Unknown Divorce: Revelation Beyond Time Novel by Miss Lyra (Chapters 351 to 360)

Chapter 351

The moment Dalton laid eyes on Charlene, his eyebrows furrowed as if by instinct. The last time he saw her was when Thorne had visited PrimeStar to see Charlene a while back. He wasn’t entirely sure what had developed between Charlene and Thorne since then, but he had heard rumors of a

collaboration between Thorne and PrimeStar. He couldn’t help but wonder if Charlene and Thorne might have used this as an opportunity to get closer.

Even though Dalton didn’t say a word, the crease in his brow when he saw Charlene was enough for her to guess what was on his mind. Without so much as a greeting, Charlene got into her car and drove off.

Dalton watched her leave, then got into his own car and headed back to the office.

He was in the middle of negotiating a deal with the Hawkins family. Around 3 PM, his secretary came in and said, “Mr. Ramirez, Ms. Hawkins has arrived.”

Dalton paused for a moment. “Ms. Hawkins?” he echoed.

“Yes,” his secretary confirmed, “Ms. Hawkins said Mr. Hawkins has caught a cold, so she’ll be taking over the meeting for him.”

Dalton’s eyes lit up with a hint of excitement at the news. He quickly stood up and made his way to the meeting room. Upon seeing him, Vesta immediately apologized, “I’m sorry, my father is under the weather, so I’ll be representing him for this collaboration.”

Dalton quickly reassured her, “That’s perfectly fine.”

Vesta noticed the spark of joy in his eyes and smiled slightly, keeping her thoughts to herself.

After wrapping up the meeting, Dalton seized the moment. “Ms. Hawkins, do you have time to grab a bite to eat later?” he asked. Vesta shook her head with a smile. “I have a racing competition coming up, so I’ll be heading to the track for some practice. Rain check on dinner?” She was a race car driver, something Dalton was well aware of. Since meeting her, she hadn’t participated in any races. Intrigued, he had even downloaded videos of her past races to watch them repeatedly on his phone. The thought of seeing her race in person was tempting.

However, he hesitated. If she was heading to practice, Thorne would likely be there with her. With that in mind, he decided not to push further. “Alright, rain check it is,” he agreed. Vesta nodded, exchanged a few pleasantries, and left.

Not long after she left, Dalton’s phone rang. It was Kelvin.

“York’s off today. Want to hang out?” Kelvin suggested.

An idea popped into Dalton’s head. “Sure, but how about we skip the bar this time and do something new?”

Kelvin perked up, intrigued. “What do you have in mind?”

“Let’s go watch a racing event tonight,” Dalton proposed. “Racing event, you say?” Kelvin was definitely interested. “Count me in!”

After figuring out where Vesta would be practicing that evening, Dalton joined Kelvin and York Watson for dinner. Post-meal, they all hopped into their cars and headed to the race track where Vesta was training.

Chapter 352

They found their seats just as the practice race was about to start.

Kelvin and York had never been into racing before, so they didn’t really know who to cheer for.

But after watching for a bit and listening to the commentator, they learned that car number 38, driven by CC, and a couple of other racers were the favorites to win.

The twist? CC was the only female racer in the competition.

Naturally, she had captured the attention of many in the crowd.

Especially after CC executed two breathtaking

overtakes on the bends, causing everyone to gasp in amazement.

Kelvin couldn’t help but exclaim, “Wow, that’s gutsy! Impressive!”

Dalton chuckled to himself, knowing Kelvin had no idea CC was actually Vesta.

CC came in first place in both practice races.

Kelvin, unable to contain his excitement, said, “Who is this CC anyway? I need to meet her!”

Just as he finished speaking, the screen showed “CC” stepping out of her car and removing her helmet.

When Kelvin realized CC was Vesta, his eyes widened in disbelief. “CC is her? Well, um-“

After the initial shock wore off, disappointment set in.

“I was thinking of asking her out, and now you’re telling me CC is Thorne’s girlfriend?”

He realized he didn’t stand a chance.

Feeling deflated, he mumbled, “Wow, Thorne really hit the jackpot, didn’t he?”

