On that same afternoon, Veronica's phone lit up with Cullen's name shortly after she arrived at DataPulse Enterprises She stared at the screen, knowing exactly why he was calling. Stellar stood to lose millions if their collaboration fell through, and Cullen was undoubtedly scrambling to salvage the situation.

She deliberately let the call ring until it stopped. When it rang again moments later, she ignored it once more. On the third attempt, she silently watched as the call went to voicemail. Cullen, growing desperate, shifted tactics and dialed Dario instead.

Unlike Veronica, Dario picked up immediately, cutting straight to the heart of the matter. "Is this about Stellar?" His voice was cool, professional.

"Yeah," Cullen confirmed, his tone revealing a hint of tension. "Mr. Reid, name your terms."

Dario's voice hardened. "I'm sorry, Mr. Dennis. Ms. Crystal crossed a line, and I'm not going to waver this time." After a calculated pause, he added with icy precision, "Is there anything else you want to talk about?"

"Is there no way we can turn this around?" Cullen pressed, desperation seeping into his voice.

"No," Dario replied firmly. "My lawyer and I will follow up with this matter closely. I don't want you to pester my company staff. Otherwise, it just tells me that you're the same way as Ms. Crystal, not knowing what is right from wrong and disrespecting your collaborative partner."

His voice took on a more threatening edge. "If that's the case, I don't think I can trust you anymore, let alone continue to collaborate with you in the future."

Dario knew that if Cullen couldn't make headway with him, Veronica would become his next target. But she was equally immovable on this issue. The real concern was what Cullen might do in retaliation – specifically, whether he might target the Murray family to appease Niall.

While Dario and Veronica could certainly protect them, the Murray family didn't deserve to be caught in the crossfire of this corporate battle. They were innocent bystanders who should remain untouched by the fallout.

So while his words appeared designed to shield Veronica from Cullen's persistence, Dario was actually deploying a strategic threat: mess with the Murray family, and the collaboration would not only end – it would end spectacularly.

"I would imagine," Dario continued, his voice deceptively casual, "that things won't end well for you if some unfavorable changes happen to our collaboration and the whole thing becomes bigger than it needs to be." He paused to let his words sink in. "Mr. Dennis, I believe you know what I'm talking about."

The subtext was crystal clear. Dennis Tech's current project was highly publicized – a patriotic endeavor meant to outperform a foreign competitor at their own game. The entire nation had rallied behind them, and DataPulse Enterprises was irreplaceable as a partner in this venture.

If news broke that the collaboration collapsed because Cullen chose to defend Niall's indefensible actions, the public relations nightmare would be devastating. The project would be tainted, investor confidence would plummet, and the media would have a field day dissecting the story.

Cullen would face not only external criticism but also the wrath of his shareholders, who would see their investments endangered by his personal affairs. The combined pressure from all sides would be enough to break even the most seasoned executive.

Dario didn't need to spell out these consequences. Cullen was shrewd enough to read between the lines and understand the implicit threat.

Cullen's chuckle carried a note of resignation. "Loud and clear, Mr. Reid."

Dario had anticipated this response. Cullen was calculating enough to see the full chessboard and recognize when he was in check. "So, is there anything else you'd like to ask?" Dario inquired coldly.

"That's all," Cullen replied, defeat evident in his clipped response.

Ending the call, Dario immediately dialed Veronica, who answered on the first ring.

"Cullen just gave me a call," he informed her. "I've just hung up on him. Did he call you?"