Chapter 261
Though PrimeStar had already secured partnerships with Dalton and Granger, a portion of their business still lacked suitable collaborators.
To expedite the search for the right partners and increase the company’s exposure, PrimeStar had been preparing for a partnership launch event, which officially kicked off on Monday morning.
After dropping her daughter Jasmine off at school, Charlene drove to the hotel where the event was being held. By the time she arrived, Stewart and others were already there.
She was scheduled to speak as one of the core tech personnel and answer any questions the media might have.
Charlene and Stewart went over the schedule backstage.
Soon enough, Granger and Dalton arrived as well.
About twenty minutes later, Stewart and Charlene took the stage to make their presentations.
Dalton listened intently to Stewart, but when Charlene took over, he raised an eyebrow.
He found himself wondering why Stewart had entrusted Charlene with such a crucial task–introducing the products and technologies. However, Charlene was unfazed by Dalton’s skepticism. Her voice was calm and steady, and she presented the company’s products and answered the media’s technical questions with ease and confidence.
From the moment Charlene started speaking, Dalton found himself zoning out, uninterested in what she had to say.
He assumed PrimeStar had prepped her with a script for the technical questions.
Distracted, he glanced sideways and noticed Granger watching Charlene intently, clearly absorbed by her presentation.
Dalton thought Granger was just good at putting up a front.
After the event concluded, Charlene and Stewart were busier than ever.
Dalton had to head to Neural Nexus Tech in the afternoon, so he didn’t linger. After a quick word with Stewart, he left.
When he arrived at Neural Nexus Tech, Thorne wasn’t there yet.
Dalton made his way to the workspace where Vesta and her team were.
As he approached the entrance, he noticed the lively atmosphere inside.
Edwin greeted him enthusiastically, “Mr. Ramirez!”
Dalton nodded, and Vesta looked over, saying, “Thorne should be here in about ten minutes. You might have to wait a bit.”
Dalton figured she and Thorne must have a pretty good relationship; otherwise, Thorne wouldn’t keep her updated on his whereabouts.
“I know,” he replied. “Mr. Henderson’s secretary informed me.”
Changing the subject, he asked, “Seems pretty lively here. What’s the occasion?”
Edwin quickly explained, “Our project hit a technical snag for over a week, but Director Hawkins just resolved it for us, so we’re finally able to move forward. Everyone’s really excited.”
Someone chimed in, “Yeah, we owe a lot to Director Hawkins. Her expertise is on another level. Graduating from a world–class university sure makes a difference”
Dalton was already aware of Vesta’s capabilities, but seeing her praised so highly made him genuinely happy for her. “Congratulations,” he offered.
Vesta smiled softly. “Thank you.”
She added, “But it’s not just my doing. Thorne has taught me a lot lately, which has helped me grow quickly
Though she was being honest, everyone took her words as modesty.
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After a brief round of banter, the project team members settled back into their work.
Vesta knew today was the PrimeStar investment conference. However, due to her busy schedule, she hadn’t had a chance to go online and catch any of it.
Picking up her phone, she searched for the PrimeStar conference from this morning. She turned to Dalton and asked, “Did Mr. Ramirez attend PrimeStar’s conference this morning?”
“Yeah,” Dalton replied.
Vesta watched the PrimeStar conference video intently, and soon the segment where Charlene introduced PrimeStar’s products and technology appeared on the screen.
Dalton glanced at Vesta’s expression. She appeared calm, showing no hint of dislike or disdain towards Charlene. He recalled how Charlene had been openly hostile toward Vesta during the Christmas party. Seeing Vesta now, Dalton thought Charlene couldn’t hold a candle to Vesta’s composure and grace.
Just as Dalton was about to comment, Edwin chimed in, “I caught a bit of PrimeStar’s conference too. Gotta admit, their tech is pretty impressive.”
“It is,” Vesta agreed.
Dalton, not being a tech expert himself, was aware enough to know that PrimeStar’s technology was indeed formidable.
As Vesta scrolled to the part where Stewart gave his speech, Dalton commented, “With Ms. Hawkins at Neural Nexus Tech, there’s no saying they won’t develop something even more advanced in the future.”
