Chapter 142
Stewart chimed in, “Mr. Ross, could you give us a moment? Someone else is about to join us, should be here in ten, tops.
Vernon was well aware of the bond between Stewart and Charlene.
Stewart always seemed to go the extra mile for Charlene.
Both Helena and Vernon were quite grateful for his attentiveness.
“Hearing Stewart’s request, Vernon asked, “Just one more guest? We’ve got a spot open at the head table. Do
you think he’d mind joining us there?”
Stewart reassured, “He won’t mind at all.”
“That’s settled then.”
Vernon nodded and told the servers to delay serving the main courses to their table and attend to the other Quests first.
As their starters were being served, Stewart checked his phone and motioned for Charlene to follow him downstairs to greet their arrival.
Charlene nodded. As she turned, a familiar, chilly voice called out, “No need, I’m already here.”
Caught off guard, Charlene spun around. “Professor? Is that you?”
With a simple “Hmm,” Kenton acknowledged.
The other guests froze, questioning their eyesight. After all, it was Kenton, the tech mogul frequently spotlighted in the media.
A figure of national renown, whose talents alone were newsworthy, not to mention his influential background
And there he was, attending Helena’s birthday celebration?
Both Helena and Vernon were momentarily stunned before hurrying to welcome him.
Kenton, known for his reserve, still showed respect to elders he deemed worthy.
He had met Helena before.
Quickly moving to her side, he insisted she stay seated, “Please, don’t stand on my account.”
Once Helena was seated, she expressed her gratitude, “Mr. Wagner, your presence honors an old lady like me.”
“Far too kind,” Kenton responded as he sat beside her, “It’s been too long since my last visit, my apologies.
He then signaled for Stewart to hand him a gift, which he personally presented to Helena, “I’m afraid it was a bit rushed. I hope you won’t find it lacking.”
Laughing, Helena replied, “Mr. Wagner, your thoughtfulness alone is more than enough.”
After exchanging pleasantries with Helena, Kenton glanced towards Charlene and Stewart, who stood beside him like schoolchildren awaiting scolding.
They quickly took the hint and sat down beside him.
Helena continued, “You’ve been a great support to Charlene over the years.”
“It was only right,” Kenton remarked, “She’s recently made some significant strides in her research, truly living up to her potential. You can rest assured.”
Both Kenton and Helena had restrained from discouraging Charlene when she decided to drop out of college for Thorne.
08:54
apter 41
They believed that facing challenges was part of growing up.
After all, it’s only through making their own choices that they learn what regret truly feels like.
The fear was that encountering setbacks could lead to a downward spiral from which one might never recover.
Fortunately, Charlene didn’t let her setbacks define her future.
Having seen cases like Sybil’s, Helena was concerned but understood that too much interference could be counterproductive. In the end, she let Charlene choose her own path.
Hearing Kenton’s reassurance now brought a wave of relief to Helena, “That’s wonderful to hear.”