Vesta noticed them from across the way. When she spotted York, she looked pleasantly surprised.

She approached them with a friendly smile. “Mr. Ramirez, Mr. Watson, Mr. Scott, didn’t expect to see you guys at a racing event!”

Dalton spoke first, “We hadn’t really been into racing before, but you mentioned it, and we had some free time today, so we thought we’d check it out.”

He added, “You raced incredibly well, congratulations on coming first both times.”

Vesta grinned, “Thank you.”

York chimed in, “Congratulations.”

Vesta replied, “Thanks.” She smiled at York, “It’s been a while since I last saw you, Mr. Watson. For a moment, I thought I was seeing things.”

York said, “Work keeps me busy, not much time off.”

Vesta continued, “I heard you’re a pilot, Mr. Watson. Compared to flying fighter jets, does our race seem a bit dull?”

“Racing has its own appeal. I don’t think they can be compared. Besides, Ms. Hawkins, you really nailed it out there.”

Vesta smiled at York’s compliment.

Dalton seemed to remember something, and he asked, “By the way, where’s Mr. Henderson? Didn’t he come to watch you race?”

“Thorne had some work, so he couldn’t make it. But he’ll definitely be there for the main event,” Vesta assured them. “If you guys are free, you’re more than welcome to come and watch.”

Dalton replied, “If I’m free, I’ll definitely be there.”

He genuinely wanted to see her race in person, but with Thorne attending, he was a bit hesitant.

Saturday rolled around.

Charlene woke up early that morning.

She booted up her computer to check on some model data, and before long, her phone rang.

It was Gaylord calling. He had recently proposed an idea at work that Charlene found promising. She allotted some resources for it and personally monitored its development.

As a result, they’d been in frequent contact, exchanging phone numbers in the process.

When his name appeared, Charlene figured it was about work and answered the call. But Gaylord wasn’t calling about work; he wanted to know what fun things there were to do in Starfall, seeking her recommendations.

Charlene responded, “What I enjoy might not be your thing. Don’t you have friends here? Wouldn’t it be quicker to ask them?”

Gaylord said, “Their suggestions didn’t really pique my interest.”

He paused, then asked, “Are you working on a

weekend? I hear typing.”

Charlene replied, “Yeah.”

“Planning to stay cooped up all weekend? No plans to get out?”

Charlene kept her eyes on the computer. “I’m taking my grandma to see a play tonight.”

Chapter 353

“Drama? What kind of drama? And where can I see it?”

“It’s the traditional theater performance in Starfall. You probably won’t like it.”

Gaylord’s eyes darkened with intrigue. “Don’t be so sure. I might have grown up abroad, but I’ve always been interested in cultural experiences from back home. Just never had the chance.”

Charlene sighed, realizing she had to fill him in.

After hearing her out, Gaylord quickly hopped onto his Neural Nexus Tech and bought tickets online.

A bit later, a friend reached out to him. “Mr. Hearst, how about we hang out tonight?”

“Sorry. I’ve got plans already.”

Meanwhile, after finishing her chat with Gaylord, Charlene was swamped with work until lunchtime.

As she glanced at her calendar, she suddenly remembered Daisy’s birthday was coming up. She pondered for a moment before dialing Granger.

Granger had always wanted to get closer to Charlene. Now that he knew Gaylord was into her, he was even more eager. But apart from work and Daisy, their paths rarely crossed. With no current projects needing him to visit PrimeStar, he found it hard to come up with reasons to see her.

Seeing her call, he paused before getting out of the car and picked up the phone.

Charlene spoke first. “Mr. Harden, am I interrupting?”

“Not at all,” he replied, his tone softening. “Is there something you need?”

“About Daisy’s birthday, I wanted to make her a gift myself. But I’m worried she might not like it, so I wanted your opinion.”

Granger felt a warm glow when she showed concern for Daisy. “Daisy adores you. She’ll cherish anything you make with love.”

Charlene agreed, knowing Daisy’s nature. But still…

“Could you give me something more specific?” she asked.

Granger paused, then asked, “Can you bake a cake?”

