As Granger’s eyes landed on Charlene amidst the bustling party scene, he noticed her calm demeanor even as Thorne and Vesta approached. With a slight, knowing smile, he said, “I’ll be right back.” Charlene and Stewart nodded in acknowledgment.

Granger exchanged a few words with Thorne and Vesta before Dalton arrived. Spotting Vesta, Dalton instinctively gravitated towards her.

“Ms. Hawkins,” he greeted her with a polite nod.

“Mr. Ramirez,” she replied, returning his smile.

Dalton had been swamped with work lately, and seeing Vesta after this hiatus brought a familiar admiration to his eyes. He subtly took in her presence before turning to greet Granger and Thorne. PrimeStar was currently a vital partner for The Ramirez Group, and Dalton was well aware of the stakes. After a brief chat with Granger, he made his way over to Stewart, initiating a greeting. Once done, Dalton turned to Charlene, addressing her with a measured, “Ms. Ross.”

Charlene responded with a silent smile.

The invitations for PrimeStar’s gala had been distributed, but The Ramirez Group had been noticeably excluded. Dalton only discovered this oversight earlier that evening.

It seemed likely that PrimeStar wouldn’t attend The Ramirez Group’s upcoming event either.

This realization brought a frown to Dalton’s face.

Charlene and Stewart seemed to have little interest in engaging with him further. Stewart remarked, “Mr. Ramirez, we’re off to catch up with some old friends. Feel free to mingle.” Before Dalton could respond, they turned and left. He knew well enough that they weren’t keen on extending the conversation.

Despite his genuine desire to forge a better relationship with Stewart, it was apparent that Stewart had no intention of reciprocating. His dislike for Dalton was barely disguised. Dalton pursed his lips, feeling a bit miffed but without grounds to press the matter, he watched them disappear into the crowd.

In recent months, PrimeStar had been all the rage. Many attendees flocked to greet Charlene and Stewart, including several business partners PrimeStar had been courting.

Since PrimeStar’s product launch, Charlene had been the driving force behind many negotiations, earning her a formidable reputation. So much so, that several partners had made discreet attempts to lure her away to their companies. But Charlene, steadfast in her loyalty, declined each offer with grace.

Those who had attempted to poach her bore no ill will, maintaining a cordial respect towards her. One such entrepreneur, Mr. Sanderson, couldn’t resist making another pitch, this time in Stewart’s presence. “Ms. Ross, our company is a well-regarded name, offering excellent benefits and a lot of freedom. Name your terms; we can negotiate.”

Stewart rolled his eyes, clearly unimpressed.

Charlene, with a warm smile, gently declined, “I have no plans to leave PrimeStar at the moment, but thank you for the offer, Mr. Sanderson.”

Though rejected again, Mr. Sanderson sighed, undeterred.

Later, as he lamented his missed opportunity, a fellow guest inquired, “Sanderson, what’s with the long face? You look like you just missed out on a fortune.” 15:20

Mr. Sanderson chuckled ruefully, “Well, I might as well have

Seeing no competitive threat, he confided, “I found an extraordinary talent, but no matter how I try, she won’t budge,”

“And who might that be?” the guest asked, curious,

“PrimeStar’s Ms. Ross.”

“Really? She seems quite young. Is she really that impressive?

“She truly is.”

Even his top-tier technical team, all young prodigies in their field, sang Charlene’s praises after working with her, a testament to her exceptional skills. Unaware of the accolades Charlene was receiving, Vesta was engaged in a conversation with Lanny.

Dalton, after briefly mingling, noticed Vesta standing alone and approached her.

“Mr. Ramirez,” Vesta greeted him with a soft smile.

Dalton nodded, turning to the gentleman beside her. “And you are?

Vesta introduced Lanny, explaining, “He’s my mentor. I’ve been learning a lot under his guidance.”

She had previously expressed her ambition to become Kenton’s student and had been working tirelessly towards that goal.

Seeing her dedication, Dalton took a step back and said, “TII leave you to it, then.”

Vesta nodded, her focus immediately returning to Lanny.

Captivated by her unwavering concentration, Dalton found it hard to tear his gaze away. Just then, someone came over to engage him in conversation, and Dalton excused himself.

A little later, as Dalton made his way to the restroom, he paused at the sight of Charlene and Thome. The memory of seeing them in a close embrace a couple of months ago resurfaced vividly in his mind. Before he could fully process it, he saw Thorne hand Charlene a slice of cake. Dalton, lips pressed into a thin line, headed over to join them.

Charlene didn’t reach out to take it.

As Thorne approached, he spotted Dalton and turned around, saying, “Mr. Ramirez.”