Unknown Divorce: Revelation Beyond Time Novel by Miss Lyra (Chapters 51 to 60)

Chapter 51

When Charlene walked in, the room went silent, every pair of eyes fixed on her in awe.

Too thrilled to remain seated, someone stood up and rushed to ask, “Mr. Ferguson, is this stunning lady our new colleague?”

“Word does get around, doesn’t it?” Stewart chuckled, turning to introduce Charlene. “This is Charlene Ross. She’s joining our company-”

Raleigh cut him off and suddenly blurted, “Did you give up on Vesta because of her, Mr. Ferguson?”

Stewart paused a moment, then nodded, “Yeah. I was thinking of giving you the rundown later…”

Before he could finish, Raleigh turned to Charlene, saying, “Vesta just got her PhD from one of the top ten universities, and she’s only 25. If Ms. Ross managed to get her spot here at PrimeStar, her resume must be even more impressive, right?”

The word around was that Stewart had personal reasons for not hiring Vesta, who had not revealed the real causes.

Raleigh had seen Charlene hugging Stewart downstairs earlier, which led him to believe her hiring at PrimeStar was due to personal connections.

Despite the company’s reputation for attracting top talent, having a resume like Vesta’s was rare, even nationally. He doubted Charlene’s achievements could surpass hers.

Without waiting for Charlene to respond, he sneered, “But then, Ms. Ross does look quite young. People might think you haven’t even graduated with your PhD yet.”

Stewart had planned to talk with Raleigh about not hiring Vesta later. After all, Charlene and Vesta’s issue wasn’t something they could discuss in such a public setting. But he hadn’t expected Raleigh to lash out like that.

Frowning, Stewart began, “Raleigh-”

But Raleigh felt Stewart was trying to cover for Charlene and loudly cut him off, “Mr. Ferguson, I was talking to Ms. Ross.”

He pressed Charlene, “Is it that hard to answer about your education? Or does Mr. Ferguson need to speak for you? Or is it that you haven’t been in a PhD program? Or perhaps the institution you attended isn’t ranked high enough to mention?” Charlene calmly replied, “Indeed, I haven’t pursued a PhD, but-”

Raleigh laughed, feeling like his guesses had hit the mark. Not every woman could measure up to Vesta’s achievements.

He scoffed, interrupting Charlene before she could finish, “But what? You’re going to say even without a PhD, your knowledge doesn’t fall short? What gives you that illusion? Just because men have flattered you for your looks, you think you have real talent?” That was the last straw for Stewart, who burst out, “Raleigh!”

While skepticism was one thing, Raleigh’s remarks insulted Charlene! How could he not be furious?

Raleigh removed his ID badge from around his neck. “I resign.”

“You!” Stewart was stunned by Raleigh’s impulsiveness.

Raleigh looked back at him. “Mr. Ferguson, I always thought you valued talent and could separate personal from professional. But I was wrong.”

With that, Raleigh turned and left.

Not one to lose his temper easily, Stewart called after him, “Take some time to cool off. When you’re ready to return, you’re always welcome.”

Chapter 52

No way. I’m done with PrimeStar forever!” Raleigh declared without a backward glance as he stormed off.

Charlene really appreciated her talent. Her eyes flicked to Stewart, who shook his head at her, suggesting she keep cool. Raleigh was a diamond they couldn’t afford to let go, even with his temper tantrum.

From the get-go, it was clear Raleigh harbored feelings for Vesta, something Stewart noted but considered a personal matter that didn’t concern him. However, Raleigh’s emotional reaction to Charlene’s arrival, spurred by his feelings for Vesta, crossed a line.

The core technology at CUAP was under a confidentiality agreement with the government, making Charlene’s role a secret. Raleigh’s impulsiveness and overestimation of Vesta meant that even if Charlene proved her worth, Raleigh might remain unconvinced, thinking Vesta could have done better. The scenario could lead to Raleigh feeling sidelined by Charlene, making him susceptible to manipulation and potentially causing significant damage to his career and the company.

Seeing Stewart’s confidence, Charlene felt reassured.

Stewart cleared his throat and addressed the room, “Okay, Charlene may not have a PhD, but trust me. Her know-how is more than enough for what we’re after.”

