yet, inexplicably, his mind drifted to the recent memory of Sharon rescuing him.
Despite the crash, he hadn’t truly been unconscious. The so-called fainting had been an act. Even the seatbelt hadn’t trapped him-it had all been a staged illusion.
He didn’t know why he had done it.
At that moment, it had simply seemed amusing.
He never valued his own life. He had played countless life-or-death games before, yet
had never died.
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Perhaps, as people said, he was naturally hard to kill.
Last time, he had risked getting hit by Sharon’s car deliberately.
This time, even facing an exploding car, he remained unfazed:
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Thomas had deliberately let himself get stuck there, just to see if Sharon would abandon him and run off alone.
If their roles had been switched, whether he would choose to save the other party depended entirely on his mood. But chances were slim. He was not the type to help others out of kindness.
He had lost so much blood that he gradually began to feel unwell. Yet he had no intention of calling for help.
A strange thought crossed his mind. If he died here, would that mean he wasn’t as unkillable as he thought? Or if someone came along and saved him, would it prove that he was destined to wreak havoc for centuries to come?
Lost in aimless thoughts, three figures slowly came into view.
Thomas’s pupils flickered.
Sharon was walking toward him, accompanied by two unfamiliar middle-aged men.
“Gentlemen, this is my friend,” she said. “If you can safely get him to a hospital, I’ll give each of you 10,000 dollars as a thank-you.”
For ordinary people, just helping transport someone to a hospital and receiving 10,000 dollars was an opportunity too good to hesitate over. Any delay would be disrespectful
to that sum.
The two men were attentive and professional, like five-star hotel attendants.
One of them said, “Don’t worry, Miss. We will get him to the hospital as quickly as possible.”
The other nodded in agreement. “Even if it means running red lights, we’ll get him there first.”
Sharon had stopped many cars before finally finding two willing to help. She didn’t want to risk losing the only people capable of assisting, so she offered the ten thousand immediately,
The men were initially skeptical. Sharon had them record a video of her promise to pay before they finally felt reassured.
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Chapter 749
The sturdier of the two lifted Thomas onto the vehicle.
Sharon was about to follow when Thomas stopped her.
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“Sharon, let these two men take me to the hospital. You should hurry back to your competition. If you leave now, you should still make it in time.”
Sharon had planned to arrive two hours early, anticipating any accidents on the road. Despite the danger they’d just faced, there was still enough time.
She looked at the pale-faced Thomas. “Why are you still worrying about the competition? Is a human life really not more important than a contest?”
Although Thomas appeared alert now, he had deliberately taken the impact of the collision for her, twisting the car’s direction to shield her. Who knew what internal injuries might have occurred?
A life was far more valuable than any competition. If anything happened to Thomas because of her, Sharon would carry that guilt forever.
Before Thomas could respond, Sharon cut him off, “Stop talking. Get some rest.
Then she turned to the two men ahead. “Could I borrow your phone for a moment?”
One of them handed it to her. Sharon dialed Wendy’s number.
“Wendy, it’s Sharon. Thomas and I were in a car accident. We’re on our way to the hospital. Can you come right now?”
Wendy didn’t have time to ask any questions. After confirming which hospital, she immediately hung up and rushed out. The competition venue was far from the hospital; she had to get there quickly.
At the hospital, Sharon followed the medical staff as they wheeled Thomas toward the emergency room.
Thomas, who had kept his eyes closed the entire way, suddenly opened them. He finally asked the question that had been gnawing at him the whole time,
“You… weren’t afraid just now?”
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Chapter 750
Sharon paused for a moment, then slowly realized what Thomas meant.
She said, “I’ll answer that question once you’re out.”
Thomas nodded. “Alright.” Then he closed his eyes again.
Half an hour later, the quiet corridor was broken by the sound of hurried footsteps.
Sharon thought it was Wendy arriving. She looked up and saw a tall, upright figure striding toward her.
“Xavier?” Sharon blinked in surprise. “What are you doing here?”
Her phone had been left behind in the car. She had only managed to call Wendy and hadn’t told Xavier. Yet he had arrived even before Wendy.
Had Wendy called him?
Xavier’s handsome face was tense. “Sharon, are you alright?”
Sharon shook her head. “I’m fine. Just some superficial injuries.”
His gaze fell on the cuts on her fingers, and his expression darkened slightly.
“Sharon, your hand is injured. It needs immediate disinfection and treatment.”
Only then did Sharon remember that her precious hands-her lifeline as a violinist— had been cut by glass shards while saving Thomas. She hesitated.
Xavier’s eyes narrowed, reading her thoughts. He said gently, “Sharon, I’m here. Don’t worry about a thing. I’ll take care of anything concerning Thomas. You just go.”
Sharon thought for a moment, then nodded. She trusted him.
While her hands were being disinfected and bandaged, Wendy and John arrived. Wendy went to look for Sharon, while John remained at the operating room door, coordinating with Xavier on Thomas’s surgery.
Seeing Wendy, Sharon asked, “How’s Thomas? Is he in danger?”
Wendy had just come down from the operating room.
“No life-threatening injuries,” she replied. “But he lost a lot of blood, and the impact
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caused some internal organ trauma. He’ll need time to recover.”
Sharon exhaled in relief. “As long as it’s not life-threatening, that’s good.”
Wendy glanced at Sharon’s bandaged fingers. “Are you alright?”
“I’m fine,” Sharon said. “The doctors checked. It’s just cuts from the glass shards. They’ll heal, and won’t affect the competition.”
Wendy shook her head in exasperation. “At a time like this, you’re still thinking about the competition? Your safety comes first. Nothing else matters.”
Over an hour passed as Sharon’s injuries were fully treated. Thomas’s rescue was still ongoing.
Once Wendy confirmed Sharon was unharmed, she finally relaxed completely.
“Sharon,” she asked, “what really happened? How did the car accident occur?”
Before Sharon could speak, Xavier interjected.
“It was Damien’s men. The people I sent to protect Sharon were lured away by Damien’s car.”
He looked at Sharon, guilt shadowing his expression. “Sharon, I’m sorry. I failed to protect you properly.”
Sharon shook her head. “Anyone who lured your men away clearly knew someone was protecting me. They had made thorough preparations. Even with more guards, they could have found a way to exploit a gap.”
Protection isn’t infallible. Even presidents, surrounded by countless security, can be assassinated. And no one would act without careful planning.
Wendy stared in disbelief. “Damien? He’s willing to commit murder just because of what happened to him last time? He’s… ruthless!”
Sharon nodded grimly. “Thank goodness Thomas reacted quickly. Otherwise, we might have really died there,”
More than just two cars had been following them. By ramming those vehicles, Thomas had made the right choice.
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Chapter 751
If Thomas hadn’t made the desperate choice to ram the pursuing vehicles, the assassins would have kept coming. There was no other exit, no other path to freedom. The situation would only have escalated, growing more perilous by the second.
In that moment, Sharon couldn’t help but feel a cold spike of awe at the sheer, terrifying sharpness of Thomas’s instincts.
Just then, the doors to the emergency room finally swung open.
The unconscious Thomas lay perfectly still on the gurney, while a faint, ghostly glimmer flickered deep within Xavier’s eyes.
When Thomas finally woke, the television in the ward was broadcasting the news. The sound of a woman sobbing spilled from the screen.
“My name is Abigail Lawson,” the woman sobbed. “I was supposed to be Sharon’s partner for the ensemble performance. I don’t know what I did to offend her, why she would abandon me without a single word and not show up for the competition.
“I know my ability isn’t the best. I knew it would be difficult for us to achieve a high ranking. But… I wasn’t willing to give up without trying. Even if we lost, even if I was
eliminated, I could have accepted that. But to be defeated like this, before I even had a chance to compete… I just can’t accept it.”
A reporter asked, “Did the organizers give any reason for Sharon’s absence from the competition?”
Still weeping, Abigail replied, “No. In fact, no one has been able to reach her. I think… perhaps during rehearsals, I made too many mistakes and upset Sharon. Maybe she just
didn’t want to partner with someone as weak as me.’
Another reporter snapped angrily, “Talent is no excuse for arrogance! For someone with
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Chapter 761
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such a blatant lack of professionalism to win first place is an insult to every other competitor here. And if she’s meant to represent our country internationally, she’ll become a national embarrassment! The organizers have a duty to disqualify her immediately!”
Just then, a soft knock sounded at the door of the hospital ward.
Wendy leaned in, her expression urgent. “Sharon, it’s worse than we thought. Abigail is using you to launch her own publicity campaign. She didn’t just give interviews to every major outlet-she’s playing the ultimate victim online, spinning lies that you looked down on her during rehearsals.”
