Carter's brows drew tightly together. He said quickly, "I'll be right there," then turned and strode off without so much as a glance back at Sharon.

Sharon stood still, expressionless, watching his retreating figure disappear into the darkness.

She'd lost count of how many times, in the middle of the night, he had left like this—rushing to Kelly's side at the news of another so-called "critical condition."

…

The next morning, Sharon wheeled out her neatly packed suitcase, ready to leave.

As she passed by Theo's room, her steps faltered.

After a moment of hesitation, she decided to go in and see him one last time.

He had been born prematurely. Ever since then, Theo had been frail and prone to illness. Because of that, she had always cared for him personally, never trusting anyone else to take her place.

He looked a lot like Carter—right down to the cool, distant temperament.

It was a weekend. Theo wasn't at school and was seated at his desk, working on his homework.

When she entered, he greeted her out of habit, "Morning, Mommy," and went right back to writing without looking up.

Sharon gazed at the profile of his face—so much like Carter's—and finally said, "Theo, I'm leaving. Take care of yourself."

He responded with a flat "Oh," eyes still glued to his paper.

Ever since Kelly had appeared in their lives, he had grown more and more distant from her.

She still remembered that video Kelly once posted on social media.

In it, Theo was munching on cotton candy as he mumbled through sticky lips, "I just like being with Kelly. I get to eat all kinds of yummy things."

Then Kelly said, "Theo, is your mommy not good to you?"

"She just nags all the time. Tells me what I can and can't do, won't let me eat this or that."

"Then between me and your mommy, who's better?"

"Of course, you! If my mommy treated me half as well as you do, I'd be so happy."

Sharon understood. Compared to a strict mother, Kelly indulged him, spoiled him, and let him do whatever he pleased—of course she'd win his heart.

To manage his condition, she made sure he went to bed on time every night. With his weak digestive system, she never let him touch outside junk food.

It had taken years of meticulous care before he finally became stronger and no longer fell ill so easily.

But in the process, he'd grown more and more distant from her.

She was almost out the door when Theo's voice suddenly called after her.

"Mommy."

Sharon turned around.

He said, "You once said… the people Theo likes, Mommy will like too. I really like Kelly. So Mommy will like her too, right?"

Sharon froze for a split second. Then, something quietly snapped inside her.

She closed her eyes and smiled faintly—without a sound.

"You've always wanted to protect Kelly, haven't you? From now on, you can protect her together with your daddy."

A flicker of confusion passed through Theo's eyes. He didn't understand what she meant.

Sharon didn't explain. She simply turned and walked out of the villa.

…

Wendy Cohen's car was already waiting outside.

After loading the suitcase into the trunk, Wendy looked at her. "Sharon… you've really decided to go through with the divorce?"

Sharon gave a small nod. "Mm. I have."

"And… what about Theo?"

"Even if I fought for custody, I couldn't win against Carter." Sharon gave a bitter smile. "And besides… Theo might not even want to come with me. To him, Kelly is the best."

Wendy frowned in disapproval. "You almost died giving birth to him—labored through an entire day and night. You've been by his side ever since, doing everything for him. How could he think some homewrecker is better than his own mother?"

Sharon said calmly, "That just proves they're father and son. Even their taste in women is the same."

Wendy hesitated. "And Carter… does he know you're leaving?"

She shook her head. "He's probably still with his precious Kelly."

Before she got married, Sharon had owned a small apartment of her own. It had been a long time since she'd lived there.

After cleaning up the space, Wendy suggested they go out.

"Sharon, we haven't gone shopping together since you had Theo. Want to hit the streets for a bit?"

It was true. Ever since Theo's birth, Sharon's life had revolved solely around home and Theo. She'd lost herself, her time, her freedom—everything.

Looking at the spark in Wendy's eyes, Sharon was suddenly reminded of who she used to be. She had once been just like her—full of light, full of life.

Five years of marriage had turned her into someone prematurely aged, spiritless, and worn.

Tears welled up in her eyes. "Okay."

Just then, Wendy's phone rang.

Whatever was said on the other end made her brow furrow.

After a moment, she said into the phone, "Alright, we'll be there soon."

