As Dario opened his mouth to speak, Veronica noticed a figure approaching them. Turning slightly, she found herself locking eyes with Niall, whose initial polite smile faltered dramatically upon recognizing Veronica. The warmth in Niall's expression evaporated instantly, replaced by cold disdain as she quickly averted her gaze, dismissing Veronica's presence entirely.
Just as Niall prepared to greet Dario with renewed cordiality, he surprised both women by turning to Veronica and saying, "This is Ms. Crystal, Ver. Would you like to get acquainted with her?"
Those simple words carried significant weight. In that brief introduction, Dario conveyed multiple messages simultaneously: he shared an intimate connection with Veronica, as evidenced by the familiar nickname; he was fully aware of the ongoing hostility between the two women; and most importantly, he had chosen his side in their conflict—standing firmly with Veronica.
Niall had been oblivious to the depth of relationship between Dario and Veronica, unable to determine exactly what tied them together. But his pointed introduction made the implications crystal clear.
"Mr. Reid," she asked with icy composure, "are you suggesting I shouldn't bother reporting to DataPulse tomorrow?"
Dario set his champagne flute down deliberately, offering an appreciative smile followed by a slow clap. "Ms. Crystal, your perceptiveness is impressive."
He could have handled the situation with more diplomacy, softening the blow or creating plausible deniability. Instead, he chose bluntness—a clear statement that his loyalty lay with Veronica, and he was making professional decisions based on that allegiance.
Niall remained remarkably unruffled. No embarrassment colored her cheeks, no humiliation flickered in her eyes. In her worldview, while DataPulse might be significant in business circles, it paled in comparison to the social standing of the Dennis family. Dario Reid, in her estimation, lacked the necessary status to truly humiliate someone of her caliber. With this conviction firmly in place, she turned and walked away without another word.
Veronica watched the exchange unfold, a warm smile spreading across her face. As she turned to engage Dario in conversation, movement in her peripheral vision caught her attention. Cullen, Marco, and Nate were all redirecting their gazes toward her, having apparently witnessed the entire interaction.
Their primary interest appeared to be Niall's presence at the gathering, perhaps surprised to see her attending the same event. While Nate and Marco displayed open surprise at the encounter, Cullen remained impassive, his expression carefully neutral—treating Veronica not as his wife but as a complete stranger he'd never met before.
"Something wrong?" Dario followed her line of sight.
Veronica shook her head, maintaining her smile. "Nothing at all."
By then, Niall had already departed, and Cullen's group seemed to lose interest in the situation. Veronica seamlessly returned to her conversation with Gareth, discussing various industry matters.
After Gareth excused himself, Veronica took a contemplative sip of her drink. She noticed Nate smirking in her direction while Cullen deliberately kept his back turned. Nate raised his glass toward her in a gesture that felt more threatening than friendly.
Veronica's brow furrowed as she struggled to interpret Nate' behavior. He shot her a look brimming with contempt before turning away dismissively. The realization struck her suddenly—Nate likely believed she and Dario had ganged up to bully Niall. His gesture was a warning that the matter wasn't settled. The thought deepened her frown.
Shortly thereafter, Rafael returned from his rounds of greeting various guests. After exchanging pleasantries with everyone present, he turned to Dario with curiosity. "Are you familiar with Ms. Crystal?"
It was clear he referred to Niall. Dario offered an enigmatic grin. "Somewhat. Why do you ask?"
"I had the opportunity to speak with her during our earlier interactions," Rafael explained. "She mentioned being from Mariana, not Porter."
He continued thoughtfully, "Her family business is quite successful within Mariana's business landscape and has garnered significant recognition there. However," his tone shifted slightly, "when compared to established dynasties like the Dennis, Valerie, and Dante families here in Porter, her family's achievements appear relatively modest in scale."
The information hung in the air, adding another layer of complexity to the evening's already tense social dynamics. Veronica absorbed this detail, filing it away as potentially valuable intelligence in her ongoing conflict with Niall.