My Coldhearted Husband’s Regret

Veronica had barely touched her pasta when her phone vibrated twice against the restaurant table.

Whitney's name flashed on the screen. Opening the message, Veronica found two photos attached. She caught a glimpse of the first one - Cullen and Niall together - before quickly closing the chat without examining further.

Almost immediately, her phone began ringing. Whitney again. Veronica hesitated, then excused herself from the table and stepped outside onto the sidewalk.

"Whitney, hi," she answered, keeping her voice neutral.

"Ver, did you get those photos I just sent?" Whitney's voice crackled with urgency.

Though she'd only glimpsed them, Veronica replied, "Yes, I saw them."

"My friend caught them at the Grand Plaza Hotel last night," Whitney spat out. "During Bloom Celebration! Can you believe the audacity? They actually booked a room together. The nerve of those two."

Veronica maintained her composure, her expression unchanged as she hummed softly in acknowledgment.

"And the second photo is even more infuriating," Whitney continued. "My friend screenshotted Niall's social media post. She's showing off roses and gifts from Cullen, taking pictures right in the hotel room! Acting like she's living in some fairy tale romance. It makes my blood boil."

"Have you had anything to eat today?" Veronica asked, deliberately changing the subject.

Whitney sighed. "Not yet. I was out counting down with friends last night and drank way too much. Just woke up a while ago. I completely forgot to respond to your festival wishes too."

"Don't worry about it," Veronica assured her. "Happy Bloom Celebration."

"You too, Ver." There was a pause as Whitney seemed to consider returning to the topic of Cullen and Niall but thought better of it. "What are you up to right now?"

"Having lunch with Granny and the family," Veronica replied.

"Oh." Whitney paused. "I probably ruined your appetite with all this, didn't I? I'm sorry, Ver. I shouldn't have dumped this on you."

"It's fine, really," Veronica responded softly. "Go get yourself cleaned up and eat something before your stomach acts up again."

"Yeah, yeah, I know the drill."

They chatted for a few more minutes before ending the call. Veronica rejoined her family at the table, her appetite diminished but her composure intact.

After lunch, Veronica and Mary decided to take advantage of the mild weather for a leisurely walk through downtown Porter, window-shopping and enjoying the festive decorations that adorned the storefronts. Unlike earlier, they didn't encounter any familiar faces. By the time they returned home, both their moods had improved considerably.

The Murray family had few relatives in Porter, which meant their Bloom Celebration celebrations were always relatively subdued. By evening on the second day, Veronica finally found herself with some quiet time alone.

She opened her laptop and immersed herself in the research materials Malcolm had provided. The hours slipped by unnoticed until the clock showed just past ten. As she prepared to shower, her phone lit up with Cullen's name.

Veronica glanced at the screen, her finger hovering momentarily before she turned away without answering. She headed straight to the bathroom.

Fresh from her shower, Veronica returned to her research, jotting down important notes. The sound of a car engine outside broke her concentration. Her hand froze above the mouse as she recalled Cullen's earlier call.

With a slight frown, she moved to the window and peered outside. Sabrina was jumping out of the car, her excited voice carrying through the night air: "Granny!"

Veronica turned away from the window, her lips pressed into a thin line. She picked up her phone and noticed a message from Cullen that had arrived after his unanswered call:

"I'm heading overseas tomorrow. Please take care of Sa for the next few days."

She stared at the text for a long moment before setting the phone down without replying.

Seconds later, the sound of Sabrina's footsteps pounded up the stairs. Her bedroom door burst open, and there stood the little girl, her face lighting up with pure joy at the sight of Veronica.

"Hi, Mom!" Sabrina cried, launching herself into Veronica's waiting arms.