Unknown Divorce: Revelation Beyond Time Novel by Miss Lyra (Chapters 431 to 440) 

Chapter 431

Gaylord Hearst frowned. “You mean you couldn’t find out anything at all?”

“About her ex-husband? Not a single thing,” his friend replied. “But I did pick up a few other bits and pieces. Apparently, she got married pretty young, but it seems things weren’t great between her and her husband. None of the Ross family’s neighbors ever saw him, and from what I gathered, the Ross family didn’t like her ex at all. They don’t even mention him if they can help it.”

His friend paused for a moment before adding, “Also, they already have a child.”

Gaylord’s head snapped up in disbelief. “What did you just say?”

“It’s true. I was shocked, too, when I heard-there’s just no way you’d guess it, right?”

He was right.

Gaylord had worked at PrimeStar Technologies for years, and not once had he ever heard Charlene Ross mention a child.

So, the fact that not only had she been married, but that she already had a kid, he really hadn’t seen that coming.

Seeing the look on Gaylord’s face, his friend hesitated. “You want me to keep going?”

He was really asking if Gaylord still cared now that he knew

Charlene had been married and had a child; did it matter to him? If it did, and Gaylord was planning to move on, there was no point digging deeper.

Gaylord stood there, silent..

He was the whole package, no doubt about it, but his love life always seemed to be one long, bumpy road. The first girl he liked fell for someone else halfway through his pursuit, and now, just as he was finally starting to care deeply for someone new, he discovered she’d already been married and even had a child. Anyone would have a hard time swallowing that.

His friend let out a sigh, and when Gaylord didn’t answer, he gave his shoulder an encouraging pat and turned to leave. Meanwhile, Charlene was still chatting with Turner, her laughter drifting over.

Gaylord glanced in her direction, unable to look away from the way she carried herself in conversation.

A few seconds later, he squared his shoulders and said, firmly, “Whatever else you’ve got, go on-tell me.”

His friend, who was already eyeing the crowd for someone else to

chat up, was caught off guard. “Huh?”

When he realized what Gaylord meant, he stared at him, stunned. “No way. Seriously?”

Gaylord met his gaze, saying nothing.

His friend was silent for a long moment, about to respond, when Vesta Hawkins walked over and began chatting with the group in front of them.

Gaylord hesitated when he saw her.

His friend recognized Vesta, too. When she glanced his way, he gave

a sheepish smile and greeted her, “Ms. Hawkins.”

Vesta nodded, then looked over at Gaylord.

He gave her a brief nod in return, then turned away, putting his back to her.

Seeing this, his friend didn’t try to make small talk and asked instead, “Should I keep asking around? Honestly, there’s not much left to tell, but I could get someone to dig a little deeper if you want.”

Gaylord shook his head. “That won’t be necessary.”

He was curious about Charlene’s ex, but not obsessed. They were divorced now, and digging too much into the past didn’t seem worth it. The only reason he’d asked was to get to know her a bit better, not to stage some kind of investigation.

His friend shrugged. “Alright then.”

Vesta, seeing Gaylord’s attitude, turned her attention elsewhere.

As soon as she arrived, Gaylord looked over. To Leah Spencer, it seemed as if Gaylord was watching Vesta’s every move. She couldn’t help but tease, “You know, sis, Mr. Hearst really has his eye on you.”

Vesta said nothing.

The truth was, once she realized Charlene was actually quite capable, Vesta immediately thought of Gaylord. Given Charlene’s looks and the poise she showed chatting with Turner, it wouldn’t surprise her if Gaylord were drawn to her. Charlene was beautiful, and the confidence she radiated only made her more attractive. Someone like her definitely had her own brand of charm.

But when Vesta glanced over at Gaylord, she found him talking idly with his friend, not even paying attention to Charlene. Now, hearing Leah’s comment, Vesta smiled and felt oddly reassured.

Just then, Granger Harden and Moran Albright finally arrived, apologizing to the host, “Sorry, something came up on the way. We’re late.”

“No worries, we’re all friends here,” the host replied warmly.

The moment Vesta saw Granger, her smile faded.

After greeting the host, Granger glanced around, his eyes landing on Charlene. He strode over to her without hesitation, as if she were the only person in the room. He didn’t even seem to notice Vesta was there.

It was only when Moran nudged him that Granger looked over at Vesta and gave her a perfunctory nod.

Vesta caught every bit of this.

Leah, unaware of any of the tension, lit up when she saw Granger. “There’s Granger! Let’s go say hi-“

Her excitement died mid-sentence when she saw Granger heading straight for Charlene and Stewart Ferguson. She huffed, “Why is Granger always hanging out with them? So annoying.”

It was true-Granger hadn’t been around for a while.

As soon as he walked in, Gaylord’s expression darkened. Seeing Granger make a beeline for Charlene, Gaylord turned and quietly made his way back to her side.

Chapter 432

Granger barely spared a glance at Gaylord standing by Charlene’s side. Instead, he turned to her directly. “It’s been a while.”