“She’s framing your absence as a deliberate snub. The implication is perfectly clear: winning or losing this round means nothing to you because your spot in the finals is guaranteed.”
Wendy was about to say more when Sharon gently cut her off. “Wendy, let’s talk outside.”
Wendy glanced at the still-unconscious Thomas and nodded.
The two stepped into the corridor, not daring to go far, afraid he might wake up anytime.
Wendy lowered her voice. “The public opinion online is turning against you. Even though I’ve already released a statement clarifying that you were in a car accident and injured your hand, netizens are refusing to believe it.”
She paused, her expression bitter. “They’re saying they’ll only believe you’re truly hurt if you withdraw from the competition later. But if you do compete, they’ll take it as proof you skipped on purpose.”
Wendy let out a cold, disdainful laugh. “Their intention couldn’t be more transparent-they just want to force you to withdraw. The sheer malice of it!”
Sharon’s voice remained preternaturally calm. “Don’t worry. I won’t be swayed by a mob.”
Wendy frowned. “Kelly will never let an opportunity like this slip through her fingers. And as for Abigail-she’s clearly using you for a publicity stunt. With her level of skill, she’d never make it to the finals on her own merit. But by attaching herself to your name, she’s
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soaking up the spotlight.
“You should see it-right after this blew up, she opened a new social media account. She’s gained hundreds of thousands of followers in a matter of hours. I’d say she’s strategically positioning herself as your rival.”
If Abigail had played by the rules, she would have remained a forgettable footnote, her name fading into obscurity the moment she was eliminated.
But Sharon’s withdrawal had handed her the spotlight.
Under normal circumstances, this burst of infamy would be short-lived, and she would
inevitably fade back into obscurity.
So why settle for a fleeting moment when she could gamble on a bold, permanent move? She had decided to bet everything on making herself Sharon’s designated antagonist.
Chapter 752
Abigail’s motives weren’t hard to understand. But feeding off someone else’s suffering- profiting from another’s blood-was far harder to stomach.
At the thought of it, Wendy’s anger flared again.
“During rehearsals, you guided her so patiently. You even gave her a violin! She didn’t thank you, fine-but to repay kindness with betrayal? How can anyone be this shameless?”
Abigail didn’t come from a wealthy family. The violin she used was cheap, poor in quality, and unable to bring out her strengths.
Sharon had noticed her potential and her passion for the instrument. Since they were partners, Sharon decided to help her by choosing a violin that matched her style and
allowed her to shine.
And in the end, Abigail turned around and bit the hand that fed her.
“Have you contacted the organizers yet?” Sharon asked.
Wendy nodded. “Yes. I’ve already explained the situation to the production team.”
“What did they say?”
“They promised to clear things up quickly. An official clarification carries far more weight than anything we say ourselves. But whether people will actually believe it… especially with public opinion being manipulated… that’s another matter.”
Sharon’s expression stayed calm. “It doesn’t matter. I’ve never relied on popularity or hype. Wendy, you don’t need to worry about what people say.”
Wendy let out a soft sigh. “I know.”
Sharon had already suffered so much. All Wendy wanted was to protect her from any stain, any scandal. Yet fate never seemed to grant such peace.
2
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After talking for a while, Wendy finally left. She still had to deal with the firestorm online.
Plenty of malicious trolls were twisting the truth, trying to force Sharon out of the
competition.
Wendy clenched her fists. She would fight them to the end.
When Sharon returned to the ward, Thomas was awake, much to her surprise.
She hurried to his bedside. “Thomas, you’re awake! How do you feel? Any discomfort?”
His voice was rough from sleep. “I’m fine.”
Sharon quickly poured a glass of water and handed it to him. “Here, drink this.”
Thomas took it. “Thank you.”
He drained the glass in moments.
“Do you want more?” she asked, taking the empty cup.
He shook his head. “No. I heard everything just now.”
Sharon’s eyes flicked to the television mounted on the wall. Abigail was still sniffling into the cameras, and journalists were surrounding her with sympathetic faces, their voices thick with outrage against Sharon.
She shifted her gaze away. “It’s just noise. I don’t care about any of it.”
Thomas’s eyes dropped to her bandaged hand. “Your hand is injured.”
“It’s fine,” Sharon replied. “Even with this, I can still win. Once I get some medicine from Uriah, my hand should be fully healed in time for the finals.”
Though the injury wasn’t serious, it still posed some risk for the competition. But Sharon’s violin skills were top-notch. Injured or not, the championship was still within reach.
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Chapter 752
Thomas suddenly asked, “Can you defeat Kelly?”
Sharon smiled. “Of course.”
Her answer came without the slightest hesitation.
Thomas’s gaze shifted back to the news broadcast on the television. “If you hadn’t saved me, you wouldn’t be injured. Your performance wouldn’t be compromised. Right now, you’re at the peak of your career-envy runs deep among your competitors. They may very well unite to pressure the organizers into disqualifying you.”
A flicker of acknowledgment passed through Sharon’s eyes. Thomas’s perception was, as always, frighteningly sharp-he had anticipated a threat even she hadn’t fully considered.
Yet Sharon’s resolve did not waver. “Then let them try. If they disqualify me, so be it.”
Chapter 753
Thomas couldn’t help but study Sharon. “I thought you loved the violin more than anything. Don’t you care about this at all?”
Sharon’s voice was calm, her demeanor unhurried.
“There are many ways to love something. Competing is just one of them. This time, the
fault was mine-I let Abigail down. If the organizers decide disqualification is warranted, I
will accept it. For me, this competition is a path to growth, but it is not the only path. It’s
not something I need to cling to at any cost.
The contest was important, yes-but not so important that she would compromise her
principles for it. Compared to a human life, it paled into insignificance.
Thomas was silent for a long moment. “You only missed the competition because you saved
- I will clear your name.”
But Sharon shook her head. “It’s no use. Right now, anything I say will be twisted by those who want to attack me. You’re my assistant. If you speak out, they’ll just claim we
concocted the story together. It’s not worth the effort.”
Thomas studied her. “So you plan on offering no explanation at all?”
“I will,” Sharon replied. “But only when the time is right… when people are so convinced of my guilt that they’ll believe nothing I say. That is when the truth will have the greatest impact.”
Understanding dawned on Thomas’s face. A faint, appreciative smile touched his lips.
“Not a bad strategy.”
She had been at fault for missing the competition. If Abigail had simply wanted to ride her coattails for a bit of publicity, Sharon might have let it go. But slander was a different matter. However much attention Abigail had wrung from her name, Sharon would make sure she paid it all back.
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Lowering her gaze, Sharon said softly, “For now, just focus on recovering. Let me know if you need anything.”
Thomas countered, “You still haven’t answered my question from earlier.”
Her mind returned to what he had asked before being wheeled into surgery.
“Weren’t you afraid?”
Sharon answered honestly. “To say I wasn’t afraid would be a lie. But in that moment, I
–
didn’t think I just acted. Truthfully, if I had to choose again, I can’t be certain I would be brave enough to do the same thing.”
Thomas’s lips lifted in a small smile. “Regardless, I owe you my thanks for saving me.”
Sharon shook her head. “You don’t need to thank me. Without your composure-and without you shielding me at the last second-I would be the one in this hospital bed. I might have missed the finals, my concert… everything. So we are even.”
Thomas absorbed her words and gave a slight nod. “Understood.”
“May I borrow your house key?” Sharon asked. “I’ll go and get some things organized for
you.”
Thomas tossed her the key. “Thank you.”
Not long after Sharon left, a plain-looking young man entered the ward. 1
“Sir,” he greeted with a respectful bow, “the medical team has arrived. Your care will be
handled exclusively by our people from now on.”
“Have you identified who was behind the accident?” Thomas asked.
“Damien Malcolm,” the man replied.
Thomas’s expression remained cool and detached. “There’s something I need you to do
first.”
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“Your orders?”
His gaze drifted lazily to the news broadcast on the television. “Since Damien is so eager to die, we should grant his wish. Make his ‘deepest secret’ a very public reality.”
His lips curved into a dangerous smile. “Make sure the entire process is broadcast live, for the whole world to see. Let everyone witness just how much he truly craves men.”
Chapter 754
It was Sharon’s first time visiting Thomas’s home. Though she had asked Wendy to help him find the place, and they lived quite close by, she had never once stepped inside.
The apartment was minimalist, furnished only in black, white, and gray. It carried a weight, a quiet severity-so at odds with Thomas’s usual bright, sunlit personality.
Sharon went to the bathroom to gather his toiletries, then to the wardrobe for clothes.
She quickly realized how few personal belongings he had here. If he were to pack, not even a suitcase would be filled.