Vesta smiled softly and said, “You’re flattering me, Mr. Ramirez. Compared to Mr. Ferguson, I’m still a long way off.”
Dalton assumed she was being modest. “No need for humility, Ms. Hawkins-”
“It’s not humility,” Vesta interrupted. “Learning from Mr. Kenton has always been my dream. I met him a while back, but I haven’t reached the level where he’d take me on as a student.”
Vesta’s honesty was refreshing.
Dalton appreciated her candid nature and ambition even more. It became clear that Vesta’s interest in Stewart esn’t just due to his achievements in Al, but also because he was Kenton’s protégé.
Keep working at it, and I’m sure you’ll get there,” Dalton encouraged. “With your skills, Ms. Hawkins, you’ll achieve your goals one day.”
Vesta smiled but didn’t respond. Just then, Thorne entered the room. “Sorry to keep you waiting, Mr. Ramirez.”
Dalton stood up. “No worries, Mr. Henderson. I was early.”
After a few polite exchanges, Thorne smiled at Vesta and then headed upstairs with Dalton to discuss business.
As Vesta watched them leave, she was about to dive back into her work when her phone rang. It was Henley calling.
Henley and the others had also tuned into the PrimeStar conference. The event had certainly made quite an impact.
Thinking about PrimeStar’s two major projects, Henley was getting anxious. Those projects were projected to generate billions in revenue. It was a game–changer.
The Hawkins family had their own tech company, but without key technological breakthroughs, their products lacked market competitiveness. For years, they’d been hemorrhaging money just to keep afloat.
If losing money led to eventual success, it might be worth it. But years had passed with no progress. Each day that dragged on meant more money down the drain, and Henley couldn’t help but worry.
Calling Vesta, he hoped she might have some ideas. Thorne had been mentoring her, after all.
Henley was curious if, with the experience she had gained, Vesta might finally catch Kenton’s attention.
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After hanging up the call, Henley set his phone down with a sigh.
He rubbed his temples, feeling a headache coming on as he watched the PrimeStar investors‘ conference video playing on the large screen in his living room.
Leah was lounging on the couch, casually munching on an apple. Watching Charlene up there, confidently delivering her speech at such an important event, left a sour taste in her mouth. She switched off the TV with a frown. “Why did they let her take the stage? She’s stealing all the spotlight,”
Maureen chimed in, “That’s not the point.”
In Maureen’s eyes, Charlene might have shone a bit by association with Stewart during the conference, but it was all superficial. The real treasure was PrimeStar’s technology.
That’s what truly mattered.
Henley caught on to what Maureen was implying.
Sure, Charlene had done well with her speech, but when it came to the technical aspects of PrimeStar, both Vesta and he, along with Maureen, believed that Stewart had prepped her in advance. Charlene couldn’t possibly grasp all that on her own.
Rhoda, however, pointed out, “But she’s definitely got Stewart on her side.”
No matter how you looked at it, Charlene had basked in the glory today and even managed to lend a hand to the Ross family. To Rhoda, that was quite impressive.
Leah’s concerns were different, though.
She noticed Granger watching Charlene from the audience. His gaze was intense, focused. Granger had never looked at her like that. She felt that if she were the one on stage, it would be her receiving that attention from Granger.
By the time Charlene and Stewart left the hotel, it was nearly ten at night.
After a hectic day, Charlene was exhausted, her head throbbing.
Going back, she found herself automatically heading to her usual apartment complex instead of the Ross
ly estate out of habit. It was late, and she had no intention of going back to the family home.
Once she parked the car, she glanced at her phone, scrolling through her missed messages and calls. Both the Ross family and Jasmine had tried reaching her that evening.
Jasmine had even texted around eight, asking when she’d be back.
Charlene skimmed through the messages, then tucked her phone away.
Upstairs, she took a shower and promptly collapsed into bed, falling asleep almost instantly.
The next morning.
No sooner had she woken up than Jasmine’s call came through.
Charlene hesitated, not wanting to answer.
But as soon as the phone fell silent, the landline at the Ross family home started ringing.
Resigned, Charlene picked up. “Grandma.”
“Charlene, you didn’t come home last night?”