The room exchanged skeptical glances. They heard of Raleigh’s recent recommendation of a friend to Stewart. But the details were unclear, much like a similar incident the year before involving a supposedly top–tier university grad who turned out to be underqualified. Stewart’s choice to favor Charlene over a highly qualified candidate understandably angered Raleigh and raised questions about Stewart’s ability to separate personal biases from professional decisions.

Understanding the room’s mood, Stewart inquired about Raleigh’s current projects. Patton, who had been working closely with Raleigh, provided a brief overview.

Stewart suggested, “Charlene, how about you take over Raleigh’s remaining tasks?”

Charlene agreed, “Sure, happy to.”

She then addressed the team confidently, “I’m looking forward to working with all of you.”

The team responded with polite, if not entirely enthusiastic, smiles, silently hoping Charlene would prove capable and not leave them to pick up the slack.

“It’s all here. Tell me if you need anything.” Particularly concerned about the extra workload, Patton politely offered to help Charlene, who gratefully accepted.

At least her attitude was positive. That was something.

Chapter 53

Raleigh left PrimeStar and immediately dialed Vesta.

Vesta asked, “Charlene got a job at PrimeStar?”

“Yeah.” Raleigh found it odd. “Didn’t you know?”

Wasn’t Charlene the reason she got pushed out to make room at PrimeStar?

“No idea.” She thought Stewart didn’t hire her to give Charlene a leg up.

So, had Charlene left the Henderson Group since she had joined PrimeStar?

‘Raleigh paused, “What were those personal reasons you mentioned?”

Vesta didn’t feel like going into detail. “Just some personal beef”

“But-”

“What’s up?”

He got it wrong. His departure had nothing to do with Vesta.

Thinking this, Raleigh couldn’t help but ask, “How capable is Charlene? I heard she didn’t even get her PhD, She…”

“She didn’t just get her PhD. She only has a bachelor’s. She never went to grad school.”

“Really?”

“Yeah.” Vesta’s tone was icy.

It was unexpected that Charlene had left the Henderson Group. But what surprised Vesta even more was that Charlene didn’t consider furthering her education after leaving the Henderson Group. Instead, she got a job at another company through backdoor connections. She lacked ambition and vision.

Raleigh asked, “Vesta, what are your plans now?”

Vesta said, “I’ve got a big race ahead and must spend much time practicing. I’ll think about work stuff later.”

“Oh, I see…”

*Yesta was good at everything, and Raleigh knew that. Sometimes, he wondered if she could keep up with her professional knowledge

with all her activities. But then, knowing how exceptional Vesta was, he felt she was in a league of her own.

He figured if Vesta dared to do it, she must have had her reasons.

Meanwhile, over at Henderson Group, Thorne was going through some files and without even looking up, asked Coy, “Get me a coffee, will you?”

“Right away.”

It was Sunny’s first time making coffee for Thorne, so she was excited and nervous. Following Charlene’s instructions to the letter, she carefully prepared the coffee, which Coy then delivered to Thorne.

Thorne set aside his files, picked up the coffee to stir gently, and brought it to his lips, only to hesitate. Something about the smell was off.

He hesitated, then took a small sip, only to set it down immediately. “Brew it again.”

Coy paused, “Okay.”

Sunny was puzzled. “Brew it again? Too much sugar, or was the taste not good? But I followed Charlene’s steps exactly and measured the sugar. It shouldn’t be wrong.”

Coy looked helpless. “I’m not sure, either.”

Sunny had to brew another cup. Perhaps due to her nerves, Thorne didn’t even taste this one. He sniffed it and set it aside, asking Coy, “What’s going on?”

Coy explained, “Sunny might be nervous since it’s her first time making coffee for you, so she might not have gotten the heat right…” Thorne frowned. “Sunny? Who’s Sunny? Where’s Charlene?”

Coy was shocked. “Charlene has left the company. Didn’t you know?”

Thorne remained silent. He genuinely didn’t know. He was aware of the incident about Charlene’s work attitude irking Coy, leading to talks of her dismissal.

But… “When did she leave?”

Last Thursday!

Got it!

Chapter 54

“How about this coffee?” asked Coy.

Thorne glanced at the coffee cup on his desk with disdain. “Take it away and get me a glass of tap water, will you?”

Coy nodded. “Sure thing.”

At noon, Stewart went out for a business lunch, leaving Charlene to dine alone in the company cafeteria.

Though polite, her colleagues kept their distance. It didn’t seem to bother Charlene much.

