Chapter 241
“Hey there, want to buy some candied apples?”
Charlene turned around.
The glossy, vibrant red of the candied apples caught her eye, and she felt a little tug at her heart.
It had been ages since she last had one.
With that thought, she glanced over at Jasmine. Sure enough, Jasmine was happily munching away on her own candied apple.
Not too far off, Vesta, clutching a bouquet of red roses, was cozied up next to Thorne, deep in conversation. Jasmine, in a playful gesture, offered her half-eaten treat to Vesta.
Vesta laughed and took a bite from Jasmine’s hand, and then Jasmine took another bite before offering it to Thorne.
Thorne just shook his head, said something Charlene couldn’t hear, and declined.
Charlene turned her attention back to the vendor. “I’ll take a bunch of strawberries, please.”
Just as she was about to ask York if he wanted anything, he beat her to it. “I’ve got this.”
He quickly pulled out his phone to pay, taking the candied apples from the vendor and handing them to her. The candied apples were just a few bucks.
Charlene accepted them with a smile. “Thanks.”
“No problem.”
They continued chatting, oblivious to the fact that Vesta and Thorne had glanced their way, catching York paying for Charlene’s treat.
Thorne’s expression darkened slightly, and the smile on Vesta’s face faded.
Charlene and York didn’t notice.
The fireworks show would last about twenty minutes.
As the fireworks continued to light up the sky, they turned back to watch them.
Jasmine turned to them, “Dad, Ms. Hawkins, what are you looking at?”
Thorne withdrew his gaze. “Nothing important.”
Vesta just smiled.
A few minutes later, the fireworks finally came to an end.
Charlene said, “Thanks for bringing me to see the fireworks, and for the candied apples.”
“Heading back now?”
“Yeah, just going to pick up a few plants and then head home,” she replied.
York didn’t insist she stay longer. “Alright.”
“See you.”
“See you.”
Charlene walked away.
York followed the crowd, heading toward the parking lot. He hadn’t gone far when he heard someone call out, “York?”
It was Dalton.
York turned around, greeting, “Dalton.”
Dalton approached him. “What are you doing here?”
“Came for dinner with some friends,” York replied. “What about you?”
Dalton looked slightly uncomfortable. “About the same.”
“I’m heading out. How about you?”
“I-” Dalton’s words trailed off as his gaze fixed on something in the distance.
York followed his line of sight and saw Thorne and Vesta. They didn’t seem to be leaving but had instead found their way to a nearby café.
Dalton’s eyes stayed locked on them. “That girl… could the rumors be true? Does Thorne really have a daughter?”
York wasn’t all that interested in the gossip. “Maybe.”
Dalton stood there, lips pressed together.
If that girl really was Thorne’s daughter, wouldn’t Vesta have a tough time in the future? And there were also whispers that Thorne was already married.
If that turned out to be true, and if Thorne and his ex-wife got tangled up over the kid, wouldn’t Vesta suffer even more?
Chapter 242
York’s phone buzzed in his pocket, breaking the comfortable silence between him and Dalton. After a quick glance at the screen, he sighed and slipped the phone back.
“Looks like I’ve got something to take care of,” York said, his tone apologetic. “I should head out. Want to come with?”
Dalton snapped out of his thoughts, his eyes sharpening with focus. “Nah, I’m waiting for someone. You go ahead. We’ll catch up another time.”
“Alright, see ya.”
York waved and strolled away, disappearing into the bustle of the street. Dalton watched him leave, then turned on his heel and made his way towards the coffee shop down the block.
As he pushed open the café door, he nearly collided with Vesta, who was guiding little Jasmine to the restroom.
They both stopped in their tracks.
“Oh, Mr. Ramirez? What a surprise!” Vesta exclaimed, her eyes widening in recognition.
“Yeah,” Dalton replied, letting the door swing shut behind him. His gaze swept the room until it landed on Thorne, who was deep in conversation with the barista at the counter.
