Chapter 481
After Charlene and Malvina left, Vesta just stood there, frozen in place, unable to snap out of it for a long time.
She only came to her senses when Maureen Spencer, who had been waiting for her at the restaurant, called to hurry her along after noticing she was running late.
Vesta hung up, walked into the restaurant, and was immediately met with Maureen’s concerned gaze. “What’s wrong? Are you feeling alright?” Maureen asked.
Vesta shook her head. “No, I’m fine.”
Her voice was barely above a whisper, as if all the energy had been drained from her. She looked lost and distracted, her whole demeanor off in a way that Maureen couldn’t ignore.
Maureen frowned, worry etched across her face.
Not long after Charlene got home from dinner, her phone buzzed with a message from Thorne.
*Something urgent came up at Stonepine. After I get back, I’ll need to delay my return to Starfall by a few days.*
Charlene read the message, took a deep breath, and felt her mood sink.
But she’d just broken a promise herself not two weeks ago, so no matter how frustrated she was, she knew she couldn’t make a fuss about it-at least not this time. If it happened again…
She tossed her phone aside and headed for the shower.
The next morning, Charlene returned to work at PrimeStar as usual.
Seeing her back in the office after a two-week absence, Gaylord grinned. “You’re back?”
Charlene nodded. “Yeah.”
Since Gaylord had started at PrimeStar, Charlene had already taken several long breaks. When Stewart said she had personal matters to handle, Gaylord had wondered what could possibly keep her away for so long.
Now, he figured she must have been sorting out her divorce. After all, she and her ex-husband had a child together, and custody battles could drag on for ages. He couldn’t help but wonder if she’d managed to finalize the divorce this time.
After chatting with Gaylord, Charlene dove back into her work.
Three days later, instead of a call from Thorne, she received a call from his mother, Claudia.
“My mother-in-law’s come down with the flu, complicated by chronic respiratory disease and respiratory failure. She’s in critical condition at Royal Oak Healthcare. She wants to see you.”
Charlene didn’t have time for a surprise. As soon as she processed the words, she grabbed her bag and rushed to the hospital.
When she arrived, Tiffany Henderson, Terence Henderson, Claudia, and the Henderson family’s longtime butler were all waiting anxiously outside the ER.
Tiffany glanced at Charlene and pursed her lips, saying nothing. Claudia remained silent as well.
Only Terence greeted her. “Charlene.”
Charlene paused, didn’t reply, and instead asked, “How is she?”
Terence answered, “They’re still working on her. No news yet.”
The butler, knowing she and Thorne hadn’t officially divorced, greeted her politely as well. “Charlene.”
She acknowledged him with a nod after a moment.
The butler continued, “I’ve already contacted Thorne and Minnie. They’ve booked flights and should be here soon.’
“
Charlene nodded again. In this situation, even Tiffany, who’d never liked Charlene, had nothing to argue about.
With nothing left to say, silence settled once more in the waiting area outside the ER.
Time seemed to stretch on endlessly.
At last, the doors swung open.
Charlene, Claudia, and the others hurried forward.
“Doctor, my mother-in-law-“
“Doctor, my grandmother-“
The doctor pulled down his mask and said, “She’s stable for now, but her condition is still very serious. Whether she pulls through will depend on her own strength.”
Chapter 482
The old woman’s waking hours were unpredictable.
Charlene had been waiting at the hospital with the others for over an hour. When Irma still hadn’t woken up, Claudia turned to Charlene and said quietly, “You should go home for now. If she wakes up, or if there’s any change, I’ll let you know right away.”
Charlene glanced at Irma Henderson lying in the hospital bed, hooked up to a ventilator. She checked her phone before replying, “It’s still early. I’d like to wait a little longer.”
Claudia didn’t object.
Terence and Tiffany stayed as well.
Charlene waited until nearly eleven that night. When the doctor said Irma’s condition had stabilized but that she wouldn’t wake up anytime soon, Charlene finally decided to go home and rest.
It was more than an hour after Charlene left that Thorne and Jasmine arrived at the hospital.
Thorne already knew Charlene had come to see his grandmother. Both he and Claudia chose to stay the night with Irma, while the butler was asked to take Jasmine home to rest.
For as long as Jasmine could remember, this was her first time facing life and death so directly.
