Chapter 381
York was deep in thought when Dalton interrupted him, “York, besides Hickey and my old man, do you know anyone else who might have Kenton’s contact information?”
York replied, “No, I don’t.”
But then something clicked in his mind. “Wait a minute, didn’t you say Ms. Hawkins had met Kenton? She might have Mr. Wagner’s contact info. If talking to Mr. Wagner could solve this, wouldn’t Ms. Hawkins just reach out to him herself?”
Dalton considered this, “I thought about that too, but as someone directly involved, she probably wouldn’t want to contact Mr. Wagner unless absolutely necessary, especially to criticize Stewart.”
It seemed Dalton had really thought this through. It was clear he cared more about Vesta than he let on.
Dalton sighed, “Alright, I’ll ask around and see if anyone else can help.”
York nodded, “Okay.”
He knew Charlene being Kenton’s student was something that neither Stewart nor Charlene had made public, likely because it was sensitive information. Therefore, he couldn’t just go telling Dalton about it.
York added, “I’ve met Charlene a few times, and she doesn’t seem like the person you’re describing.”
“Dalton, do you really think Charlene’s just worried Stewart might fall for Ms. Hawkins, and that’s why she’s targeting her? Could there be some misunderstanding? Maybe you should talk to Ms. Hawkins or someone else to see if there’s more to the story.”
Dalton frowned, “York, are you defending her?”
York shrugged, “I’m just calling it as I see it.”
Dalton thought York was being deceived by Charlene. “I don’t think there’s a misunderstanding. I saw it with my own eyes. Just make sure you don’t get fooled by appearances.” He paused, “Anyway, let’s drop it. Once you’re on vacation, let’s get together.”
York had other matters to attend to, so he ended the call after that.
Meanwhile, Vesta was left waiting outside. Charlene and Stewart showed no sign of acknowledging her, leaving her to wait.
And Vesta was determined to wait as long as it took. But with an important appointment later that day and no sign of Stewart, she had no choice but to leave and handle her other responsibilities.
For the next two days, she was too busy to visit PrimeStar again. On Thursday, when she finally had some free time, she was hit with an unexpected surprise: a court summons.
Leah Spencer was fuming, “It’s only been a few days, and they’ve already sent a court summons! They’re really set on ending the contract with us, huh? And the court actually took the case? Over something so trivial? What a joke!”
Since the court had accepted the case, unless Stewart withdrew the lawsuit, a legal battle seemed inevitable.
Despite her anger, Leah knew the situation had become nearly irreversible. “What do we do now? Are we really going to court? What does Thorne think about all this?”
Vesta replied coolly, “Thorne can’t find a way to get Stewart to withdraw the lawsuit either…”
Suddenly, Maureen Spencer chimed in, “What if we reach out to the Fergusons and tell them what’s going on?”
They had always believed that the Fergusons would never accept Charlene, given her past. The fact that Stewart had been set up with a well-to-do young lady recently seemed to confirm their suspicions.
If the Fergusons found out Charlene was creating personal drama that affected Stewart’s business relationships, they might become even more displeased with her. Under family pressure, Stewart might reconsider the lawsuit.
Vesta immediately saw the potential in Maureen’s suggestion. She didn’t know anyone in the Ferguson family except Stewart, but she was sure Thorne did.
With that thought, she called Thorne.
After explaining her plan, Thorne agreed, “Alright, I’ll help you get in touch with the Fergusons as soon as possible.”
Leah also approved of the idea. The prospect of the Fergusons being upset with Charlene, potentially causing a rift between her and Stewart, was exciting to her.
But then a question occurred to her, “Why didn’t Thorne think of approaching the Fergusons before?”
Vesta lowered her gaze, “Thorne and Charlene are still married. The Fergusons probably know some of their personal history, so it wouldn’t be appropriate for Thorne to approach them about this. It’s better if someone else does.”
Leah shrugged, “Alright then.”
Chapter 382
Vesta thought she’d have to wait a few days for any news.
To her surprise, Thorne called that very afternoon. “Mr. Ferguson and Darleen are going to a charity auction tomorrow. Want to join us?”
Vesta chuckled, “Sure, sounds good.”
The next evening, they arrived at the auction. It wasn’t long before Thorne steered Vesta toward Hector and Darleen Ferguson, Stewart’s parents. He introduced Vesta to them.
