Unknown Divorce: Revelation Beyond Time Novel by Miss Lyra (Chapters 321 to 330)

Chapter 321

Over the next few days, Charlene found some time to attend a couple of networking events.

She ran into Vesta twice during these occasions,

However, Thorne wasn’t there to accompany Vesta either time.

March had brought with it a lot of rain.

After one such event, Charlene stepped outside to find it pouring.

She had an umbrella but had left it in her car. She headed towards the main entrance, planning to wait for the rain to ease up a bit before making her way out.

Before she even reached the door, she spotted Vesta, who was chatting with someone. Vesta’s smile faded slightly when she saw Charlene.

Just then, Thorne appeared in Charlene’s line of sight, holding an umbrella. He had clearly come to pick up Vesta.

He took off his overcoat and draped it over Vesta’s shoulders.

The people waiting out the rain looked on with envy, and a few even let out little exclamations of admiration.

It was then that Thorne noticed Charlene, hesitating for a moment.

Charlene kept her face straight.

Thorne looked away, opened his umbrella again, and left with Vesta.

The wind was quite blustery that day, but with Thorne’s coat shielding her, Vesta wouldn’t get wet, even if some raindrops made their way under the umbrella.

Thorne’s gesture was thoughtful, to say the least.

In a short while, they disappeared out of the entrance.

A little later, Thorne’s driver approached Charlene from the parking lot, holding out an umbrella. “Ma’am, Mr. Henderson asked me to bring you this.”

Charlene didn’t take it. “No need; you can take it back.”

Previously, Irma had mentioned that for Jasmine’s sake, Thorne had agreed to be cordial with her.

He had shown concern at the last meeting and now was sending an umbrella in front of Vesta…

Vesta must have enough confidence in her relationship with Thorne to allow him to send her an umbrella. She understood that Thorne had no feelings for Charlene and was just being polite because of Jasmine.

The driver hesitated. “But…”

Charlene insisted, “He won’t mind. You can go.”

The driver, seeing her firm stance, turned back with the umbrella. And indeed, the driver didn’t return.

But the rain showed no sign of letting up.

Charlene checked the time, debating whether to keep waiting or to brave the rain-

Just then, a familiar voice broke through her thoughts. “Come on, I’ll give you a ride.”

It was Granger.

It was getting dark, and who knew how long the rain would last?

Charlene didn’t refuse, “Thank you.”

Granger started to take off his jacket, seemingly intending to offer it to her. Charlene quickly said, “No need, I have spare clothes in the car. If I get wet, I can change.”

Granger paused, not insisting further, but as they walked out, he positioned himself to block the wind from her.

As they descended the steps together, Charlene asked, “Mr. Harden, are you here for the event too?”

He wasn’t.

Granger had heard from Morant that she’d attended these events recently.

They hadn’t worked together much lately, and realizing he missed seeing her, he decided to drop by.

Seeing the slight redness in her ears from the cold, he simply responded, “Yeah,” then added, “Got time for dinner later?”

Granger had helped her out, and they would be working together again soon, so having dinner didn’t seem like a big deal.

Charlene agreed, “Sure.”

Chapter 322

As they settled into their seats at the restaurant, Granger got Charlene a glass of water and asked, “Did you gain anything from the exchange activities this time?”

“Sort of.”

She had joined the exchange program seeking inspiration to delve into the materials Kenton had handed over to her and Stewart a while back.

After attending several sessions, she felt she finally had some new directions to explore.

Charlene then asked, “How’s Daisy doing lately?”

“Daisy’s been doing much better since the second half of last year. She started school again this year, and she’s made some new friends. She’s been quite happy both at home and at school.”

Granger paused and added, “She often mentions you. Next time, maybe we can all get together for dinner?”

Charlene nodded, replying, “Sure.”

With personal matters out of the way, they switched to discussing business topics.

Granger also brought up his collaboration with Vernon Ross, and they found plenty to talk about. The meal turned out to be quite pleasant.

Previously, when he used Daisy as an excuse to meet Charlene, she mostly engaged with Daisy and barely acknowledged him. But now, even without Daisy around, they could have a proper conversation.

Granger could see that Charlene was beginning to let go of past grievances and was slowly accepting him. Although this acceptance wasn’t in the romantic sense, and they weren’t even quite friends yet, it was a significant improvement from before.

After finishing their meal, Charlene and Granger parted ways.