Staring at her great-grandmother lying motionless in the hospital bed, Jasmine clung to Thorne’s waist, her face buried against him. Her eyes grew red with fear. “I don’t want to go home. I want to see Mom.”
Thorne lifted her gently and settled her on his lap. Glancing at the clock, he said, “It’s almost one in the morning. I’m not sure if your mom is still awake. Let’s check with her first.”
“Oh… then I’ll call-“
“I’ll do it,” Thorne interrupted softly.
“Okay.”
Thorne picked up his phone and sent Charlene a message:
*Are you still awake? Minnie and I are at the hospital. I’m staying overnight with Grandma. Minnie’s a bit scared after seeing everything and wants to be with you. Is that alright?*
Charlene hadn’t gone to bed yet. Worry over Irma kept her restless, even at such a late hour.
When she was Jasmine’s age, her own grandfather had suffered a serious accident. She knew all too well the fear and confusion Jasmine must be feeling.
She replied:
*Let her come over.*
Thorne wrote back:
*Thank you.*
Charlene was about to set her phone down and head downstairs for a glass of water when another message popped up from Thorne:
*Can we postpone the divorce for a few days?*
She understood he meant they should wait until Irma’s condition was more stable before making any decisions.
Charlene hesitated for a moment, then answered:
*Alright.*
Thorne:
*Thanks.*
This time, Charlene didn’t reply.
Half an hour later, Jasmine arrived.
After her bath, Jasmine climbed into bed. Charlene gathered her in her arms and gently stroked her cheek. “Time to sleep.”
It was the first time since Charlene had asked for a divorce that she’d pulled Jasmine so close, holding her protectively.
Nestled against her mother, Jasmine finally relaxed.
She’d spent the whole day running back and forth with Thorne and was exhausted. Within minutes, she drifted off to sleep in Charlene’s arms.
By the next morning, Irma still hadn’t regained consciousness.
After checking in with the housekeeper, Charlene and Helena brought Jasmine to the hospital to visit Irma.
Thorne seemed genuinely busy by the time they arrived, just past eight, he and Josh were already deep in conversation about work, several folders spread out on the table in front of him.
When he saw them, Thorne stood up and greeted them. “You’re here?”
Charlene gave a brief, quiet nod. Thorne turned to Helena. “Good morning, Mrs. Ross.”
Helena merely nodded and headed straight into Irma’s room.
Charlene had a meeting to attend that morning, so after seeing Irma, she prepared to head to the office.
Jasmine clung to her, reluctant to let go. “Mom, I want to stay with you. Can I come to work with you today?”
Chapter 483
Charlene was just about to speak when Thorne cut in first. “Your mom’s busy with work. Don’t bother her.”
Jasmine pouted, clearly displeased, her wide, hopeful eyes fixed on Charlene.
Charlene crouched down to meet her daughter’s gaze. “I have to go back to the office for a meeting, and right after that, I need to visit another client. It’s really not convenient to bring you along this time. Next time, sweetheart, I promise.”
Jasmine’s face fell, her voice muffled with disappointment, but she finally let go of Charlene’s hand. “Okay…”
Irma was still asleep, and there wasn’t much to say between Helena and Thorne. So, when Charlene left, Helena quietly left with her.
Inside the elevator, Helena’s voice was low and even. “He’s not worried you’ll be distracted if Minnie goes to the office with you. He’s worried someone he knows will see her there, isn’t he?”
Charlene understood exactly what she meant.
If word got out that she and Thorne were still technically married, Vesta would be the first to suffer.
To protect Vesta, Thorne had every reason to keep their not-quite-divorced status under wraps until everything was finalized.
When they reached the ground floor, Charlene watched Helena’s car pull away before turning on her heel and heading for her own car.
At the hospital, as Granger Harden stepped out of his car, he immediately recognized Charlene’s profile in the distance.
He opened his mouth to call out, but Charlene was already driving out of the parking lot.
The words died on Granger’s lips.
Moran Albright walked around from the driver’s side and clapped him on the shoulder. “Lost in thought again? C’mon, let’s go.”
Snapping back to reality, Granger followed Moran inside and up the stairs.
As they entered the hospital room, Jasmine greeted them with a bright, “Granger, Mr. Albright!”
Granger smiled, ruffling Jasmine’s hair before placing the fruit basket he’d brought on the table.