Shifting his attention, Dalton’s eyes finally settled on Jasmine. Just one look, and he was nearly certain–Jasmine had to be Thorne’s daughter. The resemblance was striking.
Even though he was sure, he asked anyway, “And who might this be?”
Vesta smiled softly, her gaze dropping to Jasmine. “Thorne’s daughter.”
Just as I thought, Dalton mused, feeling a tug of something heavy in his chest.
“Ms. Hawkins, who’s the handsome guy?” Jasmine piped up, looking up at Vesta with curious eyes.
Vesta bent down and playfully tapped Jasmine on the nose, a gentle smile curling her lips. “Just a friend of mine, sweetie.”
“Oh…” Jasmine replied, her curiosity satisfied for the moment.
Vesta turned back to Dalton. “So, Mr. Ramirez, are you meeting someone-”
Before she could finish, Jasmine tugged urgently at Vesta’s arm. “Ms. Hawkins, I really need to use the bathroom!”
She had been sipping on a large iced tea earlier, and now the situation was becoming more pressing by the second.
Seeing that Vesta was about to engage in more small talk, Jasmine, in her urgent state, didn’t hesitate to interrupt.
Dalton observed the exchange with a furrowed brow. Jasmine seemed a bit demanding, but Vesta’s patience and warmth were unwavering as she reassured, “Alright, sweetie, I’m sorry. Let’s get you to the restroom.”
As they turned to leave, Vesta glanced back at Dalton. “I’ll be right back, see you in a bit.”
Dalton watched them walk away, feeling a pang of something he couldn’t quite place. He offered, “I was just heading that way myself. Mind if I join you?”
Vesta chuckled lightly. “Sure, why not?”
Jasmine was really in a hurry now. Seeing Vesta still moving at a leisurely pace, she let go of her hand and dashed towards the restroom on her own.
Vesta hurried after her, momentarily forgetting Dalton. “Minnie, wait up!”
Dalton couldn’t help but feel that Jasmine was a tad too headstrong.
Just as Jasmine was about to speak, she suddenly paused, her gaze flicking to the side as if she spotted something–or someone.
“Minnie?” Vesta called, catching up. She noticed Jasmine standing still instead of running, and her mind immediately went to Charlene.
She glanced back at Dalton, who had caught up, her eyes flickering with unspoken thoughts. “Minnie, you really need to go, right? Let’s-”
“Yeah,” Jasmine muttered, her eyes scanning the crowd. Seeing no sign of Charlene, she chalked it up to her imagination and hurried off towards the restroom with renewed urgency.
Charlene, meanwhile, was indeed nearby, obscured by the bustling crowd in the shopping mall. She hadn’t noticed them in the sea of people.
Chapter 243
A little while later, Vesta, Dalton, and the others emerged from the restroom.
Jasmine was at that age where curiosity seemed to be her constant companion. Everything along their path piqued her interest. She’d dart over here, glance over there, and keep up a stream of chatter with Vesta, who responded with a constant, warm smile.
Dalton watched the interaction and appreciated Vesta’s dedication to Thorne’s child. It dawned on him just how challenging looking after a kid could be.
When they returned to the coffee shop, Dalton’s eyes immediately sought out Thorne. He spotted him lounging comfortably, sipping his coffee and flipping through a magazine, the picture of relaxation.
Dalton paused, taking in the easygoing demeanor. Earlier, as they were heading to the restroom, he had mentioned that he was meeting a friend at the café.
As they entered, Vesta asked, “Did your friend arrive yet?”
Dalton shook his head. “Not yet.”
“Why not come sit with us for a bit?” Vesta suggested.
“You guys are on a date. I wouldn’t want to intrude.”
Vesta laughed gently. “It’s fine. Thorne won’t mind.”
Dalton joined Vesta and Jasmine as they walked over to Thorne’s table. As they approached, Dalton noticed a striking bouquet of red roses beside Thorne’s seat.
