Veronica was deep in concentration during an afternoon meeting when her phone vibrated with Sabrina's name flashing on the screen. Without hesitation, she declined the call.

Seconds later, Sabrina tried again. Veronica frowned, staring at the screen for a moment before sending it to voicemail once more.

This time, Sabrina didn't persist. Veronica refocused on the presentation, pushing away the momentary distraction.

But within minutes, her phone lit up again – Cullen's name displayed prominently. Setting her jaw firmly, Veronica switched her phone off completely and placed it face-down on the table.

The meeting dragged on for another hour before concluding. Only then did Veronica power her phone back on, watching as notifications populated her screen. Among them was a text message from Cullen that made her heart stop: "Sa fell down the stairs at school and was taken to the hospital."

Ice flooded her veins. Veronica stared at the words, unable to process them for several seconds. Then instinct took over. She snatched her purse and phone, nearly knocking over her chair as she rushed toward the door, ignoring the concerned looks from her colleagues.

The drive to the hospital passed in a blur. Once there, Veronica called Cullen with trembling fingers, demanding the room number. His voice came through immediately with directions to the VIP ward.

Without waiting for the elevator, Veronica took the stairs two at a time. She pushed open the door to the hospital room without knocking, her eyes immediately finding Sabrina on the bed.

The sight nearly broke her. Sabrina looked small against the white hospital bedding, her face ashen and head wrapped in clean white bandages. Cullen sat beside her, his posture tense with worry.

When Sabrina spotted Veronica, her pale face brightened slightly. "Mom—" she began, her voice thin and weak.

Veronica rushed to the bedside. "How is she? What happened? What did the doctor say?" The questions tumbled out as she reached for her daughter's hand.

"The doctor diagnosed a concussion," Cullen explained, his voice steady. "Not severe, fortunately."

Relief washed over Veronica. "Thank goodness."

Cullen studied her face. "Have you eaten?"

The question caught her off guard. Veronica realized she hadn't – the meeting had run late, and it was already past seven in the evening. She shook her head silently.

Without further comment, Cullen picked up his phone and ordered food delivery.

Sabrina hadn't seen Veronica in over two weeks. She looked at her mother with tired eyes, reaching for her hand. Wordlessly, Veronica gathered her daughter into her arms, noticing how fragile she felt.

"If you're not feeling well, why don't you try to sleep a little?" Veronica suggested softly, stroking Sabrina's hair away from the bandage.

"Okay," Sabrina mumbled, clinging to Veronica's hand as she settled back against the pillows.

Even as she tried to rest, Sabrina's forehead remained creased with discomfort. Veronica watched as her daughter gradually relaxed, taking nearly thirty minutes to finally drift off to sleep.

Just as Sabrina's breathing evened out, a delivery person arrived with the food Cullen had ordered. He gestured toward the containers. "You should eat something."

Veronica pressed her lips together. "If I want food, I can order it myself."

Cullen met her gaze but didn't challenge her. Veronica deliberately took out her phone and placed her own separate order, making a point of her independence.

While Sabrina slept, Veronica maintained her vigil by the bedside, her posture rigid with tension.

Cullen stepped out to handle what appeared to be an urgent business call, disappearing for a considerable time. When he eventually returned, he took a seat across from Veronica, clearly wanting to initiate conversation.

Veronica noticed his intent but deliberately focused on her phone screen, body language clearly signaling she had no interest in talking. Cullen caught the message, smiled faintly to himself, and respected her silence.

The hospital room remained quiet, each of them occupied with their own thoughts as the hours ticked by.

As night deepened and Sabrina continued sleeping peacefully, Cullen finally broke the silence. "I'll stay tonight. You should go home and get some rest."

Veronica glanced at Sabrina's sleeping form but remained seated, her silence conveying her decision to stay.

Cullen studied her for a long moment before speaking again. "Be angry if you need to, but going forward, even if you don't answer every call from Sa, at least pick up more often."

His meaning was unmistakable – regardless of their personal issues, Sabrina was still their daughter. If something truly serious happened and Veronica missed that critical call, it could become a lifelong regret.

Veronica froze, realization dawning on her face. So he knew she had been deliberately screening Sabrina's calls all along.