Charlene nodded politely. “Been busy lately?”

“A bit. I’ve been traveling for work, just got back this morning,” Granger replied.

Even with his constant business trips, Granger had learned almost immediately that Thorne Henderson and Charlene were headed to City Hall to finalize their divorce. It had been over six months since they’d signed the separation agreement. Now, after all this time, the official split was finally just around the corner.

Twenty-some days. Just a bit more, and once they were officially divorced, then he could-

Granger caught himself when he noticed Turner still chatting with Charlene. He hid his thoughts, exchanged a few words with her and Stewart, then stepped aside to avoid intruding further.

Moran and Vesta were together on the other side of the room. Moran waved him over, and after a brief pause, Granger made his way to join them.

Vesta greeted him with her usual calm, “When did you get back?” “This morning.

Moran perked up. “What about Thorne? He’s been on a trip for two or three days now. Any idea when he’s coming back?”

Before Granger could answer, Vesta’s phone chimed. She glanced at the screen, a smile lighting up her face as she flashed her phone. “He just landed.”

With that, she began typing out a reply to Thorne.

Watching Vesta’s obvious happiness, Granger took a sip of his drink, then glanced back at Charlene. A faint smile tugged at his lips.

Charlene happened to catch his eye while talking with someone else. Seeing him in such a good mood, she simply nodded in greeting before turning away.

Half an hour later, the party was winding down.

Charlene and Stewart decided it was time to thank their host, Mr. Ablitt, and head out. As they made their way over, they bumped into Granger, Moran, and the others.

Since they were all important guests, Ablitt insisted on escorting them downstairs himself.

As they descended, Charlene and Vesta exchanged a few words, but never really engaged each other. Leah, meanwhile, glared daggers at Charlene’s back, unable to hide her annoyance.

Ablitt at first didn’t notice the tension, but by the time they reached the lobby, he was picking up on the chilly air between them. Still, he kept his questions to himself.

As they reached the curb, Charlene and Stewart were about to say their goodbyes when they spotted Thorne stepping out of a car.

Ablitt grinned. “Mr. Henderson, I thought you didn’t have time tonight. What brings you back?”

Leah shot a look at Charlene, then spoke up loudly, “My brother-in-law just got back from his trip, he’s here to pick up my sister!”

Ablitt laughed. “So, showing off the happy couple, are we?”

Thorne nodded at Charlene and Stewart in greeting.

Neither of them responded, other than a curt nod.

Stewart turned to Ablitt. “We’ll be heading out now.’

“

“Of course. Let’s get together again soon,” Ablitt replied.

Charlene and Stewart nodded and left without another word.

Once they were in the car, Stewart looked like he wanted to complain, but held his tongue. With Charlene’s divorce from Thorne almost final, he figured it was pointless to say anything, so he stayed silent.

Just then, Charlene’s phone rang. The caller ID flashed: York Watson.

Charlene stared at the screen for a moment, then decided not to pick up.

Stewart noticed and couldn’t help but say, “York’s a good guy, you know. You’re getting divorced soon, have you really never considered him?”

Charlene set her phone down, shaking her head. “I just don’t feel that way about him. It wouldn’t be right to accept his feelings when I’m not ready.”

“But you never know if you don’t try. Maybe you’ll feel differently down the road.”

Charlene shook her head again. “If I do, I’ll deal with it then.”

“…Alright, fair enough.”

The next morning.

Charlene had just arrived at the office when her phone started buzzing with notifications.

She paused, scanning the messages, dozens of bank transfer alerts.

Large sums, one after the other.

All from Thorne.

It dawned on her: Thorne was following through on the divorce agreement, transferring her share of the assets even before the divorce was officially finalized.

Her suspicion was confirmed a few minutes later when Padgett called. “Ms. Ross, Thorne wants to transfer all the agreed assets to you today.”

“For the cash portion, his attorney just confirmed the transfers are complete. The real estate paperwork is all in order as well. I’ll pick up the documents and bring them to you at the office later, if that works?”

Charlene had no objections. “That’s fine, just come by PrimeStar when you’re ready.”

“Will do,” Padgett replied.

Chapter 433

That afternoon, Charlene and Gaylord were in the office discussing work when a knock sounded at the door. “Ms. Ross, Mr. Padgett has arrived.”

“Thank you, I’ll see him now.” Charlene turned to Gaylord. “I have some personal matters to take care of. Why don’t you get back to your work for now?”

Gaylord glanced at Padgett and his assistant, nodded politely, and stepped out.

Padgett and his assistant each carried a briefcase. Once Chester closed the door behind them, they began laying out stacks of documents, contracts, deeds, legal papers, and carefully checked every item.

When the inventory was finished and everything exchanged, Padgett said, “By the way, Thorne’s attorney asked me to pass on a message. Thorne said that if you find all of this too much trouble, if you don’t want to get involved with managing or making decisions for the company, and you’d rather sell off your shares, he’d be happy to buy them from you.”

Charlene’s expression didn’t change. “I understand. Thank you.”