It was clear Thorne had given them to Vesta, suggesting that perhaps Thorne wasn’t as indifferent as Dalton had first assumed.
“Daddy, we’re back!” Jasmine announced as she quickly returned to her seat.
Thorne acknowledged with a nod, turning to Vesta, only then noticing Dalton. “Mr. Ramirez?” he greeted.
Dalton replied, “Ran into Ms. Hawkins at the entrance and saw you here, so I thought I’d come over and say hi.
Thorne shook hands with him, and after a bit of small talk, Dalton observed the three of them seemed to gel well together. He decided not to impose further and said, “My friend should be here any minute. I’ll catch you next time.”
Thorne didn’t insist, simply nodding. “Alright.”
Dalton gave Vesta a quick look before finding a seat not too far from them. He couldn’t hear their conversation from where he sat.
After about twenty minutes, it seemed Thorne and the others were preparing to leave. Thorne came over to say goodbye.
Dalton asked, “Heading out?”
“Yeah,” Thorne replied, “See you next time.”
Thorne left, but Vesta and Jasmine lingered. Dalton asked, “You’re not leaving with them?”
Vesta smiled, “Thorne’s bringing the car around from the underground parking.”
The parking garage was quite extensive, but the street was just nearby. Thorne’s offer to pick them up was indeed a considerate gesture.
Dalton returned the smile. Vesta then asked, “Did your friend ever show up?”
Dalton shook his head, “Nope.”
Vesta lowered her eyes, a knowing look passing through them but choosing not to mention it. “So, are you going to keep waiting?”
Dalton replied, “Nah, I think I’m done.”
They chatted for a bit longer until Thorne called Vesta to let her know he was ready.
Vesta said, “Time for us to go.”
Dalton nodded, “Take care.”
Outside the café, as Vesta and Dalton were saying their goodbyes, Jasmine suddenly tugged at Vesta’s hand, her eyes wide as she looked off to the side.
“Minnie?” she exclaimed, convinced she had spotted Charlene. But with the crowd bustling around, her small stature made it impossible to keep sight of her mom.
“Ms. Hawkins, I think I really saw-” Jasmine started, but Vesta gently interrupted, “Your dad’s waiting. Let’s go.”
Chapter 244
Jasmine glanced around once more, ensuring Charlene was nowhere in sight, before leaving with Vesta.
As he watched them walk away, Dalton was about to head off himself when he noticed Charlene standing a short distance away.
His stride faltered.
Realizing he couldn’t just ignore her, he paused, especially since Charlene’s gaze was fixed on Vesta and Jasmine with an icy intensity.
Charlene’s face was expressionless, her eyes cold and detached. To Dalton, it looked like she was staring at Vesta as if she were her sworn enemy.
The thought crossed his mind that Charlene might harbor some ill intentions towards Vesta, still holding onto old grudges.
Dalton decided to approach her.
Charlene was carrying quite a few things. Two potted plants and several decorative items for her home.
The decorations were a spontaneous buy. Since moving into her current place, she had been too caught up with her personal affairs to focus much on decor, leaving her living space somewhat empty and devoid of personal touches. Although she initially went out just to buy plants, she ended up grabbing a few decorative items from a nearby store as well.
As she was leaving, she hadn’t expected to run into Vesta and Jasmine.
Once they left, she was about to go her own way when Dalton marched up to her, demanding, “What are you planning?”
Charlene stopped in her tracks. “What do you mean?”
Dalton replied, “She couldn’t care less about you. You’re not important to her. Yet you still hold a grudge. Doesn’t that seem pointless?”
“Couldn’t care less?” Charlene’s eyes turned colder. “You hold her in such high regard, don’t you?”
To Dalton, Vesta was practically perfect.
Before he could respond, Charlene continued, “So, what is it you want to say to me? Warn me not to hurt her?”
Dalton couldn’t deny that this was indeed his intention.
Charlene let out a short, mocking laugh. “Even Thorne hasn’t said that to me, Mr. Ramirez. So, what’s your angle here? Vesta’s secret admirer?”
