Initially, Nero ran behind her, believing that Sharron, like him, was a logical person who would never consider leaving her family and sacrificing all the benefits she enjoyed to be with him. But now, knowing her, he concluded she was the complete opposite of logical.
If he were in her shoes, he would be busy getting himself to safety and grabbing onto the maximum benefits before throwing Carlos to the authorities. He wouldn't even bat an eye, much less feel an ounce of guilt for eating off from everything Carlos made for years.
After all, if your partner ripped you apart from the people and environment you grew up in and threw a disproportionate amount of work onto your shoulders, it's hard to see why you should be grateful for getting what is rightfully yours. Adding insult to injury, he involved himself in some shady dealings that impacted them both without his spouse's knowledge, displaying his blatant disregard for how it affected his family and violating the trust. So, why is there a need to jump together into the grave he dug himself?
As far as Nero knows, this is how any normal person would view the situation. And this was where he felt Carlos' choice of a wife deserved praise.
Sharron was smart and capable of managing things from behind the scenes like a good minion. However, she was also dumb enough to bury herself in the sand and ignore every crap Carlos pulled on her. Coupled this with, her tendency to feel immense gratitude to Carlos for the occasional breadcrumbs affection he showed on returning home.
Nero believed that Sharron's products contributed more to Carlos' success in his trade than Carlos let on, possibly opening new opportunities and providing cover for him.
If Sharron had taken the risk of going to the city in her youth, with her wit and beauty, she could have made a name for herself or found a more successful man than Carlos.
Heck, she can do it comfortably even now. Nero gave a quick scan of the woman in his arms. A beautiful face topped with a perfect body shape and fat in all the right places to die for. He nodded, affirming his judgment.
However, she won't do it. Her personality and dumb beliefs won't allow that. She belonged to the special category of idiots who believed they should sacrifice themselves to repay the little care or kindness they received. She might also feel guilty for making selfish decisions or going against those she thinks love her, furthering her commitment to them.
Such a perfect person to have as a wife.
Of course, now that she had cheated on him, Carlos' choice of partner didn't seem splendid. However, she had remained faithful to Carlos till now, despite him barely even staying by her side for all these years.
Besides, who could say that Carlos himself had remained faithful? Wasn't he the same guy who said 'a man needs his drinks on the road to soothe lonely nights?' Who could definitively say that he didn't add a woman to his lonely nights?
Sharron had to be cautious, as the villagers constantly scrutinized her faithfulness, and even when she strayed, Granny caught her. How could anyone be certain that Carlos kept his end of the deal when he was a free man on the road?
Regardless, Nero was confident that Sharron wouldn't leave Carlos for two reasons. Deep down, the idiot still believes that Carlos has done everything for their family's comfort and well-being. Maybe there is some truth to that, but he couldn't care less. The second reason was that Sharron now has guilt gnawing at her insides for cheating on him. Given her personality, both will force her to stand by Carlos and do everything she can to support him if his actions are exposed. No matter how deplorable they may be.
The only way for this woman to walk out of the relationship was for Carlos to do something truly awful to her or pose a threat to her child. However, it seemed unlikely that Carlos would do such a thing.
After sorting his thoughts, Nero felt he better understood how he should deal with her.
By suffocating her with love and making her believe he was the best thing that had ever happened to her, causing her to feel indebted to him and make her dance for his every whim.
As Nero lost himself in contemplation, Sharron gently cradled his face and said with a shaky laugh, "Fufu, I finally understand what you've been trying to do all evening. My Nero is fully jealous of your love for staying with Carlos, isn't it? Isn't that why you did all those antics at the dining table, marking me as yours in front of him? Are you frustrated with Carlos mistreating me and me still staying by his side? You are trying to get me to leave him by saying all these hurtful things, right? Tell me, is that what this is all about? Do you want me to leave him for you?"
Nero felt like his heart leaped out of his mouth upon hearing her words.
Why would I want that idiot? I take it to be back. There is no need to suffocate her with love, just enough to get my SP points. Otherwise, the idiot might realize her life is miserable and run to me. The last thing he wanted was for her to enter his life, but he couldn't exactly say that to her face.
However, Sharron, seeing his speechlessness, mistook it as an embarrassment for being caught red-handed.
"Nero, I want you to know that I love you just as much as you love me. You're always on my mind. I want to hold your hand, laugh with you, be doted by you, and be all lovey-dovey as much as I want under the sun without fear of anyone, unlike how we are acting now. But I can never abandon my family. You don't understand because you're young," she explained, shaking her head. "I have a child to take care of, and I've endured years of hardships with my family to build everything we have. I can't be the one to tear this family apart by simply walking away for selfish reasons. I'm sorry. Maybe if the Goddess grants me a second life, I promise it would be for you."
Hearing Sharron's sincere words, Nero felt a wave of conflicting emotions surging inside, but he quickly suppressed them. He took a deep breath, reminding himself why he was there.