Hector and Darleen were well aware of the history between Thorne, Charlene, and Vesta. But they didn’t let any of that show when they greeted Thorne. They shook his hand warmly, and when Thorne introduced Vesta, Darleen extended her hand with a polite smile, “Hello.”
The auction was a gathering of the city’s elite. After some small talk, Thorne and Hector got caught up in a conversation about business, leaving Vesta a chance to chat with Darleen one-on-one.
After some pleasantries, Vesta got to the point, “Darleen, I came here today because I have a favor to ask.”
Darleen laughed lightly, “With someone as capable as Mr. Henderson, what could you possibly need from me? Surely, Ms. Hawkins, you’re joking.”
Vesta replied, “It actually concerns Stewart.”
Darleen paused, “Stewart?”
“Yes,” Vesta confirmed.
Darleen was about to say something when she glanced at her purse. “Excuse me, I need to take this call.”
Vesta nodded, “Go ahead.”
Darleen stepped aside to answer her phone. A few minutes later, she returned, apologizing, “Sorry to keep you waiting, Ms. Hawkins.”
“No problem,” Vesta assured her..
Darleen got straight to it, “So, what’s this about Stewart?”
Vesta asked, “Are you aware of the collaboration between Neural Nexus Tech and PrimeStar?”
Darleen replied, “I’ve heard Stewart mention it. Is there an issue with the partnership?”
“There is,” Vesta admitted. “There was a small misunderstanding on our part, but nothing that should lead to ending the contract. I’ve been trying to reach Mr. Ferguson to resolve the issue and offer compensation, but he’s been unreachable and seems set on ending our agreement.”
At this point, Darleen’s expression turned serious, and she interrupted, “Is Charlene involved in this?”
Vesta noticed Darleen’s eagerness and nodded, “Yes.”
“Why would she do that?” Darleen inquired.
“We have some personal issues,” Vesta explained. “Ending the contract would harm both parties. Even with compensation, Mr. Ferguson would still lose out. Neural Nexus Tech genuinely wants to continue working with PrimeStar, but they won’t listen to me. That’s why I hoped you might persuade him otherwise.”
Darleen looked down, her voice even, “I see.”
Sensing Darleen’s displeasure, Vesta said politely, “Thank you, Darleen. I appreciate your help.”
Darleen replied, “No need to thank me, Ms. Hawkins.”
They exchanged a few more words before Hector returned to join Darleen, at which point the conversation naturally came to a close.
Chapter 383
After Darleen left, Thorne turned to Vesta with a curious look, “Had a chat with Darleen?”
Vesta chuckled softly, “Yeah, I did.”
Judging by Darleen’s expression, it seemed like her patience with Charlene was wearing thin.
The whole mess between Neural Nexus Tech and PrimeStar, Darleen had known about it for a while. Stewart had given her a heads up. During their recent conversation, there hadn’t actually been a call interrupting her. Darleen had recorded the entire exchange with Vesta, and as she walked away, she sent the recording over to Stewart.
Stewart and Charlene were still at work. When Stewart listened to the recording, he grinned and headed over to Charlene’s office to share the news.
After hearing the details, Charlene leaned back in her chair, a confident smile on her face, “Looks like we’ve got this lawsuit in the bag.”
“Exactly,” Stewart replied.
Their lawsuit to terminate the contract wasn’t just about cutting ties with Neural Nexus Tech; it was a strategic move to corner Vesta into making a mistake. They wanted to push her into trying to stop the termination, hoping she’d trip up and give them the evidence they needed.
As long as Vesta tried to reach out to the Ross family or Stewart’s side to achieve her goal, there was a good chance she’d slip up or cause further rifts, handing them just the leverage they needed for the lawsuit.
The more Vesta tried to fix the situation, the more likely she was to stumble. If she’d just stuck to apologizing and showing genuine intent to cooperate, their case against her might not be so strong. Even if they managed to break the contract, the penalties wouldn’t have been significant.
But things had changed. The initial conflict was Vesta’s fault, and now she was painting the narrative that Charlene was manipulating Stewart due to some personal vendetta. Charlene was a key tech figure at PrimeStar and a crucial part of the Neural Nexus project. Vesta’s disrespect for the facts and her baseless accusations only fortified their case.