“Yes,” Charlene replied. “Alright, I’ve got it.”

“Thank you. If you run into any issues, feel free to reach out.”

“Will do.”

After hanging up, Granger finally exited the car and headed into the restaurant. By the time he arrived, Thorne, Vesta, and Moran Albright were already there. Moran teased, “What took you so long?”

Granger chuckled. “Just had a call.”

Vesta observed Granger, noticing how unusually

cheerful he seemed. Ever since Janetta started

working at his company, she’d tried inviting him out a few times. He’d always declined, citing other commitments.

Once or twice, she bought it. But after so many times…

Was it because she’d pushed him too much towards Leah Spencer, and now he thought she’d try setting them up again?

That evening around six, Charlene was finishing dinner with the Ross family. Just as she was about to head out with Helena to catch the play, her phone buzzed with a call from Kenton Wagner.

Kenton asked, “Are you at the Ross family’s place?”

“Yeah,” Charlene replied.

“Something urgent came up that needs your attention. Get ready, someone will pick you up in ten minutes.”

Charlene sighed. “Alright.”

Helena, hearing about Kenton’s request, told Charlene to go ahead and handle her work. She and Maisie could catch the show on their own.

Right on time, Kenton’s car arrived at the Ross family’s doorstep.

Once in the car, Charlene learned that the government project she’d helped initiate was behind schedule. Kenton was swamped and couldn’t leave his other responsibilities. Since she was the next best person familiar with the core technology, he needed her to oversee the progress.

At the base, her phone was promptly collected for security reasons. For the next couple of days, she was on her feet, constantly busy.

By the third day, around lunchtime, as she walked into the base’s cafeteria, York approached her with a purposeful stride.

Chapter 354

York was a bit taken aback when he saw her. “Ms. Ross?”

Charlene nodded. “Hello.”

York grinned, asking, “Are you here to work at the base, Ms. Ross?”

Shaking her head, Charlene replied, “No, I’m just here to help out with something on my professor’s behalf.”

York paused, taking in her words. Only a few people had the clearance to let outsiders into the base. Knowing Charlene’s close but purely platonic ties to Stewart, it all made sense.

“Your professor… is Mr. Kenton Wagner?” he asked.

Charlene nodded, saying, “That’s right.”

She was indeed a student of Kenton, just like Stewart. York had never thought along those lines before.

It made sense now, though. Like why Stewart had praised her contributions to PrimeStar Technologies’ latest project at a previous gala. Or why his father paid special attention to her at his grandfather’s art exhibition and the business-government conference attended by Dalton Ramirez.

His father must have known she was Kenton’s student all along.

But for his father to focus so much on her, she must have been involved in more than just being a student. The thought of PrimeStar’s groundbreaking projects hit him, and suddenly, everything made sense.

Looking at her, he found himself momentarily speechless. Charlene seemed so calm and unassuming. From her demeanor alone, one would never guess she had achieved so much at such a young age. A little while later, they were seated in the cafeteria. York asked, “How long will you be staying at the base this time?”

“Not sure, depends on what the professor needs,” Charlene replied. She remembered the last time they had met, which was two or three months ago. “I don’t see you much outside. Busy with training?”

York nodded, saying, “Yeah, plus pilots don’t get much time off.”

Their time for lunch was limited, and after chatting for a bit, York had to excuse himself and leave for other duties.

They crossed paths again two days later during a man-vs-machine combat trial.

The test involved an Al-controlled fighter jet facing off against a human pilot. After the trial, once all data was gathered, Charlene and the other researchers dove into modifying algorithms and conducting a fresh round of analysis based on the combat scenarios.

When York entered the department where Charlene was working, he was met with the sight of her and the other researchers hard at work.

It wasn’t until a while after he arrived that Charlene noticed him. She gave him a nod and got back to her tasks.

Charlene spent about ten days at the base before heading home. She left in the early morning and reached home just as the sun was rising. Upon arriving home, she turned on her phone to find nearly twenty missed calls.

The calls were from Gaylord, Granger, Jasmine, and even Thorne had tried to reach her twice.

