After chatting with Jasmine and hanging up the phone, it only took about ten minutes for Thorne to text Charlene the time and place for Jasmine’s training the next day.

But that was it—just the time and location. Nothing else, not even an extra word.

The next day, Charlene arrived at the fencing club a few minutes before Jasmine did.

Jasmine showed up in the car with just her driver. Thorne wasn’t there.

As soon as she got out of the car, Jasmine beamed and grabbed Charlene’s hand, leading her into the fencing club.

No sooner had they entered than Charlene’s phone buzzed with a call from Stewart.

“Sweetie, let me take this call,” Charlene told Jasmine.

“Okay, I’ll go find my coach,” Jasmine replied, nodding.

Charlene answered the call. Stewart just had a few questions, and after a short chat, they hung up.

Jasmine hadn’t gone far. Her coach spotted her and greeted her warmly, “Hey, Minnie! Here already?”

He glanced around, then asked, “Are Ms. Hawkins and Mr. Henderson not with you today?”

“Nope, today my mom came with me!” Jasmine chirped happily.

Charlene overheard the conversation as she stood by the door. After a moment, she stepped inside.

The coach noticed Charlene, his eyes lighting up with surprise. “Ah, miss, are you here to-?”

“Mom!” Jasmine interrupted, smiling brightly.

The coach paused, then chuckled, “So you’re Minnie’s mom?”

Charlene nodded and shook his hand.

For the past six months, Jasmine had been coming to the club with Thorne, Vesta, or both accompanying her.

The coach knew Vesta was Thorne’s girlfriend but hadn’t realized she wasn’t Jasmine’s mother.

It was always Thorne or his girlfriend

bringing Jasmine to her fencing lessons, and her real mother had never been around, leading him to assume that Jasmine’s mom and Thorne were either divorcedor that she had passed away.

With Charlene now here, it was clear Jasmine’s mother was alive, suggesting she and Thorne were simply divorced.

Why Thorne and Charlene divorced was none of his business. From what he’d seen, Thorne and Vesta seemed happy, and Jasmine got along well with her.

Whether Jasmine’s closeness to

Vesta was with Charlene’s blessing was something he couldn’t guess,

so he avoided the topic, opting instead to praise Jasmine to Charlene. “Minnie’s got a real knack for fencing. She’s got talent and enthusiasm, and she’s doing really well. I’d say she’s got a good shot at placing in the top three at next

month’s competition.”

Charlene nodded. Before she could respond, Jasmine came over, taking her hand

and asking, “Mom, will you come with me to change?”

Charlene nodded again.

Once Jasmine was suited up in her fencing gear, the training commenced.

Her coach was reputedly a former

fencing champion, and his skills were evident. But it was clear that Jasmine had something special. Maybe it was a natural gift, or maybe it was her fearless

vel

approach-she moved with agility, attacked with boldness, defended

swiftly, and her reflexes were sharp.

In the flurry of her movements, Charlene could almost glimpse the future—a vision of Jasmine, grown up, competing fiercely. It was bittersweet, knowing she might not always be there by her side.

After about half an hour of training, Jasmine ran over, eyes bright with anticipation, asking, “Mom, was I good?”

Charlene didn’t know much about fencing, but she’d done some research online

the night before to get a basic understanding of the sport.

She took the small towel Jasmine handed her and wiped her daughter’s sweat, genuinely praising her, “You were fantastic.”

Then she turned to the approaching coach and added, “Thank you, I really appreciate your hard work.”

The coach smiled modestly. “Just doing my job. But honestly, Minnie’s progress isn’t all down to me. She came to us with a solid foundation.”

Thorne and Vesta were both skilled fencers, and it was clear Jasmine’s interest in the sport was sparked by them. For Jasmine, they were her first teachers in fencing.