Unknown Divorce: Revelation Beyond Time Novel by Miss Lyra (Chapters 201 to 210) 

Chapter 201

As soon as Charlene realized what was happening, her first instinct was to push Thorne away.

“Take it easy,” Thorne murmured, his tone casual as if he had anticipated her reaction. He tightened his grip around her waist just a little more.

“You!” She couldn’t break free, but she didn’t want to cause a scene either.

Thorne was never one to make an appearance without a reason. She figured he had something to say, which is why he planned this partner switch.

She stopped struggling and asked coolly, “What do you want to talk about?”

Thorne looked down at her indifferent expression, seemingly unfazed. In a conversational tone, he asked, “When do you plan to pick up Minnie’s call?”

Charlene replied, “In a little while.”

Thorne chuckled at her response. “About ten days?”

Charlene paused slightly. “…Yeah, about that.”

Even though she and Thorne were getting divorced, and she didn’t have custody of Jasmine Henderson, she still felt a motherly duty towards her. She intended to spend one day each month with Jasmine.

Ten days would mark almost a month since her last visit.

Thorne nodded. “Alright.”

With that, their conversation was mostly over. There really wasn’t much left to say between them.

She glanced at him, signaling for him to release her. But Thorne didn’t let go right away. He asked, “How have you been lately?”

Charlene pressed her lips together, unsure of his intentions. “That’s my business.”

How she was doing was no longer his concern.

Thorne seemed to have asked just out of politeness. When she didn’t answer, he didn’t press further. He led hér off the dance floor before turning and walking away.

No one else seemed to understand how Thorne and Charlene suddenly ended up as dance partners. Their brief interaction was met with surprise.

Vesta Hawkins pursed her lips tightly but soon regained her composure. If Thorne was going to fall for Charlene, it would have happened long ago. Not now.

When Thorne returned, she left the dance floor and asked, “Did you talk to her about something?”

Thorne replied, “Just about Minnie.”

Vesta nodded. She knew Thorne wouldn’t seek out Charlene without a reason. With that settled, she smiled and invited Thorne to dance again. They rejoined the dance floor together.

Meanwhile, Stewart was stunned to see Thorne dancing with Charlene. Once he learned it was about the kid, he relaxed a bit. “Try to keep your distance from him.”

Charlene nodded, “I know.”

At that moment, York approached and said, “Ms. Ross, I apologize for the partner switch without your consent.” After the swap, he’d noticed her discomfort with Thorne. She clearly hadn’t wanted to dance with him. Only then did it dawn on him that Thorne was Vesta’s boyfriend, and there seemed to be some tension between Vesta and Charlene. Perhaps Thorne was there to talk about Vesta or even defend her honor.

Charlene shook her head, saying, “It’s not your fault. If I were in your place, I would have done the same.” Her tope was sincere and calm, showing she truly didn’t blame him.

While dancing with her earlier, York figured out she wasn’t really into playing social games. She was quiet and gentle, looking at him without any ulterior motives, just seeing him as a temporary dance partner.

York extended his hand. “Care for another dance?”

Chapter 202

Charlene paused for a moment. York had asked her to dance again, and she could tell that his intentions weren’t romantic. It was simply a genuine act of apology and friendship.

He offered his hand with genuine intent, and Charlene, not wanting to be rude, accepted it gracefully.

Granger Harden had already stepped out of the dance floor. His eyes darkened when he noticed Charlene and York dancing again.

Vesta caught the scene as well, and a glimmer of surprise crossed her face. Thorne noticed too, raising an eyebrow with a playful smirk before casually continuing his dance with Vesta.

After a while, Thorne received a phone call, prompting him to leave the dance floor with Vesta. Coincidentally, Moran Albright was ready to take a break from dancing too. He joined Vesta as they made their way over to Granger, whose gaze was still fixed on Charlene.

Charlene and York continued to dance. Moran took a sip of his drink, his eyes following Charlene. “York seems to have taken a liking to her,” he remarked. “But given the Watson family’s standing, even if York genuinely liked her, they’d never approve.”