After lunch, she plunged back into her work. As the clock ticked past five, she approached Patton, her project manager. “I think I’ve pretty much nailed it. Do you want to take a look?”

“What?” Patton was initially confused, but as he perused the documents Charlene handed over, his confusion turned into utter disbelief. “You… you’ve finished everything?”

It was a workload that Raleigh, the previous team leader, had scheduled over a fortnight to finish. And Charlene had deciphered and finished it all in less than a day?

“Yep,” Charlene confirmed.

Patton was speechless, especially when he realized Charlene had done an exceptional job and that her work also provided him with fresh perspectives he hadn’t considered for his tasks.

The news spread. Soon, other colleagues crowded around, equally stunned by Charlene’s feat.

Recovering from his shock, Patton eyed Charlene incredulously. “Are you for real just an undergrad?”

Charlene took a moment, then replied, “I didn’t go after a master’s.”

Impossible! How could an undergraduate outperform a team of seasoned Ph.Ds and master’s graduates?

Patton asked, “Why didn’t you go for your master’s? Financial issues at home?”

But looking at Charlene, that didn’t seem to be the case. With her skills, she shouldn’t have to worry about tuition fees.

Charlene lowered her gaze. “No, it’s just some personal reasons.” She smiled and added, “Maybe I’ll consider further studies later.”

After a brief chat and solving a few more work-related queries for her colleagues, Charlene left the office around seven.

Stepping out, she found Stewart waiting for her at the door. “Making a mark on your first day, winning everyone’s approval. That’s classic you.”

Charlene grinned. “Dinner on me?”

Stewart raised an eyebrow. “What else did you think I was waiting here for?”

Laughing, they left the office together.

Twenty minutes later, as they were about to enter a restaurant, a kid darted past, causing Charlene to stumble back and almost fall, if not for Stewart’s quick reflexes, catching her by the waist.

Just as she was releasing a sigh of relief and about to say thanks, Charlene spotted Thorne and Moran in the distance. They saw her too.

Thorne paused in his tracks. Moran raised an eyebrow.

With pursed lips, Charlene averted her gaze and gently pushed Stewart away. Unaware of Thorne and Moran, Stewart asked worriedly, “Did you hurt your ankle?”

Charlene shook her head. “No, I’m fine.”

“That’s good. Let’s go then.”

Without giving Thorne another glance, Charlene followed Stewart inside.

Observing Charlene’s reaction, Moran was incredulous. “That was your wife, right?”

Thorne remained silent.

Moran snorted, “She ignored us completely and was all chummy with Stewart. Is this some new strategy to win you back? Trying to make you jealous?”

Before Thorne could respond, Moran burst out laughing. “She’s overthinking this.”

Thorne didn’t reply, stating, “Let’s go.”

Chapter 55

Vesta and Jasmine were already there when they arrived at the private dining room.

Vesta asked, “What’s got you laughing so much?”

Moran replied with a chuckle, “Oh, nothing. Just met a rather interesting character.”

After dinner, Thorne and Jasmine headed home.

Getting out of the car, Jasmine ran upstairs, bursting with excitement, “Mommy, Mommy!”

Latonia emerged from the kitchen upon hearing the commotion. “Your mommy hasn’t come home yet.”

“What?” Jasmine’s excitement faded. “Why is Mommy always so busy these days?”

Grumbling to herself, she went upstairs.

Noticing Thome still lingering downstairs, Latonia inquired, “Mr. Henderson?”

Thorne shook his head. “No worries,” and followed upstairs. That night, Thorne noted that Charlene hadn’t returned.

The following morning, Jasmine woke up, half expecting to indulge in one of Charlene’s homemade breakfasts.

Seeing the breakfast on the table looked nothing like Charlene’s handiwork, she frowned, “Mommy didn’t get up to make breakfast?

Latonia replied, “Mrs. Henderson is not at home.”

Jasmine found it odd. “Where did Mommy go? Did she visit Grandma’s again?”

“Perhaps?” Without confirmation from Charlene, Latonia couldn’t be sure.

Jasmine turned to Thorne. “Dad…”

Taking his time, Thorne suggested, “If you want to know, call her.”

“I’ll ask her tonight, then.”

Meanwhile, after breakfast, Charlene had gone straight to the office.

As Stewart was about to discuss new product development with Charlene, his phone rang.

The caller asked, “Has your company crossed paths with the Henderson Group?”

