Marco's silence spoke volumes, which Nate interpreted as reluctance to discuss something that hadn't reached a serious stage yet.
Realizing he wouldn't extract any information from Marco, Nate chuckled softly and crouched down beside Cecelia. "Sweetheart, how many times have you met the lady who joined you for lunch today? Do you happen to know what her name is?"
Marco's knuckles whitened as his grip on the glass intensified. "Nate!"
Cecelia didn't grasp the underlying tension between the adults. Though she wasn't particularly close to Nate, his question about Veronica seemed innocent enough. She furrowed her brow in concentration before responding earnestly, "Three times!"
Nate pressed further, his tone casual. "And what does she call herself?"
During Marco and Veronica's earlier encounter that day, he had deliberately avoided using "Ms. Murray" when addressing her. This left Cecelia drawing a blank, so she turned to Marco with hopeful eyes.
"Uncle Marco, what should I call her?"
Marco's eyes remained fixed downward. "When you meet her again, you can simply ask her directly."
Cecelia's face lit up with enthusiasm. "Alright!"
Nate mumbled just loud enough to be heard, "How petty." Marco chose not to acknowledge the comment.
Meanwhile, Sabrina's fascination with the crystal keychains didn't go unnoticed by Cecelia. Despite her own attachment to them, she made the generous decision to offer one to Sabrina.
Sabrina's face brightened as she accepted the gift. "This is so sweet of you, Cecelia!"
Niall also voiced her appreciation for the kind gesture. Cecelia's smile widened. "It's nothing at all."
Observing Sabrina's obvious joy, Cecelia suddenly had another thought. "Sa, shouldn't you choose one for your mom as well?"
Sabrina's enthusiasm wavered slightly, her voice becoming quieter. "Maybe I'll do that another time."
Following dinner, Veronica spent some time reading before making her way to the bathroom for her evening shower.
The moment she emerged, her phone began ringing. Phillip's name appeared on the screen.
"Ver, I just spotted Aurora wandering around our neighborhood."
Aurora—wasn't that Niall's aunt by marriage?
Veronica paused, trying to process this unexpected news, when Phillip's voice came through again with more urgency. "Initially, I didn't think anything of it, but after returning home, I watched her enter the villa directly across from us—the one that's been under renovation!"
Veronica's demeanor changed instantly as she straightened up on her bed.
Phillip typically maintained his composure, but now his voice carried unmistakable fury. "This is completely intentional!"
Anyone connected to Porter's business community was aware that Cullen had been instrumental in helping the Crystal family establish their foothold in the city.
Despite Murray Corporation's current difficulties, Phillip remained connected to those circles—naturally, he was informed about these developments. He had simply refrained from sharing this information with Veronica, hoping to spare her additional worry.
It would have been perfectly reasonable if the Crystal family was planning to make Porter their permanent home and needed to purchase property.
However, being fully aware that the Murray family resided in this particular area, they had intentionally selected a house positioned directly opposite theirs. Who could possibly believe such a choice was mere coincidence?
Veronica grasped Phillip's implication immediately.
Her fingers tightened around her phone as she declared, "I need to contact Cullen."
Under different circumstances, Phillip wouldn't have suggested that Veronica reach out to Cullen. But this situation demanded action.
If Aurora and her family actually took up residence there, they would undoubtedly make their presence felt on a daily basis. Given Mary's delicate health condition, any additional strain could prove detrimental.
After concluding her conversation with Phillip, Veronica wasted no time in dialing Cullen's number. The phone rang repeatedly before someone finally answered. "Hello?"
Niall's voice came through the line instead of Cullen's.
Veronica felt her stomach tighten. She had been preparing herself mentally to confront Cullen directly, but hearing Niall's voice caught her off guard. There was something unsettling about the timing—why was Niall answering Cullen's phone at this hour?
"Is Cullen available?" Veronica managed to keep her voice steady despite the growing unease.
There was a brief pause before Niall responded, her tone carrying a hint of surprise. "Oh, Veronica. Cullen is in the shower right now. Can I take a message for you?"
The casual intimacy implied by Niall's knowledge of Cullen's whereabouts sent a chill through Veronica. She realized that whatever arrangement Cullen had with the Crystal family ran deeper than simple business assistance.
"It's regarding the property your family is purchasing," Veronica said, deciding to be direct. "The one across from our family's residence."
Another pause, longer this time. When Niall spoke again, her voice had lost some of its earlier warmth. "I see. Yes, Aurora mentioned she had been looking at houses in that area. Is there some kind of problem?"
The feigned innocence in Niall's question only confirmed Veronica's suspicions. This wasn't a coincidence—it was a calculated move designed to create discomfort for her family.
"I think you know exactly what the problem is," Veronica replied, her patience wearing thin. "Having your family move directly across from us isn't going to benefit anyone."
"Well," Niall's voice took on a slightly sharper edge, "I suppose that depends on your perspective. Aurora really fell in love with that particular property. The heart wants what it wants, doesn't it?"
Veronica recognized the subtle challenge in those words. This conversation was quickly becoming a power play, with Niall testing how far she could push before Veronica would back down.
"Please have Cullen call me when he's available," Veronica said firmly. "This conversation needs to happen directly with him."
"Of course," Niall agreed, though her tone suggested she had no intention of prioritizing the message. "I'll let him know you called."
As Veronica ended the call, she couldn't shake the feeling that she had just walked into a carefully laid trap. The Crystal family wasn't simply seeking a new home—they were positioning themselves strategically, and Cullen was either willingly complicit or being manipulated more skillfully than he realized.
She stared at her phone, debating whether to call back immediately or wait for Cullen to return her call. Every instinct told her that waiting would only give them more time to solidify whatever plan they were executing.
Her family had already endured enough upheaval. The thought of Aurora's daily presence across the street, constantly reminding them of their changed circumstances, was intolerable. Mary's health couldn't withstand that kind of ongoing stress, and Phillip was already showing signs of strain.
Veronica made her decision. She would give Cullen until tomorrow morning to call her back. If he didn't, she would take matters into her own hands and confront him in person. Some battles couldn't be fought from a distance.