Unknown Divorce: Revelation Beyond Time Novel by Miss Lyra (Chapters 1 to 10)

Chapter 1

It was past nine at night when Charlene Ross landed at Goldland Airport. 

It was her birthday. As soon as she turned on her phone, it lit up with a barrage of birthday wishes. All were from colleagues and friends. But not a single word from Thorne Henderson. 

Charlene’s smile faded slightly. 

When she got to the villa, it was well past ten. 

The housekeeper, Latonia, was stunned upon seeing her. “Mrs. Ross, what… what brings you here?” 

“Where are Thorne and Minnie?” 

“Mr. Henderson hasn’t come home yet, and Miss Minnie is up in her room, playing” 

Handing her luggage to Latonia, Charlene went upstairs. She found her daughter, cozy in pajamas, totally wrapped up in whatever she was doing at her little table, too absorbed to even see her mom come in. 

“Minnie?” 

Jasmine Henderson looked up with a bright smile, “Mommy!” Then, she quickly turned back to what she was doing. 

Charlene wrapped her in a hug, only to be pushed away gently. “Mommy, I’m busy now.” 

It had been two months since Charlene last saw Jasmine, and no amount of hugs seemed enough. She was eager to catch up with her. 

Seeing her so focused, Charlene didn’t want to dampen her spirits. “Are you making a seashell 

necklace, Minnie?” 

“Yes!” Jasmine perked up. “It’s for Ms. Hawkins‘ birthday next week. Dad and I picked these shells and polished them ourselves. Aren’t they pretty?” 

Charlene felt a lump in her throat, but Jasmine excitedly continued before she could speak, “Dad also ordered some other gifts for Ms. 

Hawkins. Tomorrow-” 

Charlene felt a sudden pang in her chest and couldn’t hold back. “Minnie… do you know what today is?” 

“Huh? What?” Jasmine glanced up briefly before making her necklace again, “Mom, please, I mixed up the order of the beads now.” 

Charlene, let go, standing in silence for a long moment. Seeing Jasmine not even bothering to look up, she left the room without a word. 

Latonia saw her distressed look. “Mrs. Henderson, I called Mr. Henderson earlier. He said he’s tied up tonight and asked you to rest.” 

“I understand.” 

After remembering Jasmine’s words, Charlene dialed Thorne’s number. 

It took a while before he answered, his voice distant. “I’m still busy. Let’s talk tomorrow.” 

“Thorne, who’s that so late?” It was Vesta Hawkins‘ voice in the background. 

Charlene’s grip on the phone tightened. 

“It’s nothing.” 

Before Charlene could get a word in, Thorne had hung up. 

It had been months since they last saw each other. Charlene had made the trip to Goldland, but he couldn’t manage to come home or even stay on the phone long enough for a proper chat. 

Their marriage had always been cold, distant, and impatient like that, and she had grown accustomed to

it. 

Usually, she would have called back, patiently asking where he was and if he could come home. But perhaps too weary, she couldn’t muster the energy to do so. 

The following morning, she gave Thorne another call after some thought. With the time difference between Goldland and back home, it was still her birthday in Goldland. 

She came hoping to see Jasmine and Thorne, wishing they could spend this special day together as a family and have a meal. That was her birthday wish for the year. 

Thorne didn’t pick up. 

Much later, he sent a message. [What’s up?] 

Charlene: [Are you free for lunch? Can you bring Minnie? Just the three of us.] 

Thorne: [Alright, let me know where.] 

Charlene: [Will do.] 

After that, Thorne went silent. 

Chapter 2

He had completely forgotten it was Charlene’s birthday. Even though Charlene had braced herself for disappointment, she still couldn’t help but feel a sting of sadness. 

After getting ready for the day, she was about to head downstairs when she heard Jasmine and their nanny, Latonia, chatting away. 

“Is everything alright, sweetie? You seem a bit down,” Latonia inquired, concern lacing her voice. 

Jasmine answered sadly, “I was really looking forward to hitting the beach with Ms. Hawkins tomorrow. Dad and I had everything planned. Now that Mom’s shown up out of nowhere, it’d be kind of awkward if she came with us. And Mom’s always so mean to Ms. Hawkins.” 

Latonia said, “Honey, she’s your mom. You shouldn’t talk like that. It could hurt her feelings.” 

“I know, but Dad and I like Ms. Hawkins more. Can’t I have Ms. Hawkins be my mom?” 