With nothing more to discuss, Padgett and his assistant soon left. Charlene looked at the piles of paperwork and legal documents, then set the briefcases aside and went straight back to work.

Half an hour later, Stewart dropped by.

He stepped into her office, ready to speak, but his eyes immediately landed on the two briefcases by her feet. “Huh? What’s all this?” he asked in surprise.

“The property deeds from my divorce settlement with Thorne,” she replied.

“All of them? That’s a lot of real estate worth over a billion, at least. According to your agreement, he had two years after the divorce to settle it all. But you haven’t even finalized the divorce yet, and he’s already wrapped everything up? That’s fast.”

Charlene nodded. “Everything’s here. Not a single document missing.”

Stewart gave a low chuckle. “He’s in quite a rush, isn’t he?”

So it was all settled already. No wonder Thorne had reached out about finalizing the divorce paperwork so soon.

After a brief pause, Stewart asked, “And the cash? Did he transfer it to your account too?”

Charlene nodded again. “This morning.”

“Wow.” Thorne’s efficiency was almost unsettling. Even knowing Charlene had already moved on, Stewart couldn’t help but feel a pang on her behalf.

He frowned, as if a thought had just occurred to him. “You know, you two haven’t even signed the divorce papers yet and he’s already transferred all these assets to your name. Isn’t he worried you’ll change your mind and not go through with it?”

Charlene’s voice was calm. “I wouldn’t know.”

Ever since she’d asked for a divorce last year, she’d just been waiting for it to be over. She never let herself dwell on anything else.

Stewart hesitated, then mused aloud, “For him to act so quickly, maybe it means he still trusts you. At least, on some level.”

Trust?

Their relationship had only begun because of a single disastrous night. To this day, Thorne still believed she’d orchestrated the whole thing. If, in his mind, she was that manipulative, how could he possibly trust her now?

Stewart seemed to remember this as well and gave a rueful shrug. “Alright, forget I said anything.”

Charlene changed the subject. “So, what brings you by?”

“Our company’s anniversary is coming up soon,” Stewart said. “I wanted to talk with you about the dinner arrangements.”

PrimeStar’s tenth anniversary was just around the corner, a milestone worth celebrating, especially given how far the company had come in a decade.

As they discussed the event, the conversation shifted easily to business.

PrimeStar’s partnership with The Henderson Group had become well known in the industry, drawing plenty of attention.

As their meeting wrapped up, Stewart added, “We definitely have to invite The Henderson Group to the anniversary.”

Charlene simply replied, “That won’t be a problem.”

Chapter 434

That evening, just as Charlene was getting ready to leave work, her phone rang. It was Jasmine Henderson.

Tomorrow was Saturday. If Jasmine were calling now, she was probably hoping to make plans. But Charlene had no time to spare.

She was scheduled to visit the rehab center with Helena Ross and the others to meet with the doctors about her mother’s medication and treatment.

So, she let Jasmine’s call go unanswered.

Saturday morning, when Charlene arrived at the rehab center, she immediately noticed that Sybil Ross looked even thinner than she had a few days ago. Her hair was brittle, her skin pale and drained of color.

The doctor explained, “The medications she’s been taking for her mental health have put stress on her liver and kidneys. It wasn’t an issue before, but now that her organs are failing, it’s too dangerous for her to continue. We’ve stopped some of her prescriptions. She’s been in pretty poor spirits lately, and with the antibiotics she’s taking for her organs, her body is under tremendous strain…”

Charlene tightened her grip on her purse and nodded, signaling she understood.

Afterward, she and Vernon Ross spoke with the doctor for quite some time. It was nearly noon before they finally left the facility.

As they walked out, Charlene’s phone rang again. Jasmine.

Charlene pressed her lips together and immediately declined the call.

After that, Jasmine didn’t try again.

But later that afternoon, Connie Snyder-who had just returned from abroad the day before-called and invited Charlene to go shopping.

Truthfully, Charlene wasn’t in the mood to go out, especially with Helena’s health having been so fragile lately. She felt she ought to stay home and keep her company.

But Helena gave her hand a gentle pat. “Don’t coop yourself up, dear. Go out and take your mind off things.”

“….Alright,” Charlene replied softly.

She changed her clothes and headed out to meet Connie.

Connie, who’d been busy for months abroad with her fashion shows, hadn’t had much time to catch up. They chatted for a while before Connie found out about Sybil’s condition.

Suddenly, even her half-finished iced tea was forgotten. Connie’s expression fell, and after a long pause, she tried to comfort her. “Your mom… she’ll pull through. I just know it.”

Charlene wished with all her heart she could believe that.

But the truth was, Sybil’s health was deteriorating fast.

Charlene and the rest of the family knew the odds weren’t in their favor.

“If I’d known, I wouldn’t have dragged you out.”

“It’s alright,” Charlene shook her head, about to reassure her, when something caught her eye. Two familiar figures appeared in the crowd.

Her gaze turned icy.

Connie followed her line of sight-then she saw them too: Henley Hawkins and Maureen Spencer.