Dalton didn’t bother hiding his admiration for Vesta from Charlene.
Hearing her words, he retorted coolly, “So, are you suggesting I should remind Thorne to keep an eye on you?” His mind flashed back to that previous party where Thorne had asked Charlene to dance. Dalton and York had speculated that Thorne’s approach was a veiled warning for Charlene to stay away from Vesta.
He added, “Or do you think Thorne’s previous warning was too gentle for your liking?” Charlene remained silent, merely staring at him with a mocking glint in her eyes.
Dalton felt a twinge of irritation at her seemingly contemptuous gaze.
Before he could compose a response, Charlene asked, “Are you really Abelard’s son?”
Though her interactions with Abelard had been limited, she viewed him as a man who exuded both the warmth of a mentor and the commanding presence of a leader.
Yet, she saw none of that reflected in Dalton, aside from their physical resemblance.
Perhaps Dalton’s infatuation with Vesta clouded his judgment.
Dalton was taken aback when she mentioned his father, her tone carrying a familiarity that left him puzzled. How could she possibly know his father?
His expression darkened. “What do you mean by that?”
Charlene didn’t answer his question. Instead, she said, “Aren’t you going to have Thorne warn me? Go ahead, I’ll be waiting.”
With that, she turned on her heel and walked away without a backward glance.
Chapter 245
Thorne and Jasmine had just returned to their villa when Thorne’s phone started ringing.
He picked it up, listened for a moment, and then pocketed his phone, slipping his jacket back on. As he headed upstairs with Jasmine, he said, “Your great–grandma had a fall and she’s in the hospital. I need to go see her. You should get some rest.”
Jasmine looked worried. “I want to see her too-”
“You have school tomorrow. You can visit her after classes.”
“Okay…”
Thorne turned and left the house.
Just as he walked out the door, Jasmine’s phone buzzed. She quickly grabbed it, hoping for some news, but it was only spam.
She sighed, a little disappointed. Earlier, she’d tried calling her mom to see if the woman she thought she spotted at the mall was really her. But her mom hadn’t picked up.
She’d hoped the message might be from her mom, but no such luck. Still, she thought, if her mom had been out shopping on Christmas Eve, she surely would have taken her along. She must have been mistaken.
An hour later, at the Starfall City Central Orthopedic Hospital, Thorne had already spoken with the doctor. Irma, his grandmother, had fractured her leg and would need surgery to replace the bone.
However, the surgery couldn’t be done immediately. They needed to monitor her condition before proceeding.
The rest of the Henderson family was away. The only people at the hospital with Thorne were the old family butler and Abbey, the caregiver who usually looked after Irma.
The butler had already notified the other family members.
Seeing Thorne arrive, the butler stood up to greet him.
Irma lay on her side, eyes closed, ignoring him as he approached.
Thorne pulled up a chair by her side and asked, “Still upset?”
He was talking about a recent initiative he had started at The Henderson Group that involved both the Hawkins and Spencer families. Irma was so upset by it that she hadn’t even taken his calls since.
Irma remained silent.
After a moment, Thorne sighed, “What would you have me do?”
Irma opened her eyes and replied, “You don’t know?”
Thorne knew all too well. “I understand. I’ll have it taken care of tomorrow.”
By “taking care of it,” he meant pulling the project back from the Hawkins and Spencer families.
“And what else?”
Thorne knew what she was hinting at, and he frowned, “Grandma..,”
Irma closed her eyes again.
Thorne stopped speaking.
A little while later, Irma spoke again, “You can go now.”
Thorne didn’t leave. Instead, he tucked the blanket around her more snugly.
When the doctor returned, he updated Thorne on Irma’s condition, informing him that the surgery could be scheduled for the day after tomorrow. The operation was relatively low–risk, and barring complications, she should be able to use a walker within a month.
After the doctor left, the butler, looking at Irma’s form through the hospital room window, said, “She really wants to see Charlene, but she won’t let me call her…”
Irma felt guilty about Charlene and couldn’t bear the thought of summoning her now that she was injured.