Charlene couldn’t make out Latonia’s response after that. She had raised Jasmine with all the love a mother could give. Yet these past two years, the father-daughter bond had seemingly grown stronger with her husband, Thorne, spending more time with Jasmine. Thome had moved to Goldland last year to expand his business, and Jasmine insisted on going with him. 

Heartbroken, Charlene had hoped Jasmine would want to stay with her. But she couldn’t stand the thought of Jasmine being unhappy, So she agreed. And then… 

Charlene froze, her face turning pale as Jasmine’s words weighed her down, rooting her to the spot. She had taken time off work to come to Goldland, hoping to spend more quality time with Jasmine. But it seemed utterly pointless then. 

Retreating to her room, Charlene carefully repacked the gifts she had brought from home into her suitcase. 

Later, Latonia called to say she had taken the child out, telling Charlene to reach out if she needed 

anything. 

Sitting on the bed, Charlene felt an overwhelming sense of emptiness. She had made this trip, leaving her job behind, only to realize only to realize they didn’t need her. Her presence felt like a joke. 

After some time, she left the house and wandered through this land that was both foreign and familiar to her. 

It wasn’t until nearly noon that she remembered she had made lunch plans with Thorne. Recalling the morning’s conversation, she hesitated on whether to go back and include her daughter when a message from Thorne popped up. 

[Something’s come up. I need to cancel lunch.] 

Charlene wasn’t surprised. She had grown accustomed to this. To Thorne, work or social gatherings and everything seemed more important than his wife. 

He would cancel their plans on a whim, never considering her feelings. Did it hurt? Maybe it once did. But at the moment, Charlene felt numb, immune to the disappointment. 

Charlene felt even more lost. She had come all this way, eager and hopeful, only to be met with indifference from both her husband and her daughter. 

Before she knew it, she was standing outside a restaurant she and Thorne used to go to all the time. As she was about to enter, she spotted Thorne, Vesta Hawkins, and Jasmine inside, cozily seated together. 

Vesta was engaging warmly with their daughter, sharing laughs and bites of her pastry while Thorne looked on with affection, his attention seemingly reserved for Vesta alone. 

So, this was Thorne’s important matter. And there was their daughter, born from Charlene’s flesh, enjoying the company of another woman. 

Charlene laughed bitterly. She watched them for a moment longer, then turned and walked away. 

Back at the villa, Charlene prepared a divorce agreement. 

Thorne had been the dream of her youth, yet he had never cared about her. If it weren’t for that one night’s mistake and the pressure from their families, he would have never married her. 

She had naively thought he would notice her one day if she tried hard enough. But reality had slapped her hard in the face. 

It had been almost seven years. It was time to wake up. 

She placed the divorce papers in an envelope and gave them to Latonia, telling her to hand them to Thorne. Then, with her suitcase in tow, Charlene instructed the driver, “Take me to the airport.” 

Chapter 3

It was just past nine when Thome and Jasmine got home.

Jasmine clung to her dad’s shirt. Her movements were sluggish as she got out of the car. She didn’t want to come home because her mom was there.-

But Vesta had told her that Charlene came specially to spend time with her and her dad. They couldn’t just stay out, which would break Charlene’s heart.

Thome had also mentioned that if they didn’t come home tonight, Charlene would join them on their boating trip tomorrow.

Reluctantly, she agreed to return. Still, she couldn’t help worrying, muttering, “Dad, what if Mommy insists on coming with us tomorrow?”

“It won’t happen,” Thorne said with assurance.

Over the years of their marriage, Charlene always tried to find chances to spend more time with him, but she was sensible enough to back off whenever he made it clear he needed space.

In Jasmine’s memory, Charlene always listened to Thorne. If he said it wouldn’t happen, then it certainly wouldn’t.

Finally feeling relieved, Jasmine’s mood lifted. She bounced into the house, telling Latonia she would take a shower.

Okay,” Latonia responded. Remembering Charlene’s instructions, she handed Thorne an envelope. “Mr. Henderson, Mrs. Henderson asked me to give this to you.”

Thome took it, casually asking, “Where is she?”

“She… packed up and left around noon. Didn’t you know?”

Thome paused on his way upstairs, turning back. “She left?”

Latonia nodded. “Yes.”

Thorne had never let Charlene explain why she came to Goldland, and he didn’t care much. Knowing she had left didn’t bother him either.

Jasmine was surprised to hear it, feeling a slight sense of loss.