That’s when he noticed the gifts Charlene and Helena had brought earlier, neatly arranged nearby. On one package, a card was tucked under the ribbon, Charlene’s handwriting clear and delicate: “Wishing Irma a swift recovery.”
Seeing Charlene’s familiar script, something inside Granger softened. He found himself staring at the card, lost in thought, eyes lingering on the name: Charlene.
He was so distracted, he didn’t notice Moran calling his name at first. “Granger, come sit with us. What are you looking at?”
Granger blinked, turning to find both Moran and Thorne watching him.
Catching Thorne’s gaze, Granger instinctively looked away. “Yeah, coming.” He set down the fruit basket, hesitated, then shifted it so it was right next to the gifts Charlene had left.
No sooner had Granger sat down than Thorne’s phone rang.
It was Vesta.
Thorne glanced at the screen, then answered.
On the other end, Vesta’s voice was full of concern. “How’s Mrs. Henderson? Has she woken up yet?”
“Not yet.”
“And Minnie? Is she feeling any better?”
“Much better.”
“Could I speak to her for a moment?”
“Of course.
Thorne handed the phone to Jasmine.
Jasmine’s eyes lit up. “Is that Ms. Hawkins?”
Thorne nodded.
Jasmine snatched up the phone, her voice instantly sweet and affectionate. “Ms. Hawkins…”
Realizing it was Vesta on the line, Moran rubbed the bridge of his nose.
Before coming over, he’d asked Thorne if Vesta would be at the hospital, but Thorne had told him no.
It wasn’t until later that Moran learned Claudia had laid down the law the night before, making it clear Vesta wasn’t to visit Mrs. Hawkins.
To be fair, Claudia’s exact words had been, “Don’t bring any unnecessary people into your grandmother’s room while she’s recovering.”
Chapter 484
The thought had just crossed Moran’s mind to gossip about it a little more, but with Jasmine and the butler both present, she decided it wasn’t the time. She snapped her mouth shut.
Thorne and Granger both had pressing matters to attend to. After checking in on Irma, Granger and Moran didn’t linger long in the hospital room.
Still, it had been quite a while since any of them had shared a meal together.
As they were leaving, Moran suggested, “If you can all carve out some time, how about we get together for dinner tonight?”
Thorne and Granger both agreed in unison, “Sounds good.”
Thorne spent the whole day at the hospital, buried in work. That evening, Claudia came to relieve him, so he headed to the restaurant Moran had picked out.
Jasmine had returned to the Ross family home at lunchtime, so Thorne was on his own that evening.
When he arrived at the restaurant, Granger and Moran were already there.
Vesta was the last to arrive.
She opened the door to their private dining room. Thorne glanced up first and greeted her, “You made it?”
Vesta offered a small smile. “Yeah.”
As she answered, she caught sight of Granger sitting nearby.
Back when she first learned that Granger’s feelings had shifted and he’d developed an interest in Charlene, Vesta had been shocked-then utterly baffled. She just couldn’t see what was so special about Charlene, apart from her looks, that would make Granger fall for her.
Especially considering how much Granger used to despise Charlene for drugging Thorne and forcing that disastrous marriage. Why the sudden change of heart?
But now…
Vesta’s mind replayed the scene she’d witnessed in the parking lot a few days ago, when she’d seen Charlene and Stewart together the founders of PrimeStar. Then there was CUAP, the research project Vesta had admired for so long, and it turned out Charlene had led the team. She remembered the way Charlene had called Malvina “mentor’s wife”-the kind of affectionate title only a close student would use. PrimeStar was now making money hand over fist, and Charlene was right at the heart of it. All the little things she’d noticed over the past months that tied Charlene to PrimeStar suddenly clicked into place.
Now, Vesta finally understood what Granger saw in Charlene.
It also dawned on her that Granger might have known Charlene was Kenton’s student all along. He probably knew about her connection to PrimeStar, too.
Despite knowing all of this, he’d never breathed a word to Vesta-not once.
She thought back to how hard she’d tried to impress him, desperate to be noticed by Kenton herself. How many times had she mentioned her admiration for the creators of CUAP, all the while not knowing the truth? Now she felt like a complete fool.
It was almost laughable.
Clutching her purse tightly, Vesta had to grit her teeth just to keep her composure, but her knuckles turned white from the force. Despite her best efforts, her eyes shimmered with the beginnings of tears-tears born of humiliation.
