After their evening meal, Sabrina casually mentioned something that made Veronica realize Cullen was away on business. She hadn't known he was traveling, but then again, why would she? Their lives had separated into distinct orbits now, intersecting only through their daughter.
Around nine that night, while Veronica was showering, her phone rang in the bedroom. Sabrina, hearing the persistent ringtone, picked it up and saw Marco Valerie's name flashing on the screen.
"Mr. Valerie," she answered politely.
There was a brief pause before Marco's deep voice came through. "Sa."
Before their conversation could continue, Veronica emerged from the bathroom wrapped in a towel, droplets of water still clinging to her shoulders. Seeing her mother, Sabrina extended the phone.
"Mom, it's Mr. Valerie."
"Thanks, honey." Veronica accepted the device, tucking a damp strand of hair behind her ear. Before she could offer a greeting, Marco spoke first.
"I hope I'm not disturbing you?"
"Not at all," she replied, her voice carefully neutral.
"I'm out of town at the moment," Marco explained. "We'll need to reschedule our dinner for another time."
"That's perfectly fine," Veronica responded, feeling a mix of relief and something else she couldn't quite name.
After ending the call, Veronica reached for her hairdryer, but stopped when she noticed Sabrina staring at her with curious eyes.
"What's wrong?" Veronica asked.
"Mom, you know Mr. Valerie too?" Sabrina's question held genuine confusion.
"Yes," Veronica replied simply, not elaborating on their complicated history.
"Oh. Okay," her daughter said, clearly wanting more information but sensing it wasn't forthcoming.
The following morning brought routine - Veronica descended to the kitchen early to prepare breakfast. The morning light streamed through the windows as she moved efficiently through the familiar space.
Thirty minutes later, as she headed back upstairs, she spotted Sabrina on the phone, her small face animated. When Sabrina noticed her mother, she quickly bounded over.
"Mom, it's Dad," she said, extending the phone.
Veronica took it with a measured expression. "Yes?"
Cullen's voice filled her ear, businesslike and direct. "I can only return on Wednesday. I don't think Sa will want to leave the Murray residence until then. I'll have to impose on you to look after her for the next few days."
Veronica listened without interruption, her lips pressed into a thin line. She disconnected without further comment, already mentally reorganizing her week.
Monday arrived with its usual demands. After dropping Sabrina at kindergarten, Veronica immersed herself in work. A major project deadline loomed, transforming her week into a blur of meetings, design revisions, and late nights. She often returned home well past midnight, exhaustion clinging to her like a second skin.
Though Sabrina remained at the Murray residence, their interactions were limited to brief morning exchanges - rushed conversations over breakfast before the day swept them in different directions.
Thursday afternoon brought a call from Sabrina, her voice bright as she announced Cullen's return. That same day, after school, she went directly back to the Dennis manor, leaving Veronica alone once again in a house that sometimes felt too quiet.
Saturday arrived with clearer skies. Veronica met Marco and Cecelia at the entrance to the amusement park, the sounds of distant roller coasters and children's laughter filling the air.
Marco's eyes lingered on her face as they exchanged greetings. "It's been a while since we last saw each other."
"Has it?" Veronica replied, genuinely unaware of the passing time in her work-focused haze.
Throughout their morning together, Marco seemed preoccupied, as though words gathered behind his lips but wouldn't quite form. It wasn't until they approached lunchtime that he finally spoke, his tone hesitant.
"You know Stellar has multiple shareholders, right?"
"Mmhm," Veronica nodded, watching Cecelia run ahead toward a colorful carousel.
"Cullen plans to buy out my shares, as well as Nate' and the others'..." He paused meaningfully. "To give it to..."
He didn't complete the sentence, but he didn't need to. Veronica immediately understood the unspoken name: Niall. She'd witnessed firsthand Cullen's preferential treatment of Niall at Stellar, the special considerations and opportunities lavished upon her.
Once, Veronica had jokingly remarked that it wouldn't surprise her if Cullen renamed Stellar to Crystal one day. Now, it seemed her offhand comment held more truth than she'd realized.
While Stellar was relatively young in the tech landscape, its valuation still reached billions. Cullen's willingness to simply hand over such an empire spoke volumes about his feelings.
Marco added quietly, "Nate and I agreed to it."
"I see," Veronica replied, unsurprised by this revelation.
The bond between Marco, Nate, and Cullen stretched back to childhood - decades of shared experiences, secrets, and unwavering loyalty. Their agreement to Cullen's request was perfectly in character.
Veronica understood why Marco had shared this information. DataPulse and Stellar maintained significant business connections, and this ownership change would inevitably affect their partnership. But beneath the professional courtesy, she sensed another motivation.
Marco had witnessed the depth of Veronica's feelings for Cullen. Before discovering her connection with Dario, he'd believed she had moved forward with her life. Now, watching her carefully controlled expression as they discussed Cullen's latest grand gesture for another woman, he wasn't so certain anymore.