Unknown Divorce: Revelation Beyond Time Novel by Miss Lyra (Chapters 441 to 450) 

Chapter 441

It wasn’t just them; every other bidder, after spotting Charlene and Stewart, had more or less realized their own efforts had been for nothing.

And that’s exactly how things turned out.

While everyone waited, the results of the bid were announced surprisingly quickly. The winner of the Starfall smart transportation project was none other than PrimeStar.

Charlene and Stewart weren’t the least bit surprised. They had more important things to do and had no intention of lingering here.

As Charlene and Stewart walked past, not even sparing them a glance, Henley and Vesta’s faces, already sour, grew even darker.

Since relocating to Starfall, the Hawkins Group had managed to stay afloat thanks to Thorne’s connections. Because of Thorne and Vesta, plenty of people in local business circles knew about their company. But that was pretty much where it ended inside the circle. They still hadn’t managed to build any real recognition outside of it.

Previously, the problem had always been their lack of competitive technology. Now, after finally making a breakthrough, this smart city transportation project seemed like their ticket to broader recognition. If Hawkins Technology could land this contract, its reputation and standing would skyrocket.

Everyone at their company had poured over a month of hard work and resources into this bid, convinced that the project was as good as theirs. But now-

After Charlene and Stewart left, Henley and Vesta just sat there, unmoving for a long while.

The Hawkins and Spencer families were both following the bidding closely.

It wasn’t long before Leah couldn’t hold back and called Vesta. “Sis, did they announce the results yet? Did we win?”

Vesta’s voice was cool. “No.”

“No?” Leah frowned. “How is that possible? I mean, sure, there were a few strong contenders, but we-“

“PrimeStar got it.”

“What?!” Leah’s face fell. “PrimeStar? I thought they weren’t even bidding! How-

As she pieced it together, Leah’s tone turned venomous. “It must be that witch, Charlene. She can’t stand seeing how much Thorne cares about you, so she’s always trying to trip us up!”

She snorted. “The more she acts like this, the more Thorne will hate her! I’m calling him right now to tell him what she did!”

Vesta cut her off, voice flat. “PrimeStar and the Henderson Group are working closely these days. Even if Thorne wanted to get involved, there’s nothing he can do about her right now.”

Leah hesitated. “So… what now? Are we just supposed to let this go?”

Vesta said nothing.

They might not be able to touch Charlene now, but that didn’t mean it would always be that way.

Back home, when Georgina Spencer, Katie Hawkins, and the rest of the family heard the news, their frustration boiled over.

After all, this was about the future of the Hawkins Group. It was no small matter.

They couldn’t just let Charlene run wild.

“It was bad enough when she sabotaged Vesta with Mr. Wagner and Stewart, but now she’s interfering with our company’s future. If she keeps targeting us like this-“

“I know,” Henley interrupted. “I’ll find a chance to talk to her.”

This was too important to ignore.

In fact, when Charlene and Stewart had been about to leave, he’d almost called out to her-but with so many people around, he’d held back.

The next day, Charlene arrived at PrimeStar for work. She’d just stepped out of her car in the parking lot when Henley got out of his own and called her name.

“Charlene.”

Chapter 442

When Henley appeared, Charlene didn’t look the least bit surprised.

The Starfall Smart Transit Project was crucial to the Hawkins family’s tech company, yet she had swooped in and snatched it from under their noses at the last minute. How could they possibly sit still after that?

And it’s not as if this was the first time she’d pulled something like this.

She would find opportunities to strike again in the future.

The bidding was over; this project was out of the Hawkins family’s reach now. So, if Charlene guessed right, Henley was here to make sure she didn’t pull off another coup like this.

But how did he plan to persuade her?

Of course, he’d try to appeal to her emotions.

It was the cheapest tactic, after all.

But Charlene had no intention of playing along with his act.

She turned around, and just as he was about to speak, she cut him off. “I remember the last time Katie announced in front of everyone that I wasn’t her granddaughter. You’ve been living in Starfall for over half a year now, and I’ve run into you enough times, Mr. Hawkins, but not once have you ever publicly acknowledged me as your daughter-“

She paused, her voice chilling as she met his gaze. “So tell me, Mr. Hawkins, now that you’re here, what exactly do you think you can say to me?”

Charlene made it perfectly clear-whatever remained of their father-daughter relationship was gone.