Charlene replied, “Yeah, I was too busy to make it back.”
Helena, hearing how busy she was, felt a pang of sympathy and handed the phone over to Jasmine.
“Mom.”
“Hey.”
Jasmine was surprised to learn Charlene wasn’t returning to the Ross family estate every night. She felt a bit down after her calls went unanswered the previous evening and waking up to an empty house.
She asked, “Mom, when are you coming back?”
“Tonight, probably,” Charlene replied.
“Oh…”
Charlene suddenly remembered something. “Call your dad and ask him to have the driver take you to school today. I’m tied up.”
“Okay,” Jasmine said, then added, “By the way, Mom, where are you staying? Can I come over after school?”
“No need.” Charlene quickly declined. “When you’re done with school, I won’t be home yet. Stay with your great–grandmother. If you get bored, call your dad and have him take you out for dinner.”
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“Okay” Jasmine replied.
Then, Charlene said, “I’ve got to head to work soon, so I’ll hang up now.”
“Alright, bye Mom.”
With that, Charlene ended the call.
After finishing her breakfast of scrambled eggs and toast, she headed to the office.
Yesterday had been a whirlwind of activity, and today promised to be just as hectic.
However, she managed to leave a bit early in the afternoon to head back to the Ross family home for dinner with Helena.
Upon arriving, Charlene noticed that Helena seemed a bit down.
A quick glance around the living room confirmed that Jasmine was missing.
Jasmine was likely out having dinner with Thorne and his crew again.
Charlene didn’t mind much, but Helena couldn’t help but notice how attached Jasmine was to Thorne.
With a hint of concern, she advised, “Charlene, once you’re done with your current projects, you really should spend more time with Minnie, or else…”
Charlene nodded absentmindedly, “I know, I will. Let’s eat first.”
Helena let it go at that.
After dinner, Charlene spent some time chatting with Helena before heading upstairs to relax.
Around nine, as she descended the stairs, she noticed a call from the security post indicating a visitor.
Peering out, she recognized Thorne’s car.
Charlene frowned slightly, but before she could react, her phone buzzed.
It was Jasmine calling.
Helena, not yet asleep, emerged from her room, understanding that Thorne was dropping Jasmine off.
She quickly instructed the security to let Thorne’s car in.
Charlene answered the call, exchanging a few words with Jasmine before hanging up.
Moments later, Thorne’s car pulled up in front of the Ross family mansion.
Jasmine hopped out excitedly, “Mom, I’m back!”
Charlene smiled softly, while Helena beamed with joy.
The car door still open, Thorne stepped out, holding Jasmine’s forgotten backpack and a cake box as he approached Charlene and Jasmine.
Charlene remained silent.
Jasmine, realizing what she had left behind, cheerfully thanked Thorne, “Thanks, Dad.”
“You’re welcome.” Thorne acknowledged, nodding at Charlene and Helena, “Good evening, Mrs. Ross.”
Helena gave a curt nod, while Charlene reluctantly took the small cake from Thorne.
As Jasmine began to rave about how delicious the cake was, Charlene quickly cut her off, “Minnie, say goodbye to your dad.”
Jasmine, not thinking much of it, asked, “Dad, you’re leaving?”
Thorne chuckled, “Yes,”
“Goodbye Dad,” Jasmine said.
“Goodbye, Thorne replied, nodding once more towards Helena, then returned to his car.
Charlene, holding the little cake, took Jasmine’s hand and led her inside, without any intention of seeing Thorne off.
His car soon drove away.
Inside, Jasmine chirped, “Mom, Great–grandma, Dad and I got this cake for you. It’s your favorite, strawberry! Want to try it?”
Jasmine carried a faint scent of Vesta’s perfume.
Charlene set the cake aside, “I just had dinner, I’m too full to eat it now. Let’s save it for later.”
Helena agreed, nodding.
Jasmine replied with a simple, “Oh…”
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“Put the cupcakes in the fridge.”
Jasmine had just come upstairs after a refreshing shower when her phone buzzed.
It was a call from Thorne,
“Hey, Dad?” Jasmine answered,
Thorne’s voice came through clearly, “Just got word, your grandpa’s coming home tomorrow afternoon. I’ll have someone pick you up after school for dinner at home. Let your mom know.”