She figured it would be nice to have her mom around in the evening, especially if her mom didn’t join their outing the next day. Plus, her hands always hurt from polishing shells, and she had hoped her mom would help her finish.

Thorne and Charlene hadn’t seen each other for months. Charlene had come all this way yet hadn’t even seen Thorne. Remembering Charlene’s unhappy expression upon leaving, Latonia couldn’t help but mention, “Mr. Henderson, Mrs. Henderson seemed upset when she left. It looked like she was angry.”

Latonia had initially thought Charlene had urgent business to attend to back in the country. Then, realizing Thorne didn’t know about her return, she sensed something was off.

‘Angry? Charlene’s always been super patient and nice to me. Wait, she can actually get mad? That’s a first. Thorne chuckled dismissively, barely acknowledging Latonia before heading upstairs.

Entering his room, he was about to open Charlene’s letter when Vesta’s call came through. After picking up, he carelessly tossed the envelope aside and left the room. The envelope fell to the floor beside the bed.

Thorne didn’t come home that night.

The next day, when Latonia came to clean up, she saw the envelope on the floor and recognized it as the one Charlene had given to her for Thorne the day before. Assuming Thorne had read it, she casually placed it in a nearby cabinet.

After landing, Charlene headed straight to her room to pack. She’d been there six years and had plenty of stuff, but she only took some clothes, personal items, and her professional books.

Thorne had always provided for her and Jasmine, depositing money into two separate accounts monthly. One was hers, and the other was Jasmine’s.

However, Charlene usually used her card for expenses, never touching Jasmine’s account. Moreover, because she loved Thorne, every time she went shopping and saw stuff that would suit him, like clothes, shoes, cufflinks, and ties, she couldn’t resist buying them for him.

Chapter 4

Charlene led a simple life dedicated to her work and her family, always putting her husband and daughter first. That’s why she used most of the living allowance Thorne gave her to support their father–daughter activities,

Given this scenario, there shouldn’t have been much in her bank account by then.-

However, since Jasmine had mostly lived with Thorne in Goldland over the past year, her opportunities to splurge on them had significantly diminished.

By the time, her account surprisingly still boasted over $30 million. To Thorne, this sum was a drop in the ocean, but for Charlene, it was a considerable amount. Recognizing it as hers, Charlene didn’t hesitate to transfer the money to her account.

Leaving two cards behind, she dragged her suitcase without looking back. She owned a small apartment near her office, a cozy place of just over a thousand square feet.

She bought the apartment four years ago to help out a friend who had left home, and it had been sitting empty ever since. It finally proved useful. Regularly cleaned despite its vacancy, the apartment required minimal effort to make it livable.

After a tiring day, Charlene settled in around ten o’clock at night.

The jarring alarm woke her up with a start. “Ring, ring, ring…-”

Disoriented and groggy, it took her a moment to remember that it was 1 a.m. her time, but over in Goldland, where Thorne and Jasmine – breakfast time. were, it was past 7 a.m.

Since Jasmine had moved to Goldland with Thorne, Charlene had made it to a point to call her at this hour.

At first, Jasmine had struggled with the transition and missed Charlene terribly, constantly wanting to call. But Jasmine’s longing turned into indifference and impatience as time passed.

Realizing the alarm no longer served its purpose, yet reluctant to let go, Charlene couldn’t help but smile bitterly. After hesitating, she deleted the alarm and turned off her phone to go back to sleep.

Meanwhile, Thorne and Jasmine almost finished their breakfast.

Aware of Charlene’s daily calls, Thorne didn’t always prioritize being home for them and didn’t think much of it. Noticing Charlene hadn’t called, he was indifferent and went upstairs to change after breakfast.

Jasmine felt that Charlene was becoming more and more naggy, making her hesitant to chat on the phone.

With no calls from her mom, she figured Charlene must have been held up.

With a mischievous glint in her eye, she grabbed her backpack and dashed for the door.

Seeing that, Latonia hurried after her, “Miss Minnie, it’s still early. You have time if you leave a bit later!”

Jasmine didn’t listen and happily ran toward the car. “Are you kidding? It’s a rare break from Mom’s punctual calls. If I don’t leave now, I might have to chat with her when she finally calls. No way!”

After her marriage, Charlene joined the Henderson Group primarily for Thorne. Now that they were divorcing, she saw no reason to stay with the Henderson Group.