Charlene could easily guess why Jasmine and Thorne had called. Gaylord was the one who had called her the most, so she decided to return his call first.

Gaylord picked up quickly, asking, “You’re finally done?”

“Yeah,” Charlene replied. “You called me, was there something up? Is everything sorted now?”

Gaylord explained, “There was something, but it’s been handled.”

He recounted how, ten nights ago, he had gone to the theater expecting to meet her. When she never showed up and her phone seemed unreachable, he grew concerned. By Monday, when she was still missing from the company, he feared something had happened.

Eventually, he reached out to Stewart, who informed him that she had some family matters to attend to. Knowing she was right set his mind at ease.

Chapter 355

Charlene picked up her phone and called Granger back after missing his call a couple of days ago. She casually asked if there was something he needed.

Granger replied, “Oh, Daisy just wanted to video chat with you. Nothing urgent.”

Both Charlene and Granger had work to get to, so they didn’t linger on the call.

After hanging up, Charlene grabbed her car keys and headed downstairs to drive to the office.

Coincidentally, she and Stewart Ferguson arrived at the company parking lot at nearly the same time..

Stepping out of his car and catching sight of her, Stewart grinned, “Back already?”

Charlene returned the smile, “Yep.”

Just as she said that, Thorne’s car pulled in, with Vesta riding a shotgun. Instead of heading into the garage, Thorne parked right in front of

Charlene and Stewart.

Both he and Vesta got out, greeting Stewart with a cheerful, “Good morning, Mr. Ferguson.”

Stewart’s smile faded slightly.

“What rotten luck,” he muttered under his breath, tuning out Thorne and Vesta as he pulled Charlene along with him.

Thorne and Vesta didn’t seem to mind Stewart’s cold shoulder. As they passed by, Thorne handed Vesta the car keys and opened the driver’s door for her, gently reminding her, “Drive safely.”

Vesta smiled, touched by his thoughtfulness, “I will.”

Charlene and Stewart made their way into the office building. While waiting for the elevator, Stewart glanced back at the entrance, noticing Thorne hadn’t followed them.

Still sweet-talking with Vesta, he mused.

Once inside the elevator, a thought struck Stewart. “Do you think they’re living together now? Sharing a car first thing in the morning seems like a sign.”

Charlene shrugged, uncertain. Even if they weren’t officially living together, the fact that Thorne was picking Vesta up so early suggested they were pretty serious.

Thorne had a chauffeur but chose to drive Vesta himself, going out of

his way without a hint of complaint. Their relationship seemed as strong as ever.

The day after tomorrow was Daisy’s birthday.

That evening, after work, Charlene swung by the mall to pick up a pink bunny plush toy.

As she was descending the elevator with the plush toy, she bumped into Vesta and Katie heading up.

Vesta saw the toy in Charlene’s hands and figured it was a present for Jasmine. A flicker of scorn crossed her eyes.

Ever since Jasmine had started hanging out with her, she’d grown out of those cutesy pink plushies. Charlene still gifting such things either meant she was clueless about Jasmine’s tastes or just plain ridiculous for not catching on to Jasmine’s current interests.

Vesta didn’t spare Charlene another glance.

Katie, too, gave Charlene a brief look before dismissing her presence entirely, her focus solely on Vesta, patting her hand with an air of satisfaction and affection. To her, Vesta was the only granddaughter she acknowledged.

Charlene paid them no mind.

She made her way to the underground parking, got into her car, and left the mall.

The next morning, as Charlene was just waking up, her phone buzzed with a call from Kenton Wagner.

After listening to what he had to say, she replied, “Got it.”

Hanging up, she immediately dialed Granger, “I’ve got something important tomorrow morning, so I can’t make it to Daisy’s birthday. I’ll make sure the cake is ready in advance. Could you swing by my place to pick it up along with the gift I got her? And please, apologize to Daisy for me.”

Chapter 356

When he found out he couldn’t be there for Daisy’s birthday, Granger was a bit disappointed but got the picture. “It’s alright,” he said, “work comes first. Daisy will understand.”

After hanging up, Charlene had just finished freshening up when her phone buzzed again.

