Unknown Divorce: Revelation Beyond Time Novel by Miss Lyra (Chapters 111 to 120)  

Chapter 111

After having breakfast, Charlene began to pack her clothes and other necessities for their trip to Sapphire Springs Resort.

But she only packed for herself.

She didn’t touch Thorne’s belongings.

After all, though Thorne was her husband in name, he wasn’t her man.

“He belonged to Vesta now.

He probably wouldn’t appreciate her meddling with his things.

And she, for her part, wasn’t keen on touching his stuff anymore.

Jasmine’s things were being packed by Latonia.

In the past, she might have worried about Jasmine not having everything she needed, double–checking even after Latonia had packed.

But now, having sorted out her own stuff, she just dragged her suitcase downstairs, not worrying about what was going on with Jasmine.

After waiting downstairs for a bit, Jasmine and Thorne also came down.

Once they arrived at Sapphire Springs Resort, Thorne disappeared to make a phone call while Charlene was organizing clothes in their room. That’s when Irma came in, handing her a box and whispering, “This is a swimsuit I prepared for you. Remember to wear it when you go to the hot springs.”

Seeing Irma’s expression, Charlene immediately knew what was in the box.

Feeling a bit uneasy, she said, “Granny, I’ve brought my own-”

“Don’t worry, it’s nothing inappropriate. Open it and see for yourself.”

Charlene opened the box.

Just as she thought, it was a swimsuit. And the style wasn’t much different from what she usually wore.

Relieved, Charlene nodded.

Irma smiled and reminded her, “Make sure you wear it, dear.”

Charlene replied, “…Okay.”

Just as she agreed, Thorne returned to the room and saw the box in her hands.

Charlene quickly closed the box.

Thorne, pretending not to have seen, shifted his gaze and asked Irma, “Grandma, did you need something?

“Of course, I came to hurry you two to the hot springs!”

Saying so, she pushed Thorne, “Go on, get changed!”

Thorne didn’t refuse.

Soon after, he emerged from the bathroom in a robe.

Seeing him ready, Charlene also went to change.

When she came out, Thorne had already left the room.

Charlene was about to head to the hot springs alone when Irma came from the next room, cheerily saying,

Thorne is in the small pool on the left. Go on, dear.”

The small hot spring pool on the left was quite intimate, no more than about thirty square feet.

She and Thorne sat down in it, they could touch each other without fully extending their legs.

Tima’s intentions were clear she wanted them to grow closer.

After all, they’d be wearing very little.

Typically, such a setup could indeed lead to unexpected situations.

But……

With Irma insisting, Charlene reluctantly headed to the pool.

Upon her arrival, Thorne had already shed his robe and was soaking in the water.

His gaze fell on her as she approached.

Charlene was indeed wearing the swimsuit Irma had given her.

At first glance, she thought it wasn’t much different from her usual attire. But she had only seen the top part; she hadn’t paid much attention to the bottom.

When she finally took it out to wear, she realized the fabric was nearly half less than what she was used to.

Though it wasn’t overtly revealing, it was certainly a departure from her usual style.

And it was red, the material soft, which, coupled with her pale skin, looked incredibly sexy in the mirror.

Chapter 112

“she stood before the mirror, Charlene couldn’t shake off a feeling of unease at her own reflection. Yet, she didn’t loathe it. So, she wore it anyway.

Wrapped in a bathrobe, Charlene paused momentarily as Thorne’s gaze fell on her, reminding her of the lingerie. underneath. But she quickly shrugged off the moment and walked past him as if nothing was out of the ordinary.

Approaching the sink, she set down her belongings and shrugged off the bathrobe, revealing her lingerie in full “view to Thorne.

There was a brief pause from Thorne.

Charlene was pretty sure Thorne knew the lingerie was a gift from Irma. By choosing to wear it, she guessed Thorne might think she was hinting at something more between them. But that wasn’t her intention at all.

What he thought was his business, not hers. She decided not to skip wearing something she really liked just Because it might be taken the wrong way.

With that thought, Charlene felt no discomfort as she shed her bathrobe, nor did she pay much attention to Thorne’s gaze.

She stepped down into the hot tub, choosing a spot about two arm’s lengths away from Thorne.

Thorne looked away, and both of them settled into a quiet calm. Charlene could catch glimpses of his toned chest from the corner of her eye but subtly shifted her gaze away.