Henley faltered, still searching for words, when Stewart’s laughter rang out from behind him. “He’s right, Mr. Hawkins. After everything that’s happened, what could you possibly have to say to Charlene now?”

Henley’s brow furrowed. “Mr. Ferguson, this is between me and Charlene-“

“Charlene?” Stewart scoffed. “You’re suddenly on such familiar terms? Funny, I don’t recall you calling her that in front of anyone else.”

Charlene had said everything that needed to be said.

She wasn’t interested in dragging this out any longer. Turning to Stewart, she said, “Let’s go.”

Henley saw the cold indifference in her eyes and realized, maybe for the first time, that she truly no longer saw him as her father.

Without another glance, Charlene headed upstairs.

Henley hardly had a chance to speak the entire time.

But with Stewart standing there, even if he’d wanted to convince Charlene, it was impossible. He could only watch helplessly as she walked away.

Once inside the elevator, Stewart sneered, “After all they’ve done, they still have the nerve to come to you and talk about family? Shameless.”

Charlene just smiled. “You get used to it.”

Back at home, the moment Henley returned, the Hawkins and Spencer families immediately crowded around him, eager to hear what Charlene had said.

Henley understood all too well what her words meant.

He shook his head. “She wouldn’t listen.”

Katie scowled.

Charlene had been right-Henley’s visit was all about making sure she didn’t cost them another prized project.

Leah let out a snort. “This was a fluke. She managed to beat us once, but does she really think she can pull it off again and again? We’re giving her way too much credit if we think she’s that capable.

That much was true.

But you could never be too careful.

“}

With Charlene now working alongside Stewart, if something like this happened again, they’d be the ones paying the price.

It made sense to take precautions.

Even Maureen and Vesta, who were usually more reserved, silently agreed with Leah’s assessment. After all, Charlene might be clever, but Stewart wouldn’t back her in everything.

And even if he did, there was no way they’d always be able to trip them up.

Vesta spoke up, “No need to lose sleep over her. Just keep an eye on her when we’re working on future projects.”

Henley nodded. “That’s all we can do.”

Chapter 443

Thanks to the fact that Sybil’s illness was still in its early stages and her organs hadn’t deteriorated too badly, Quintin and his team were able to make several adjustments to her treatment plan based on her overall condition. In the end, they finally found a way to stabilize Sybil’s health.

The moment the news came through, the tension that had gripped Charlene, Helena, and the rest of the Ross family for over two weeks finally eased. It was as if a heavy cloud that had hung over their home had finally lifted.

That evening, Helena-overwhelmed with relief and joy, insisted on cooking a celebratory dinner herself.

After the meal, Charlene had just settled in the living room with her mother when her phone buzzed. Jasmine was calling.

It had actually been more than a month since Charlene and her daughter had last spoken.

The last time Jasmine had called, Charlene should have answered. But that had been right after Sybil’s organ failure was discovered; Charlene had been in no mood to talk, so she’d let the call go unanswered.

Now…

Seeing Jasmine’s name flash across the screen, Helena gently said, “Go ahead and answer it.”

Helena knew Jasmine was close to Vesta. Even if she tried to pretend it didn’t matter, she couldn’t help but care.

Helena hadn’t seen Jasmine around lately, and she suspected it was because Charlene was worried that seeing Jasmine would only make her already fragile state even worse. While Helena had never truly blamed Jasmine for her closeness with Vesta, she knew that if Jasmine had shown up during those difficult days, it might have pushed her to the brink.

But now, with Sybil’s health improving, Helena genuinely hoped that Charlene and Jasmine could reunite as mother and daughter.

Charlene stared at Jasmine’s name for a few seconds before finally picking up.

When Charlene hadn’t answered her call previously, Jasmine had thought about trying again in a few days. Ordinarily, her father always encouraged her to call her mom whenever she missed her, but this time, he’d gently suggested that her mom was dealing with a lot and needed some space, so Jasmine had tried to be patient.

Still, it had been so long since she’d seen her mother-or even heard her voice.

Tonight, she just couldn’t wait any longer and decided to try calling again.

To her surprise, her mother actually answered.

Hearing Charlene’s voice, Jasmine instantly became excited. “Mom!”