Moreover, if it came to court and the judge questioned the supposed personal vendetta, Vesta would have to worry about Charlene revealing their history in full detail. If it got to that point, Vesta might find herself more worried about their personal issues going public than the contract itself. Under such pressure, she might just agree to terminate the contract and pay whatever hefty penalty they demanded.
Stewart’s grin widened at the thought.
As Stewart left Charlene’s office, her phone buzzed. It was Jasmine Henderson calling. Jasmine had already called earlier that morning, but Charlene hadn’t picked up. Tomorrow was Jasmine’s big fencing competition, and she was likely calling to confirm whether Charlene could come along.
Then again, Jasmine might have changed her mind, preferring the company of Thorne and Vesta instead. It wouldn’t be the first time. With a sigh, Charlene decided not to answer, opting to finish her work before heading home.
Meanwhile, Jasmine, disheartened by the unanswered calls, sat curled up on the couch with a forlorn expression, clutching a plush toy. When Thorne walked in that evening, he immediately sensed something was off. “Did Mom not pick up again, or is she busy?”
Jasmine pouted, fiddling with the toy’s floppy ears. “She didn’t answer.”
Thorne watched her for a moment, waiting for her to make a decision. After a pause, Jasmine looked up, her voice quiet but determined. “Since Mom’s busy, can you and Ms. Hawkins come to the competition tomorrow?”
Thorne smiled warmly, “Of course.”
“I’ll let Ms. Hawkins know.”
“Alright.”
“Goodnight, Dad.”
With that, Jasmine hugged her toy and headed upstairs, leaving Thorne to feel both a pang of sympathy and a bit of pride for his daughter’s resilience.
Chapter 384
The next morning, Thorne Henderson, Jasmine Henderson, and Vesta Hawkins arrived early at the sports arena where Jasmine’s competition was set to take place.
Shortly after, Granger Harden and Daisy joined them. Jasmine waved when she spotted them. “Granger, Daisy, glad you could make it!”
Daisy approached Jasmine with a reassuring smile and shook her hand. “Ready for the big game, Minnie? You nervous at all?”
Jasmine was calm and collected, shaking her head. “Nah, not really.”
Granger had other pressing matters to attend to. He was only there to drop Daisy off.
Thorne, noticing Granger’s urgency, said, “Don’t worry, I’ll look after Daisy. You go take care of your business.”
Granger nodded. “Thanks, I’ll catch up with you all for lunch.”
“Sounds good.”
Their friendship seemed as solid as ever, but Vesta couldn’t help but wonder….
She observed them quietly. If Thorne knew about Granger’s feelings for Charlene Ross, would they still be this close?
Granger noticed Vesta’s gaze and gave her a slight nod, but didn’t speak. He turned and left, leaving Vesta with a wry smile. Ever since Granger took a liking to Charlene, he’d grown noticeably distant from her.
Meanwhile, across town, Charlene was at home when she received a call from Stewart Ferguson. “Hey, my folks and I are heading out for lunch. They haven’t seen you in a while and have been asking about you. Would you like to join us?” Charlene hadn’t seen Stewart’s parents, Hector and Darleen Ferguson, in quite some time so she agreed. As lunchtime approached, she drove over to the restaurant.
When she arrived, Stewart and his parents were just getting there too. Darleen greeted her warmly, holding Charlene’s hand. “It’s been too long, Charlene. You look wonderful as ever.”
As they chatted, Moran Albright pulled up and paused when he saw Charlene with Stewart and his parents. He seemed surprised, but Charlene’s smile faded slightly and she quickly looked away.
After greeting Hector and Darleen, Moran went inside the restaurant. Once inside, he took out his phone and called Thorne.
Thorne picked up quickly. “What’s up?”
Moran’s voice was teasing. “Guess who I just saw?”
Thorne, unimpressed, asked back, “Who did you see?”
Moran rolled his eyes, knowing Thorne had already guessed. “Charlene. And she was with Stewart, Mr. Ferguson, and Darleen. It looked like a family
meeting. Darleen was holding Charlene’s hand like she was already part of the family. I’m telling you, it seems like they’re getting serious!”
Thorne’s response was nonchalant. “Oh, is that so?”
Moran sighed, knowing Thorne wasn’t interested in the gossip. “Has Minnie finished her event yet? How’d she do?”
“She did well this morning.”
“Okay.” Moran realized his gossip wasn’t hitting the mark with Thorne. Still itching to share, he decided to message Vesta and Granger in their group chat.
