Veronica approached Cullen with a hesitant expression. "My uncle mentioned that someone from Dennis Group reached out about a potential collaboration project."
Cullen was about to respond when she continued, her voice firm despite her inner turmoil.
"I know what you're doing. You feel indebted to me and my grandmother, and this is your way of showing gratitude. But I need to be clear—we visit your grandmother at the hospital because we care about her, not to curry favor with you. There's no need for business arrangements as repayment."
She knew the political landscape all too well. Any business between her family and Dennis Group would inevitably anger the Crystal and Mack, creating unnecessary friction. Even if Cullen's intentions were genuinely good—trying to help her uncle through this project—the reality remained unchanged: Niall was the woman who held his heart.
If at any point Cullen had a change of heart, today's generous offer would transform into tomorrow's burden. The Murray family would be caught in the crossfire, and she couldn't risk putting them in that position.
Keeping her tone deliberately detached, she added, "And you can relax. Once our divorce is finalized, we'll go our separate ways completely. I won't cling to you anymore."
She understood exactly what this was—Cullen's attempt to create even clearer boundaries between them. He seemed desperate to sever all ties, perhaps fearing she might hold onto false hope. But she was beyond that now.
Cullen remained silent for a long moment, his expression unreadable. Finally, he said simply, "Alright."
Veronica didn't elaborate further. She picked up her phone, called Phillip, and informed him of her decision. After ending the call, they continued with their skiing plans.
The remainder of their outing proceeded without incident, though there was a palpable distance between them. Veronica spent most of her time engaged in conversations with Adrian, Thomas, and Sabrina, laughing at their jokes and listening to their stories. Cullen remained on the periphery of these interactions, speaking only when absolutely necessary, never initiating conversation himself.
By midday, Cullen approached Veronica. "I need to leave early," he announced.
"Alright," she replied with practiced indifference, not even bothering to ask why.
Cullen turned to Sabrina. "Sa, do you—"
"I want to watch a movie with Mom, Adrian, and Thomas!" Sabrina interrupted enthusiastically.
Veronica hadn't suggested this outing—it had been Adrian and Thomas's idea, and the three children had eagerly planned it together before mentioning it to her.
Cullen nodded, his face revealing nothing. "Alright." He gave Veronica a perfunctory nod before turning and walking away without another word.
About ten minutes after Cullen's departure, Veronica's phone rang. It was Leon, her divorce lawyer.
"I just received a call from Cullen," he explained. "He's preparing a revised divorce agreement by the end of today. The main difference from the previous version is the asset division—he's adding two to three properties to your settlement, each valued at several hundred million."
Veronica's expression remained impassive, but internally, she felt a bitter understanding bloom. This was how Cullen viewed their situation. Despite her clear statement earlier, he still didn't believe her. Did he think she was playing games, trying to manipulate him into staying? Was this additional property settlement his way of easing his conscience because she'd refused his business offer?
"I understand," she replied coolly. "I have no objections. I'll leave the rest to you."
Meanwhile, after departing from the ski resort, Cullen drove straight to pick up Niall before heading to a scheduled lunch meeting. When they arrived at the upscale restaurant, they discovered the private dining room already filled with guests. The Crystal and Mack dominated the gathering, but several other influential figures sat around the large table as well.
Isaac and Andrew's faces lit up with matching smiles when they saw Cullen entering with Niall at his side. Niall gracefully took her seat beside Aurora, while Cullen settled into his chair and immediately engaged Wayne Henderson and Evan Juliet in business discussions.
Aurora leaned closer to Niall, lowering her voice to a conspiratorial whisper. "Niall, your uncle and I just heard something interesting—apparently Cullen planned to offer a Dennis Group project to the Murray family!"
Niall nodded, her expression revealing nothing. "Yes, I already know about that."