My Coldhearted Husband’s Regret

Veronica carefully placed the cake box into the refrigerator, securing it on the middle shelf.

Just as Sabrina emerged from the bathroom, her hair still damp from her shower, her phone began to ring. She glanced at the screen and saw her father's name.

"Dad?" she answered, her voice tinged with curiosity.

Cullen's deep voice came through the speaker. "I just received word from your grandpa. He's arriving tomorrow afternoon. I'll arrange for someone to collect you after school, and we'll have dinner at the manor. Let your mom know about this."

Sabrina's grandfather, Watson Dennis, held a significant position in the government. His demanding role meant family visits were rare and precious. When Cook had fallen and injured herself, Watson had rushed back at dawn, but duty called him away before sunrise. Now, with Cook still hospitalized, Watson had carved out two days from his packed schedule to return home and celebrate New Year's Lewis with the family.

"Okay, got it," Sabrina replied, processing the information.

A moment later, she noticed something peculiar in her father's wording—he had said "pick you up," not "pick you both up." The distinction was clear.

Turning to Veronica who was organizing items in the kitchen, she asked, "Are you not joining us, Mom?"

This seemed unusual. In previous years, whenever Watson returned, Cook had always insisted that both Veronica and Sabrina attend family gatherings at Dennis Estate, regardless of Cullen's presence. The pattern had been so consistent that even young Sabrina automatically associated her grandfather's visits with family dinners at the manor.

Before Veronica could formulate a response, Cullen's voice cut through from the speakerphone: "Your mom is busy tomorrow."

"Okay then," Sabrina accepted without protest.

Veronica, having heard the entire exchange, realized this was the first she'd learned of Watson's return. With divorce proceedings underway between her and Cullen, there was no logical reason for her to attend family gatherings with the Dennis anymore. Cullen clearly understood this boundary, which explained why he'd preemptively provided an excuse for her absence before she could even speak.

Without further discussion, Cullen ended the call, leaving a subtle tension hanging in the air.

The following afternoon, Marco arrived at DataPulse accompanied by his company's top engineers for a scheduled business meeting. His recent cooperation had been exemplary, saving Veronica considerable headaches in their professional dealings. In return, she had begun treating him with noticeably more courtesy.

Upon his arrival, she immediately paused her work to personally greet him and his team, escorting them to the conference room herself.

About an hour into their productive meeting, Marco's phone vibrated with an incoming call. Seeing Cullen's name on the screen, he excused himself and stepped into the hallway for privacy.

"Okay," Marco responded after listening to Cullen for a moment, his voice measured and professional.

Before he could say more, Cullen added, "My father's back and joining us for dinner tonight. I'm counting on you for this."

Marco's posture stiffened slightly. "Mr. Dennis is back?"

After processing this information, he inquired further, "How long will he be staying this time?"

"A few days, I believe," Cullen replied.

After ending the call, Marco returned to the meeting room with a contemplative expression. His eyes settled on Veronica, who remained absorbed in her discussion with his engineering team, unaware of his scrutiny.

As the meeting concluded and everyone stood to leave, Marco approached Veronica casually. "Working late again tonight?" he asked, his tone deliberately light.

"Yeah, there are still several things I need to wrap up," Veronica answered distractedly, her mind already shifting back to her pending tasks.

Something flickered across Marco's expression—realization, perhaps, or decision. So she wasn't planning to attend the Dennis family dinner with Cullen. This knowledge seemed to trigger something in him.

"Are you free later?" he ventured. "Let's have dinner together."

Veronica shook her head without hesitation. "No, I'm swamped with work. I can't leave the office."

Upon hearing her refusal, Marco nearly suggested ordering delivery for her instead, but caught himself. His thoughtful gaze lingered on her as she walked his team to the elevator, wondering what lay behind her decision to distance herself from the Dennis family gathering tonight.