By this time, Thorne, Vesta, and the others had arrived at their lunch spot, just as Granger rejoined them. Seeing Moran’s notifications, Granger and Vesta checked their messages.
When Vesta read that Charlene was with Stewart and his parents, she assumed her recent conversation with Darleen had influenced their meeting. She
thought maybe they were giving Charlene a little reality check.
But then Moran sent another message.
“Darleen was all smiles, calling Charlene by her first name like she’s a daughter-in-law already. Looks like they genuinely like her, and things might be getting serious between her and Stewart!”
“Remember at Irma’s birthday, Darleen mentioned she’d be ready to plan their wedding whenever they were. I thought she was joking, but it seems she was serious!”
Vesta froze upon reading that. As she processed the information, her expression shifted dramatically.
Chapter 385
Darleen really liked Charlene.
How could that even be possible?
If it were true, then everything she said to Darleen yesterday-
Remembering how Darleen had left their conversation midway, her heart sank once more.
Perhaps noticing her troubled expression, Thorne asked with concern, “Hey, what’s up? You feeling okay?”
Vesta snapped back to reality, forcing a smile, “No, I’m fine, really.”
That day, she shared the news with her family.
When the Spencer and Hawkins families heard that Darleen liked Charlene enough to consider her a daughter-in-law, they were in absolute disbelief.
“Charlene’s been married and has a kid, plus her background’s nothing special; Stewart’s got a great family and a thriving career. How could the Fergusons possibly agree to this? Did Mr. Albright misunderstand something?”
“Exactly,” Leah Spencer chimed in, “Or maybe that woman hid her past? The Fergusons probably don’t even know she was married before, and that’s why-” Vesta couldn’t wrap her head around why the Fergusons would allow Stewart to marry Charlene.
Maybe Charlene really did hide her past and tricked the Fergusons, who knows. She initially thought if she couldn’t talk Stewart out of it, taking it to court wouldn’t be a problem.
But if Darleen recorded their conversation yesterday, then a lawsuit might be out of the question.
Yet, if Charlene really did keep her marriage and child a secret from the Fergusons, there might still be some leverage.
With that in mind, Vesta immediately contacted someone to dig for information from Darleen.
Thanks to Thorne, many people wanted to get in her good graces, so finding someone to help wasn’t difficult.
The next afternoon, the person they sent to gather intel approached Darleen and asked, “Darleen, I heard that Ms. Ross, who’s been pretty close to your Stewart, was married before. Is that true?”
Darleen laughed, “Yeah, that’s true. Your sources are quite up to date.”
Having gathered the information from Darleen, the contact quickly reported back to Vesta.
“The Fergusons actually know Charlene was married…”
Which means they probably also know she was married to Thorne.
Leah’s tone was a bit sour, “Knowing she’s been married and still agreeing to
them being together, have the Fergusons lost their minds?”
Vesta remained silent, her expression grim.
Jasmine’s fencing tournament took two whole days to wrap up.
That afternoon, as Charlene was reading, she got a call from Jasmine.
Charlene thought for a moment before answering.
Jasmine had just finished her competition, and she was eager to share the joy of her win with Charlene.
She’d been worried Charlene might not pick up, so when she did, Jasmine was thrilled, “Mom, you’re finally done with work?!”
Charlene replied, “Yeah, what’s up?”
“I finished my fencing competition and won second place!”
Hearing this, Charlene genuinely praised her in a warm tone, “That’s amazing, Minnie.”
Jasmine beamed with pride, “I only just started learning, so I got second place, but I’m going to practice more, and next time, I’ll win first place!”
Charlene felt happy for her and said, “Good job, but don’t put too much pressure on yourself.”
“I know.” Jasmine then asked hopefully, “Mom, what are you doing? Can you come home for dinner tonight?”
Charlene looked down, her voice softening, “I still have some work to do…” “Oh, alright.”
Jasmine had expected this answer and wasn’t too disappointed. Just having her mom answer the call and praise her made her happy.
After chatting a bit more, they ended the call.
Shortly after, Jasmine sent her a few photos from the competition, including ones of her holding the trophy.
In the photos, Jasmine looked quite poised with her fencing helmet tucked under her arm.
She was beaming on the podium.
The pictures were indeed well taken.
Sending the photos, Jasmine messaged, “Dad took these pictures for me. Mom, aren’t they nice?”
