Unknown Divorce: Revelation Beyond Time Novel by Miss Lyra (Chapters 451 to 460) 

Chapter 451

Dalton stayed close by Vesta’s side, showing no intention of leaving.

A few minutes later, just as Vesta was about to look for Thorne, she realized he was no longer with Charlene. Instead, Charlene was deep in conversation with Hickey.

Given the rapport between Hickey and Dalton, it was only natural for them to exchange greetings when they ran into each other. After a brief hello, Dalton began to introduce Vesta, “Hickey, this is-“

But Hickey cut him off with a friendly smile. “Ms. Hawkins, we’ve met before.”

Vesta returned his greeting with polite composure.

Hickey nodded and turned his attention back to Charlene. “Still keeping busy these days, Charlene?”

The conference might have ended, but it was still a public space. Yet Hickey addressed Charlene by her first name, and his tone with her was noticeably softer than it had been with Dalton.

It was clear Hickey made no effort to hide his admiration and fondness for Charlene.

Charlene simply nodded. “I am.”

She could sense his warmth, just as she always had. In the past, she’d greeted Hickey as she would anyone else, never thinking much of it. But now, with Dalton standing beside her, she was suddenly reminded that Hickey was York Watson’s father.

Even with York’s recent pursuit of her, Charlene didn’t feel awkward around Hickey. After all, nothing had actually happened between her and York.

Vesta, meanwhile, glanced down quietly.

Hickey’s attitude toward her hadn’t been cold or dismissive, but it was certainly a far cry from how he treated Charlene. After their brief greeting, Hickey made no further effort to include Vesta in the conversation. It was as if he had no real interest in getting to know her, let alone offering any signs of appreciation.

Normally, she thought, someone like Hickey would have at least mentioned Neural Nexus Tech to her after all, she’d only been invited to attend the summit because of her role there.

The realization made her smile falter just a little.

Dalton, for his part, didn’t seem to notice Hickey’s lack of enthusiasm for Vesta. But he did catch that Hickey wanted to chat with Charlene a while longer. Though Dalton wasn’t exactly fond of Charlene himself, he saw no reason to interrupt, so after saying his hellos, he quietly left with Vesta.

Vesta noticed that Dalton’s opinion of Charlene seemed unchanged from before. Something seemed to occur to her, and she remarked, “It seems Mr. Watson and Mr. Ramirez both have quite a soft spot for Ms. Ross. Not long ago, Thorne and I ran into her, and Mr. Ferguson, Mr. Watson, and Mr. Ramirez were with them, playing golf together…”

Dalton’s surprise was obvious. “My father and Hickey, playing golf with Charlene and Stewart?”

“Yes. It looked like Ms. Ross and your father know each other quite well, like it wasn’t even their first time meeting up.” Vesta’s lips curled in a small, knowing smile as she asked, feigning surprise, “You didn’t know Mr. Ramirez and Ms. Ross were so well acquainted?”

Dalton frowned, shaking his head. “No, I had no idea.”

Apparently, his father had never mentioned it to him.

Vesta could see right through it.

She lowered her gaze, thoughtful. The last time she’d seen Abelard Ramirez, it had been clear he was rather fond of Charlene; she’d assumed he’d mention her to Dalton, and that might have changed Dalton’s view of Charlene, even if just a little.

But as it turned out…

Hickey was busy, and after a few more words with him, Charlene moved on to other matters.

A little while later, Charlene found a quiet moment and slipped out of the hall.

Seeing her leave, Granger’s mind stirred. He turned to Thorne and said, “Thorne, I’ve got to head out.”

Thorne glanced back. “Not staying for dinner?”

Granger shook his head. “No, not tonight.”

“Alright,” Thorne replied without pressing. “Let’s catch up again when things are less hectic.”

“Sounds good,” Granger agreed, and then he was gone.

Chapter 452

Granger Harden hurried after her, but he was a step too late. By the time he reached the elevator, Charlene Ross was already descending to the lobby.

Meanwhile, across town-

Thorne Henderson was deep in conversation when his phone rang. He glanced at the caller ID, then picked up.

A few minutes later, he hung up just as Vesta Hawkins strolled over to him. “Who was that?” she teased. “You sounded like you were having a great time.”

He grinned. “An old college friend. He’s in Starfall City on business and wants to catch up. We haven’t seen each other in ages, and I’m free later, so I said yes.” Thorne paused, then added, “Want to come along?”

Vesta nodded. She’d met Thorne after he’d graduated, and while she’d encountered a few of his college friends at social events, most had seemed like mere acquaintances. This one sounded different, clearly someone closer.

“Sure, I’d like that,” she said with a smile.