Since moving out to live on her own, Charlene had been so busy with work that she hadn’t had time to shop for clothes in the past few months. With the change of seasons approaching, her wardrobe was looking sparse. On Saturday, Charlene decided to go shopping.

After trying on clothes for over an hour and picking out some items for the Ross family, she took a seat on the couch to rest and wait for the cashier.

Just then, a voice called out from the entrance, “Cousin?” Charlene turned her head and saw Janetta standing there.

Janetta was the daughter of Laverne Hawkins, only a few months younger than Charlene.

They used to play together all the time as kids and were very close. But after Charlene’s mother divorced Henley Hawkins, they rarely saw each other.

Their last meeting was three or four years ago. Back then, Thorne hadn’t met Vesta yet. Janetta, having heard about her uncle’s serious business troubles and imminent bankruptcy, had come all the way from her city to secretly give Charlene her savings to help out.

Charlene smiled, greeting her, “It’s been a while.”

“It really has,” Janetta said, feeling a bit overwhelmed. Then, remembering something, she turned to Charlene with concern and asked, “Cousin, are you okay?”

Janetta knew about the complicated history between Charlene, Vesta, and Thorne.

She had heard that Charlene had loved Thorne for years, but he never reciprocated her feelings. Then, he was instantly captivated by Vesta upon meeting her.

Janetta knew firsthand how irresistibly attractive Vesta was to men. Over the years, she had seen countless men become infatuated with her.

Even Janetta’s high school crush had dated her just to get closer to Vesta.

But Vesta was undeniably talented and charming.

Losing the man you love to someone so exceptional and being unable to win him back, compounded by the issues between Maureen and Sybil, made it no wonder Charlene’s heart must be aching deeply.

Chapter 323

Charlene had a pretty good idea of what was going through her mind.

She was about to brush it off when Laverne stormed in, spotting Janetta, and snapped, “Where have you been roaming around? Do you have any idea how long I’ve been searching for you? Ignoring my calls, you-“

She cut herself off mid-sentence when she saw Charlene standing with her back turned. Her expression instantly turned cold.

At that moment, a sales assistant approached Charlene and said, “Ms. Ross, your items are all wrapped up. Here’s the receipt, totaling five hundred eighty-nine thousand seven hundred sixty-four dollars. Would you like to check it?”

Charlene nodded, taking the receipt.

They were currently at a high-end designer store, and Charlene’s purchases were all neatly bagged, scattered across the floor-a total of over thirty shopping bags.

Charlene glanced over the receipt, confirmed everything was correct, and handed her card to the assistant.

Laverne and Janetta were momentarily taken aback.

Did Charlene just spend nearly six hundred thousand dollars on clothes in one go?

But Laverne quickly composed herself, figuring Charlene was just putting on a show, trying to keep up appearances.

After all, without Thorne, the Hawkins family’s financial situation was shaky at best. Even Vesta couldn’t afford to spend that much on clothes in a year.

The Ross family was struggling financially, and Charlene didn’t have any notable skills or job prospects. Where would they get any income?

Janetta, however, was a bit worried.

She’d heard that while the Ross family hadn’t gone bankrupt, they were certainly not in a good place financially. Spending half a million on clothes just like that…

Laverne scoffed but didn’t comment further. She turned to Janetta, saying, “Your uncle’s almost done with dinner. Do you want everyone to wait for you to start eating? Let’s go.”

Janetta glanced at Charlene, nodded a quick goodbye, and hurried after Laverne.

Previously, Janetta had heard that the Hawkins family’s new house was bought by Thorne for over six million dollars for Maureen.

That amount didn’t even include the cost of all the expensive furniture and decorations.

Laverne had mentioned that just the large vase in the living room was worth over a million dollars, a housewarming gift from Thorne to Vesta.

And there were other costly decorations throughout the house.

Janetta was from a wealthy family herself, but this was the first time she’d seen such a luxurious and upscale villa. Her eyes were wide the whole time, and she moved carefully as if she was afraid of accidentally knocking something valuable over.

Leah, comfortably lounging on the couch with a bag of pretzels, watched Janetta with amusement and couldn’t help but chuckle at her awe-struck demeanor.

Vesta descended the staircase with a nonchalant grace, noticing Janetta’s unease. She casually remarked, “They’re just bits and pieces of decor. No need to be so tense. If something gets broken, we can simply replace it.”

