My Coldhearted Husband’s Regret

They were all well aware of the situation, yet when Bonnie brought it up again, Aurora couldn't help but smile with satisfaction. Niall, however, remained deeply engrossed in her book, showing absolutely no reaction to the mention of Veronica. Penny maintained the same indifferent demeanor.

It was as though Veronica had become entirely irrelevant to their world.

When Bonnie seemed ready to continue the conversation, Penny intervened smoothly, "Bonnie, please be mindful. Niall is trying to study. Let's not disturb her concentration."

"Oh..." Bonnie cast a glance at Niall, who appeared completely absorbed in her studies. "Didn't your tutor come this morning? It's already past five, and you're still at it. Just watching you makes me feel exhausted. Aren't you tired at all, Niall?"

Aurora jumped in before Niall could respond, "Of course she's tired. But she's always been ambitious. I've repeatedly told you to follow her example, but you never listen."

Her tone softened as she turned to Niall, "Though I must say, Niall, while diligence is commendable, proper breaks are essential too. Why don't you join us for a snack first?"

Without even lifting her eyes from the page, Niall replied flatly, "No need. Cullen invited me to dinner. I'll leave after I finish this section."

Meanwhile, Veronica had returned to the Murray residence after completing her game. She spent over three hours meticulously revising her thesis, carefully checking every detail. Once satisfied there were no issues remaining, she sent it to Malcolm for final review.

After stretching to relieve the tension in her muscles, she left her room and headed downstairs. To her surprise, she spotted her grandmother standing by the entrance door despite the winter chill, clearly waiting for someone's arrival.

Veronica's brow furrowed with concern as she quickened her pace. "Granny, what are you—"

Before she could complete her question, the sound of tires on gravel interrupted her. As she reached the door, a car pulled into the courtyard. Moments later, the vehicle had barely stopped when Sabrina pushed the door open and burst out, her face beaming with excitement.

"Mom! Granny!" she called out joyfully.

"There's my little one!" Mary's face lit up with delight as she stooped down with outstretched arms, ready to embrace her great-granddaughter.

Though Sabrina had initially been running toward Veronica, seeing Mary's welcoming gesture, she pivoted and threw herself into her great-grandmother's arms first.

Mary held her close, asking, "Have you eaten anything, sweetheart? Are you hungry?"

"I just had dinner with Dad, so I'm not hungry at all," Sabrina replied. After giving Mary a proper hug, she skipped toward Veronica, arms raised expectantly. "Mom, your turn for a hug!"

Veronica bent down and scooped her daughter up. As she did, she caught a subtle trace of perfume clinging to Sabrina's clothes—an unfamiliar scent. Though she noticed it, her expression remained perfectly neutral.

This time, Cullen hadn't personally escorted Sabrina to the door. The little girl had left the car door wide open in her excitement, so the driver stepped out to close it properly before offering a respectful nod to both Veronica and Mary. Then, without a word, he returned to the vehicle and drove away.

Since Sabrina had school the following morning, her evening routine proceeded without delay. After a warm bath, she went straight to bed, tired from her day's adventures.

After tucking her daughter in and making sure she was comfortable, Veronica picked up her phone and composed a message to Cullen: "Have the driver pick Sa up tomorrow afternoon. Also, stop dropping her off at my place without informing me first."

Cullen didn't immediately respond.

The next morning, after taking Sabrina to school, Veronica returned to work and immersed herself in her responsibilities. It wasn't until later that Cullen finally replied with a simple: "Okay."

After reading his curt response, Veronica set her phone aside and redirected her focus entirely to her work.

Two days passed without incident, and the weekend soon arrived.

Saturday morning brought a message from Malcolm regarding her thesis: "No issues. You can submit it."

Veronica realized it had been quite some time since either she or Dario had seen Malcolm in person. The thought lingered briefly before she turned her attention back to the tasks at hand.