After all, Charlene, already married and a mother was part of the struggling Ross family. The notion of the Watsons welcoming her seemed like a long shot.

Moran left the rest unsaid, but Vesta understood his implication. Having been in Starfall City for some time, she knew that the Hendersons, Hardens, Albright’s, Watsons, and Ramirezes were the elite families in the area. She’d suspected York’s background was significant and wondered if he belonged to the Watson family. It turned out she was right.

However, while York might genuinely like Charlene, it didn’t necessarily mean he was romantically interested. As for Charlene joining the Watson family, that seemed a distant notion.

As she mused over this, she watched York and Charlene leave the dance floor. York nodded to Charlene in farewell and turned away, showing no signs of lingering attachment.

Vesta smiled to herself. It seemed her intuition was correct. Charlene didn’t possess the allure to make someone like York fall head over heels at first sight.

Moran shifted his gaze, suggesting, “After dancing so much, I’m a bit hungry. Shall we grab a bite?”

Seeing Charlene and Stewart head towards the buffet area, Granger agreed, “Sounds good.”

Vesta waved at Thorne, who was still on the phone and headed over to join them at the buffet. As they arrived, several people approached to greet them, and some even sought to discuss business with Granger and Moran. Vesta stood by, observing the conversations.

It was then that Dalton Ramirez and York appeared. Spotting Vesta, Dalton approached her. “Ms. Hawkins he greeted.

Vesta offered a polite smile, greeting him, “Hi, Mr. Ramirez.”

“And where’s Mr. Henderson? Not with you tonight?”

“He’s on a call,” she replied.

Dalton suddenly remembered that Vesta and York hadn’t been introduced, so he made the introductions. “Ms. Hawkins, this is my friend York.”

Turning to York, he said, “York, meet Ms. Vesta Hawkins.” .

York extended a hand. “Pleasure to meet you, Ms. Hawkins.”

Vesta shook his hand. “Nice to meet you.”

Charlene and Stewart were making their way over just in time to see this exchange. Stewart let out a low whistle, amused by the unfolding scene.

Chapter 203

Stewart had been eyeing a tray of pastries in the corner all evening. Just as they were about to head over to grab some, someone stopped them to discuss a project.

Across the room, York had just greeted Vesta and was now nodding to Granger and Moran, “Mr. Harden, Mr. Albright.”

Granger returned the nod.

At that moment, Thorne finished his phone call and joined them.

Moran scratched his nose, coughing slightly as he recalled the dance York and Charlene had shared earlier. It was quite a while, considering Charlene was Thorne’s wife…

Granger’s eyes flickered with the thought.

Thorne, however, seemed unbothered by it.

Seeing York, Thorne even greeted him warmly, “Mr. Watson.”

York replied, “Mr. Henderson.”

Thorne clinked his glass with York’s, taking a small sip and saying, “It’s been a while.”

York swirled his glass, replying, “Yeah.”

Moran sighed internally. Guess he was worried for nothing.

The group began chatting, the conversation flowing easily among them.

Charlene and Stewart, meanwhile, were caught up with other guests for a good while and didn’t have a chance to reunite with Thorne and the others.

As the night wore on, they bade farewell to their hosts and left the party.

Come Monday morning, Stewart hadn’t been at the office long when someone informed him that Mr. Palmer from The Henderson Group was downstairs, wanting to discuss a potential collaboration.

Accompanying Mr. Palmer was Vesta.

Stewart sighed.

If Thorne had shown up to talk business, Stewart would have flatly refused to meet him. But he got along well with Mr. Palmer, and having him as the intermediary made it tough for Stewart to turn down the meeting.

Thorne really knew how to play his cards. Plus, he sent Vesta along.

Stewart felt a headache coming on.

He grimaced and went to find Charlene, filling her in on the situation.

Charlene shrugged, “Meeting Vesta isn’t a big deal.”

Meeting doesn’t necessarily mean agreeing to a deal, after all.

“True,” Stewart agreed, then asked, “Want to join me?”

Charlene nodded, “Let’s go together.”