Just when she thought they’d remain in this silent peace, Thorne asked, “Hungry? The lodge prepared quite a spread for us.”

He pushed a tray of snacks toward her.

…Thanks,” Charlene replied, picking up a pastry to taste. But finding herself not really hungry, she ate just one before pushing the tray back towards Thorne.

The water was clear, and as Charlene returned the tray, she couldn’t help but notice Thorne’s physique. No reaction.

Some women might take that as a sign of disinterest. But Charlene knew better. His lack of reaction wasn’t about her allure; it was simply that she never really attracted him. And she had guessed as much.

Their marriage was on its last leg, and she had no interest in rekindling anything. The lingerie was not a tactic meant to work on him.

Charlene discreetly averted her gaze, enjoying the soothing embrace of the hot tub. After a while, feeling drowsy yet content, she decided to call it a night. “I’m heading back,” she informed Thorne.

“Mm,” was all Thorne said.

Charlene wrapped herself in her bathrobe and left, noticing Thorne also getting out of the tub.

As she waited for the elevator, Irma happened to pass by. “Done with your soak already?” she asked.

“Yeah.”

Irma seemed about to say more but stopped upon seeing Thorne also heading up to change. She had hoped something would happen between them, but their distance spoke volumes. Another one of her plans had come to naught.

With a sigh, Irma said, “I got a call from a friend who’s here for a doctor’s visit. I need to step out for a bit. You two have fun, okay?”

After patting Charlene’s hand and warning Thorne not to bully her, “You hear?” Irma left them with a knowing look,

Got it,” Thorne replied.

Chapter 113

Just as another set of elevator doors slid open, Moran stepped out into the lobby.

Charlene was visibly surprised to see him there.

She hadn’t expected him to show up at Sapphire Springs Resort.

However, Irma and Thorne didn’t seem taken aback, clearly in the loop about Moran’s visit to Sapphire Springs Resort.

Catching sight of Charlene, Moran arched an eyebrow before warmly addressing Irma, “Grandma, you’re leaving already? Why not stay for lunch first?”

The families of Albright and her had always been on good terms.

Irma, having watched Moran grow up, smiled gently and replied, “No, no, you kids have fun.”

They escorted Irma to her car.

Once the car had driven off, Jasmine immediately asked with excitement, “Mr. Albright, what brings you here?”

Moran leaned down, gave Jasmine’s cheek a gentle pinch, and said, “Your dad told me to swing by, I gave Irma a heads up and headed straight over. Pretty loyal, huh?”

“So it was Dad who sent you?”

“Yep.” Moran smiled warmly. “When I heard Irma was leaving, I also let Granger and Vesta know. They’ve set off and will be arriving soon. Happy?”

He made sure to glance at Charlene as he mentioned this.

Charlene caught the hint, aware that Moran had meant for her to hear that.

Jasmine was obviously thrilled. Just as she was about to nod, she hesitated, remembering Charlene was there and looked up at her instead.

Charlene pretended not to notice, ruffled her hair gently, and said, “You kids have fun, I’ll head back first.”

With that, she didn’t spare Thorne or Moran another glance and turned to leave.

Seeing Charlene’s indifferent reaction to his words, showing none of the worry or unease she used to have about Vesta coming, it seemed she didn’t care at all.

Jasmine was still there, so he couldn’t speak openly. Watching Charlene’s retreating figure, Moran moved closer to Thorne, lowering his voice to ask, “What’s going on?”

Thorne remained expressionless, “Are you here alone?”

“Of course not. What fun is there in soaking in the hot springs alone? Naturally, I brought my darling with me- Moran paused, turning his head to look at him, “Wait, you’re changing the subject.”

Thorne didn’t deny it, simply stating, “Your darling is here.”

Right on cue, a tall, stunning woman in a bikini underneath her bathrobe approached them.

Back in her room, Charlene slipped into her regular clothes and settled down at the small round table. She fired up her computer and dove deep into researching the exhibits from the last Future Tech Expo.

Combining the information she had gathered over time, Charlene suddenly had a breakthrough and called Stewart, “Are you free?”

“I’m at a masquerade ball, what’s up?”

Charlene shared her idea with him.

Stewart’s face lit up with a mix of seriousness and excitement. “Hold on, I’m heading back right now.”

Okay.”

After hanging up, Charlene focused intensely on her work.

Time flew by until she suddenly heard voices from downstairs.