After chatting with a few more people, Thorne checked the time, then left with Vesta for the restaurant where they’d agreed to meet.

Thorne’s friend, Lean, was already seated when they arrived. He was French and rather striking, with a friendly smile. Spotting them, Lean stood and waved. In heavily accented English, he turned to Thorne and asked, “Is this your girlfriend?” Then, with a grin, he added, “She’s beautiful. You two are a perfect match.”

Thorne introduced Vesta, and Lean, ever the gossip, immediately wanted to know how they’d met.

Vesta laughed. “We first met in Goldland-I’d just finished a class…”

As she finished telling the story, Lean let out a theatrical “Wow! A scholar!” He turned to Thorne, nudging him playfully. “You’ve always had good taste. I remember hearing about a girl you liked in college-she was some kind of prodigy, graduated early, and I heard you two even got married before she finished school…”

Vesta’s smile faded a notch, and so did Thorne’s.

Thorne shook his head. “You’ve got it wrong, Lean. The girl you saw back then wasn’t my girlfriend.”

“No?” Lean looked genuinely surprised. “Really? I only met her once. I was heading back to France and didn’t follow what happened. Guess I misunderstood.”

Thorne smoothly changed the subject. “So, what do you want to eat?”

Lean waved a hand. “It’s been years since I’ve been to Starfall. You’re the local-I’ll leave it up to you. I trust your judgment.”

Thorne smiled and let it drop. Lean was effortlessly sociable and soon turned to Vesta, asking what she did for work.

“I’m working on self-driving cars,” she replied.

“Wow, you’re an engineer? Impressive!”

Vesta smiled modestly. “I’m just one part of the team. Actually, Thorne started the company first, and then-“

She explained how things had unfolded.

Usually, when she told the story, people would comment on how lucky she was to have Thorne’s support. But Lean was different.

He gave her a long look. Though he didn’t say anything outright, it was clear from his expression that she didn’t quite live up to the picture he’d painted in his mind. He shot Thorne a glance, as if questioning his judgment-or maybe wondering if Vesta was really good enough for him.

Vesta’s smile cooled a little.

Realizing he’d been a bit too transparent, Lean cleared his throat and asked, “So, how’s the company doing now?”

“We made a technical breakthrough recently,” Vesta replied. “It’s taken the company to a whole new level.”

Lean gave a polite smile. “Well, with Thorne involved, it’s no surprise. Running a tech company and boosting its value must be a piece of cake for you two.”

Chapter 453

“I wasn’t involved in the company’s later development,” Thorne said, his voice calm.

At that, Lean turned to Vesta, surprise flickering across his face. “Wait, Vesta, you’re that talented?”

Vesta shook her head. “Not really. The credit goes to the engineers. Most of them were already with the company before I took over. If the company’s doing well now, as you said, it’s all thanks to Thorne. I can’t really take much credit for it.”

Lean grinned. “You’re far too modest, Vesta.”

When Lean first heard that Vesta owed her career to Thorne’s generosity, he’d thought she wasn’t really all that remarkable, maybe even a little mismatched for Thorne.

But listening to them now-watching the way Thorne and Vesta spoke up for each other-he started to reconsider. Maybe Thorne really saw Vesta as an expert in her field, someone even more specialized than himself when it came to Al. Perhaps he’d handed the company to her because he believed she could lead it even further than he ever could.

After all, Thorne was known for his generosity and his humility.

It made perfect sense that he’d do something like this.

Vesta caught Lean’s compliment and quickly shook her head. “No, really, I’m not just being modest…”

Soon, the conversation shifted and they moved on to lighter topics, swapping funny stories about their time in Goldland.

They’d all studied abroad there, so there was plenty in common. ground, and Vesta, ever the natural conversationalist, found it easy to connect with Lean-even though this was their first real meeting. By the end of dinner, everyone was relaxed and at ease, laughter flowing freely. In fact, at times, Vesta and Lean seemed to get on even better than Lean and Thorne did.

Lean was only in town for business with his father, and he’d be heading back home tomorrow.

After dinner, with other plans still ahead of him, Lean stood to leave.

Before going, he shook Vesta’s hand. “Vesta, it was great meeting you. You’re interesting and very charming.”

He paused, glancing at Thorne with a brief smile as if wanting to say something more, but before he could, Vesta responded graciously, “You’re too kind, Lean.”

After saying their goodbyes, Lean waved, turning toward his car only to spot Charlene and Stewart Ferguson walking out of the restaurant with their business associates.

Lean didn’t recognize Stewart or the others, but he spotted Charlene right away.

He pointed, surprised, and turned to Thorne. “That woman over there-isn’t she-?”

