Chapter 461
After her assistant left, Vesta felt a growing weight settle over her.
Technology was the lifeblood of the company.
With Axiom Flux Technologies blazing a trail ahead of them, if Neural Nexus Tech
wanted even a foothold in the autonomous vehicle market, they’d have to achieve
another technological breakthrough—something even more significant than
before.
But breakthroughs like that were nearly impossible to force.
So far, she’d already poured six or seven hundred million dollars into Neural
Nexus Tech.
But now, with Axiom Flux Technologies stirring up the waters, the future of Neural
Nexus Tech looked more uncertain than ever. If she kept investing, and Neural
Nexus Tech failed to deliver a breakthrough that truly made waves, it would be like
tossing a billion—maybe even two billion—straight down the drain.
And yet, the idea of giving up here made her stomach twist with frustration.
Should she press forward, or cut her losses?
Her thoughts wandered to Thorne.
But even someone as brilliant as him couldn’t guarantee the company would
achieve the kind of breakthrough they needed, could he? Even if she asked, he’d
never be able to give her a truly definitive answer.
Vesta sat there for a long while, lost in thought, until her assistant knocked and
entered again, snapping her back to reality. She realized it was already midday.
“Mr. Hawkins, shall I arrange lunch for you?” her assistant asked.
Vesta glanced at her phone, saying nothing.
She was sure Thorne understood the blow Axiom Flux Technologies had dealt to
Neural Nexus Tech even more clearly than she did. Given how well she knew him,
he’d probably already guessed how Mr. Black, Mr. Falconer, and the others were
feeling about Neural Nexus Tech right now.
She needed him now more than ever.
Yet, since she’d had dinner with Mr. Black yesterday, Thorne hadn’t reached out to
her once.
She remembered how, at the press conference yesterday, Thorne’s attention had
been completely fixed on Charlene onstage—as if he’d forgotten Vesta even
existed. The memory twisted in her chest, sharp and uncomfortable.
Maybe, just like her, he still hadn’t recovered from the impact Charlene made at
that press conference.
Charlene had been working nonstop all day. It was after five when her phone
finally rang.
It was Jasmine Henderson calling.
She glanced at the screen, hesitated, and answered, “Hey, Minnie. What’s up?”
“Mom, school’s almost out for summer! There’s a parents’ meeting tomorrow. Will
you come with me? Please?”
Charlene paused. She couldn’t remember the last time she’d dealt with something
like this.
“Summer break already?” she asked.
“Yep!” Jasmine chirped.
Charlene gathered herself and asked, “Is your dad busy?”
After the Axiom Flux Technologies
launch, Vesta was probably buried in
work. Thorne probably didn’t have
time for Jasmine’s parents’ meeting
either.
“Dad’s free,” Jasmine said, pouting a little. “But I want you to come, Mom. Just
this once? Please? Can you come by tomorrow morning?”
Charlene relented. “Alright. I’ll be there.”
Jasmine squealed in delight. “Yay!”
“I’ve got work to finish, honey. We’ll talk more tomorrow, okay?”
“Okay! See you tomorrow, Mom!”
The next morning.
Charlene drove over to Jasmine’s school. As soon as Jasmine spotted her, she
ran straight into her arms. “Mom!”
Charlene hugged her, ruffling her hair, then took her hand and walked with her
into the building.
Sally’s mom and Ms. Payne, Jasmine’s teacher, both looked surprised to see
Charlene there in person.
After the last family event, it had always been Thorne showing up for school
activities—she’d barely been involved at all.
“Hello, Mrs. Henderson,” Ms. Payne greeted her warmly. “It’s been a while.”
“It has,” Charlene replied, exchanging pleasantries.
Ms. Payne gave her a rundown of
how Jasmine had been doing at
school lately. From their
conversation, Charlene could tell
Jasmine was genuinely happy at
home and in class. Thorne really
was paying close attention to her.
During the meeting, Jasmine tugged
on Charlene’s hand and whispered,
“Mom, we haven’t gone out for lunch
together in ages. Can we go
somewhere after this? Just the two
of us?”
Charlene smiled. “Of course.”
But as they left the school together, hand in hand, Charlene spotted Thorne
getting out of his car at the curb.
Jasmine lit up at the sight of him—not surprised at all. “Daddy, you came!”
Thorne met Charlene’s eyes before answering, his tone gentle. “Yeah, I’m here.”