The following morning, she handed her resignation letter to Josh.

Chapter 5

Josh was one of Thorne’s assistants. Seeing Charlene’s resignation letter, he was genuinely shocked.

He was one of the few in the company clued into Charlene and Thorn’s relationship. Anyone familiar with Thorne knew that his heart wasn’t really with Charlene.

After they got married, Thorne was quite indifferent toward her, rarely coming home. To get closer to and ultimately win over Thorne, Charlene decided to work at the Henderson Group.

Her initial goal was to become Thome’s assistant. But Thorne disagreed.

Even Neal Henderson’s intervention couldn’t sway Thorne. At last, Charlene had no choice but to settle for a position in the secretarial department, becoming one of Thorne’s many secretaries.

At first, Josh was worried that Charlene’s presence in the department would cause chaos. But the outcome was unexpected. Charlene used her position to get closer to Thorne but knew when to draw the line and never overstepped.

Perhaps aiming to impress Thorne, Charlene worked diligently and exhibited exceptional skills, adhering to company policies even through pregnancy and childbirth, without seeking special treatment. Over the years, Charlene rose to become the head of the secretarial department.

Mosh had always noticed Charlene’s feelings for Thorne.

Josh was shocked that Charlene resigned. He just couldn’t believe she would leave on her own accord. If Charlene was resigning, Josh figured it must be due to some unknown issue between her and Thorne, leading Thorne to demand her resignation.

Although feeling pitiful to lose such a capable employee as Charlene, Josh handled it professionally. “I’ve accepted your resignation letter, and I’ll arrange for someone to take over your duties as soon as possible.”

“Okay, thanks.” Charlene nodded and returned to her desk.

After busying himself, Josh reported to Thorne online about the work. When they nearly finished, he remembered Charlene’s resignation. “Oh, Mr. Henderson, regarding…-”

Although he told Charlene he would arrange for her replacement soon, he still wanted to probe Thorne’s intentions about when exactly Charlene should leave. He would arrange it immediately if Thorne wanted Charlene out by tomorrow.

But as he was about to speak, he remembered Thorne’s directive at Charlene’s hiring that matters concerning Charlene would be handled according to company policy without needing to report specifically to him. Thorne wouldn’t interfere.

Indeed, over the years, Thorne never inquired about Charlene at the company. Whenever he saw Charlene at work, he treated her like a stranger.

Over the years, Charlene stood out with her performance. Before a planned promotion a few years ago, considering Thorne’s disapproval of Charlene, they had even mentioned it to Thorne, suggesting they would drop the matter if he objected.

Thorne frowned, impatiently reiterating he wouldn’t interfere, and instructed them to follow the future policy regarding Charlene’s matters.

Seeing Josh hesitate, Thorne frowned, “What is it?”

Josh returned to reality, quickly saying, “Nothing.”

Since Thorne was already aware of Charlene’s resignation but hadn’t brought it up himself, it indicated the matter was insignificant to him.

Josh decided to proceed as usual, according to company regulations. With that, Josh dropped the subject.

Thorne ended the video call.

“What are you thinking about?”

Chapter 6

Noon hit, and Charlene’s colleague suddenly tapped her shoulder, pulling her back from her thoughts.

Charlene chuckled and shook her head. “Nothing much.”

“Aren’t you going to call your daughter today?”

“No, not today.” Usually, Charlene called Jasmine twice a day. One call was at 1 A.M. and again at noon. It was an open secret among her office mates. What they didn’t know was that Jasmine’s father was none other than the big boss of their company.

After work, Charlene stopped by the local market to pick up some groceries and a few potted plants for her home.

Post–dinner, she went online to catch up on news about the Future Tech Expo. After reading, she made a call. “Keep a ticket for the Future Tech Expo next month for me.”

“Are you sure?” The voice on the other end was cold. “You said the same the last two times and never showed up. You wasted tickets many people can only dream of.”

The annual Future Tech Expo was a major event in the tech world, and tickets weren’t easy to come by. Their company managed to snag a few spots, which were highly sought after by many of its top members. Each slot was incredibly valuable to them.

“I won’t ask you again if I don’t make it this time,” Charlene promised.

There was silence on the other end before the call ended, an unspoken agreement.

Charlene smiled. What she hadn’t mentioned was her desire to return to the company.