It was a video call from Granger’s phone. Only Daisy would use Granger’s phone to video call her.

Charlene answered, and Daisy’s face immediately filled the screen. A warm smile spread across Charlene’s face, but before she could speak, Daisy chimed in, “Good morning, Ms. Ross! Uncle told me you can’t make it to my birthday tomorrow. That’s okay. If you’re busy this time, we can celebrate another day!”

Daisy had to head off to school soon, so she continued without waiting for Charlene to respond, “Uncle said you’re baking me a cake and you got me some other gifts too. Thank you, Ms. Ross! Grandma says when someone gives you gifts, you should invite them for dinner. There’s this new restaurant that just opened, and the food is amazing! Are you free tonight? Uncle and I would love to take you out for dinner!”

Charlene chuckled at Daisy’s enthusiasm and replied, “I’m free, Daisy. Thank you for the invitation.”

“No need to thank me, Ms. Ross. It’s only right to treat you to dinner!”

Daisy, eager to get to school, said goodbye before handing the phone back to Granger. Charlene and Granger arranged a dinner time and ended the call.

Once at work, Charlene informed Stewart that she’d need to visit the site again the next morning.

Stewart gave her shoulder a reassuring pat. “You’ve been working hard. I’ll handle things here in the R&D department. Don’t worry.”

“Thanks,” Charlene replied.

Usually, Charlene stayed at the office until after 8 PM. But that afternoon, she started packing up her things a bit after 6 PM.

Gaylord Hearst came by and, seeing her preparing to leave early, raised an eyebrow. “Heading out early today?”

“Yeah, I’ve got something to take care of,” she said, remembering her upcoming trip. “By the way, I’ll be out on a business trip for a few days starting tomorrow. If anything comes up, feel free to reach out to Stewart.”

Gaylord paused, then asked, “Another trip?”

“Yeah.” He didn’t say more, but the thought lingered-she’d just

returned and already had to leave again.

Charlene left the office and, about thirty minutes later, arrived at the restaurant Granger had reserved. As she stepped out of her car, Granger and Daisy pulled up.

“Ms. Ross!” Daisy called out, running over to her.

Charlene hugged Daisy, glancing around at the parking lot filled with luxury cars. She turned to Granger, “This place is really popular.”

“The owner did a great job with the marketing. It’s become the go-to spot for networking in the business community.”

“I see,” Charlene nodded.

Granger gestured towards the entrance, “Shall we?”

“Yes, let’s,” Charlene agreed. They headed towards the restaurant, leaving the bustling parking lot behind.

Meanwhile, Vesta, stepping out of her car while on a phone call, ended the call and closed her car door. As she turned towards the

restaurant, she spotted Charlene, Granger, and Daisy walking together. She halted mid-step, momentarily taken aback by the sight.

Chapter 357

At that moment, Vesta was utterly taken aback, wondering if her eyes were playing tricks on her.

But there was Charlene, holding Daisy’s hand, with Granger casting a. warm smile her way. It was all so clear.

This wasn’t a hallucination. It wasn’t a dream.

Charlene was really with Granger and Daisy.

From the way Charlene held Daisy’s hand instead of Granger, it was obvious this wasn’t their first outing together.

A thought flickered through Vesta’s mind.

Could Charlene be the “miss” Daisy had mentioned so many times before?

But how could that be possible?

Vesta struggled to believe it, but she couldn’t help remembering last year at the Neural Nexus Tech conference when Granger had walked up and started chatting with Charlene.

And at recent gatherings, if Charlene and Stewart were present, Granger would spend time with them, instead of just exchanging pleasantries and moving on.

She had thought Granger was just being polite to Charlene because he didn’t want to offend Stewart.

But now… Did Granger really have feelings for Charlene?

No. That couldn’t be.

Vesta stood there, still in disbelief.

Charlene and Granger had known each other for so long. If Charlene

was his type, he would have shown interest long ago.

Besides, Vesta couldn’t see what Granger might find appealing about her.

Maybe she was just overthinking it.