Vesta’s tone made it clear she didn’t particularly value these items.

Janetta was surprised by the casual attitude. Was Vesta always this lavish?

Leah smirked proudly, adding, “My brother-in-law has money to burn and he’s generous with my sister. If it makes her happy, she could break one of these every day, and he’d just buy her a new batch to play with.”

Janetta was left speechless.

She’d heard about Thorne’s generosity toward Vesta giving her money, shares, and connections, and helping the Hawkins family establish themselves in Starfall City…

But hearing about it was one thing, seeing it firsthand was quite another.

Moreover, she’d heard Thorne was rather tight-fisted with Charlene.

The Ross family had fallen into hard times, and he hadn’t lifted a finger to help.

Yet he was so extravagantly generous with Vesta…

Chapter 324

Just as Janetta was lost in thought, Thorne arrived.

After Thorne greeted the Hawkins and Spencer families, Vesta introduced him to Janetta, saying, “This is my cousin Janetta.”

Thorne glanced at Janetta, flashed a polite smile, and greeted, “Hello.”

Janetta had only seen Thorne in Vesta’s social media posts before. Now that she met him in person, she could see why Vesta was drawn to him.

Sure, there had been plenty of charming suitors vying for Vesta’s attention, all accomplished in their own right. But compared to Thorne… Whether it was personal achievements, education, family background, or even looks and demeanor, Thorne outshone them all by a mile.

Many of Vesta’s previous admirers were truly impressive, but now Janetta realized what it meant to meet someone truly exceptional.

And she had to admit, Thorne and Vesta looked perfect together.

However, recalling the rumors about Thorne and

Charlene, Janetta lowered her gaze and muttered softly, “H-hi.”

After Thorne finished his greetings with the Hawkins and Spencer families, he settled onto the couch.

The word had spread since last year. Vesta’s Starfall boyfriend had effortlessly ushered the Hawkins family into the elite social circle of Starfall. It was the talk among the upper echelons of Y City, where the Hawkins family was well-connected.

Today, some old friends from Y City had come to visit Katie Hawkins.

They had been skeptical about the Hawkins family’s sudden rise in Starfall, given that Vesta, despite her brilliance, was still part of a mid-tier family in Y City. Marrying into the top tier seemed a stretch, let alone entering the elite of Starfall.

But after seeing the Hawkins’ new mansion and meeting Thorne in person, they were finally convinced.

Noticing their astonished glances toward Thorne, Vesta casually mentioned, “They’re friends of the Hawkins family.”

Thorne nodded and responded warmly, shaking hands with each guest as they greeted him.

Once Thorne arrived, they moved to the dining room for dinner.

Janetta was nearing the completion of her master’s degree.

Laverne had brought her to Starfall to find a job and hoped Vesta could help Janetta find a suitable partner there.

Thorne was kind and courteous to everyone from the Hawkins and Spencer families.

After dinner, seeing that Thorne seemed to be in a good mood, Laverne couldn’t resist bringing up the subject.

Janetta wasn’t interested in working there. She also didn’t want to bother anyone. She blurted, “You don’t have to.”

Before she could finish, Thorne turned to her with a smile, “It’s no trouble.” He paused, looked at her, and asked, “Janetta, right? Do you have any particular aspirations regarding your career?”

Janetta was taken aback by how seriously Thorne seemed to consider her.

Was it because he truly cared for Vesta, extending that care to her family?

During dinner, she had overheard Leah talking about how Thorne, feeling jealous of all the attention Vesta received, had transferred a significant portion of his company’s shares to her to fend off other admirers.

She thought that was already a significant gesture, but she hadn’t expected Thorne to take such an interest in her, a relative he’d just met.

She had heard that Thorne and Charlene hadn’t officially divorced yet. Thorne and Vesta weren’t even married, and when Leah had playfully called Thorne her

brother-in-law, Janetta had found it a bit premature.

But she never imagined Thorne would help her so directly and treat her like family. She was bewildered.

Naturally timid, and not used to such attention, especially when compared to Vesta, she found herself tongue-tied.

Seeing Janetta’s unease, Vesta gently tapped Thorne’s arm and said, “Don’t scare her.”

Thorne chuckled and replied, “Alright.” Then he told Janetta, “Just let someone know when you’ve made up your mind. No need to feel embarrassed.”

Janetta quickly responded, “Oh…-okay.”