Thorne didn’t answer. Charlene had noticed Lean, too. For a moment, she seemed to recognize him, but she quickly looked away. Normally, she wouldn’t have paid any attention to Thorne’s companions, but something about Lean nagged at her memory.

They’d only met once, years ago, back in Goldland. She’d known he was one of Thorne’s closer friends from their university days. When Lean visited Thorne during a trip home, she’d happened to be there as well, and they’d crossed paths, though, if she recalled, it hadn’t been the most pleasant encounter.

But that was all a long time ago.

She felt a strange sense of nostalgia-so much time had passed in the blink of an eye.

A business partner was speaking to her, pulling her back to the present. Charlene turned away, focusing on the conversation and deliberately avoiding another glance at Thorne’s group.

Lean took the hint from Charlene’s cool demeanor. Glancing back at Thorne and then at Charlene with her new companion, he seemed to understand something unspoken. He didn’t say anything more, just offered a brief farewell to Thorne and Vesta before climbing into his car and driving off.

Vesta wasn’t surprised that Lean knew Charlene. She’d only glanced at Charlene and Stewart when they’d appeared, then thought nothing more of it.

Thinking back on the dinner, Vesta smiled at Thorne. “Mr. Lean really is a good person-straightforward and easy to be around. I actually enjoyed his company.”

Thorne smiled back. “He is,” he agreed.

Chapter 454

The dinner that evening was with Mr. Ashcroft, the CEO of Axiom Flux Technologies.

Earlier that morning, PrimeStar Technologies had finalized a partnership agreement with Axiom Flux Technologies.

After their meal, Charlene and Stewart headed over to Axiom Flux’s headquarters. They spent hours in deep discussion with the engineering team, only parting ways close to midnight.

Over the next two days, Charlene made frequent trips to Axiom Flux. She and the engineers worked overtime together, often staying late into the night.

Friday marked the date of Axiom Flux’s product launch event, an occasion the company had scheduled over a month ago. The reason for their relentless work ethic was simple-they wanted their collaborative ideas to be fine-tuned and, if possible, partially realized before the launch. With the groundwork laid, the focus of Axiom Flux’s launch event was about to undergo a drastic shift.

In the early hours of Friday morning, after finally heading home for a few hours of rest, Charlene and Stewart both made their way to the Axiom Flux launch event.

The company had invited numerous journalists and industry peers to attend. As fellow professionals in the field, Thorne and Vesta were naturally among those invited.

Charlene and Stewart, exhausted from their recent marathon of late nights, arrived a little later than most. The moment they walked into the main hall, Vesta and Thorne spotted them.

Vesta paused briefly when she saw them.

Axiom Flux’s decision to invite so many industry peers was, of course, about more than just showcasing technology; it was also an unspoken invitation for future collaborations.

PrimeStar, with its strong reputation in language systems, had recently ended its partnership with Neural Nexus Tech, and while they’d since begun working with The Henderson Group, the nature of the new collaboration was quite different from before. This meant PrimeStar was still open to working with other autonomous vehicle companies in the area of language systems.

It wasn’t hard for Vesta to guess that Ashcroft’s invitation to Stewart was likely about this very opportunity.

Despite being one of the newer players in the tech industry, Axiom Flux had developed rapidly over the past few years. Their autonomous vehicles were among the most influential on the domestic market. If they could now join forces with PrimeStar, whose national profile and technical capabilities were undeniable, the partnership would surely give Axiom Flux a competitive edge in the autonomous vehicle sector.

Still, Vesta wasn’t worried. Neural Nexus Tech’s competitive advantage in autonomous driving didn’t rest solely on language systems. Her own company had its strengths.

With that thought, Vesta calmly looked away.

Noticing Charlene and Stewart’s arrival, Mr. Ashcroft immediately came over, greeting them with a bright, welcoming smile.

Seeing how much importance Ashcroft placed on Stewart, Vesta’s suspicions about his intentions to collaborate with PrimeStar only grew stronger.

After exchanging a few words with Stewart and Charlene, Mr. Ashcroft excused himself to finalize preparations. The launch event was about to begin.

The Henderson Group held a commanding position in the tech world, and Thorne, as their representative, was naturally seated in the front row. Vesta, taking advantage of her association with Thorne, was also seated in the front, right beside him.

After working closely with Charlene the past few days, Mr. Ashcroft had come to realize that she was, in fact, the technical powerhouse driving this collaboration. Her seat was even closer to the center than Stewart’s.

Stewart, noticing that Charlene had been seated next to Thorne, wasn’t surprised. Without hesitation, he took the seat assigned to Charlene. With a small smile, Charlene simply sat down in Stewart’s own spot.

Vesta hadn’t expected Charlene’s seat to be placed right next to Thorne, but she didn’t dwell on it. She assumed the staff must have thought Charlene and Stewart were a couple and wouldn’t mind sitting together.