Hanging up, she turned to Sharon. "Someone wants to offer a high price to buy the violin you authorized Demusica Harmony to sell—Shaluna. The manager says the buyer seems like a big deal. He didn't dare refuse. Since you're free today, we should go take a look."

Shaluna… It had been five years since Sharon had touched her violin.

She'd been so caught up in caring for Theo that everything related to music had been left in Wendy's hands.

Hearing that name again now—it felt like a lifetime ago.

…

As soon as they stepped into the music shop, Sharon's steps halted.

A tall, handsome man and a delicate, graceful woman stood together in front of a showcase labeled "Not For Sale."

The woman's soft, gentle voice floated through the air. "The legendary Shaluna… it's even more beautiful than I imagined."

"Carter, didn't you say you loved hearing me play the violin most? I want to hold one final concert before the end… I want to use this violin. What do you think?"

The man's voice was low and clear. "Okay."

The store manager followed nervously behind them, wiping sweat from his brow.

When he saw Sharon and Wendy walk in, his eyes lit up like he'd just seen his saviors.

"Wendy! You're finally here. Mr. Biggs would like to purchase Shaluna. You can set any price you like—what do you think?"

When Wendy saw Carter and Kelly, her brows drew together instinctively, and a flicker of deep disgust surfaced in her eyes.

Her voice was cold. "Shaluna is not for sale."

Kelly's brow twitched ever so slightly, her gaze quickly shifting to the woman standing beside Wendy—Sharon.

Compared to Kelly's delicate charm, the kind you'd find in a dainty porcelain figure, Sharon had a quiet grace, a poised elegance. Her face was a perfect oval, her features soft yet defined. Her eyes, limpid and calm, seemed to hold a ripple of water. She looked just like a classical beauty walking straight out of an ancient painting.

The moment Kelly laid eyes on her, something flickered in her gaze.

She walked quickly toward Sharon and stopped in front of her, her expression tinged with a pleading softness.

"Sharon," she said gently, "is this violin your friend's? Could you ask your friend to lend it to me for a little while? Back then, Carter and I met because of the violin. I was practicing in the garden, and he was drawn to my music. That's how he found me… and how we got together. He always loved hearing me play.

"Sharon, I don't know how much time I have left. I don't even know if I can still hold a successful concert. But no matter what, I want to try—just one more time."

Whether intentional or not, Kelly lowered her head slightly, revealing the familiar necklace on her neck.

The overhead lights caught the pendant, scattering soft brilliance.

The gleam stabbed into Sharon's eyes.

Her voice was emotionless. "People die every day in this world. So what—just because someone with a terminal illness appears in front of me, I'm supposed to accommodate them?"

Kelly had clearly never heard such words before. Her eyes reddened instantly, tears pooling, trembling on the edge.

Carter's expression turned cold. "Sharon, it's just a violin. Must you be so aggressive? If you like it that much, I'll buy you another."

Sharon looked at him. "Exactly. It's just a violin. If she wants one, buy her another. Why does it have to be mine?"

Kelly pleaded softly beside them. "Sharon, what would it take for you to let me borrow it? Whatever conditions you have, just name them."

Name her price? As if the bill wouldn't end up on Carter's desk in the end?

Sharon let out a soundless laugh. "Kelly, you seem quite fond of things left behind by my mother. First the necklace, now the violin."

Kelly blinked, confused. "I don't quite understand what you mean."

Watching her feign innocence, Sharon sneered inwardly.

"This violin—Shaluna—was my mother's. And that necklace around your neck, that too was hers."

Kelly's face turned pale. "I'm sorry. I really didn't know it belonged to your mother… Last night, Theo gave me a gift box with the necklace inside. I thought it was a gift from Carter, so I wore it. I didn't realize it was your mother's…"

Sharon gave a light, cool laugh. "Well, now that you do—can you give it back?"

Kelly touched the necklace at her collarbone, bit her lip, and looked up at Carter, eyes shimmering.

"Carter, since Sharon is asking… why not just let her have the necklace? We shouldn't upset her over something so trivial—it's not worth it."

Let her have it?

Not return it—let her have it.

As if even if the necklace was originally her mother's, it wasn't hers to begin with. As if Kelly were magnanimously granting her a favor, not returning what never belonged to her in the first place.