After Vesta and Mr. Palmer had settled in the meeting room for a bit, Charlene and Stewart went in to meet them.

As Stewart opened the door, Mr. Palmer and Vesta stood to greet them.

Seeing Charlene walk in alongside Stewart, Vesta’s expression shifted slightly, but she didn’t let it show much. After Mr. Palmer exchanged pleasantries with Stewart, Vesta also chimed in, “Mr. Ferguson.”

Stewart nodded, saying, “Ms. Hawkins, have a seat

Charlene, known for her striking looks and having worked at The Henderson Group for a few years, was somewhat familiar to Mr. Palmer,

Before sitting down, he couldn’t help but remark, “Isn’t this Miss Secretary I remember?”

He chuckled, “I was wondering why I hadn’t seen you around. So you’ve moved to PrimeStar Technologies.”

Charlene laughed lightly, “Yes, it’s been sometime now?

Mr. Palmer nodded approvingly, “Good for you, good for you.”

After the small talk, they got down to business.

When Mr. Palmer handed the documents to Stewart, Vesta did the same and passed hers over too.

Stewart took them and handed Vesta’s to Charlene, saying, “Charlene, would you mind taking a look at Ms. Hawkins‘ proposal?”

Charlene agreed, “Sure.”

Vesta paused but said nothing.

Charlene flipped open the files. While she wasn’t a speed reader, she was certainly faster than most.

In just a few minutes, she had finished reviewing Vesta’s proposal.

Returning the documents to Vesta, Charlene addressed her, “I can see you’ve put a lot of effort into this, Ms. Hawkins. However, there are quite a few issues. Compared to other partners who’ve approached our company, this one doesn’t really stand out.”

Chapter 204

Vesta listened and said, “Oh, I see,” fixing her sharp gaze on Charlene. “In that case, Ms. Ross, why don’t you point out the issues you see with this proposal? That way, we can work on improving it based on your feedback.”

Charlene immediately recognized this as a challenge, a test to see if she was nitpicking without real cause.

With a slight smile, Charlene replied, “Ms. Hawkins, any issues with the proposal are really your responsibility to identify. If you can’t pinpoint them yourselves instead ask us, do you think that’s appropriate? You need to understand that we’re not obligated to work with you. If you’re genuinely interested in collaborating with us but don’t even know what we need, then it only confirms that your proposal doesn’t meet our standards.”

Vesta had indeed planned to corner Charlene, suspecting that she was being intentionally difficult. Her strategy was to see if Charlene could clearly articulate any problems with the proposal, thereby setting a trap to counter any criticism she might offer.

To her surprise, Charlene deftly avoided the trap and turned the tables, creating an even bigger dilemma for Vesta.

Internally, Vesta was taken aback but maintained a calm exterior. “Ms. Ross, I think you misunderstood. What I meant is that collaboration should be mutually beneficial. If there are issues, shouldn’t we discuss them and improve together for the benefit of both parties?”

Charlene paused mid-sip, caught off guard by her stupid question. She asked, “Is this your first time negotiating a partnership, Ms. Hawkins?”

Vesta frowned, unsure why Charlene would ask that.

Without waiting for a response, Charlene continued with a warm smile, “The kind of mutual discussion and improvement you’re talking about is something you do at home or in school. In business, we team up for profit and split when it’s not working. If there’s a better deal out there, why wouldn’t we take it?”

Her tone was gentle, even friendly, but Vesta felt a chill run through her. She realized she had underestimated Charlene.

Charlene nudged a cup of coffee towards Vesta and smiled, “Ms. Hawkins, have some coffee.”

Vesta hesitated for a moment. In this setting, with Charlene’s gesture, not accepting wasn’t an option. She picked up the cup and said, “Thank you, Ms. Ross.”

“You’re welcome, Ms. Hawkins.”

Stewart had been watching their exchange closely, concerned that Charlene might get outplayed by Vesta again. Hearing how Charlene skillfully shut Vesta down left him pleasantly surprised.

After he finished reviewing the documents, chatted with Mr. Palmer, and saw them off, he gave Charlene a thumbs–up. “Impressive.”

