Unknown Divorce: Revelation Beyond Time Novel by Miss Lyra (Chapters 191 to 200) 

Chapter 191

PrimeStar was buzzing with activity.

After having dinner that evening, Charlene and Stewart found themselves heading back to work at PrimeStar

It was a Wednesday morning, and in the middle of a meeting, Stewart’s secretary came in, informing him that Granger had arrived.

Stewart knew without guessing that Granger’s unannounced visit had a purpose.

Given Granger’s status, it was hard to turn him away.

He excused himself to Charlene, “You keep the meeting going, I’ll check this out.”

“Sure,” Charlene replied.

By the time Stewart got to the reception room, Granger was already there, sitting. Upon seeing Stewart, Granger stood up and extended his hand for a firm shake, saying, “I apologize for dropping by unannounced, Mr. Ferguson.”
Stewart, albeit reluctantly, responded, “No trouble at all, Mr. Harden.”

After they sat down, Granger immediately presented a document to Stewart, saying, “I’m genuinely interested in working together. Mr. Ferguson, would you like to take a look?”

As Stewart perused the document, his interest was visibly piqued.

Finally, he set the document down, “Mr. Harden, your proposal is certainly generous. However, there are other factors at play on my end that need consideration. It might take some time before I can give you an answer.”

Granger remained amicable, “That’s perfectly fine. I understand the need for comparison. If there are any concerns about the terms I’ve offered, feel free to get in touch. We can discuss and adjust as necessary.”

Not wanting to overstay his welcome, Granger made his leave after a brief farewell, leaving Stewart with no choice but to see him out respectfully.

Returning to the meeting room, Charlene had already wrapped up.

Stewart couldn’t help but share his thoughts with her, “Granger’s quite the executor.”

Only yesterday he had turned down Granger over the phone, and today, Granger showed up with a well–thought–out proposal, wasting no time on pleasantries.

Admitting, Stewart said, “Honestly, his proposal is pretty tempting.”

Charlene suggested, “We could wait and see. If it really fits, there’s no harm in collaborating.”

Stewart agreed internally.

Yet, he felt a tad frustrated, realizing it might be difficult to find fault with Granger now, leaving him feeling oddly deflated.

By late afternoon, Charlene was still busy when her phone rang. It was Jasmine again.

Jasmine hadn’t called in the past couple of days.

Charlene chose to concentrate on her work and didn’t answer the phone.

Two days later, on a Friday morning, Jasmine tried calling again just as Charlene was getting up.

Ignoring the call, Charlene placed her phone on the table and went to the kitchen to make breakfast.

Seeing Charlene still not answering, Jasmine felt a surge of frustration, tempted to throw her phone.

But she held back, tears welling up as she nibbled on her breakfast, telling Thorne across the table, “It’s been the fourth time since last Saturday. I’ve called Mom four times, but she hasn’t picked up once…”

Thorne suggested, “Then wait a bit longer and try again.”

Jasmine’s appetite faded as she fretted, “What if she still doesn’t pick up?”

“She will, after some time,” he assured her.

“When is ‘after some time‘?” Jasmine looked hopeful.

Pausing, Thorne answered, “Within two weeks.”

Jasmine’s hope faded, “Two weeks? That’s forever.”

Thorne nodded, conceding, “It is a bit long.”

Jasmine then brightened a bit, “I want to go out this weekend. Ms. Hawkins is still injured and can’t accompany me. Dad, will you come with me?”

Thorne seriously considered, “Dad has a lot on Saturday but is free on Sunday. If you want to go out on Saturday, why not go with Granger and Daisy?”

Chapter 192

Jasmine nodded in agreement, “Okay.”

All she wanted was not to be left alone.

Thorne made a quick call to Granger, asking him if he could take Jasmine out for the day.

Granger was on board, “Sure thing.”

Come Saturday, Granger took Jasmine and Daisy to the local amusement park.