Chapter 325

Just then, Vesta seemed to have a lightbulb moment. “Isn’t Granger’s company hiring right now? I’m sure they have a position that would suit her. I’ll give Granger a call later.”

Thorne chuckled at the suggestion. “Sounds good.”

Janetta was well aware of who Granger was. She’d heard that he and Thorne were childhood buddies, and he was quite fond of Vesta. Whenever Vesta needed help, Granger was usually there to lend a hand.

Upon hearing this, Janetta was about to express her reluctance to rely on others, but Laverne quickly interjected with gratitude, saying, “Thanks, Vesta. We really appreciate it.’

Vesta nodded and said, “Happy to help.”

With that, Thorne and Vesta moved on to other topics, their conversation flowing smoothly as if they had a never-ending list of things to discuss. Their chemistry was undeniable.

Watching them, Janetta couldn’t help but think of

Charlene, who was out shopping alone. She whispered to Leah, “So… when are they planning to finalize the divorce?”

Leah took a moment to realize Janetta was referring to Charlene and Thorne. She smirked and replied, “My brother-in-law said it’s soon, but the property division is a bit tricky. He doesn’t want her using it as an excuse to interfere later, so they’re settling everything before it’s official.”

Janetta felt a bit of relief knowing Charlene would at least get some of the assets. She’d heard Thorne had a strong dislike for Charlene and feared he might leave her with nothing.

Talking about the division of assets seemed to sour Leah’s mood. Before Janetta could say anything, Leah huffed, “If my brother-in-law wasn’t worried about her causing trouble with Grandma, he wouldn’t give her a dime!”

Janetta nodded slowly, “Oh.”

She paused, then asked, “Will she get a significant portion?”

Leah scoffed, “Depends on how you see it. It’s not much in the grand scheme, but just enough to keep up appearances. It’s more than she deserves, really.”

Janetta understood. Given Thorne’s wealth, if Leah was upset about it, Charlene was likely walking away with more than just peanuts.

Realizing this, she felt more at ease.

Truth be told, from Leah’s perspective, what Charlene was getting was indeed a drop in the ocean compared to Thorne’s fortune. It was about as much as Thorne had spent on Leah’s sister over the years.

But still, in their eyes, it was a considerable sum. Money that should have stayed within the family was going to Charlene, and Leah wasn’t happy about it.

Leah then circled back to the conversation about Janetta possibly working at Granger Enterprises. She shot Janetta a pointed look. “Once you start working there, keep an eye on Granger for me, will you? Make sure no other women get too close.”

Janetta had heard from Laverne that Leah had a thing for

Thorne’s friend. He was quite a catch in the Starfall social scene, ticking all the right boxes. But it seemed the feeling wasn’t mutual.

Feeling uncertain about how to reply, Janetta said, “Well, it’s not a done deal yet. I might not even land the job at The Harden Group.”

Leah smirked, “Oh, you don’t know. As long as my sister puts in a word, Granger will definitely agree.”

Janetta simply replied, “Oh.”

Thorne had business to attend to and was preparing to leave. The Hawkins and Spencer families held him in high regard and saw him off together.

Laverne, keen on helping Janetta establish herself in Starfall, brought up the topic with Vesta again once Thorne had left.

Seeing an opportune moment, Vesta picked up her phone to call Granger. But despite several attempts, the call went unanswered.

Chapter 326

Vesta put down her phone and turned to Laverne, saying, “Something must have come up. I’ll call back later.”

After about half an hour, she dialed Granger again. This time, he picked up. “Am I interrupting anything?” Vesta asked.

“No, not at all,” Granger replied. In truth, he’d seen her call the first time but chose not to answer.

“Is there something you need?” he queried.

Vesta explained her reason for calling, and Granger asked, “Why not send her over to Thorne Industries?”

With a slight smile, Vesta responded, “Thorne Industries isn’t hiring at the moment.”

Granger paused for a moment before asking, “What’s her name?”

“Janetta.”

“How do you spell that?”

“J-A-N-E-T-T-A,” Vesta clarified.

“Got it. Have her apply through the usual channels,” Granger said.

“Thanks, Granger,” Vesta said gratefully.

Before Granger could reply, Vesta, eager to keep the conversation going, asked casually, “What are you up to these days? Staying busy?”

Before he could respond, a gentle female voice came from Granger’s end. “Granger, who are you talking to?”

