Before Maverick could complete his thought, Doran abruptly interjected, "Let me guess—you're upset because Dario is supposedly siding with Veronica again and treating Ms. Crystal unfairly, aren't you?"

Maverick's eyes widened with surprise. "How did you figure that out so quickly? Have you already heard about what happened?"

"No," Doran replied with a dismissive wave. "It was just a logical assumption."

Doran had been around long enough to understand the dynamics at play. When Veronica and Dario had agreed to collaborate with his somewhat impulsive son as a personal favor to him, it was evident they wouldn't deliberately create workplace tensions without cause.

Similarly, his son wasn't one to manufacture professional conflicts without provocation. Even if genuine friendship remained elusive, their working relationship should have remained civil and productive.

If Maverick hadn't directly clashed with Dario or Veronica himself, then logically, the conflict must involve someone he cared about—and that someone was likely Niall Crystal.

Earlier in the year, during a dinner meeting with Finn, Veronica, and their associates, they had coincidentally encountered Niall at the restaurant entrance. Doran had observed his son's attentiveness toward her and had been initially impressed by her appearance, composure, and social graces.

However, after the meal, Maxwell had informed him that Niall was actually Cullen's girlfriend.

While Doran remained unfamiliar with the complete history between Veronica and Cullen, he couldn't ignore the unmistakable tension that had manifested when Veronica and Dario encountered Niall and her father. Their expressions had revealed everything he needed to know.

Their dislike for both Niall and her father had been palpable.

Veronica wasn't someone who developed animosities without valid reasons. If Maverick was now embroiled in conflict with her, the probability was high that Niall was somehow involved.

Suspecting this connection, Doran had contacted Maverick that very same day for verification. Just as he had anticipated, the conflict centered around Niall.

When Maverick suggested that Veronica was targeting Niall out of jealousy—afraid that Dario might develop feelings for her—and that Dario was "blinded by lust" and unfairly supporting Veronica, Doran had nearly erupted in exasperated laughter.

With these thoughts circulating in his mind, Doran released a bitter chuckle before asking, "So what exactly do you want from me? Should I reach out to Malcolm, explain the situation, and persuade him to control Dario?"

"Precisely," Maverick confirmed. "Dario has completely overstepped his boundaries this time. If this situation persists, I honestly believe—"

Doran cut him off sharply, unwilling to hear more unfounded accusations. While he had no intention of revealing the complete truth to Maverick, he stated firmly, "That's not a conversation I'm willing to initiate. If you're determined to help Ms. Crystal, you should contact Malcolm yourself."

Maverick's expression tightened with frustration. "This isn't solely about helping her. I genuinely respect and admire Dario—I don't want to witness him continuing down this reckless path—"

He still believed Veronica was the problem? Doran felt his patience waning, a vein throbbing at his temple.

"Dario is behaving recklessly? That seems highly unlikely from my perspective. Perhaps you're the one allowing your bias toward Niall Crystal to cloud your judgment—"

"You don't even know the full story," Maverick interrupted defensively. "How can you be so certain that I'm the irrational one here?"

Doran paused, momentarily surprised by his son's insistence. "Then enlighten me. What exactly transpired?"

Maverick proceeded to provide a concise summary of the events that had unfolded.

After listening attentively, Doran responded with unmistakable firmness, "This entire situation is clearly Ms. Crystal's responsibility. As the company leader, she mishandled the situation from the beginning.

"Instead of demonstrating proper leadership, she allied herself with her employees and family members, engaging in inappropriate criticism while attempting to shield them and undermine DataPulse's staff. If I were in Dario's position, I would be equally outraged.

"Furthermore, this incident reveals her family's profound lack of judgment and understanding of business stakes. Their disrespect toward business partners is evident. I suspect if they weren't concerned about the financial consequences of breaching their contract with DataPulse, they likely wouldn't have even offered an apology.

"From Dario's perspective, his reluctance to continue the professional relationship is entirely justified."

Maverick immediately leaped to Niall's defense. "That's not accurate. They promptly apologized to the DataPulse employee, and subsequently, she personally contacted Dario to express her regret. Her attempts at reconciliation were genuine."

From Maverick's perspective, if not for the pre-existing animosity between Veronica and Niall, Dario wouldn't have considered terminating Stellar's contract over such a relatively minor incident.

"You're only seeing the surface," Doran replied, evidently unwilling to prolong the argument. "Ms. Crystal is already in a relationship. When I previously mentioned this to you, you acknowledged awareness of this fact.

"Initially, I had limited information about her. Upon our first meeting, I found her seemingly impressive. However, it's now apparent that her character is fundamentally flawed. Her approach to handling challenges indicates she lacks the qualities necessary for significant achievement.

"Honestly, son, both you and Cullen demonstrate remarkably poor judgment when it comes to women."

Maverick hadn't anticipated such harsh criticism from Doran.

As he prepared to advocate for Niall, attempting to illuminate her exceptional qualities, Doran interrupted once more. "Enough. If you're determined to help her, I won't stand in your way. But if you're expecting my assistance in this matter—you should abandon that hope entirely."

With that decisive statement, Doran terminated the call.