Before Charlene could even say a word, Jasmine’s voice grew plaintive, almost on the verge of tears. “Mom, you finally picked up. I’ve missed you so much lately…

Hearing the sniffle in Jasmine’s voice, Charlene looked down, hiding the emotions in her eyes before asking gently, “Have you had dinner yet?”

“I have!” Jasmine’s mood lifted immediately at her mother’s words. She quickly asked, “Mom, when will you have time? Can I come over tomorrow? No, can I come over right now?!”

Charlene replied, “I have to work tomorrow, but if you want to come over tonight, you can.

“I…

She hesitated, then added, “But check with your dad first, okay? If he says it’s all right-“

“He’ll definitely say yes!” Jasmine blurted out, not even waiting for her mother to finish. “I’ll go pack my bag right now, Mom, wait for me!”

Before Charlene could say another word, Jasmine had already hung up. She turned excitedly to Thorne, who was sitting nearby reading. “Mom said I can go see her!”

Thorne finished the page before looking up from his book. “I heard. Do you need me to drive you?”

“No need!” Jasmine declared, grabbing Latonia’s hand and dragging her upstairs to help pack.

Just a few minutes later, Jasmine was back downstairs with her backpack slung over her shoulder. She didn’t even pause as she hurried past her father, waving as she ran for the door. “Dad, I’m leaving now!”

Thorne looked up and watched her small figure disappear down the hall. “Take care on the way. And good night.”

“Good night!” Jasmine called, her voice already drifting out the door.

Chapter 444

The next morning, after dropping Jasmine off at school, Charlene drove back to PrimeStar.

In the days leading up to this, she’d already met with two heads of autonomous vehicle start-ups alongside Stewart, but after each meeting, she’d felt that neither was quite the right fit..

Determined to find more suitable partners, she and Stewart attended a cocktail party that evening.

They arrived early, mingled briefly, and soon spotted Thorne and Vesta across the room.

Both Charlene and Stewart quickly averted their eyes.

Perhaps their disinterest was a bit too obvious, because Thorne and Vesta made no move to greet them either.

A little while later, Dalton Ramirez and Kelvin Scott showed up.

When Dalton caught sight of Thorne, Vesta, Charlene, and Stewart, he headed over to Charlene and Stewart first to say hello.

“Mr. Ferguson, Ms. Ross. It’s been a while.”

It had, in fact, been some time since they’d last seen Dalton.

Charlene and Stewart acknowledged him with polite but expressionless nods.

Their feelings toward Dalton hadn’t warmed in the slightest.

Not wanting to overstay his welcome, Dalton excused himself after the brief greeting and walked over to Thorne and Vesta.

“Mr. Henderson, Mr. Hawkins.”

Thorne nodded. Vesta turned, recognized him, and smiled. “Mr. Ramirez, it’s been ages.

Dalton looked at her. “It has. Good to see you.”

He lingered for a moment but, sensing they were in the middle of a business conversation, refrained from interrupting further. After exchanging pleasantries, he moved on.

Charlene and Stewart had come with a clear objective, but at these kinds of events, it was impossible to avoid the steady flow of people eager to introduce themselves. The evening kept them busier than they’d expected.

Much the same could be said for Thorne and Vesta.

In the past, whenever Vesta accompanied Thorne to these sorts of gatherings, her role had been little more than decorative. The industry bigwigs in attendance never truly paid her any mind.

But things were different now.

Whether Neural Nexus Tech had been a gift from Thorne or Vesta’s own accomplishment, it was indisputably her company. Her ascension to billionaire status was no longer a remote possibility-it was imminent.

Tonight, many of the business heavyweights who’d once overlooked her were not only polite but downright eager to win her favor.

Vesta noticed the change, and so did everyone else.

Kelvin, watching the whole scene unfold, nudged Dalton with his elbow. “Honestly, on this front, you really have to admit defeat.”

A company worth billions, Thorne had handed it over with barely a second thought. In that regard, Dalton couldn’t possibly compare. Dalton said nothing.

Though he considered Thorne a rival, he couldn’t argue when it came to how Thorne treated Vesta.

He glanced at Vesta’s back, a hint of admiration in his voice. “She deserves it.”

Kelvin blinked. “…You’re serious?”

But both his childhood friend and Thorne seemed hopelessly smitten with Vesta, ready to give her the world and happy to do it. Kelvin didn’t get it, but he didn’t have the heart to burst Dalton’s bubble.