Thorne saw Stewart take Charlene’s seat but said nothing. Instead, he greeted Stewart with polite formality. “Mr. Ferguson.”

Stewart responded with a curt nod.

At that moment, the event began.

The launch proceeded smoothly, the first half following the original agenda. Midway through, Mr. Ashcroft took the stage for his address.

“Our latest project represents a leap forward in intelligent technology,” he announced. “Not only does our autonomous driving system break new ground, but so does our engine technology.”

“Axiom Flux Technologies has remained at the forefront of our industry, earning the respect of our peers. Recently, we’ve established a long-term partnership with PrimeStar Technologies, resulting in significant breakthroughs across multiple fronts. Now, I’d like to invite PrimeStar’s outstanding engineer, Ms. Charlene Ross, to the stage to introduce and explain the advances we’ve made together. Please welcome Ms. Ross!”

Chapter 455

The moment Mr. Ashcroft finished speaking, the room erupted in a wave of applause.

Thorne glanced over at Charlene, joining in the clapping.

Vesta hesitated for half a second before offering a few polite, subdued claps, her expression unreadable.

Charlene didn’t spare Thorne a glance; instead, she looked briefly at Stewart, then rose from her seat and walked onto the stage.

As she stepped up, Mr. Ashcroft beamed and addressed the audience, “Ms. Ross here is not only one of PrimeStar’s finest engineers-she’s the mastermind behind the core technology at the heart of our partnership with Axiom Flux Technologies!”

A ripple of surprise swept through the room.

Vesta blinked, wondering if she’d heard that right.

PrimeStar was a powerhouse, both domestically and internationally. Every move the company made was closely watched by the industry.

It was no secret: anyone partnering with PrimeStar would be thrust into the spotlight overnight.

So when Mr. Ashcroft publicly announced their collaboration at such a major event, Vesta wasn’t particularly surprised. Nor did she find it odd that Axiom Flux Technologies would invite someone from PrimeStar to join him on stage, to explain the technical details of their work together.

But for him to invite Charlene instead of Stewart-

At first, Vesta had been taken aback when she heard Mr. Ashcroft call Charlene up, but remembering how well Stewart always treated Charlene, the surprise faded. It made sense; perhaps Stewart had simply asked her to stand in for him.

Yet she’d never imagined that Charlene was the key figure in this entire collaboration.

How could that be possible?

Even as the thought flashed through her mind, Mr. Ashcroft continued, “Ms. Ross, I’ll leave the technical presentation to you.”

“Thank you,” Charlene replied smoothly, taking the microphone and turning to face the audience. Her voice was calm and confident. “Good afternoon, everyone. I’m Charlene Ross, an engineer at PrimeStar. This collaboration between PrimeStar and Axiom Flux Technologies can be broken down into four main areas: engine chipsets, breakthroughs in engine AI, autonomous driving systems, and the application of advanced materials.”

She explained, delving into each domain, outlining the innovative strides their teams had made.

Everyone knew that true technological innovation required collaboration across disciplines and companies. No single person could do it all-or so it seemed.

But as Charlene spoke, it became clear she wasn’t just familiar with one narrow field. She demonstrated an impressive grasp of everything from self-driving vehicle systems to materials engineering, all the way to intelligent engine design.

It was as if she’d single-handedly bridged these diverse disciplines herself.

With ease, she explained how their breakthroughs had improved fuel efficiency for their autonomous vehicles, just how intelligent their self-driving systems had become, the level of safety they’d achieved, and the specific technologies along with their breakthroughs that made it all possible. The audience, both technical experts and laypeople, listened in awe.

People weren’t just amazed at Charlene’s versatility; they were also imagining the immense potential value of any product born from this partnership between Axiom Flux Technologies and PrimeStar.

The engineers in the room, in particular, looked up at Charlene with the kind of reverence usually reserved for legends.

Vesta sat among them, still struggling to believe what she was hearing.

She knew Charlene had expertise in AI. But how could Charlene also possess such deep knowledge of engines, chipsets, advanced materials, and fuels?

Well-advanced materials, maybe. Charlene had demonstrated that before.

But engines and chips? Those weren’t things just anyone could master.

If they were, the industry back home wouldn’t have spent years struggling to catch up with foreign competition in chip technology. In other words-

Charlene had no notes with her, no prepared speech. Yet she tossed out technical jargon and exact figures as if they were second nature, casually referencing case studies and crediting experts for inspiring her, always with a trace of humility.

The longer Vesta listened, the more her expression darkened.

She clenched her hands in her lap, a chill creeping over her skin.

And then, all at once, a thought struck her. She turned to look at

Thorne, only now realizing what this all might mean.