Charlene lowered her gaze with a modest smile. “Well, I did spend a few years as a secretary at The Henderson Group.”

While The Henderson Group had clients far above the level of ordinary secretaries, she’d still gathered plenty of experience over the years.

Stewart had almost forgotten about that. He asked, “So, does the Hawkins family’s proposal actually have issues?”

“Yes.”

Though it was well–crafted with technical details seemingly spot–on–likely thanks to Thorne’s involvement in it, how fell short, missing a crucial element when it came to implementation.

Chapter 205

After they wrapped up the discussion about Vesta, Charlene turned to Stewart and asked, “So, what’s going on with The Henderson Group?”

Stewart rubbed his nose thoughtfully. “Well, you know, Thorne’s a bit of an expert himself. He’s got a knack for the technical stuff.”

The Henderson Group was loaded. They had a whole roster of top–tier tech talent that everyone in the industry was vying for.

And with Thorne’s own tech–savvy, there was no doubt their proposal would be top-notch–perhaps even unmatched.

That was likely why Thorne had been so calm and collected, waiting until now to approach them for a collaboration.

Charlene wasn’t surprised. She said, “When it comes time to make a decision, just focus on the facts.”

Partnering with a top-notch team could ease a lot of worries. Whatever personal history she had with Thorne didn’t matter when it came to the project.

Later that afternoon, Dalton swung by PrimeStar. This time, Stewart didn’t see him.

Dalton took off when he realized no one was around to meet him.

Not long after Dalton’s departure, Granger showed up. Stewart and Charlene went to see him together.

After reviewing Granger’s new proposal, Stewart and Charlene exchanged a knowing glance.

Seeing that he was on the same page, Charlene promptly said to Granger, “Mr. Harden, looking forward to working together.”

Granger, noticing Charlene seemed to have the final say at PrimeStar, discreetly glanced between her and Stewart before standing up to shake their hands. “Looking forward to it.”

They immediately dove into discussing the contract details.

As dusk settled outside, and they were close to finalizing the initial contract, Charlene’s phone rang.

It was Jasmine calling–twice in a row. Charlene declined both calls.

Jasmine didn’t call again.

Meanwhile, Thorne picked up his phone.

Half an hour later, he returned home.

Jasmine was lying in bed on an IV drip, looking wilted and weak as she murmured, “Daddy…”

Thorne sat at the bedside, noticing the sheen of sweat on her forehead. He gently wiped it away with a handkerchief. “Is your stomach still hurting?”

“A bit better…”

Even though it was slightly better, it was still quite painful.

Thorne didn’t give her a hard time for eating something dodgy. Seeing she was both physically and emotionally uncomfortable, he asked, “Do you want me to get Ms. Hawkins for you?”

In the past, Jasmine would have eagerly agreed. But now, she clutched Thorne’s fingers and shook her head. “I want Mom to come see me.”

She liked Ms. Hawkins, sure.

Even though she sometimes got annoyed with her mom, when she was feeling unwell, the first person she thought of was always her mom.

She wanted her Mom by her side.

Thorne nodded. “Okay.”

He didn’t pull his hand away, instead using his other hand to call Charlene.

Charlene had just finished discussing the contract with Granger and was about to head out for dinner.

Seeing Thorne’s call and recalling Jasmine’s earlier attempts, Charlene hesitated before answering. “Hello?” Thorne said, “Minnie has a mild case of food poisoning. She’s at home on an IV and wants to see you.” Charlene’s grip on her phone tightened. “Got it. I’ll head over now,” she said.

Putting her phone down, she turned to Granger. “I’m sorry, something’s come up. We’ll have to reschedule dinner.”

Granger, noticing her tense expression, guessed, “Is it Minnie?”

Charlene nodded. “Yeah.”

“Is it serious?”

Thorne hadn’t given details, and Charlene wasn’t sure of the specifics. “It sounds like she’s stable.”

Chapter 206

That’s good to hear.” Granger felt a sense of relief and didn’t press further.