As a founding partner, she stepped back to focus on her family when the company was getting off the ground, derailing their plans and causing them to miss out on opportunities. Her colleagues were understandably annoyed. They had lost touch over the years. Charlene wanted to return, but her life had revolved around her family. She felt out of the loop and worried about keeping up with them without preparation.

So, she decided to catch up on the industry’s current state before making concrete plans.

Charlene kept to her routine, working during the day and focusing on her projects at night without contacting Jasmine or Thorne. They didn’t call her, either, which didn’t surprise her. Their communication had been one-sided for over six months.

In Goldland, Jasmine had formed a habit of calling Vesta every morning when she woke up.

One morning, just like any other, she dialed Vesta’s number, but their conversation was cut short by Jasmine’s sudden tears.

“Ms. Hawkins is moving back to the country!” she sobbed after hearing the news from Vesta.

Distraught, Jasmine immediately called her dad, Thorne, “Dad, did you know about this?”

Thorne flipped through his documents and replied, “Yes, I knew.”

“When did you find out?”

“It’s been a while.”

“Dad, you’re terrible…” Jasmine cried into her pink plush pig. “Why didn’t you tell me? I can’t stand the thought of Ms. Hawkins leaving. don’t want to stay here without her. I want to go back, too.”

Thorne’s voice was calm. “I’ve handled it.”

Confused, Jasmine asked, “What do you mean?”

“We’re moving back next week.”

Chapter 7

Jasmine leaped out of bed, her voice filled with excitement. “Really?”

Yeah!

“Then why didn’t Ms. Hawkins tell me about it?”

“It’s just been confirmed. I haven’t had the chance to tell her yet.”

Jasmine’s excitement was palpable. “Let’s not tell Ms. Hawkins yet, Dad. How about we surprise her when we get back home?”

“It sounds like a plan.”

“Dad, you’re the best! I love you to the moon and back!”

After hanging up the phone, Jasmine’s happiness didn’t fade. She kept dancing and singing on her bed, brimming with joy. Suddenly, she remembered Charlene. These past few days had been good since Charlene hadn’t called. To avoid talking to Charlene, Jasmine had been leaving the house early and deliberately placing her phone far away or turning it off when she got home from school.

After a few days, worried about Charlene getting mad, she stopped doing that. To her surprise, Charlene didn’t call in the following days. At first, Jasmine thought Charlene knew she was avoiding her calls. But then, knowing her mom, if she had done something wrong, Charlene would have corrected her immediately rather than staying silent.

She couldn’t believe Charlene would stay mad at her and not call. With that thought, Jasmine suddenly missed Charlene. It was the first time in days she had felt this way. She couldn’t resist and dialed Charlene’s number.

But when she did, she remembered. Even though she would soon see Vesta back home, her mom would likely do everything to keep them apart, just like before. She couldn’t see Vesta whenever she wanted, like she could here. The realization dampened Jasmine’s spirits.

Back home, it was the middle of the night.

Jasmine’s call woke Charlene.

As she was about to answer, Jasmine hung up in anger.

Even though Charlene had given up her custody rights to Jasmine in the divorce agreement with Thorne, Jasmine was still her daughter, and she felt a responsibility toward her.

Worried that something might be wrong after Jasmine abruptly hung up, Charlene quickly called back. Jasmine saw the call but turned her face away, refusing to answer.

Charlene’s worry grew, so she decided to call the house landline instead.

Latonia picked up quickly. After hearing Charlene out, Latonía reassured her, “Miss Minnie should be fine. She went to bed late last night and woke up late today. I saw her just now, still half asleep. Let me check on her, and I’ll call you back.”

Charlene felt relieved hearing Latonia’s words. “Thank you. That would be great.”

When Latonia checked on Jasmine, she was getting ready for the day. After explaining what had happened, Jasmine lied, saying she had accidentally dialed the number while brushing her teeth.

None the wiser, Latonia went back downstairs to call Charlene.

Jasmine huffed, feeling somewhat better after the small act of defiance.

After hearing from Latonia, Charlene finally felt relieved. However, the sudden wake–up call meant she struggled to fall asleep again, leading to a groggy morning at work the next day.

Thorne had forgotten the divorce agreement envelope Charlene had sent to him since the day Vesta called him.

Thorne ensured he had all his documents before leaving the house, unaware of what awaited him back home.

Chapter 8

Let’s hit the road.”

Their car swiftly departed the manor, making its way toward the airport.

Charlene was oblivious to Thorne’s return to their homeland. No one had informed her.