There were attractions aplenty, from the whimsical to the adrenaline–pumping. Yet, for all the variety, Jasmine seemed disinterested, a shadow of her usually lively self.

It was clear something was weighing on her mind.

Granger returned with ice creams for her and Daisy, handing one to each.

poking at her face, which reminded him of Charlene, he asked, “Minnie, not feeling up to it today?”

As she gently swung back and forth, Jasmine licked her ice cream and whispered, “I kinda miss my Mom.”

Back when they lived abroad, it wasn’t unusual for months to pass without seeing her mom. But, her mom would call every day, video chat even.

Lately, her mom had been busy, yet she’d still answer Jasmine’s calls every few days and make it a point to cook for her when she was home.

But now, Jasmine’s calls went unanswered. This was uncharted territory for them.

Granger, aware of the divorce between Charlene and Thorne and the custody decision favoring Thorne, was out of the loop on the current state of their relationship.

Hearing Jasmine’s concerns, Granger inquired, “What happened?”

Jasmine shared her worries about her mom not answering her calls.

Granger knew Jasmine was in the dark about her parents‘ divorce.

Hearing her concerns, Granger found himself at a loss for words, eventually saying, “Your mom probably didn’t mean to miss your calls. She’s just caught up with work right now. It’ll get better.”

Jasmine nodded, “Yeah, Dad said the same.”

Granger fell silent, not knowing what else to say.

Daisy, seeing Jasmine upset, chimed in, “I miss my aunt too. But my uncle says she’s busy as well. Adults are always caught up in something. It’ll get better.”

Jasmine nodded again, “Okay.”

Granger hadn’t reached out to Charlene, not because she was busy, but because he feared the divorce and losing custody of Jasmine had taken a toll on her. He worried that asking her to spend time with Daisy might bring back painful memories and worsen her mood.

Around five in the afternoon, after wrapping up his work, Thorne called Granger, “Where are you guys?”

After getting the location, Thorne drove over to meet them.

“Daddy!”

Despite Granger’s kindness, the sight of Thorne lifted Jasmine’s spirits like no other.

Thorne, leaving his coat in the car and dressed in a sleek suit, bent down to lift her into his arms and squeezed her cheek, asking, “Did you have fun with Granger and Daisy today?”

Jasmine’s mood had visibly improved.

She nodded, “Yeah, it was fun!”

She clung to Thorne, refusing to let go.

Thorne carried her into the restaurant, only setting her down once they were inside a private dining area, before turning to Granger, “Thanks for today.”

“It was nothing,” Granger replied. “The girls entertained themselves, really. Made it easy for me.”

With the kids preoccupied, Granger turned to Thorne, hinting, “I know you’ve got Minnie’s custody, but what about visitation rights? How’s that going to work?”

Thorne caught the drift of his concern, chuckling, “You think I’m stopping her from seeing Jasmine?”

Chapter 193

Granger had that thought nailed down.

As they sipped coffee, Thorne mentioned, “Even though I have custody, the agreement is crystal clear. She can see Jasmine whenever she wants, no strings attached.”

Granger hadn’t expected this turn of events.

Just then, the kids looked over, and they dropped the subject.

Out of the blue, Thorne said, “Heard you’ve been mingling with PrimeStar lately?”

Granger paused, “Yeah.” And then asked, “What about you? Not interested?”

Thorne shrugged, “Haven’t decided yet. It’s early days for me, no rush on my side.”

“Gotcha.”

Charlene’s thesis was far from done.

After spending a day and a half on her thesis, on Sunday night, Charlene and Connie grabbed dinner out and strolled around for a couple of hours before heading home.

An undisturbed, fulfilling, and peaceful weekend passed by just like that.

On Monday, Charlene went to work at PrimeStar as usual.

From that day on, those who had previously called Stewart expressing their desire to collaborate with PrimeStar started showing up with their proposals in hand.

Dalton made his appearance on Thursday.