Maureen looked every bit the elegant lady, dressed with taste, carrying herself with an effortless grace. Though she was nearing fifty, she barely looked forty.

Henley, as always, seemed to take great care with his appearance. Even past fifty, he was tall and distinguished.

They looked every bit the loving, well-matched couple.

Dressed casually, the two seemed to be out enjoying a relaxed day together, their good mood obvious as Henley held Maureen’s hand, carrying her purse as she picked through clothes-playing the perfect husband.

Maureen and Henley didn’t notice Charlene or Connie.

Connie, watching the scene, clenched her jaw in frustration. “Why do they get to be so happy? Life really isn’t fair, is it?”

Charlene lowered her eyes.

No, it wasn’t fair at all.

Connie paused, then added, “Forget them, the worst part is Thorne

still…”

Now that Charlene and Thorne were getting divorced, the Hawkins family’s fortunes would only get better with him on their side.

But Sybil… she had nothing.

Charlene’s grip tightened around her cup.

Before long, Henley and Maureen drifted out of sight.

Charlene’s spirits, already low, had been ruined further by running

into them. She and Connie didn’t linger in the shops much longer; they each headed home.

Monday morning, Charlene and Stewart visited The Henderson Group.

This time, it was the core technical staff handling the meeting; Thorne was nowhere in sight.

After a busy morning, Charlene excused herself to use the restroom. On the way back, she spotted Thorne and Coy standing by the entrance, deep in conversation.

They fell silent when they saw her.

Charlene was made to walk right past them, but Thorne spoke up suddenly. “Why haven’t you been answering Minnie’s calls?”

Charlene stopped, her voice cold. “Why should I have to pick up when she calls?”

Thorne seemed genuinely taken aback by her response. For a rare moment, he was speechless, his deep-set eyes fixed on her as if searching for words.

Chapter 435

Charlene didn’t say another word. She simply stepped past them and entered the conference room.

Their conversation by the door hadn’t gone unnoticed; several people inside had caught sight of Charlene and Thorne talking quietly. Still, nobody in the room really knew what was going on between them. To most, it looked like nothing more than an ordinary greeting, and no one gave it a second thought.

Except for Stewart, he was in on the truth.

As Charlene returned to her seat, Stewart leaned over and whispered, “Did you two have a fight?”

She shook her head. “No.”

Even at the lowest points in their relationship, when things had been at their tensest, it was never like that-never any shouting, never any real argument. Now, things were different. There was nothing to fight about.

With Henderson Group and PrimeStar officially starting their partnership, Charlene spent nearly the entire day at Henderson’s offices.

By a little after five that afternoon, the meeting room suddenly erupted in shouts of surprise.

“Oh my god, it actually worked!”

“What happened?”

“The model we built before Ms. Ross thought it wasn’t good enough. Last week, we talked it over, and these past few days, we’ve reworked everything based on her suggestions-calculations, data, and the whole architecture. And now, our model’s efficiency has improved dramatically! We’ve just broken through a bottleneck that’s been stumping us for almost two years. I can’t believe it, it’s really solved!”

Someone else chimed in, “And the alignment issue that’s been haunting us for ages, we’ve finally made headway. Ms. Ross, you’re absolutely brilliant!”

It was worth noting: Henderson Group was one of the top firms in the country, and everyone here was among the best in their field-recruited at great expense for their expertise. By anyone’s standards, they were a formidable team.

But today, they were discovering what it meant to meet someone truly extraordinary, somebody who raised the bar even for them.

The engineers from Henderson looked at Charlene, their eyes shining. One of them hurried over and shook her hand, practically bouncing with excitement. “No wonder you’re the lead author on that long-form paper, Ms. Ross, you’re incredible!”

Charlene smiled, about to respond, when she caught sight of Vesta standing quietly behind the group.

Her smile faltered for a split second.

The cluster of jubilant engineers noticed Vesta as well. “Ms. Hawkins? When did you get here?”

Before Vesta could answer, Professor Hancock chuckled. “Ms. Hawkins has been here for a while now. You all were so engrossed, you didn’t even notice someone else had joined us.”

Vesta smiled but didn’t reply. If you looked closely, though, you’d see the smile didn’t quite reach her eyes.

Professor Hancock was right; she had been standing there for some time. She’d witnessed part of the scene as Henderson’s most promising engineers crowded around Charlene, asking for her thoughts and advice.

Vesta could follow some of their technical discussion up to a point. But Charlene was operating on another level entirely. She’d glance at a problem and immediately pinpoint the issue, offering a solution so quickly that even Henderson’s brightest minds struggled to keep up.

As for Vesta… well, she lagged even further behind.

The group, still buzzing from their breakthrough, was just about to dive back into discussion when Thorne’s voice suddenly cut through the chatter. “What’s all the excitement about?”

No one was cowed by his presence as CEO; one of the engineers was about to fill him in when Vesta interjected, “Finished with your meetings?”