Still, he couldn’t help adding, “Financial freedom really is something else. You can spend on whoever you want, and no one can stop you. I have to admit, I’m seriously jealous of Thorne.”

Dalton shot back, deadpan, “If you ever became financially free, I bet you’d burn through everything within a year.”

Kelvin opened his mouth, then shut it again.

Charlene and Stewart also noticed the shift in attitudes toward Vesta.

During conversations, a few people even joked about Thorne’s generosity, marveling at how he could lavish fortunes on a beauty without batting an eye.

Vesta, for her part, kept an eye on Charlene and Stewart, but with so many people coming over to greet them, she failed to pick up on their true reason for attending tonight’s party.

Chapter 445

That night, when Charlene got home, she found Jasmine already fast asleep in her room.

After her shower, Charlene slipped under the covers. Almost immediately, Jasmine instinctively rolled over, nestling into her arms, and mumbled sleepily, “Mommy, you’re back?”

“I’m here. Go back to sleep,” Charlene whispered.

There was no reply.

Charlene glanced down and realized Jasmine had already drifted off again.

The next morning, Stewart headed out for a business meeting, while Charlene joined a group of engineers for a trip to The Henderson Group.

Charlene spent most of the morning deep in conversation about technical matters. When the discussion finally wound down, she glanced back and noticed Thorne standing nearby, quietly listening to her.

She paused, drew her attention back to the group, and said, “There are actually a few outstanding papers in academia on what I just mentioned. Would you like me to recommend some titles?”

“Yes, please!” came the enthusiastic response.

Charlene rattled off the names and authors of the papers, then

turned to gather her things-only to meet Vesta’s gaze.

Thorne noticed her arrival and walked over. “When did you get here?”

Charlene looked away, leaving Vesta to answer.

With a small smile, Vesta replied, “Just now.”

In reality, she’d been there two or three minutes already.

She’d arrived just in time to catch Thorne and his technical team listening intently as Charlene explained some complex concepts. She only saw Thorne in profile, and though the angle wasn’t perfect, it was clear that as he watched Charlene, there was a look of genuine admiration in his eyes.

The realization made her smile falter for a moment.

It was the first time she’d ever seen Thorne look at Charlene that way.

But… that didn’t necessarily mean anything, or so she told herself.

Later that afternoon, Vesta had more business at The Henderson Group and stopped by again.

This time, she went straight to Thorne’s office.

He wasn’t there yet.

She was about to sit down when she noticed several books stacked neatly on his desk. Curious, she picked one up and saw it was an AI journal. Flipping through, she found an article that had been carefully marked.

When she saw the title, she froze.

It was one of the very papers Charlene had recommended that morning.

Vesta’s mind flashed back to Thorne listening quietly as Charlene spoke, his expression attentive and engaged. She pressed her lips together, a flicker of something unspoken in her eyes.

Driven by a sudden need to know, she checked the other journals. Sure enough, they’d all been marked up as well.

And she recognized the markings immediately; they were Thorne’s, his usual style whenever he read.

Just then, the office door swung open.

Vesta’s heart jumped. She looked up and met Josh’s gaze.

He smiled in greeting. “Ms. Hawkins! The CEO’s still in a meeting. He should be done in about half an hour-“

“That’s fine, I know,” Vesta said quickly.

Josh glanced at the books she was holding. “Oh, those? The boss had me rush order them this morning. Are you interested in this stuff too?”

“Rush order?” Vesta echoed, her voice barely above a whisper.

“Yep,” Josh replied cheerfully.

He was only there to grab a file and didn’t seem to notice her sudden stillness. “Ms. Hawkins, I’ve got to run-“

“Go ahead, don’t worry about me,” she said.

“I’ll have someone bring you a coffee,” Josh added as he left, file in hand.

Vesta set the journal down with deliberate care and moved to the sofa to wait.

Josh had said Thorne’s meeting would last half an hour; in the end, it was barely five minutes before Thorne walked in.

Seeing him, Vesta managed a smile. “That was quick.”

“Josh told me you were here,” Thorne replied. “There wasn’t anything urgent left in the meeting, so I came back.”

He glanced at the journals on his desk, but only briefly, before turning away and settling into the seat beside her.

Vesta caught the gesture, and her smile faded just a little.

She’d thought, at first, that he’d rushed back just for her.