Stewart had just left for a business trip out of town on Wednesday.

Upon receiving the message, Charlene put her work aside and headed to the reception room.

Seeing the door to the PrimeStar reception room swing open, Dalton stood up but paused when he saw Charlene entering alone.

Extending a hand, Charlene courteously said, “Hello, Mr. Ramirez. I’m Ross. Stewart had to travel out of town yesterday and is not at PrimeStar at the moment. Currently, I’m handling all affairs here at PrimeStar. If there’s anything you’d like to discuss, I’m here to talk just the same.”

She’s handling everything?

In what capacity?

Stewart’s girlfriend?

Dalton wasn’t sure if her claims were accurate or if she was just trying to assert her significance in Stewart’s life.

Even if her words held truth, their proposal was filled with specialized terms and technical jargon.

Could she comprehend it?

It was almost amusing that, knowing he was here for a collaboration talk, she didn’t bring any technical staff and chose to meet him alone.

However, Stewart seemed to really value her.

With this in mind, even though he doubted she could fully grasp their company’s proposal, Dalton didn’t just turn around and leave to avoid unnecessary hassle. Instead, he extended his hand for a light handshake and said, “Then I’ll be in your care, Ms. Ross.”

He sat down, handing over the document to Charlene, “Here’s our proposal, Ms. Ross, please take a look.” Carlene took it, responding, “Sure, I’ll give it a glance,”

Just as Charlene was about to dive into the document, another of Stewart’s secretaries knocked and whispered, “Ms. Ross, there are more visitors downstairs. They say their names are Henley and Vesta, asking to wait in your office for you.

“No need,” Charlene cut him off softly, “Send them away.”

“Alright.”

After Stewart’s secretary left, Charlene apologized to Dalton before seriously starting to review his proposal. While reviewing Dalton’s cooperation proposal, Charlene noted to herself that even though Dalton was later than others in submitting it, he clearly had the luxury of being late. His proposal was detailed and almost perfectly aligned with her requirements.

Charlene seemed very focused on the document as if she truly understood it, he thought.

She wanted to pretend, he wasn’t going to call her out. After all, he wasn’t in a hurry.

Half an hour later, Charlene put down the document and said, “Mr. Ramirez’s proposal indeed matches our company’s needs very closely. We’ll definitely give it some serious thought.”

Dalton didn’t feel like engaging in further conversation with Charlene, thinking he’d rather wait for Stewart’s return to discuss in detail.

Yet, he remained exceedingly polite, “Thank you for your consideration. I look forward to the possibility of working with your company.”

Chapter 194

Then he added, “I’ve got another meeting lined up, Ms. Ross. Catch you later.”

Charlene had sensed Dalton’s apparent disinterest in her from the get–go.

Now, meeting in the lounge, Dalton tried his best to be polite, but she could still feel a hint of disdain in his demeanor.

Business is business, after all.

Her main goal was to find suitable partners; making friends with him wasn’t a priority. Ignoring his demeanor, she smiled and replied, “Sure, see you around.”

After he left, she turned to her assistant, “Chester, could you please show Mr. Ramirez out?”

Once Dalton was downstairs, a familiar figure caught his eye. “Ms. Hawkins?”

Yes, Vesta and Henley hadn’t left.

They had been informed by Chester’s assistant that “Mr. Ferguson was out of town on business” as a way to dismiss them, but they hadn’t taken the hint.

Thinking it was just an excuse because Chester didn’t want to see them, they decided to wait downstairs, hoping to catch him on his way out for a chat.

Instead of Chester, Dalton was the one they ran into.

Two weeks had passed since Vesta was injured. Her wounds had mostly healed, letting her return to her daily routine, although she hadn’t fully recovered yet.

Dalton had visited Neural Nexus Tech last week and was informed of Vesta’s accident when he didn’t find her there.

Seeing her slightly pale face reminded Dalton of her ordeal, sparking a twinge of sympathy in him. However, knowing she had gotten injured while trying to save Thorne left him at a loss for words.