Carter already believed that Sharon's talk of divorce was just a ploy to threaten him. He hadn't liked that. Now, as he heard Kelly's words, his expression grew colder.

"No need," he said. "Since I gave it to you, it's yours."

"But…" Kelly started.

He cut her off. "Once something's given away, there's no reason to take it back."

A trace of emotion stirred on Kelly's face—touched, grateful.

Sharon instinctively curled her fingers into a fist.

Then, as if shaking something off, she smiled faintly.

"Kelly, didn't you want to borrow the violin? Sure. If Mr. Biggs begs me for it, I'll consider it."

Kelly's pupils widened. She looked stunned.

Carter's expression darkened to something almost dangerous.

"Sharon," he said coldly, "that's enough."

Her tone turned mocking. "And here I thought Mr. Biggs would do anything for you, Kelly. But now… seems that isn't quite true."

She had once believed Carter would sacrifice anything for Kelly.

Now she realized: the things he sacrificed were always the ones that didn't matter.

Like her.

Once she understood that, Sharon felt nothing anymore. Not disappointment. Not anger. Just… nothing.

She turned to the shop manager, who'd been frozen at the side.

"If I'm not mistaken," she said, "the authorization for this violin expires today. Please remove it from display—I'm taking it home."

The manager glanced cautiously at Carter.

Sharon raised a brow. "What? As the owner, do I not even have the right to take my own violin?"

"N-no, of course not," the manager stammered. "I'll arrange the paperwork right away."

Once the handover was complete, Sharon took the violin and walked out without looking back. She didn't spare Carter or Kelly so much as a glance.

Carter's brows knit tightly as he watched her leave.

Kelly lowered her head slightly, voice tinged with guilt. "It must be because you forgot her birthday yesterday. That's why she's angry… It's my fault, I've been a burden."

"It has nothing to do with you," Carter replied, voice flat as he looked away. "Go ahead and prepare for the concert. I'll have someone send the Shaluna to you later."

A bright smile spread across Kelly's face. "Okay."

…

That night, Carter returned home on time for once.

But Sharon wasn't around to greet him with a warm meal like she always did.

When dinner time came around, Theo came downstairs as usual. But the dining room was empty, the table bare.

He looked puzzled. "Daddy, didn't Mommy cook dinner today?"

Sharon had always been the perfect wife and mother. She never argued, never made a fuss. She played her role flawlessly.

Carter had never loved her, but overall, he'd been quite satisfied.

Especially with Theo's weak stomach and picky eating habits—Sharon never left meals to the staff. She always cooked everything herself, including dinner and late-night snacks.

Thinking of what had happened during the day, Carter pressed his lips into a line, his face darkening slightly.

If this was her way of retaliating, of throwing a tantrum, then she was overestimating herself.

"Don't worry about her," he said coolly. "Let's go eat out."

Theo clapped happily. "Yay! Can Kelly come along too? I want cotton candy again!"

"Cotton candy?" Carter blinked. "Didn't your mom say you can't eat it because you're lactose intolerant?"

Theo curled his lip. "My lactose intolerance is much better now. The doctor said it's fine if I eat a little now and then. But Mom always wants to control me—make me do what she says."

That word—control—coming from a five-year-old's mouth, felt too heavy, too strange.

Carter was just about to respond when his phone rang.

He answered, and Kelly's voice came through from the other end.

"Carter, are you home now?"

"Yes."

"Sharon hasn't come back yet, has she?"

He paused for a moment. "Why?"

"I think I just saw her…" Kelly's voice hesitated. "She was having dinner with a young man. They seemed… close."

She fell silent for a beat, then carefully asked, "Is it because of what happened earlier today? Did something upset her again? Carter, maybe you should explain things to her properly."

A chill slipped into Carter's eyes.

Sharon didn't come home to cook—because she was out on a date?

His voice turned colder without him realizing it. "Where is she?"

Kelly gave him an address.

"I got it," he said, and hung up.

…

In the restaurant, John Westin looked at Sharon steadily.

"Have you really made up your mind?"

She nodded. "Shaluna was something my mother custom made just for me… and I gave it up for my family, for five whole years."

Her voice trailed off as she let out a quiet sigh. A hint of wistfulness flickered across her face.