Chapter 456

Thorne was intently focused on the stage, oblivious to Vesta’s gaze.

Vesta pressed her lips together, forcing herself to look away.

The Axiom Flux Technologies launch event had been a resounding success.

When Charlene and Mr. Ashcroft stepped down from the stage, they were met with another wave of enthusiastic applause.

The CEOS and executives in attendance immediately got up to congratulate Mr. Ashcroft and Charlene as they made their way off the stage.

Stewart was among the first to approach Charlene.

It was already clear that Axiom Flux Technologies’ self-driving car was about to make waves both at home and abroad.

Charlene’s value was about to soar to new heights.

Having known Charlene for years, Stewart felt genuinely happy for her. As he walked up, unable to resist, he pulled her into a hug and said, “Congratulations.”

Charlene smiled. “Thank you, Stewart.”

Her voice was soft, and no one else caught the way she addressed him.

Everyone here was in the tech business; they all understood how vital talent was to success.

At this moment, they were eyeing Charlene with even more interest than Mr. Ashcroft himself.

After all, someone like her was a walking goldmine. If anyone could recruit her to their company.

These business moguls were running the calculations in their minds, but none dared make a move before Mr. Ashcroft. This was, after all, Axiom Flux Technologies’ big day, and it wouldn’t do to disrespect him.

So, they all offered their congratulations to Mr. Ashcroft first.

Once that was done, they were eager to approach Charlene, only to find Stewart had beaten them to it.

Over the past several months, Charlene and Stewart had often attended events and parties together. Many of the executives present had already met her.

Back then, she’d just been Stewart’s girlfriend in their eyes, hardly attracting any real attention.

But when Charlene’s research paper made headlines, her reputation changed-suddenly, she wasn’t just Stewart’s plus-one, but a talented scientist in her own right.

Stewart was a genius, and now it seemed his partner was just as impressive. People started to see how well-matched they were.

But today’s Axiom Flux Technologies launch had upended those perceptions. Charlene wasn’t just talented-she was a technological prodigy.

It was enough that Stewart was a genius, but to find a partner who matched him step for step? It seemed almost unfair!

Plenty of the executives couldn’t help feeling a pang of jealousy.

After Stewart let go of Charlene, someone teased, “Mr. Ferguson, to think you’ve been keeping Ms. Ross’s talents under wraps all this time. That’s just cruel.”

“Isn’t that the truth?”

Stewart raised an eyebrow. “Keeping her under wraps? Maybe you just don’t have the eye for talent that I do.”

The focus had already shifted to Charlene.

After a few more jokes with Stewart, everyone turned to Charlene, making sure to be extra polite. “Ms. Ross, congratulations.”

Charlene replied, “Thank you.”

“Our company is working on some related tech projects. Ms. Ross, do you think you might have time to meet soon? I’d love to discuss them with you in detail.”

She hadn’t even answered before another executive cut in, “His project hardly counts as cutting-edge. Now, at my company-“

Soon, Charlene and Stewart were surrounded by a lively, jostling crowd.

Thorne, meanwhile, remained seated where he was, watching the scene unfold without moving.

Vesta sat beside him, hands clenched tightly in her lap, equally motionless.

She glanced at Thorne again.

He still didn’t seem to notice her-in fact, it was as if he’d forgotten she was there at all. He hadn’t so much as glanced in her direction for what felt like ages.

Her face had grown pale, and her grip tightened further as she looked toward Charlene in the distance.

She knew exactly what this successful launch meant.

There was only so much of the self-driving car market to go around. Axiom Flux Technologies’ triumph would inevitably squeeze out competitors.

If, before today, Neural Nexus Tech’s recent breakthroughs had promised them a billion-dollar share of the market-well, now…

The realization made Vesta’s chest tighten painfully.

And Charlene?

If even half of what she’d presented on stage was her own work, just the patent royalties alone would make her a fortune. Never mind the bonuses from other technologies.

Lost in these thoughts, Vesta was jolted back to reality by Thorne’s voice.

She turned to see him checking his watch. “Don’t we have another appointment soon? It’s about time. Let’s get going.”

Despite all her previous ruminations, her mind was suddenly blank.

Nodding, she stood and followed him as they made their way over to bid Mr. Ashcroft farewell.

Mr. Ashcroft, still surrounded by well-wishers, was standing with Charlene and Stewart.

Noticing their approach, Mr. Ashcroft greeted Thorne warmly. “Mr. Henderson.”

Thorne shook his hand. “Congratulations.”

Mr. Ashcroft smiled. “Thank you. To you as well.”

Thorne turned to Charlene. “Congratulations.”

Charlene’s expression was calm. “Thank you.”

