Niall's response carried the perfect balance of humility and grace. "You're far too generous with your praise."
Neal swept his gaze across the assembled group, a mischievous glint in his weathered eyes. "Seems the rest of you need to raise your game."
The arrival of Maxwell changed the room's dynamic entirely. Veronica and Dario flanked him as he approached his father with purposeful strides.
"Father, allow me to present the youngest member of the Reid dynasty." Maxwell's voice carried the weight of calculated introduction. "His enterprise, DataPulse, has experienced unprecedented expansion and currently holds a coveted position on the government's strategic development roster."
His attention shifted seamlessly to Veronica. "This is Veronica Murray, DataPulse's principal technical architect and an extraordinarily gifted innovator. The corporation's meteoric rise can be attributed largely to her contributions."
The elder generation possessed an inherent investment in their nation's trajectory that younger people often lacked.
Maxwell's declaration transformed Neal's expression into one of genuine warmth. "Exceptional news indeed. With minds like these shaping our future, optimism seems entirely justified."
Maxwell seized the moment to present Mary to his father as well.
The conversation that blossomed between Neal and Mary centered on artistic pursuits.
Mary's upbringing in an intellectually refined environment had instilled in her a disciplined approach to both calligraphy and painting. Though her expertise couldn't match Neal's decades of mastery, she possessed substantial knowledge and could engage in meaningful discourse on artistic theory and technique.
Their exchange stretched on considerably.
Niall observed Maxwell's glowing presentation of Veronica and recognized the identical phrasing Dario had employed at the previous gathering. She concluded that Maxwell held Dario in high regard and was merely repeating his assessment.
While Veronica and Mary enjoyed the Patterson family's apparent approval, Jade and the Crystal contingent struggled to mask their growing irritation.
Jade's group had been absent from the earlier banquet, leaving them unaware that Dario had previously delivered similarly effusive praise regarding Veronica.
Maxwell's enthusiastic endorsement caught Aurora off guard, prompting her to draw Niall into a private conversation. "Does Veronica truly possess such remarkable capabilities?"
Niall's shoulders lifted in a dismissive gesture. "Hardly."
She proceeded to relay Dario's exact words from the previous banquet with surgical precision.
"Her tenure at DataPulse is remarkably brief. The company's present achievements cannot reasonably be credited to her involvement. Dario obviously harbors romantic feelings for her, otherwise he wouldn't be so generous in sharing recognition."
"Ah, that clarifies everything. I genuinely believed she possessed extraordinary talent." Niall's tone remained deliberately nonchalant. "She hasn't even completed her undergraduate studies."
"Precisely. Her educational background, qualifications, and professional accomplishments pale in comparison to your achievements. Yet Mr. Patterson presents her as though she surpasses even Dario in capability."
Penny's expression, which had momentarily softened, rapidly returned to its characteristic glacial composure following Niall's commentary.
Cullen's return to the gathering occurred without fanfare.
His gaze briefly acknowledged Veronica and Mary, who had somehow maneuvered themselves into positions of prominence, before deliberately shifting elsewhere.
Niall's smile brightened upon noticing his presence. "Another call?"
"Additional matters requiring attention shortly."
"Related to the international operations?"
Cullen confirmed with a subtle nod.
Marco observed their interaction from across the room before allowing his attention to drift toward Veronica's figure.
He noted with interest that she appeared completely oblivious to Cullen and Niall's presence.
Her demeanor suggested that Cullen no longer occupied any significant space in her thoughts.
The Mack family members, however, radiated unmistakable satisfaction.
Despite the considerable recognition Neal had bestowed upon both Veronica and Mary, such acknowledgment would do little to elevate the Murray family's social position within their circles.
The notion that the Patterson family might consider arranging a match between Veronica and Edric remained beyond the realm of possibility.
The social mathematics simply didn't support such an alliance.