Thorne nodded. “I understand.”
The butler said nothing more and returned to the room.
Chapter 246
That night, Thorne decided to stay at the hospital.
The next morning, his mother, Claudia, and friends like Tiffany Henderson started arriving at the hospital one by one. When they found out Thorne had been there all night, they urged him to go home and get some rest.
Thorne turned to his grandmother and said, “I’ll come back to see you this evening.”
Irma didn’t respond.
As Thorne left the hospital, he made a phone call.
An hour later, the Hawkins and Spencer families received the surprising news that they were being dropped from the project team. They scrambled to get in touch with Vesta.
“It’s Irma’s decision,” Vesta explained. “She had an accident last night…”
The Spencer and Hawkins families hadn’t seen this coming. Garfield Spencer voiced his concern, “So… is Irma also going to demand Thorne break up with you and insist he doesn’t divorce Charlene?”
Vesta pressed her lips together in thought. They discussed the situation a bit more before she ended the call.
Just then, someone knocked on her door, “Director Hawkins, the meeting is about to start.”
“Got it,” Vesta replied, placing her phone down. As she made her way to the meeting room, she accidentally bumped into Charlene, who was deep in a work-related conversation with Quincy.
Even though she knew the collaboration between Neural Nexus Tech and PrimeStar was ongoing, and that PrimeStar’s tech team had to drop by occasionally for system maintenance, she hadn’t expected to run into Charlene today.
Charlene noticed Vesta’s gaze and quickly looked away without hesitation.
Around ten in the morning, Charlene was on her way to the restroom when she spotted Thorne. He was leaning against the wall, seemingly waiting for someone.
She was about to walk past him without a second thought when Thorne spoke up, “Grandma had a fall last night. She broke her hip and needs a replacement.”
Charlene stopped dead in her tracks and turned to him.
Thorne gave her the hospital details and room number, adding, “She’d really like to see you.”
Charlene didn’t reply and was about to leave when Vesta emerged from the office, surprised to see Thorne there. She hadn’t expected him to show up at Neural Nexus Tech, let alone see him talking with Charlene. She paused, biting her lip.
Charlene ignored them both and continued to the restroom. By the time she returned, Thorne and Vesta were gone, and she resumed her work.
Around eleven, after completing the maintenance tasks, she and the rest of the PrimeStar team left Neural Nexus Tech and headed back to their own office.
During lunch, Charlene mentioned Irma’s fall to her mom, Helena. Helena was startled and said, “Let’s go visit her at the hospital this evening.”
Regardless of the situation between Charlene and Thorne, Irma had been a great help to the Ross family during their toughest times. Helena felt a deep sense of gratitude that she could never forget.
Charlene nodded, “Alright.”
That afternoon, Charlene left work early to have dinner with her family. Afterward, she and Helena headed to the orthopedic hospital.
“Mom!”
As they arrived at the hospital, Jasmine spotted them and ran over, wrapping her arms around Helena’s leg.
Chapter 247
Charlene wasn’t surprised to see her and gently ruffled her hair. “You came over right after school?”
“Yeah!” Jasmine beamed, her eyes lighting up when she saw her. She then called out, “Great–Grandma Helena.”
Helena acknowledged her with a faint nod just as Thorne emerged from the hospital room.
He nodded at them as they arrived, but Helena’s expression remained cool, offering no further acknowledgment.
Charlene glanced at him briefly before turning her attention back to Jasmine, who seemed eager to speak. “Your mom and I are going to see your great–grandma first, okay?”
“Oh…”
Jasmine, a bit disappointed but understanding, took Charlene’s hand, ready to go into the room together.
Thorne took the bouquet and the fruit basket they brought and followed them back into the hospital room.
Irma’s face lit up with a delighted smile when she saw Charlene and Helena. “What brings you here?”