Thorne then said to Mr. Ashcroft, “We have another engagement, so we’ll be heading out. Mr. Ashcroft, everyone-let’s catch up again soon.”

Mr. Ashcroft and the other executives all nodded their farewells.

As they exchanged polite goodbyes with Thorne, several of them couldn’t help glancing over at Vesta.

Chapter 457

Everyone had heard that Mr. Henderson’s girlfriend was a PhD from an elite international university-a tech prodigy, so the rumors went.

But then, if she was such a prodigy, why hadn’t anyone ever heard of anything she’d actually accomplished?

Sure, Neural Nexus Tech had made some impressive breakthroughs recently, but most people figured that was just Thorne’s lingering influence from his time there. It couldn’t have had much to do with Vesta herself, could it?

Meanwhile, Charlene had never boasted about being a genius. Yet, today, she’d stunned everyone with her brilliance.

Looking at it now, maybe Mr. Henderson’s girlfriend’s “genius” reputation wasn’t all it was cracked up to be.

No one said it out loud, but the sideways glances, the way people kept eyeing Vesta and Charlene, made their skepticism unmistakable. Vesta would’ve had to be blind not to notice.

Her complexion had already been pale, but now she looked even worse.

Seeing everyone compare her to Charlene, watching their silent doubt flicker across their faces, Vesta clenched her fists until her knuckles turned white.

She might not have invented any groundbreaking tech, but her academic credentials were real-no one had the right to question that.

Still, with no one voicing their doubts, she had no opportunity to defend herself. Whatever indignation she felt had nowhere to go. And when it came to actual academic achievements…

She thought of Charlene’s recent, internationally praised research paper and the way Charlene had dazzled everyone at the press conference today.

Vesta had to admit, when it came to academic accomplishments, she could no longer compete with Charlene.

She stood frozen in place, her face ashen.

Thorne, having finished greeting a few acquaintances, turned to her.

“Let’s go,” he said quietly.

Vesta forced a weak smile. “Alright…”

She took a moment to collect herself, then greeted Mr. Ashcroft and a few other familiar business contacts with a composed expression before walking out of the venue beside Thorne. They politely nodded to people as they left the press conference.

Outwardly, Vesta maintained her calm, but inside, she was still a storm of emotions.

Thorne, on the other hand, seemed to have left the press conference behind without a second thought.

He spoke in his usual, even tone. “Mr. Black’s team has been fully vetted, right? No issues?”

He was referring to the person they were about to meet-a potential partner for Neural Nexus Tech.

Hearing his calm, gentle voice and seeing that familiar warmth in his eyes, Vesta’s anxiety slowly ebbed away. She managed a genuine smile. “Yes, I’ve looked into it thoroughly. Mr. Black’s team fits our needs perfectly.”

“Excellent.”

As they spoke, the elevator doors slid open.

Axiom Flux Technologies had built a solid reputation at home, and today’s press conference was being streamed live.

They might not have been famous enough to cause an online sensation with a single event, but they did have a loyal following who tuned in.

At first, the livestream chat was fairly quiet. But as soon as news broke of Axiom Flux Technologies’ partnership with PrimeStar, excitement exploded across the internet.

Within minutes, the virtual audience swelled.

After listening to Charlene’s presentation for a while, the livestream’s popularity skyrocketed, quickly landing the event on the trending topics.

Leah Spencer, bored and browsing online, noticed the trending topic and clicked out of curiosity. The moment she saw Charlene on screen, she froze. Before she could process what was happening, a flood of comments praising Charlene’s brilliance filled the chat.

People weren’t just singing Charlene’s praises-they were also speculating that this press conference would put every other self-driving car company out of business.

And, of course, there was plenty of discussion about how much of a bonus Charlene, as the technical lead, would receive.

Reading these comments, even Leah-dense as she sometimes was, understood what this all meant.

Panic set in.

She hurriedly closed the browser and dialed a number.

When Maureen Spencer answered and heard Leah’s frantic words, she paused, clenching her hand around the phone.

Henley Hawkins noticed the change in Maureen’s expression and asked, “What happened?”

If what Leah said was true, Henley would find out eventually. There was no point in hiding it, so Maureen told him everything. When Henley finished listening, he could hardly believe his ears.

Chapter 458

“Charlene knows engines? She understands microchips? That’s impossible.”

Henley still couldn’t believe the paper Charlene published earlier was really her own work, even though it had caused quite a stir in the field.

Now, Maureen was telling him that Charlene was talented in both engine design and chip technology?

How could that be?

Maureen lowered her gaze, her voice quiet. “You don’t have to take my word for it. Just look it up yourself.”

A few moments later, after watching a clip from Axiom Flux Technologies’ press conference where Charlene spoke, Maureen felt her heart sink.

