Chapter 803
“And he even said she hasn’t officially divorced yet…”
Kelvin rambled, his voice hushed but frantic. “If she’s really married, what the hell is going on with her and Stewart? She hasn’t even finalized her divorce and she’s already hooking up with Stewart? And if that wasn’t enough, she’s stringing York along and messing around with Vesta’s boyfriend! Holy shit, this woman is wild. She’s completely out of her mind!”
Dalton’s face darkened as he stared at Charlene. “She’s a lot more than just wild,” he said coldly.
Kelvin followed his gaze. Even from a distance, it was blatantly obvious how much Dr. Lucas adored and respected her. It wasn’t just him, either—the other heavyweights in the Al academic circle treated her as a true peer.
Charlene was just a girl with a bachelor’s degree, yet she had completely bulldozed Vesta a prodigy with an overseas doctorate-to become the brightest rising star in the industry in under two years. Next to her, Vesta was practically invisible. Charlene’s reputation was even threatening to eclipse Stewart’s.
Watching her hold court like an industry titan sent a chill down Kelvin’s spine.
He realized he had wildly underestimated her.
Charlene wasn’t just bold; her ambition was terrifying.
He looked from Charlene to Vesta.
The top academics and corporate billionaires were practically lining up to talk to Charlene.
Meanwhile, Vesta, who had a flawless resume and superior credentials, was standing on the sidelines, completely ignored.
The disparity was brutal.
Kelvin muttered, “She stepped on Vesta to climb the ladder, and look at the gap between them now. Honestly, I feel sick for Vesta. And to top it off, Charlene seduced her boyfriend behind her back. Vesta literally risked her life to save Thorne, and this is how she gets repaid? My god…”
Even without Dalton’s bias, Kelvin felt an overwhelming surge of pity for Vesta.
Dalton’s knuckles turned white as he gripped his glass.
Kelvin spat, “This woman is
unbelievable. She crushes people to steal their power and prestige, all while juggling half a dozen men like it’s nothing She’s a master manipulator. Talk about a wolf in sheep’s clothing!”
The more he analyzed it, the more terrifying Charlene seemed.
How could he have ever thought she was just a sweet, introverted girl who was easy to fool?
Panic gnawed at him. “Do you think we can actually pull York out of this?”
Dalton was feeling the exact same anxiety, but he forced himself to stay grounded.
“We have to trust him to see reason.”
Kelvin nodded fervently.
Meanwhile, across the room.
Having assured himself that Charlene was alright, Dr. Lucas made up his mind. He excused himself from the crowd and made a beeline for Thorne and Vesta.
As the people around them naturally parted, Dr. Lucas stopped and looked directly at Vesta.
Vesta had sensed that Dr. Lucas harbored a strong preference for Charlene, but she had tried not to
overthink it. Yet the moment moment his
eyes locked onto hers, her heart
plummeted.
Before she could brace herself, Dr. Lucas spoke. “I apologize, Ms. Hawkins, but I have already selected my personal student. To be
completely honest, I had an inkling before tonight but it hadn’t been finalized. Now, I am absolutely certain. I will be making the official announcement on stage shortly, so I must offer you my deepest
apologies. However, if you are still
interested in studying at our
academy, our doors are always open
to you.”
All the blood drained from Vesta’s face the second he started speaking.
But before she could formulate a response, a voice abruptly cut through the tension.
“Dr. Lucas, is the student you’ve chosen Charlene Ross?”