Charlene replied, “They look great.”
So Thorne had been with Jasmine during the competition?
Regardless, Thorne was indeed doing well by Jasmine these days, being attentive and caring.
Honestly, as a father, Thorne was doing a decent job now.
Since Thorne was being so good to Jasmine, Charlene felt more at ease.
On Monday, as Charlene and Stewart returned to the office, their lawyer informed them that he had received word from Vesta’s lawyer. Vesta agreed to terminate the contract and compensate them for the termination fee.
Chapter 386
After finalizing the decision to terminate the contract, Vesta picked up the phone to inform Thorne.
“At the auction, I slipped up while chatting with Darleen, and she caught me off guard. Stewart’s lack of interest in collaborating with Neural Nexus Tech is blatantly obvious. Even if we went to court and won, I can’t guarantee they wouldn’t cause trouble later. Since they’re not keen on working with us, I think it’s best to part ways now and find a new partner.”
Thorne didn’t bother asking what Vesta had said that Darleen used against her.
Instead, he simply replied, “If you’ve made up your mind, then go ahead and terminate the contract. Do you need help with the termination fees?”
Truth be told, Vesta was tempted by Thorne’s offer. Ever since her family moved to Starfall City, Thorne had done so much for her and her family. However, she knew that relying on him for every little thing could become tiresome, no matter how captivating she might be. She understood this was not a sustainable approach.
So, she answered, “No need. I can handle it myself.”
“Alright,” Thorne continued, “Do you want me to help you find a new partner after you end things with PrimeStar Technologies?”
Having been upset with the whole Charlene and Stewart ordeal recently, Vesta felt a wave of warmth and sweetness wash over her at Thorne’s offer, and her tone softened involuntarily.
“Yes, thank you, Thorne.”
Stewart and Charlene left the contract termination details to their lawyers. When Vesta received the termination terms from PrimeStar and saw the $30 million fee, she frowned.
Back when PrimeStar and Neural Nexus Tech first collaborated, PrimeStar wasn’t as prominent in the AI field as it is now. Compared to the original. contract, the $30 million fee seemed quite steep.
“$30 million?” Leah frowned as well.
It wasn’t that she thought the sum was outrageously high or that Charlene and Stewart were being unreasonable. Before her sister met her brother-in-law, their families would have struggled to come up with $30 million. Now, though…
$30 million seemed substantial at first glance, but it wasn’t unmanageable. After all, Thorne casually gifted Vesta jewelry worth millions and birthday presents for Katie Hawkins worth tens of millions. Not to mention the estate valued at over $60 million he gave to Vesta’s aunt.
Oh, and the company Neural Nexus Tech, which Thorne gifted to Vesta, was worth billions.
Beyond that, Thorne had showered both families with countless valuable gifts, their total worth incalculable.
Compared to these, $30 million wasn’t that significant.
Vesta shared Leah’s thoughts, as did Maureen Spencer.
However, Katie and Georgina Spencer found the amount daunting.
“$30 million is a hefty sum,” Henley Hawkins commented, frowning.
Vesta paused. Although Thorne had given their families many valuable items, he had never handed over cash directly. Given their situation, coming up with $30 million in liquid assets was indeed challenging.
Vesta suggested, “Let’s pool our resources together.”
Rhoda, feeling the pinch, couldn’t help but say, “Maybe we should let Thorne help?”
Before Vesta could respond, Maureen interjected calmly, “Rhoda, you can accept gifts from others, but you can’t always ask for them directly. Continually asking for help is not advisable, do you understand?”
Maureen and Vesta had already discussed the potential downsides with them. Thorne might grow weary if they asked too much.
Rhoda understood, but she was just feeling the financial strain. However, since her daughter was the one who got them into this mess, and considering that $30 million wasn’t that overwhelming, especially after Vesta married Thorne, when even $3 billion or $30 billion could be just a word from Vesta-she held her tongue.
Moreover, with the promising future of Neural Nexus Tech, they could easily recoup the money once their self-driving cars hit the market.
With these thoughts in mind, Rhoda chose to remain silent. The others didn’t speak up either, sharing Rhoda’s sentiments.
Chapter 387
Vesta quickly signed the termination agreement. She promised to pay the compensation within the agreed timeline. When Stewart got the news, he snorted, “She sure acts fast.”