In that moment, she realized that Granger’s feelings for her had probably faded long ago. His heart had slipped away quietly and settled on Charlene without her ever noticing.
All of this raced through Vesta’s mind in just a few seconds.
Thorne, noticing she’d frozen in place by the door, turned to her again. He was about to speak, but then he caught sight of her pale face and hesitated. “Are you okay? You look awful.”
Hearing his question, both Moran and Granger looked over as well.
Vesta’s hands trembled as she gripped her purse, fighting to keep her emotions in check. After a couple of seconds, she forced a smile and managed to say, “I’m fine.”
Chapter 485
To avoid drawing any suspicion, Vesta Hawkins did her best to act like everything was normal, throwing herself into the conversation with Thorne Henderson, Granger Harden, and Moran Albright as if nothing was amiss.
That evening, when Vesta got home, Leah Spencer and Georgina Spencer were sitting on the couch, chatting.
As soon as Vesta walked in, Leah, munching on a slice of watermelon, turned her head and asked, “Hey, sis, did the old woman from the Henderson family wake up yet?”
Vesta shook her head. “Not yet.”
“Really? Is there any idea when she’ll come around?”
Again, Vesta shook her head.
Hearing this, Leah and Laverne Hawkins both frowned.
They’d already heard about Irma Henderson’s sudden illness not long after she was rushed into the emergency room.
Thorne had told Vesta almost immediately that, because of Irma’s condition, he’d decided to delay the divorce with Charlene Ross.
Divorce isn’t exactly a pleasant subject, and with Irma so seriously ill, it wouldn’t look good for Thorne and Charlene to be rushing into it. So, the fact that Thorne wanted to postpone things made sense to everyone.
Still, understanding was one thing-being happy about it was another.
If Irma hadn’t gotten sick, Thorne would have finished up his business and, within a few days, he and Charlene could have finalized the divorce.
But now that Irma still hadn’t regained consciousness, no one knew how long the divorce would be put off.
Rhoda, on the other hand, seemed unbothered. She patted her daughter’s head and smiled. “Whether the old lady wakes up tomorrow or next week, it doesn’t really matter. With Thorne’s feelings for Vesta, it’s only a matter of time before they get married. This whole thing is just a temporary setback. Honestly, you’re more anxious than the people involved.”
Leah blinked, then grinned. “You’re right.”
She huffed and added, “I just can’t stand that snake Charlene still pretending to be my sister’s wife.”
In the past, whenever people brought up these things, Vesta would always remain calm, acting as if nothing could possibly shake the bond between her and Thorne.
But now…
Listening to Rhoda and Leah talk, Vesta lowered her eyes, staying quiet. It was only after they finished that she said softly, “I’m a little tired. I’ll head upstairs.”
Leah didn’t notice anything off about her. Hearing Vesta say she was tired, she just chirped, “Okay, goodnight, sis!”
Maureen Spencer, however, caught the slight change in her daughter’s expression.
A few days earlier, after Vesta had overheard some “truths” about Charlene in the parking lot, Maureen had noticed something off about her, too. But since Vesta hadn’t wanted to talk about it-and Maureen herself had been called away on urgent family business-she hadn’t given it much more thought. She hadn’t been around these past few days, so she didn’t really know what had happened.
Seeing Vesta looking unwell, Maureen simply assumed she was tired and let it go.
Meanwhile, on the other side of town-
Charlene was packing up her things, getting ready to leave the office, when Stewart Ferguson knocked and stepped inside. He handed her several gold-embossed invitations and smiled. “Preparations for the anniversary celebration are pretty much set. These are some of the invitations I put aside for you.” Charlene took them with a smile. “Thanks, Stewart.”
He waved her off. “No need for thanks. We’re friends, aren’t we?” Then, as if remembering something, he added, “Oh, I also had invitations sent over to the Henderson Group. I figured…”
Charlene nodded, still smiling. “It’s okay. I understand, Stewart.”
Chapter 486
Charlene left the office and returned to the Ross family estate, but Jasmine Henderson was nowhere to be seen.
She’d heard Jasmine had gone home to be with Thorne.
Irma’s condition was still precarious, and Charlene couldn’t help worrying. Over the next few days, she made it a point to visit the hospital every morning.