Thorne nodded, ready to join the conversation, but as his gaze

shifted, he caught the color in Vesta’s face-or rather, the lack of it. He frowned, concern flickering in his eyes. “You don’t look well. Are you feeling alright?”

Chapter 436

“Nothing much.” Vesta smiled, checked her watch with practiced calm, and said, “It’s about time. Let’s go.”

“Alright,” Thorne replied.

After bidding farewell to the others in the conference room, he turned and left with Vesta.

Charlene stayed behind with the rest of The Henderson Group’s tech team, continuing their work.

Ever since Sybil’s medical scare, Charlene had all but moved into the Ross family home, worried about Helena’s health.

That evening, after finishing her tasks at The Henderson Group, Charlene returned to the Ross home for dinner.

No sooner had she finished eating than her phone buzzed with a new message.

It was from York.

[I’m heading back to base tomorrow.]

Charlene read the message but didn’t reply.

Perhaps guessing she wouldn’t respond, York sent another message after a short wait.

[See you in a month.]

He was letting her know-once her divorce was final, he would officially pursue her.

Charlene understood his meaning, but still left the message unanswered.

She set her phone down and reached for a book on the table, only for her phone to ring again.

This time, it was a call from Irma Henderson.

As soon as Charlene picked up, Irma’s voice poured through the line. “Charlene, I’ve heard about what happened with your mother. This is such a big deal. Why didn’t you or your grandmother tell me?”

Charlene hesitated, at a loss for words.

Irma pressed, clearly anxious. “Fay, your grandmother’s doctor told me that she took the news really hard and her health declined all of a sudden. How is she now?”

“She’s doing a bit better these last couple of days. Her spirits are up compared to before.”

Irma let out a sigh of relief. “Thank goodness. That’s good to hear.” Then she hurried on, “Charlene, don’t worry about your mother. I’ll do everything I can to help. I’ll find the best doctors for her.”

“Thank you, Grandma,” Charlene replied. “But I’ve already reached out to a top specialist. They’ll be coming tomorrow to examine my mom personally.”

“Is that so? Well, good, let’s see what they say.”

“Alright.”

Irma fell silent for a moment, her voice tinged with sorrow. “Your mother really is…”

So unlucky.

Charlene understood the unspoken sympathy. Before she could respond, Irma, worried about upsetting her, quickly added, “Fay told me that if your mom’s condition is managed well, there’s still hope. Charlene, try not to worry too much, okay?”

“I know. I’ll try.”

They chatted for a while longer before ending the call.

Afterward, Irma sat with her phone, uneasy and full of pity for Charlene. On impulse, she dialed Thorne.

He answered almost immediately. “Grandma?”

“You! You really are…”

Hearing her tone, Thorne realized she was upset, though he couldn’t think of anything he’d done recently to provoke her. “Is something wrong?”

“Nothing. I’m just in a bad mood and needed to scold you to feel better.”

Thorne raised an eyebrow. “Oh?”

Irma had intended to give him a piece of her mind, but now that she had him on the line, she found herself at a loss for words. After a disgruntled “hmph,” she hung up.

Thorne set his phone down. Jasmine, still eating dinner, looked up and asked, “Was that Great-Grandma? Is something wrong?”

“Your great-grandma’s in a bad mood. She called just to yell at me,”

Thorne replied.

Vesta, listening nearby, chuckled. “Maybe she just misses you.”

“Hardly,” Thorne said wryly. “She gets annoyed just seeing me.”

The next day, when Charlene and Helena arrived at the hospital, Irma was already there.

The specialists arrived right on time.

Leading the group was an elderly woman, even older than Irma and Helena.

“Is that… Dr. Quintin?”

Quintin was one of the world’s foremost experts on organ failure, a living legend in the field. She’d retired years ago; even the most powerful people found it nearly impossible to secure her help. Most of the top specialists in the country had once been her students.

When Charlene had mentioned she’d contacted a renowned expert, Irma had never imagined it would be Quintin herself.

To be honest, seeing Dr. Quintin walk through that door left Irma genuinely stunned.

Chapter 437

Quintin knew Irma as well.

After greeting Irma, Quintin’s gaze shifted to Charlene, and she offered a warm smile. “You must be Charlene?”

It was Charlene’s first time meeting Quintin. She replied respectfully, “Yes, that’s me.”

Quintin nodded, clearly pleased. “You’re a striking young woman.”

Before coming to the hospital, Quintin had already been briefed about Sybil’s condition. Still, she didn’t rush to propose any specific treatment. Instead, she planned to observe Sybil a bit longer and get a clearer picture before making any decisions.

Charlene and Helena had intended to stay by Sybil’s side the whole time and, as a gesture of gratitude, invite Quintin out for lunch. But Quintin waved them off, asking them to head home for now. She’d update them as soon as she had a treatment plan.

“As for lunch,” Quintin said, glancing at Charlene with a smile, “there’ll be plenty of chances in the future. No need to rush.”

With Quintin making herself clear, Charlene and Helena had no choice but to leave.

After leaving the hospital, Charlene returned to work at the office, while Irma accompanied Helena back to the Ross residence.

