The massive project with Andie Sanderson's team demanded constant attention.

The next day, Charlene arrived for their scheduled meeting. Andie was there, but Thorne was notably absent, having dispatched a senior executive to take his place. From the preliminary talks to the official signing, Thorne had personally overseen every step of this collaboration. This was the very first time he hadn't shown up.

He didn't appear for the next two or three meetings, either.

Charlene remained entirely unfazed. To her, the only thing that mattered was the smooth progression of the project. She didn't care which Henderson Group suit sat across the table.

Having worked with her for a while now, Andie genuinely admired Charlene. Not only was her competence off the charts, but her ability to compartmentalize was flawless. Despite everything between her and Thorne, she had never once let their personal baggage taint the project.

After wrapping up the day's negotiations, Andie called Thorne. "I have to be honest, Charlene is a powerhouse. But it's also painfully obvious she feels absolutely nothing for you anymore."

"Is that so?" Thorne replied smoothly.

"Are you still at the hospital? I've got a window in my schedule. Should I swing by?" Andie asked.

He had heard about the accident a few days ago. As Thorne's friend, it was only right to pay Vesta a visit, but he had been drowning in meetings until now.

He had never actually met Vesta.

Thanks to the high-profile nature of the project, Vesta and her relatives were fully aware of the ongoing three-way collaboration between Charlene, Andie, and Thorne. Given the recent strain in Vesta and Thorne's relationship, they simply hadn't had the luxury to pry into it.

Hearing that Andie Sanderson was coming to visit brought a wave of delight over Vesta and everyone else in the room in thefreyes, Thome. inviting a close business partner to see her was proof of just how heavily he prioritized her now. Cóntent

Arriving at the hospital, Andie exchanged warm introductions and pleasantries with Vesta. Once the formalities were out of the way, Thorne poured him a cup of tea and asked, "How did the negotiations go? Where are we at?"

"Everything is progressing perfectly," Andie assured him, launching into a brief rundown of the project's milestones.

He didn't overstay his welcome. After offering a few more polite well-wishes to Vesta, he headed out.

Shortly after he left, Moran and Granger walked in. They had been dropping by frequently over the past few days.

Watching the four of them fall into an easy, comfortable conversation, Laverne Hawkins couldn't help but whisper, "It's been a long time since I've seen the four of them together looking this happy."

It was true.

Ever since Thorne and Vesta's relationship hit the rocks, and ever since Granger bluntly stated he had no feelings for Leah Spencer and told their families to stop playing matchmaker, the dynamic had fractured. Thorne had distanced himself from Vesta, and Granger had largely stopped interacting with their families altogether.

But after Vesta saved Thorne's life, Granger had visited regularly. While he remained polite but distant toward Leah, his attitude toward the rest of the family had warmed up considerably.

Rhoda chimed in softly, "It feels like we're back to how things were early last year." "It really does."

Seeing Thorne practically live at the hospital-visiting two or three times a day to keep Vesta company-filled Rhoda with absolute joy. Seeing the couple return to their original,

Che couldnt help

dynamic,

but sigh in relief. "Our Vesta is truly blessed. When Thorne was being so cold a few months ago, I thought it was over for good. Who knew—"