When Helena found out Charlene wanted to file for divorce, she waspletely on board.


    After speaking with her grandmother, Charlene went upstairs. She was about to call herwyer, Padgett, to discuss the filing when a message from Thorne Henderson lit up her screen.


    [I''m sorry I couldn''t make it back in time. That''s on me.]


    Charlene read it but didn''t reply.


    A second message followed almost immediately: [Can we hold off on filing for divorce? If you agree, I can offer you 30 billion dors inpensation.]


    Again, Charlene stared at the screen without responding.


    She knew exactly why he didn''t want her to file awsuit. If news of the divorce leaked, Vesta Hawkins''s status as his mistress would be exposed. With a little deliberate public incitement, the scandal could damage not only Thorne''s career but his father''s political future as well.


    If it came to that, she had no doubt that Irma Henderson and udia woulde to her, pleading for the sake of the Henderson family''s legacy. After all, the Hendersons had once done the Ross family a great service.


    Charlene sat motionless, lost in thought.


    Just then, Jasmine Henderson burst into the room and threw her arms around her. "Mommy, what are you doing?"


    Snapping back to the present, Charlene shook her head. "It''s gettingte, sweetie. Go get ready for your bath, and then it''s time for bed."


    "Okay!" Jasmine chirped, happily skipping off to find her pajamas.


    Watching her daughter''s easy, smiling face, Charlene felt another wave of uncertainty creep in.


    After Jasmine''s bath, she dried her hair and watched her fall into a deep, peaceful sleep in her arms. After a long moment of contemtion, Charlene finally replied to Thorne.


    [Fine.]


    been waiting for her


    He must have be


    Qu


    response because a reply came back almost instantly: [Thank you. make arrangements for the 30 billionas soon as possible. Once mywyers have drafted the agreement, I''ll have the funds transferred to your ount upon my return.


    Charlene typed back: [OK.]


    She thought the conversation was over, but another message from Thorne appeared: [I''ll be busy for a few more days, so I won''t be back just yet.]


    Charlene: [OK.]


    Thorne: [I just messaged Minnie. She said she''s staying with your family. Thank you for taking care of everything while I''ve been away.]


    This time, Charlene didn''t reply. She simply turned off her phone and went to bed.


    Stewart Ferguson was, of course,


    keenly interested in the divorce


    proceedings. The next day, when he found out she and Thorne still hadn''? finalized things, he was incredulous. "So what''s the n now? Why not just file the papers and be done with it?"


    "That was my intention," Charlene said, "but..." She then told him about Thorne''s offer of 30 billion dors inpensation.


    Stewart, who had just taken a sip of water, promptly spat it out. "Thirty billion?!"


    "That''s right," Charlene confirmed.


    For a moment, Stewart didn''t know whether to be angry or impressed.


    "Well," he said, collecting himself, "if he''s actually good for it, I think you should take the deal. It''s not like you''re seeing anyone, so a little dy won''t hit you. And thirty billion is a staggering amount of money."


    That was precisely what Charlene had concluded the night before.


    Stewart set down his ss and sighed. "If that thirty billiones through, you''ll


    have cleared nearly fifty billion from him over the course of this marriage. All things considered, it hasn''t been a total loss, has it?"