Chapter 861
fter a moment’s hesitation, she dialed another number.
This time, it was Coy.
When Coy saw the incoming call on his screen, he froze. He let it ring for a few seconds before finally picking up. “Ms. Hawkins.”
“Hello, Coy. I’m sorry to bother you,” Vesta said.
Coy, of course, already knew everything that had gone down at Dr. Lucas’s gala.
He was just as floored as Raleigh and Corinne.
Never in a million years had he imagined that Charlene and Thorne had that kind of history.
Snapping back to the present, Coy kept his tone professional. “It’s no bother, Ms. Hawkins. What can I do for you?”
Vesta cut right to the chase. “Can you tell me where Thorne is right now?”
Coy wasn’t entirely sure where things stood between Thorne and Vesta at the moment, to be honest.
But he was well aware of the crisis surrounding the Hawkins family and Neural Nexus Tech.
He also knew Thorne hadn’t lifted a finger to help them.
Given the brutal public backlash, Coy believed Thorne was making the right call by staying out of it—-though he didn’t assume their relationship was completely over.
But for Vesta to be calling him to track Thorne down…
Coy cleared his throat. “I apologize, Ms. Hawkins, but I’m strictly forbidden from disclosing Mr. Henderson’s schedule to anyone. I hope you understand.”
“It’s fine,” Vesta replied smoothly. She had anticipated that answer. “Can you at least tell me if he’s out of town?”
Coy hesitated for a fraction of a second. “No. He’s been in Starfall City these past few days.”
“So… is he at the office right now?”
“No.”
“Alright. I understand. Thank you, Coy.”
“You’re welcome.”
Vesta hung up first.
Around four in the afternoon, Vesta grabbed her car keys and left Neural Nexus Tech.
Less than an hour later, she pulled up to the gated entrance of Thorne’s exclusive neighborhood.
She didn’t try to go inside. Instead, she parked her car near the gates and waited. Hours bled into the dead of night, but Thorne’s familiar vehicle never appeared.
She sat there through the long, agonizing night. When morning finally broke, the only thing she saw was the luxury SUV that typically took Jasmine to school rolling past the gates.
Only then did Vesta finally start her engine and drive away.
…
Meanwhile, across the city.
Charlene headed out to PrimeStar Technologies.
After she arrived and finished organizing her documents for the day, Stewart walked into her office. “Are you absolutely sure you don’t want me to handle ther
at The Henderson Group?”
wheel
PrimeStar and The Henderson Group were scheduled to hammer out the finer details of a major contract today. Stewart had originally planned to go himself, but a critical emergency had popped up on another project he was managing, tying him to the office.
Deep down, his real reason for offering was that he didn’t want Charlene to have to deal with Thorne face-to-face.
Even if Thorne didn’t personally attend the meeting, Stewart hated the idea of her stepping foot in that building.
“It’s fine,” Charlene said, giving his shoulder a reassuring pat. “I’m heading out now.” Stewart sighed in defeat. “Alright.”
When Gaylord found out Charlene was heading to The Henderson Group to discuss a tech partnership, he insisted on tagging along.
By the time Charlene and Gaylord arrived at the corporate headquarters, several senior executives were already gathered in the conference room.
Just as Charlene stepped forward to greet them, the double doors on the opposite side of the room swung open, and Thorne and Coy walked in.
Seeing him, Charlene’s expression remained perfectly blank. The other executives in the room exchanged nervous glances, suddenly finding it very difficult to look at either of them. .
To be fair, this wasn’t the first time Thorne and Charlene had sat at the same negotiation table. But back then, no one had any idea they were secretly husband and wife.
Gaylord pressed his lips into a thin line.
Taking his place at the head of the table, Thorne extended a polite, strictly
professional hand toward Charlene. “Sorry to keep you waiting.”