A follow-up text from Stewart pinged immediately after.


    [So, did old Mrs. Henderson actually approve of them? That''s... impossible, right? Or did Thorne set this up specifically to force her hand?]


    Charlene had no idea.


    But the truth didn''t matter. What mattered was Thorne''s absolute determination to marry Vesta.


    Even if Irma disapproved, it wouldn''t shake his resolve.


    Stewart was clearly on the same wavelength, sending another message: [First Secretary Henderson and his wife, now his grandmother. Thorne is really pulling out all the stops to make them ept Vesta!]


    Meanwhile, Jasmine was still hung up on the idea of going out with Thorne and Charlene.


    The next morning, freshly washed up, she was practically vibrating with excitement to call Thorne. Before she could dial, his call came through. "You''re up? I sent someone to pick you up. We''re going out today."


    Jasmine''s eyes sparkled. "Really? Where to?"


    But then a thought crossed her mind. "Just me? Isn''t Moming?"


    "No, your mom is busy," Thorne replied.


    "...Oh, okay."


    Just as she put her phone down, Charlene walked upstairs. "Mom, Dad just called to say he''s sending someone to pick me up. He said you''re too busy to join us. What do you have to do today?"


    Charlene genuinely had ns, though she hadn''t discussed them with Thorne.


    "I need to visit your grandmother at the hospital in a bit, andter I''m helping a friend shop for something important," she exined simply.


    "...Oh."


    After breakfast, Jasmine was whisked away by the driver Thorne sent.


    Nadine and the others couldn''t help but notice that Thorne hadn''t set foot in the Ross estate since vesta saved


    his life. Before that bed been


    dropping by fairly often...


    It was almost as if he was intentionally keeping his distance to avoid arousing suspicion.


    Once Jasmine left, Charlene went straight to the hospital to visit Sybil Ross. Sybil was just as she had always been-emaciated, erratic, and utterly vacant. Charlene hadn''t lied about her evening ns.


    She was apanying Stewart to an auction to find a birthday gift for Darleen.


    However, they hadn''t even been inside the venue for long before spotting the Hawkins and Spencer families.


    Word had already spread through their elite circles that Vesta had saved Thorne, both families had formally met, and wedding bells were practical ringing


    As a result, several wealthy socialites were practically falling over themselves to


    suck up to the Hawkins and Spencer families.


    Vesta was there too.


    Her outfit seemed understated, but anyone with a sharp eye could


    get


    her gown and the bracing her wrist cost an absolute


    As people flocked to chat with her, she offered aposed, elegant smile, not showing a hint of being overwhelmed by the attention.


    Charlene and Stewart watched from a distance without a word. Just then, two more men arrived.


    Stewart scoffed the moment he saw them. "What a joke. If I knew the whole circus was going to be here, I would''ve stayed home."


    Charlene merely offered a faint smile.


    The neers were Dalton Ramirez and his friend Kelvin Scott, whom they hadn''t seen in a while.


    Ever since Vesta was discharged from the hospital, Dalton had been trying to see her, but he never got the chance.


    Spotting her now, his eyes lit up, and he made a beeline straight for her.