The lawyers were handling the rest, and once Vesta signed the agreement, Charlene and Stewart stopped worrying about it.
A few days later, Kenton Wagner was on vacation, and it had been a while since the teacher and his two students had seen each other. They decided to meet up for lunch.
Charlene and Stewart left the office around noon and headed to a cozy bistro. Just as they arrived, they ran into Vesta and Thorne, along with a few others, including Elias Thornfield, the CEO of another leading Al company, Aether Innovations.
Elias and Stewart had a decent relationship, the kind where they could chat a bit when they ran into each other. Elias caught sight of Stewart and greeted him warmly, “Mr. Ferguson!”
Stewart glanced over, ignored Thorne and Vesta, and replied with a smile, “Elias.”
Elias knew that Neural Nexus Tech had approached him after ending things with PrimeStar. Seeing Stewart’s cold demeanor towards Thorne and Vesta, Elias assumed the breakup hadn’t been pleasant.
In the past, Thorne and Vesta would have greeted Stewart, even if he was indifferent. But not today. Vesta’s glance was noticeably cooler, and Charlene couldn’t be bothered to look at them at all.
After exchanging pleasantries with Elias, Stewart and Charlene headed inside without giving Thorne and Vesta another thought.
Once they were in the private dining room, Stewart remarked dryly, “They just ended things with us and immediately teamed up with Aether Innovations. Thorne doesn’t mess around.”
Aether Innovations was a big name in the AI world, and partnering with them likely cost more than their previous deal.
Charlene poured some water and said, “Their language system was top-notch last year. It’s no surprise they sought out Elias. It’s a smart move to regain what they lost by ending things with us.”
Stewart knew this, of course. It only made him more frustrated. “I bet Thorne is footing the bill for the termination fee,” he grumbled.
Charlene didn’t respond. Just then, Kenton arrived, and the conversation shifted to more pleasant topics. They didn’t want to burden Kenton with their business woes.
When they met Kenton, they usually discussed the latest in Al, and since they didn’t get together often, the lunch stretched on for nearly two hours.
As they were leaving, they bumped into Thorne, Vesta, and Elias again in the hallway. Elias spotted Kenton and greeted him enthusiastically, “Mr. Wagner!”
Kenton nodded, acknowledging Elias. Thorne and Vesta followed suit with their greetings. Kenton, maintaining his cool demeanor, hadn’t responded when another group emerged from the corner.
Charlene recognized Dalton Ramirez and quickly looked away. Dalton,
recovering from his initial surprise, greeted Kenton, “Mr. Wagner!”
Kenton nodded again, poised to respond, but Dalton turned his attention to the rest, asking, “Were you all dining together?”
He’d heard about the split between PrimeStar and Neural Nexus Tech and the
reasons behind it. Seeing them all together seemed odd.
Vesta, sensing his curiosity, clarified, “No, we just ran into each other.”
“Ah, I see,” Dalton replied, as if confirming his suspicions.
Charlene and Stewart had no interest in further chit-chat with Dalton or Thorne. Stewart spoke up first, addressing Kenton, “Shall we, professor?” And with that, they left, leaving the past behind as they moved forward..
Kenton nodded, just about to turn and leave, when Dalton noticed Charlene and Stewart’s dismissive expressions. They clearly didn’t think much of him, Thorne, or Vesta. His face grew cold, and he abruptly stepped forward, speaking up, “Mr. Wagner, my father is Abelard Ramirez. We met a while back. Do you remember?”
“I do,” Kenton replied, giving him a measured look. “And what of it?”
Chapter 388
“Hey, did you hear about the whole PrimeStar and Neural Nexus Tech contract cancellation thing?” Dalton was about to ask, but then his eye caught Thorne’s presence in the room, and the words just wouldn’t come out.
This was Vesta’s business, after all.
With both Vesta and Thorne present, Dalton knew it wasn’t his place to speak up. If he aired it all out now, it would be like announcing to the world his feelings for Vesta, and that would definitely put her in an awkward spot.
Dalton glanced over at Elias. He knew exactly who Elias was. With Neural Nexus Tech and PrimeStar having called it quits, and Vesta, Thorne, and Elias all having dinner together, a lightbulb went off in Dalton’s head.
Aether Innovations was clearly the next best choice for Neural Nexus Tech after PrimeStar. Thorne was definitely looking out for Vesta.