Half a month had elapsed since she had moved out of the manor. During this time, she gradually grew accustomed to and fond of the peaceful and leisurely life of living alone.

It was a lazy Saturday morning when she finally woke up. After getting up and freshening up, she drew the curtains to find the sunlight beaming outside.

She stretched lazily, watered her plants, and was just about to whip up a simple breakfast when the doorbell rang. It was her neighbor from across the hall, Mrs. Sullivan.

“Ms. Ross, hope I didn’t wake you?”

Charlene replied softly, “Not at all. I was already up.”

“That’s good to hear.” Mrs. Sullivan said warmly. “I’ve brought some freshly baked muffins and apple pies from this morning. I thought you might like to try them.”

Charlene was happy. “Thanks. That’s incredibly kind of you.”

“It’s the least I could do after you saved our Sally from that crazy dog the other day. My husband and I have wanted to thank you properly, but we’ve just been busy at work. I feel terrible about it.”

Charlene smiled. “It was nothing, really, Mrs. Sullivan. You’re too kind.”

After exchanging pleasantries, Mrs. Sullivan left.

Charlene sat down to eat breakfast while exploring the latest algorithm mechanisms of an Al project she had been studying.

In the afternoon, a notification about the centenary celebration of Starlight University popped up on her phone.

Charlene paused, checking the date, and realized it was Starlight University’s anniversary.

The hashtag #StarlightUniversityCentenary was trending online, with several posts about it.

The high interest in Starlight University’s centenary celebration wasn’t just because it’s the top university in the country, attracting attention with every move, but also because this was the first centenary celebration, drawing many distinguished graduates back for the festivities.

Charlene scrolled through the posts, her hand trembling slightly, as she saw several familiar faces from her past.

Memories of her college days flooded her mind, throwing her emotions into disarray. Had she not married right after her undergraduate studies, she wondered if she might have been among the honored graduates invited to the celebration.

Closing her laptop, Charlene hesitated before driving to Starlight University.

By the afternoon, many VIP guests had left, but the campus was still buzzing with people.

Wandering around the campus, Charlene found herself beneath the familiar structure of the science building when a familiar voice called out to her. “Charlene?”

Twenty minutes later, at a cafe outside Starlight University, Stewart Ferguson poured Charlene a cup of coffee. “How have you been?” Holding her teacup, Charlene smiled faintly, “Pretty good, just… getting a divorce.”

Stewart was shocked. “I’m sorry to hear that.”

“It’s okay.”

“What are your plans now? Thinking of returning to the company?”

“I’ve considered it, but…”

Not fully grasping her concerns, Stewart said sincerely, “Charlene, the company needs you. You’re a key part of it, and I really hope you can come back to lead us.”

Charlene hesitated, “I… I…”

Seeing Stewart’s earnest expression, Charlene felt a mix of emotions. It wasn’t that she didn’t want to. It was just that the field of Al was advancing so rapidly.

Having been out of the industry for six years, she feared she couldn’t keep up with the pace of progress, let alone lead the team to the forefront as she had done previously.

Chapter 9

Stewart and Charlene had become strangers to each other over the years, their meetings few and far between. Yet, even with these brief encounters, Stewart could tell the vibrant spirit that once defined Charlene seemed to have dimmed considerably.

He remembered Charlene in her prime, a force to be reckoned with, and could hardly believe she could ever be associated with the word ‘insecure.‘

Stewart wasn’t privy to the intricacies of Charlene’s marriage to Thorne, but he had heard enough to form his suspicions. Without delving into details, he earnestly advised Charlene, “Falling behind for a bit doesn’t really matter, Charlene. You’ve got skills and talents that aren’t just run–of–the–mill. It’s never too late to start over if you’re still passionate about this path. Don’t forget you were the student the professor was most proud of in his teaching career.”

Charlene chuckled at that. “If our professor heard that, he’d probably scoff, saying he was picking the tallest dwarf.”

When recalling their refined yet sarcastically sharp professor, Charlene’s smile faded slightly. “I saw in the news that he’s back for the celebration. How is he doing?”

“Pretty well, just constantly annoyed by us, his students, always embarrassing him,” Stewart replied.

Charlene laughed, her heart swelling with nostalgia for the days spent learning from their professor and tirelessly working on research papers.

Come back, Charlene,” Stewart urged.

Holding her coffee mug tightly, Charlene took a deep breath and nodded. “Okay.”