“Nothing important,” Granger replied coolly. Then, to Vesta, he added, “I have to go. We’ll talk later.” And with that, he hung up.

The sudden appearance of the woman’s voice had clearly soured Granger’s mood, and his abruptness in ending the call suggested he didn’t want Vesta to get the wrong idea about his relationship with the woman.

Vesta raised an eyebrow at the thought. She set her phone down and told Laverne, “Granger agreed.”

“Thank you, Vesta,” Laverne said gratefully.

Leah, with a triumphant grin, turned to Janetta and said, “See? I told you, as long as my sister asks, Granger will say yes.”

Janetta paused, giving Vesta a thoughtful look.

That evening, after having dinner, Charlene returned to her apartment from the Ross Mansion. She was about to start her work on the computer when a call from Thorne came through. Charlene didn’t answer; instead, she turned off her phone.

It wasn’t until the next morning that she powered it back on. She found several messages from Thorne waiting for her.

[I’d like to talk to you.]

[About grandma’s birthday party.]

[I hope you’ll attend.]

Seeing no reply from her, Thorne stopped messaging.

Charlene stayed quiet. Later, as she was making breakfast after her morning routine, Thorne called again.

She frowned and chose to ignore the call.

After a couple more attempts, Thorne gave up.

Charlene went to work as usual. That day, Dalton

Ramirez had some business at PrimeStar Technologies,

Chapter 326

and Stewart was the one to welcome him. Over lunch, Dalton tried insistently to invite Stewart to join him, but Stewart declined as always. So, Dalton left with his own team.

As Dalton reached the parking lot, he noticed Thorne leaning against a car, seemingly waiting for someone. “Mr. Henderson,” Dalton greeted as he approached.

Thorne smiled. “Mr. Ramirez, here for a meeting at PrimeStar?”

“Yes.”

Recalling Thorne’s open approach towards Charlene, Dalton eyed him curiously. “And you, Mr. Henderson?”

“Looking for Charlene,” Thorne replied with a grin, glancing up at the PrimeStar building. “She’s probably upstairs, right?”

Dalton pressed his lips together, not quite sure what to say. Thorne sighed and continued, “She doesn’t answer my calls or messages, so here I am.”

Dalton was about to respond when Charlene and Stewart emerged from the building, surprised to find both Thorne and Dalton in the parking lot.

Stewart almost wished he could turn back inside, but they continued walking towards their car, seemingly ignoring the others.

Thorne, however, intercepted them, addressing Charlene directly, “We need to talk.”

Stewart wasn’t aware of the hug Thorne had given Charlene at the previous meeting. He only knew that Thorne had always kept their marriage discreet, not wanting others to know about his relationship with Charlene. Observing Thorne’s uncharacteristic openness, Stewart frowned and shot Charlene a questioning look, as if to ask, “What’s gotten into him?”

From the moment she spotted Thorne, Charlene knew he was there for her. Frankly, she hadn’t expected him to be so overt about it.

“I’m not going,” Charlene stated flatly.

Thorne regarded her earnestly. “Don’t rush to decide. We can discuss any conditions you have.”

“I don’t see the need,” Charlene retorted. “If there’s anything to discuss, I’ll handle it with Grandma myself. It doesn’t concern you.”

Chapter 327

Charlene didn’t look back at Thorne as she turned and walked away.

Thorne took a step forward, trying to stop her, but was interrupted by the ringing of his phone.

He glanced at the caller ID, hesitating for a moment while watching Charlene’s silhouette disappear into her car. He then picked up the call.

Stewart had initially wanted to stop Thorne from approaching Charlene. But seeing Thorne give up so easily, he threw a disdainful look his way, let out a dismissive “huh,” and got in the car with Charlene.

Stewart hadn’t quite caught what Charlene and Thorne were talking about earlier. Once inside the car, he turned to her and asked, “What did he want?”

Charlene explained about Irma’s upcoming birthday celebration.

Stewart was genuinely surprised; he hadn’t heard about Irma’s birthday plans. The Ferguson and Henderson families weren’t particularly close, but given the grandeur of Irma’s party, the Fergusons would likely get an invite.

Stewart, who seldom visited his family’s estate, was not up to date on these matters. After listening to Charlene’s explanation, he agreed, saying, “You’re right not to go.”