Charlene exchanged a quick goodbye with Stewart before leaving the office.

When she arrived at the house and entered Jasmine’s room, Thorne was seated at the desk engrossed in work. Seeing her, he glanced up and said, “You’re here.”

Charlene replied, “… Yeah.” She set her purse down and moved to the bed to check on Jasmine.

Jasmine was still hooked up to an IV, looking a bit tired with her brow furrowed as she slept.

Charlene didn’t wake her and instead asked Thorne, “How is she doing?”

“When I got back, she was in pain, but she seems to be doing much better now.”

“Okay.”

Charlene settled into an armchair nearby, pulled out a book, and planned to read while waiting for Jasmine to wake up.

Thorne glanced over, asking, “Have you eaten yet?”

Charlene shook her head and replied, “No.”

Just as Thorne was about to say something more, Jasmine stirred awake.

Spotting Charlene, she exclaimed in surprise, “Mom? You’re home!”

“Yes.” Charlene closed her book, and moved to sit by the bed, and before she could speak, Jasmine sat up to hug her neck, adding, “Mom, you’re finally back.”

Feeling her daughter’s soft little body against her, Charlene hesitated for a moment before returning the embrace, careful of the IV line.

After resting with the IV for over half an hour, Jasmine seemed much more energetic and sheepishly admitted, “Mom, I’m hungry.”

Thorne turned in his chair, asking, “Should we have someone bring food up?”

Jasmine peeked out from Charlene’s arms, replying, “No, I want to eat something you made, Mom.”

Charlene considered this. “How about we eat what’s ready now, and I’ll cook for you next time?” “Okay,” Jasmine pouted a bit but quickly added, “but you have to eat with me, Mom.”

“Of course.”

Jasmine visibly brightened with Charlene’s presence.

With the IV almost finished, Thorne carefully removed the needle, and Jasmine promptly demanded to be carried downstairs for dinner.

As Charlene lifted her, she noticed Jasmine felt a bit heavier and slightly taller. Had she really grown this much in just twenty days?

“Mom?” Jasmine reached up to touch Charlene’s face, sensing something was on her mind.

Charlene said nothing, just carried her downstairs.

Thorne closed his laptop, trailing behind them, and when he saw Jasmine grinning on Charlene’s shoulder, he gently pinched her cheek.

Jasmine, in high spirits, didn’t mind.

Downstairs, Jasmine sat beside Charlene, picking at the food Charlene served her while chatting about what she wanted for breakfast the next day.

Seeing Jasmine was mostly back to her usual self, Charlene explained, “I have some work to do later, so we’ll have to save those breakfast plans for next time.”

Thorne glanced at Charlene but kept quiet.

Jasmine wasn’t satisfied. “Mom, you’re always busy with work. You finally came back, and now you’re leaving again? I don’t like it!”

Seeing her daughter’s puffed–up cheeks, Charlene realized that visiting just once a month wasn’t enough. “Alright,” she relented, “Mom will stay with you tonight.”

Jasmine beamed and quickly added, “And take me to school tomorrow.”

Charlene, eating, nodded, “Okay.”

Having missed Charlene, after dinner, Jasmine dragged her upstairs, eagerly sharing stories from school about her friends, teachers, and hobbies.

Charlene listened and after a while noticed Thorne leaning against the doorframe, watching them with a soft expression. She wondered when he had come over.

Chapter 207

After giving Jasmine a bath and drying her hair, Charlene was also ready to freshen up for the night.

Jasmine didn’t find her toiletries in her room, so she headed to the master bedroom instead,

The master bedroom was pitch black and there was no sign of Thorne. As soon as she flicked on the light, she froze, almost doubting if she had walked into the wrong room.

She had lived in this room for seven years, and everything about it was as familiar to her as the back of her hand.

But now, everything that met her eyes felt utterly foreign. Well, not everything–the floor remained untouched. But aside from that, the chandelier, curtains, bed, nightstands, the little round table by the window, sofa, coffee table, carpet, and even the water dispenser and cups were all replaced.

Moreover, her usual vanity table was missing. Naturally, the bottles and jars she regularly used had vanished without a trace.