Thorne’s father, Lloyd Henderson, worked in government and was often swamped with responsibilities. It wasn’t unusual for the family to go months without seeing him.
When Irma had her accident, Lloyd had rushed back at the crack of dawn and left again before the sun rose. Now, with Irma still in the hospital, Lloyd had managed to take a couple of days off to spend New Year’s with her.
“Got it,” Jasmine replied after Thorne finished speaking.
Then she realized Thorne said, “pick you up,” not “pick you guys up,” which meant Charlene wasn’t included.
She turned to Charlene, “Mom, aren’t you coming with us for dinner?”
Traditionally, whenever Lloyd returned, regardless of Thorne’s presence, Irma would invite both Charlene and Jasmine to join the family dinner at the Hendersons‘.
The routine had been consistent enough that, despite Jasmine’s young age, she associated her grandfather’s visits with family gatherings.
Jasmine’s question was directed at Charlene, but Thorne was quick to interject, “Your mom’s got plans tomorrow.”
“Okay,” Jasmine replied, her voice a bit subdued. Jasmine had her phone on speaker mode, so Charlene heard the entire exchange.
The news of Lloyd’s return was fresh to Charlene as well.
She and Thorne were in the midst of divorce proceedings.
Given her current status, there really wasn’t any necessity for her to visit the Hendersons‘ and mingle with Thorne’s family.
It seemed Thorne was on the same page, as he had promptly offered an excuse for her absence.
Without further ado, Thorne ended the call.
The next day arrived.
In the afternoon, Granger and his key technical team members came to PrimeStar for a business meeting.
Lately, Granger had been very cooperative, which saved Charlene a lot of headaches at work. In return, she treated him with a bit more courtesy.
As soon as he arrived, Charlene set aside her tasks to greet him.
About an hour into their meeting, Granger’s phone rang. It was Thorne.
Granger excused himself with a nod to Charlene and stepped outside to take the call.
Whatever Thorne said on the phone made Granger pause for a couple of seconds before he responded, “Alright.”
Then Thorne added, “My dad’s back, and we’re having dinner at home tonight. I’m going to need a favor.”
“Your Dad’s back?” Granger asked, a hint of surprise in his tone, “How long’s he staying?”
“Two or three days, I think.”
After hanging up, Granger returned to the meeting room, his gaze lingering thoughtfully on Charlene.
Charlene, engrossed in a discussion with Granger’s tech team about work matters, didn’t notice his attention.
As the meeting wound down and Charlene stood to see them off, Granger asked, “Got more work tonight?”
Without much thought, Charlene replied, “Yeah, I’ve got a lot to wrap up.”
Granger’s gaze deepened, realizing she wouldn’t be joining Thorne at the Hendersons‘ for dinner.
Feeling a stir in his chest, he ventured, “Got time for dinner later?”
Charlene shook her head, “No, I’ve still got a pile of things to finish up. Can’t get away.”
Granger thought of suggesting takeout but hesitated.
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Because given their current situation, it was a bit much for him to say that, especially since she wasn’t officially divorced yet.
After Charlene saw Granger out, she quickly made her way back upstairs.
Granger watched her disappear up the stairs and only after a long moment did he turn back to Lanny, his company’s core tech wizard. “I need a favor.”
Lanny looked up, “Shoot.”
“I have a friend who’s keen on diving deep into natural language processing. They’re in need of a top–notch mentor…”
Given their friendship, Lanny was naturally inclined to help. However, he hesitated for a moment, “While I do have some expertise in that area, honestly, I think Mr. Ferguson from PrimeStar or Ms. Ross, who we’ve been discussing collaborations with, might be even better suited for the job.”
Granger was surprised by Lanny’s suggestion. His own background was in finance, not Al, but he knew Lanny was highly regarded in the field of natural language processing. If Thorne himself had bypassed experts from Neural Nexus Tech and The Henderson Group to seek out Lanny, that said a lot.
Lanny often praised Charlene whenever they interacted, but Granger hadn’t realized she was held in such high esteem.
