The car Cullen arranged pulled up just moments after Sabrina had called Veronica. Despite hoping to see her mother once more before departing, time had run out.
Upon arriving at the private lounge, Sabrina rushed forward with unbridled enthusiasm. "Dad, Niall, hi!" she exclaimed, throwing herself into Cullen's welcoming arms. He smiled warmly, gently tousling her hair while Niall helped set aside her backpack.
The lounge bustled with familiar faces—Marco, Nate, and Bonnie were already settled in, waiting for their arrival.
Nate observed Sabrina's excitement with a knowing smirk. "See? I told you, Cullen. You should have brought Sa along. Look how she missed you! Another day apart and she'd probably have been sobbing."
His comment carried a subtle implication—that staying with Veronica had somehow been a hardship for Sabrina.
Before Cullen could respond, Marco smoothly redirected the conversation. "Did you have any fun while staying with your mom, Sa?"
Settling comfortably into her seat, Sabrina's face brightened. "I did! Mom took me to see a movie, and we played these amazing VR games together. We also went out for dinner."
"That's all?" Nate interjected, his tone laced with skepticism.
"Yeah," Sabrina replied casually. "Mom was pretty busy most of the time."
Nate immediately assumed Veronica had been preoccupied with the usual Bloom Celebration family obligations—a familiar scenario for him and Marco. They themselves had been inundated with endless family gatherings since year's end, barely catching their breath before work demands surged again. Today marked their first chance to unwind and reconnect with Cullen and the others over a meal.
Across from Sabrina, Niall sat quietly absorbed in her book.
Taking a sip of her drink, Sabrina's gaze wandered to the book's cover. Something about it triggered a sense of familiarity, compelling her to look again.
Marco noticed her interest. "Does the book intrigue you, Sa?"
"No," Sabrina shook her head. "I just realized Mom has the exact same one."
Niall's hands froze momentarily at Sabrina's words, a subtle smile playing at the corners of her mouth.
The beginner and advanced editions shared identical covers—an easy mistake for someone unfamiliar with the content. Niall possessed the advanced edition, material so complex she hadn't even encountered it during her doctoral studies. She'd been expanding her reading lately, and through Bonnie's frequent visits to the Crystal, knew about both versions of the book.
Sabrina's innocent comment confirmed her suspicion: Veronica must be reading the elementary version.
She nearly laughed aloud but contained herself in Cullen and Marco's presence.
Marco, meanwhile, had pieced together the situation himself. He lowered his gaze, his smile hidden as he remained silent.
Suddenly, Nate turned toward Marco with mischievous intent. "I heard your mother's been arranging blind dates for you, Marco. Found anyone interesting yet?"
The comment instantly captured everyone's attention.
Bonnie, having heard these rumors herself, watched Marco nervously, anxiously awaiting his response.
Marco shot Nate an irritated glance. "Can't you go one day without gossiping?"
"Just curious," Nate replied with a playful grin.
Marco's subsequent silence spoke volumes. His disinterest in blind dates was painfully obvious to everyone present.
Nate pressed on. "What about that woman Cecelia keeps mentioning? If you like her, why not tell your mother? Or is her background problematic? Worried your mom won't approve?"
Marco deliberately avoided looking at Cullen as he cut Nate off. "With all this food around, you're still running your mouth?"
Nate remained undeterred by Marco's evasiveness. "I understand—you're concerned about your mother's approval, so you haven't introduced her yet. But it's been quite some time now. At least let us meet her. Bring her to see me and Cullen."
Without waiting for Marco's reply, Nate turned to Cullen. "Don't you agree?"
Cullen chuckled, giving Marco a knowing look. "When the right time comes, you won't need to pressure him. Marco will bring her to meet us naturally. We should respect his space."
Nate fell silent, though everyone understood his curiosity about this mysterious woman.
Bonnie tugged gently at Niall's sleeve. "Niall..." she whispered.
Nate had previously told her about Marco's interest in someone else, which she'd dismissed at the time. Now, the reality seemed undeniable.
Niall merely smiled serenely, offering no words.
While they had never met the woman Cecelia mentioned, questions lingered beneath the surface. Did Marco truly harbor deep feelings for this unknown person? Or was she merely a convenient distraction, a carefully crafted decoy to shield his genuine emotions from prying eyes?