Side Chick Era Over (Sharon and Carter) novel Chapter 1099

Carter had heard Sharon mention before that her relationship with the Kalen family wasn’t good.

But only now–seeing it with his own eyes–did he truly understand what she meant. The people before him, with their hypocritical faces and cold, self–righteous words, were worse than he’d imagined. (1)

No wonder Sharon had refused to return. No wonder she never spoke of them.

The Kalen family wasn’t a home–it was a pit of vipers, a den of beasts.

Carter’s gaze flicked toward the emergency room, then back to the Kalens. A dull ache settled in his chest.

If the Kalen family was a pit of vipers, hadn’t his family once been the same? 1

All these years, he’d grown used to Sharon’s quiet tolerance and her giving nature. He had taken her strength for granted and her patience as a given.

Only now did he realize–far too late–what she had truly wanted.

It wasn’t wealth. It wasn’t status. All she’d ever asked for was a home filled with warmth and peace.

And yet, because of Kelly, he had forced Sharon to compromise again and again, until there was nothing left of her pride or peace of mind.

In the end, was he really any different from these Kalen family members she despised?

Sensing the escalating tension, Victoria stepped in to mediate.

“Carter,” she said smoothly, “this was truly Rick’s error in judgment. But he never intended any harm to Sharon. He only heard she had been insulted by Miles and wanted to help her reclaim some dignity. That’s why he agreed to be the guarantor. None of us could have predicted Miles would be so brazen. You have my word, our family will demand a full account from the Silverstones–Sharon will not be wronged.”

Carter lowered his gaze and said nothing.

Victoria’s explanation made sense. Rick likely hadn’t known Miles’s true intentions. According to both Julliard and Thomas, Rick had arrived to find them and Theo already with Sharon.

If it had been a premeditated conspiracy, he wouldn’t have been so careless.

That pointed to Miles acting alone.

Yet, Carter’s gaze remained cool.

“I’ve heard that the Silverstone and Kalen families have been close for generations. No matter how depraved Miles’s habits are, he’s never dared touch anyone from the Kalen family.”

His dark eyes swept across the room. “Yet this time, he not only deceived Rick but also drugged Sharon. Quite the sudden change in behavior, don’t you think?”

The Kalens stiffened, the implication settling heavily in the air.

Carter continued, “I suspect he was acting on orders. And whoever has the influence to command Miles to betray the Kalens and target Sharon must have promised him a reward worth the risk.” 1

The atmosphere in the corridor grew thick with tension.

Miles had drugged Sharon, intended to film the act, and planned to use the recording as blackmail–to force her into marriage.

1/2

If he succeeded, he would gain a foothold of influence within the Kalen Group.

The ambition was staggering.

Carter’s voice dropped. “There are only two people with both the motive and the means to mastermind this: Lex or Jamie. Lex is still recovering from his injuries and drowning in corporate turmoil. He lacks the capacity to orchestrate this. But Jamie… he has motive. Not long ago, he suffered a significant loss because of Sharon.”

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