Bradley had just walked into the break room when he overheard Veronica and Miranda talking. He froze in his tracks, listening intently to their conversation.
For weeks, both he and Frank had been certain that Veronica wouldn't willingly step away from her position. They had expected her to fight tooth and nail to remain at Cullen's side, especially after Miranda took over her duties. The beautiful Miranda should have been perceived as a threat—a gorgeous woman working in close proximity to Cullen. How could Veronica possibly stand for that?
Yet, confusingly, Veronica had not only accepted Miranda's presence but seemed to be forming a genuine friendship with her. Now she was even teaching Miranda the precise way Cullen liked his coffee prepared. It made no sense to Bradley. What game was Veronica playing?
Meanwhile, Veronica remained completely unaware of Bradley's suspicions as she focused on wrapping up her work for the day. When Miranda invited her out for dinner that evening, Veronica politely declined.
"Sorry, I've got some research to do tonight," she explained with a warm smile. Her plan was simple: grab a quick meal at home and then dive into her AI studies for the remainder of the evening.
Just as she exited the building and approached her car, her phone began to ring. Veronica glanced at the screen—Sabrina.
"Mom, are you finished with work?" her daughter asked the moment Veronica answered.
Sliding into the driver's seat, Veronica replied, "Yes, just heading home now. What's up?"
"I want you to make dinner tonight. Can you cook when you get home?"
Veronica paused, her keys halfway to the ignition. Technically, she and Cullen weren't officially divorced yet, and he hadn't asked her to move out of the house. There shouldn't be any issue with her returning to cook dinner for Sabrina.
But fatigue weighed heavily on her shoulders, and she had plans for the evening—important ones. While Sabrina was certainly her responsibility, Veronica was beginning to realize that she had her own life too. The days of sacrificing everything without question were over.
"I have something important to do today," Veronica replied gently. "Maybe next time, sweetheart."
The line went quiet for a moment. It was the second time that day Veronica had said no to her daughter—something that had rarely happened before. Though Sabrina assumed her mother was genuinely busy, she wasn't used to not being Veronica's top priority, and it stung.
"Mom, why are you always so busy lately?" Sabrina's voice rose with indignation. "I don't care! I want you to make dinner!"
"Sa—" Veronica began, feeling a headache forming behind her temples. But before she could continue, Sabrina huffed loudly and hung up.
Tears welled in Veronica's eyes. She sat motionless in the car, covering her face with one hand as she tried to compose herself. After several minutes of silence, she finally started the engine and drove home.
At her apartment, Veronica quickly threw together a simple meal and settled at her desk with her laptop. She had just opened it when her phone rang again—this time it was Dario.
"There's an industry event coming up in a few days," he said, skipping the pleasantries. "Would you like to join me? I'd like to introduce you to some key people in the AI field."
"Sure," Veronica agreed without hesitation. "That would be great."
"How's the handover going?" Dario asked. "When do you think you'll be finished?"
"Soon. Probably within the next few days."
"Perfect," Dario replied, satisfaction evident in his voice.
Meanwhile, at the Dennis residence, Sabrina had been certain that Veronica would rush home to comfort her and prepare dinner. But an hour had passed, and as the clock approached 8:00 PM, there was still no sign of her mother.
Carlos hovered nearby, concerned by Sabrina's mounting distress. "Since Mrs. Dennis seems to be busy tonight, perhaps you should have something to eat now? Just to tide you over until she arrives."
"I don't want to!" Sabrina's bottom lip protruded in a sullen pout.
The fact that Veronica hadn't even called back made Sabrina truly upset. Carlos's well-intentioned suggestion only made her cry harder. "I want Mom to make it for me!"
"But..." Carlos hesitated, realizing the situation was beyond his ability to handle. With no other option, he reluctantly called Cullen.
It took several rings before Cullen answered. "What is it?" His voice was clipped, impatience evident.
After Carlos explained the situation, Cullen's tone softened slightly. "Put her on the phone."
Sabrina took the phone with a sniffle. "Dad..."
"Have dinner first," Cullen instructed, his voice firm but not unkind.
Sabrina wiped her tears away with the back of her hand but remained stubbornly silent. Cullen matched her silence for several moments.
Her crying intensified.
"I'll take you out this weekend," Cullen finally said. "You can choose any restaurant you want."
The sobbing stopped abruptly. "Really?" Hope flickered in Sabrina's voice.
"Yes. Now, eat your dinner first."
"Have you eaten, Dad?" Sabrina asked, her mood visibly improving.
"I'm at a business dinner."
Though still pouting slightly, Sabrina felt better as she hung up. Without further complaint, she headed downstairs to finally have her meal.
After ending the call, Cullen returned to the private dining room where his business associates waited. One of them smirked as he approached the table.
"Mr. Dennis, you certainly seem to be in high demand tonight. Another important call?"
Cullen took a slow, deliberate sip of his drink before responding.
"My daughter was throwing a tantrum and refusing to eat dinner," he explained, his expression unreadable. "I had to pacify her."
He set his glass down and smoothly redirected the conversation back to business, but a part of his mind remained on the unusual situation at home. Veronica had never been too busy for Sabrina before. The subtle shift in dynamics wasn't lost on him, though he couldn't quite determine how he felt about it.