Her passion for artificial intelligence started at a young age, and she loved the field. But her love for Thorne had led her to abandon her dreams for nearly seven years.

Returning after such a long hiatus, catching up would undoubtedly take time. Yet, Charlene believed that with effort, it was still possible. “When do you plan on coming back?” Stewart inquired.

“I need to hand over my current projects. It might take a while.”

Stewart said, “That’s fine. There’s no rush.” Waiting a bit longer was no issue if she were willing to return.

After chatting more, Stewart glanced at his watch and mentioned, “A friend introduced me to a genius in algorithms who just returned to town. We’ve scheduled a meet–up soon. Since you’re here, why not join me?”

Charlene shook her head. “I’m not familiar with your team. Maybe next time.” Charlene

“Sure thing.” Stewart smiled.

As soon as Stewart left, Charlene saw Thorne’s sister, Tiffany Henderson, approaching.

Charlene had seen her in the news but hadn’t expected to run into her there.

“Greetings, Tiffany.”

Tiffany didn’t respond immediately. Her brows furrowed as she asked, “What are you doing here?”

“I came for the Starlight University anniversary celebration,” Charlene replied.

Tiffany seemed to have forgotten that Charlene was also a graduate of Starlight University.

The day was for honored graduates invited by the university, except for faculty and current students. In Tiffany’s eyes, Charlene was an ordinary graduate without significant achievements.

Tiffany decided not to dwell on it. She couldn’t be bothered to care if Charlene didn’t speak out of turn and embarrass the Henderson family.

Thinking of her son, Tiffany bluntly stated her purpose. “Cain mentioned he misses your cooking. I’ll have the driver drop Cain off at yours and Thorne’s place later.”

Cain, Tiffany’s son and two years older than Jasmine, had grown increasingly rebellious due to his parents‘ strained relationship and Tiffany’s busy career. Knowing Cain enjoyed Charlene’s home-cooked meals, Tiffany had started sending him over whenever she could.

Chapter 10

No one in the Henderson family cared much about Charlene except for Irma Henderson, Thorne’s grandmother.

kids often mimic what they see. Tiffany’s son was no exception. He enjoyed Charlene’s cooking but looked down on her from his heart, treating her more like a servant than a family member.

In the past, Charlene had gone out of her way for Thorne and never taken Tiffany’s child’s disrespect to heart. But then, as she and Thome were on the brink of divorce, Charlene refused to bend backward for him any longer.

“I’m sorry, Tiffany. I’m busy tomorrow,” Charlene stated when Tiffany asked for a favor.

Charlene was determined to focus on her career, putting her time into her work rather than worrying about Thorne or Tiffany after the divorce. It was time for her to stop wasting her time on them.

Tiffany was stunned by the refusal. Charlene had always gone out of her way to please, especially with Thorne and his side of the family.

But Tiffany figured Charlene must genuinely be busy. Otherwise, why would she pass up the opportunity to curry favor? Tiffany couldn’t hide her displeasure. “Thorne and Minnie are not around. What could be so important?”

Charlene couldn’t help but smile bitterly. For years, she had lost herself in her role as wife and mother, revolving her entire world around Thorne and Jasmine. Tiffany’s words were harsh, but not without reason. But Charlene was ready to move on.

As they spoke, a group approached, calling out, “Ms. Henderson!”

They were looking for Tiffany. After giving Charlene a once–over, one asked, “Ms. Henderson, and who might this be?”

Without acknowledging Charlene’s relation to her, Tiffany coldly replied, “A friend.”

The group, all graduates of Starlight University back for a reunion, expected someone of significance. But Tiffany’s dismissive tone shifted their attention away from Charlene despite a few lingering glances at her striking appearance.

After the group left with Tiffany, Charlene, who might have been hurt by such treatment in the past, now felt indifferent. She picked up her purse and left.

Later that night, Thorne and Jasmine arrived home from their flight. Jasmine fell asleep before they even got home. Thome carried her upstairs, noticing the master bedroom door ajar and the room dark. After settling Jasmine in her room, he noticed Charlene was not in their bedroom.

The butler carried their luggage and informed him, “Mrs. Henderson has gone on a business trip.”

It was unusual for Charlene to travel for work and even more so to be gone for half a month. Thorne’s inquiry ended with a nonchalant hum, his question hanging in the air unanswered.

お金金

SEND GIFT or GCASH: +63.936.139.8714

COMMENT

Subscribe

♡
Prev | Next