"And now?" John's voice was low. "If you return, you'll have to perform regularly. It'll be exhausting. You won't have much time left—for your husband, for your son."

"Theo's health is fine now." A trace of irony flashed in her eyes. "Besides, he doesn't need me anymore."

"And what about Carter?" John asked. "Will he agree?"

At the mention of Carter, her gaze turned icy.

"I don't need his permission. This is my life."

John looked at her for a long moment. "But he won't allow you to be around me."

"I don't need his approval."

Her voice was steady, but guilt surfaced on her face as she recalled how she'd once distanced herself from John—just because of something Carter had said.

"John," she murmured, "I'm sorry."

But John shook his head. "Sharon, you don't need to apologize to me. It's me who should be sorry. I promised your mother I'd protect you. But I didn't have the strength to keep that promise. I let you suffer so much."

John was her senior. The two had studied violin together under her mother since childhood. Now, John was one of the most celebrated violinists in the field.

His striking features and melancholic temperament had propelled him beyond the classical music world, turning him into a heartthrob with fan followings rivaling top-tier celebrities.

Fame, fortune—he had it all. But he still couldn't compare to someone like Carter, a man with real capital behind him.

"It's not your fault," Sharon said softly. "It's mine—"

She didn't get to finish.

A soft voice cut in from behind. "Sharon, what a surprise to see you here."

Sharon turned to see Kelly, dressed in a pristine white dress.

Running into someone she disliked—twice in one day—what rotten luck.

Her voice turned cold. "What's it to you?"

Kelly smiled sweetly. "Don't be upset, Sharon. I just found it strange—Carter rarely goes home, and yet you're not there cooking dinner?"

Her tone was light, face gentle—an image of innocence and grace.

By contrast, Sharon suddenly seemed sharp, callous, and unkind.

But Sharon could hear the taunt beneath Kelly's gentle voice.

She lifted her eyes—and saw the flicker of smugness in Kelly's gaze that hadn't quite been tucked away.

She shot back, "And why is it rare for Carter to go home? Isn't it because his time is all taken up by you, Kelly? Are you really that clueless, or just pretending to be?"

Shock spread across Kelly's face. She grabbed Sharon's hand, anxious to explain.

"Sharon, wait, I didn't mean it like that—"

Before she could finish, Sharon yanked her hand away. "If you're not pretending, then you really don't know your place. And women with no self-awareness? They're very annoying."

"Ah!" Suddenly, Kelly let out a shriek and stumbled backward.

Before Sharon could even react, a tall figure caught her just in time.

"Kelly, are you okay?"

Kelly's face had gone pale. When she looked up and saw who it was, her eyes immediately brimmed with tears, as if she had suffered some great injustice.

"Carter… I'm fine. Sharon didn't mean to. Please don't be mad at her, okay?"

Carter's gaze flicked, finally locking on Sharon nearby.

His brows drew together, voice low and cold.

"Sharon, apologize to Kelly."

It wasn't the first time something like this had happened.

In the past, Sharon would've hurried to explain. "It wasn't me," "Please hear me out," "I didn't do it," "Can't you believe me?"

But Carter never took her side. He always made her apologize to Kelly.

If she refused, he'd punish her with silence.

He wouldn't answer her calls. Wouldn't reply to her messages.

He would treat her like air—not a single word, not even a glance.

Later, even Theo joined in the silent treatment.

In the end, she had no choice but to lower her head and give in.

The memory made her laugh bitterly.

"Why should I listen to you? Who do you think you are?"

Carter froze for a second, wondering if he'd misheard her.

"What did you say?"

Sharon met his gaze, calm and cold. "When I cared about you, everything you said mattered. But now? Tell me—what are you to me?"

He finally understood what she meant.

In all the time he'd known her, she had never spoken to him like this.

She had always been gentle. Always considerate.

She'd leave the lights on when he worked late.

She'd make him midnight snacks when he stayed in his study for hours.

She'd bring him tea to sober up when he came home drunk.

Even after Kelly reappeared and Sharon changed, she'd never defied him so directly.

So why now… why did his chest feel so tight?

And then, a young voice cut through the tension.

"Mommy, you taught me that when someone does something wrong, they should apologize. So… now that you've done something wrong, shouldn't you say sorry to Kelly?"