Even if Charlene was the woman Daisy talked about, it didn’t

necessarily mean Granger was smitten with her-

As Vesta stood frozen, Henley Hawkins approached her. “Vesta, are you okay?”

Vesta snapped back to reality, shaking her head. “I’m fine.”

“Shall we head inside?”

“Sure.”

The next morning, a little after eight, Granger received a call from Charlene.

When he arrived at the address Charlene had given him, she was already waiting at the entrance with a cake and a stuffed toy in hand. Seeing him, Charlene handed over the cake and toy.

Granger accepted them with a smile. “Baking a cake takes time, and you had it ready so early. You must have been up at the crack of dawn.”

Charlene had indeed been up since around four in the morning.

But she simply said, “I went to bed early last night, so getting up early wasn’t a problem.”

“Thank you.” Granger appreciated her thoughtfulness towards Daisy. Glancing at the modest neighborhood behind her, he asked, “Is this where you’re living now?”

He knew she had moved out from Thorne’s place but didn’t know where she had relocated to.

“Yes,” Charlene replied, before adding, “I’m in a rush, so I’ll head in.”

Granger nodded. “Alright.”

Charlene turned and disappeared into the neighborhood.

Only after her figure vanished from sight did Granger return to his car.

Because Jasmine wanted to celebrate Daisy’s birthday, Thorne had reserved a private room at a restaurant in advance.

When Daisy got home from school that afternoon and saw the cake Charlene had made and the stuffed toy she had bought, she was overjoyed.

As they headed out to the restaurant, she couldn’t bear to part with the giant rabbit toy, insisting on carrying it along.

By the time Granger and Daisy arrived at the restaurant, Thorne, Vesta, Jasmine, and the others were already there.

When Granger opened the door, Vesta immediately recognized the rabbit toy Daisy was holding as the same one she’d seen Charlene carrying at the mall a few days ago.

So, the woman Daisy had talked about really was Charlene!

Daisy was thrilled. As soon as she walked in, she ran over to Jasmine, clutching her toy. “Minnie, look! This is the stuffed animal that the lady gave me. Isn’t it cute and pretty?!”

Chapter 358

Jasmine didn’t actually dislike pink.

As long as it was pretty and cute, she was all for it.

Listening to Daisy excitedly boasting about her latest find, Jasmine nodded along enthusiastically, saying, “It’s super adorable and really pretty.”

With that, she handed over the gift she had prepared for Daisy.

Daisy thanked Jasmine and couldn’t help but add, “She even baked me a cake! It’s blue and looks absolutely stunning!”

As Daisy finished speaking, she eagerly asked Granger to help her open the cake.

Hearing Daisy mention that woman so fondly, Moran raised an

eyebrow and remarked, “The way that woman makes cakes and gives gifts, she’s really put in some effort, hasn’t she, Granger? What do you have to say about that?”

Given how Charlene had taken time out of her busy schedule to fulfill her promise by waking up early to bake Daisy that cake, Granger could clearly see just how much Charlene cared for Daisy.

Even though Thorne and Jasmine were present, when Moran brought up Charlene, Granger couldn’t help but flash a gentle smile.

If yesterday Vesta was unsure whether Granger truly had feelings for Charlene, the tenderness in Granger’s smile now left her with no doubt.

No wonder these past few months, when she called him, he didn’t always pick up immediately like he used to.

Sometimes, he didn’t answer at all. She had thought he was just busy, but now she saw…

What was it about Charlene that Granger liked so much?

Vesta pressed her lips together, puzzled about what made Charlene so appealing to Granger.

Moran, catching on to the meaning behind Granger’s involuntary smile, teased, “So, you’re finally admitting you have a thing for her?”

Thorne, noticing Granger’s smile, also chuckled. The room buzzed with cheerful chatter.

After a while, Daisy made her birthday wish.

Once she finished, Granger helped Daisy cut the cake.

Jasmine was the first to get a slice. Taking a bite, her eyes lit up. “This is delicious,” she said.

Just like the ones her mom makes!

Come to think of it, she hadn’t seen her mom in a while.

Her birthday was coming up, and she was sure her mom would bake her a cake too.

