Chapter 9
Stewart and Charlene had becstrangers to each other over the years, their meetings few and far between.
Yet, even with these brief encounters, Stewart could tell the vibrant spirit that once defined Charlene seemed to
have dimmed considerably.
He remembered Charlene in her prime, a force to be reckoned with, and could hardly believe she could ever be
associated with the word
‘insecure.’
Stewart wasn't privy to the intricacies of Charlene’s marriage to Thorne, but he had heard enough to form his
suspicions. Without delving into details, he earnestly advised Charlene, “Falling behind for a bit doesn’t really
matter, Charlene. You've got skills and talents that aren't just run-of-the-mill. It's never too late to start over if
you're still passionate about this path. Don’t forget you were the student the professor was most proud of in his
teaching career.”
Charlene chuckled at that. “If our professor heard that, he'd probably scoff, saying he was picking the tallest
dwarf.”
When recalling their refined yet sarcastically sharp professor, Charlene’s smile faded slightly. “I saw in the news
that he’s back for the celebration. How is he doing?”
“Pretty well, just constantly annoyed by us, his students, always embarrassing him,” Stewart replied.
Charlene laughed, her heart swelling with nostalgia for the days spent learning from their professor and tirelessly
Follow on NovᴇlEnglish.nᴇtworking on research
papers.
Cback, Charlene,” Stewart urged.
Holding her coffee mug tightly, Charlene took a deep breath and nodded. “Okay.”
Her passion for artificial intelligence started at a young age, and she loved the field. But her love for Thorne had
led her to abandon her dreams for nearly seven years.
Returning after such a long hiatus, catching up would undoubtedly take time. Yet, Charlene believed that with
effort, it was still possible. “When do you plan on coming back?” Stewart inquired.
“I need to hand over my current projects. It might take a while.”
Stewart said, “That's fine. There’s no rush.” Waiting a bit longer was no issue if she were willing to return.
After chatting more, Stewart glanced at his watch and mentioned, “A friend introducedto a genius in
algorithms who just returned to town. We've scheduled a meet-up soon. Since you're here, why not join me?”
Charlene shook her head. “I'm not familiar with your team. Maybe next time.” Charlene
“Sure thing.” Stewart smiled.
As soon as Stewart left, Charlene saw Thorne’s sister, Tiffany Henderson, approaching.
Charlene had seen her in the news but hadn't expected to run into her there.
“Greetings, Tiffany.”
Tiffany didn’t respond immediately. Her brows furrowed as she asked, “What are you doing here?”
“I cfor the Starlight University anniversary celebration,” Charlene replied.
Tiffany seemed to have forgotten that Charlene was also a graduate of Starlight University.
The day was for honored graduates
invited by the university, oon
faculty and current students. n
N ON
tffany'seyes, Charlene was an
ordinary graduate without significant
achievements. The content is on
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chapter there!
Tiffany decided not to dwell on it. She couldn’t be bothered to care if Charlene didn’t speak out of turn and
embarrass the Henderson family.
Thinking of her son, Tiffany bluntly
“ . .
stated her purpose. “Cain epfioned
he MISSES HY" ng’ I'll have the
diver drop Cain off at yours and
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Thorne's place later.” The content is
on novelenglish.net! Read the latest
chapter there!
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Cain, Tiffany's son and two years
older than Jasmine, had grown
increasingly rehellQygdpetanis |
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P entststeatie re ationship and
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Tiffany's busy career. Knowing Cain
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enjoyed Charlene's home-cooked
meals, Tiffany had started sending
him over whenever she could. The
content is on novelenglish.net! Read
the latest chapter there!
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