“What?” Stunned, Stewart glanced at Charlene and switched to speakerphone.

“Someone from the Henderson Group was looking to cause trouble for your company, but we managed to intervene.”

Hearing that, Charlene clenched her fists tight. After the dinner party, Thorne didn’t confront Charlene about Steward wronging Vesta, which she thought meant he wasn’t interested in pursuing it.

It wasn’t that he didn’t care. It was just that he didn’t bother arguing with Charlene, choosing instead to act, making it clear that targeting, Vesta would have consequences for her!

Stewart realized what was happening. He reassured Charlene, patting her hand. “Don’t worry. Our company has strong ties with the government. They can’t touch us.”

“Right.”

Otherwise, to avenge Vesta, with Thorne’s influence and wealth, he would have PrimeStar weakened, if not destroyed. His protection over Vesta was indeed fierce!

Slightly concerned, Stewart asked, “If they can’t get to PrimeStar, would they target the Ross family?”

Charlene shook her head. “No.”

Having Irma in the mix meant Thorne wouldn’t easily go after the Ross family. He would still want to respect Irma’s dignity.

“That’s a relief…”

As the day neared its end, Charlene received a call from Jasmine. “Mommy, when are you coming home? I’m so hungry.”

“Didn’t you ask Latonia to prepare something for you?”

“But I want your beef steak.” She hadn’t had it last time and craved it even more.

Charlene hesitated.

Rubbing her temples without responding, Jasmine added, “Dad’s gone on a business trip, and I’m so bored. Come home soon, okay?”

‘Thorne is on a business trip?‘ That gave Charlene pause.

With their divorce unfinalized, Charlene could overlook Thorne. But Jasmine, until she turned 18, was still her responsibility.

Chapter 56

Thinking of this, she said, “Got it. I’ll be back soon.”

Charlene prepared beef steak for Jasmine that evening and also simmered a soup. She stayed over for the next two days.

By Friday, Helena called, asking her to come home for dinner.

Charlene took Jasmine back to the Ross family. Only Helena was home. Everyone else was either busy with social engagements or still at school.

Helena was unaware Jasmine had returned from abroad. Seeing Charlene bring Jasmine along, she was delighted. Jasmine and Helena had a close bond, bringing much joy to Helena.

That night, Charlene and Jasmine stayed over at the Ross family.

The following morning, Charlene got up early to make homemade pasta.

Seeing how skilled Charlene was, Helena reminisced about the days before Charlene was married, when she hardly did any household chores, and couldn’t help but sigh.

Understanding what Helena was thinking, Charlene smiled and said, “Cooking is my way of finding peace. I quite enjoy it.”

Noticing Charlene had gained a bit more weight since her last visit, Helena felt more at ease.

After finishing the pasta and chatting with Helena, Charlene went upstairs.

Jasmine was already up, getting ready for the day.

While tidying up the pajamas Jasmine had changed out of, Charlene noticed Jasmine’s tablet ping with a message from Vesta. [Minnie, awake yet? I will be back this afternoon, and we’ll have dinner together. How about I take you out tomorrow?]

Charlene glanced at it and looked away, putting Jasmine’s changed clothes in the washing machine.

When she got back, Jasmine was holding onto the tablet tight, trying to keep her chat with Vesta from Charlene. Charlene didn’t expose her, saying, “Breakfast’s ready. Come downstairs.”

Jasmine leaped from the bed excitedly. “I haven’t had Mommy’s homemade pasta in so long. Yay!”

During breakfast, Helena happily asked, “Minnie, what would you like for dinner tonight? Grandma can have it made just for you.”

Hasmine knew Helena wasn’t fond of Vesta. After hearing that, her eyes darted around before she whispered, “Grandma, Daddy’s coming home tonight. I want to go home for dinner.”

Helena was a bit reluctant, having not seen Jasmine for a while. But knowing how attached Jasmine had become to Thorne over the she didn’t think much of it. years,

Charlene knew Jasmine was lying but pretended otherwise, serving Helena some food. “It’s okay. I’ll stay here with you.”

It seemed unreasonable for a wife to stay at her parents‘ house when her husband returned from a business trip. But Helena had always disapproved of Charlene’s dedication to Thorne and would fully support her if she wanted a divorce.

So, upon hearing Charlene say this, Helena smiled, “Good. Our Charlene is such a darling.”

