Chapter 9 Sharon Strikes Back
Feeling humiliated, Karen turned around and ran out of the room. The atmosphere grew even more awkward as Roxanne maintained her cold silence.
Wendy, sensing the tension, smiled and said, “Nick, show Sharon around the house, or take her to the garden for a walk.”
“Wait, she’s not going anywhere,” Roxanne suddenly interjected. “She doesn’t know the rules, and I’m afraid she’ll cause trouble.”
Roxanne thought to herself, ‘I have the final say on this engagement. I don’t believe I can’t control her.’
Sharon could no longer hold her temper and spoke up, “We’re at Baxter Estate. There won’t be any problems here.”
She flashed a gentle smile, her voice sweet and calm. The seemingly innocent remark carried much more weight than it appeared.
By mentioning Baxter Estate, Sharon subtly implied that nothing would happen here. If anything were to go wrong, it would be seen as a problem of the Baxter family, not hers.
Nicholas gave her a side glance and thought the innocent young lady in front of him didn’t quite match the rumors about her.
He said, “Don’t worry. With me around, no one would dare lay a finger on her.”
As the eldest grandson of the Baxter family and the future heir, his words carried significant authority.
Edward chimed in, “Exactly, with Nicholas around, you all can rest easy.”
Roxanne’s expression darkened as she watched Sharon and Nicholas leave the hall. She sighed, thinking, ‘She’s as unpresentable as her mother, always causing me trouble.’
*****
Nicholas and Sharon walked out of the hall, one with long, steady strides, his expression indifferent, and the other leisurely walking with a calm gaze. There was no conversation between them, but the scene was oddly harmonious.
“Sir, you forgot this.” The housekeeper swiftly followed them with a cute doll in his arms.
Sharon’s eyes flickered with understanding, and she thought, ‘Oh, his tastes are quite particular.’
Nicholas noticed her strange gaze and explained, “This is for you.”
Sharon looked puzzled and stared back at Nicholas.
The housekeeper soon added, “Mrs. Baxter, this is a gift Mr. Baxter personally selected for you.”
Sharon almost choked. Her mind raced. ‘Mrs. Baxter? Come on, we’re not even married yet.’
She couldn’t quite handle the housekeeper’s overwhelming enthusiasm, so she reluctantly took the doll and cradled it in her arms.
Nicholas glanced at her, wondering, ‘Indeed, the doll seems to suit her delicate, refined demeanor.’
They hadn’t walked far when they saw two electric scooters.
Nicholas turned to Sharon and said, “Let’s take it to the horse ranch.”
Sharon simply replied, “Okay.”
She immediately got on one of the scooters. It could seat two, actually, but since Nicholas didn’t seem inclined to join her, she decided to ride alone.
*****
The electric scooters set off, and before long, they arrived at the horse ranch. It was vast, and the sound of gunshots occasionally echoed in the air.
Sharon’s eyes lit up. She was very familiar with that sound.
As they entered, she discovered that the ranch wasn’t just for horses—it also had a shooting range in the center, with many obstacles set up. It looked like it could be quite fun.
“Hey, Nick, you’re here.” A girl dressed in riding attire ran over, looking shy as she gazed at Nicholas. “I’ve made a lot of progress this time, but there’s still a level I can’t pass. Can you teach me?”
Another voice interrupted, “Ashley, can you stop pestering Nick? Don’t you see he’s with his fiancée?”
Sharon stood quietly behind Nicholas, but instantly, all eyes turned toward her, evaluating her with some curiosity.
She lifted her head gracefully and said to everyone, “Hey, guys. I’m Sharon Vance.”
Her voice was soft and carried the unique southern accent, sounding pleasant.
The area fell silent. There were two men and two women.
One of the men spoke up, “Hi, Sharon. I’m Jackson Cohen, and this is Garrett Dolan. The one next to your fiancée is Garrett’s sister, Ashley Dolan.”
Sharon nodded, not attempting to make small talk with any of them.
A flicker of jealousy passed through Ashley’s mind, but she smiled and said, “Sharon, why don’t you join us for the horse riding competition? It’s a lot of fun.”
Sharon was wearing a skirt that was clearly unsuitable for riding, so she shook her head and said, “Thanks, maybe next time.”
“Don’t be such a killjoy. This game was created by Nick himself, and we all really enjoy it. As his fiancée, you should know how to ride. Plus, this is a basic course in House of Ivory,” Ashley continued.
Nicholas turned his gaze toward Sharon and said, “If you want to learn, I can teach you.”
Ashley immediately chimed in, “I can teach Sharon. No need for you to do it, Nick. Teaching a green hand would be a waste of your talent.”
Ashley’s voice was laced with irritation, her thoughts turning bitter. ‘How dare she? She doesn’t deserve Nick’s time.’
Jackson was annoyed by Ashley and interrupted, “Ashley, can’t you just leave some time for the couple? Why do you insist on joining them?”
Ashley shot back, “I didn’t mean that. I just want to help Nick. Sharon probably doesn’t even know how to ride, and teaching her will take a long time. Not everyone has endless free time like you, okay? Nick’s busy.”
Sharon saw right through Ashley’s intentions, and she calmly replied, “No need, thank you.”
Ashley insisted, “Don’t say that, Sharon. It isn’t something to be embarrassed about.”
Sharon’s smile was faintly mocking as she looked at Ashley. The latter’s expression stiffened, and her irritation simmered.
She complained in her mind, ‘Why is she so ungrateful? I wouldn’t even bother teaching someone like her. A country bumpkin is trying to act all high and mighty.’
“Hey, what are you guys talking about?” Karen approached the group, her eyes slightly red, and she was still unhappy that she wasn’t the one engaged to Nicholas.
Ashley explained, “We were just asking Sharon to join us for the ride, but she doesn’t seem interested.”
“She’s from a remote village. She’s probably never ridden before, so it’s understandable that she’s scared. Don’t pressure her please,” Karen replied, trying to appear understanding and leave a good impression on Nicholas.
“Forget it. Seems like she and her brothers are all cowards. They’re even afraid to ride horses, especially Marvin. He used to lose to me,” Ashley said, her tone dripping with mockery.
The people around them let out knowing chuckles.
Sharon’s expression turned icy as she thought to herself, ‘These people are really crossing the line.’
Without warning, she spoke up, “So, how do you want to play?”