Now it seemed…

Chapter 446

After Jasmine Henderson had stayed with the Ross family for three days, her phone rang one evening while Charlene Ross was in the bedroom, towel-drying her hair.

Glancing at the caller ID, Jasmine’s face lit up. She turned to

Charlene, excitement in her voice. “Mom, it’s Dad!”

Charlene just murmured an acknowledgment, and Jasmine quickly answered, putting the call on speaker. “Dad!”

Thorne Henderson’s voice came through, warm and familiar. “Have you had dinner yet?”

“Yeah, I have!” Jasmine replied cheerfully..

After a bit of small talk, Thorne finally got to the point. “Remember, tomorrow we’re going out with Ms. Hawkins, just like we planned. I’ll be sending someone to pick you up soon.”

The days Jasmine spent with the Ross family had been lively and delightful. Even though Charlene was busy with work and they didn’t get to spend as much time together as Jasmine had hoped, she still felt truly happy.

She wasn’t quite ready to leave. Caught off guard by her father’s call, she started to protest. “Dad, I don’t-“.

But she stopped herself, as if something had suddenly occurred to her. Her voice grew quieter, tinged with reluctance. “Okay… But I want you to come get me yourself.”

Thorne, ever indulgent when it came to his daughter, just laughed. “Alright, alright, I’ll come pick you up myself.”

When the call ended, Jasmine walked over, wrapping her arms around Charlene’s arm. “Mom, I don’t want to leave you…”

Earlier, when Thorne had said he’d send someone, she’d instinctively refused. If Charlene guessed right, Jasmine had changed her mind because she didn’t want to let Vesta Hawkins down.

She might not want to leave, but that didn’t stop her from agreeing to go, just to keep her promise to Vesta.

Charlene just stroked her hair gently, her voice soft. “Come on, pack your things. Your dad will be here soon.”

Jasmine pouted, clinging to Charlene’s arm. “Mom, I already told you I brought so much stuff this time because I wanted to leave it here. That way, when I come back for summer vacation, I won’t have to pack again! I haven’t even been here that long and you’ve already forgotten?”

Charlene hadn’t forgotten.

But when Jasmine had brought it up a couple of days ago, after she first arrived, Charlene hadn’t agreed.

After all, by the time summer rolled around, she and Thorne would likely be officially divorced.

From then on, she would have to stick strictly to the terms of the custody agreement for their visits.

Rather than explaining all that, Charlene simply said, “Okay, Mom knows.”

She urged Jasmine to go pack up her homework and anything else she needed to bring.

Not long after Jasmine finished packing, Thorne’s car pulled up outside.

Though Helena and Vernon Ross weren’t particularly fond of Thorne, they did care about Jasmine. So when it was time for her to go, they joined Charlene at the door to see her off.

Thorne got out of the car and, seeing Helena and Vernon, offered a polite greeting. “Mrs. Ross, Mr. Ross.”

It had been a long time since Helena and Vernon had last seen Thorne. At his greeting, they merely nodded coolly, saying nothing.

Thorne looked to Charlene, but she only bent down to Jasmine. “Go on, get in the car.”

“Okay.” Jasmine said her goodbyes to the Ross family, then got in and rode away with Thorne.

As Charlene turned to go back inside, Helena squeezed her hand. “You’ll be filing the papers soon, won’t you?”

Charlene nodded. “Yes.”

Helena sighed, but smiled gently. “It’s for the best.”

After chatting with Helena for a while, Charlene remembered something and decided to text Thorne: “About the divorce-could you find a time to talk to Minnie about it?”

For most kids, news of their parents’ divorce would be hard to accept.

But Jasmine was different.

Telling her wouldn’t be a problem.

A while later, Thorne replied: [Alright. I’ll talk to her when I get the chance.]

Charlene set her phone down and was just about to get back to her work when another message from Thorne popped up: [If you have anything you want to add to the divorce agreement, just have your attorney contact mine. If it’s reasonable, I’ll agree to it.

Chapter 447

Staring at the message he’d sent, Charlene lowered her gaze and typed back, “I have nothing to add.”

Thorne replied almost instantly: “Alright.”

After that, neither of them messaged again.

Ever since Quintin had been brought in to treat Sybil Ross, it had become more convenient for Sybil to undergo examinations. She’d moved out of the care home and was now staying in a VIP suite at the city hospital.