It was clear he never intended to stay long. Once his memory returned, he would leave. It made sense that he hadn’t settled in.
After setting aside the essentials, Sharon left. She didn’t pry into his personal things, and so she never noticed the single earring resting on his bedside table.
Back at her own home, Sharon collected some daily necessities. Since Thomas had been injured saving her, she planned to remain at the hospital to look after him.
As she was about to leave, her gaze fell on the ointment sitting on the coffee table-the one Theo had given her. She had been applying it daily, and the wound had healed quickly; even the scab had fallen away.
Yet…
Her eyes lingered on the faint scar along her arm. The mark was still visible, newly formed
and not yet faded.
With a sigh, Sharon slipped the ointment into her bag as well. It worked wonders, and she
could use it for her hand injury too.
Once everything was packed, she didn’t head straight to the hospital. Instead, she stopped
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at a mall, where she purchased two new phones and replaced her SIM card.
The moment her phone powered on, countless messages and notifications flooded the screen. Before she could read them, it rang.
The caller ID flashed: Julliard Macaron.
Sharon answered.
“Sharon, I heard you were in a car accident! Are you all right?” His voice, taut with panic, came through in a rush. “Were you hurt? How did it happen?”
“I’m fine,” Sharon said calmly. “Just some minor injuries. Nothing serious.”
But Julliard’s breathing was uneven, his words tumbling over one another.
“Where are you now? I’ll come to you.”
She opened her mouth to tell him not to bother, but in the background, his assistant’s voice cut in,
“Sir, Sharon is currently at the mall.”
Julliard seized on the detail immediately. “Stay there, Sharon. Wait for me. I’m coming right now.”
Before she could protest, the line went dead.
Sharon lowered the phone, sighing.
By the time Julliard arrived, she was seated in a café, waiting.
He rushed in, slightly out of breath, and hurried to her side. “Sharon, are you really all right?”
She gave him a reassuring smile. “I’m fine. Sit down, Julliard. Have some coffee.”
She had already ordered his drink in advance.
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Chapter 754
The simple gesture seemed to steady him. He took a sip, and his emotions gradually settled.
“Sharon, tell me, what happened?”
Sharon didn’t hide the truth. “It was Damien. To be honest, his sudden madness shocked
me too.”
She lifted her cup, taking a measured sip.
“I thought the feud between us ended that day. I never expected him to come after me with such crazed vengeance.”
Back then, the clash between them had been absolute-a zero-sum game where one would inevitably overpower the other. If she hadn’t fought back with everything she had, her hand would have been permanently ruined. Since she possessed the strength to resist, destroying
his in return was only fair.
It was the simplest law of the jungle: survival of the fittest.
She believed Damien, of all people, should have understood that fundamental truth.
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Chapter 755
Sharon hadn’t expected Damien to actually come after her again, this time not just for revenge, but for her life.
Julliard’s expression stiffened. “Damien… didn’t say anything to you?”
Sharon shook her head. “No. He wouldn’t show his face. Besides, he’s not even in Amstern City right now.”
Julliard lowered his gaze to the coffee in his cup. The bitter aroma drifted between them, veiling the emotions flickering in his eyes.
Suddenly, he asked, “Sharon, did you hear what happened to Damien recently—the incident where he was stripped bare?”
Sharon nodded. “I heard a little.”
But she hadn’t paid it much mind. A man like Damien was bound to have enemies. That someone might retaliate against him was hardly surprising.
Julliard’s eyes lingered on her face, his tone careful and flat. “Do you think… it could be because of that incident he holds a grudge against you?”
Sharon frowned. “What does that have to do with me?”
Then she caught the implication. “Wait, you mean he blames me for it?”
Hesitation clouded Julliard’s features. He wrestled with himself for a long moment before finally speaking, “Sharon… the truth is, Carter did that. Carter thought Damien was getting too arrogant and wanted to teach him a lesson. I assumed if Damien sought revenge, he’d
go after Carter. I never imagined he’d come after you instead… Sharon, I’m sorry.”1
His last words were barely more than a whisper.
Lost in the shock of his revelation, Sharon didn’t even hear them.
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Carter? He was behind it?
Sharon’s brows knit tightly. Frustration churned in her chest.
Her feud with Damien had already been settled. If Carter wanted to discipline Damien, that was his business. But why should she be the one paying the price?
Because of Damien’s retaliation, she couldn’t compete in the ensemble performance,
Thomas was lying in a hospital bed with severe injuries, and her own hand bore fresh scars.
Damien’s intent had been obvious-he had wanted her dead.
So was Carter helping her, or destroying her?
Her distaste for Carter deepened yet again.
Julliard, studying her face, added softly, “Sharon, maybe Carter only wanted to help Kelly. Maybe that’s why he deliberately shifted the grudge onto you-so you couldn’t compete on
time…”
A flicker of unease crossed Sharon’s expression.
He continued quickly, “Carter might never have expected Damien to go this far. He may not
have meant for this to happen.”
Sharon stayed silent. It wasn’t impossible. But still…
“I think it’s likely Carter was behind Damien’s beating,” she said after a pause. “But stripping him and throwing him out on the street? That doesn’t sound like his style.”
Carter might be a scumbag, but he was, at the very least, a brazen one. She had lived with him for five years—she knew him well enough. And that sort of humiliation wasn’t something he would normally do.
The hand holding Julliard’s coffee cup gave the faintest tremor.
Sharon went on, her voice cool. “But people change. Before Kelly returned, I never would have believed he could favor her so blatantly. Perhaps it was Nate’s constant whispers in his
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ear. Or maybe it was Kelly’s persuasive pillow talk that finally pushed him into abandoning all reason.”
Julliard’s taut nerves relaxed slightly. His gaze lingered on her delicate face, a silent plea in his eyes. “Sharon… what I’ve just told you… please keep it between us.”
She nodded. “I understand.”
After a few more words, Sharon’s phone rang. It was Wendy.
When she hung up, she rose from her seat. “I’m sorry, Julliard. Something came up. I need to head back.”
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Chapter 756
Julliard offered, “Let me give you a ride.”
Sharon shook her head. “No need. John’s car is nearby. He’s already on his way to pick me
up.”
Julliard didn’t press the matter.
Just as Sharon was about to leave, he suddenly called out, “Sharon.’
She turned back. “Is there anything else?”
His gaze lingered on her arm. “Has the scrape on your arm healed?”
Sharon rolled up her sleeve and showed him. “It’s fine now.”
Fresh scars marked her pale skin, and Julliard’s eyes darkened as he took them in.
“I have some excellent scar cream. I’ll have my assistant bring it to you tomorrow.”
“Thank you, but that won’t be necessary.” Sharon smiled lightly. “Theo gave me an
ointment that works really well. I’m still using it and don’t plan on switching for now.”
Julliard’s expression softened. “Alright. But if you ever need it, just tell me.”
After bidding him goodbye, Sharon rose and left.
In her haste, she accidentally bumped into a waiter just a few steps out.
The waiter instinctively steadied her.
“Thank you,” Sharon said.
The young man, barely in his twenties, froze when he saw her. ‘What a stunning woman!’ he thought.
“N-no need to thank me…” he stammered.
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Sharon gave him a warm smile before hurrying off.
The waiter stood rooted to the spot, ears burning red as he watched her disappear. He had worked here for some time, but he had rarely-if ever-seen a woman more beautiful.
Just then, he felt a chill crawl up his spine.
Turning instinctively, he saw a refined-looking man staring at him with a cold, unblinking gaze. The man’s expression was calm, but his eyes were sharp and predatory.
Fear struck the waiter. He quickly averted his gaze and hurried away.
Only when Sharon’s silhouette had vanished completely did Julliard finally look away. With a reluctant sigh, he pulled out his phone and dialed his assistant.
“Confirm for me. Were all traces from the Damien incident thoroughly erased?”
The assistant replied quickly, “Rest assured, Sir. Everything was wiped clean. They will assume it was Carter’s retaliation. No one will ever connect it to you.”
Julliard’s tone dropped, turning icy. “There’s a waiter at this café who displeased me. Have
someone ensure he never serves with that hand again.” 1
“Yes, sir. It will be handled immediately.”
“And another thing.” Julliard’s face was a mask of cold indifference. “That ointment I had you procure last time… I require more.’
The assistant hesitated for a fraction of a second. “You mean the one that accelerates
healing but guarantees scarring?” 2
A quiet hum of affirmation came through the line.
“Right away, sir.”
After hanging up, Julliard paused for a moment, then dialed Theo.
“Theo, have you run out of that cream? I’ll send more. Your mother injured her hand
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again…”
Just as Sharon had predicted, Wendy’s official statement only poured gasoline on the fire of
public opinion.
