Veronica chose not to respond directly, instead gently stroking Audrey's silky hair. "Audrey, you mustn't mention to Sa that I brought you here today, understood?"

The little girl bobbed her head earnestly. "I promise."

Ever since Sabrina had erupted in fury over her innocent embrace with Veronica, Audrey found herself walking on eggshells around the older girl. Sabrina's resentment hadn't faded with time. Each encounter was marked by piercing glares that made Audrey's stomach twist with anxiety.

From her position in the parked car, Veronica watched the tableau unfold before the kindergarten entrance. Cullen stood protectively beside Niall, his hand resting possessively on the small of her back while they chatted with other parents. The three of them projected the image of domestic bliss, a picture-perfect family unit that made something ache deep in Veronica's chest. She forced herself to look away, her fingers tightening imperceptibly around the steering wheel.

Only after Cullen's luxury sedan disappeared around the corner did Veronica emerge from her vehicle, Audrey's small hand clasped securely in hers.

Mrs. Patterson, Sabrina's kindergarten teacher, brightened with recognition as Veronica approached. The older woman had assumed Veronica was simply running late when she'd witnessed Sabrina's arrival with her father and his stunning companion earlier that morning.

But now, seeing Veronica arrive hand-in-hand with a different child entirely, confusion clouded her features. "Ms. Murray, you and Audrey..."

"Mrs. Price encountered an emergency this morning and requested that I escort Audrey to school," Veronica explained smoothly, her voice betraying nothing of the complex emotions churning beneath her composed exterior.

Relief washed over Mrs. Patterson's face, though a furrow remained between her brows. "Ah, of course. Sabrina arrived just a short while ago, but I should mention that she seemed..."

"I'm aware of the situation," Veronica interjected with a gentle smile that didn't quite reach her eyes.

The teacher nodded uncertainly, sensing undercurrents she couldn't quite grasp but recognizing that Veronica appeared to have everything under control.

Back in her car after completing the school drop-off, Veronica's phone buzzed insistently. Dario's name flashed across the screen.

"What's your estimated arrival time?" His voice carried an edge of anticipation that made her pulse quicken slightly.

"Ten minutes, perhaps less depending on traffic."

"Perfect. I'll be waiting."

True to his word, Dario positioned himself prominently at DataPulse's glass entrance, his tall frame impossible to miss as Veronica's car pulled into the visitor parking area. The moment she stepped onto the sidewalk, he closed the distance between them with purposeful strides.

"Welcome back to the land of the living," he murmured against her ear as his arms encircled her in an embrace that lasted several heartbeats longer than strictly professional.

Veronica allowed herself to melt into his warmth for just a moment, her hands briefly fisting in the expensive fabric of his suit jacket before she pulled back with a soft laugh.

High above them, pressed against the floor-to-ceiling windows of the fifteenth floor, Mitchell Holland had been conducting what he'd assumed would be a routine phone conversation. The unexpected spectacle unfolding at street level caused his words to stumble mid-sentence.

His eyes widened as he processed the intimate scene below, but he quickly schooled his features back to neutrality as Niall's voice filtered through his phone's speaker.

"Niall, good morning," he said, injecting false cheer into his tone while his gaze remained fixed on the couple below. "I was just confirming your start time today."

The conversation that followed left Mitchell's face cycling through a spectrum of emotions, confusion and frustration warring for dominance. By the time he ended the call and made his way back to his desk, his usual easy-going demeanor had evaporated entirely.

"Mitchell, you look like someone ran over your dog," his cubicle neighbor, Sarah, observed with concern. "Everything alright this morning?"

He managed only a tight shake of his head, his jaw working silently as he processed the morning's developments.

The office gradually filled with the usual Monday morning chatter and coffee-fueled energy. Soon, whispered conversations began floating through the open workspace.

"Did anyone else catch sight of the woman who arrived with Mr. Reid?" Marcus from accounting leaned conspiratorially toward his colleagues.

"You mean the gorgeous brunette? Please tell me you're not exaggerating about her looks," Jenny replied with skeptical interest.

"I'm completely serious. She's the kind of beautiful that makes you forget your own name. Magazine-cover stunning."

Mitchell's stomach dropped as the pieces clicked into place. The woman from the entrance, the one who'd embraced Dario with such familiarity, had to be the same person his colleagues were discussing.

"Word is she's joining our team today," another voice chimed in from across the room. "New hire in the executive division."

The revelation hit Mitchell like a physical blow. Niall had been his protégé, a brilliant younger student from his alma mater who'd expressed passionate interest in joining DataPulse's innovative team. He'd personally vouched for her capabilities and potential, going so far as to arrange her interview with Dario himself.

That initial meeting had gone exceptionally well. Dario had been genuinely impressed by Niall's portfolio and vision, offering her a position on the spot. Today should have marked her triumphant first day.

Instead, when he'd called to coordinate her arrival, Niall had delivered devastating news. Dario had contacted her personally the previous evening, withdrawing his job offer due to what he'd vaguely termed "personal complications."

Now, watching Dario stride through the office doors with Veronica at his side, both of them radiating an energy that spoke of intimate connection and shared secrets, Mitchell began to understand exactly what those personal complications might entail.

The irony wasn't lost on him. In trying to help Niall secure her dream position, he may have inadvertently positioned her as competition for a woman who clearly held significant influence over their CEO's decision-making process.

中止信号