Divorce Time 21
Charlene had to bite her tongue to keep from laughing. Vesta met Thorne after Charlene and Thorne got hitched.
Vesta knew Charlene and Thorne’s relationship. Charlene couldn’t fathom that Henley, Vesta’s dad, was in the dark about Thorne being his other daughter’s hubby! There was no way he didn’t know.
Yet, there he was, shamelessly playing matchmaker between Vesta and Thorne. It was a clear sign of how little Henley cared about Charlene! Thome took it in stride.
After exchanging a few pleasantries, Charlene watched Thorne wait for Henley to get in the car. After the car had driven off, she exited. Given Thome’s status, the only folks who could make him act out of character were a few of the elders from the Henderson family. But it was clear Thome held Henley in high regard, all because he was Vesta’s father.
Thinking about this, Charlene recalled the times Thorne met her grandma and her aunt and uncle. He had always been aloof and indifferent.
And in the past, no matter how carefully she brought it up, Thorne never seemed willing to lend a hand to her uncle. But his attitude toward those Vesta valued was entirely different.
How he treated her compared to Vesta was like night and day. That may be the difference between love and the lack thereof.
Before long, Thorne had left as well.
A good while later, Charlene finally turned and entered the Feast.
In the afternoon, after work, Charlene went home to pick up gifts she had prepared for Neal and Irma before driving to the Henderson Mansion.
Nestled near the outskirts of Starfall City, the Henderson Mansion, surrounded by picturesque landscapes, was perfect for the elders because of its tranquil environment. Its only flaw was its distance from the downtown area. It took Charlene an hour and a half by car to reach the Henderson Mansion.
Parking her car and still outside, she could hear her daughter Jasmine’s joyful laughter.
Facing the entrance, Irma noticed Charlene first, beaming with a smile. “Charlene, come. Come sit with me.”
But Irma was the only one smiling. Thorne’s mother, Charlene’s mother-in-law, Tiffany, and her son wore increasingly unwelcoming Expressions at the sight of her. Charlene noticed this but wasn’t as bothered as she might have been before.
Pretending not to see, she smiled and handed the gifts to the butler, who came to welcome her. Then, she approached Irma. “Irma, how are you doing?”
“Oh,” Irma’s face lit up, pulling Charlene to sit as she frowned. “You’ve lost so much weight. Has Thorne been giving you a hard time?” Charlene looked down, shaking her head. “No, I’ve just been too busy lately.”
Her words were a mix of truth and fibs.
Thorne hadn’t been mistreating her but had often affected her mood. Additionally, she’d dedicated her post-work hours to artificial intelligence research for the past fortnight, staying up until the wee hours. Her recent weight loss was partly due to this. Before Irma could respond, Tiffany scoffed, “Listen to you, and anyone would think your job is oh-so-crucial, sounding like the entire Henderson Group can’t function without you.”
Thorne’s mother, Claudia Henderson, epitomized the grace of a lady of her standing. Sipping her coffee, she remarked coldly, “If you find your work at Henderson Group too demanding, you might as well resign. After all, no one begged you to work there.” Tiffany chuckled. “Exactly! Though, some might find it hard to let go-”
Irma couldn’t stand others badmouthing Charlene and was about to interject, but Charlene said, “I’ve handed in my resignation. Once I’ve finished handing over my duties, I’ll leave the Henderson Group.”