My Coldhearted Husband’s Regret

Cullen lifted his teacup, steam curling between them as he spoke. "The custody arrangement gives me primary guardianship, but the terms are crystal clear—she has unlimited visitation rights with Sabrina."

The revelation caught Marco off guard. He had assumed the custody battle would be more restrictive.

Their conversation halted abruptly when both children glanced their way, their innocent faces reminding the men to keep adult matters private.

Cullen's voice carried a casual undertone when he shifted topics. "Word is you've been having discussions with DataPulse lately."

Marco's hand stilled momentarily. "That's right." His curiosity piqued, and he countered, "What about you? Planning to throw your hat in the ring?"

Cullen's shoulders lifted in a noncommittal shrug. "Still weighing my options. No need to rush into anything just yet."

Marco acknowledged with a quiet sound of understanding.

Meanwhile, Veronica remained buried in her thesis work, the pages scattered across her desk like fallen leaves. After dedicating a full day and a half to the project, she finally allowed herself a break on Sunday evening, meeting Whitney for dinner. They strolled through the city streets for over two hours, window shopping and catching up before Veronica finally returned to her apartment.

The weekend had been exactly what she needed—peaceful, productive, and blissfully free from distractions.

Monday morning brought her back to DataPulse's familiar corridors. The company buzzed with renewed energy as potential partners who had previously limited themselves to phone calls with Dario began scheduling face-to-face meetings, arriving with detailed proposals tucked under their arms.

Maverick made his appearance on Thursday afternoon.

Unfortunately, Dario had departed on business the previous day, leaving the office without its primary decision-maker.

When Veronica received word of Maverick's arrival, she immediately set aside her current project and made her way to the reception area.

The door swung open to reveal Maverick rising from his chair. His expression shifted subtly when he realized Veronica was alone.

Veronica approached with professional confidence, her hand extended. "Mr. Harris, I'm Veronica Murray. Dario left for a business trip yesterday and won't be returning for several days. I'm overseeing all company operations in his absence. Whatever you need to discuss, you can address with me directly."

Maverick's mind raced. Overseeing operations? What authority did she actually hold? Was she speaking as Dario's romantic partner, attempting to leverage their personal relationship into professional influence?

Even if her claim held validity, their proposal contained intricate technical specifications and industry jargon. Could she possibly comprehend the complexity of what they were presenting?

More concerning was her decision to handle this meeting solo, without bringing along any technical advisors or engineers who might better understand the nuances of their pitch.

Still, Dario's apparent trust in her was undeniable.

Despite his reservations about her technical competency, Maverick chose diplomacy over confrontation. Creating friction would serve no purpose.

He accepted her handshake briefly. "I appreciate your time, Ms. Murray."

Settling back into his seat, he retrieved a thick folder from his briefcase. "Here's our comprehensive proposal. I'd be grateful if you could review it."

Veronica accepted the document with steady hands. "Of course. Let me examine this thoroughly."

As she prepared to open the folder, a gentle knock interrupted them. One of Dario's secretaries slipped inside, leaning close to Veronica's ear. "Ms. Murray, there are two individuals in the lobby requesting to see you. They identified themselves as Isaac and Niall Crystal. Should I escort them to your office—"

"Absolutely not," Veronica cut her off quietly but firmly. "Please inform them they need to leave immediately."

"Understood, Ms. Murray."

After the secretary departed, Veronica offered Maverick an apologetic smile before diving into his proposal.

As she read, her appreciation for Maverick's approach grew. Despite arriving later than his competitors, he had clearly used that time to his advantage. His proposal was meticulously crafted, addressing nearly every requirement she had outlined.

Her concentration appeared genuine, her eyes moving methodically across each page as if she truly grasped every technical detail and strategic implication.

Maverick observed her performance with measured patience. If she wanted to maintain this facade of expertise, he wouldn't challenge her directly. He had nowhere urgent to be.

After more than thirty minutes of careful review, Veronica closed the document and met his gaze. "Mr. Harris, this proposal demonstrates exceptional alignment with our current objectives. Your team has clearly invested considerable effort in understanding our requirements. We'll give this serious consideration during our decision-making process."

Maverick had no intention of engaging in substantive discussions with Veronica. His real conversation would happen when Dario returned and they could speak directly, leader to leader.

However, maintaining professional courtesy remained essential. "I'm grateful for your positive assessment. The possibility of partnering with DataPulse is genuinely exciting for our organization."