Dario' legal team had approached Stellar last week to negotiate the contract termination, but the discussions had reached an impasse. Not willing to back down, they immediately filed a lawsuit with the court that same day.

When Veronica had confronted Niall and her colleagues at Stellar, Dario had been away on business. Perhaps that's why Niall hadn't given up yet—she hadn't had the chance to appeal directly to Dario himself.

Monday morning brought a familiar sight as Veronica arrived at work—Niall waiting in the lobby. When their eyes met briefly, both women maintained their composure, neither acknowledging the other's presence.

Upon reaching her office, Veronica found Dario already settled in, reviewing documents at his desk.

"You're here early," she remarked.

Dario looked up with a wry smile. "Arrived over thirty minutes ago. Thought I'd slip in before anyone could ambush me in the lobby."

Veronica couldn't help but smile at his foresight.

That same morning, Maverick had scheduled a meeting with Dario at DataPulse. The moment he stepped out of the elevator, he spotted Niall sitting in the waiting area, her posture stiff with anticipation.

Having heard about the recent clash between DataPulse and Stellar, Maverick immediately understood her presence. He approached her with concern etched on his face.

"How long have you been waiting? Any luck seeing Dario yet?"

Niall sighed. "About half an hour now. I don't think Mr. Reid has arrived yet—at least that's what they've told me."

"Are you here to meet with Mr. Reid as well?" she asked, a note of hope in her voice.

Maverick nodded. "I am."

He frowned slightly, wondering if Dario was truly absent or deliberately avoiding her. Before he could offer any assistance, Ramona, Dario' assistant, approached them.

"Mr. Harris, Mr. Reid is ready to see you now."

Maverick's eyebrows rose. "He's in the office?"

"Yes, sir," Ramona confirmed with a professional smile.

Maverick glanced at Niall, who quickly seized the opportunity and stepped forward.

"Ms. Gilbert, I'm Niall Crystal from Stellar," she said with practiced confidence. "I need to discuss an urgent matter with Mr. Reid. Could you please—"

"I apologize, Ms. Crystal," Ramona cut in smoothly, "but you don't appear to have an appointment scheduled." She turned back to Maverick. "This way, please, Mr. Harris."

Maverick's expression hardened with disapproval. As he opened his mouth to intervene, Niall spoke up again.

"Please, I only need ten minutes of his time. It's truly important. I'm happy to wait as long as necessary."

Ramona acknowledged her with a polite nod before gesturing for Maverick to follow her into the office area.

Maverick, seeing little choice but to comply, gave Niall a brief supportive nod before following Ramona to Dario' office.

Once inside, Maverick noted that Ramona made no mention of Niall's presence in the lobby. This deliberate omission deepened his frown.

Dario rose from his desk when Maverick entered, maintaining the professional courtesy their business relationship demanded.

"Mr. Harris, welcome. Please, have a seat."

Maverick settled into the chair across from him, his discomfort evident.

As Dario began instructing Ramona to bring coffee, Maverick interrupted, "Ms. Crystal from Stellar has been waiting outside for quite some time. Perhaps you should speak with her first?"

Dario' lips curved into a cold smile. "Is that so? I have my own schedule to maintain. Let's focus on our business, shall we?"

The message was crystal clear—Dario knew perfectly well that Niall was waiting, and had no intention of granting her an audience.

Maverick's expression darkened. "Mr. Reid, I'm aware of what transpired between your companies. While Stellar may have erred, the offense hardly seems severe enough to warrant contract termination."

He leaned forward slightly. "Is it necessary to punish Ms. Crystal over what appears to be a personal grudge?"

Dario laughed, the sound lacking any real warmth. "The severity of the breach and whether it justifies terminating our agreement is my decision to make. If I believe the contract should end, I have my reasons."

His eyes narrowed. "Mr. Harris, this is an internal matter for my company. I fail to see how it concerns you."

Maverick had long suspected that Dario' actions toward Niall were influenced by his relationship with Veronica. This wasn't the first time Dario had targeted Niall in ways that seemed beneath his usual business standards—all apparently to please Veronica.

Despite their long professional relationship, during which Maverick had generally found Dario to be fair if somewhat arrogant, he was disappointed to see this pattern repeating. He had hoped after the previous incident that Dario would recognize he'd gone too far, and wouldn't allow Veronica to sway his professional judgment again.

Maverick's expression grew stern. "Mr. Reid, have you considered how Mr. Blair might react when he learns of this situation? Would he approve of these tactics?"

Dario raised an eyebrow, his voice taking on a dangerous edge. "Mr. Harris, are you threatening me?"

"Not at all," Maverick replied calmly. "I'm simply stating facts. I doubt Mr. Blair would be pleased to see his most valued protégé behaving in such a—"