Charlene paused, suspecting Granger Harden and Vesta might have arrived.

She got up, closing the window.

Feeling a bit hungry by now, Charlene used the intercom to order a meal delivered to her room.

The response was prompt.

Soon after her meal was prepared, resort staff promptly delivered Charlene’s order to her room.

Chapter 114

While strolling through the lobby towards the elevator, the staff bumped into Thorne and his group.

Moran inquired, “What’s this meal…?”

The staff immediately replied, “Ordered by the lady.”

Naturally, the “lady” referred to Charlene.

Moran didn’t give the staff a hard time and let him go ahead with delivering the meal.

However, after the staff left, he chuckled, “Looks like, we won’t need to call her for dinner later.”

Thorne responded nonchalantly, “Let’s invite her anyway.”

Hearing this, Vesta paused, then glanced at Thorne with pursed lips.

Granger and Moran were also taken aback..

But Moran quickly laughed it off, adding, “True. Irma specifically instructed you to take good care of her. It wouldn’t end well with Irma if we dine without inviting her.”

After all, they were at the Henderson family’s private estate. It was likely Irma had her ways of keeping an eye on things here.

Any small movement on their part could easily reach Irma’s ears.

Hearing this, Vesta relaxed her lips.

She had thought that, through Irma’s matchmaking, Thorne had developed genuine feelings for Charlene…

But Moran’s comment cleared up her misunderstanding.

Granger, too, shifted his gaze away after Moran’s words.

At that moment, Jasmine returned. Thorne ruffled her hair, saying, “Go upstairs and call Mom down for dinner.”

Jasmine paused, hesitantly asking, “Invite Mom to dine with us?”

“Yes.”

Jasmine opened her mouth, furrowed her brows, then looked towards Vesta.

She didn’t want her mom dining with them.

If her mom joined, she would definitely target Ms. Hawkins, leading to an unpleasant atmosphere for everyone. Vesta offered a comforting smile, “Go ahead.”

After a moment’s hesitation, Jasmine went upstairs. When Jasmine rang the doorbell, Charlene was already in her room, dining.

Seeing Jasmine standing outside through the TV monitor, Charlene put down her fork and knife, and opened the door. “Minnie?”

Jasmine looked up at Charlene and said, “Mom, Dad asked me to invite you to dine with us.”

Charlene declined without hesitation. “I’m already eating. You all go ahead.”

Jasmine breathed a sigh of relief, saying, “Okay, so… I’ll just tell Dad that?”

Charlene knew her daughter was reluctant to have her join the dinner downstairs. She saw the reluctance in her expression and simply said, “Yes, go ahead.”

Jasmine smiled brightly. “Okay!” Saying so, she turned to leave, taking a few steps before feeling a bit guilty.

Mom, are you okay dining alone? Maybe, I can keep you company?”

The place was bustling with activity downstairs. It felt somewhat pitiful to leave her mom alone upstairs, away froth the action.

Her offer to stay was clearly reluctant. Obviously, she preferred joining Thorne, Vesta, and the others for dinner over staying with Charlene.

Charlene didn’t want to impose on her.

Such reluctant company was not what she desired.

She bent down and said, her voice tender, “It’s okay. Mom likes some quiet time alone. You go ahead.” “Hearing this, Jasmine’s guilt lessened significantly, and she nodded: “Okay, then I’m off.”

Charlene: “Go ahead.”

Jasmine quickly left.

Charlene watched her daughter’s departing figure, closed the door, and returned to her room to continue dining.

Chapter 115

Downstairs……

Jasmine dashed over to Thorne and said, “Dad, mom’s already started eating, she won’t be coming down.”

Moran raised an eyebrow and thought, “she’s quite considerate.”

Granger looked down, silent.

Vesta, however, couldn’t help but smile subtly.

She knew it. Charlene wouldn’t dare to come down. After all, not a single person here truly welcomed her.

Even if she came down, she’d just end up being mocked and left out.

So, why bother? Better to stay upstairs and be a shrinking violet.

Hearing this, Thorne replied, “Alright, I got it.” Then, without insisting further, he told the others, “Let’s not wait any longer, let’s eat.”

At those words, Vesta’s smile deepened, gracefully taking a seat next to Thorne.

Upstairs.

After finishing her meal, Charlene continued with her work.

By then, Stewart had also arrived home.

