Veronica hurriedly nodded to Malcolm, then turned to Edric with an apologetic smile. "I'm sorry, but I can't join you at the cafeteria."

"It's fine," Edric responded softly, watching as she walked away with Malcolm.

Left alone, Edric made his way to the cafeteria by himself, his thoughts lingering on their brief interaction.

Two days after meeting Veronica, his official leave began. During those forty-eight hours, their paths hadn't crossed again, despite his subtle attempts to seek her out around the base.

When Edric returned home, the house was empty. His family members were all caught up in their own lives, unaware of his temporary return. Only Maverick reached out upon hearing of his arrival, inviting him for a meal.

Over dinner, Kolton couldn't contain his gossip. "You wouldn't believe it, but that Ms. Crystal that Maverick has been pining after? Turns out she's actually Preston Campbell's student. Pretty impressive, right?"

Edric remained silent. The AI development world was foreign territory to him, and Preston Campbell was just another unfamiliar name.

Kolton, recognizing Edric's blank expression, explained, "I only found out recently myself, thanks to Maverick's infatuation driving him to research everything about her."

Normally, Edric would have dismissed such conversation. Yet something stirred in his memory, prompting an unexpected question. "Between Preston Campbell and our country's Malcolm Blair, who carries more weight in the AI field?"

Kolton hesitated, but Maverick answered without hesitation. "Mr. Blair, without question."

Malcolm had single-handedly revolutionized multiple aspects of artificial intelligence. His team had systematically dismantled the technological barriers foreign powers had imposed on Ophelia. The path their country now walked in AI development was largely paved by Malcolm's brilliance.

"The international community respects him, but they fear him more," Maverick continued. "Whatever Preston might have accomplished, he's still playing catch-up to Malcolm's innovations."

Despite Maverick's complicated feelings toward Dario, his admiration for Malcolm remained unwavering. The two men were separate entities in his mind – Malcolm's genius couldn't be diminished by Dario's personality.

Edric rarely inquired about matters unrelated to his immediate concerns, making his question somewhat unusual. Still, given Malcolm's reputation, neither Maverick nor Kolton found it particularly suspicious.

As their conversation shifted, Maverick chuckled. "I had dinner with both our mothers last week. Yours mentioned she's been compiling a list of potential blind dates for you. Now that you're back, I doubt you'll escape the matrimonial ambush this time."

Edric had reached marriageable age by family standards. The topic had first emerged early last year, and at that time, he'd neither objected nor shown interest.

But now... something had changed. He lowered his gaze, offering no response to Maverick's teasing.

That evening, after barely spending any time with his family, Edric's phone rang. His leave was abruptly terminated, forcing him to rush back to the base. Upon arrival, he discreetly searched for Veronica but found no trace of her.

Three days later, after completing a high-priority mission, he visited the data center. The room hummed with activity, but Veronica was noticeably absent.

Two more days passed with the same result. The data center remained devoid of her presence.

Nearly a week after his return, Edric finally spotted Veronica in the cafeteria. She sat alone, head bent over her meal, seemingly lost in thought. He paused momentarily, gathering his resolve, before approaching her table.

He slid into the seat across from her. Veronica looked up, offering a faint smile. "You're back?"

"Just returned," Edric replied, studying her face. "I didn't see you last week. I thought perhaps you'd already departed from the base."

"I've been here," she explained, "just not spending all my time in the data center anymore."

Edric nodded, then asked the question that had lingered in his mind. "When are you leaving the base?"

"Tomorrow," Veronica answered casually, assuming this was merely polite conversation.

Edric's expression faltered slightly. "So soon?"

"Not really. I've been here over ten days already."

As she spoke, she finished her meal and wiped the corners of her mouth with a napkin. "I'm done eating. Take your time. I'll just—"

"Ms. Murray," Edric interrupted abruptly, "do you have a boyfriend?"

The question caught Veronica completely off-guard. Before she could recover from her surprise, Edric pressed on. "If you're single, what do you think of me?"

He knew his approach lacked finesse, but their circumstances afforded little opportunity for subtlety. Their schedules rarely aligned, and her visits to the base were infrequent at best. Who knew when they might cross paths again? Besides, he couldn't risk someone else making a move before him.

The realization dawned on Veronica's face – this was a confession.

Noting her startled expression, as if such a possibility had never entered her mind, Edric continued. "You don't need to answer right away. I simply wanted you to know that if you're ever considering a relationship, or marriage and starting a family, I hope you'll consider—"

"I'm sorry," Veronica gently interrupted, her composure returning. With a touch of awkwardness in her voice, she delivered the unexpected truth. "Thank you for your feelings, but I've already been married."