Even with the authorities releasing a report on the accident, the online mob refused to
believe it.
They accused the competition committee of being complicit in a cover-up, fabricating
evidence to protect their favored star.
Simultaneously, a new wave of rumors began to spread-carefully crafted stories depicting
Sharon as arrogant and dismissive at the competition venue, belittling the other
contestants.
The so-called “evidence” was nothing but innocuous photos of Sharon in conversation, now deliberately cropped and twisted to portray aggression and contempt.
Sharon’s immense talent was undeniable, and her striking beauty only made her a larger
target. Among the less successful contestants, jealousy festered.
Inspired by Abigail’s sudden and meteoric rise to infamy, many who had failed to qualify saw an opportunity. They began to imitate her, launching their own attacks against Sharon, hoping to claw their way out of obscurity by dragging her down.
Chapter 757
Some contestants with a real shot at reaching the finals began pressuring the production team, demanding that Sharon be disqualified.
No matter how the organizers explained-reiterating that Sharon had missed that round only because of a car accident, that she was an innocent victim-none of the contestants were willing to listen.
They repeated the same line again and again, “Abigail lost by default only because of Sharon. If Sharon doesn’t take responsibility, it’s unfair to Abigail.”
With that charge of “unfairness” weighing on them, even the production team found themselves in a bind.
Inside the conference room, the program’s core decision-makers gathered to discuss the issue.
One executive said, “Strictly speaking, this isn’t Sharon’s fault. It’s a loophole in the rules. Abigail is innocent, but Sharon shouldn’t be forced to shoulder the blame either. How about this: we record Sharon’s score for this round as zero, but let Abigail advance, same as the other team that won by default?”
Another executive shook his head. “That won’t work. If we do that, the other contestants will cry foul again. Giving zero points isn’t fair, but advancing her isn’t fair either.”
One of the judges gave a cold laugh. “Those contestants’ intentions couldn’t be more obvious. They just want Sharon out. But have they looked at themselves? Even if they succeed in forcing her to withdraw, do they honestly think their level is enough to face international competitors? They’ll be crushed before the match even begins.”
Another judge nodded in agreement. “Even if she’s scored zero this round, Sharon has the strength to qualify. With her level of skill, she absolutely cannot be forced to withdraw.”
Several members from the planning and operations team also nodded in unison.
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“From both a performance and publicity standpoint, Sharon must not leave the competition.”
Someone suggested, “Why don’t we arrange a rematch? Let them compete again.”
Another shook his head. “Impossible. Rules are rules. If we break them so easily, how will we enforce order in the future?”
“Then what? If this won’t work and that won’t work, what exactly are we supposed to do?”
At that moment, Fabian, who had been silent until now, finally spoke.
“The team battle rules do have a serious flaw. In my view, this is a good chance to amend them. From now on, contestants should bring their own partners. That way, their teamwork is tested as well. If the partner they choose fails to show up-whatever the reason—that’s on them. No one else will be implicated.”
Someone frowned. “That’s reasonable, but what about the contestants who already scored under the old rules? They won’t accept a rematch.”
Fabian replied evenly, “No decision will ever satisfy everyone. But think about it—if Sharon is forced out now, and later our players perform poorly on the world stage, who will they blame? They’ll say we pushed out our strongest competitor. So ask yourselves: do you want
to take the heat now, or endure international humiliation later?
“You all know my stance-I cannot tolerate injustice. If we really disqualify Sharon, is that fair to her? Did she choose to get into an accident? Did she want to be injured?”
His words cast a heavy silence over the room.
After a long pause, someone finally broke it.
“I agree.”
“Count me in.”
“I second that.”
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“Good, then it’s decided.”
When the announcement of a rematch was released, it stirred up an immediate storm.
The competition’s popularity skyrocketed to unprecedented levels. In just a single day, discussions exploded past two hundred million.
But before the fire could spread further, another bombshell dropped-one so explosive, so scandalous, it instantly hijacked the spotlight.
A live-stream video of Damien and a group of men, caught in an explicit scene, hit the trending lists… crashing servers across every major platform.
Chapter 758
Damien’s outrageous video with a group of men exploded onto the trending list.
Although it was quickly censored within the domestic network, the footage streamed freely overseas, where countless viewers tuned in with morbid fascination.
A scandal this lurid-and this destructive to common decency-was guaranteed to attract
attention. And Damien wasn’t entangled with just one man, but several.
Though the footage was blocked locally, blurred clips of Damien spread like wildfire across every platform in the country. As for the overseas networks… those didn’t even bother with
mosaics. Everything was uncensored, high-definition, and broadcast in full.
Curious netizens who couldn’t resist temptation even scaled the firewall to watch the live
feed abroad-and, in an almost charitable spirit, posted detailed tutorials online teaching
others how to do the same.
In no time, Damien’s scandal went global.
Even in countries known for their liberal attitudes, people were shocked. After all, such acts,
no matter how open-minded the culture, were usually private. No one in their right mind
would broadcast them to the world.
But Damien had not only engaged in this debauchery-he had streamed it.
All across the globe, viewers gawked and commented in real time.
“I heard Damien is one of the heirs to the Malcolm dynasty… Is this how the rich play?”
“The entertainment circle is a mess, but this is on another level.”
“Say what you will… Damien’s physique isn’t bad at all. Heh…”
“Tall, handsome, masculine… and yet he’s the one on the receiving end? Never judge a book
by its cover.”
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“The craziest part? One man isn’t enough; he needs several at once.’
“Unbelievable! And it’s free to watch?!”
The internet was ablaze with laughter, mockery, and gossip.
Inside the Malcolm family, however, chaos reigned.
Lex’s expression was as cold as ice. He turned to his assistant and issued a clipped order, “Shut down the livestream. Now.”
His assistant’s voice cracked with panic.
“Sir, it’s not that we won’t block it; we can’t! Even if we cut the domestic feed, the overseas streams are still live. The servers aren’t under our control!”
A storm darkened Lex’s features.
“Then hire hackers. Bring down their servers.”
The assistant trembled.
“We’ve already tried. But the opposition anticipated us. They’ve hired top-tier hackers and reinforced their firewalls. Our team is working on it, but it’s impossible to crack quickly… By the time we break through, Damien’s livestream will already be over.”
For a man who rarely showed emotion, Lex finally lost his composure. Anger bled through his clenched teeth.
“Who? Who dares to set up the Malcolm family like this?!”
Now the whole world was laughing at their disgrace.
As head of the Malcolm family, he was supposed to uphold their honor. Instead, this scandal had detonated under his watch. His enemies-and his ambitious relatives who coveted his
position as heir-would seize on this as a weapon to undermine him, perhaps even force him to step down.
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At that moment, Cole burst in, pale and anxious.
“Uncle Lex! We’ve traced Damien’s location. He’s… he’s in Leistre.”
“Leistre?” Lex froze. His eyes narrowed. “If I’m not mistaken, that’s within the Ferrero family’s sphere of influence.”
Cole nodded.
“Yes. But we’ve never had much contact with the Ferrero family. In fact, we’ve never even met the current family head. There’s no relationship to speak of.”
Among the elite families, even the top-ranking families usually maintained surface-level cordiality. No one wanted open conflict with a rival of equal standing. The cost of mutual destruction was too high.
History had already proven the danger-two powerful foreign families once battled each other to ruin, both collapsing into bankruptcy, their legacies erased.
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That incident rang like a warning bell across the great families of every nation. Without deep-rooted blood feuds, there was no need to fight to the death.
Thus, over the years, the leading families had all maintained a delicate balance, one that no one dared break.
Cole laid out the results of his investigation in detail.
“The Ferrero family is the wealthiest family in the world, with unimaginable resources. Yet, they have always kept an unusually low profile. There are rumors… that the Ferreros are cursed. Heaven granted them brilliance, wealth, and power, but in return, every Ferrero meets a tragic end.”
A faint twitch pulled at Lex’s brow. He had heard whispers of the Ferrero family before- from Uriah himself. Uriah knew all the secret histories and forgotten truths, and would always sigh with sorrow whenever the Ferreros were mentioned.
Cole continued, “Every head of the Ferrero family has died unnaturally. The first was hacked into pulp by blades. The second was crushed to death in a car accident. The third
perished in an explosion-his body was never recovered.
“The fourth died together with his wife in a murder-suicide. The fifth… was strangled to death by his own father. The Ferrero family is ancient, but it seems no family head has ever lived past the age of thirty.”
He paused awhile, then added grimly, “And it isn’t just the Ferreros themselves. Families
that drew too close to them rarely ended well. Even strong alliances soured, ending in
betrayal and bloodshed. That’s why almost no family dares to walk closely with them.