The next morning, Charlene accompanied the older lady and the rest of the family to visit Sybil at the hospital.

After a period of treatment, Sybil still looked fragile, but she wasn’t nearly as gaunt as she’d been two weeks ago.

Yet, she still couldn’t handle seeing familiar faces; whenever she spotted them, she was prone to breakdowns.

Once their visit ended and Quintin stepped out of Sybil’s room, Charlene and Helena caught up with her in the corridor to ask about Sybil’s current condition.

They had just started talking when Rhoda, Maureen Spencer, and Henley Hawkins turned the corner and headed toward them.

Charlene’s expression shifted immediately.

What are they doing here?

Helena felt it too, her grip tightening around Charlene’s hand at the sight of Henley and Maureen.

Her own daughter was just inside that room; she could barely keep herself composed seeing those two. If Sybil were to run into Maureen and Henley as well… Helena couldn’t even imagine the consequences.

Maureen and Henley seemed just as surprised to spot Charlene and Helena in the VIP wing.

Before they could process it fully, however, their attention was drawn to Quintin.

Rhoda’s eyes widened as she whispered, “Is that Quintin? What on earth happened with the Ross family that they managed to get Quintin to take their case?”

At her words, they all considered the possibility that this had something to do with Sybil.

But then it struck them: Sybil’s issues were psychological, and Quintin wasn’t a psychiatrist. Maybe this wasn’t about Sybil’s mental health after all; maybe she had developed some other serious illness?

It had been ages since anyone had seen Quintin in person; running into her now piqued their curiosity. Rhoda and the others felt tempted to approach and make small talk, but they had no real connection to Quintin and no good reason to introduce themselves. Quintin, meanwhile, had noticed the change in Charlene and Helena’s demeanor as soon as Henley and the others appeared.

She glanced briefly in their direction, her gaze cool, before turning back to Charlene and Helena. “Sybil’s condition is improving. There’s no need to worry too much.”

Charlene and Helena were overwhelmed with relief. Grasping Quintin’s hand, they said gratefully, “Thank you, Quintin. We know it’s been a lot for you these past weeks.”

Quintin gave them a gentle smile and patted Charlene’s hand. “It’s my duty.”

While they spoke, Henley and his group walked past and stopped a couple of doors down, entering one of the VIP rooms.

Quintin had other urgent matters to attend to. After giving her team a few quick instructions, she said her goodbyes and left.

Charlene and Helena watched Quintin disappear down the hallway, then exchanged a glance before turning their attention to the other room.

They couldn’t help but wonder if something had happened in the Hawkins or Spencer families that would explain why Henley and Maureen were here in the VIP ward.

If someone from the Hawkins or Spencer families was seriously ill and Henley’s visits became frequent, there was a real risk that Sybil might run into them one day-

The thought clearly troubled Helena as well, and Charlene, unable to contain her worry, quietly asked the doctor beside her, “Doctor, um… what happened to the patient in room 1003?”

Chapter 448

Before the doctor Charlene had addressed could answer, a young nurse nearby jumped in with an explanation. “The patient in Room 03 is an elderly lady. She fainted yesterday because of high blood pressure. After a thorough checkup, there wasn’t anything seriously wrong. She could’ve been discharged the same day, but her family insisted she stay for observation-they were worried about her.”

“She’s quite picky, too. She refused to stay in a regular room and demanded a VIP suite. Her family was just as insistent. The VIP rooms have been fully booked for days, but since they’re related to someone important, that person pulled some strings, and they basically took a room that was already reserved for someone else…”

The nurse rambled on until the doctor, worried about being overheard, gave a pointed cough. The nurse quickly fell silent.

So, they’d be leaving tomorrow?

That thought eased Charlene’s anxiety; at least Sybil was less likely to run into anyone from the Hawkins or Spencer families if the VIP patient left soon.

Still… what if someone intentionally tried to upset her mother?

Worry gnawed at her. Charlene turned to the doctor and nurse, her voice firm despite her unease. “My nerves are a bit frayed lately. I can’t handle any more stress. Please keep an eye on who goes in and out of my mother’s room. Other than the nurses and doctors, she knows and us the Ross family; no one else is allowed in without our permission.”

“And if anyone comes around asking about my mother, I need you to let me know right away.”

The doctor nodded reassuringly. “Of course, Ms. Ross. You have our word.”