Henley, noting Dalton’s distinguished air, guessed he was no ordinary individual and asked, “Vesta, who do we have here?”

Catching the fleeting look of concern in Dalton’s eyes, Vesta replied nonchalantly, “Dalton, Mr. Ramirez.”

She then introduced her father to Dalton, “This is my father, Henley Hawkins.”

Upon learning that Henley was Vesta’s father, Dalton greeted him politely, “A pleasure to meet you, Mr. Hawkins.”

After exchanging pleasantries, Vesta asked, “Mr. Ramirez, are you here to discuss a partnership with Mr. Ferguson as well?”

“Yes, Ms. Hawkins and Mr. Hawkins, you too?”

“That’s right,” Vesta replied. “Did you manage to see Mr. Ferguson?”

“No, he’s out of town on business.”

Hearing this, Henley chuckled, “So Mr. Ferguson really was out of town. I thought maybe he just didn’t want to see us.”

Dalton paused, then asked, “You weren’t invited upstairs?”

Vesta shook her head, “No, Mr. Ferguson’s assistant told us he was out of town and asked us to leave.”

Dalton’s expression darkened.

Vesta noticed and asked, “What’s wrong? Is something amiss?”

Dalton responded coolly, “Mr. Ferguson might indeed be away, but I was met by Ms. Ross, whom we previously encountered at Neural Nexus Tech. She asserted that she had full authority to manage PrimeStar’s affairs in his absence and could represent PrimeStar during negotiations.”

Regardless of whether Ms. Ross‘ claim was true, the fact that she had met with him but refused to see Vesta was clearly a deliberate snub!

Henley and Vesta were momentarily taken aback, but Vesta quickly brushed it off, “Is that so?”

Then, turning to Henley, she suggested, “Let’s head back, Dad.”

Henley, lips pressed tight at the thought of Charlene’s treatment towards them, acquiesced upon hearing Vesta’s suggestion, “Alright.”

Before Dalton could say anything further, Charlene appeared downstairs.

Noticing the trio, she paused. Before she could speak, Vesta’s phone rang.

Picking up, she answered, “Thorne?”

A smile played on her lips as she spoke, “You’re here? Great, I’ll come out now.”

Dalton asked, “Has Mr. Henderson arrived?”

Chapter 195

“Yeah.” When she spoke of Thorne, Vesta’s voice softened, “I’m not fully healed yet, and Thorne’s been worried sick. He came over to pick me up.”

As she spoke, she didn’t even glance at Charlene.

Then she added, “Mr. Ramirez, we’ll be taking our leave now. See you next time.”

Dalton had been itching to confront Charlene, to seek justice for Vesta.

But seeing Vesta couldn’t even bother to give Charlene a proper look, he sensed her disdain, her refusal to stoop to the level of engaging with someone like her.

Vesta’s pride and directness caught Dalton’s eye, further convincing him of her unique charm and appeal.

In that moment, he also felt that arguing with Charlene was pointless.

He found Charlene unworthy.

This thought filled him with genuine disgust towards Charlene.

He told Vesta, “I should be heading out as well. Let’s go together.”

Vesta nodded, and together with Henley, they left without looking back.

As she departed, Vesta didn’t give Charlene a single glance, but Dalton turned to give her a cold look before he left. From his look, Charlene knew exactly what was going on.

Men prejudiced against her because of Vesta weren’t new to her.

Thinking this, Charlene coldly returned the glance and was the first to look away, treating them as if they were mere air, almost walking side by side towards the exit.

Dalton was taken aback.

He hadn’t expected his little scheme to be so transparent, and yet she had the audacity to stand her ground so confidently.

He scoffed sarcastically.

It was indeed an eye–opening experience for him.

Truly, all kinds of birds exist in a large forest.

Seeing Charlene leaving unabashedly with them, Henley was surprised and frowned.