Charlene came up with even more ideas and after sharing them with Stewart, he jumped up, exclaiming, “Damn, damn, damn! That’s genius! Your insights are incredible, Charlene. You’re really a genius in this field! I knew you had it in you!”

He paused, then, without waiting for Charlene to respond, he lamented, “Seven years! A whole seven years. If you hadn’t gone off to get married, our company could’ve been world–famous by now!”

Charlene, feeling her ears ache from his shouting, moved the phone further away.

Stewart knew that in such a happy moment, he shouldn’t bring up those unpleasant subjects.

He cleared his throat and got back to the point.

Big plans obviously required more than just the two of them.

Stewart immediately contacted people from the company, like Patton, inviting them to join.

Joining PrimeStar wasn’t about killing time for Patton and the others; they were genuinely interested in learning. After hearing Stewart out, they realized the gap in Al skills between themselves and the duo of Stewart and Charlene was quite significant.

Although they didn’t grasp the key points immediately, Stewart’s explanation soon had them excited, and they didn’t mind working overtime to join in.

In cases like this, it’s actually best to head back to the office and talk things out face to face. But for Charlene, getting back to the company would take about two hours.

When inspiration hits, you can’t just stop; otherwise, the ideas might be lost by the time you get back.

So, they decided to start with a video discussion.

Learning about Charlene’s situation, Stewart found a moment to ask, “Are you alone in the room? Where’s your husband?”

“I don’t know, probably eating,” Charlene replied indifferently.

Just the two of them, father and daughter?”

Vesta, Moran, they’re all there.”

And they left you alone in your room?”

They did call me down for dinner, but I refused.”

“Well, at least Thorne still has some conscience.”

Charlene didn’t see it that way.

She agreed with Moran, thinking Thorne was just trying to avoid a nagging from Irma.

Besides, even if she did go down, with everyone siding with Vesta, there was no worry about Vesta being “bullied” by her. They naturally weren’t afraid of her joining them for dinner.

Charlene and Stewart busied themselves for four hours straight.

By then, it was nearly dinner time again, so they decided to take a break and continue for a couple of hours.

Charlene spent some time organizing the day’s content and then shut down her computer. She planned to step out for some fresh air to clear her head. She also intended to pick a couple of boxes of apples from the hillside to bring back for Stewart and the others to try.

Chapter 116

Sapphire Springs Resort was sprawling, and Charlene had no clue where Thorne and the gang were.

Descending the stairs, she found no sign of them.

The day hadn’t turned to night just yet, so Charlene, with the help of two staff members, decided to head up the hill.

The air was crisp, but Charlene was bundled up tight and hardly felt the cold.

Up on the hill, she let the breeze wash over her as she picked apples, a simple activity that eased her mind.

In no time, they had managed to fill two or three crates with apples.

Instead of heading back immediately, Charlene took a moment to admire the sunset, which was particularly stunning that evening.

That’s when she heard footsteps and a child’s voice.

Turning, she found herself face–to–face with Granger.

Granger, equally surprised to see her, paused for a moment.

The voice in the video called out excitedly, “It’s that lady!”

It turned out, that Granger was video-calling Daisy, showing her the apple trees and promising to pick some for her the next day.

He hadn’t expected to run into Charlene, who had decided to venture up the hill.

Even though they had met a few times before and Granger had lent her a hand, Charlene still felt a distance she wasn’t keen on bridging.

Her face hardened when she saw him but softened again when she heard Daisy’s voice.

Granger noticed the change in her expression.

He didn’t approach her right away, instead asking, “Daisy wants to talk to you, is that okay?”

Leaving the convalescent home that day, Charlene had felt a profound heaviness, a suffocating sadness.

Encountering them, though it seemed like Daisy wanted her company, Charlene felt it was Daisy who was offering comfort, helping her breathe through the emotional turmoil.

With that thought, she nodded.

Granger extended his phone to her, keeping a respectful distance of a few yards.

After chatting with Daisy, who revealed she was out with her grandmother and couldn’t join Granger.

Sapphire Springs Resort, Charlene shared her enjoyment of the sunset. After a good ten minutes, she handed the phone back to Granger.

After saying goodbye to Daisy, Granger offered a simple “Thank you.”

“No need.”

By then, dusk had almost fully settled.

But the hill was lit by street lamps, making the descent easy.

Without further exchange, she turned to head down the hill, Granger following silently behind.