Seeing this, she guessed that every trace of her had been wiped clean from the room.

It made sense. Their divorce was almost finalized.

Just from the fact that as soon as Vesta got injured saving him, Thorne had rushed back to her to sign a new divorce agreement, it was clear how eager he was to divorce her, to give Vesta a rightful place in his life.

Yet, their divorce papers weren’t officially settled. And here he was, already erasing every trace of her so eagerly?

Charlene stepped back, about to turn off the lights and leave the room, when Latonia’s voice sounded behind her, “Ma’am.”

Charlene turned around to see Latonia holding a tray with a steaming bowl of stew on it. “Latonia.”

Latonia smiled gently, saying, “This is some of the stew Mrs. Henderson left here last time she visited. She said to make sure you get some whenever there’s a chance.”

Charlene nodded, “Thank you.”

“You’re welcome.” Latonia paused briefly before continuing, “Ma’am, Mr. Henderson had me pack up your things at the beginning of the month. I’ve placed them on the third floor. If you need anything, I can go upstairs and get it for you, or…”

Charlene and Thorne had signed the divorce agreement at the beginning of the month.

Charlene replied, “No need. I’ll go up and get what I need myself.”

“Alright then.” Latonia offered, “Shall I bring the stew to Minnie’s room for you?”

That was an unspoken sign that she was no longer welcome in Thorne’s bedroom.

Charlene took the tray, saying, “I’ll handle it myself, thanks.”

Latonia nodded, saying, “Okay.”

Charlene turned off the light, took the tray, and returned to Jasmine’s room.

After finishing the stew, she headed upstairs.

Her belongings were neatly arranged in a room off to the side on the third floor.

The room was clean and tidy, revealing Latonia’s regular upkeep.

Charlene picked out the clothes and toiletries she needed and headed back downstairs to Jasmine’s room to Take a shower.

After her shower, she spent some time reading with Jasmine before getting ready for bed.

Before falling asleep, Jasmine said, “Mom, I’m going to say goodnight to Dad. Do you want to come with me?”

Charlene shook her head, “No, you go ahead,”

“Okay.”

Three minutes later, Jasmine returned, saying, “Mom, Dad also told me to say goodnight to you.”

Charlene set down her book and replied, “Alright, sweetie, I know.”

Jasmine yawned, climbed into bed, snuggled into Charlene’s arms, and said, “Okay, Mom, we can sleep now. Goodnight.”

Charlene kissed her forehead, saying gently, “Goodnight, darling.”

With that, she turned off the light.

The next morning, Charlene woke up at dawn.

Jasmine was still asleep.

After freshening up, Charlene headed downstairs, making her way to the kitchen.

Chapter 208

It was nearing seven when she climbed the stairs.

Jasmine was already awake.

Seeing her come back, Jasmine quickly closed her messaging app.

Charlene acted like she didn’t notice and said in her usual tone, “Go wash up and get dressed.”

“Okay!”

Charlene was gathering her belongings and about to head downstairs with her purse when she noticed Latonia picking up her pajamas from the night before to wash them.

“Just toss them,” she said. “No need to wash. And the rest of my things, too. Could you help me throw them out? I probably won’t need them anymore.”

The divorce papers with Thorne were expected to be finalized soon. Even if she saw Jasmine again, she wouldn’t be coming back here or spending the night.

These items were no longer needed.

Charlene and Thorne had always had issues in their marriage.

For the past couple of months, Charlene had hardly come back, signaling the possible end of their relationship.

At the start of the month, Thorne had someone move Charlene’s belongings out of the master bedroom, confirming their split.

Hearing Charlene speak now, Latonia understood completely.

She didn’t know what else to say, so she softly replied, “Alright.”

Charlene headed downstairs with her purse just as Thorne came back from his morning run.

Seeing her, he casually greeted, “Morning.”

Charlene nodded and replied, her voice calm, “Morning.”

With that, she placed her purse on the couch and went into the kitchen.

Thorne went upstairs.