Moran, not typically a fan of sweets, couldn’t help but agree after a couple of bites, “It tastes great. Seems like she’s got quite the talent. You’re lucky, Granger.”

Granger paused his smile at that comment, subtly glancing over at Thorne.

Thorne was busy eating his slice, taking small bites without saying much.

Vesta, initially reluctant to try Charlene’s cake, eventually gave in and tasted it.

Truth be told, it was quite good.

Listening to Moran’s compliments, she couldn’t help but sarcastically think that maybe Granger just liked that Charlene was the perfect homemaker.

As she pondered this, she noticed the way Granger looked at Thorne.

Normally, she wouldn’t read too much into Granger’s glances at Thorne. But at that moment, she understood.

After all, Thorne and Charlene were still married. Did Granger truly believe having a wife like Charlene was such a blessing?

Was he both envious of Thorne and hopeful that Thorne would divorce Charlene soon so he could be with her openly?

With that realization, Vesta suddenly understood that Granger might be even more smitten with Charlene than she had thought.

Chapter 359

Charlene arrived at the base and immediately dove headfirst into her work.

Perfecting human versus machine combat required a solid foundation of data.

On her second day at the base, another round of human vs. machine trials was scheduled.

That evening, Charlene found herself heading to the mess hall later than usual.

By the time she arrived, most of the crowd had already cleared out.

After grabbing her dinner, she was about to sit down when she noticed York, who had also just finished getting his meal.

York paused, flashing a friendly smile as he approached her. “When’d you get in?”

“Yesterday,” Charlene replied, then asked, “Just finished training?”

“Yeah, it’s been pretty intense this year.”

The future of aerial combat wasn’t just about humans anymore; it was a sophisticated dance between humans and machines.

Their training had evolved significantly over the past few years to reflect this shift.

Charlene asked, “Does it feel overwhelming?”

With Al’s formidable computational and analytical prowess, it could quickly spot an opponent’s weaknesses and devise precise strategies, its speed and accuracy were beyond human reach.

Even for a seasoned and perceptive pilot like York, the pressure was undeniable.

York chuckled, saying, “It’s tough, but it pushes us pilots to keep improving.”

With Al capable of simulating complex battle

environments and scenarios, pilots experienced more realistic and comprehensive training, fostering their growth.

Charlene nodded, “Sounds exhausting.”

“Well, you researchers are working just as hard as we are,” York remarked, noticing her graceful yet brisk pace as she ate. “Heading back to work after this?”

“Yeah,” Charlene replied. Kenton Wagner had given her a hefty workload, keeping her on her toes.

As soon as she finished speaking, her communicator buzzed. It was a message from Kenton, summoning her back to the research department immediately.

Charlene put down her fork and stood up quickly, “I’ve got to run. Enjoy your dinner.”

York nodded, “Take care.”

Charlene left the base that Sunday morning around ten.

Once home, she checked her phone to find missed calls from Jasmine and Kendal.

She decided to return Kendal’s call.

Kendal playfully chided her, calling her heartless for not visiting him unless he reached out first.

Feeling a bit guilty, Charlene changed clothes, grabbed her car keys, and headed out the door.

As she drove up to The Underwood Mansion, she noticed Thorne’s car parked in the driveway

Ignoring it for now, she stepped out of her car and was immediately greeted by Jasmine, who came running out of the house, flinging herself into Charlene’s arms “Mom!”

Charlene hadn’t seen her daughter in nearly a month She gently tousled Jasmine’s hair, asking. “When did you get here?”

Jasmine, clearly thrilled to see her mom after such a long time, clung to her hand tightly. “Just now!”

Hand in hand, they entered the house where Thorne and Kendal were lounging on the couch, sipping their coffee.

Vesta was nowhere to be seen.

Seeing her arrive, Kendal grinned and waved her over “Charlene! Come sit down.”

Thorne glanced up at her, but only briefly, before turning his attention back to his coffee

Charlene sat down next to Kendal, greeting him, “Hey. Kendal.”

Kendal gave her a once-over, frowning slightly, “You’ve lost weight again.”