"You're right, Sharron," he whispered, softening his gaze on her, "Consider all of my actions as childish tantrums, a mix of despair on leaving your side and not having you all to myself. I know you're a responsible person who takes her duties seriously and would never abandon her family. If this is your decision, then let it be. I will come to terms with it no matter how painful it is. But let's talk about you?"
Nero glanced down. Looking at the married woman in his arms, eagerly paying attention to his words, he continued with his slippery tongue.
"You are so caught up in doing what's expected of you that you've forgotten to consider what you truly desire. You've worked tirelessly for your family, and that's admirable. But what about your happiness and dreams? Is this how you are going to live the rest of your life, confined behind the four walls of the kitchen, sacrificing everything for a man who doesn't even appreciate what you do and put you in harm's way?" He searched discreetly in her eyes, hoping for a reaction, and he wasn't disappointed.
"My love, I believe I understand you better than you know yourself. You have so much potential, there's more to you than being Carlos' wife or the mother of his child. Think about the person you were before everything changed. I can see behind your eyes the dreams you've buried for the sake of your family. Can you look me in the eye and honestly tell me you've never had a dream you had to abandon for them?" Nero was bluffing, but he felt close to the truth.
Growing up in a remote area, with her natural beauty and sharp mind, she was undoubtedly everyone's center of attention. It was impossible for her not to let it go to her head and harbor grand aspirations.
All he cared about was appearing as though he genuinely cared for them, and ultimately for her, when no one else did.
When he mentioned her dreams, Sharron initially wanted to brush off his words. However, as she examined his face, all she saw was the caring gaze that looked out for her. Sharron bit her lip, feeling the weight of his words press upon her for a moment.
"An actress... I wanted to be a renowned star actress in the entire kingdom." She didn't know what gave her the courage to utter those words, but his encouraging expression was hard to shrug off.
Sharron could never forget the day she witnessed a play being performed on stage for the first time at the harvest festival in Blossom Peak. At that moment, all she yearned for was to be on that stage, captivating audiences with her performance, immersing them in the story, receiving applause, and basking in the glory.
However, her sisters mocked her on the same night for her dream, and her mother dissuaded her by bringing up their dire circumstances at home. She never dared to mention it to Carlos, but when he did discover her practicing dialogue from a novel, she became the butt of his joke for his entire holiday at home.
She expected him to react like others had in the past. She prepared for hearing excuses such as it was impossible because of the lack of a compatible path for the job, that she was past her prime age, or that she had never even seen an acting school. These were the usual reasons people mentioned. However, a small part of her hoped he would be different, or at least refrain from mocking her for having the dream.
"When you reach the city, consider joining an acting class and auditioning for roles. What you need more than anything is experience and exposure. You'll probably have to start by doing free work, but you'll gain both. Don't reject any role, whether it's a prop, extra, or even a hateful villain. Embrace diverse roles to challenge your acting abilities and hope to gain recognition through effort and continuous exposure. If you believe that word of mouth alone won't bring opportunities, don't hesitate to invest in marketing yourself. Never stop improving your skills and establish a name for yourself. I truly believe that you have the potential to become a star actress. Actually, I'm certain you will," his voice was steady and low as he gazed at her face saying as if he believed every word he said.
Sharron, who waited for his derision like the rest before him, momentarily froze upon hearing him. However, she believed he was simply making a sarcastic joke. But neither did she hear the ridiculing punchline coming up nor she saw a mocking expression as she scrutinized his face. All she saw was his handsome face and purple eyes staring back at her with resolute conviction in her dream and a confidence in her that she never felt in herself.
"Take your time, but don't bury your dreams, Sharron. I'm not asking you to neglect your responsibilities, but don't let your dreams fade away for the sake of others or out of fear of shedding the mask that everyone conditioned you to wear." There was an earnest pleading and expectation in his eyes that drew her in and filled her with courage for the future.
Without realizing it, her heart raced, and the world around her seemed to fade as she locked eyes with him.
"Jeez, look at my sweet Sharron, acting as though she's been swept off her feet by something so simple. Your husband may be unaware, but I have seen your exceptional acting skills in bed numerous times."
Those words were the final straw for poor Sharron, who playfully punched him before burying her blushing face in his chest. As she lay in his arms, her mind grew light, and the sorrows that plagued her for years momentarily seemed to die out and her worries of the past few days looked as if melting away with him next to her.
Nero, observing the smitten married woman in his hold, smirked inwardly.
He desperately hoped for Carlos to serve as an obstacle to everything he was encouraging Sharron to pursue. Nero wanted to solidify his image as her beloved who cared and encouraged her for her dreams, while her husband was an evildoer who imprisoned her and stood as a menace to her happy future. Moments like now were an investment in his eyes because whenever Carlos opposed her, Nero's standing in Sharron's eyes would automatically improve.
Nero wanted her to not just obey his every wish today but also wanted her to come rushing into his arms without caring about anything in her life when they met again.
As the clock hand struck midnight, the deep chime seemed to mark the surging passion for the adulterous lovers lying together in a peaceful embrace while for the husband and son, it was one more sign of their cozy slumber.