" Then there's Carter , " Kelly said , her tone light as she smiled , almost casual - yet laced with something poisonous beneath the surface . " One phone call from me , no matter what he's doing - work , meetings , anything - he drops it all and comes to me . Even if you two are ... in bed together , he'll still leave you and come to me . " Sharon's hand tightened into a fist before she realized it , her nails digging into her palm . But she didn't feel the pain . Because it was true . More than once , in their most intimate moments , Kelly's call had pulled Carter away. She had pleaded with him not to go . But all he left her with was a cold , dismissive reply . " Don't be unreasonable . " And then he walked out . As if the heat of a moment ago had been a hallucination . As if she meant nothing at all . Left behind , disheveled and humiliated , Sharon had sat in the quiet , her skin still burning from his touch , her heart colder than ice . Now , she smiled faintly and looked Kelly straight in the face . " So , " she asked , " he left me ... to sleep with you ? " Kelly's expression twitched - barely noticeable - but then she quickly recovered , masking it with a placid look . " It's not as dirty as you're imagining , " she said . " Between me and Carter ... it's not like that . " She could lie about a lot of things . But not this . Even if she had once been Carter's first love , as long as Carter and Sharon hadn't officially divorced , she had no rightful place . To the world , she was the other woman . The mistress . And of course , those righteous voices online never hesitated to weigh in - mocking the pathetic wives who couldn't keep their men , preaching that all love outside of marriage was betrayal . But they didn't know . Kelly had met Carter first . Before everything " Dirty ? " Sharon repeated the word softly , without anger . " If there's really nothing between you two , what exactly are you proud of ? That your feelings are pure ? That you never managed to give him a child ? Or ... that he never married you ? " Kelly's smile finally cracked , like glass splintering under pressure . " So what ? " she said , regaining her composure . " Even if I never married him , never had his child - if I asked for the moon , find a way to bring it down for me . " he'd Something lit up in her again , and she smiled , triumphant . " Sorry to say , but that wedding you were supposed to have with Carter ? It ended up being mine . The dress ? My favorite style . Funny , after all these years , he still remembers what I like ... " Sharon raised an eyebrow . " Is a fake wedding worth celebrating so much , Kelly ? If you're so capable , why didn't you have Carter divorce me and marry you for real ? " She met Kelly's gaze head - on . " Don't you want that ? " For a moment , something hateful flashed across Kelly's eyes . She smiled again coldly . " No wonder Carter's family doesn't like you . His friends don't like you . Not even your husband or your son are close to you . Sharon , maybe it's time you stopped blaming others and looked at yourself . " Sharon gave her a calm , almost amused smile . " Well , I obviously can't compare to your charm . Carter's sister likes you . His friends adore you . Even Carter and Theo are bewitched by you . Seems even God prefers your type . Should I be congratulating you , Kelly ? You're quite the favorite . " Chapter 11 +25 BONUS Of course , Kelly heard the sarcasm . It wasn't flattery - it was a death knell . She was mocking her . Mocking her ... because she was dying . The two women , not bothering to feign civility , stabbed directly at each other's deepest wounds . Once , Sharon might have held back , unwilling to say things that lacked grace or dignity . But now - now , she understood . Whoever made her suffer , she'd return the favor . No hesitation . No guilt . Why destroy herself just to make others feel comfortable ? Suddenly , Kelly's eyes turned red , brimming with unshed tears . Her voice softened into something frail , pitiful . " Sharon , you don't need to remind me . I know ... I don't have much time left . " She lowered her gaze , the sorrow in her words carefully measured . " You're right . Everything Carter has given me was fake ... I'm sorry . That wedding ... it should've been yours . " Before her words could settle , a furious shout erupted behind Sharon . " What do you mean , ' even God prefers Kelly ' ? Sharon , who the hell are you cursing ?! " She turned , calmly , her gaze landing on the three figures standing just a few steps away . Nate was charging forward , rage written all over his face . He looked like he wanted to tear her apart . " Sharon , how dare you talk about Kelly like that ? Have you stooped that low ? " Beside him , Julliard Macaron frowned slightly , a crease forming between his brows . " Nate , calm down . Maybe this is just a misunderstanding- " But Nate cut him off mid - sentence . " What misunderstanding ?! You and Carter both heard it ! She's jealous because Kelly's liked by everyone - so she says even God prefers Kelly , and curses her to die ! She's so two - faced ! She puts on a show in public , pretending to be all innocent , then turns around and bullies Kelly whenever she can . If we hadn't happened to be here and heard it for ourselves , who knows how long we'd be fooled by this toxic woman ? " Nate sneered , eyes glinting with satisfaction . " Finally caught you red - handed , didn't I ? " But Sharon stood unmoved , her expression calm . There wasn't a trace of guilt or panic on her face . The moment Kelly had changed her tone , Sharon had known - there were people watching . Kelly was using her usual tricks again . Julliard noticed her glance and gave her a slight nod in greeting before quietly saying to Nate , " Nate , Sharon is Carter's wife . Even if she did something wrong , it's not your place to scold her . " Nate froze at that , his footsteps halting . He turned toward Carter . " You heard everything too , didn't you ? Are you really going to let her bully Kelly and still take her side ? " Carter's jaw was clenched tight . A cold aura radiated from him , sharp and unyielding . " Sharon , " he said . " Apologize . " Nate , practically gleeful now , added mockingly , " Carter's pissed off . You're done for , Sharon . " She looked at him without a word . Julliard blinked , raising his brows in surprise . Maybe it was just a feeling - but something about her seemed ... different . Normally , Sharon would've explained herself right away . But today , she didn't . And not only that - her indifference , her cold demeanor - it was like someone else was standing in her place . Carter stared at her unmoved face , and his fury grew . He hadn't forgotten what Nate told him - Sharon had said she came here for "fun . " Chapter 11 +25 BONUS She was married . A mother . And she still came to a place like this ? " Sharon . Apologize to Kelly . Now . " Nate chimed in , deliberately adding fuel to the fire . " With how horrible her words were , even if she bowed , it wouldn't be enough . " Sharon's lips curved slightly - not quite a smile , more like a quiet refusal to play along . She didn't waste a single breath on any of them . Without looking back , she walked past Carter . But just as they brushed shoulders , a hand shot out and grabbed her wrist hard . " Sharon . Didn't you hear me tell you to apologize ? " Chapter 12 Discover our latest featured short drama reel. Watch now and enjoy the story!