My Coldhearted Husband’s Regret

Marco's eyes remained fixed on the large screen displaying the DataPulse press conference. He massaged his temples, attempting to alleviate the pressure building behind his eyes as concerns weighed heavily on his mind.

Across the room, Bonnie lounged comfortably, biting into a piece of fruit while watching Veronica command the stage with remarkable confidence. Her expression darkened with each passing moment until finally, she snatched the remote and turned off the television with an irritated flick of her wrist.

"Why is she the one up there getting all the glory?" Bonnie huffed, tossing the remote aside. "She's stealing every bit of attention that should be divided among all of us."

"That's hardly the issue here," Dora countered with a dismissive wave of her hand.

In Dora's mind, Veronica was merely riding on Dario' coattails. So what if she delivered a speech at some press conference? It was nothing but a fleeting moment in the spotlight, a superficial achievement at best.

The true value, the actual prize worth pursuing, lay in DataPulse's groundbreaking technology. Isaac nodded in silent agreement with Dora's unspoken assessment.

Yes, Veronica had spoken eloquently at the event—he couldn't deny that. But when it came to the complex technological innovations behind DataPulse, Isaac, Niall, and Dora shared the conviction that Dario must have prepared her thoroughly beforehand.

There was simply no possibility that she genuinely understood the intricacies of such advanced technology.

Aurora, however, saw things differently. "Whether we like it or not, she's firmly established with Dario backing her every move."

Regardless of personal opinions, Veronica had undeniably made waves today, and in doing so, had brought tangible benefits to the Murray family.

That accomplishment alone, in Aurora's estimation, proved Veronica possessed genuine skill worth acknowledging.

Bonnie's concerns, however, lay elsewhere entirely. Her attention had fixed on Marco, who sat watching the footage of Veronica with unusual intensity.

Never before had she witnessed such focused interest in his eyes when looking at anyone—certainly not when looking at her. Had she been the one commanding that stage, Bonnie felt certain Marco's admiration would have been directed her way instead.

By the time Veronica and Dario finally emerged from the hotel, the night had settled deeply around them, the clock approaching 10:00 PM.

After a grueling day filled with endless responsibilities, Veronica's head throbbed with exhaustion. She slipped behind the wheel of her car and drove automatically, not fully processing her destination until she had already parked.

Only then did she realize her habitual route had taken her to her personal residence rather than the Murray estate.

The late hour and her bone-deep fatigue solidified her decision not to make the journey to the Murray residence tonight.

Stepping out of her car, she checked her phone to find several missed calls from both her family members and Sabrina. Beside these notifications, she noted a message from Sabrina sent around 8:00 PM asking when she would return home.

Veronica glanced at it briefly before tucking her phone away without responding.

After arriving home, she moved through her nighttime routine mechanically, washing up and collapsing into bed without another thought.

The following morning, she had barely opened her eyes when her phone illuminated with Sabrina's name.

Veronica stared at the screen, reluctant to answer.

The moment her phone stopped ringing, the house phone from the Murray residence began to ring instead, leaving her no avenue of escape.

"Granny," Veronica answered with resignation in her voice.

"You didn't come back last night, Ver?" Mary asked, her tone carefully neutral.

"No, I didn't. Yesterday was overwhelming."

Mary accepted this explanation without pressing further and simply passed the phone to Sabrina.

"Mom!" Sabrina's voice carried a mixture of relief and neediness.

Veronica managed only a tired murmur in response.

Sabrina hadn't expected that her mother wouldn't return to the Murray residence each night. She had called repeatedly the previous evening without success, and waking this morning to her mother's continued absence had dampened her spirits considerably.

"When will you be back, Mom?" Sabrina asked, hope evident in her voice.

"Tonight... probably," Veronica replied, unable to make a firm commitment.

"Oh..." Disappointment laced that single syllable.

Suddenly remembering an important detail, Veronica added, "Call your dad and ask him to send a driver to take you to school. I'm tied up with work today."

"Okay," Sabrina answered, then hesitated before asking, "Mom, where are you staying now? Could I come see you after school?"

"No," Veronica rejected the idea immediately. Then, softening slightly, she continued, "I'll still be working when your classes end. Stay with Granny, and if you get bored, ask your dad to take you out for dinner."