After the last family head died, the Ferreros were said to have fallen into internal strife. But
who ultimately seized the seat of power… no one knows.”
Lex’s expression darkened further. Truthfully, he had never wanted to deal with the Ferreros. Not because of some so-called curse, but because he knew the truth.
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+15 BONUS
Uriah had once treated a head of the Ferrero family. He discovered that the grisly deaths were not fate’s whim but a genetic flaw-a madness carried in their bloodline.
The Ferreros had sought cures, desperate solutions. Yet even the greatest doctors could not erase what was written in their genes. Unless they bore no children, or had children that were not truly of Ferrero blood. 2
Some had tried. Their endings were unspeakable.
The Ferreros were mad, yes, but also ruthless. To give such men a cuckold’s disgrace was suicide.
One infamous case ended with the woman and her lover’s entire family wiped from existence.
Uriah had shaken his head when telling Lex of it, calling it a sin beyond measure. But even with all his skill, he had never found a way to treat such an illness.
And Lex, a man of clear reason, had no desire to entangle himself with lunatics.
Yet now… if he could not reach the Ferreros, there would be no resolving this crisis.
His voice turned cold. “Find me the current head of the Ferrero family. I will speak to him myself.”
Cole nodded. “I’ll see to it immediately.”
Though few had ever met the present Ferrero family head, acquiring his contact
information was not particularly difficult. After all, the Ferreros still ran companies, still
did business.
Within ten minutes, Cole placed a slip of paper in his uncle’s hand.
Lex picked up his phone and dialed.
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The call connected almost instantly, and a man’s voice came through the line.
“Hello, who’s speaking?”
His voice was clear and steady, youthful, even pleasant-nothing remotely unhinged about it. Not the slightest trace of madness.
Strangely, Lex felt a flicker of familiarity. He couldn’t place it immediately, but he was
certain he had heard that voice somewhere before.
He spoke with measured politeness. “Mr. Ferrero, good day. I am Lex Malcolm, the current head of the Malcolm family.”
A light, almost amused laugh came from the other end. “Ah, I’m aware of your reputation, Mr. Malcolm. For you to call me so suddenly—to what do I owe the pleasure?”
Lex wasted no time on further courtesies. “Mr. Ferrero, I assume you’re aware of the live broadcast concerning Damien that is currently saturating the internet. Our investigation indicates he is in Leistre, and the servers streaming the broadcast are also based there. I am
requesting your assistance-temporarily cut Leistre’s communications network to
terminate the stream.”
The man’s reply was slow, almost leisurely. “I’m afraid that won’t be possible.”
Lex pressed on, his tone firm. “It would require only a minute. I understand your nation would incur losses, but the Malcolm family is prepared to offer full compensation…’
Before he could finish, the man cut him off.
“That broadcast? I’m the one who arranged it. Why would I cut off the live stream? That
would be a slap to my own face. Does my pride count for nothing?”
Lex froze, his mind blank. For a heartbeat, he wondered if he had misheard.
“You… what did you just say?”
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+15 BONUS
The man chuckled and repeated, “Damien’s livestream is my doing. Who else do you think brought him to Leistre in the first place?”
Lex was utterly stunned. Anyone else, even if they were responsible, would deny it, play dumb, feign ignorance. Yet this man-this supposed head of the Ferrero family-not only admitted it outright but did so with casual audacity.
Lex was speechless.
His head spun with a thousand incredulous questions. His initial impression of the man’s normalcy had been pure wishful thinking. The Ferreros truly had no sane men among them.
Forcing his voice to remain even, Lex said, “I don’t know how Damien has offended you, Mr. Ferrero. But whatever grievances exist, surely we can discuss them. There’s no need to take matters to such an extreme.”
The man’s voice cooled several degrees. “There is nothing to discuss. I simply dislike him. He provoked someone he shouldn’t have, and this is the consequence. Consider it a small
lesson. But if there is a next time, it will not stop at a livestream.” 1
The line went dead before Lex could form a response.
He stared at the phone, his face dark with fury, his teeth clenched.
“The sheer arrogance! He dares dismiss me as if I’m nothing!”
Cole, who had been standing beside him the entire time, had heard every word. He wasn’t
the least bit surprised. It was common knowledge the Ferrero family was… unhinged. Hearing it firsthand only confirmed the rumors. They really were that insane.
How Damien had managed to provoke such a cursed star was beyond comprehension. Even
Cole found the situation difficult to handle.
He asked in a low voice, “Uncle, since the Ferrero family won’t help, what is our next
move?”
Lex’s tone turned frigid. “Block the broadcast from whichever area we can. Then find a way
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to extract Damien.”
Cole nodded at once and hurried off to make arrangements.
Meanwhile, Wendy had just received the news. She rushed to the hospital, brimming with excitement, eager to share the explosive development with Sharon and Thomas.
“You won’t believe this… It’s like the whole world has united against Damien! I’ve never seen anything like it in my life!”
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“Sharon, your news coverage has been completely eclipsed by Damien’s scandal.
“Our own livestream was censored almost immediately, but the internet is never short on resourceful people. They recorded Damien’s entire stream and have been sharing it out of sheer ‘public spirit.’ Now the web is flooded with his… indecent exposure.”
Wendy’s smile brimmed with gloating satisfaction.
“Oh, there’s a clean-up effort underway, but it’s painfully clear no one is making a real effort to suppress it. The pace is laughably slow-deliberately so. Everyone has already seen what they needed to see. Damien is finished this time!”
When it came to silencing news, the Biggs family was peerless. If Carter had truly wanted it buried, the public would never have glimpsed a single image.
But after learning of the incident, he had deliberately let it spread, allowing Damien’s disgrace to blanket the entire internet.
It was only recently that Carter had also been informed of Sharon’s car accident.
At the Biggs family estate, Simon entered to deliver his report, and upon seeing Julliard, who had just arrived, he greeted warmly, “Mr. Macaron, hello.”
Julliard gave him a slight nod.
Simon handed the compiled documents to Carter, then quietly withdrew.
As soon as the door closed, Carter flipped through the papers, his expression growing colder with each page.
“Damien is utterly incorrigible. Even after the lesson I taught him last time, he still dared to target Sharon.”
Julliard cast him a sidelong glance. “Carter, are you absolutely certain this fiasco with Damien has nothing to do with you?”
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Carter met his gaze directly. “Would I lie to you about this?”
Julliard offered a quick, appeasing chuckle. “I didn’t mean it like that. It’s just… the timing is remarkably convenient. Sharon barely survives a crash, and almost immediately, Damien is exposed to the entire world. I thought perhaps you were avenging her.”
Carter’s voice cooled. “By the time I sent people after him, Damien had already vanished from Amstern City without a trace. Besides…”
He trailed off.
This wasn’t his style. Such revenge might be exhilarating, but he would never conceive of such underhanded, psychologically brutal methods. His retribution was always direct, physical, and unequivocal.
It seemed he still had much to learn.
Julliard mused, “If it wasn’t you, then who? The Kalen family?”
Carter dismissed the idea at once. “Impossible. For the Kalen family to act this way would be a declaration of endless war. Major families care most about saving face. A private death they might overlook, but public humiliation of this magnitude? That is an act of war.”
Julliard frowned in thought. “If not them, then who? Xavier? John?”
Carter shook his head. “Not Xavier. Ruthless though he is, he’s ultimately forthright. This reeks of a far more insidious mind. As for John… he hasn’t formally returned to the Westin family. He lacks the influence to stir a storm of this scale. And his dad would never allow
him to create such chaos.’
The truth was, Julliard’s visit today was half a social call, half a probe.
Judging by Carter’s reaction, he genuinely had no hand in Damien’s downfall.
Yet that left them both deeply puzzled.
“If not them,” Julliard muttered, “then who else possesses both the motive and the sheer
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capability to orchestrate this?”
Carter’s eyes darkened, as though a pot of black ink had been spilled within them.
Narrowing his gaze, he slowly breathed out a single name.
“Thomas.” 1
Chapter 763
“Not only has someone taken revenge on our behalf, but our hands remain completely clean.”
Yes-clean. That had been Casey’s intention all along: to ensure no blood stained Sharon’s hands, leaving no thread for anyone to pull that could unravel back to her.
A pensive look settled on Sharon’s features. For a reason she couldn’t quite articulate, a faint intuition told her this entire affair was somehow connected to her.
But who could have done it? Carter?
At that moment, a gentle knock sounded at the hospital room door.
“I’ll get it,” Wendy said.
She opened the door and froze when she saw who stood outside. Her face quickly darkened.
“What are you doing here?”
It was none other than Carter, Julliard, and Kelly.
If it had just been Julliard, it would’ve been fine… But Carter and Kelly?