They reached the resort without exchanging a word and were about to enter when they ran into Vesta.

Vesta watched them show up one after another from the hill, her lips tightening into a thin line as she paused.

Charlene, acting as if Vesta wasn’t there, walked past her and into the lobby.

Vesta watched her leave, then turned to Granger with a frown, asking, “Granger, you guys ran into each other on the hill, Granger said flatly.

Vista knew about Granger’s plan to video call Daisy and take pictures of the apple trees for her, so stumbling upon Charlene on the hill seemed plausible.

With this in mind, Vesta relaxed a bit, about to speak when Granger beat her to it, asking, “Where are they?” “They’re over by the gazebo. Everything’s ready for the bonfire party, they were just about to call you.”

“Alright

With that, they walked side by side towards the gazebo.

Chapter 117

Tonight’s campfire was anything but ordinary, featuring a spread that could rival any Thanksgiving feast, with a crackling BBQ to boot.

The base for the campfire stew was already bubbling, brewing up a hearty mix that promised plenty of warmth and comfort. Alongside, a BBQ station was set up, with a long table beside it groaning under the weight of top-notch ingredients, all prepped and ready for grilling.

The fire was lit, casting a warm glow on everyone gathered around.

Moran and the crew had already settled in, forming a cozy circle around the flames.

When Granger and Vesta returned and took their places, Vesta naturally gravitated towards Thorne.

Moran, unable to resist the allure of the marinated delights, had already sneakily started nibbling. Just as he was about to suggest they officially kick off the feast, his thoughts drifted to Charlene. He glanced over at Jasmine, saying, “Minnie, would you mind running up and inviting your mom down? Tell her we’ve got all this amazing food down here. It’d be great if she joined us.”

Despite suspecting Charlene might just stay up in her room like she did earlier in the day, he felt it was a gesture worth making.

Vesta understood his intent perfectly.

After all, they had done their part; whether or not Charlene chose to come down was entirely up to her.

Thinking this, she also encouraged Jasmine, “Go ahead, Minnie.”

Jasmine frowned, hesitating. Deep down, she wasn’t too keen on having her mom join them.

But with everyone else urging her on, she felt compelled to comply.

Just as she was about to set her drink down and make her way upstairs, Thorne spoke up, “Let me do it.”

The group fell silent at his offer.

After Thorne stood up and left for the task, Moran chuckled, “Yeah… Thorne inviting her does seem more sincere.”

Sending a child to invite Charlene down seemed a bit too casual, after all.

Vesta also realized this. She figured Thorne’s gesture was just politeness, not a sign of any deeper feelings for Charlene. After all, his indifference towards Charlene had been clear enough before; it was unlikely anything had changed now.

Jasmine bit her lip, suddenly worried.

If Thorne was the one to extend the invitation, there was a good chance Charlene would actually come down. She knew her mom could hardly refuse her dad.

Meanwhile…

Charlene had retreated to her room, ordering food and settling down with her computer for the evening. She was just getting into her work when the door opened. Expecting Thorne to just grab something and leave, she barely glanced up. But then he spoke, “There’s a campfire feast downstairs. It’s quite the gathering. Why don’t you come down and join us for a bit?”

Charlene paused.

Like Moran and the others, she thought Thorne’s visit was just a formality. It couldn’t possibly mean anything significant. And even if it did, she wasn’t interested anymore.

ve got work to catch up on. I’ll pass,” she said, briefly meeting his gaze before adding, “Don’t worry. If Irma asks, I’ll cover for you.”

Thorne responded with a soft chuckle, his deep eyes locked on her.

Feeling his gaze, Charlene’s fingers twitched on her keyboard.

Though they had been married for years, she often felt as though she never truly knew him, never quite understood what was going on in his mind.

There was a time when she might have tried to decipher the emotions hidden in his eyes.

But now…

Charlene pressed her lips together, sticking to her decision, “Thanks for the offer, but I’d rather not come down.”

Chapter 118

Thorne just chuckled at the remark and said, “Got it before he turned on his heel and left.

As he made his way downstairs, he saw that Moran and the others were already digging in.

They were all a bit surprised to see him come down alone. Like Jasmine, they had assumed that if Thorne personally went to fetch her, Charlege would have found it hard to say no.

Granger threw out a question, “She didn’t come down, huh?”

Thorne just nodded.