He paused, frowning, “Hasn’t he already taken Vesta to Henderson Mansion to meet the family? He’ll probably bring her to Irma’s birthday too. So why ask you to go? Wouldn’t it be better if you didn’t?”

Charlene had thought about it too. But she figured she and Thorne wouldn’t cross paths again. His business with Vesta was none of her concern. Though it seemed odd, she didn’t dwell on it.

Stewart, after a moment, added, “Could it be that he brought Vesta home, but the family wasn’t thrilled with her? Maybe he thinks since the old lady likes you, if you approve, they’ll accept Vesta and the two of them can be together?”

Charlene paused, then simply said, “Maybe.”

Stewart scoffed, “No wonder he’s come crawling back to you. He’s playing his cards well.”

Charlene didn’t reply, focusing on driving.

Meanwhile, Thorne wrapped up his phone call.

Dalton hadn’t left yet. Seeing Thorne end the call, he hesitated before asking, “Ms. Hawkins?”

Thorne chuckled, “Yeah.”

He slipped his phone back into his pocket, smiling at Dalton. “Mr. Ramirez, got plans later? How about grabbing a bite together?”

Dalton paused, glanced at Thorne, and agreed, “Sure.”

Half an hour later, they arrived at the restaurant.

Thorne grinned, “I heard from my uncle yesterday that Mr. Ramirez is considering discussing a new project with him in a few days?”

Dalton immediately understood Thorne’s “uncle” referred to Vesta’s father, Henley. He knew Thorne was attentive to the Hawkins family, but he hadn’t realized just how in-the-know Thorne was.

Dalton replied nonchalantly, “Yes, there’s something to that effect.”

Thorne added, “I’m quite interested in this project. Would you mind sharing some details with me?”

Dalton quickly realized that Thorne’s interest wasn’t genuine. His concern was for the well-being of the Hawkins family, not the project itself.

Otherwise, Thorne would have asked directly about Dalton’s company instead of mentioning Henley first. Would Dalton actually put the Hawkins family at risk? Dalton gave a cold smile but chose not to voice it. Instead, he said casually, “I’m sorry, Mr. Henderson. The project is still under wraps, so I can’t discuss it in detail right now, I hope you understand.”

Chapter 328

Charlene had no idea what was going on between Thorne and Dalton. After her dinner with Stewart, she returned to the office to continue working.

On Wednesday, Charlene received a call from Kendal Underwood, inviting her over for dinner that weekend. “Minnie will be there too,” he mentioned.

Charlene paused for a moment, then replied, “Sure, sounds good.”

By Friday afternoon, Charlene was in the middle of a meeting when her phone buzzed unexpectedly. As she moved to answer, the call disconnected. Seeing it was from an unfamiliar number, she decided to ignore it and focus on the meeting.

It was Janetta who had tried to call her. Since Wednesday, Janetta had officially joined The Harden Group. She wanted to share with Charlene that she’d be working at The Harden Group and would be settling down in Starfall. But just as she was about to tell her, Janetta recalled Leah’s words about Thorne’s friends, like Granger, who were indifferent to Charlene regardless of her attempts to befriend them. They had, however, readily accepted Vesta.

Janetta worried that if Charlene learned Vesta had helped her get the job, it might upset her, so she quickly hung up.

After work, at Laverne’s urging, Janetta went back to the Hawkins household. As she neared the mansion, she noticed several unfamiliar luxury cars parked out front.

Before arriving in Starfall, Laverne had told her that many of the city’s elite were aware of the relationship between Vesta and Thorne. Thorne’s favor towards Vesta was well-known within their social circle.

Janetta hadn’t fully grasped the extent of this until she saw the steady stream of Starfall’s influential figures coming to the Hawkins family, seeking favors and connections. It was only then she realized how much Thorne’s influence had elevated both the Hawkins and Spencer families.

Seeing her mother, Laverne, cautiously interacting with these high-profile guests made Janetta realize the magnitude of their power. Yet, Vesta remained nonchalant, often avoiding them altogether, while they continued to court her favor respectfully.

Spotting the luxury cars, Janetta knew the Hawkins family had more visitors. She slipped in through a side door, heading upstairs without drawing attention.

Vesta, seeking some peace, was also on the second floor. When she spotted Janetta, she looked up and asked, “Done with work?”

Janetta halted, “Yeah, just finished.”

Since Granger had vouched for Janetta’s hiring, Vesta wasn’t particularly concerned about her joining The Harden Group.

