The next morning, Charlene stood up at the team meeting and methodically exined the solutions she''de up with for all the problems they''d


    encountered during yesterday''s test run.


    Everyone had expected the issues to stall them for another couple of days at least. No one imagined Charlene would have everything figured out after just one night.


    Mr. Windsor and the PrimeStar crew were visibly delighted, exchanging impressed nces at her initiative.


    The night before, Gaylord hadn''t stayed long in Charlene''s room. Just before he left, he''d asked if she had any ideas for resolving the technical setbacks. Charlene had given him a rough outline of her thoughts. Still, seeing the surprise and genuine admiration on everyone''s faces as Charlene presented her ideas this morning, Gaylord couldn''t help but break into a smile, feeling a surge of pride on her behalf.


    But as his gaze drifted across the table andnded on Thorne, his smile slowly faded.


    Thorne was watching Charlene too, his head slightly tilted, a faint smile ying at his lips. There was no disguising the appreciation—and curiosity-in his eyes. But there was something else in his expression as he looked at her, something Gaylord couldn''t quite name.


    Gaylord''s lips pressed into a thin, tense line.


    He wasn''t the only one who noticed. Stewart, sitting just one seat away, caught the look on Thorne''s face and paused, surprised.


    For weeks now, Charlene had been at the center of their coboration with The Henderson Group. Stewart had heard the stories: how, during a recent meeting at the Henderson offices, thepany''s president had personallye downstairs to hear Charlene speak. But he''d never witnessed anything like that himself—until


    now.


    So, seeing Thorne watching Charlene with such open interest genuinely caught him off guard.


    It wasn''t just Stewart and Gaylord who noticed. Mr. Windsor, Coy, and the others from The Henderson Group-who''d already picked up on Thorne''s unusual attention toward Charlene back at thest team dinner-exchanged looks. Back then, they''d chalked it up to Thorne''s appreciation for talented people. But now, seeing the way Thorne was watching her, they weren''t so sure.


    Coy, Thorne''s personal assistant, prided himself on knowing more about Thorne''s rtionship with Vesta than anyone else. Now, seeing Thorne so focused on Charlene, Coy''s brows knitted even tighter. Thorne had always seemed to care deeply for Vesta. So what was this look he was giving Charlene?


    Charlene, oblivious to all the spection, finished her presentation and quietly slipped back to her seat.


    Gaylord noticed that Thorne''s gaze followed her the entire way.


    His expression darkened.


    Stewart, ncing discreetly at Thorne, leaned over to Charlene and murmured, "Did you notice the way Thorne was looking at you just now? It was... odd."


    Charlene looked puzzled. "What do you mean?"


    Stewart hesitated, searching for the right words. "I just mean... Thorne really doesn''t seem to know you very well."


    Charlene lowered her eyes and nodded. "That''s true. He''s never really paid me much attention-he doesn''t know much about me at all."<fn548f> N?w ?ovel chapt?rs are published on Find_Novel(.</fn548f>


    Stewart figured Thorne had simply never realized how capable Charlene was in the Al field. Now that he''d è seen her skills firsthand, maybe he was just impressed nothing more With that thought, Stewart shrugged and let the matter drop.  s


    But Gaylord couldn''t shake the memory of Thorne''s gaze during the meeting. All day long, whenever he had the chance, he kept an eye on Thorne''s side of the room.  s


    Yet, for the rest of the day, Thorne didn''t do anything out of the ordinary. Other than exchanging a few words about work, he and Charlene barely interacted at


    all.


    Relieved, Gaylord wondered if maybe he''d just been overthinking things.


    With the system issues resolved so


    quickly, everyone''s work went


    smoothly that day. After weeks of


    intense pressure, the team was finally able to breathe easy That night, they all decided to unwind at local bar.  s


    Thorne hosted, and nearly everyone from The Henderson Group and PrimeStar came along.


    Charlene had initially nned to skip it, but realized she hadn''t rxed in ages. On a whim, she decided to join the group.