Vesta’s steps faltered ever so slightly, but then she continued forward as if she hadn’t seen Charlene at all!

In the parking lot, Thorne had gotten out of the car and was waiting by the door for Vesta.

Seeing Charlene exit with them caught him off guard, but his expression quickly returned to neutral.

Charlene also noticed Thorne.

She walked straight to where her car was parked, without a sideways glance.

Once in her car, Charlene set her navigation and drove off.

Thorne and the others hadn’t left yet.

As she drove by, she noticed Thorne gently opening the car door for Vesta with tender care.

There was a dinner party on Saturday, and Stewart came back on Friday afternoon.

Hearing about Dalton’s actions, he couldn’t help but laugh coldly, “If that’s the case, we really don’t need to cooperate with him. It spares us the annoyance of dealing with him.”

Charlene felt the same way. There were many other potential partners besides Dalton. She didn’t need to lower herself.

On Saturday afternoon, Charlene was picking out an evening gown for the party when her phone rang.

It was Jasmine.

She had been avoiding her calls, hoping Jasmine would eventually stop calling so frequently.

Despite her expectations, Jasmine kept calling her two or three times a week.

Charlene didn’t answer this time either.

Seeing her missed call, Jasmine didn’t feel as dejected as before.

After so many unanswered calls, she had almost given up on reaching out to her mother.

Chapter 196

Well, Dad always said that if she wanted to call, she should just call. Mom would answer one of these days.

So, whenever she needed her mom, even knowing the call might go unanswered, she dialed her number right away, following her heart.

She casually put down the phone, eyeing Thorne as he slipped into his suit, lounging on the master bed, legs kicking in the air. “Dad, you’re off to pick up Ms. Hawkins already?”

Thorne nodded, “Yeah.”

“Make sure you guys come back early tomorrow, take me out for some fun.”

“Sure thing.”

Thorne got dressed and was out of the house in less than fifteen minutes.

By eight o’clock, he and Vesta made their grand entrance at the banquet hall.

Vesta, in her stunning ensemble, was a sight to behold, drawing every gaze in the room.

Granger and Moran had already arrived, making their way over as soon as they noticed Thorne and Vesta.

Dalton and York had just arrived, their attention quickly caught by the couple.

Dalton’s eyes lit up with admiration upon seeing Vesta.

York, spotting Thorne and Vesta, asked Kelvin, “That’s Vesta?”

Kelvin nodded, “Yeah, gorgeous and charismatic, right?”

But no matter how stunning or charismatic, she was someone else’s girl.

York glanced over briefly, then looked away, offering no comment.

Thorne’s presence commanded attention. Soon, many guests were eagerly greeting him.

Before long, Thorne and Vesta were surrounded by people.

Stewart and Charlene arrived late.

PrimeStar, the talk of their circle recently, meant all eyes were on Stewart even more eagerly than before. At the same time, Charlene’s appearance in a hand–embroidered ivory gown left everyone in awe.

“It goes without saying, she look immaculately dazzling, beautiful and elegant.

“Absolutely.”

Henderson and Mr. Ferguson are indeed lucky men.”

Whether it was Ms. Hawkins or Ms. Ross by Stewart’s side, each had their unique charm but was undeniably beautiful.

As soon as Charlene and Stewart entered the banquet hall, Granger, Moran, York, and Dalton quickly took notice.

PrimeStar, being the spotlight company, had Stewart’s presence expected by everyone.

Granger wasn’t sure if Charlene would accompany Stewart, but seeing her there, arm in arm with him, his gaze deepened.

Moran had anticipated Charlene’s presence, yet he was taken aback by her dazzling beauty.

Even if he wasn’t fond of Charlene, he had to admit her clean, captivating elegance was truly unique.

Chapter 197

It was all glitter on the outside, but hollow at the heart.

Thinking this, he found himself losing interest and looked away.

Dalton was indeed dazzled by Charlene at first glance.