Helena, noting Irma’s struggle to sit up, quickly intervened. “Oh, come on, after everything that’s happened, you didn’t think to tell us?”
Irma’s smile faded slightly. She glanced over at Thorne, who was busy pouring water for Charlene and Helena. “I didn’t have the heart to face you…”
Charlene and Helena accepted the glasses of water Thorne offered.
Helena finally spoke up, “This is between them, Irma. You’re not to blame.”
“But I-”
With Jasmine present, Irma hesitated to say more.
Helena patted Irma’s hand reassuringly, “I know everything.”
After greeting Helena, Irma shifted her focus to Charlene. Jasmine, who hadn’t seen Charlene since the parent–child event at school, was now sticking close to her side and trying to climb onto her lap.
Charlene set her glass down and lifted Jasmine onto her lap.
When Helena glanced over, Charlene greeted her, “Grandma.”
“Yes, dear.” Irma’s face softened with a warm smile.
With Jasmine there, the conversation steered clear of any issues between Charlene and Thorne. Instead, Helena and Charlene focused on catching up with Irma about her current situation.
Irma shared the details, and when they learned about her surgery scheduled for the next day, Helena said, “I’ll be here to keep you company.”
“Thanks, old friend. It means a lot.”
Having Helena there to chat would boost Irma’s spirits.
After a bit of talking, Irma suddenly remembered. “You haven’t had dinner, have you? Thorne, why don’t you arrange-”
“No need,” Helena interjected. “Charlene and I ate before we came.”
She turned to Thorne with a cool tone, “If you and Minnie haven’t eaten, you should go grab something.”
Jasmine, who hadn’t had a meal with Charlene in ages, clung to her neck. “Mom, I’ve missed you so much. Can’t you come with us?”
Remembering the events of the previous night, Charlene offered a soft, resigned smile. “I’ve had a long day at work, sweetheart. I’m tired and just don’t feel up to moving around much. You all go ahead.”
With Charlene’s gentle refusal, Jasmine couldn’t argue further. Yet, nestled in Charlene’s familiar embrace, she was reluctant to let go, savoring her mom’s comforting scent.
Chapter 248
She glanced over at Thorne, who was sitting nearby, watching them. “Dad, can we eat here? How about we get some takeout and bring it back to eat together?”
Thorne smiled and nodded. “Sure.”
Jasmine beamed with joy and clung to Charlene even tighter,
Helena and Irma had plenty to talk about, keeping the conversation lively, while Charlene mostly listened, interjecting now and then with a comment or two.
After a while, Jasmine began to feel tired. She turned to Charlene and asked, “Mom, when do you think you’ll be done with work?”
Not wanting Helena to overhear, Charlene scooped Jasmine up and carried her over to the couch in the hospital room before answering, “I’m not really sure, sweetie. But if nothing unexpected happens, I’ll probably get busier.”
“What?” Jasmine was taken aback, clearly disappointed by the news.
“Then when will you have time to take me skiing?” she asked, still holding onto the promise.
Charlene thought for a moment. “Maybe next month.”
“Really?”
“Yes,” Charlene assured her. “When I have some free time, I’ll let you know.”
“Okay!” Jasmine brightened up at this.
Remembering something from the night before, Jasmine quickly inquired, “Oh, Mom, did you go shopping last night?”
Charlene paused but eventually replied, “Yes.”
“Really? So, the person I saw last night was you?”
“Possibly,” Charlene said, noticing Thorne looking at her from the corner of his eye.
It had been a while since Jasmine went shopping with Charlene. Even though she used to think of shopping as rather dull, she now found herself missing those trips.
“Next time you have some free time, can we go shopping too? And maybe hit the arcade for some bumper cars?” Jasmine suggested enthusiastically.
Charlene nodded. “Sure.”
Jasmine kept talking excitedly, while Thorne took Charlene’s previously used glass, emptied the now–cool water, and refilled it with warm water, placing it back on the coffee table in front of her.
Charlene glanced at him and murmured her thanks.