That evening, Charlene came back to the Ross home for dinner, and Irma was still there.

Shortly after the meal, as Irma was getting ready to leave, she looked at Charlene, gave her hand a gentle pat, and sighed.

Irma knew about Charlene and Thorne’s recent trip to City Hall to finalize their divorce. Since they’d made up their minds, there was no point in trying to talk them out of it. Besides, even if she wanted to interfere, some people simply wouldn’t listen.

And maybe, just maybe, starting over after the divorce would be the best thing for Charlene.

With that thought, Irma said softly, “Take good care of yourself.”

Charlene nodded. “I will. Please take care of yourself, too.”

Irma returned to the old mansion. As she stepped into the foyer, she spotted an unexpected guest sitting in the main hall and paused. “What are you doing back here?”

Thorne turned halfway in his seat to look at her. “You yelled at me out of the blue yesterday. I figured you must be missing me, so I came by to see you.”

The old lady gave a huff and turned to the butler. “When did he get here?”

“He arrived around six,” the butler replied. “I was going to let you know, but Mr. Thorne said not to disturb you, so-“

“Great-grandma!” At that moment, Jasmine came running down the stairs.

The old lady’s face finally broke into a smile at the sight of Jasmine. She opened her arms and pulled Jasmine in for a hug. “Minnie, are you hungry? Have you had dinner?”

“I ate with Dad already. What about you, Great-grandma? Did you eat?”

The old lady’s smile lingered. “Yes, I did.”

Though seeing Jasmine lifted her spirits, the day’s events still left the old lady looking tired.

Thorne noticed. “I wanted to talk to you about something, but since you’re tired, let’s save it for tomorrow morning-“

“Don’t bother,” she cut him off, her tone curt. She could guess what he wanted to talk about; it was bound to be something about Vesta Hawkins. “I’m not getting involved, and don’t come bothering me with your problems.”

Her words were sharp, and Jasmine, who had never seen her great-grandmother lose her temper before, simply blinked and asked, “Are you upset, Great-grandma?”

The old lady sighed. “Yes.” She glanced at Thorne, her emotions mixed. “Charlene’s mother is seriously ill. Did you know that?”

Even though Charlene had managed to get Quintin to look after Sybil, if the illness was truly severe, there was a chance that not even Quintin could help.

Thorne’s gaze dropped. He replied quietly, “I know now.”

His voice was flat, his face calm, showing not even a flicker of surprise.

The old lady simmered with frustration. Thorne’s indifference toward Charlene was as obvious as ever. He knew all about the bad blood between the Ross and Hawkins families, but still-

The more she thought about it, the more her chest ached.

Jasmine looked up. “Hasn’t Grandma been sick for a long time?”

She remembered, even as a little girl, her mother had told her that Grandma was ill and needed to stay at the hospital.

“Your grandma’s come down with something new,” the old lady explained to Jasmine. She didn’t spare Thorne a glance, her tone. frosty. “From now on, if you want to make your own decisions, don’t bother telling me. Just go.”

Chapter 438

Sybil’s treatment plan wasn’t going to be finalized so quickly.

The next day, after a stop at the hospital, Charlene headed back to work as usual.

Teague had flown in from out of state for a meeting with her and Stewart.

At lunchtime, Charlene and Stewart took Teague out for a meal.

Their partnership was more or less settled, so on the way, Stewart asked Teague when he planned to head back.

Teague grinned. “I’m staying a couple of extra days this time. I’ve got another business meeting tomorrow.”

Stewart perked up, curiosity in his voice. “Oh? What kind of business?”

“It’s with Neural Nexus Tech,” Teague replied.

At that, both Charlene’s and Stewart’s smiles faded a little.

Teague didn’t notice the change in their expressions. He had no idea about the tangled history between PrimeStar and Neural Nexus Tech.

He went on, “Neural Nexus Tech made a big technological breakthrough recently, word is, the whole industry’s buzzing about their prospects. Yesterday, Mr. Hawkins from Neural Nexus Tech called and asked to meet. I thought it sounded promising, so I agreed.”

Charlene and Stewart had been so swamped lately, they hadn’t kept up with the latest industry news. Hearing this now, their faces darkened.

After a quick glance at Charlene, Stewart managed a noncommittal, “Is that so…

They chatted for a while longer until they reached their destination.

After lunch, just as they were about to leave the restaurant, they ran into Vesta and her group at the elevator.

“Mr. Hawkins!” Teague greeted Vesta and Henley with genuine warmth.

Neither Vesta nor Henley had expected to bump into Teague, Charlene, and Stewart.

“Teague, what a surprise,” Henley and Vesta replied with polite smiles.

After the pleasantries, Teague turned to Charlene and Stewart. “Mr. Hawkins, these two are-?”

Stewart’s smile was cool. “No need for introductions. We already know each other.”

Teague laughed. “Right, we met last time I was here, my memory must be slipping.”