He recalled how Stewart frequently sang Charlene’s praises to everyone. Even though Granger acknowledged Charlene’s capabilities after working with her, he had assumed Stewart’s admiration was somewhat biased.
Perhaps not.
“Mr. Harden?”
Granger snapped back to reality. “Mr. Ferguson and Ms. Ross have some personal issues with my friend. It wouldn’t be appropriate.”
“Ah, I see…” Lanny nodded, dropping the matter.
That evening, when Granger and Lanny arrived at the private dining room, Vesta was already there. She greeted Lanny warmly, engaging him in a professional conversation soon after.
Granger listened quietly, mostly keeping to himself, seemingly preoccupied.
After a quick chat with Lanny, Vesta turned to Granger, smiling, and asked, “Bored?”
Granger shook off his thoughts. “Not at all. You guys go ahead.”
Vesta chuckled and continued her discussion with Lanny. She was genuinely eager to learn, diving deep into the topic with a thirst for knowledge that Lanny was happy to accommodate. He helped her map out a learning strategy and provided insights into the current developments in the field.
The dinner conversation was lively and engaging, though it only scratched the surface. Vesta was aiming for an in–depth understanding.
With New Year’s Day approaching, Vesta earnestly asked Lanny if he could spare some time to teach her. Out of regard for Granger, Lanny agreed to set aside half a day for her.
Vesta thanked him profusely.
After dinner, once Lanny had departed, Vesta turned to Granger, who had been rather quiet. “Thanks for today, Granger.”
Granger responded coolly, “Thorne and I go way back. It’s no big deal.”
Before she could reply, he added, “It’s late. You should head home and get some rest.
Vesta nodded, “Alright, see you tomorrow.”
Granger replied, “I have plans tomorrow, so I won’t be around.”
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Vesta paused for a moment, then replied warmly, “No worries, if you’ve got something going on, focus on that.”
Granger nodded in agreement.
After Vesta drove off, he got into his own car. Instead of starting the engine right away, he pulled out his phone, looked up Charlene’s number, hesitated for a moment, and then dialed it.
Charlene was still at the office. Seeing his call, she picked up casually, “Mr. Harden?”
Granger was about to speak but paused when he heard the noise in the background on her end. He swallowed his words and asked, “Still at work this late?”
“Yeah,” Charlene replied. She assumed Granger’s call at this hour must be personal. “I’m free tomorrow. What’s Daisy planning?”
Granger fell silent.
Charlene, not hearing a response, prompted, “Mr. Harden?”
He knew how busy her week had been. It was past nine, and she was still working late hours. Without needing to ask, he could tell she was exhausted.
Jasmine had gone back to the Henderson family, and Charlene couldn’t be with her own child tomorrow. Yet here he was, asking her to spend time with someone else’s child. It felt too harsh.
“If you’re tired, take a break this week. We can reschedule,” he finally said.
Charlene didn’t feel overly tired. “It’s fine, let’s stick to tomorrow.”
Granger hesitated for a moment but eventually agreed, “Alright.”
Meanwhile, as the Henderson family finished dinner and left the diner, they ran into the Ramirez family.
Abelard and Lloyd were familiar with each other, so they exchanged greetings.
Dalton acknowledged Thorne with a nod, “Mr. Henderson.”
Thorne returned the gesture, “Mr. Ramirez.”
Jasmine, holding Thorne’s hand, looked up and politely said, “Mr. Ramirez.”
Dalton nodded back, saying, “Hello.”
Upon seeing the Henderson family, Dalton’s gaze swept over them. He realized he recognized everyone present. There was no unfamiliar face who might be Jasmine’s mother. Could it be that Thorne had actually divorced her?
After some polite conversation with the Ramirez family, the Hendersons got back into their car and headed to the hospital to visit Irma.
That night, Lloyd stayed at the hospital with Irma. Thorne and the others returned to the family home. As soon as they arrived, Terence approached Thorne and asked, “Hey, did you remember that autograph from my idol?”
Thorne tossed him the car keys, replying, “It’s in the car. Go get it yourself.”
“Thanks, man!” Terence exclaimed, overjoyed as he caught the keys.
Claudia noticed and asked, “What are you getting?”
Terence hesitated.
Thorne chuckled, “Nothing important.”
