Tears gathered in Veronica's eyes, making her vision blur as her thoughts scattered in a thousand directions. She blinked rapidly, forcing herself back to the present moment, and managed to speak through the emotion threatening to overwhelm her. "Thank you so much. What do I need to—"
Her question about his conditions died on her lips as Cullen shifted his cigarette to his other hand and lifted his free hand toward her face. His fingers brushed against her cheek with unexpected gentleness, catching the single tear that had escaped despite her efforts to maintain composure. "You should get some sleep."
The simple touch sent an electric shock through her system, freezing her in place as she watched him turn and walk away. Her body remained motionless, her mind struggling to process what had just happened. By the time her thoughts cleared enough for her to think rationally, she found herself alone, uncertain of her next move.
Cullen's suggestion that she rest implied he expected her to spend the night here. The realization made her pulse quicken with a mixture of anxiety and something else she didn't want to examine too closely.
Technically, since their divorce hadn't been finalized despite her moving out, staying overnight shouldn't create any complications. But the idea of sleeping in their former shared bedroom felt like crossing a line she wasn't prepared to breach.
After taking several deep breaths to steady her nerves, she gathered her purse and the small overnight bag she'd brought, then made her way upstairs to Sabrina's bedroom instead.
The familiar space, decorated with soft pastels and filled with her daughter's toys and books, provided a sense of comfort she desperately needed. She settled into the twin bed, pulling the covers up to her chin, though sleep remained elusive for hours.
Dawn was still breaking when Veronica's internal clock woke her before seven. The house felt peaceful in the early morning silence, a stark contrast to the emotional turbulence of the previous evening.
Minutes later, she heard the soft patter of small feet, and Sabrina appeared in the doorway, her hair tousled from sleep. The little girl's face lit up with delight at finding her mother there, and she quickly climbed onto the bed, wrapping her arms around Veronica's neck in an enthusiastic embrace.
"Mommy, will you drive me to school this morning?" Sabrina asked, her voice carrying that particular tone children use when they're being extra charming to get what they want.
The request warmed Veronica's heart, and she found herself nodding without hesitation. "Of course, sweetheart."
After they both got ready for the day, they made their way downstairs to the dining room, where the housekeeper had already set out a breakfast spread on the polished table.
They had barely begun eating when Cullen appeared in the doorway. He moved with his usual confident stride, settling into the chair directly across from them without ceremony.
"Good morning, Daddy!" Sabrina called out with genuine enthusiasm, her face brightening at the sight of her father.
"Good morning," Cullen replied, his tone neutral but not unkind. His gaze shifted briefly to Veronica, lingering for just a moment before he looked away without acknowledgment. He reached for his coffee and began eating in characteristic silence.
Veronica kept her attention focused on her plate and her daughter, maintaining the same careful distance she'd learned to navigate over the months of their deteriorating marriage. Cullen's agreement to help her with her professional situation didn't signal any shift in their personal dynamic. The invisible wall between them remained firmly in place, as impenetrable as ever.
Once breakfast concluded, Veronica drove Sabrina to school, cherishing the animated chatter that filled the car during their journey. After dropping off her daughter, she headed directly to the office, where a mountain of work awaited her attention.
The technology exposition she and Dario had attended recently had sparked numerous innovative concepts, but their demanding partnership with Stellar had prevented them from fully developing these ideas. Now, with a brief respite in their schedule, they could finally dedicate proper attention to moving these projects forward.
The workload proved more intensive than anticipated. As evening approached, Veronica realized she'd been so absorbed in her tasks that she'd forgotten to arrange dinner. She was considering ordering delivery and working late into the night when her phone rang around six o'clock.
Cullen's name appeared on the screen. She stepped out of the conference room where she'd been collaborating with her team and answered the call.
"What's up?" she asked, trying to keep her tone professional.
"My grandmother is here," Cullen stated without preamble. "You need to come home soon."
The unexpected news caught her completely off guard. Before she could formulate a response or ask for more details, the line went dead. Cullen had already disconnected the call.
She stared at her phone for a moment, processing this development, then returned to the conference room where Dario and several team members were still deep in discussion.
"I have to leave early tonight," she announced, gathering her materials. "Please send me detailed notes on everything we cover after I go, including any problems that come up. I'll review everything later tonight."
She was determined not to let her personal obligations slow down the team's momentum on these crucial projects.
Dario looked up from his laptop and gave her an understanding smile. "Don't worry about it. We've got this covered. Just take care of whatever you need to handle."
Thirty minutes later, Veronica pulled into the driveway of the villa, noting that Cullen's black sedan was already parked in its usual spot. Clearly, he'd left work early as well to be present for his grandmother's visit.
As she entered the house, she immediately spotted the three of them in the living room. Cullen sat on the large sectional sofa with Cook beside him, while Sabrina was curled up on Cook's other side. They appeared to be engaged in comfortable conversation, the scene looking remarkably domestic and peaceful.
Cullen was the first to notice her arrival, though he offered no greeting or acknowledgment. His expression remained unreadable as their eyes met briefly.
Cook, however, immediately rose from the sofa with a warm smile that reached her eyes. "Veronica, dear, you're home. How wonderful."
"Yes, I got here as quickly as I could," Veronica replied, still slightly breathless from hurrying.
Cook reached out and took Veronica's hand in both of hers, patting it gently with obvious affection. "You must be absolutely famished after such a long day. Dinner will be ready in just a few minutes. Let's get you fed properly."
"That sounds perfect."
When they moved to the dining room, Cullen took his seat beside Veronica without any prompting from Cook this time. The gesture seemed natural, though Veronica couldn't help but wonder if it was purely for his grandmother's benefit.
Throughout the meal, Cook continued her familiar pattern of ensuring Veronica's plate never remained empty, adding portions of various dishes while shaking her head with gentle disapproval. "Look at you, you've gotten even thinner since I saw you last. You simply must take better care of yourself, dear."