Henley was called away by an urgent phone call—there was still important


    business at the office.


    Vesta looked unsettled. Maureen guessed that, aside from being overshadowed


    by Charlene’s dazzling performance today, something else must have happened.


    She asked, “At the press conference, how did Thorne treat Charlene?”


    Vesta lowered her gaze. “He admired her.”


    Maureen’s expression darkened.


    In the past, Thorne had always ignored Charlene, never seeing any worth in her.


    He had never once shown her the slightest bit of respect.


    But now—


    “Those technical achievements Charlene talked about at the press conference—


    do you really think she developed them herself?”


    Maureen hadn’t spent much time with Thorne, but from what her daughter had


    told her, she knew Thorne was technically savvy himself, and he’d always


    respected people with real expertise.


    If Charlene truly had such skills, then Thorne’s sudden admiration would make


    sense.


    Before Vesta could answer, Leah blurted out, “Of course they’re not hers! She’s


    just an undergrad—there’s no way she could pull that off. It must have been


    Stewart—”


    But Vesta cut her off, her voice quiet but certain. “I think they really are hers.”


    Leah stared in disbelief. “That’s impossible! How could she—?”


    But then again, Charlene had skipped three grades to get into college early, and


    not just any college—the most prestigious university in the country.


    Leah had also skipped grades and attended a top school, but even she had to


    admit that it didn’t quitepare.


    So, if Charlene wanted to do serious


    research, she had the foundation for


    it. Even if it was hard to ept,


    Vesta couldn’t help but acknowledge


    that both Charlene’s earlier papers


    and the innovations she’d presented


    today could very well be her own


    work.


    Maureen was thinking the same thing.


    Back in school, Charlene’s academic brilliance had put a lot of pressure on Vesta.


    Vesta clenched her fists. “If those results weren’t really hers, would she dare to


    im them so openly?”


    Leah scoffed. “With her shamelessness? She’d dare anything.”


    Maureen and Vesta chose to ignore her.


    Vesta pressed her lips together. “I just don’t understand…”


    Charlene may have skipped grades


    to get into college, but back then she


    hadn’t made much of a ssh


    academically. She’d graduated,


    gotten married, had a child, and then


    joined The Henderson Group.


    Given all that, how could she possibly have developed such deep and


    sophisticated technical knowledge?


    Maureen could see what was


    troubling her daughter. Once Leah


    had left the room, Maureen said


    gently, “Even if Charlene really is that


    talented, your bond with Thorne is


    deep. That’s not something that


    changes overnight. And don’t


    forget—you have your own


    strengths. So, Vesta, don’t let this


    get to you.”


    Don’t let it get to her?


    Vesta stayed silent.


    After the press conference, Thorne had quickly regained hisposure, treating


    her just as kindly as ever. But was his heart truly as unmoved by Charlene as he


    let on?


    She remembered how, not long ago, Thorne had gone out of his way to collect


    every paper Charlene had rmended to The Henderson Group’s technical


    team. The thought left a bitter taste in her mouth.


    If he really was as unfazed as he pretended, he wouldn’t have avoided talking to


    her about anything that happened at the press conference. But since that day, he


    hadn’t mentioned it once.