Julliard smiled lightly. “We heard Sharon injured her hand. We came to check on her.”
Julliard had helped Sharon many times. For that reason, Wendy couldn’t very well slam the door in his face. Reluctantly, she let them in.
Sharon sat on the sofa, a score of music resting in her lap.
Beside her, Thomas was absorbed in a mobile game. When the group entered, he lifted his brows with the faintest hint of a smirk.
“Are you here for Sharon?”
Though Sharon had been staying at the hospital to care for Thomas, she was mindful of propriety. A man and a woman alone together in such close quarters, even in a medical setting, would inevitably invite gossip and speculation. This was precisely why Wendy so often kept her company-to serve as a chaperone and deflect any potential suspicion.
Sharon frowned slightly. She had no desire to deal with Carter. He had already caused her far too much trouble; the sight of him alone grated on her nerves.
But with Thomas needing rest, she rose to her feet.
“Whatever it is, let’s talk outside,”
Carter remained where he was, his voice cool and direct. “I have a few questions for Thomas,”
For Thomas?
Sharon glanced at him, only to see Thomas’s lips curve into an easy smile.
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“What do you wish to ask?”
Carter locked his gaze on Thomas’s eyes.
“Was Damien’s downfall your doing?”
Before Thomas could respond, Wendy let out a sharp, mocking laugh.
“Carter, are you accusing others to cover your own guilt? I used to think you were scum, but at least straightforward scum. When did you start resorting to such petty tricks?”
Her words hung in the air, laced with meaning, as she flicked a cold glance at Kelly.
“Framing others… you’re certainly skilled at it.”
Carter’s eyes narrowed. “You’re saying I’m framing him?”
“Isn’t that what you’re doing?” Wendy shot back. “You claim Damien’s fall was Thomas’s doing without any proof. Carter, if you don’t want others to know, don’t do it yourself. Don’t tell me that savage beating Damien took, followed by being stripped naked and dumped in the street-that wasn’t your handiwork.” Xavier’s investigation had already uncovered much. Though the evidence wasn’t ironclad, every trail, every clue left behind pointed back to Carter.
Carter’s voice dropped, edged with steel.
“I did teach him a lesson. But the stripping… that wasn’t me.
Wendy sneered, “So you expect us to believe you just beat him, but someone else came along and conveniently stripped him afterward?”
“That’s right,” Carter said evenly.
Wendy let out a sharp, mirthless laugh. “Let’s be clear, Carter. It was your little stunt-having him stripped and paraded through the streets-that pushed Damien over the edge. That humiliation is precisely why he lashed out at Sharon again. And now you have the gall to stand here and deny it, trying to wash your hands of any blame?”
Not long ago, they had all been discussing Damien’s motive for attempting to kill Sharon.
Thomas had pointed out that the root of Damien’s madness could be traced directly back to that very public degradation.
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Damien most likely pinned that humiliation on Sharon, which was why he sought revenge a second time. After all, what man could tolerate such degradation-especially someone like Damien, a man of status and pride?
Sharon found Thomas’s reasoning sound.
Wendy lashed out at Carter, accusing him of being more trouble than help. With biting sarcasm, she sneered, “Carter, we can handle Sharon’s affairs ourselves. You don’t need to meddle. I can’t tell whether you came here to avenge her or to make her suffer more.
“You created this mess, yet Damien took his hatred out on Sharon. If you hadn’t acted on impulse last time, she wouldn’t have become his target, or ended up in a car accident.”
When Carter punished Damien, Wendy had felt it satisfying, even cathartic. But if he claimed it was all for Sharon’s sake, then why hadn’t he cleaned up the aftermath? How could he act so recklessly and leave her to bear the consequences?
Was this help? No, it was sabotage.
Carter’s brows furrowed slightly. “I told you, I only ordered my men to rough him up. I never told them to humiliate him. And I’ve never denied what I did.”
He hadn’t exactly hidden his involvement. A little digging would easily trace it back to him. He didn’t fear Damien’s retaliation. In fact, he had deliberately held back from going too far, precisely to keep Damien from turning his anger toward Sharon.
Yet somehow, Damien still placed the blame on her.
Wendy’s gaze grew colder, her contempt unmistakable.
Coward. He had the means to act, but no courage to face the consequences. Instead, he let a woman take the fall. Was his brain completely muddled by Kelly’s charms?
A man who dared to strike but not to shoulder responsibility wasn’t worthy of being called a man at all.
Inwardly, Wendy listed out ten sins of Carter without pause. She was about to continue when Sharon’s voice cut her off.
“That’s enough, Wendy.”
What was done was done. Pointing fingers now would change nothing.
She turned to Carter. “If there’s nothing else, you should leave. Thomas needs his rest.”
Carter wasn’t one to explain himself. The fact he had exchanged so many words with Wendy was already unusual. His eyes shifted back to Thomas.
“He still hasn’t answered my question.”
Sharon felt Carter was being utterly unreasonable. She opened her mouth to dismiss him, but before she could, the long-silent Thomas finally spoke.
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“Yes. It was me.”
All eyes swung to Thomas.
Leaning back against the bed, his tone was cool and detached. “He nearly killed me and Sharon in that car accident. Was it so wrong for me to repay him in kind? He tried to take lives. I only made him lose face- that was mercy. Besides…”
He paused, glanced at Julliard, and curved his lips into a faint, mocking smile. “This idea wasn’t even mine. Someone else inspired me. Truth be told, I’d never have thought of something so ingenious on my own. Whoever came up with it is, in a way, a genius. Don’t you agree, Julliard?”
For a fleeting moment, Julliard felt as if this Thomas had seen straight through him.
Impossible. Even Carter hadn’t suspected. He had left no trace, nothing to uncover. How could Thomas know?
Instinctively, Julliard flicked a glance at Sharon. She appeared calm, unbothered by Thomas’s words. Relieved, he forced a light smile.
“Come on, quit joking.”
He treated the remark as nothing more than casual banter. Sharon and Wendy did the same, neither believing Thomas truly capable of pulling off such a scheme.
The only ones unsettled were Carter-his gut telling him Thomas was far too suspicious-and Kelly, who remained silently on edge. 1
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Kelly secretly studied Thomas.
Everyone else treated his words as a joke, but she knew better. If Thomas dared to admit something, it could never be false. This incident was undoubtedly his doing.
Yet Kelly wasn’t surprised. With injuries as severe as his, it would have been strange if he hadn’t retaliated.
Carter’s gaze was cold as ice. “So, you admit it?”
Thomas inclined his head, wearing the calm composure of a gentleman.
“There’s nothing I wouldn’t dare to admit.”
Carter’s lips curved into a thin, mocking smile. “Since you’re being so forthright, perhaps you’d also like to tell us-aside from this matter, what else have you done behind the scenes?”
Thomas appeared thoughtful. “Hmm… let me think.”
As though recalling something, his eyes shifted to Kelly, and a faint smile tugged at his lips.
Her eyelids twitched violently. A ripple of dread crept into her heart-an ominous premonition.
And sure enough, her fear was soon confirmed.
Thomas’s voice rang out once more.
“Your dear friend, Kelly, and I have known each other for quite some time. By a twist of fate, she once became my salvation. So naturally, I’ve helped her in many ways.
“Bribing doctors, falsifying medical records-that was me. When she botched her kidnapping scheme, it was I who cleaned up the mess. Otherwise, you would have exposed her within minutes. 1
“Recently, I even boosted her numbers for the competition-buying votes and inflating data-so she wouldn’t lose too badly and look pathetic.
“Oh, and one more thing… My reason for staying close to Sharon was, in truth, to steal information on Kelly’s behalf.”
Kelly nearly fainted. Terror hollowed her out.
For weeks now, she hadn’t seen Carter. Each time she asked, he brushed her off with excuses of being too busy. Out of desperation, she had gone straight to the Biggs Group to find him.
The moment she arrived, she happened to see Carter and Julliard leaving together, claiming they were visiting Sharon and Thomas at the hospital.
She pleaded, begged, but Carter refused to take her along. In the end, it was Julliard who interceded, saying there was no harm-she could tag along and get a checkup herself. Only then did Carter relent.
She had been curious whether Thomas was truly behind Damien’s downfall. Never in her wildest dreams did she expect him to not only admit it but also drag their secret dealings into the light.
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Thomas was bat-shit insane. A walking time bomb, ready to self-destruct at any moment.
Kelly felt her world collapse.
Thomas, meanwhile, locked eyes with Carter, his smile infuriatingly calm.
“So, how do you intend to deal with Kelly and me?”
Carter’s tone was icy. “Utter nonsense. Not worth taking seriously.”
He didn’t believe Thomas’s words-and relief flooded Kelly’s chest.