Relieved, Terence ran outside to grab Vesta’s autograph.
Claudia let it go without further questioning.
A moment later, Terence returned, holding a few notebooks. They did have “CC’s” signature, but it wasn’t the kind of autograph he wanted.
“Hey, I was he, ing for a signed poster, you know, something I can hang on the wall,” he protested.
Thorne replied dryly, “That’s not something you should have.”
“Why not?” Terence argued. He just wanted to hang it up and admire it whenever he pleased.
Thorne gave him a knowing smile but said nothing.
Recognizing the look, Terence knew it was a firm no and didn’t push the issue further. Still, having his idol’s signature was enough to make him happy, and he quickly texted Vesta a thank you.
A little while later, Jasmine approached Thorne with a tablet, “Dad, there’s a new cartoon coming out tomorrow. The trailer looks awesome. Can we go see it?”
Thorne replied, “Dad’s busy tomorrow.”
With Lloyd returning, the family home would likely have visitors all morning.
He added, “If you really want to go, maybe your mom can take you.”
Jasmine pouted, “Oh… I’ve been seeing Mom a lot lately, so I’m not as inclined to cling to her. What about Ms. Hawkins? Or maybe…”
Thorne interjected, “Ms. Hawkins is busy studying tomorrow. Let’s not disturb her.”
Jasmine sighed, saying, “Okay, I’ll ask Mom then.”
“Sounds good,” Thorne nodded.
Jasmine picked up her phone and dialed Charlene.
Charlene had just gotten home and saw the call but didn’t answer. She set her phone aside and headed to the shower.
Seeing Charlene didn’t pick up, Jasmine remembered how busy Charlene had been lately. “Mom’s probably busy too,” she mused.
Thorne glanced over at Terence, lounging nearby, “How about you let Uncle Terence take you?”
Terence, understanding what had just transpired, felt a twinge of reluctance. He had plans to hang out with his friends the next day. But then he remembered how Thorne had helped him get his idol’s autograph, and Vesta’s warm demeanor when they met. He agreed cheerfully, “Sure thing, I’m up for it!”
Chapter 268
The next day rolled around.
By late morning, Charlene stepped out of her cozy apartment, basking in the gentle warmth of the sun. She was on her way to meet Daisy, whom she hadn’t seen in ages. Daisy had really missed her.
As soon as she entered the quaint little diner and made her way to the private booth, Daisy caught sight of her and dashed over with the enthusiasm of a Labrador puppy. “Ms. Ross!” she exclaimed, her eyes sparkling with excitement.
Charlene chuckled, wrapping her friend in a warm embrace. “Daisy, it’s been too long.”
This was Charlene’s first visit to this particular diner. As they settled in for lunch, she was pleasantly surprised to find that each dish was a hit, perfectly tickling her taste buds.
Granger had booked movie tickets for a little after lunch, so after they finished eating, the trio headed to the movie theater. Just before they went in, Daisy expressed a craving for popcorn. Granger turned to her with a playful grin, “Big or small?”
“Big! I want to share with Uncle and Miss Ross!” Daisy replied enthusiastically.
Granger chuckled. “Sure thing.”
Inside the theater, Daisy strategically positioned herself in the middle seat. She cradled the large bucket of popcorn on her lap like it was a prized possession, eating a piece herself before nudging Charlene to join in.
Charlene obliged, plucking a piece and tossing it into her mouth, savoring the buttery goodness. Once satisfied that Charlene was taken care of, Daisy turned her attention to Granger, insisting he join the popcorn party.
To cater to Daisy’s taste, Granger had chosen a newly–released animated film that was perfect for kids. Despite being a cartoon, the storyline was lively and engaging, with a mix of laughter and tears, capturing Charlene’s attention as well.
The three of them munched on popcorn while enjoying the movie. Time seemed to fly by. At one point, as Charlene reached for more popcorn, her hand accidentally brushed against Granger’s. His hand momentarily lingered on hers, sending a fleeting spark of surprise through her.
Charlene paused, a slight blush creeping up her cheeks.
Granger, too, seemed momentarily taken aback. But Charlene dismissed it as an innocent accident, nothing more than an accidental brush.