Sometimes, when she arrived, Thorne was there. Other times, she found Claudia and Tiffany Henderson sitting by Irma’s bedside.
Claudia had never approved of Charlene as her daughter-in-law, but whenever Charlene came to check on the old lady, Claudia would still offer a polite thank you.
Tiffany wasn’t fond of Charlene either. But with Thorne and Charlene’s divorce now imminent, she felt there was no point in making snide remarks anymore. So, during these recent encounters, she kept her opinions to herself.
On this particular morning, when Charlene arrived at the hospital to see Irma, she found all three Henderson siblings-Tiffany, Thorne, and Terence-along with Claudia gathered in the room.
After checking in on Irma, Charlene was about to leave when Thorne stood up. “Let me walk you out.”
“That’s not necessary,” she replied, her tone cool. Without a backward glance, she left the room.
Thorne didn’t insist.
Tiffany, who had been out of town for a while and hadn’t seen Charlene in ages before Irma’s incident, watched her leave. Noticing how decisively Charlene walked away, showing not a trace of longing for Thorne, Tiffany turned to him and said, “Looks like she’s really over you.”
Thorne gave a small, wry smile, but before he could respond, his phone rang.
After leaving the hospital, Charlene headed straight to Henderson Group headquarters.
As noon approached, she and a few colleagues prepared to go out for lunch.
When the elevator doors slid open on the ground floor, they almost bumped into someone heading in-the last person Charlene expected to see: Vesta.
Vesta didn’t frequent Henderson Group often, but she’d been there enough times that most employees recognized her. After all, everyone knew she was Thorne’s girlfriend.
Because of her relationship with Thorne, the staff greeted her warmly. “Ms. Hawkins.”
Vesta hadn’t anticipated running into Charlene. Her steps faltered for a split second, and she clutched her purse, averting her gaze.
As the staff greeted her, she mustered a polite smile, nodded in acknowledgment, and slipped past Charlene and the others into the elevator.
A moment later, she reached the top floor.
Josh and Coy, waiting there, also greeted her courteously. “Ms. Hawkins.”
She returned their greetings with a gentle smile.
At Thorne’s office, she paused to knock before entering.
Inside, Thorne was buried in paperwork. Only when Vesta stepped in did he look up, and at that, she offered him a genuine smile. “Still working?”
“Not done yet,” he replied.
Though he’d been back in Starfall City for several days, this was his first day at Henderson Group. The rest of his time had been swallowed up by other responsibilities.
Vesta smiled, moving closer. She noticed an invitation in his hand and leaned in, curiosity piqued. “What’s that?”
Thorne glanced at the envelope. “It’s an invitation to PrimeStar
Technologies’ tenth anniversary gala. It arrived days ago, but I haven’t had
a chance to look at it until now.”
The smile froze on Vesta’s face.
Thorne noticed immediately. “What’s wrong?” he asked, looking up.
She forced a smile, her laughter awkward. “PrimeStar’s been around for ten years already?”
He nodded, amused. “Yeah, hard to believe, isn’t it?”
Clutching her purse a little tighter, Vesta hesitated before asking, “Are you planning to go?”
Thorne replied, “I should. With the way our companies are working together, even if I’m busy, I’ll make the time.”
Vesta’s smile faltered at the corners. “I see…”
Chapter 487
Thorne asked, “Want to go together when the time comes?”
Vesta instinctively started to refuse. “I don’t-“
She was about to say she wasn’t sure she’d have time, but then realized that wasn’t really her style. So before the word “don’t” was fully out, she changed course. “Sure.”
With that, she was about to sit on the couch when her eyes caught a document on Thorne’s desk. The title made her pause mid-step.
Noticing her gaze, Thorne explained, “The company’s interested in developing a new large-scale model. That’s a research report on PrimeStar’s programming language and two of their latest in-house projects. There’s some pretty interesting stuff in there-they actually made some headway. You’ll probably get a lot out of reading it.”
As he spoke, he handed her the file.
If this had been before, Vesta would have taken the report with genuine curiosity and excitement.
But now…
Her expression stiffened for a split second.
Still, Thorne had already passed it to her, so she had no choice but to accept it. “Alright.”