Henley, on the other hand, still looked like he was in shock.

At that moment, Leah’s angry voice came through on the phone. “She’s doing this on purpose! It wasn’t enough that she sabotaged Uncle’s traffic project-now she’s coming after Vesta’s company, too!”

Henley and Maureen exchanged a look; it was clear to both of them.

Regardless of whether the tech breakthroughs shown at the conference were truly Charlene’s own work, one thing was certain: Axiom Flux Technologies’ announcement was going to hit Neural Nexus Tech like a wrecking ball.

Before either Henley or Maureen could respond, Leah’s tone switched from anger to anxiety. “What are we supposed to do now? Everyone’s saying Axiom Flux Technologies is going to dominate most of the self-driving car market. Vesta’s company doesn’t stand a chance-there’s just no way to compete right now.”

Sure, Axiom Flux Technologies seemed unstoppable at the moment, but-

Maureen unclenched her fists and spoke with a calm, almost dismissive air. “Technology evolves every day. Today it’s your company making headlines, tomorrow it’s mine. Self-driving cars aren’t even commercially available yet, not really. We still have time. Markets shift. What looks like a sure thing now might be completely different once these cars actually go on sale. It’s too soon to say who will dominate.”

She had a point.

But Henley, who’d been running his own tech company for years without any truly groundbreaking breakthroughs, knew just how difficult it was to gain a technological edge.

If making a breakthrough were easy, there wouldn’t be such a thing as tech giants either here or abroad.

The truth was, whoever seizes the initiative wins the game.

And Axiom Flux Technologies hadn’t just made a breakthrough in one area, but several on a global scale.

Other companies could only watch or try to catch up. Some might close the gap in a year or two; others, in ten or twenty years.

By the time they thought they’d caught up, the market would have already left them behind.

Henley felt a wave of unease. “I wonder what Thorne makes of all this.”

Maureen knew he was thinking of reaching out to their daughter.

She shook her head slightly. “They’ve got more important things to handle right now. Let’s wait for Vesta and the others to finish what they’re working on.”

Henley nodded. “Alright.”

There wasn’t much else they could do.

Vesta returned home after dinner with Thorne, Mr. Black, and the others.

Her family hadn’t tried to contact her while she was out with Edwin, but she had no doubt that everyone at home already knew about the Axiom Flux Technologies press conference-and Charlene’s involvement.

Sure enough, when she walked in the door, her parents and Leah were all there, waiting.

Before anyone could speak, Vesta asked, “So, you’ve all heard?”

Maureen gave a brief nod. “We have. What does Thorne say about it?”

Vesta sat down, shaking her head. “He hasn’t said anything.”

Maureen paused, her mug halfway to her lips. “What do you mean?”

Vesta replied, “He hasn’t said a word to me about the Axiom Flux Technologies announcement.”

Thorne hadn’t commented on Charlene. He hadn’t said anything about the company’s future, either.

Maureen paused again, momentarily at a loss.

Henley and Leah exchanged glances, surprised.

This wasn’t like Thorne at all.

Usually, when a crisis like this hit-especially one with such a massive impact on Neural Nexus Tech. Thorne would have reassured Vesta, told her not to worry, and then patiently broken down the technical, market, and business implications of Axiom Flux Technologies’ breakthroughs. He always helped her work out what to do next, how to get out of a tight spot.

But this time, he’d said nothing at all.

Chapter 459

Henley was called away by an urgent phone call-there was still important business at the office.

Vesta looked unsettled. Maureen guessed that, aside from being overshadowed by Charlene’s dazzling performance today,

something else must have happened..

She asked, “At the press conference, how did Thorne treat Charlene?”

Vesta lowered her gaze. “He admired her.”

Maureen’s expression darkened.

In the past, Thorne had always ignored Charlene, never seeing any worth in her. He had never once shown her the slightest bit of respect.

But now-

“Those technical achievements Charlene talked about at the press conference-do you really think she developed them herself?”

Maureen hadn’t spent much time with Thorne, but from what her daughter had told her, she knew Thorne was technically savvy himself, and he’d always respected people with real expertise.

If Charlene truly had such skills, then Thorne’s sudden admiration would make sense.

Before Vesta could answer, Leah blurted out, “Of course they’re not hers! She’s just an undergrad-there’s no way she could pull that off.. It must have been Stewart-“

But Vesta cut her off, her voice quiet but certain. “I think they really are hers.”

Leah stared in disbelief. “That’s impossible! How could she-?”

But then again, Charlene had skipped three grades to get into college early, and not just any college, the most prestigious university in the country.

Leah had also skipped grades and attended a top school, but even she had to admit that it didn’t quite compare.