The erratic meals and hectic schedule at the base had indeed led her to drop a couple of pounds.

Before she could respond, Thorne deftly rinsed a porcelain cup with hot water and poured her a fresh cup of coffee, placing it in front of her.

Charlene didn’t say a word, instead tapping the coffee table lightly as a gesture of thanks.

Kendal continued, “Got some fresh salmon in the other day. How do you want it cooked, Charlene? I’ll have the chef whip it up for you.”

Charlene took a sip of her coffee, savoring its warmth, just as Thorne chimed in, “What, no offer for me?

Playing favorites, are we?”

Chapter 360

Kendal didn’t even bother replying to him. When Thorne made his comment, Charlene didn’t respond either.

No one seemed eager to engage with him, but Thorne didn’t mind. He noticed Charlene’s coffee was nearly gone, so he picked up the pot and refilled her cup, as well as Kendal’s.

Throughout the brunch, whether sipping on their Americanos or discussing the club sandwiches, Charlene mostly chatted with Kendal and Jasmine, leaving Thorne out of the conversation.

It wasn’t clear if Charlene was intentionally ignoring him, or if Thorne himself wasn’t interested in talking to her.

Around 2 p.m., as they were preparing to leave the Underwood family home, Charlene suddenly realized they had spent nearly four hours in the same room without exchanging a single word.

Kendal had noticed this too.

Thorne wasn’t about to change that, and Charlene had already moved on emotionally. Thorne hadn’t invited them over for matchmaking purposes; he knew they had nothing to say to each other and he had nothing more to add.

As they were getting ready to head back home, Jasmine looked up at Charlene and asked, “Mom, are you coming home today?” Before Charlene could respond, Jasmine added, “You haven’t been home in a long time.”

Kendal paused, saying nothing, merely sighing softly under his breath.

Thorne remained silent too.

Charlene gently stroked Jasmine’s cheek and said, “I have some things to take care of, so I won’t be coming home tonight.”

“Oh…” Jasmine’s disappointment was evident. She then asked, “So are you going to Grandma’s or traveling for work again? Last time I couldn’t reach you, I went to Grandma Ross’s place, but you weren’t there either. Grandma said you were on a business trip.”

Charlene hadn’t realized Jasmine had gone to the Ross family over the weekend.

Indeed, she was planning to go back to the Ross’s for dinner with Helena Ross and the others.

Imagining Jasmine trying to reach her, only to end up going to her great-grandma’s house out of longing, Charlene paused before saying, “I’ll be heading to your great-grandma’s later. Would you like to come with me?”

“Yes!”

Hearing Charlene’s words, Jasmine perked up. She had feared her mom would be busy with work again.

Charlene glanced at Thorne, who understood and asked Jasmine, “So, are you staying at your great-grandma’s tonight?”

Jasmine nodded enthusiastically, “Yep!”

“Alright,” Thorne agreed easily, “Then I’ll arrange for someone to pick you up from school tomorrow afternoon.”

“No, I want to go back to great-grandma’s after school tomorrow,” Jasmine insisted.

Thorne chuckled, exchanged a glance with Charlene, and said, “You’ll have to discuss that with your mom; I can’t make that decision,”

Jasmine hugged Charlene’s leg and looked up at her, “Mom, are you leaving great-grandma’s tomorrow too?” Charlene nodded, “Yes, I am.”

“Okay…” Jasmine conceded reluctantly.

After the plan was settled, they exchanged a few words with Kendal before each got into their own cars and left. The next day, Charlene drove Jasmine to school before heading to work at PrimeStar Technologies.

Upon entering the office, she once again found herself in the elevator with Thorne and his secretary, Coy.

The three of them stood in silence, like strangers, not uttering a word.

Later that morning, around eleven, Thorne left

PrimeStar. After he was gone, Stewart Ferguson came by Charlene’s office, having heard she was back, to discuss some matters.

As their conversation wound down, Charlene, recalling her encounter with Thorne earlier, asked, “Is the deal with Henderson Group still not finalized?”

“It’s finalized, but there are some issues with the project division. He was here to discuss some additional terms,” Stewart explained.

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