Just as she took it, something occurred to her. She couldn’t help but ask, “If we’re only now starting to look into PrimeStar and develop our own thing, won’t the market have moved on by the time we actually launch? Tech. changes so fast these days…”
“That’s true,” Thorne replied. “But the point isn’t to copy what PrimeStar’s done. It’s about learning from their core innovations and building something new.”
“Yeah… that makes sense.”
Thorne continued, “But honestly, PrimeStar’s moving so quickly, and I don’t think what they’ve created is just a flash in the pan. Take their programming language-it took years before people really noticed its value. And those two projects they just launched? I’d bet it’ll take other companies at least three years to even catch up, even at today’s pace. So studying them is anything but pointless.”
His tone left no doubt about his admiration and appreciation for PrimeStar’s work.
Hearing all this, Vesta felt her heart sink.
Thorne truly admired talented people.
If he ever found out that Charlene was the mastermind behind PrimeStar’s programming language…
Or that the two breakthrough projects had only been developed after Charlene joined PrimeStar-
In other words, she’d probably led the teams behind both of them…
If Thorne ever knew any of that…
Vesta’s thoughts spiraled as she glanced at Thorne, who was already engrossed in the file again. Her grip on the document tightened until her knuckles turned white.
That evening, Vesta went to the Hawkins’ for dinner.
The family was chatting animatedly around the table when, suddenly, a news segment about PrimeStar popped up on the TV.
Vesta paused and looked up, just as the anchor reported on PrimeStar’s new partnership with Nicol Corporation.
On screen, Nicol’s CEO praised the collaboration, saying that working with PrimeStar had swiftly solved some persistent problems. The news also noted that similar overseas companies were now lining up to work with PrimeStar as well.
Not long ago, the Hawkins and Spencer families hadn’t thought much about PrimeStar either way.
But ever since PrimeStar snatched the smart transit project they both had their eyes on, everyone at both families had come to resent the company.
Now, seeing PrimeStar not only land that project but also score another major partnership-and with so many others clamoring to team up-while their own tech company and Neural Nexus Tech were still struggling, the mood around the table soured. Even Henley Hawkins, usually the optimist, looked grim.
Henley, already weighed down by company troubles, found his appetite gone.
He rubbed his temples and set his utensils aside.
Chapter 488
Leah curled her lip and gave a dismissive little scoff. “Taking on all those big contracts at once? Careful you don’t bite off more than you can chew.”
But even as she said it, her words lacked conviction and came out tinged with jealousy.
After all, if PrimeStar was willing to take on so many major projects, they most likely had the chops to handle them.
Her father felt the same sting of envy.
Thinking about how the Hawkins family and Neural Nexus Tech kept hitting dead ends in their research, while PrimeStar seemed to breeze past every bottleneck, he couldn’t help but mutter, “I don’t know how Stewart recruits people-how does he keep finding such incredible talent?”
Ever since PrimeStar’s meteoric rise, both Neural Nexus Tech and the Hawkins family’s tech company had tried to poach PrimeStar’s engineers. But now that PrimeStar was a household name, every major company-domestic and international-was lining up to lure away their team. In comparison, the Hawkins family and Neural Nexus Tech didn’t have much to offer.
Even with generous offers on the table, it was almost impossible to tempt truly outstanding talent away from PrimeStar.
And while other giants openly and covertly tried to poach from them, PrimeStar kept rolling out new innovations, proving they had no shortage of creative minds.
That alone was enough to make anyone green with envy.
At the table, Vesta lowered her head, absently pushing rice grains around her plate, saying nothing.
Both the Hawkins and Spencer families hoped Vesta could help them achieve a technical breakthrough.
But the more they learned about the industry, the clearer it became-breakthroughs weren’t just a matter of wishful thinking.
So when Vesta stayed silent, they didn’t press her, simply assuming she was just as frustrated with Neural Nexus Tech’s stalled progress as they were.
***
The next day.
Charlene made her way to the conference room for a meeting. She’d barely settled in when Stewart arrived.
Before the meeting began, he leaned over and said quietly, “My mom mentioned this morning that there’s a lot of buzz at one of the auction houses. Apparently, they’re about to auction off a truly rare diamond. I remember you once said your aunt has a thing for diamonds. Do you want to go check it out?”
Charlene blinked in surprise. “Are you sure?”
“Absolutely.”