Then he turned to the staff member nearby and ordered, “Could you prepare a plate of BBQ ribs, a Caesar salad, and, oh, throw in a pot of chili too? Have it sent up to my wife, please.”

Vesta bit her lip at that. It didn’t really mean much that Thorne was having food sent up to Charlene. But…

She didn’t like how he referred to Charlene as “my wife.” As if he was affirming Charlene’s status as his wife.

Then again, she thought, the staff probably didn’t even know Charlene. Without calling her ‘my wife, who would know who he meant to send the food to?

Upstairs, Charlene was indeed feeling hungry.

The doorbell rang, and she opened the door to let the staff member with the food trolley inside.

The staff member carefully arranged the food on the table and lifted the lid to show her what each dish was.

But the moment the lids were lifted, Charlene frowned and said, “I think there’s been a mistake. I didn’t order these-”

The aroma of the spicy chili pot was enticing, and the array of seafood and meats looked delicious.

She really did want to eat it.

But that wasn’t what she had ordered.

“No mistake,” the staff member respectfully explained. “These were sent up by Mr. Henderson. The dishes you ordered are almost ready as well, and will be up shortly.”

Charlene paused.

Even two or three of her couldn’t finish all this, not counting the dishes she actually ordered.

So, her meal ended up taking quite a while.

When it was almost time for their meeting, Charlene was still eating.

Stewart started the video call early, asking Charlene for some documents. When Charlene joined, she was mid–bite, prompting Stewart to ask, “What are you eating? Looks tasty.”

Charlene turned her camera to show the feast.

As more people joined the online meeting room, they were amazed at the spread of expensive food displayed and asked, “All that? Have you guys just started eating?”

Charlene replied, “No, I’m almost done.”

“All that for just you?”

Charlene hesitated. “I didn’t order it.”

Stewart caught on: “Your husband ordered it?”

Charlene confirmed, “He had it sent up.”

Stewart concluded, “Well, at least he shows some conscience.“

Charlene didn’t want to comment on that or explain that he was probably just trying to keep his grandmother happy.

As their scheduled meeting time approached, and Charlene felt full, she put down her chopsticks, had someone clean up, and moved her computer back to focus on work.

They got so caught up in their work that they continued well into the night, past ten, without any intention of stopping.

While Charlene and the team were deeply focused on another part of their project, the door opened. And Thorne walked in.

Charlene’s seat and the camera angle included the door, and as soon as she realized, she quickly adjusted the camera away.

Chapter 119

Due to the angle and the height of the camera during the video conference, the only thing the colleagues could see was the silhouette of the person entering the room: a figure that was strikingly fit and moved with elegance and composure that spoke volumes.

It was clear from just the demeanor that this was no ordinary individual.

Yet, the face remained unseen.

At first, folks around the office had speculated that there might be something more than professional between

Charlene and Stewart.

It was only later that they learned Charlene was already married, and not just that, but her kids were well past the toddler stage.

However, Charlene was quite private about her personal life.

As such, details about her husband were virtually unknown to her colleagues.

Given Charlene’s stunning appearance and the realization that her skills far exceeded everyone’s initial expectations–outshining even Stewart’s–it was no wonder everyone was curious about the man who had captured the heart of such a capable and beautiful woman.

Now, as Charlene’s husband finally made an appearance, she unexpectedly shifted the camera away.

Patton and the rest were about to crack a joke when Thorne beat them to it, “Still busy?”

Charlene glanced his way, “Yeah.”

Thorne nodded, and without wasting any more time, he grabbed a change of clothes from the wardrobe and headed into the bathroom for a shower.

Charlene refocused on the task at hand.

The two other women in their team couldn’t help but comment, “Your husband has such a nice voice.”

Indeed, Thorne wasn’t just a looker. His voice was remarkably appealing too.

Caught off guard by their compliments, Charlene could only muster a polite, “Thank you…”

Time was indeed getting on, and while there was still a willingness to continue working, Stewart proposed wrapping up the meeting after addressing a few remaining points, to either continue the next day or the one after.

But even concluding matters took its time.

Thorne, now fresh from his shower, saw the meeting was still ongoing and remained silent.

But then, Jasmine returned.

“Mommy-”

Hearing her, Charlene turned towards the door, but Thorne spoke first, “Mommy’s working.”

At his words, Jasmine held back what she wanted to say, watching as Charlene moved to Thorne’s side before whispering, “Daddy, can I sleep with Ms. Hawkins tonight?”

