The moment Dario witnessed the incident unfold, he abruptly ended his discussion with Hathaway and strode directly to where Veronica had landed.
"Are you hurt?" His voice carried an urgency that made her pulse quicken. Veronica managed a weak shake of her head. "What about your ankle?"
"It's throbbing," she confessed quietly. The sharp pain shooting up her leg confirmed her suspicion that something was definitely wrong.
Dario's immediate attention should have been comforting, yet it only amplified the hollow ache in her chest.
She could feel every pair of eyes in the room dissecting her every move. Their silent judgment was almost tangible. They were probably convinced she had orchestrated the entire scene, deliberately launching herself into Cullen's embrace. Now that she was clearly in pain, they likely felt she had gotten exactly what she deserved.
As for Cullen himself, he had barely managed to catch her properly, much less bothered to check on her wellbeing after she hit the ground.
In this room full of people, Dario was the only one who seemed to genuinely care whether she lived or died.
"I need to examine it properly."
"That's really not necessary—"
The crowd was still watching their every interaction.
Dismissing her objections entirely, Dario swept her up into his arms without warning. He carried her away from the cluster of gossiping spectators before carefully setting her down in a quieter corner. Dropping to one knee, he began examining her injured foot. He slipped off her stiletto with practiced gentleness, then lifted her leg to get a better view. The swelling around her ankle was unmistakable.
Without hesitation, he signaled to the restaurant staff, requesting both medical assistance and a pair of comfortable flat shoes for her.
His blatant display of concern for Veronica sent ripples of surprise through the gathered crowd. Many hadn't expected him to be so openly protective, completely disregarding what others might think.
The unexpected intimacy between them caused several onlookers to reconsider their earlier harsh judgments. Maybe they had been too quick to assume the worst. The connection between Veronica and Dario appeared far more authentic than they had initially believed.
Niall's mouth formed a tight line as she deliberately looked away from the scene.
Her attention drifted toward Cullen instead.
Cullen had obviously observed the tender moment between Veronica and Dario, yet his expression remained completely neutral. He seamlessly continued his previous conversation as though nothing significant had occurred. The closeness between them didn't seem to affect him in the slightest.
Witnessing Cullen's complete lack of reaction, Niall's shoulders visibly relaxed, and a satisfied smile returned to her features as she rejoined the surrounding conversation. She made a point of ignoring Veronica's situation entirely.
Within minutes, the restaurant's medical professional appeared and conducted a thorough examination of Veronica's injury before providing appropriate treatment recommendations.
After the doctor's departure, Dario took it upon himself to carefully apply the prescribed medication to her swollen ankle.
Veronica attempted to take over the task, but Dario fixed her with such an authoritative stare that she immediately backed down.
With an exaggerated gesture of defeat, she raised both hands and allowed him to continue his ministrations.
Once the treatment was complete, a staff member returned with the requested flat shoes.
Veronica gingerly stood and took a few experimental steps. "The pain is manageable now. I can move around." "That's a relief," Dario responded.
Despite her improved mobility, navigating the remaining exhibition displays would be unnecessarily taxing given her condition. Dario concluded that leaving early would be the most sensible option. Besides, he had already arranged for the event to be professionally documented, allowing her to review everything later from the comfort of home.
Although she was disappointed to miss the rest of the showcase, she recognized that continuing would be impractical.
Dario briefly explained their early departure to the other attendees before escorting Veronica out of the venue.
Following their exit, the remaining guests began to disperse as the evening wound down.
After ensuring Veronica arrived home safely, Dario departed to handle his other pressing obligations.
The combination of the day's events and her injury had left Veronica feeling completely depleted, both physically and emotionally. She decided to rest briefly before tackling the project assignments Mr. Blair had distributed, planning to discuss them with Dario once he finished his current responsibilities.
She had just placed her phone on the nightstand and was settling onto her bed when it began ringing.
Glancing at the screen, she noticed the number was completely unfamiliar.
After a brief moment of uncertainty, she decided to answer. "Hello, may I ask who's calling?"
"This is Marco Valerie," came the response from the other end.
Veronica felt her entire body tense as she immediately sat upright on her mattress. "Mr. Valerie?"
Honestly, the day had been such a whirlwind that she had entirely forgotten about their morning encounter until Marco's call brought it rushing back.
"I've handled the repairs for your vehicle," Marco informed her matter-of-factly. "You can retrieve it whenever it's convenient."
Before Veronica could formulate a proper response, he continued, "If your schedule doesn't permit it, I can arrange for someone to deliver it directly to you."