With Vesta already having a new path and Stewart becoming more reckless, maybe it was better for her to distance herself from them all.
In light of this, Dalton realized talking to Kenton about it would just be redundant.
After this quick mental calculus, Dalton turned to Kenton and simply said, “Nothing, sorry to interrupt.”
Stewart, who had a pretty good idea of what Dalton wanted to say, smirked. “I thought Mr. Ramirez was going to complain to my teacher.”
To Dalton, Stewart’s mocking demeanor was just another sign of his arrogance and lack of remorse. Dalton had once thought Stewart had potential, but now it seemed like he was just spiraling downwards with Charlene.
With that realization, Dalton lost any desire to engage further with Stewart and replied nonchalantly, “Mr. Ferguson, you’re overthinking it.”
Stewart shrugged him off and turned to Charlene and Kenton, “Let’s go, Professor.”
Charlene nodded, leading the way, “This way, Professor.”
Dalton and Vesta exchanged a look, both thinking Charlene was just shamelessly tagging along with Stewart. Even so, they couldn’t help feeling a bit peeved, as if Charlene’s casual use of “Professor” somehow tarnished Kenton’s reputation.
As Stewart and Charlene headed back to work after seeing Kenton off, Stewart grumbled, “Dalton’s a total jerk. I regret giving Abelard the benefit of the doubt and working with him. The thought of future dealings with him gives me a headache.”
Charlene rubbed her temples in agreement. “Maybe we should have Livingston handle him from now on?”
Stewart replied, “Absolutely!”
They both chuckled and returned to the office. As they exited the elevator, Charlene’s phone buzzed. It was Thorne calling.
Charlene ignored it, and her face fell slightly. Stewart didn’t need to ask who it was; he already knew.
When the phone stopped vibrating, Charlene was about to discuss the next day’s work with Stewart when a new message alert pinged.
It was from Thorne again.
“Heading out on business tomorrow. Minnie wants to stay with you. Could you take care of her over the May Day holiday?”
Stewart, reading over her shoulder, scoffed. “Just like Christmas, huh? He takes Vesta along for ‘business’ and wants you to babysit Minnie so he can have a little getaway with Vesta?”
Chapter 389
Charlene Ross was thinking the same thing.
She texted back, “Busy. And please keep your promise, make sure she doesn’t wander off to my grandma’s place.”
It took Thorne Henderson a while to respond: “Okay.”
After that, Thorne didn’t contact her again.
On the third afternoon of the Labor Day weekend, just as Charlene and her family were about to embark on a white-water rafting adventure, she received a photo from Connie Snyder.
The person in the photo was none other than Vesta Hawkins.
Connie was currently in New York, busy with a fashion show.
Charlene looked at the picture and replied, “Is she watching your show?”
Connie shot back, “Yes! Talk about bad luck!”
Then she added another message, “But she’s alone, no sign of Thorne.”
Charlene simply replied, “Got it,” showing little interest in the matter. Instead, she asked, “When are you coming back stateside?”
Connie replied, “Not sure yet.”
Connie had her hands full, so they exchanged a few more messages before Connie had to go.
About ten minutes later, Connie sent a video.
Charlene paused, and as soon as she answered, she saw Vesta and Thorne in the frame.
Connie snorted and whispered, “They just arrived. The show’s over, and he’s here to pick her up.”
Vesta seemed to know people there and was deep in conversation, with Thorne patiently waiting by her side, watching her chat away.
Stewart Ferguson had mentioned he might take Vesta on his business trip, and it looked like he was right.
But…
Seeing only the two of them without Jasmine Henderson around, Charlene furrowed her brows.
Just as she was mulling this over, the camera suddenly wobbled, making Charlene think Connie had run into some trouble.
Upon closer inspection, she realized Thorne had just glanced over at the camera.
He must have noticed Connie.
Connie felt a jolt as Thorne looked her way, but before she could react, Thorne nonchalantly averted his eyes.
Charlene and Connie have been best friends for years, so Thorne was well aware of their bond.
Yet, even in a foreign city, Thorne had no intention of coming over to greet Connie.
But then again, Thorne was like that with her family too, so his indifference towards Connie wasn’t surprising.
After being spotted, Connie hesitated to point the camera back at Thorne.
Charlene wasn’t interested in Thorne and Vesta’s situation. Her thoughts drifted to Jasmine, and she told Connie, “I need to make a call. Let’s catch up over dinner when you’re back.”