His thoughts mirrored Moran’s pretty closely.

So, he almost immediately turned away in distaste.

Kelvin found himself quite taken with Charlene’s charm.

He was hesitant to look away until he saw Dalton’s reaction and asked, “What’s up with you? That reaction… Did she rub you the wrong way again?”

York also shifted his gaze away.

Dalton spilled the beans about what went down at PrimeStar a couple of days back.

Kelvin: “Wow… You really wouldn’t guess Ms. Ross was that kind of person.”

York paused mid-sip of his drink, then suggested, “Maybe there’s some beef between her and Ms. Hawkins that we don’t know about?”

Dalton was skeptical, “So if they have beef, she’s justified in settling scores publicly?”

Without the full picture, York didn’t want to jump to conclusions and said no more.

Charlene and Stewart had just arrived at the gala when they were surrounded by a crowd.

People showered Stewart with compliments.

Stewart responded, “Thanks, but the success of PrimeStar is the result of our entire team’s effort.” He glanced at Charlene, adding, “Especially Charlene. She’s been instrumental.”

She was at the heart of both the previous coup and the latest two projects. Yet, her identity still remained a secret.

Even more so, this time, as she, along with other key personnel involved in the project, had signed NDAs with the government.

While her identity couldn’t be disclosed, emphasizing her significance was still feasible.

With increased attention on PrimeStar lately, many were aware that Charlene was not only a PrimeStar employee but also very close to Stewart.

Stewart would even delegate his authority to her when he was away, entrusting her with company matters.

Hearing Stewart’s words, many naturally assumed Charlene must be quite capable.

But as for Stewart’s claim that “PrimeStar wouldn’t be where it is today without Charlene,” that was taken with a grain of salt.

After all, the word was that Charlene had joined PrimeStar only a few months ago.

Stewart’s praise probably stemmed from being lovesick, as he didn’t want others to underestimate Charlene.

Given Charlene’s undeniable beauty and Stewart’s current high spirits, it seemed natural for him to be smitten.

Though that’s what everyone thought, their faces showed only smiles as they complimented, “Ms. Ross truly embodies both talent and beauty.”

On the other side, Vesta sneered at this exchange.

She glanced at Thorne, noticing he had briefly looked towards Charlene before disinterestedly looking away.

Vesta, observing this, coolly shifted her gaze, only to find Granger intently watching Charlene.

She thought that his interest must be in Stewart.

Vesta knew that Granger was keen on collaborating with PrimeStar. But as for Charlene–Granger had openly expressed his dislike for her, so why was he staring at her?

No matter how attractive Charlene was, it was unlikely Granger would take an interest.

Noticing Vesta’s gaze, Granger looked away, “Something on your mind?”

Vesta just smiled, “Nothing much.”

Granger didn’t press further. Seeing that Stewart and Charlene’s crowd had thinned, he mentioned, “I’ll go say hi to Stewart. Thorne, are you sure about partnering with PrimeStar? If so, maybe join me in greeting them?”

Chapter 198

Thorne casually said, “No rush on my end, you go ahead.”

Hearing that, Granger replied, “Sure.” He walked over, facing Charlene, and said, “Mr. Ferguson, Ms. Ross.”

Upon seeing him, Stewart’s smile faded slightly, “Ah, Mr. Harden.”

Charlene also greeted politely, “Mr. Harden.”

Then, Dalton approached as well. Unlike Granger, he only greeted Stewart, “Mr. Ferguson.”

Stewart’s smile grew fainter, “Mr. Ramirez, too? Sorry, I’ve been tied up, didn’t see you there.”

Dalton noticed that Stewart looked even more displeased to see him than before. However, he wasn’t surprised by this reaction.

He shot Charlene a cold look, certain she had been whispering in Stewart’s ear about the other day.

Dalton didn’t much care for Stewart’s attitude, mentioning, “I visited PrimeStar a few days back, not sure if you’re aware?”