Jasmine, worried about how to ditch Charlene to meet Vesta that evening, breathed a sigh of relief hearing Charlene’s words.

When Jasmine left, Helena prepared a bunch of her favorite foods. But Charlene declined, suggesting they be saved for her cousin’s kids instead.

When Jasmine left, Charlene contacted Thorne’s housekeeper to arrange for someone to pick her up rather than going herself. Helena found this odd but didn’t dwell on it further.

Chapter 57

Jasmine must have been having a blast with Vesta and the gang because she hadn’t called Charlene all weekend.

Monday came, and Charlene was back to her routine, clocking in at PrimeStar.

As she was about to call it a day, Connie rang her up and offered to treat her to dinner.

After they almost finished their meal, Charlene excused herself to use the restroom.

That was when she bumped into Granger. She tried to walk past him as if he wasn’t there, but Granger paused and turned to look at her.

Charlene noticed but chose to ignore him.

“When she came out of the bathroom, she found Granger right where they’d bumped into each other, like he’d been waiting for her.

“Here for dinner?” he asked, tilting his head toward her as if this encounter was more than just happenstance.

“Yes,” she replied, her tone frosty. “Mr. Harden, do you always assume I’m following you?”

Granger hesitated before saying, “That’s not what I meant.”

Charlene didn’t care to know what he meant. With that, she left, and Granger did not attempt to stop her.

After leaving the restaurant, Connie mentioned wanting to buy her mother a birthday gift, so Charlene tagged along to a jewelry store. Connie was eyeing a set of emerald necklaces when someone interrupted them at the door, claiming they were there to pick up a piece of jewelry.

“Oh, Mr. Hawkins,” the store owner greeted with a bright smile, excusing himself from Charlene and Connie to attend to the newcomer. “Your custom jewelry is ready.”

“Charlene?” Henley walked up to her when he recognized her. “You here to snag some jewels too?”

Charlene gave him a cold look without a word. Henley’s face fell at her icy demeanor. “Charlene…”

She turned away, ignoring him, and asked Connie, “Are you sure about this one?”

Not knowing who Henley was but noting his distinguished yet gentle appearance, Connie nudged Charlene, whispering, “Who’s this guy?”

Charlene didn’t respond.

However, Henley stayed put, his gaze fixed on Charlene. “Charlene, how have you been?”

Lips pursed, Charlene finally faced him, asking coldly, “What do you want?”

“I…” Henley’s voice was soft. “Charlene, must you speak to your father this way?”

“Father?” Charlene’s tone was icy. “And how should I speak to you?”

Henley explained, “I know I’ve made mistakes, but you’ve always been in my heart.”

Charlene laughed bitterly. “Oh, so because you’ve always ‘had me in your heart,‘ you let Vesta get close to my husband and asked him to take good care of her. How could you not have me in your heart?”

“Charlene…” Henley frowned. “I understand you’re upset, but Vesta and Thorne genuinely love each other. Love can’t be forced. Why you just-”

“Oh yes. Love can’t be forced. So, your affair back in the day was justified, and now, she’s following in her mother’s footsteps, proudly playing the other woman, right?”

Henley’s expression darkened. “Charlene! When did you become so cynical?”

“Cynical?” Charlene scoffed. “Would divorcing Thorne to make Vesta happy make me less cynical?”

“Henley, what’s going on here?” At that moment, Rhoda and Leah Spencer entered the shop. Rhoda spotted Charlene first.

Chapter 58

Rhoda smiled when she saw Charlene. “Is that Charlene? Long time no see. You’ve become even more beautiful.”

“Mom…” Hearing Rhoda compliment Charlene, Leah couldn’t hide her displeasure. She had always known Charlene was stunningly beautiful but hadn’t expected Charlene to become even more gorgeous after a few years.

Watching Charlene’s perfect skin and remarkable aura, Leah felt a surge of jealousy.

However, she soon consoled herself with the thought, ‘Charlene is pretty, but so what? The man destined to be my brother–in–law doesn’t fancy Charlene. He only has eyes for Vesta.‘

With this thought, she felt a bit more balanced.

Henley turned to Rhoda. “Rhoda, what brings you here?”

“Uncle Henley, we noticed you had been away for quite some time, so we thought we’d check in,” Leah intervened. Then, noticing a jeweled box the shopkeeper had opened and looking at Charlene, she deliberately said, “Uncle Henley, is this the anniversary gift you customized for Aunt Maureen? It’s gorgeous!”