Granger quickly retracted his hand, murmuring, “Sorry about that.”
Charlene smiled gently, “No worries.”
Luckily for them, Daisy was completely absorbed in the movie, oblivious to the brief moment between the adults. Noticing the dwindling popcorn supply, Charlene refrained from reaching for more.
Granger noticed this and misinterpreted her action, thinking she was avoiding him. He looked down, deciding to leave the remaining popcorn for Daisy.
During the film, Daisy drank a bit too much soda and needed a bathroom break. Charlene volunteered to take her, knowing it was more appropriate for her to accompany Daisy than Granger.
Granger nodded appreciatively. “Thanks a bunch.”
“Don’t mention it,” Charlene replied with a smile.
After a short while, Charlene and Daisy emerged from the restroom, just as a little boy exited the men’s room. He caught a glimpse of Charlene and Daisy but didn’t say anything.
Charlene and Daisy quickly melted back into the throng of moviegoers and returned to their seats to continue‘ watching the movie.
“Mom,” the little boy said, tugging on Tiffany’s sleeve as he rejoined her. “I’m done. Can we go now?”
“Sure,” Tiffany replied, distracted by her phone.
The boy was Tiffany’s son, Cain. He wasn’t fond of Charlene, so he hadn’t acknowledged her when they crossed paths.
Tiffany, absorbed in her phone call, hadn’t noticed Charlene at all. Later, bored with the movie, Cain mentioned he saw Charlene. “Mom, I saw Aunt Charlene earlier.”
Tiffany, unfazed, said, “Oh, really?”
“Yeah, she had a friend with her, but it wasn’t Minnie.”
Tiffany, still indifferent, remarked, “Is that so?”
Her lack of interest stemmed from her general disinterest in Charlene. She assumed the child with Charlene was just another relative from the Ross family and didn’t dwell on it.
After leaving the movie theater, they headed to the Henderson Mansion. Upon arriving, they found Lloyd had returned home and was entertaining guests alongside Thorne.
Cain, who had a healthy dose of respect mixed with fear for Thorne, dutifully greeted them. “Grandpa, Grandma, Uncle Thorne.”
Nearby, Jasmine was engrossed in her jigsaw puzzle.
After the greetings, Tiffany encouraged Cain to join Jasmine in her playtime.
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Cain strolled over to where Minnie was sitting. “Hey, Minnie.”
Jasmine nodded in acknowledgment. “Hey, you made it.”
Cain plopped down beside her and started helping with the jigsaw puzzle. “I went to the movies with my mom earlier, and guess what? I saw your mom there.”
Jasmine, previously engrossed in her puzzle, looked up immediately, her interest sparked. “You saw my mom?
At the theater?”
“Yeah, at the cinema.”
Jasmine pursed her lips, skeptical. “No way. My mom’s super busy right now. There’s no way she’d have time to go to the movies. You must’ve mistaken her for someone else.”
Cain frowned, feeling a bit defensive. “I didn’t mistake her. It was definitely your mom.”
Jasmine shook her head, disbelief clear in her eyes. “You’re making it up.”
She had called her mom last night and again this morning, and her mom barely had time to answer. How could she possibly have time to go to the movies?
“I’m not making it up,” Cain insisted, feeling his frustration bubble up. “And she wasn’t alone. She was with another kid who looked about your height, and really cute!”
Jasmine hadn’t been taking Cain’s words seriously until now. But at this, she shot up, grabbing a handful of puzzle pieces and flinging them at Cain. “No way! You, you’re lying!”
Cain was telling the truth, but he couldn’t understand why Jasmine didn’t believe him and was getting upset. He was used to getting his way, too, and now he was genuinely angry. He retaliated by tossing a handful of pieces back at her. “I’m not lying!”
“You-”
“What’s going on here?”
Their escalating argument had drawn the attention of Thorne and the others in the living room.
Claudia was the first to come over.
Cain, feeling wronged, was on the brink of tears. “I was just saying-”
“Hmph!”
Jasmine, also teary–eyed, pouted and ran toward the living room. “Dad!”
Thorne watched her approach and caught her as she flung herself at him. After a quick word to the guests, he carried Jasmine out of the room, giving them some space. “What happened, sweetheart?”