Connie quickly agreed, “Alright, take care.”
After ending the video call, Charlene called Jasmine.
But the call didn’t go through.
Charlene thought for a moment and switched to a video call via WhatsApp.
This time, it connected.
Jasmine answered with excitement, “Mom!”
Charlene noticed Jasmine was in a car.
“Where are you?” she asked.
“I’m abroad,” Jasmine replied, her voice bubbling with enthusiasm. “I just went on a helicopter ride to see the great wildebeest migration. Thousands of them, moving in endless waves. Watching them from the helicopter was absolutely breathtaking!”
Charlene paused at this news.
May is the time of the great migration.
“Are you in the Serengeti?”
“Yeah, I-“
But Thorne and Vesta were in New York.
Sure, Charlene knew that ever since Thorne started taking Jasmine along, he always had a security detail to accompany her, so she could explore whenever he was busy.
But she was still so young. Leaving her in the care of security while he and Vesta went to New York seemed irresponsible, especially if something were to happen…
Charlene gripped her phone tighter, trying to keep her emotions in check. “Did you go with your dad?”
“No, Dad said he had work and couldn’t come with me. He told me to choose something fun to do. I’d seen the migration on TV and always wanted to see it for myself, so I told Dad. He arranged for someone to take me here,” Jasmine explained.
Chapter 390
Thorne had a business commitment and couldn’t spend time with her, yet he found time for Vesta?
Before she could voice her thoughts, Jasmine chirped in, “Mom, you should have called earlier! If you had, I could have shown you the view from the helicopter.”
Charlene could see that Jasmine was thrilled with Thome’s arrangements this time.
For a moment, Charlene was at a loss for words, but a heavy feeling settled in her chest.
Jasmine kept chatting about her plans for the next day, then mentioned she’d be flying back home that evening.
Charlene listened quietly, but before she could respond, Jasmine asked eagerly, “Mom, do you have time tomorrow? I’d love to call you.”
Charlene snapped out of her thoughts, and after a brief pause, she replied, “Yes, I’ll have time tomorrow.”
“Yay!” Jasmine exclaimed.
Knowing her daughter was on her way back to the hotel, Charlene felt a little relieved. After chatting a bit more, they ended the video call.
It was now time to meet Nadine Ross and the others for a rafting trip. Charlene put away her phone.
She had been looking forward to this vacation, but now her enthusiasm had waned.
Still, she didn’t want to dampen Nadine and the others’ spirits, so she joined them as they left the hotel.
As they queued up at the destination, someone tapped her on the shoulder.
Charlene turned around to find Gaylord Hearst standing there.
He had asked her about her vacation plans and decided to join when he heard about the rafting. Seeing him now wasn’t a complete surprise. She asked, “When did you get here?”
“This morning”
Since joining PrimeStar Technologies, he had wanted to find a chance to hang out with her, but opportunities had been scarce. They only met at work or at that one company gala.
At the office, Charlene dressed more formally. Today, she was out in a casual sleeveless top and shorts, with flip-flops on her feet. The sunlight highlighted her fair skin, giving her a warm, sweet allure that was stunning, even more so than when she was in her business attire. People around couldn’t help but glance her way.
Gaylord’s gaze lingered on her, almost glued.
He was striking himself, a few years younger than Charlene, with a fresh, clean look in his T-shirt and shorts, reminiscent of a college student on summer break.
Charlene’s aunt, Maisie, noticed Gaylord and couldn’t help but ask, “Charlene, who’s this handsome fellow?”
Charlene replied, “He’s a colleague from PrimeStar.”
Maisie smiled, noting Gaylord’s attentive gaze. She sensed there was more to it but didn’t press further. After all, Charlene was still sorting out her own affairs, and entangling herself in another situation might not be wise.
Having chatted enough, it was their turn for the rafting. Charlene waved goodbye to Gaylord, who suggested, “Maybe we can hang out later?”
Charlene nodded, “Sure.”
As Charlene walked away, Gaylord’s friend sidled up to him. “I have to admit, Ms. Ross looks even more stunning than she did at the gala.”
Gaylord shot him a stern look, “Cut it out.”
His friend, now aware of Gaylord’s genuine interest, mimed zipping his lips and gave a thumbs-up, respecting Gaylord’s feelings for Charlene.
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