Even with their promise, though, Charlene couldn’t shake her worries. After all, if she was making inquiries about the Hawkins and Spencer families, there was no reason to think they weren’t doing the same about her.

Her real fear was that the other families already knew why she and her mother were here…

Meanwhile, in another part of the hospital, it was Georgina Spencer who had been admitted this time.

Henley had business to attend to, so after a brief visit to check on Georgina, he left.

Just as Charlene had suspected, no sooner had Henley gone than Rhoda began telling Georgina about how she’d seen Charlene and Helena in the hallway.

Both women quickly guessed that Sybil must be the one who was ill.

But what exactly was wrong with her?

Determined to find out, Rhoda pulled aside the nurse caring for Georgina. “We thought we saw Dr. Quintin just now. If someone managed to get him here, they must have some serious connections. Do you know what’s wrong with that patient? Their family pulled out all the stops to get Quintin involved…”

“It’s multiple organ failure,” the nurse replied. “The situation is pretty serious.”

At that, both Rhoda and Georgina exchanged amused smiles.

From what they knew, multiple organ failure was practically a death sentence.

So Sybil was-

But Rhoda, not wanting to jump to conclusions, pressed further. “The family looked familiar to me. Is their last name Ross? Is the patient’s name Sybil?”

“Yes, that’s right. Do you know them?” the nurse asked.

Rhoda let out a soft laugh. “Oh, we go way back.” Then she continued, “If it’s really multiple organ failure, I suppose there isn’t much time left?”

“That was true, but they have a lot of influence. They brought in Dr. Quintin, and he’s a miracle worker. I hear the chances of recovery are actually pretty good now.”

The smiles on Rhoda and Georgina’s faces faded slightly.

After the nurse left, Rhoda let out a cold snort. “Some people really do have all the luck.”

She couldn’t help but add, “That brat Charlene sure landed on her feet when she latched onto Stewart Ferguson.”

If Charlene hadn’t known Stewart, Sybil would probably already be…

Maureen stayed silent, but her brow furrowed deeply.

Chapter 449

For safety’s sake, Charlene hired two extra caregivers to look after Sybil and asked them to keep an eye on the situation in Room 1003 as well.

That very night, she got word that the patient in 1003 had already been discharged early.

Even though Georgina had left the hospital without incident, Charlene didn’t let the caregivers go just yet. She decided to keep them around to continue caring for Sybil, just to be safe.

Stewart was making good progress negotiating a self-driving car project, and he’d been swamped with work lately. So, when the government hosted its annual high-profile Business Excellence Conference, Charlene attended on his behalf.

The event was a way for the government to recognize and reward companies for their development and contributions to the industry.

This year, between six and seven hundred companies received invitations.

Charlene didn’t arrive especially early. As soon as she entered, Granger Harden wrapped up his conversation and made a beeline toward her. “Ms. Ross, glad you could make it.”

Charlene nodded. “Long time, no see.”

Vesta was there as well, representing Neural Nexus Tech.

Ever since the conference began, Granger had barely taken his eyes off the entrance. The moment Charlene arrived, he wasted no time heading over to greet her-which didn’t surprise her in the least.

She pressed her lips together and looked away.

PrimeStar Technologies’ seats were near the front, right alongside The Harden Group.

After a brief chat, everyone headed to their assigned seats.

PrimeStar was seated next to The Henderson Group.

Charlene spotted Vesta but didn’t see Thorne anywhere. She assumed he hadn’t come to the conference this year.

She was proved wrong a moment later. Just as she finished greeting someone on her other side, Thorne slipped into the seat beside her.

When he sat down, Charlene didn’t bother acknowledging him.

Thorne, however, nodded in her direction. “Just got here?”

Charlene didn’t reply.

On her other side, another company representative leaned over to greet Thorne. After exchanging pleasantries, the woman glanced at Charlene and Thorne, about to comment on what a striking pair they made, until she remembered they each had someone else in their lives. Thinking better of it, she looked past them to Granger and chuckled, “My, what a row of rising young stars we have here. You all look fantastic sitting together.”

Thorne smiled and made polite small talk, then the woman returned to her own seat.

In just a few days, Thorne and Charlene’s divorce would be finalized.

The thought made Granger glance over at the two of them. They sat side by side, yet seemed like total strangers. Aside from Thorne’s initial greeting, they hadn’t exchanged a single word. Sighing. Inwardly, he looked away.