Henley smiled. “Yes, it is.”

“Every anniversary, you prepare these lavish gifts for Aunt Maureen in advance, creating surprises for her. Uncle Henley, you’re so sweet to her!”

Henley chuckled.

Hearing this, Connie had pretty much sussed out who the three of them were.

“Just a bunch of jerks,” she muttered, paid the bill, and pulled Charlene to leave.

“Charlene.” Henley stopped her, walking over. “Maureen truly cares for you. She’s always had you in her heart. You and Vesta are sisters and family. I hope things like with PrimeStar never happen again.”

Charlene laughed. “Are you trying to make me sick?”

“You-”

“Uncle Henley, if she doesn’t want to, let it be. Even if she wanted to, Vesta would disagree. What’s her worth? To be considered Vesta’s equal?” Leah said, then she turned to Charlene and continued, “You target Vesta, prevent her from joining PrimeStar, and think you’ve achieved something? But you don’t realize the more you target her, the more Thorne cherishes her. Right after he learned you and ArimeStar’s boss bullied Vesta, he immediately confronted PrimeStar.

Though things got a bit messy, and he didn’t go through with it, to make up for the wrongs Vesta suffered, in the last few days, Thorne secured us a multi-billion project, which, by the way, your uncle has been desperately wanting for a while.”

Charlene pressed her lips together, fists clenched.

Infuriated, Connie scoffed, “Has Thorne married Vesta yet? He’s still married to Charlene. How shameless you are!”

“You!”

“Enough, Leah.” Henley pulled Leah away, sighed, and said to Charlene, “Vesta is a genius in Al. She joined PrimeStar for important reasons. Try to control your temper from now on and stop targeting Vesta.”

“Are you done?” Charlene’s eyes were cold. “If you’re done, you can leave.”

Rhoda finally said, agitated, “Charlene, how could you talk to your father like that?”

Leah interrupted, “Exactly, no manners at all!”

Charlene responded coldly, “I might not have your kind of manners of rushing to be the other woman!”

“You!”

“Let’s go.” Seeing Charlene was unyielding, Henley said, disappointed, “We’re leaving.”

“Hmph!” Henley picked up his custom gift and quickly left.

Chapter 59

After they walked away, Connie looked at Charlene with concern. “Charlene…”

Charlene shook her head, her voice soft but firm. “I’m fine.”

From the moment Henley divorced her mother, he ceased to be her father in her heart. It wasn’t just the divorce that hurt her but was the strain her relationship put on her uncle. And Thorne’s preference was like salt in the wound.

Thinking about how Thorne only had eyes for Vesta, how he could be so ruthless to Stewart and her uncle for Vesta’s sake, never sparing a thought for her feelings, it felt like a knife twisting in her heart. Bleeding, yet unseen.

“Charlene, here.” Connie hugged her, her heart aching for her friend.

Charlene managed a weak smile, saying nothing.

It was okay. Charlene had decided to move on. She just needed a bit of time. She could do it.

“Want to grab a drink?” Connie felt Charlene needed to unwind.

Charlene shook her head. “No, thanks.”

Instead of drinking, she preferred going home to dive into her research. That was her sanctuary, where she found peace and could be her true self.

Respecting her wishes, Connie didn’t push.

As they headed for the parking lot, Charlene’s phone rang. It was Jasmine.

The brief smile that had appeared on Charlene’s face faded as she answered after a slight pause. “Hey.”

Jasmine’s playful and longing voice came through. “Mommy, when are you coming home?”

Charlene didn’t immediately answer, asking, “What’s up?”

“I’m so bored here all by myself. Can’t you come home and keep me company?”

Thorne was

out, and Vesta was busy. The house was too quiet, and Jasmine missed the days when Charlene would chat with her and

about her favorite cartoons and action figures. So, she called Charlene, hoping she would come home. listen to her

Charlene replied, her voice detached yet gentle. “Mom’s got some work. Maybe next time.”

Che was a mom and wanted to grant Jasmine’s wishes whenever she could. But she needed her own space too, especially when she was feeling down in the dumps.

Jasmine sounded disappointed. “Okay then.”

“I’ve got to go. Call me if

you need anything.”

“Okay.” Hanging up, Jasmine felt even lonelier.

