My Coldhearted Husband’s Regret

Cullen found himself in a silent, self-imposed exile within his own penthouse. The contrast between Veronica's soaring success and Niall's stumbling failure was too stark to ignore. He devoured every article praising Veronica's work, reread the academic papers she'd recommended—their brilliance now painfully obvious—and replayed countless memories.

He remembered her quietly working on complex algorithms late into the night while he assumed she was just passing time. He recalled her tentative suggestions on Dennis Group projects that his engineers had dismissed, only to later discover the solutions she'd proposed were correct. He thought of the effortless way she explained technical concepts that left others baffled, the way Marco and even Dario looked at her—with respect for her mind, not just her appearance.

He had given Niall a company, but he had never once valued the intellectual powerhouse that was his own wife. He'd been blinded by a sense of obligation to Niall and a misplaced resentment towards Veronica. His "generosity" to Niall now seemed like a foolish, expensive mistake, a testament to his poor judgment. The billion-dollar company was a hollow shell compared to the value Veronica created through her own intellect and effort.

He missed her. Not just the idea of her, but her quiet presence, her sharp mind, the way she challenged him without ever saying a word. He tried calling her. The calls went straight to voicemail. He sent a text: "Veronica, we need to talk. About us. About everything."

The reply was swift and cold: "Our lawyers can talk. We have nothing left to discuss."

The finality of it struck him like a physical blow. He had truly lost her.

His introspection was interrupted by Niall's growing desperation. The pressure was turning her brittle. During a tense strategy meeting at Stellar that was going nowhere, Cullen absentmindedly compared a proposed solution to "how Veronica might approach the latency issue."

Niall snapped. "Veronica this, Veronica that! Is she all you can think about? Has her so-called 'success' made you forget everything she put me through? Or have you forgotten why you gave me this company in the first place?"

Her outburst was shrill, devoid of the calm composure she usually projected. It reminded him uncomfortably of the calculated tears and whispered insecurities she'd used to manipulate him in the past. The veil was slipping.

Later that week, Sabrina was at Cullen's penthouse, drawing quietly while he brooded. Niall came over, hoping to regain her footing with him. Thinking Sabrina was engrossed in her art, Niall spoke to Cullen in a low, frustrated voice.

"It's all Veronica's fault, you know. She's doing this deliberately to humiliate me, to humiliate us. She's always been jealous and vengeful. She probably stole Dario's tech or slept her way to—"

She stopped abruptly as a small figure stood up. Sabrina, her little face pale and furious, tears welling in her eyes.

"Don't you say bad things about my Mommy!" Sabrina shouted, her voice trembling with a anger Cullen had never heard. "My Mommy is smart and good! You're the mean one! You took my Daddy! And your car company is stupid and broken! My Mommy's traffic lights are smarter than your stupid cars!"

The childish yet brutally accurate outburst shattered the tense silence. Niall looked horrified, caught. Cullen stared at his daughter, seeing the unwavering loyalty and love she held for Veronica—a loyalty he had foolishly eroded.

Sabrina ran to her room, sobbing. Cullen didn't go after her immediately. He just looked at Niall, his expression cold and distant. "I think you should leave."

Niall, realizing her mistake too late, tried to backtrack, but Cullen was already turning away, the image of Veronica's quiet dignity starkly contrasted with Niall's venom in his mind.

An hour later, he found Sabrina packing her favorite stuffed animal into her backpack. "Daddy," she said, her voice small but determined, "I want to live with Mommy. Full time. I don't want to live here anymore. I want to be with Mommy where it's safe and people aren't mean about her."

Cullen's heart broke completely. His attempts to create a perfect new family had cost him his real one. He had lost his wife, and now he was losing his daughter. All his wealth and power were useless. He could only nod, his voice thick with emotion. "Okay, sweetheart. Okay."