Thorne replied, “You’re welcome,” settling down on the sofa beside them.
Irma and Helena had been deep in conversation, but seeing the little family gathered together, Irma paused mid-sentence.
Helena followed her gaze but didn’t comment, simply redirecting her attention elsewhere.
Irma sighed. “You know-”
“Once they’ve made their choice, we shouldn’t push them,” Helena interrupted gently.
Irma sighed again and let the matter drop.
Before long, the food Thorne had ordered arrived–a feast spread out across the table, clearly more than just for two.
Thorne turned to Charlene. “Why don’t you join us?”
Charlene saw that half the dishes on the table were her favorites, and Thorne had thoughtfully placed them within easy reach for her. Then Thorne added, “Minnie, go invite Grandma to join us.”
“Okay,” Jasmine replied, finally detaching herself from Charlene and trotting over to Helena, tugging her hand to lead her to the table.
Irma added, “Come on, have a little. Otherwise, I’ll feel bad asking you to come keep me company again tomorrow.”
Helena reluctantly joined them at the table. She hesitated for a moment when she saw all of Charlene’s favorite dishes neatly placed in front of her and cast a glance at Thorne.
Chapter 249
As usual, Charlene remained calm.
With Thorne’s memory, recalling these details was no big deal,
The fact that Thorne had prepared all of this was probably just his way of thanking them for visiting Irma.
Nothing more.
After finishing their meal, Charlene and Helena stayed for another hour before deciding it was time to leave.
Seeing it was getting late, Irma didn’t insist on them staying. She turned to Thorne and said, “You and Minnie should head home early too.”
“Alright,” Thorne replied, “I’ll come by in the morning to check on you,”
Charlene, Thorne, and the others left the hospital room together.
Once they were in the elevator, Thorne asked, “Did you drive yourself here?”
Charlene nodded, “Yeah.”
Thorne didn’t say anything more, but Jasmine suddenly remembered something and quickly asked Charlene, “Mom, are you not coming home tonight either?”
Charlene replied, “No, I’m taking your grandma back home and plan to stay over there tonight.”
“Then I want to stay at Grandma’s too!”
Though Jasmine had grown closer to Thorne lately, in Helena’s heart, Jasmine was always Charlene’s daughter.
Hearing Jasmine wanting to stay at the Ross‘, Helena warmly agreed, “Of course, sweetheart.”
Since Helena had already agreed, Charlene felt she couldn’t say no. However, she reminded Jasmine, “You don’t have any clothes to change into at grandma’s.”
Before Jasmine went abroad with Thorne, Charlene often took her to the Ross‘, and back then, Jasmine had a whole wardrobe of clothes there, thanks to her mom and aunt Maisie.
However, in the past couple of years, Jasmine’s visits to the Ross‘ had significantly decreased. Kids grow fast, and Charlene and Maisie hadn’t kept up with updating her wardrobe like before.
So now, there were no clothes that fit her at the Ross‘.
“Really?” Jasmine pouted, “Then-”
At that moment, Thorne chimed in, “I’ll call someone to drop off some clothes for you.”
Charlene paused but didn’t say anything more.
Jasmine was thrilled, “Yay, I can sleep with Mom tonight!”
Outside the hospital, Jasmine happily climbed into Charlene’s car while Thorne walked over to his own car and handed Jasmine her backpack.
Jasmine took it with a cheerful, “Thanks, Dad!”
Thorne ruffled her hair gently, glancing at Charlene in the driver’s seat. Charlene didn’t look back but told Jasmine, “Minnie, say goodbye to Dad.”
Jasmine obediently said, “Goodbye, Dad.”
“Goodbye.”
As Thorne’s voice faded, Charlene rolled up the window, turned the car around, and drove away.
By the time they reached the Ross‘, Jasmine’s clothes had already been delivered.
As Jasmine dashed upstairs, Helena turned to Charlene and remarked, “It’s good that he doesn’t limit your time with Minnie.”