Then, Thorne walked in, finding her deflated like a balloon. “What’s wrong?”

“I called Mommy and wanted her to come home, but she’s busy…” Jasmine buried her face into a cushion, her voice muffled. “Mommy’s always so busy lately.”

Thorne hummed in response, settling on the couch with his phone to handle some work. Though he didn’t offer comfort with words, he stayed in the room, a silent presence that eventually lightened Jasmine’s mood. Soon, she got distracted by her tablet, playing puzzle games.

On the other side, seeing Henley return, Laverne Hawkins inquired, “What took you so long?”

Henley paused. “I ran into Charlene.”

“Oh? You saw her?” Laverne, a stunning and successful woman, wielded considerable influence in her husband’s family and the Hawkins family. Yet, her interest in Charlene, whom she hadn’t seen for years, was overshadowed by a more pressing matter. “Did you talk to her about Vesta joining PrimeStar?”

Henley shook his head. “I tried, but she wouldn’t listen.”

Laverne set down her coffee cup, her brow furrowed in frustration. “Charlene is… I understand she’s upset about Mr. Henderson choosing Vesta over her, but we’ve all met Mr. Henderson. He’s not someone that a woman with Charlene’s limited spark can hold onto. Even without Vesta around, it was just a matter of time before he’d walk away.”

Chapter 60

In Laverne’s eyes, Charlene was envious because Vesta had snagged Thorne from her, leading her to sabotage Vesta’s opportunity at -PrimeStar.

With no real talent or education, Charlene seemed to thrive on creating drama. That thought alone made Laverne find the whole situation laughably pathetic. She figured she wasn’t alone in this opinion. Thorne probably saw it the same way.

Unfortunately, Charlene was blissfully unaware of this, probably still patting herself on the back for messing up Vesta’s chance.

Thinking of Vesta’s brilliance compared to Charlene, Laverne felt there was no contest.

Henley sighed, “I know.”

He shared Laverne’s viewpoint. “But she won’t listen.”

“She’s just so…”

Stubborn, just like her mother. Laverne held her tongue on saying that part. After all, it was never nice to talk about that woman.

“About the project…”

“Let’s wait for Vesta to get back and ask her,” Henley suggested, concerned.

They had poured much money into Al over the years, but their company’s products lacked cutting–edge technology, resulting in mediocre growth.

On the other hand, PrimeStar raked in millions annually from the project, even without effort. Who wouldn’t be envious?

If they could unravel the project’s core technology and integrate it into their current projects, their company’s worth could skyrocket to billions soon.

As they were mulling over this, Vesta walked in.

Seeing Henley and Laverne, she greeted, “Dad, Aunt Laverne.”

“Vesta, you’re back?” Laverne’s face broke into a smile, her affection and respect for Vesta as clear as a bell.

Vesta nodded, sitting down. “What were you guys talking about?”

“The project,” Henley replied. “Without a way into PrimeStar, what’s your plan? Did Mr. Henderson say anything?” Mesta said, “Thorne said he’d reach out to Kenton for me.”

Kenton was a leading figure in the Al industry, highly regarded by the government and elusive to the public.

Stewart, one of Kenton’s few direct disciples, had developed the project. Since the Stewart route was a dead end to them, they had to try their luck with Kenton.

“That’s good,” Henley smiled, though with a hint of worry. “Stewart, being Kenton’s student, might have spoken ill of you to Kenton. Could that…”

“I doubt it,” Laverne interjected with a smile. “Henley, you underestimate how much Kenton values talent. Vesta’s a genius. With her skills in Al, I’m sure she’ll impress Kenton if she gets a chance to meet him. Who knows, Kenton might even make an exception and take her as his direct disciple.”

Henley chuckled. “That would be something.”

Laverne asked, “Did Mr. Henderson mention when you might meet Mr. Wagner?”

Vesta sipped her water, replying casually, “At the Future Tech Expo next week. Mr. Wagner is said to be attending.”

They were all familiar with the Future Tech Expo. However, their company wasn’t high–profile enough in the industry to secure an invite from the government. But with Thorne’s help, they were hopeful.

Henley and Laverne turned toward Vesta in anticipation.

Vesta mentioned, “Thorne got me two tickets, but there are only two.”

“It’s fine. It doesn’t matter who goes with you. What matters is that you go.” Laverne smiled, “Exactly.”

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