He couldn’t help but compliment, “Mr. Hawkins, Ms. Hawkins, your companies are doing incredibly well. It’s honestly impressive.”

Vesta and Henley exchanged a pleased look at the praise.

Ever since Neural Nexus Tech’s R&D team had cracked a major technical barrier, news had spread fast. Their self-driving car division suddenly became a major player in the field.

Everyone in the industry was speculating that, if things went smoothly, Neural Nexus Tech’s valuation could easily break a billion, maybe even higher.

As for Henley, thanks to Thorne’s help, his previously stagnant tech firm was suddenly making real progress. They’d just achieved a breakthrough of their own, and the outlook was brighter than ever.

The unexpected good news from Neural Nexus Tech had the Hawkins and Spencer families riding high.

No wonder everyone was in such a good mood these days.

Leah, giddy at the thought of Vesta soon helming a billion-dollar company, shot Charlene a smug look. After all, all of this was thanks to Thorne.

Thorne must have foreseen all of this before handing the company over to his sister. When the news broke about Neural Nexus Tech’s breakthrough, he hadn’t even looked surprised.

With Neural Nexus Tech and Hawkins Technology both celebrating huge wins-and Thorne and Charlene set to divorce, it seemed every stroke of luck had landed squarely in the Hawkins family’s lap.

Charlene and Stewart stood quietly by, never joining the conversation.

Vesta didn’t even glance in Charlene’s direction.

Once they reached the ground floor, the two groups parted ways.

Back in the car, Stewart pulled out his phone to catch up on the latest news. Only then did he understand why the Hawkins and Spencer families looked so pleased.

“Thorne really is-“

Too generous for his own good!

He swallowed the rest of his thought, aware of how it might affect Charlene, but inside, he couldn’t help feeling a deep sense of injustice.

Back at the office, as Charlene and Stewart were planning their upcoming meeting, they suddenly got word: the final million-dollar compensation payment from Neural Nexus Tech had landed in their account.

Stewart paused in surprise. “They raised the money that quickly?” Charlene nodded. “Looks like it.”

A heavy silence fell between them.

After a while, they shifted back to work..

Later that afternoon, just after the meeting, Charlene’s phone rang. It was Connie. “Charlene, did you hear about Neural Nexus Tech?”

“I heard.”

“That bitch-she’s got some nerve. If their self-driving car division really is that competitive, doesn’t that mean-?”

Charlene squeezed her mouse so hard her knuckles turned white. Before she could respond, Connie continued, “And I heard your bastard father’s company is doing better and better. There’s talk that they might win the city’s smart traffic platform contract. If they pull it off, Hawkins Technology will finally have a real name in Starfall City.”

In other words, Thorne had single-handedly secured a foothold for Vesta and the Hawkins family in Starfall.

Watching the Hawkins family’s fortunes rise, Connie could barely contain her bitterness. “How is this fair? Those scumbags-why do they get to come out on top?”

Chapter 439

Charlene didn’t answer the question.

She’d already asked it herself, long ago-more than once, in fact.

But the world just wasn’t fair. She’d learned that lesson a long time ago.

So, at some point, she’d stopped asking.

Back then, she’d been powerless to change anything. But now-

The City Smart Transit Platform project was something both she and Stewart had heard of. It was, by all accounts, a solid proposal.

However, with PrimeStar’s reputation soaring and their team already juggling higher-profile projects, neither she nor Stewart had planned on bidding for it. There simply weren’t enough hours in the day.

But now…

After hanging up the phone, Charlene sat down at her computer and began seriously researching the project.

The concept was to use AI algorithms to optimize traffic flow at the city’s congestion hotspots, integrating modules for traffic monitoring, signal systems, and more.

For most companies, the technical challenges would require months of planning and detailed strategy. For Charlene, though, it was well within her wheelhouse.

As for Neural Nexus Tech’s progress on self-driving cars…

Charlene sat in thoughtful silence for a while. Then she stood up and headed for Stewart’s office.

After she laid out her thoughts, Stewart grinned and said, “So it’s the city’s transit revamp, huh? The Hawkins family has some insider guidance and thinks they’ve got it in the bag? Well, we might not have planned to step in before, but if the Hawkins family’s involved, we’d be fools not to at least give them some competition.”

He added, “If you’re set on this, you have my full support. Just know it’ll mean burning the candle at both ends for a while.”

Charlene shook her head, her eyes resolute. “I’m not afraid of hard work.”

Then she shifted the topic to Neural Nexus Tech’s self-driving initiative.

When she finished, Stewart asked, “So you’ve got a plan?”

“I do,” Charlene replied. “Whether it’s engine design or the AI systems themselves, I can provide technical support. All you need to do is find the right people for us to collaborate with.”

Stewart had spent half the afternoon frustrated by the Hawkins family and Thorne. Now, hearing Charlene’s confidence, his mood lifted. He slapped his desk and said, “No problem. Leave it to me!”

Taking on two new projects at once, one a long-term commitment, would certainly shake up PrimeStar’s schedule. But Stewart still backed her without hesitation.