Turning a page in her book, Vesta seemed to remember something. She asked, “Did Granger say anything to you when you joined?”

Janetta admired Vesta’s dedication, hearing about her recent success in some tech exchange that earned her the respect of several important figures. This thought lingered as she replied, “I haven’t met Mr. Harden.”

Vesta paused, “Granger didn’t reach out?”

“No, he didn’t.”

Vesta had assumed Granger might introduce himself to Janetta, given her family ties, and perhaps ensure she was looked after. But then again, such actions might not bode well for Janetta’s reputation.

“Never mind,” Vesta said.

Janetta nodded, heading to her room without further discussion.

Once alone, Vesta set her book aside and called Granger. He let the phone ring for a while before answering, “Hello?”

Vesta chuckled, “I heard about my cousin joining The Harden Group. Thank you, Granger. Are you free in the coming days? I’d love to take you out for dinner.”

Granger spoke dismissively, “Your cousin got in on her own merits, there’s no need to thank me.”

If he hadn’t taken a special interest, how would he know she got in on her own merit?

Vesta smiled but didn’t press the issue. She was about to say more when Granger interjected, “I have something to attend to, can we talk later?”

Vesta knew Granger had been busy lately. “Sure thing,” she replied, and without hesitation, ended the call.

Granger wasn’t actually busy. He had been planning to call Charlene. After Vesta hung up, he reached for his phone and dialed Charlene’s number.

Chapter 329

Charlene was still at PrimeStar when she saw his call. She picked up the phone, “Mr. Harden?”

Granger’s voice softened at the sound of her voice. “Daisy hasn’t seen you in a while. Are you free this weekend? Maybe we could go for a walk?”

Charlene looked at the data she was analyzing on her computer screen. “I’m swamped for the next few days. How about next week?”

Hearing her reply, Granger’s gaze dropped slightly. “No worries, next week then.”

“Okay.” Charlene’s attention was already back on her data models. “Is that all?”

Granger paused for a while, then replied, “…Sure.”

Charlene hung up and continued working late into the night, only leaving PrimeStar after ten.

The next morning, she headed to The Underwood Mansion.

When Kendal went overseas for treatment years ago, Jasmine was just over two. She was particularly adorable back then and had been quite close to Kendal, who absolutely adored her. Even when Thorne wasn’t that attentive to Jasmine, he must have known how much Kendal cherished her.

Now that Kendal was back after all this time, he was definitely eager to see Jasmine again. Yet, last time, Thorne had brought Vesta instead of Jasmine, much to Kendal’s disappointment.

Kendal had promised Jasmine would be joining them this time. But when Charlene arrived at The Underwood Mansion, Jasmine hadn’t yet arrived.

Seeing Charlene, Kendal greeted her with a warm smile, “I’ve had the chef prepare some delicious treats for you. Make sure you have plenty.”

Charlene chuckled, “I will.”

After a bit of small talk, Kendal paused and said, “I heard that scoundrel was planning to bring that woman to Irma’s birthday party. Naturally, she wasn’t having it and told him if he dared show up with her, she’d skip her own party.”

Charlene froze mid-sip of her coffee.

Kendal continued, “The twit, though a twit, seems to have relented because it’s Irma’s first birthday celebration in years. But she’s been quite upset lately. If you have a moment, give her a call, cheer her up a bit.”

Charlene nodded, “Alright.”

The last time, Thorne had bombarded her with calls and messages and even showed up at PrimeStar. But since then, radio silence. She hadn’t thought much about it until Kendal mentioned it. Now, it dawned on her that Thorne had likely conceded, realizing there was no point in reaching out anymore.

Kendal added, “Lloyd and the others won’t approve of their relationship either.”

Though Thorne might have caved at the birthday party, if he was determined to marry Vesta, no one could stop him. Kendal knew this all too well. He scowled, muttered something under his breath, and quickly changed the subject.

They chatted for another ten minutes when the sound of a car engine reached them from outside.

Unlike Thorne’s last visit, Kendal stood up this time, suspecting it might be Jasmine. His eyes twinkled, and he said, “That must be Minnie.”

After a brief pause, Charlene followed Kendal to the door. Sure enough, it was Jasmine who emerged from the car. Seeing Charlene, she ran over joyfully, “Mommy!”

