The displeasure on his face was unmistakable as his thin lips pressed together into a hard line. Lester's cold gaze followed Marco's approach, but the latter acted as if completely oblivious to the hostility directed his way. Marco maintained his confident stride toward them without the slightest hesitation.
Coming to a stop in front of Veronica, Marco positioned himself to face her directly, deliberately ignoring Lester. "What are you two discussing?" he asked casually.
Unaware of the silent power struggle unfolding between the men, Veronica responded with nonchalance, "Just some work matters."
Marco's smile dimmed slightly as he processed this information. The ease with which Veronica conversed with Lester suggested a certain professional compatibility—they clearly had substantial common ground in their field. Moreover, Lester's position at DataPulse meant countless daily opportunities to interact with Veronica, far exceeding Marco's own chances.
Before Marco could formulate a response, Dario approached the small group. He raised an eyebrow at the sight of both Lester and Marco hovering near Veronica but chose not to comment on the obvious tension.
"Everyone's gathered here," Dario announced simply.
As if on cue, Cullen and Niall joined them, expanding their circle.
Cullen nodded respectfully. "Mr. Reid."
Dario returned the greeting with a perfunctory smile that didn't reach his eyes. "Mr. Dennis, is there something you need?"
"I'd like to discuss a potential project with you," Cullen replied, maintaining his professional demeanor. "I believe you might find it interesting."
Dennis Group's technology division stood among the country's foremost tech innovators, with an impressive array of core patents and cutting-edge developments in their portfolio. Their upcoming product launch had already generated significant buzz in international markets.
Dario immediately grasped the implications of Cullen's suggestion for collaboration. Despite his personal reservations, he couldn't deny his interest in the proposition. As leaders of top-tier enterprises, they carried a responsibility to elevate local innovations onto the global stage, enhancing their country's international technological footprint.
True global competitiveness required more than isolated corporate success—it demanded inter-enterprise cooperation, technological collaboration, and mutual advancement. Personal feelings aside, Dario knew this truth well.
Without needing to consult Veronica—certain her business judgment would align with his own—Dario responded coolly, "This isn't the appropriate venue for such discussions. If you're serious about collaboration, come to DataPulse tomorrow during business hours."
Cullen appeared unsurprised by the response. He offered a slight chuckle. "I'll see you then."
Dario, clearly eager to end the interaction, asked with thinly veiled impatience, "Anything else, Mr. Dennis?"
"No, that covers it," Cullen replied evenly. "I won't take up any more of your time."
With that, he departed without sparing Veronica another glance, Niall following close behind.
Before leaving, Niall cast a meaningful look toward both Lester and Marco. Lester deliberately turned his face away, avoiding her gaze entirely. Marco, meanwhile, maintained his silence, his expression unreadable.
The following morning, Veronica had just stepped out of her car in the DataPulse parking lot when she spotted Cullen and Frank emerging from their vehicle several spaces away.
She paused momentarily, hand still on her car door. While she'd been expecting Cullen's visit to discuss the collaboration, his early arrival caught her off guard.
Noticing her, Cullen offered a cordial, "Morning."
Veronica responded with silence, turning directly toward the building entrance without acknowledgment.
Frank watched this interaction with a sense of dissonance. Since Veronica's departure from Dennis Group, their paths had rarely crossed. In his mind, she remained the woman who had once orbited Cullen constantly. Her current coldness toward them struck him as jarring—a stark contrast to the Veronica he remembered.
As the small group made their way into the building, the morning sunlight cast long shadows behind them, a visual echo of the complex history that now hung in the air between them.