My Coldhearted Husband’s Regret

The moment Veronica stepped through her front door after lunch, her phone buzzed with Dario's call.

After she explained Malcolm's unexpected invitation, Dario's voice carried recognition. "Doran and Maxwell? Those names ring a bell."

He paused, then continued with apparent interest. "Here's something that might surprise you. Maverick is Doran's son. With bloodlines like that, it's hard to understand how someone so young ended up losing his sight."

The revelation about Maverick's parentage caught Veronica off guard, though she felt no particular investment in the information.

Tuesday morning brought Stellar's inaugural autonomous vehicle trial.

Veronica and Dario arrived at the facility before dawn, only to discover Maverick, Kolton, and their associates had beaten them there. Brief eye contact was exchanged between the groups before each side turned their attention elsewhere.

Dario showed no interest in pleasantries, guiding Veronica directly toward the testing area to review preparations.

The equipment stood ready, yet no activity commenced. Dario's impatience surfaced. "What's causing the delay?"

Vincent provided the explanation. "Mr. Dennis plans to oversee this personally. We're holding until his arrival."

A thought struck him, prompting another question. "Speaking of which, where has Ms. Crystal been lately?"

Vincent had mentioned Niall's intention to develop her expertise at Stellar, yet she'd vanished within days of that announcement.

Vincent's chuckle held knowing undertones. "Ms. Crystal expressed interest in professional growth, correct? Mr. Dennis determined the most effective approach would be hands-on leadership experience with an actual project."

He continued, "Last week, Mr. Dennis revived one of our dormant initiatives. Ms. Crystal has spent recent days assembling her team. They're conducting strategy sessions upstairs as we speak."

Dario felt his composure crack. His gaze shifted to Veronica, expecting some reaction to Vincent's casual mention of Cullen's personal investment in Niall's career development.

Instead, Veronica remained absorbed in her analysis of previous test data, her expression revealing nothing about Cullen's professional arrangement with Niall.

Dario exhaled slowly, reaching over to disturb her carefully arranged hair.

Veronica brushed his hand aside without looking up. "Stop interfering with my work." Her tone carried no emotional weight, suggesting genuine indifference. This observation provided Dario some relief.

Cullen's entrance commanded attention. Marco and Nate flanked him, their expressions shifting to obvious surprise upon noticing Veronica's presence. Both men stared openly before she acknowledged them with a brief glance and returned to her documentation.

Cullen addressed the assembled group with practiced professionalism. "I appreciate everyone's dedication to this project."

Vincent stepped forward. "Shall we proceed with the initial run, Mr. Dennis?"

Cullen consulted his timepiece. "We're expecting one more participant. I'll check on the progress upstairs. Please maintain your positions."

His departure left little mystery about the delay's cause.

Veronica required no speculation to understand Cullen's reference. Niall's meeting would need to conclude before testing could commence, requiring everyone else to accommodate her schedule.

Dario reached the same conclusion, his jaw tightening as he suppressed his frustration.

Cullen's return brought Niall in tow, with Bonnie completing the trio.

Bonnie's presence seemed anticipated rather than surprising, suggesting prior coordination with Niall regarding today's events.

The sight of Veronica relegated to waiting for Niall's convenience, despite being Cullen's wife, brought visible satisfaction to Bonnie's features. The irony of the power dynamic wasn't lost on her.

Veronica felt no curiosity about Bonnie's professional appearance or her presence at Stellar. The situation merited no emotional investment from her perspective.

Niall addressed the group with apparent sincerity. "My apologies for the delay."

Her words carried genuine regret, though her eye contact deliberately excluded Veronica. Maverick's group, Dario, and others received her direct attention, while Veronica might as well have been invisible.

The calculated nature of Niall's acknowledgment pattern created an uncomfortable atmosphere that everyone present could sense, though none chose to address it directly.