Breakfast wasn’t quite ready yet, so with Latonia handling the remaining tasks, Charlene settled into the living room, reading while waiting for Jasmine to come down.

Time was ticking, and Jasmine still hadn’t appeared. Charlene remained seated and asked Latonia to go upstairs and hurry her along.

Charlene used to handle these things herself.

Now, even though she was still around, she treated herself more like a guest, showing less concern for Jasmine’s affairs than before.

Latonia noticed this change, nodded, and went upstairs.

“Another book?” Thorne’s voice broke Charlene’s concentration.

She looked up, realizing he was downstairs. She nodded.

“Can I have a look?” he asked, extending his hand.

“You don’t have it?” she hesitated, surprised.

The book was the latest journal in Al research. Early in their marriage, back when she was still learning the Tapes, she’d noticed his study filled with Al–related books, including the latest journals.

He should have a habit of subscribing to these.

“Been busy, haven’t had the chance,” he replied, reaching out.

Charlene heard Jasmine’s footsteps.

Jasmine was ready for breakfast, so Charlene handed the book to him.

Jasmine came downstairs, spotted them, and took Charlene’s hand. “Mom, is breakfast ready?”

“Yes, it’s ready,” Charlene replied.

As they headed to the dining room, Jasmine glanced back at Thorne, who still held the book. “Dad, aren’t you having breakfast?”

“I’ll be right there,” Thorne assured her.

Charlene and Jasmine sat down, and Thorne joined a little later.

Just as Thorne started eating, his phone buzzed with a notification. He set down his utensils and picked up his phone.

Charlene quietly finished her breakfast, and once done, she left the dining room first. She retrieved the book Thorne had left on the coffee table and put it back in her bag. After Jasmine finished eating, Charlene took her hand, and without saying goodbye to Thorne, they both headed out the door.

Chapter 209

Charlene had just arrived at Jasmine’s school when she heard Sally calling her name. “Ms. Ross!” Sally’s voice was
bright and cheerful as she ran over to Charlene. 

“Ms. Ross, last night my mom baked some cookies for you, but you weren’t home, so I had to take them back,” Sally explained, looking slightly disappointed. 

Charlene was about to say something when Jasmine, who was unaware that Charlene had moved out, chimed in with a scoff, “That’s not true. 

My mom was definitely home last night.” 

Sally scratched her head, confused. “Really? But then why…?” 

Before Charlene could clarify, Jasmine’s teacher, Ms. Payne, called out to her. “Ms. Ross.” 

Charlene acknowledged her. “Ms. Payne.” 

Ms. Payne asked Jasmine and Sally to go inside because she needed to have a word with Charlene. 

The girls scampered off, leaving the adults to talk. 

“Next week, we have a parent-child event at the school. Are you aware of it, Ms. Ross?” Ms. Payne inquired. 

Charlene shook her head, “No, I wasn’t informed.” 

Jasmine hadn’t mentioned it to her. 

Ms. Payne hesitated, as if she had anticipated this response but felt it necessary to bring it up with Charlene anyway. 

“Someone else can accompany her,” Charlene replied, maintaining her usual detached demeanor. 

With a resigned sigh, Ms. Payne agreed, “Alright, I understand.” 

After thanking Ms. Payne, Charlene left the school and headed back to her office. It wasn’t long before she was informed that Vesta and Henley Hawkins had come by again. 

The last time Vesta visited was just a courtesy call. Neither Charlene nor Stewart had any intention of collaborating with the Hawkins family. 

After hearing about their visit, Stewart told his staff to politely turn them away. Shortly after, his phone rang. 

He checked the caller ID and then glanced over at Charlene. 

“Thorne?” Charlene guessed, looking up from her work. 

“Yep,” Stewart confirmed. 

Knowing what Thorne was likely calling about, Charlene continued with her tasks, completely unfazed. 

Stewart answered, “Mr. Henderson.” 

On the other end, Thorne proposed, “Mr. Ferguson, care to join me for lunch?” 

Stewart, not one to beat around the bush, replied, “Mr. Henderson, this call is on behalf of the Hawkins family, isn’t it?” 

