For a heart-stopping moment, Niall thought her vision was deceiving her.

But the scene unfolding before her eyes was unmistakably real.

There stood Veronica, her fingers intertwined with little Cecelia's, while Marco gazed at them with that familiar warm smile that made Niall's stomach twist. This wasn't some hallucination or figment of her imagination. Veronica was genuinely there with them.

The comfortable way they moved in unison—especially the natural manner in which Cecelia held Veronica's hand rather than Marco's—told Niall this wasn't their first outing together. The realization hit her like a punch to the gut.

A troubling question surfaced in her mind: Could Veronica be the mysterious woman Cecelia had been excitedly chattering about?

No. That was impossible. It made no logical sense.

Yet memories began flooding back—that day last year when Marco had deliberately sought out Veronica during his visit to Stellar. And at every recent social gathering where Veronica and Dario were present, Marco would linger after initial pleasantries.

He didn't just exchange polite greetings and move on. He stayed, engaged, invested.

Niall had always attributed it to professional courtesy toward Dario. But now, watching them together, a different narrative was taking shape.

Could Marco actually harbor feelings for Veronica?

No. Absolutely not.

Niall remained rooted to the spot, her mind rejecting what her instincts were screaming.

Marco had known Veronica for years. If he were attracted to her, wouldn't he have acted on it long ago? Why would it suddenly manifest now?

Besides, what exactly made Veronica so special? Surely Niall was just overthinking the situation.

Even if Veronica was indeed the woman in Cecelia's stories, that didn't necessarily mean Marco was romantically interested. Did it?

Isaac noticed Niall's sudden stillness and approached her with concern. "Niall? Everything alright?"

His voice snapped her back to reality. She quickly composed herself, shaking her head. "Yes, I'm fine."

"Should we go inside?"

"Yes, let's do that."

The following morning at 8:00 AM sharp, Marco's phone rang with Veronica's name on the caller ID.

When he reached the address she'd texted, he found her waiting patiently at the entrance, balancing a beautifully crafted cake in one hand and clutching an oversized stuffed animal in the other.

Upon seeing him approach, she immediately transferred both items to his care.

Marco accepted them, his eyes lingering on the cake's intricate design. "You must have been up with the birds—this level of detail takes serious time."

She had indeed risen before dawn, but Veronica simply replied, "I went to bed early last night, so getting up early wasn't an issue."

"Thank you," Marco said, his gratitude genuine. "Cecelia will absolutely treasure these." He could see the thoughtfulness poured into every detail.

His gaze drifted to the modest apartment complex behind her. "Is this where you're living now?"

He'd been aware she had moved out of Cullen's residence, but this was his first glimpse of her new home.

"Yes," Veronica confirmed, already backing away. "I'm running late though, so I should get going."

Marco nodded understanding. "Of course."

He watched as Veronica turned and headed back toward her building, not looking away until she completely disappeared from view. Only then did he return to his car.

Cullen had arranged a private celebration at an upscale restaurant lounge for Cecelia's birthday, at Sabrina's request.

That afternoon, when Cecelia returned from school to discover the homemade cake Veronica had prepared and the plush bunny nearly matching her in height, her entire face transformed with delight.

She was so enchanted by the bunny that she refused to be parted from it—hugging the enormous toy against her chest all the way to the restaurant.

When Marco and Cecelia finally arrived at the venue, Cullen, Niall, and Sabrina were already waiting inside.

As Marco pushed open the door to their private room, Niall's attention immediately locked onto the plush bunny Cecelia was clinging to. With a jolt of recognition, she identified it as identical to the one she had spotted Veronica carrying at the mall just two days prior.

So it was true—the woman Cecelia had been so enthusiastically mentioning really was Veronica all along.

Cecelia practically bounced through the doorway, radiating happiness as she raced over to Sabrina, proudly displaying her new treasure.

"Look what I got for my birthday, Sa! Isn't it the cutest thing ever?"