Helena had worried that with custody on Thorne’s side, he might prevent Charlene from seeing Jasmine.
If that happened over time, there was a risk of the mother and daughter growing distant.
For any mother, that was a heartbreaking thought.
Charlene didn’t explain further to Helena, simply nodding and suggesting she rest early before heading upstairs herself.
The next morning……
The Ross family and Jasmine were having breakfast downstairs.
Suddenly, there was a notification from the security post out front–they had a visitor.
Charlene glanced outside and saw it was Thorne’s car.
Chapter 250
Jasmine’s excitement bubbled over as she spotted Thorne. Racing towards him, she called out, “Hey, it’s Dad! Mom, let Dad in!”
Charlene gave a slight nod, her eyes downcast. “Alright.”
The rest of the Ross family overheard the exchange between Charlene and Jasmine.
They were slightly taken aback at the news of Thorne’s arrival. But with Jasmine there, they didn’t press Charlene for details about Thorne’s visit.
A few moments later, Thorne showed up.
Charlene stepped outside to meet him and asked, “Are you here to take Grandma to the hospital?”
Thorne nodded. “Yes.”
Charlene acknowledged with a nod. “Okay, give me a moment.”
Thorne stayed put in his car, waiting patiently.
After about ten minutes, Helena emerged from the house. Seeing her, Thorne got out of the car and courteously opened the door for her.
Jasmine was also ready to head to school. She waved to Thorne, “Bye, Dad.”
“Bye, sweetheart,” he replied, nodding in acknowledgment to Charlene and the rest of the Ross family before getting back into his car and driving off.
Charlene then drove Jasmine to school.
At eleven–thirty, while Charlene was busy at work, her phone buzzed with a call from Helena. “The surgery went perfectly.”
Feeling relieved, Charlene ended the call.
Not long after, her phone rang again. This time, it was Thorne calling.
Charlene didn’t pick up.
Shortly after, a message from Thorne popped up: “We’re going out for lunch later. Want to join?”
Charlene didn’t respond.
She felt that her silence was clear enough–Thorne would surely understand what it meant, even if he had to use his toes to figure it out.
As expected, Thorne didn’t text again.
But just around noon, her phone rang once more. It was Connie Snyder.
“Charlene, guess who I just saw at the restaurant? Your husband–no, soon–to–be ex–helping your grandma up the stairs!”
Before Charlene could respond, Connie continued, “Are you two back together without telling me?”
“No,” Charlene replied, flipping through a book. She explained about Irma’s fall and hospitalization, adding, “We visited Grandma, and he’s just being considerate.”
That’s why he went out of his way to personally drive her grandma to the hospital this morning.
Connie sounded disappointed. “Is that all?”
“Yeah.”
Charlene interpreted Thorne’s extra politeness and care as his way of ensuring he didn’t owe anything to her or her grandma.
In truth, his actions were more about drawing clear lines between them.
Only someone with wishful thinking would assume he wanted to rekindle their relationship.
That evening, Charlene worked late.
When she finally arrived at the hospital, it was past seven.
As she got out of her car, she noticed Vesta leaning against a vehicle nearby.
Vesta spotted her too.
She pressed her lips together, giving Charlene a cold stare, but remained silent.
Charlene shut her car door, ignoring Vesta’s gaze, and carried a bouquet of flowers into the hospital.
The VIP floor was quiet.
When Charlene pushed open the door, she found Thorne, Granger, and Moran inside.
Remembering Vesta downstairs, she quickly deduced that the four of them likely came together.
Whether Vesta had come up to see Irma or not was anyone’s guess.
Upon seeing Charlene, Moran pursed her lips.
Granger, however, rose from his chair.
Thorne approached Charlene with a simple, “You’re here?”
Charlene diverted her eyes, choosing not to answer him directly. She turned her attention to Irma and offered a warm smile. “Hi, Grandma.”
お金金
SEND GIFT or GCASH: +63.936.139.8714
COMMENT
Subscribe