Thorne nodded, “Sure.”

Caught up in her excitement and forgetting to keep her voice down, Jasmine threw her arms around Thorne’s neck and exclaimed, “Thank you, Daddy!”

Fortunately, by this time, Charlene had officially ended her work and turned off the camera. She was about to Speak to Jasmine when she noticed Vesta standing at the door.

Charlene paused, her lips pressed tightly together.

Damine and Thorne also noticed Vesta.

Thorne stood and walked out; soon, the two of them left side by side,

Jasmine, wanting to follow yet noticing Charlene’s troubled expression, chose to stay, softly calling out, “Mommy…”

Charlene’s gaze returned to her daughter as she began tidying up the papers and books on her desk, asking, “Did you take your bath?”

“Yes.”

Charlene didn’t inquire further, instead asking, “Feeling sleepy?”

“Yeah…”

“Then off to bed with you.”

Relieved, Jasmine replied, “Okay, Mom, you should rest too.”

“I will, goodnight.”

“Goodnight, Mommy.”

After that, Jasmine hugged Charlene and trotted off, leaving Charlene to gather her stuff and get ready for her own shower.

Neither Thorne nor Jasmine had closed the door behind them.

Chapter 120

Charlene thought Thorne probably wouldn’t come back. Before stepping into the bathroom, she intended to Close the door first, but as she was walking over, she bumped right into Thorne, who had returned.

Charlene paused, stepping aside to let him through.

She assumed Thorne had come back to grab some things.

After all, his luggage was still here.

But when Thome entered, he casually shut the door behind him. It looked like he wasn’t planning on going out again that evening.

Charlene was taken aback. Before she could say anything, Thorne brushed past her and went inside.

As he passed, Charlene detected a new scent on him it was Vesta’s perfume. And there was something else…

lipstick mark on the collar of his pajamas,

He had just taken a shower, and the pajamas were freshly put on. Without looking, it was clear the scent of Vesta’s perfume and the lipstick mark had been acquired during their outing.

At first glance, his lips seemed redder than usual; Charlene had thought it was her imagination.

Now, it was evident it wasn’t.

Thorne had already taken a seat by the bed.

It seemed he was planning to stay the night.

This was somewhat unexpected for Charlene. She had thought-

But considering Irma’s watchful eyes around, it made sense he wouldn’t spend the night with Vesta.

So, Vesta had come looking for him personally because she was worried about him and Charlene?

Concerned something might happen between them?

And given the fresh scent of Vesta’s perfume and the lipstick mark, it was clear Thorne and Vesta had shared passionate kiss-

Charlene shook off her thoughts.

Half an hour later, when she came out of the bathroom, Thorne was reading a book.

But it seemed to be one of the books she had brought along.

Her expression darkened, displeased by his presumption in taking her book without asking. She was about to speak up when Thorne looked up, perhaps noticing her mood, and said, “Do you mind?”

Charlene did mind, slightly.

But since the book only had her notes from the first read and revealed nothing about today’s company meeting, she relaxed a bit and replied, “A little.”

Thorne responded, “Okay, I’ll ask next time before taking it.”

Next time?

She doubted, given their current relationship, there would be another occasion where they’d be forced to share a room like this.

Thorne had already returned his focus to the book, suddenly commenting, “You’ve made some good notes.”

It was a compliment. But Charlene pretended not to hear, grabbing the hairdryer and heading back into the

Bathroom to dry her hair.

After finishing her hair, Thorne was still reading.

Charlene completed her skincare routine and then laid down on the other bed, ready to rest,

Thorne didn’t fall asleep right away, and Charlene wasn’t certain when he finally did. She fell asleep quickly.

The next day, she woke up early, just as the sun was rising.

But the other side of the bed was already empty.

The room was silent.

Thorne was gone.

He must have left early… Perhaps, he hadn’t slept in the room at all last night.

She had arranged with Stewart to return to the company to handle some matters.

After breakfast, she packed her things and dragged her suitcase out the door.

Just as she opened the door, she heard Jasmine’s voice from down the hall, “Ms. Hawkins is so naughty. She promised to sleep over but sneaked back to her own room in the middle of the night.”

Jasmine was complaining to Latonia.

Hearing this, Charlene could almost be certain that Thorne hadn’t spent the night with her, but had instead gone to Vesta’s room.

Couldn’t even last one night without each other, huh?

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