Thorne noticed and turned to Granger. “It’s been a while. What’s been keeping you busy lately?”

Granger replied, “Last year’s biotech project hit a snag. I’ve been traveling nonstop trying to sort it out.”

“Still not resolved?”

“It’ll take a bit more time.”

“Need any help?”

Granger shook his head. “Not for now, thanks.”

Thorne nodded, then glanced at Charlene. She could feel his eyes on her and instinctively turned her head. Thorne spoke up, “I finished reading those papers you sent me the other day. They were excellent, but I did come away with a few new questions-“

Charlene turned away, pretending not to hear.

Thorne just smiled and let it drop.

Although Neural Nexus Tech had gained some recognition recently, its status still couldn’t compare to giants like The Henderson Group or PrimeStar. As a result, Vesta’s seat was way in the third-to-last row.

From her seat, Vesta watched Thorne, Charlene, and Granger sitting together up front. The tight line of her lips grew even more pronounced.

Chapter 450

Dalton Ramirez had arrived, slipping into the second row, just behind and off to the side of Charlene and Thorne.

He was running a little late.

As he was about to take his seat, he caught sight of Thorne turning toward Charlene, striking up a conversation.

When Charlene ignored him, the smile on Thorne’s face faltered ever so slightly.

Dalton’s expression darkened.

He couldn’t say exactly why, but he’d always felt that Thorne treated Charlene a bit differently.

He’d noticed before that Thorne seemed rather interested in her. But in recent months, since there’d been no rumors or inappropriate behavior between them, Dalton had started to think maybe Thorne’s interest had faded.

Clearly, he’d been mistaken.

Dalton’s scrutiny was so open that Thorne couldn’t help but notice. Thorne glanced over. “Mr. Ramirez, you made it.”

Dalton masked his annoyance, his tone cool as he replied, “Yes.”

The business summit was in full swing. Among the key officials in attendance was Hickey Watson.

After delivering his speech, Hickey and the other officials began announcing the list of outstanding companies.

Naturally, PrimeStar was among them..

Charlene joined Thorne, Granger, and several other company representatives onstage to receive their awards.

The three of them-Thorne, Charlene, and Granger-stood together as the certificates were handed out.

After the awards, Hickey invited the recipients to say a few words.

Thorne spoke first. When he finished, Charlene took the microphone from him. “PrimeStar’s growth has always been about innovation, about building a team with a pioneering spirit. Of course, innovation is never easy. Bringing together highly talented people and making real breakthroughs is even harder…”

Charlene’s earnestness on stage made Vesta, watching from below, want to laugh.

PrimeStar really had done well for itself. But, honestly, how much of that had to do with Charlene?

Sure, she’d published a paper that got quite a bit of attention, but that was after PrimeStar was already well-established and recognized internationally.

Listening to Charlene’s speech, someone who didn’t know better might think she’d poured her heart and soul into building PrimeStar from the ground up.

The truth was, though Charlene could stand up there on behalf of the company and give a speech, she was really just picking up the award for Stewart.

The honor had little to do with her.

After the speeches, Charlene and the others stepped down from the stage.

The summit dragged on for nearly three hours.

Once it wrapped up, Charlene was ready to leave. As she edged toward the exit, Granger stepped around Thorne and approached her. “Heading out?”

“Yeah,” she nodded.

But Charlene’s name had become well-known in the industry by now, and plenty of executives wanted a word with her.

Getting away wasn’t going to be easy.

Both she and Granger were quickly surrounded.

Thorne, too, was caught up in a crowd of eager networkers.

Dalton knew Vesta was at the summit as well. Noticing that Thorne

hadn’t made a beeline for her, Dalton headed over himself.

Vesta greeted him with a smile. “I didn’t see you earlier, Mr. Ramirez.

I was starting to think you weren’t coming tonight.”

“I got held up by something at work. Sorry for being late.”

As he spoke, Dalton glanced over to see Thorne somehow, yet again, standing beside Charlene. Dalton’s brow creased.

Vesta, always attuned to what was happening between Thorne and Charlene, noticed it too.

Seeing her gaze linger, Dalton spoke up before she could. “Why don’t we head over there as well?”

Vesta chuckled. “I’ve still got a few people to talk to, so I’ll have to stay here a bit longer. If you need to go over, please don’t wait on my account.”

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