The memory stuck with Stewart because, back then, he and Charlene hadn’t known each other long. There’d been news of a rare diamond up for auction, starting at over twenty million dollars.
Charlene had only been sixteen at the time.
That was when Stewart first learned about her background.
She’d told him she wanted to buy a diamond for her mother-not just any diamond, but a top-tier one-because her mother adored them.
Especially the finest, most extraordinary stones.
Charlene had hoped that if she could get her hands on a truly exceptional diamond, maybe it would help bring her mother, Sybil Ross, out of her haze.
But such gems are vanishingly rare.
Even though the Ross family was doing okay back then, there was no way they could come up with that kind of cash for a single stone.
And besides, banking everything on the hope that a diamond would awaken Sybil Ross was a fantasy. No one could guarantee it would work.
Her uncle’s two kids were still little, and the Ross family business was struggling just to stay afloat.
In the end, Charlene could only watch helplessly as the opportunity slipped away.
Now, more than a decade later, another rare diamond had finally surfaced-this one from a private collection, steeped in history. Miss out on it this time, and who knew how long she’d have to wait for another chance.
Stewart’s words stirred something in Charlene. She couldn’t help but say, want to go.”
Even if the diamond didn’t work the miracle she hoped for, so long as her mother liked it, she wouldn’t regret it-she’d be happy just to see her mother smile, even if it was only to have something beautiful to hold.
“I…
Chapter 489
Meanwhile-
Vesta handed a crisp envelope to her mother. “Here’s the invitation you wanted.”
“Perfect. Thank Thorne for me, would you?” Maureen replied, sliding the invitation into her purse. She paused, glancing up. “Are you coming with us to the auction tomorrow, or is Thorne picking you up?”
Vesta shook her head. “Neither of us will be going tomorrow.”
Maureen’s hand stilled over the zipper. “Alright,” she said simply.
***
Auction night arrived, and Charlene made her way to the grand auction house with her aunt, Maisie.
As they checked in, Charlene spotted Maureen and Laverne just ahead in the line. The recognition was mutual-Maureen’s expression barely shifted, but there was a faint furrow between her brows.
This evening’s auction featured pieces so rare and valuable that only the world’s wealthiest and most influential had managed to secure invitations. Most prominent families wouldn’t even stand a chance.
If it hadn’t been for Thorne, Maureen wouldn’t have gotten her invitation either. But Charlene-well, given Stewart’s current prominence and his close connection to Charlene, it wouldn’t have been difficult for him to help her obtain one.
With that thought, Maureen and Laverne averted their gazes and continued inside.
Thanks to Thorne, Maureen and Laverne had seats close to the front-right next to where Charlene and Maisie were directed.
Charlene and Maisie had barely settled in when Moran entered the hall. He did a double take upon spotting Charlene, and then noticed she was seated beside Maureen. His eyes widened. What kind of high-stakes showdown was this?
Flustered, he found his own seat alongside his date, then hurriedly texted Thorne:
Charlene’s at the diamond auction too-and she’s sitting right next to your future mother-in-law!
Thorne’s reply was prompt.
Oh.
And that was it.
Apparently, he couldn’t care less.
Moran stared at the screen, speechless. He glanced over at Charlene and Maureen’s group again; Charlene noticed him this time, but her face
remained impassive as she looked away.
Maureen, on the other hand, offered Moran a polite smile. “Good evening, Mr. Albright.”
He gave her a sheepish grin. “Ma’am…”
After the brief exchange, Moran quickly took his seat.
A few moments later, Dalton Ramirez arrived. His seat happened to be right next to Maisie’s, so he immediately noticed Charlene and Maureen as well. Dalton didn’t bother greeting Charlene, and she returned the favor, pretending not to see him. Still, like Moran, Dalton nodded politely to Maureen, who responded with a gracious nod.
Soon after, the auction began.
Apart from the evening’s star attraction-a legendary diamond-there were a handful of other items, each with a starting price in the millions. Charlene had no interest in the rest; she was here for the diamond, and the diamond alone. She sat out the bidding on everything else, as did Maureen.
Finally, the most anticipated moment of the night arrived.
As the diamond was unveiled, a wave of awe swept through the room-gasps and murmurs rippled across the crowd. Even Charlene, who didn’t consider herself much of a diamond enthusiast, couldn’t help but be stunned by the stone’s extraordinary beauty and brilliance.