Jasmine wanted to recount what her cousin had said, but the mere thought of Charlene being with a kid cuter than her brought tears to her eyes before she could get the words out.
Meanwhile, Claudia and Tiffany had gotten the story from Cain.
Claudia turned to Tiffany, who admitted she hadn’t been paying attention at the movies and couldn’t verify Cain’s claim.
Claudia thought for a moment. “Sweetie, I believe you weren’t lying. It’s possible you saw someone who looked a lot like Aunt Charlene, but it might not have been Aunt Charlene.”
The Henderson family, aside from Irma, weren’t aware that Thorne and Charlene were considering a divorce. Charlene’s affection for Thorne over the years was something the family had witnessed firsthand.
When Thorne mentioned Charlene had pressing matters to attend to without getting into details, the family assumed it was something urgent with the Ross family.
Now, hearing Cain’s story, Claudia and Tiffany were inclined to believe Cain might have made a mistake. After all, as far as they knew, there were no kids in the Ross family who were Jasmine’s age, and if Charlene had any free time, it seemed unlikely she’d choose to go to the movies instead of visiting the Henderson family. It just didn’t add up.
Chapter 270
Cain just couldn’t stand being accused of lying.
With Claudia’s soothing words, his spirits lifted almost immediately.
Jasmine, who had been crying beside them, stopped her tears as well. Oh right, maybe Cain just mistook someone else for her mom. That person wasn’t her mom at all.
Thinking about this made her feel a lot better.
But then she recalled how Charlene had once complimented Sally for being so adorable. Besides, they seemed to know each other quite well.
As this thought crossed her mind, Jasmine quickly cleaned her tears and reached for Thorne’s pocket. “Dad, give me your phone.”
Thorne, having caught on to the gist of what Claudia was saying, handed his phone to her while gently wiping away her tears with his thumb.
Jasmine hurriedly punched in Charlene’s number and dialed.
Charlene had just finished watching a movie and was now playing games in the arcade next to the theater.
Seeing Thorne’s call, she dismissed it without a second thought.
Jasmine’s eyes were still teary. “Mom didn’t answer.”
“She’s probably busy,” Thorne suggested. “How about we don’t disturb her and go out for dinner tonight, just you and me?”
To Jasmine, Thorne saying Charlene was busy meant that he also believed Cain had mistaken someone else for her mom.
Feeling reassured, Jasmine asked, “Can Ms. Hawkins join us?”
Thorne chuckled. “Of course.”
Jasmine, feeling much better, slipped off his lap and was about to return to her puzzle. But still feeling a bit uneasy, she decided to call Ms. Payne. She asked if she could talk to Sally.
Ms. Payne was quite surprised at the request. In her mind, Jasmine wasn’t particularly fond of Sally.
Not that she was mean to her, but still…
Unable to resist Jasmine’s sweet pleading, Ms. Payne first contacted Sally’s mom to check if it was alright before giving Jasmine Sally’s mom’s number.
Jasmine made a quick video call.
Sally answered promptly, her face lighting up with surprise. “Hey, Minnie! The teacher said you wanted to talk to me? Do you want to hang out?”
Even though Jasmine didn’t seem to like her much, Sally had always admired Jasmine. She thought Jasmine was bold and confident, which she found pretty cool.
“Yeah,” Jasmine replied, her lips pressed into a tiny pout. “Where are you right now?”
“At home!” Sally said cheerfully, turning the camera around. “My grandparents are here, and they’re helping my mom make my favorite spaghetti. Do you want to-”
Seeing that Sally’s family was indeed making spaghetti at home, Jasmine felt more at ease. She asked, “You didn’t go to the movies with my mom today, did you?”
Sally shook her head. “With Ms. Ross? No, I haven’t seen Ms. Ross in ages.”
Hearing this, Jasmine finally relaxed. “Got it. Enjoy your spaghetti.”
She was about to end the video call but hesitated for a moment, awkwardly adding, “Bye.”
Sally responded, “Oh, bye–bye…”
In the living room, Lloyd looked up as Thorne walked back in. “All sorted?”
Thorne nodded. “Yeah, all good.”
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