Charlene knew he wanted to help her push back, too.

The thought warmed her. She said softly, “Thank you, Stewart.”

He ruffled her hair and laughed, “No need to thank me. If we pull this off, I’ll make a pretty penny myself. I’m still young, got plenty of fight left in me.”

Once she’d made up her mind, Charlene was determined to give it her all.

That very night, she dove into drafting the proposal for the city transit project. The technical hurdles and core metrics didn’t faze her, but the bid deadline was looming, leaving her little time.

She powered through the night, working until dawn.

The next day, she was supposed to accompany Stewart to The Henderson Group’s offices. Instead, she stayed behind, telling Stewart to contact her online if anything came up.

Honestly, the Henderson Group’s engineers rarely kept up with her pace anyway. Even if she’d gone in person, she’d end up spending more time waiting for their team to catch up than actually working.

Now, juggling two projects at once, she was saving time by staying exactly where she was needed most.

Chapter 440

For the next couple of days, Charlene was completely absorbed in the Starfall Smart Mobility project. She even went on several site visits to make sure her ideas were sound, triple-checking every last detail. Finally, with just hours to spare, she submitted the bid documents right on time.

When Stewart got the news, a smile tugged at his lips. He shot Charlene a quick message: “Great work. You’ve earned a break.” He’d been swamped himself these past few days. Between managing his company’s day-to-day affairs and overseeing the partnership with the Henderson Group, Stewart also attended two business galas. Afterward, a handful of CEOs from autonomous vehicle companies had reached out, eager to connect. He decided he’d do some research on these companies before making any commitments.

Meanwhile, PrimeStar’s collaboration with the Henderson Group was moving along smoothly. They’d just entered the next phase of partnership. To celebrate, Thorne invited Stewart and another partner out for dinner. By the time Stewart replied to Charlene, he was nearly done with his meal.

Though Stewart wasn’t particularly fond of Thorne, he had to admit: Henderson Technology lived up to its sterling reputation. The company was packed with talent, and working alongside their engineers had been a genuinely pleasant experience.

Of course, not every moment was enjoyable. He often ran into members of the Hawkins and Spencer families at these gatherings. Stewart couldn’t be bothered to exchange even a polite word with them-he’d simply leave first, not looking back.

As he walked away, Leah watched him go, a smug smile curling on her lips. She leaned in close to Vesta and whispered, “Ever since your husband’s company started working with PrimeStar, that woman’s been constantly hanging around, as if the whole partnership would fall apart without her.”

“But these past couple of days, she’s all but disappeared. Maybe she finally realized her efforts are pointless?”

Leah was, of course, referring to Thorne’s recent gift to Vesta: a Neural Nexus Tech self-driving car, which was making waves in the industry and garnering rave reviews. It was clear to everyone that Vesta was on the winning side.

After Thorne left, Leah’s voice took on a syrupy sweetness: “No matter how hard Charlene works, what does it matter? Stewart’s never going to just hand her a billion-dollar company. She could work her whole life and never come close to what you started with, sis! I mean, she pulled every trick she could to marry into the family, had a kid, and in the end, her share of the assets can’t even compare to the pocket change Stewart gave you. Isn’t it hilarious?”

“If I were her, I’d be devastated too, knowing Stewart could give you so much with hardly a thought.”

Vesta just smiled, saying nothing. She had to admit, seeing Charlene’s professional skills had stung a little at first. But, as her sister pointed out, Charlene had spent years scheming to get close to Stewart, pouring all her energy into it-and for what? Even if she’d improved her abilities and managed to win over Stewart and Kenton Wagner, when would she ever reach the kind of wealth Vesta enjoyed without even trying?

Rhoda chimed in with a sly grin, “Some people are just born on different rungs of the ladder.”

No matter how hard Charlene tried, she simply couldn’t compete with Vesta.

Henley listened in silence, but he agreed. In every way, Charlene fell short of Vesta. No wonder she’d worked so desperately for so long, only to end up with nothing.

That evening, Charlene and Stewart joined one of the autonomous vehicle execs for dinner, a quiet, businesslike affair.

A few days later, the results for the Smart Mobility project bid were scheduled to be announced.

On the day of the bid, Vesta accompanied Henley to the venue. They arrived early, confident that they stood a strong chance. As they mingled with the other bidders, they wore easy, relaxed smiles.

Charlene and Stewart were the last to arrive. When Vesta and Henley spotted them, both froze in surprise. As far as they knew, PrimeStar hadn’t even entered the bidding, so why were Stewart and Charlene here?

But their presence could only mean one thing…

Realization hit them like a bucket of cold water. The confidence that had been shining on their faces vanished in an instant. With PrimeStar in the game, not even Thorne’s support could guarantee their win.

It was only now, seeing Stewart and Charlene together, that Vesta and Henley finally understood why Charlene had been absent from the Henderson Group these past few days.

So that’s what she’d been up to…

Ignoring the shocked faces around them, Stewart and Charlene took their seats, unbothered by Vesta and Henley’s silent stares.

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