Maureen, for her part, had seen and owned countless pieces of world-class jewelry over the years. But this-this was on a different level. She was, for once, rendered speechless, utterly captivated by the gem on display. From the moment it appeared, she could hardly tear her eyes away.
As the crowd buzzed, the auctioneer announced the starting bid.
Forty million.
The words had barely left his mouth before bidding paddles shot up all over the room. Charlene was among the first.
Seated right beside her, Maureen noticed Charlene’s raised paddle. She’d assumed Charlene, like herself, was here simply to witness a
once-in-a-lifetime gem-after all, even if you couldn’t afford it, seeing such a treasure up close was an event in itself.
But then-
Maureen’s eyes flickered in surprise as she watched Charlene lift her paddle, her attention snapping away from the diamond.
Charlene spoke up, her voice clear and steady, “Fifty million.”
Chapter 490
The moment Charlene spoke, it wasn’t just Maureen who was stunned-Laverne, Dalton, and Moran were all equally taken aback.
Laverne’s reaction was no surprise.
Dalton, on the other hand, had done some homework on Charlene beforehand. He knew the Ross family’s circumstances were relatively modest. Sure, their business had picked up this year, but it wasn’t as if they could just casually toss around hundreds of millions to bid on a single diamond.
Moran was even more convinced he had Charlene all figured out.
Given the Ross family’s current standing, scraping together even ten million in spare cash would be a stretch-let alone five hundred million.
Granted, Thorne had recently wired Charlene two billion as an advance payment to help the Ross family with cash flow. And yes, business was on the upswing, and Charlene still had a good chunk of that money left. But for her to nonchalantly drop such a staggering sum on a diamond? That seemed downright reckless.
With this in mind, Moran quickly pulled out his phone and fired off a message to Thorne:
*Just saw your wife at the gala, was wondering what brought her here. Now I get it… You know about this diamond up for auction, right? Starting bid’s four hundred million, and she just pushed it up to five hundred million in one go. Is she actually trying to buy it? My God, has she lost her-*
Moran was still furiously typing when someone else called out a bid of five hundred and fifty million. Before he could even finish his thought, Charlene raised her paddle again.
“Seven hundred million,” she said, calm as ever.
Moran froze mid-message.
He hadn’t even finished typing, but he sent the message off to Thorne anyway.
Everyone attending the auction tonight had more or less guessed that this rare diamond would fetch upwards of a billion by the final round.
But Charlene’s bidding style was something else entirely-each time she spoke up, the price leapt by a hundred or a hundred and fifty million. In just three rounds, she’d pushed the bid to seven hundred million. It wasn’t just Maureen, Laverne, and Moran who stared at her in disbelief; the entire room had turned to look.
Seated in the auction hall were the crème de la crème of society-wealthy women, heiresses, ladies who, even if they didn’t know each other personally, certainly knew each other’s reputations.
Seeing Charlene toss around money as if it were pocket change-and noticing she was a stranger to most-many began to whisper among themselves, asking their neighbors who on earth she was.
The auction pressed on.
Charlene matched every single bid without hesitation. Each time someone raised the price, she immediately countered. Soon enough, the figure hit a billion.
It was then Maureen realized Charlene wasn’t just driving up the price-she truly intended to win that diamond. Maureen pressed her crimson lips together, the tension clear on her face.
Moran noticed too.
To be honest, he was a little lost for words.
Thorne hadn’t replied to his earlier message, but Moran couldn’t contain himself. After gathering his wits, he texted again:
*Your wife just pushed the bid to a billion. Damn, she’s serious about this diamond. Didn’t know she was so into rocks!*
This time, Thorne replied almost instantly.
Just a single period: **
Moran stared at the screen, dumbfounded.
What was that supposed to mean?
Plenty of people had come tonight hoping to get in on the bidding. But with both passion and investment value in mind, most of them were careful not to get swept up in runaway prices.
There were a few serious diamond enthusiasts present. Some of them were even wealthier than Charlene. But in reality, much of their wealth wasn’t entirely at their own disposal, or they didn’t have the same financial freedom Charlene seemed to enjoy.
So, as the bids climbed-ten, eleven, twelve, all the way to sixteen hundred million-one by one, the competition fell away.
In the end, Charlene claimed the diamond for a staggering one point eight billion.
お金金
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