“I am. Charlene told me,” Stewart said. “I’ve seen Mr. Ramirez’s proposal, and while it’s solid, I… personally am not a fan. So, I’m afraid, Mr. Ramirez, collaboration might not be”

Dalton didn’t expect Stewart to be so biased by Charlene’s influence.

Frowning, he said, “I thought Mr. Ferguson knew how to keep personal and professional separate.”

“I do,” Stewart replied openly, now that the air was cleared, “But it depends on the context.”

The implication was clear: when it came to Charlene, the lines could blur.

Despite the tension with Stewart, Dalton wasn’t ready to give up on a collaboration with PrimeStar.

“If Mr. Ferguson finds issues with my proposal, I’ll bring a new one and visit PrimeStar soon,” he said. Casting a glance at Granger, he added, “Since Mr. Ferguson is busy, I won’t keep you any longer. Until next time.”

Dalton left without another word about Charlene.

Granger, listening in, could tell Stewart’s reluctance to collaborate was tied to Charlene, based on Dalton’s reaction.

He didn’t pry, instead suggesting, “I’ve prepared a new proposal as well. Wondering if Mr. Ferguson and Ms. Ross are free for dinner on Monday?”

Granger had close ties with Vesta and Thorne, so Stewart wasn’t too fond of him. Granger had close ties with Vesta and Thorne, so Stewart wasn’t too fond of him.

Still, Stewart kept it strictly business, “Monday, is it? Not sure yet, but I’ll get in touch if we’re free. Mr. Harden can count on that.”

Granger wasn’t in a hurry, replying, “With your word, Mr. Ferguson, I’m at ease.”

As he finished, the host of the evening took the stage, followed by the main event where the host and his spouse led a dance to applause and music, with many guests joining in.

The night was filled with glamorous socialites and elites.

Then, a striking heiress walked up to Granger and asked, “Mr. Harden, may I have the pleasure of a dance?”

Chapter 199

Granger’s expression changed ever so slightly.

He quietly turned his attention to Charlene, without Stewart noticing.

Stewart caught up in the moment, leaned forward with an exaggerated bow and extended a gallant invitation,

“The lovely and beautiful Ms. Ross, may I have the pleasure of this dance with you?”

Charlene, skilled in the art of dance herself, smiled in response, “Of course, it would be my honor.”

Saying so, she placed her hand in Stewart’s.

Stewart, holding her hand, led her onto the dance floor.

Granger saw this and politely extended his hand towards another lady.

As Charlene and Stewart made their entrance, their eyes briefly met Thorne and Vesta, who were also about to dance. Charlene intended to look away but noticed Thorne seemed to smile at her.

Frowning, she quickly realized it was a trick of her vision. Thorne was smiling at Vesta, not her.

Charlene shifted her focus, fully engaging in the dance with Stewart.

York, Dalton, and Moran were all eligible bachelors within the Starfall social elite, much sought after by the ladies.

Many women aspired to dance with them.

After greeting Stewart, Dalton’s attention was fixated on Vesta.

He, like York, had no initial intention of dancing. However, due to the matchmaking efforts of their elders, they each gentlemanly escorted a lady onto the dance floor.

Moran, ever the playboy, took the initiative to ask women to dance.

Charlene, with her refined, graceful demeanor and the classical beauty she exuded in her dress, combined with her radiant smile, undoubtedly became the belle of the ball.

Many sought to swap dance partners with Stewart.

Kelvin was among them.

Approaching Stewart and Charlene, he asked, “Mr. Ferguson, would you mind swapping dance partners for a while?”

His eyes were practically glued to Charlene.

Stewart’s face hardened as he said, “Actually, I do mind.”

Kelvin was taken aback.

Just then, Charlene heard someone addressing her, “Ms. Ross, would you care to swap dance partners with me?”

Turning, she saw it was York’s dance partner speaking to her. The woman, pretty and sweet–looking, seemed quite interested in Stewart.

