Lester possessed all the qualities of an ideal partner, which prompted Bonnie to nearly leap from the car in fierce objection.

"Absolutely not! What if Mr. Martin actually falls for that witch? We'd lose a friend and gain an enemy in one stroke!"

Aurora merely laughed, displaying remarkable calm about the situation. She gently tapped her daughter's head and said, "Don't be ridiculous. With someone as captivating as Niall in his life, how could Mr. Martin possibly develop genuine feelings for Veronica?"

Over the years, Aurora had witnessed countless times how men found Niall utterly irresistible.

Niall remained silent, choosing not to comment on Jade's strategy. Like Aurora, she harbored complete confidence that Lester wouldn't be swayed by Veronica's charms.

She understood the depth of Lester's love for her with absolute certainty.

Though quiet throughout the conversation, Penny also firmly believed Lester wouldn't genuinely fall for Veronica.

With that concern addressed, she finally spoke up, "The missed opportunity with DataPulse has cost Niall tremendously these past few months. Meanwhile, Veronica seized that very chance to advance her career—and now she's clearly ascending.

"If we allow her to continue unchecked and maintain her relationship with Dario, she could establish a formidable presence in the AI industry.

"Disrupting her connection with Dario and reclaiming the relationships with both Dario and Malcolm that Niall lost is imperative now.

"If we hesitate, we risk losing even more ground in the future!"

Her words struck a chord with everyone.

The memory of how Veronica had caused them a $300 million breach of contract penalty, followed by watching her bask in professional glory these past weeks due to her published paper, ignited intense jealousy and resentment in Bonnie.

After hearing Penny's assessment, her objections vanished completely.

Instead, she asked eagerly, "So what's our next move? Mr. Martin is completely infatuated with Niall—will he actually cooperate?"

Maintaining Niall's pristine image while convincing Lester to participate would require delicate handling. Challenging, but not impossible.

Meanwhile, Veronica, Dario, and Lester were returning to DataPulse's headquarters after lunch.

When the elevator reached their floor and the doors parted, they stepped out. As they approached the entrance, they noticed a tall, athletically built figure standing by the reception desk.

Hearing their footsteps, the man turned around.

Veronica froze in her tracks.

During their car ride back, she had already explained her complicated history with Edric to Dario.

Dario, ever the enthusiast for drama, had absorbed every detail with unabashed delight.

Now, seeing the very subject of their conversation waiting in their company lobby, he let out an amused "Well, well" and raised an eyebrow, thoroughly entertained.

Though Lester had never encountered Edric before, he immediately recognized who this visitor must be.

There was no denying Edric's striking appearance. His handsome features perfectly matched his distinguished name.

Lester's expression darkened noticeably.

Edric turned, spotted Veronica and Dario, and said simply, "You're back."

Completely surprised by his appearance at her workplace, Veronica pressed her lips together. "You—"

"Thought you might be here, so I decided to stop by."

His gaze remained fixed on her before he politely acknowledged Dario, "Mr. Reid, it's been quite some time."

Dario smiled broadly and shook his hand. "Indeed it has. This must be your first visit to DataPulse, right? Since you've made the trip, why not come inside for a proper tour?"

"I'd appreciate that," Edric replied with a cordial smile—glancing again at Veronica while also noticing the frigid stare from Lester nearby.

Though they had never met before, Edric instantly recognized Lester's hostility.

Lester's protective stance near Veronica, his posture and expression all radiated possessiveness—clearly displeased by Edric's unexpected appearance and protectively hovering around Veronica.

Edric immediately grasped the situation.

He paused momentarily before looking at Lester and asking, "And this is...?"

Dario expected Veronica to handle the introduction. When she remained silent, he reluctantly stepped in. "This is Lester Martin, one of our engineers here at DataPulse."