The tender words Cullen whispered were never intended for Veronica.
Throughout their entire marriage, Cullen had never once pulled her close while sleeping, never pressed his lips to hers in those drowsy morning moments.
Veronica knew with painful certainty that he had confused her with Niall in his half-conscious state.
Her lips pressed into a thin line as moisture gathered in her eyes.
Cullen remained lost in sleep, his breathing steady and warm against her neck.
Veronica stared at his peaceful face, forcing down the sharp ache that clawed at her throat. She drew in a careful breath and began the delicate process of extracting herself from his arms without disturbing him.
Their bodies were pressed so intimately together that even the smallest shift would inevitably wake him.
As predicted, the moment she lifted Cullen's arm from where it rested possessively around her waist and attempted to sit up, his eyes fluttered open. She froze with one leg still caught beneath his.
Their gazes collided in that suspended moment.
Awareness flooded Cullen's features instantly. When the reality of their position registered—that he had embraced the wrong woman—he went completely still for several heartbeats before carefully disentangling his legs from hers.
Veronica pulled her own legs free and turned away from him. She moved to the edge of the bed, slipped her feet into waiting slippers, and walked toward the bathroom without a word.
When she emerged after washing and dressing, the bedroom stood empty.
She stepped into the hallway and spotted Cullen at the far end, speaking quietly into his phone while still wearing his sleep clothes.
Veronica allowed herself one brief glance before averting her eyes and heading downstairs.
Cook was already bustling about the kitchen. Soon after, Sabrina appeared at the bottom of the stairs, her hair still tousled from sleep.
Cook beamed at them both. "Perfect timing. Now that everyone's up, we can have breakfast together."
"Sounds wonderful," Sabrina replied with enthusiasm.
Cullen joined them moments later, settling into the chair beside Veronica.
The memory of their morning encounter flashed through Veronica's mind. She shifted slightly away from him, creating a small but noticeable gap between them.
Sabrina took a bite of her toast and studied Cullen with curious eyes. Something seemed to occur to her suddenly. "Daddy, do you always hold Mommy when you sleep?" Her innocent question carried genuine puzzlement.
Veronica had been sipping her morning tea. At Sabrina's words, the liquid caught in her throat and she began coughing violently.
Cullen said nothing, his expression unreadable.
Veronica's face burned crimson as she struggled to control her coughing fit. The awkwardness made her entire body tense.
Cook, however, looked absolutely delighted by this development. "Oh my, what makes you ask such a thing, sweetheart?"
"When I woke up this morning, I went to find Mommy in her room. I saw Daddy holding her really tight..."
Cook's smile grew even wider. She let out a knowing "Ahhhh" and cast meaningful looks between Veronica and Cullen.
Cullen maintained his silence.
Veronica's discomfort intensified, knowing full well that she hadn't been the woman Cullen truly wanted to hold.
Her phone's sudden ring provided a welcome interruption. Mary's name appeared on the screen.
"Hello, Grandmother," Veronica answered gratefully.
Mary explained that Poppy had returned from her travels with gifts for everyone. She wondered if they might all come over for lunch together.
Veronica glanced toward Cook as she responded. "Sabrina and I are currently at the Dennis estate."
Cook had originally planned to take them fruit picking in the orchards later.
Since Cook and Mary shared a close friendship, she immediately understood the situation. "Of course you should take Sabrina to see Mary," she said warmly.
Then she turned expectant eyes toward Cullen. "You haven't visited Mary in quite some time either. Since you're free today, why don't you go along with Veronica?"
Cullen continued eating methodically. "I have business to attend to this afternoon."
Veronica felt no surprise at his response. She had anticipated this exact reaction. Cullen never seemed to have time available for her.
Yet when it came to Niall, he somehow managed to rearrange even the most demanding schedule.
This represented the fundamental difference in how Cullen treated her versus Niall.
Cook's brow furrowed with disapproval. "What could possibly be so urgent? You haven't accompanied Veronica to visit Mary in months!"