Charlene chuckled, glanced at a visibly surprised Stewart, and said, “I’m fine with it, but what about Mr. Watson…?”

York spoke up, “I’m all for it.”

Stewart was speechless. So his opinion didn’t matter?

then again, thinking about York… he had to admit the guy was quite the catch; matching him with Charlene Seemed appropriate.

With a change of heart, the four of them smoothly switched partners.

Placing her hand in that of a stranger, with the other resting on his shoulder, was admittedly a bit awkward for

Charlene.

York, ever the gentleman, kept his touch light and respectful.

Noticing Charlene’s fleeting discomfort, York thought she seemed almost as if she’d never been in love, innocent and unspoiled.

Though they had seen each other before, they were practically strangers.

York introduced himself, “I’m York.”

Charlene, quickly overcoming her initial unease, looked up and replied with a calm, “Charlene.”

Chapter 200

York said, “Good name.”

It suited her to a T, though York kept that thought to himself.

Their little exchange hadn’t gone unnoticed by Dalton, Moran, Granger, and even Vesta and Thorne were tuning in.
Swapping dance partners at a ball was nothing out of the ordinary.

But York and Charlene???

Frankly, they looked like a match made in heaven, no two ways about it.

Dalton’s brow furrowed in disapproval.

Granger hesitated for a moment.

His dance partner glanced over. “Something wrong, Mr. Harden?”

Granger shifted his gaze back to her. “Sorry, my mind wandered.”

“It’s fine.”

Switching partners was pretty normal. He and Thorne switching up was no big deal.

But him and Charlene???

Vesta was laying eyes on York for the first time tonight.

Dalton had come over earlier to say hi, but York hadn’t joined him.

She wasn’t quite sure about York’s background.

But from the way Dalton and Kelvin acted around York, it was obvious he was just as influential as Dalton.

Seeing Charlene blushing and dancing with York, who seemed quite taken with her as well, made Vesta frown.

Just then, Moran chimed in with a grin, “Thorne, care to switch partners for a bit?”

Vesta snapped out of her thoughts.

Thorne looked at Vesta. “What do you think?”

Vesta smiled. “I’m cool with it.”

Thorne chuckled and switched partners with Moran.

Moran’s partner hadn’t expected Vesta to actually agree to the swap.

As Thorne took her hand and pulled her close, the girl’s heart raced, her cheeks flushing so much she even forgot how to dance.

Embarrassed, she looked up at Thorne, momentarily lost for words.

Thorne, noticing her discomfort, said gently, “No need to be nervous.”

His kindness helped her relax, and after apologizing, she managed to follow Thorne’s lead on the dance floor.

Vesta wasn’t usually bothered by swapping dance partners; she was confident in herself after all.

But seeing that girl gaze at Thorne with such admiration and a racing heart made her frown.

After all, Vesta was his buddy’s girl, and Moran had no romantic intentions.

The swap was just a spur–of–the–moment decision. But once it happened, he actually felt a bit awkward.

After all, he was holding his buddy’s girl. He wasn’t quite sure where to place his hands.

Vesta noticed and reassured him, “It’s just a dance. Thorne won’t mind.”

Moran relaxed a bit and smiled. “Right.”

As they talked, Charlene and Thorne were slowly getting closer, though Charlene didn’t seem to notice. Until she heard Thorne’s voice next to her: “Mr. Watson, care to switch partners?”

Charlene turned, coming face–to–face with Thorne.

York looked at Charlene, asking, “Ms. Ross, you…”

Before he could finish, Thorne seemed to have already arranged the switch, handing off his partner,

If York hadn’t caught the girl, she would’ve stumbled.

Seeing Thorne extending his hand to Charlene, ensuring she wouldn’t fall, York reluctantly let go of Charlene and caught the girl by the waist.

Charlene was too stunned to react, finding herself securely in Thorne’s arms in no time.

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