York’s phone buzzed in his pocket, breaking the comfortable silence between him and Dalton. After a quick glance at the screen, he sighed and slipped the phone back.

“Looks like I’ve got something to take care of,” York said, his tone apologetic. “I should head out. Want to come with?”

Dalton snapped out of his thoughts, his eyes sharpening with focus. “Nah, I’m waiting for someone. You go ahead. We’ll catch up another time.”

“Alright, see ya.”

York waved and strolled away, disappearing into the bustle of the street. Dalton watched him leave, then turned on his heel and made his way towards the coffee shop down the block. As he pushed open the café door, he nearly collided with Vesta, who was guiding little Jasmine to the restroom.

They both stopped in their tracks.

“Oh, Mr. Ramirez? What a surprise!” Vesta exclaimed, her eyes widening in recognition.

“Yeah,” Dalton replied, letting the door swing shut behind him. His gaze swept the room until it landed on Thorne, who was deep in conversation with the barista at the counter. Shifting his attention, Dalton’s eyes finally settled on Jasmine. Just one look, and he was nearly certain-Jasmine had to be Thorne’s daughter. The resemblance was striking.

Even though he was sure, he asked anyway, “And who might this be?”

Vesta smiled softly, her gaze dropping to Jasmine. “Thorne’s daughter.”

Just as I thought, Dalton mused, feeling a tug of something heavy in his chest.

“Ms. Hawkins, who’s the handsome guy?” Jasmine piped up, looking up at Vesta with curious eyes.

Vesta bent down and playfully tapped Jasmine on the nose, a gentle smile curling her lips. “Just a friend of mine, sweetie.”

“Oh…” Jasmine replied, her curiosity satisfied for the moment.

Vesta turned back to Dalton. “So, Mr. Ramirez, are you meeting someone-”

Before she could finish, Jasmine tugged urgently at Vesta’s arm. “Ms. Hawkins, I really need to use the bathroom!”

She had been sipping on a large iced tea earlier, and now the situation was becoming more pressing by the second.

Seeing that Vesta was about to engage in more small talk, Jasmine, in her urgent state, didn’t hesitate to interrupt.

Dalton observed the exchange with a furrowed brow. Jasmine seemed a bit demanding, but Vesta’s patience and warmth were unwavering as she reassured, “Alright, sweetie, I’m sorry. Let’s get you to the restroom.” As they turned to leave, Vesta glanced back at Dalton. “I’ll be right back, see you in a bit.”

Dalton watched them walk away, feeling a pang of something he couldn’t quite place. He offered, “I was just heading that way myself. Mind if I join you?”

Vesta chuckled lightly. “Sure, why not?”

Jasmine was really in a hurry now. Seeing Vesta still moving at a leisurely pace, she let go of her hand and dashed towards the restroom on her own.

Vesta hurried after her, momentarily forgetting Dalton. “Minnie, wait up!”

Dalton couldn’t help but feel that Jasmine was a tad too headstrong.

Just as Jasmine was about to speak, she suddenly paused, her gaze flicking to the side as if she spotted something-or someone. “Minnie?” Vesta called, catching up. She noticed Jasmine standing still instead of running, and her mind immediately went to Charlene.

She glanced back at Dalton, who had caught up, her eyes flickering with unspoken thoughts. “Minnie, you really need to go, right? Let’s-”

“Yeah,” Jasmine muttered, her eyes scanning the crowd. Seeing no sign of Charlene, she chalked it up to her imagination and hurried off towards the restroom with renewed urgency.

Charlene, meanwhile, was indeed nearby, obscured by the bustling crowd in the shopping mall. She hadn’t noticed them in the sea of people.