Thorne admitted, “Yes.” 

Stewart chuckled slightly and clearly stated, “Mr. Henderson, PrimeStar will never collaborate with the Hawkins family.

I believe the reasons are self–explanatory.” 

Without waiting for a response, he added, “Also, regarding the proposal The Henderson Group submitted, it’s promising. However, any collaboration entails one condition: your assurance that neither the Hawkins family nor the Spencer family will have any involvement in our projects.” 

If that’s not feasible, there’s no point in further discussions. Have I made myself clear, Mr. Henderson?”

“Crystal clear,” Thorne replied. 

“Great, Mr. Henderson. Goodbye,” Stewart concluded and ended the call. 

Thorne didn’t call back, and for the next few days, they heard nothing further from The Henderson Group. 

Thorne appeared ready to sacrifice a partnership for Vesta’s sake. Indeed, a few days later, Stewart found out that The Henderson Group had set up a team to work on a new project, which included members from both the Hawkins and Spencer
families. 

While missing out on partnering with The Henderson Group was unfortunate, there were several other companies of similar stature they could collaborate. PrimeStar had options. 

That Friday evening, Kenton Wagner returned.

Chapter 210

Charlene grabbed her laptop and headed over to Stewart’s place for dinner at Kenton’s house. After a delicious meal of roast chicken and mashed potatoes, Kenton helped her with her paper.

As the night grew late, Charlene hopped into her car, ready to head home when her phone rang, it was her Aunt

Maisie.

“Hey, Charlene, Maisie said urgently. “I planned a boat trip for the kids tomorrow, but something came up with my family and I need to go back home. I can’t take them with me.”

Charlene listened, nodding as if her aunt could see her. “No worries, Aunt Maisie. I’ve got a free day tomorrow I’ll take them out for you.”

No sooner had she hung up than her phone buzzed again. This time, it was Granger calling.

“Hey, Granger,” she quickly said, “if this is about Daisy, I already have plans for tomorrow and can’t make it Granger chuckled on the other end. “Mind sharing what those plans are? Daisy’s been eager to see you.” Charlene saw no harm in explaining. “I’m taking my cousins on a boat trip.”

“Well,” Granger paused, “Daisy would love that. Would it be okay if we tagged along?”

Charlene hesitated for a second, then replied, “Let me check with my cousins first. I’ll get back to you.”

Five minutes later, she called Granger back with a thumb–up.

The next morning, around eight, Charlene arrived at the harbor with Nadine and Carl Ross. They found Granger and Daisy already there, waiting.

As soon as Daisy spotted Charlene, she dashed over, “Ms. Ross!”

Charlene crouched down to hug Daisy, beaming. “Daisy, it’s been too long.”

Seeing the puzzled looks on Nadine and Carl’s faces, Charlene introduced everyone.

Granger smiled warmly, “Hey there,” and handed them some gifts. “I wasn’t sure what you guys liked, so! just picked something. Hope you like them.”

His thoughtfulness left them pleasantly surprised, especially Charlene.

After the small talk, they all boarded the boat. Nadine and Carl knew about Charlene’s upcoming divorce from Thorne. As they watched Charlene holding Daisy’s hand and chatting with Granger, Nadine gave Carl a nudge and a knowing look, as if to say, “Could this be Charlene’s future husband?”

Carl shrugged, whispering back, “Seems like it, doesn’t it?”

Nadine leaned in closer to her brother, muttering, “And he’s quite handsome.”

He appeared much more approachable than their soon–to–be–ex-brother–in–law. But as they watched Charlene playing with Daisy, a mix of emotions swept over them. They knew Charlene was likely to lose custody of Jasmine to Thorne.

It was evident Jasmine preferred staying with Thorne, as she’d been back in town but rarely visited the Ross family home. They couldn’t fathom how much this must hurt Charlene.

Seeing her newfound happiness with Granger brought them relief. They joined in playing with Daisy, thinking that if they were kind to the Harden family now, maybe, just maybe, they’d be kind to Charlene in return if she ended up marrying Granger.

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