When it became clear that nothing more could be extracted from Thomas, Carter and the others finally left.
Once they were gone, Wendy grinned, giving Thomas a hearty thumbs-up.
“Brilliant, Thomas! That’s exactly how you deal with people like them. He has the nerve to dump the blame on us? Please, he should start by cleaning up Kelly first!”
It wasn’t surprising that Thomas knew the details of Kelly’s feigned illness. After all, Sharon and Wendy had spoken about it in private.
Wendy turned to Sharon with a smirk.
“Did you see how guilty she looked just now? Ready to bolt any second. And yet that blind, worthless Carter still chooses to trust her. Next time, we’ll just send Thomas to deal with them. Right, Sharon?”
Sharon gave a slight nod. Her voice was soft, sincere.
“Thomas, thank you for standing up for me.”
Thomas was speechless. 2
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Kelly practically fled.
Julliard also left without a word.
Everyone left with their own thoughts, none noticing the others’ unease.
Carter’s expression was thunderous. After everything that had just happened, Sharon’s trust in Thomas had only deepened. She didn’t believe for a second that Thomas was at fault.
He might not have found concrete evidence, but his instincts told him that Damien’s downfall was absolutely tied to Thomas.
And then there was that little speech Thomas had made…
Carter’s brow furrowed as he stole a glance at Kelly.
Her gaze flickered nervously, her eyes darting as though weighed down by guilt.
Could it be true? Kelly and Thomas really did know each other?
If that was the case, and Thomas had indeed been helping her all along, then why expose it so boldly? It
made no sense.
No wonder Sharon didn’t believe him-Carter himself found it hard to. Thomas’s motives were impossible
to grasp.
And then, there was that claim that he had helped Kelly falsify her medical records…
Carter recalled that both Uriah and Sharon had once raised the same suspicion. So… was Kelly’s illness real, or nothing more than a lie?
A thread of doubt uncoiled in his chest. He didn’t confront Kelly right away but resolved to have Simon investigate the matter quietly.
The scandal surrounding Damien finally began to die down.
But when he was brought back, he looked like a man stripped of his soul.
He remembered everything. His body had betrayed him, but his mind had remained painfully clear. He had lived through every moment of humiliation with full awareness… even the knowledge that his disgrace had
been broadcast live.
A gentle knock sounded. The door to his room opened.
Damien didn’t stir. He lay sprawled on the bed, eyes vacant, staring at the ceiling like an empty shell.
Lex and Cole entered.
Seeing Damien’s hollow state, Lex’s brow tightened.
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“Damien.”
Damien’s gaze remained lifeless. “You came to laugh at me too?”
Lex’s voice was low. “Damien, we’re family. Why would I ever laugh at you?”
A bitter smile curved Damien’s lips. “Family? How many in the Malcolm family have already laughed at me? Forced me to step down, demanded I transfer my shares, and even-
His voice dropped, cold and venomous. “Even plotted to drive me out of this house.”
Lex pressed his lips together in silence.
The fallout from Damien’s scandal had been catastrophic. His photos had spread across the globe-deleted one moment, resurfacing the next. There was no way he could return to the company; his position as general manager had already been reassigned.
As for being cast out of the family…
Lex finally spoke. “Damien, for now, you should leave and lie low. When the storm passes, I’ll arrange to bring you back. I’ve already asked Cole to purchase a private island for you. You’ve worked so hard for years
Maybe it’s time you rested.” a
He hesitated before adding, “Don’t worry. The shares in your hands will remain yours. You’ll still have a voice in the company’s decisions and receive dividends.”
The words sounded gentle, but in truth, Lex was still banishing him.
The scandal had wounded the Malcolm family too deeply. Without cutting Damien off, public outrage would never be appeased. For the foreseeable future, Damien could not set foot in either the family estate or the
company.
Damien’s face contorted with rage.
“Who was it? Who the hell set me up? I’ll skin them alive! I’ll make sure there’s nothing left to bury!”
Lex hesitated for a fraction of a second, a calculated pause, before finally answering in a low, deliberate tone. “It was Sharon.”
Cole’s head snapped toward him, his face a mask of utter shock and disbelief.
The truth was, the head of the Ferrero family had already admitted, with his own lips, that he was the one who had orchestrated the entire humiliating spectacle.
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‘Why did Uncle Lex say it was Sharon’s doing?’ Cole wondered.
Cole parted his lips, wanting to speak, but a single cold glance from Lex silenced him. His expression shifted, but in the end, he said nothing.
Damien, lost in his own torment, noticed none of it. His bloodshot eyes burned with hatred, his fists clenched tight, teeth grinding together.
“Sharon, even if it kills me, I’ll make you pay!”
Lex’s voice remained calm. “Damien, rest for now. Tomorrow, I’ll have someone send you away on holiday.”
But Damien wasn’t listening. His gaze was locked on some invisible point in the distance, eyes brimming with such venom that it made one’s heart shudder.
Lex turned and walked out. Cole trailed after him.
“Uncle,” Cole called urgently, “this clearly wasn’t Sharon’s doing. Why would you—”
Lex cut him off. “We can’t afford to offend the Ferrero family’s head. Even if revenge were possible, striking at him would bring the Malcolm family nothing but harm. Damien needs an outlet for his hatred, and Sharon… is the perfect target.”
Cole’s face tightened. He struggled to accept it. “But—”
Lex’s glance was sharp enough to slice through him. “Cole, do you know why you’ll never surpass Damien, why you can’t reach the company’s upper echelons? It’s because you cling to that ridiculous sense of compassion. Remember this: mercy toward your enemies is cruelty toward yourself. Or do you still believe reconciliation with Sharon is possible?”
Cole had no reply.
He, Damien, and their uncle had already burned every bridge with Sharon. Reconciliation was no longer an option. But even so, was it right to frame her for something she hadn’t done?
This wasn’t an ordinary grudge—it was enmity to the death. And now they were pushing their own kin into that battle. Was that truly wise?
As though sensing his hesitation, Lex added, “Besides, Victoria isn’t exactly on good terms with her. If Sharon and Damien are locked in a fight to the death, Sharon won’t have the energy to trouble Victoria. We’re killing two birds with one stone. What’s wrong with that?” 1
At the mention of Victoria’s name, Cole’s resistance softened.
In the end, he exhaled a quiet sigh.
“I understand.”
When Damien’s scandal finally cooled, another storm erupted online. Posts exposing the “rigged” violin competition once again surged to the top of trending searches.
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The revelation that the show’s producers had bent the rules for Sharon ignited outrage across the entire music circle.
One viral post, titled “Does having talent mean you can trample the rules?”, spread like wildfire.
Sharon instantly became the target of public condemnation.
The other contestants, who had initially kept their distance and watched in silence, could no longer stay still. After all, this now touched their own interests.
Then came the wave of so-called “insiders,” flooding the internet with sensational “exposés.”
“Let’s be real, Sharon’s background is terrifyingly powerful. Did anyone actually believe they’d ever dare to disqualify her? And her ‘talent’? Give me a break. She’s a manufactured internet phenomenon, pure hype. Nobody in the industry had ever heard of her before she appeared out of thin air. If she were genuinely that skilled, how could ve remained completely invisible for so long?”
“And if you
they c
g how she looks so skilled on stage, wake up. With AI technology this advanced, if wap faces, faking a violin performance is child’s play. Don’t be so gullible.”
mean the one who allegedly orchestrated a coordinated cyber-bullying campaign against her With morals that corrupt, how good of a person could she possibly be?”
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Soon after, the remaining nine contestants jointly signed a withdrawal letter. If Sharon refused to quit, then they would leave instead. They would hand her the championship on a silver platter-an undisputed first place.
When Wendy saw the news, she nearly exploded with rage.
“Sharon, can you believe this? They’re ganging up to pressure the organizers, forcing you out! Their scheming is so shameless, I feel ashamed on their behalf!”
As professionals, no one understood better than them the true level of Sharon’s skill. They knew she had genuine talent, yet still chose to smear her name, as if destroying her reputation would somehow benefit
them.
Sharon remained calm. “What’s the organizers’ stance?”
“They haven’t compromised,” Wendy replied. “Right now, they’re going around talking to each contestant, trying to smooth things over. They’ve asked us to hold our ground too. Their position is clear-this isn’t our responsibility, and we shouldn’t be made to bear the blame.”
Hearing that, Sharon’s heart softened.
“I thought the production team would bow to public pressure and to the contestants and force me out.”
Wendy snorted. “This competition has had scandals before, yet no one ever protested this fiercely. Now that you’re strong enough to crush the foreign players, they’re acting like they’ve lost their last shred of dignity, insisting you be eliminated. Isn’t it obvious? They’re picking the softest target to bully.