Charlene barely had time to respond before Kendal, smiling, was about to greet Jasmine. But upon noticing Thorne stepping out of the car, his smile vanished.

With a huff, he glared at Thorne, “I distinctly remember saying just to send Minnie over and not to bother me with your presence. So why are you here?”

Thorne glanced at Charlene standing beside Kendal, then turned back to Kendal with a smirk, “I thought you were being sarcastic.”

Kendal huffed again, and Thorne continued, “Alright, don’t get worked up. I’m just dropping Minnie off. I’ll be on my way.”

Ignoring Thorne, Kendal bent down and looked gently at Jasmine, “Minnie, I’m your Grandpa Kendal. We used to have so much fun together. Do you remember?”

Jasmine shook her head, holding onto Charlene’s hand tightly.

While watching Kendal interact with Jasmine, Thorne caught Charlene’s gaze but remained silent. He simply told Kendal he’d be leaving and drove off.

Chapter 330

That day, Charlene decided to stay over at the Underwood family home to enjoy some tea and a friendly game of chess with Kendal. Jasmine seemed keen on heading back to the Ross family estate with her later in the evening.

In the afternoon, Charlene found a quiet moment to send Thorne a message, asking him to make sure Jasmine got home that night. But Thorne didn’t reply. Charlene figured he must not have seen it.

Yet, after dinner, even though Thorne himself didn’t show up, a car arrived right on time at the Underwood Mansion to pick up Jasmine. Once Jasmine was on her way, Charlene also drove off from the mansion.

Next week was Irma’s birthday, and Charlene had already decided she wouldn’t attend the celebration. Helena Ross agreed that it was probably best if they didn’t go. With their minds made up, that very evening, Charlene and Helena called Irma to let her know.

Irma picked up Charlene’s call while she was still finishing her dinner. Her leg had healed quite well, and she was able to walk almost normally again. Glancing over at Thorne, she stepped out of the dining room, answering the phone with a cheerful tone, “Charlene, have you had dinner yet?”

“Yes, I have,” Charlene replied, putting the call on speaker so she and Helena could both speak to Irma. After exchanging a few pleasantries, Charlene got to the point, “Grandma, I’m sorry, but on your birthday, neither I nor Grandma Helena will be able to celebrate with you in person.”

Irma had already anticipated this. Though a bit disappointed, she completely understood. She chuckled softly and said, “That’s okay, dear, I understand. But remember, Charlene, don’t let us drift apart, alright? Whenever you get a chance, give me a call. And if you ever run into any trouble or need my help, just let me know. I’ll do whatever I can to assist you. You hear me, Charlene?”

“I understand, Grandma. Thank you,” Charlene replied warmly. They chatted a bit more before hanging up. With Irma’s birthday party approaching, Claudia had returned to the old family home just yesterday, and Terence Henderson was there too. Claudia had been asking about the situation between Thorne and

Charlene, leading to Terence finding out that they were still in the process of finalizing their divorce but weren’t officially divorced yet.

Considering Charlene’s good relationship with her grandmother, it seemed only natural that she would attend her grandmother’s long-awaited birthday celebration, especially since she and Thorne were still legally married. But…

Watching Irma’s retreating figure, Terence couldn’t help but ask, “Hey, is my sister-in-law coming to Grandma’s birthday party?”

With Jasmine having finished her meal and left the dining room, Thorne continued to eat leisurely. Upon hearing Terence’s question, he simply said, “Why don’t you ask Grandma?”

Terence paused. So, Thorne didn’t know either? Or maybe Charlene’s call to Grandma was precisely to discuss this?

If Charlene were planning to attend the party, she wouldn’t need to call Grandma specifically to talk about it. So…

Terence was quite fond of Charlene. He glanced at Thorne, tempted to ask if he was truly certain about proceeding with the divorce. However, considering that even their grandparents, father, and mother refrained from meddling in Thorne’s decisions, Terence decided it wasn’t his place to intervene.

After Irma returned from her phone call, Terence asked with concern, “Grandma, what did my sister-in-law say?”

Irma glanced at Thorne, who continued his meal with the same calm demeanor, showing no reaction at the mention of Charlene’s name. She replied, “She called to apologize, saying she won’t be able to come to celebrate my birthday in person.”

Sensing Irma’s unspoken message, Thorne remained unfazed, quietly placing a piece of food on her plate. Irma gently pushed her plate aside, letting Thorne’s chopsticks miss their mark.

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