So, if Charlene wanted to do serious research, she had the foundation for it. Even if it was hard to accept, Vesta couldn’t help but acknowledge that both Charlene’s earlier papers and the innovations she’d presented today could very well be her own work.

Maureen was thinking the same thing.

Back in school, Charlene’s academic brilliance had put a lot of pressure on Vesta.

Vesta clenched her fists. “If those results weren’t really hers, would she dare to claim them so openly?”

Leah scoffed. “With her shamelessness? She’d dare anything.”

Maureen and Vesta chose to ignore her.

Vesta pressed her lips together. “I just don’t understand…”

Charlene may have skipped grades to get into college, but back then, she hadn’t made much of a splash academically. She’d graduated, gotten married, had a child, and then joined The Henderson Group.

Given all that, how could she possibly have developed such deep and sophisticated technical knowledge?

Maureen could see what was troubling her daughter. Once Leah had left the room, Maureen said gently, “Even if Charlene really is that talented, your bond with Thorne is deep. That’s not something that changes overnight. And don’t forget-you have your own strengths. So, Vesta, don’t let this get to you.”

Don’t let it get to her?

Vesta stayed silent.

After the press conference, Thorne had quickly regained his composure, treating her just as kindly as ever. But was his heart truly as unmoved by Charlene as he let on?

She remembered how, not long ago, Thorne had gone out of his way to collect every paper Charlene had recommended to The Henderson Group’s technical team. The thought left a bitter taste in her mouth.

If he really was as unfazed as he pretended, he wouldn’t have avoided talking to her about anything that happened at the press conference. But since that day, he hadn’t mentioned it once.

Chapter 460

After the press conference, that afternoon, Charlene and Stewart returned to PrimeStar for a meeting.

As soon as Charlene walked into the conference room, the PrimeStar tech team erupted in cheers. Word of what had happened at the Axiom Flux Technologies launch had already spread.

The engineers here had worked closely with Charlene before. They knew she was talented, but after watching the press conference, they realized she was far more impressive than they’d ever imagined.

Everyone was congratulating her. Charlene grinned and said, “Thanks, everyone.”

It took another two or three minutes for the excitement to settle down before the meeting finally got underway.

Across the table, Gaylord Hearst watched Charlene in silence.

He’d tried to ask her out a few times recently, but she always seemed to be busy and never had the time. He’d planned to try again in the next few days, but now….

Gaylord had thought he already understood Charlene’s abilities-after all, he often found excuses to consult her about work problems, just like the other engineers. Yet, just like everyone else, today had shown him that Charlene was in a league of her own.

And now, looking at this brilliant, dazzling woman, he couldn’t help but wonder: did he really deserve her?

Especially when, despite all their recent interactions, it was obvious Charlene had never seen him in that way.

With that thought, Gaylord quietly looked away.

After the meeting, Charlene left the conference room and was heading back to her office when Gaylord caught up with her. “I watched the Axiom Flux Technologies launch,” he said, “Congratulations.”

She smiled. “Thank you.”

Charlene was swamped with work from the Axiom Flux project and had already fallen behind on her PrimeStar tasks. In a hurry, she thanked Gaylord and quickly walked off.

He didn’t follow.

It wasn’t that he was giving up. He simply realized that he needed time to grow, to become stronger, to become someone worthy.

Watching Charlene disappear down the hallway, Gaylord’s eyes grew more determined.

Whatever the reason he’d come back to his home country, he

suddenly felt that, by some twist of fate, this was exactly where he was meant to be.

Once Charlene’s figure had vanished from sight, he returned to his desk, dove into his work, and didn’t look back.

The next morning.

Vesta was in her office, reviewing documents, when her secretary knocked and entered. Vesta set her papers aside and asked, “Has Mr. Black arrived?”

Over dinner yesterday, Mr. Black had mentioned he’d come to Neural Nexus Tech this morning to discuss a partnership. It was already past ten; he should have arrived by now.

“Actually,” her secretary said awkwardly, “Mr. Black’s assistant just called. He’s decided not to pursue a partnership with us for the time being, so…”

Vesta paused, sudden understanding dawning on her. “I see. You can go.”

But the secretary didn’t leave. Instead, she hesitated, then added, “And just now, Mr. Falconer’s and Mr. Sanderson’s assistants both called. They said their companies need to reconsider the collaborations we were negotiating…”

Vesta had expected that, after the Axiom Flux Technologies launch, things might get tough for her company. But she hadn’t anticipated that deals nearly finalized would unravel so quickly.

Thinking of this, and recalling the hundreds of millions she’d poured into accelerating project development, Vesta’s face darkened. She gritted her teeth, took a moment to collect herself, and said, “Understood. You may go.”

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