Unknown Divorce Revelation Beyond Time

Charlene thought for a moment, then stood up. "I'll talk to you later. I need to take this call outside."

With that, she nodded a quick goodbye to Professor Hancock and the others, then slipped out of the private dining room, phone in hand.

As the door closed behind her, Stewart finally snapped out of his daze. His eyes widened in disbelief.

He had wondered once, at a gala last year, when he saw Charlene and York dancing together, if there might be something more between them. But after that night, as far as he knew, they hadn't crossed paths again—so how could-

Gaylord Hearst, picking up on Stewart's reaction, instinctively glanced in Charlene's direction.

He didn't know York, hadn't even heard of him before. But the flicker of discomfort on Charlene's face, combined with Stewart's response, immediately put him on alert. Something was going on.

So, this York-was there something between him and Charlene?

Across the table, Thorne did know York. When Stewart spoke, Thorne cast a lazy, almost indifferent glance toward Charlene, intending to look away just as quickly. But the strange tension on her face caught his attention, and he paused, his gaze lingering thoughtfully as she left the room.

Outside, Charlene answered the call, barely opening her mouth before York spoke first. "I was starting to think you weren't going to pick up."

Charlene had always attracted attention, even as a teenager. Declarations of love from the opposite sex were nothing new to her. But after she got married and had a child, her life changed. She made no secret of her marital status at work, and for years, no one had confessed their feelings for her.

She and York were casual friends at best. And since her divorce from Thorne wasn't finalized, York's recent confession had left her uneasy. Now, with him calling again so soon, she was even more on edge.

after really reflecting on it, I realized it wasn't impulsive

he was calling, but she hadn't

and steady, suffused with sincerity, as if he'd spent a long time pondering every word. Before she could respond, he added, "Last time, you told me you were 'married.' Not that you are married, but that you have been. Can I ask—does

in his tone,

respectful way of speaking. He was

hoping

be cold, especially to someone so considerate. So

"I filed for divorce today, but it's not

waiting period isn't over, so you can't finalize

my timing isn't half

uncomfortable, her voice dropping. "Thank you for your feelings,

།

his tone still warm "You're not ready to jump into something new. Maybe you've never even considered being with me Honestly, I get

off guard by how perfectly he'd read her

"I know all that. But

snapped back to

remembering her daughter,

She opened her mouth to explain that