Thorne asked, "Want to go together when the timees?"


    Vesta instinctively started to refuse. "I don''t-"


    She was about to say she wasn''t sure she''d have time, but then realized that wasn''t really her style. So before the word "don''t" was fully out, she changed course. "Sure."


    With that, she was about to sit on the couch when her eyes caught a document on Thorne''s desk. The title made her pause mid-step.


    Noticing her gaze, Thorne exined, “Thepany''s interested in developing a newrge-scale model. That''s a research report on PrimeStar''s programmingnguage and two of theirtest in-house projects. There''s some pretty interesting stuff in there-they actually made some headway. You''ll probably get a lot out of reading it."


    As he spoke, he handed her the file.


    If this had been before, Vesta would have taken the report with genuine curiosity and excitement.


    But now...


    Her expression stiffened for a split second.


    Still, Thorne had already passed it to her, so she had no choice but to ept it. "Alright."


    Just as she took it, something urred to her. She couldn''t help but ask, "If we''re only now starting to look into PrimeStar and develop our own thing, won''t the market have moved on by the time we actuallyunch? Tech changes so fast these days..."


    "That''s true," Thorne replied. "But the point isn''t to copy what PrimeStar''s done. It''s about learning from their core innovations and building something new."


    "Yeah... that makes sense."


    Thorne continued, "But honestly, PrimeStar''s moving so quickly, and I don''t think what they''ve created is just a sh in the pan. Take their programmingnguage- it took years before people really noticed its value. And those two projects they justunched? I''d bet it''ll take otherpanies at least three years to even catch up, even at today''s pace. So studying them is anything but pointless.”


    His tone left no doubt about his admiration and appreciation for PrimeStar''s work.


    Hearing all this, Vesta felt her heart sink.


    Thorne truly admired talented people.


    If he ever found out that Charlene was the mastermind behind PrimeStar''s programmingnguage...


    Or that the two breakthrough projects had only been developed after Charlene joined PrimeStar-


    In other words, she''d probably led the teams behind both of them...


    If Thorne ever knew any of that...


    Vesta''s thoughts spiraled as she nced at Thorne, who was already engrossed in the file again. Her grip on the document tightened until her


    fos turned white.


    That evening, Vesta went to the Hawkins'' for dinner.


    The family was chatting animatedly around the table when, suddenly, a news segment about PrimeStar popped up on the TV.


    Vesta paused and looked up, just as the anchor reported on PrimeStar''s new partnership with Nicol Corporation.


    vel


    On screen, Nicol''s CEO praised the coboration, saying that working with PrimeStar had swiftly solved some persistent problems. The news@lso noted that simr overseaspanies were now lining up to work with PrimeStar as well.


    Not long ago, the Hawkins and Spencer families hadn''t thought much about PrimeStar either way.


    But ever since PrimeStar snatched the smart transit project they both had their eyes on, everyone at both families hade to resent thepany.


    Now, seeing PrimeStar not onlynd that project but also score another major partnership-and with so many others moring to team


    up-while their own tech


    and Neural Nexus Tech were still struggling, the mood around the table soured. Even Henley Hawkins, usually the optimist, looked grim.


    Henley, already weighed down bypany troubles, found his appetite gone.


    He rubbed his temples and set his utensils aside.