“The organizers suspect some of our contestants may have been bribed by foreign interests. Situations this lopsided usually mean one of two things: either public anger is real, or someone is stirring the waters for their own gain.
“The average viewer might not know your true ability, but do you really think the organizers don’t? Sharon, they’re handling this. For now, we don’t need to waste our energy there.”
Sharon asked, “And the evidence of Abigail’s slander-how’s that coming along?”
Wendy’s lips curved into a sly smile. “All collected. We’re just waiting for the right moment to deliver the
fatal blow.”
Sharon nodded. “Good. Let’s keep it that way.”
Just then, Thomas suddenly spoke. “Sharon, didn’t you say this competition wasn’t something you absolutely had to attend? With all this public pressure mounting, why push yourself to stay?”
“Because the organizers haven’t given up on me,” Sharon said evenly. “So I have no reason to give up on the competition.”
Thomas studied her. “So, it is important to you after all, isn’t it?”
“No matter how important it is,” Sharon replied softly, “nothing is more important than life itself. Focus on healing your injuries. Don’t overthink.”
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She turned her gaze to Wendy. “When’s the next round?”
“Next week,” Wendy said. “But it’s not the ensemble stage yet. They revised the rules, so contestants need time to find duet partners. The later rounds are being pushed forward in the meantime. Oh, right, how’s your hand? Will it be healed by then?”
“Fully healed? Probably not,” Sharon admitted. “But it shouldn’t stop me from competing.”
As she spoke, a faint smile curved her lips. “Theo’s ointment is working wonders. The wounds are healing much faster than expected.”
Wendy chuckled. “Ever since your divorce, Theo has been far more thoughtful. He even came by yesterday to bring you more ointment.’
Something flickered in Sharon’s eyes. She reached into her bag, took out the ointment, and offered it to
Thomas.
“Thomas, this works really well. Want to give it a try?”
Thomas glanced at the ointment in her hand. “Alright.”
His worst injuries were to his artn; the rest were internal, which only time could mend.
Fortunately, Sharon had once studied pharmacology under Uriah. She could at least prepare meals to help nurse his recovery.
medicinal
Chapter 769
When it came to medicine, however, Sharon could never compare to someone like Uriah, who had practiced medicine his entire
life.
“Uriah was invited abroad recently to treat a patient,” Sharon explained. “I’ve already contacted him. Once he lands tomorrow,
he’ll come straight here to treat you.”
Thomas nodded in acknowledgment.
Sharon uncapped the ointment in her hand. A wave of herbal fragrance spread through the hospital room.
“How lovely,” Wendy praised. “Theo really put thought into this.”
Sharon smiled faintly and prepared to apply the ointment to Thomas’s wound. But then she noticed his gaze sharpen, fixed
intently on the jar in her hand.
“Sharon,” he said, “may I take a look at that ointment?”
Her brows drew together ever so slightly, but she passed the jar to him.
Thomas accepted it, first raising it to his nose, then dabbing a trace onto his fingertip to test its texture. His expression darkened.
Sensing something amiss, Wendy ventured cautiously, “Thomas, what’s wrong? Is there a problem with the medicine?”
“There is,” he said.
Sharon’s heart tightened. “What kind of problem? Don’t tell me… It’s poisoned?”
Her mind leapt to suspicion. Could Kelly have given this to Theo? Had she laced it with poison?
After testing it several more times, Thomas finally lifted his gaze.
“Calling it poison wouldn’t be accurate. In fact, this ointment does stop bleeding and promotes healing. But there’s one ingredient
that should never have been added—it serves no purpose other than leaving a permanent scar.” ↑
He handed the jar back to Sharon, his expression unreadable, his tone laced with subtle weight.
“Without that ingredient, the ointment would work just as well.”
Wendy froze in shock. “Wait… then why add it? Do they want Sharon to scar? Or… did Theo make this himself and add the wrong thing by mistake?”
“That, I cannot say,” Thomas replied calmly. “Of course, if you have doubts, you can wait until Uriah arrives. He will know for
certain.”
Sharon stared at the jar in her palm, her expression clouded with thought.
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Wendy, however, suddenly caught on to something and turned to Thomas in surprise.
“Thomas, you know medicine?”
“Only a little,” he said. “Mainly how to recognize poisonous compounds.”
Wendy gaped. “Poison? Why on earth would you study something like that?”
“So I don’t end up poisoned without even knowing why,” he said matter-of-factly.
Her eyes widened. “Poisoned to death?!”
The words startled her so much she let out a laugh. “Thomas, honestly, what goes on in that head of yours? Poisoned to death? You’ve been watching too many movies lately, haven’t you?”
After all, he had spent his long hospital stay passing time with films and video games. She was certain he was joking.
Thomas didn’t explain further. He merely turned to Sharon. “Sharon, I suggest you stop using this ointment. A scar wouldn’t be
worth it.”
Sharon considered his words, then nodded. “Alright.”
The next day, Uriah went straight to the hospital upon landing.
He had heard about Damien’s troubles, but he remained unconcerned. His children and grandchildren had their own fates to
contend with; his heart was calm.
After examining Thomas thoroughly, he said, “Your internal injuries are serious, but fortunately, your vital organs are unharmed.
I’ll prescribe a few decoctions. Take them first, then come see me for a follow-up.”
“Thank you, Mr. Malcolm,” Sharon said gratefully.
He waved off her formality, his spirits unshaken by recent events. “I’m your mentor. There’s no need to thank me.”
After hesitating for a moment, Sharon took out the ointment and showed it to Uriah.
“Could you take a look at this for me?”
He accepted it casually. At first, his expression remained neutral.
But slowly, his brows began to furrow.
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Uriah asked, “Where did you get this ointment?”
Sharon hesitated for a moment before answering, “Theo gave it to me.”
Uriah nodded slowly. “I imagine Theo meant well. Most likely, he was deceived.”
Sharon frowned. “Why do you say that?”
Uriah explained, “The formula of this ointment is extremely precise. The ingredients used are of the highest grade… something
only a skilled physician could put together. That means there’s no chance of it being a careless mistake.”
Sharon immediately understood his implication. The extra ingredient in this ointment had been deliberately added.
And its purpose was clear-to leave her scarred.
Theo would never do such a thing. The most likely culprit… was Kelly.
“Fortunately,” Uriah went on, “you haven’t used it for long. If too much time had passed, once the scar set in, it would’ve been
nearly impossible to remove. Later, you’d have no choice but to undergo surgery.”
“Thank you. I understand,” Sharon said softly.
“Don’t use this ointment anymore,” he advised. “I’ll prepare a new one for you.”
He checked her hand again, then added, “I heard from Wendy that you’ll be competing next week. I’ll make sure you’re fit to
participate.”
A warmth spread through Sharon’s chest.
She personally escorted him out of the hospital.
As she watched his retreating figure, she hesitated, then said, “What happened with Damien… it has nothing to do with me.”
She worried he might misunderstand. Though she had her differences with the Malcolm family, Uriah had never wronged her. On
the contrary, he had helped her time and again.
Uriah waved dismissively, already understanding. “I know it wasn’t you. I know your character, you’d never do such a thing. As for
Damien…”
His expression turned indifferent. “At my age, after treating countless people, I’ve long grown used to life and death. Such things
no longer matter to me.”
Seeing that he truly bore no resentment, Sharon finally felt at ease.
Instead of returning directly to the ward, she found a quiet corner and called Theo.
“Mom!” His delighted voice came through the line.
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“Have you had dinner yet?” she asked.
“I already ate. How about you?”
“Yes.” After a pause, she asked, “Theo, I called because I wanted to ask-where did you get that ointment you gave me?”
“It wasn’t bought,” he answered. “Someone gave it to me.”
“Who gave it to you?”
His tone wavered with hesitation. “It… it was Dad who gave it to me.”
He had promised Julliard not to reveal the truth, so saying it came from his dad should be fine. After all, Julliard and his dad were
friends.
When Sharon stayed silent for too long, Theo grew uneasy. “Mom, is the ointment not working?”
Not wanting to burden her son with adult concerns, Sharon quickly reassured him. “No, it’s very effective.”
It was true-the ointment worked, and it wasn’t real poison. But Carter’s intentions remained a mystery.
After ending the call, she returned to the ward and told Wendy what had happened.
Wendy’s first reaction was, “Do you think he could have done it to help Kelly?”
Sharon frowned. “Even if it left a scar, it wouldn’t affect my strength. I just can’t see his reason for doing this.”
Wendy leaned closer, whispering a theory. “Then… maybe Carter wanted you to scar. Maybe he doesn’t want other men chasing
after you?”
