My Coldhearted Husband’s Regret

Veronica kept her attention fixed on the technical specifications, her fingers moving across the tablet as she discussed implementation details with the Stellar engineers. She didn't acknowledge the arrival of the new group.

Malachi's smile broadened as he gestured toward the newcomers. "Mr. Reid, I believe you're acquainted with Mr. Harris and Mr. Wins?"

Dario gave a curt nod. "We've crossed paths."

The truth was more nuanced than his simple response suggested. All three men moved within Porter's elite social stratosphere, their families interconnected through business dealings and social obligations. Yet Dario had deliberately chosen a different trajectory from his peers, creating natural distance between them despite their shared background.

Maverick and Kolton exchanged pleasantries with Dario before Malachi guided them toward the opposite end of the facility to examine their respective projects. The conversation flowed easily as they discussed market projections and implementation timelines.

Niall, however, remained rooted in place, her attention laser-focused on Dario rather than following the business discussions unfolding around them.

She had registered Veronica's presence immediately upon entering, but after a single dismissive glance, she had deliberately shifted her focus elsewhere. Veronica represented nothing more than a minor inconvenience in her carefully orchestrated plans.

"Mr. Reid, I hope we haven't interrupted your work here," Niall said, her voice carrying the practiced warmth she reserved for strategic conversations.

Dario possessed exceptional capabilities in his field, and his connection to Malcolm only amplified his value as an ally. Despite sensing his underlying coolness toward her—a distance she attributed to Veronica's influence—Niall remained determined to cultivate their professional relationship. Once she secured her position as Malcolm's student, their paths would inevitably intertwine more frequently.

"I arrived roughly thirty minutes ago," Dario replied, his pen moving steadily across his notepad as he spoke. His tone remained professionally neutral, though his attention seemed divided. "You appear to have been here considerably longer, Ms. Crystal."

"I've been at Stellar since this morning," Niall explained, smoothing an invisible wrinkle from her sleeve. "The day proved quite demanding, so I took a brief respite upstairs to refresh myself."

The casual reference to her access to the upper floors carried obvious implications. Her ability to retreat to Cullen's private office whenever she pleased spoke volumes about the intimacy of their relationship.

Dario's pen stilled against the paper, and when he spoke again, his voice had grown noticeably more distant. "I see. So Mr. Dennis is also present at Stellar today?"

"Actually, no. He's handling matters at Dennis Group headquarters."

The revelation hung in the air between them, heavy with unspoken meaning. Even in Cullen's absence, she possessed unrestricted access to his private spaces. Did Cullen truly share everything with her, maintaining no boundaries or secrets?

Dario offered a noncommittal sound of acknowledgment and deliberately ended their exchange. He closed his notebook with a sharp snap and moved purposefully toward where Veronica stood reviewing technical schematics with the engineering team. Approaching her workstation, he opened his notes and indicated a specific section that required clarification.

Veronica examined the highlighted area, her expression focused and professional. She gave a brief nod of understanding before returning her attention to the data streaming across her screen.

Observing this interaction, Niall stepped closer to their workspace. "Is there a particular technical challenge you're addressing? I'd be happy to contribute to the discussion."

"Ms. Crystal," Dario replied without lifting his eyes from his calculations, "I'm currently engaged in focused work. This isn't an appropriate time for collaborative discussion."

Niall prepared to press her point when Veronica approached their position, a fresh set of calculations in hand. She began relaying critical performance metrics to Dario, her voice low and professionally modulated.

The moment Veronica entered their proximity, Niall's carefully maintained composure shifted. Her expression hardened, and her eyes narrowed with barely concealed hostility.

Veronica had initially planned to ignore Niall's presence entirely, but the intensity of the other woman's cold stare proved impossible to dismiss. She met Niall's glacial gaze with equal coldness before redirecting her focus to the technical discussion with Dario.

The temperature in the immediate area seemed to drop several degrees as the two women engaged in their silent battle of wills.

Recognizing the futility of remaining in such a charged atmosphere, Niall gathered her materials and returned to the conference room where her data analysis awaited completion.

Maverick glanced up from the contract specifications he'd been reviewing when Niall reentered their workspace. The subtle tension in her posture hadn't escaped his notice.

"Everything alright out there?" he asked, setting down his pen. "The conversation seemed cordial enough from our perspective."

Kolton nodded in agreement, though he'd observed the tail end of the interaction with growing curiosity. From their vantage point, Niall and Dario had appeared to be engaged in normal professional discourse. Then Veronica had materialized seemingly from nowhere, effectively inserting herself between them and drawing Dario away from their conversation. The look she'd directed at Niall before departing had been unmistakably territorial, as though she viewed any interaction between Niall and Dario as a direct threat.

"Nothing concerning," Niall replied, her fingers already moving across her laptop keyboard. Her voice carried studied indifference. "I simply inquired about some technical aspects of his current work."

Her response triggered recognition in both Maverick and Kolton. They suddenly recalled that Niall and Dario shared the same specialized field of study, making her interest in his work entirely logical.

Given Dario's status as Malcolm's protégé, his expertise was undoubtedly exceptional. Niall's dedication to expanding her knowledge made her approach completely reasonable from a professional standpoint.

Yet Veronica had apparently interpreted Niall's scholarly interest as romantic pursuit, swooping in to claim Dario's attention while shooting Niall a warning glare that bordered on possessive.

The irony wasn't lost on either man. Here was Veronica, supposedly committed to Cullen, displaying jealous behavior over another man's professional interactions.