Veronica and Dario had explicitly instructed Ramona to decline Preston's meeting request, yet two days later, he appeared at their doorstep unannounced.

Given his unexpected presence, they felt obligated to receive him, albeit reluctantly. The encounter was brief and perfunctory—barely ten minutes of superficial conversation before they politely but firmly showed him the door.

In the days that followed, they systematically ignored all of Preston's subsequent attempts to schedule another meeting.

Facing this wall of resistance, Preston pivoted his strategy. If he couldn't access Veronica and Dario directly, perhaps he could leverage someone in their circle. The very next day, he invited Niall to lunch.

Their meal began innocuously enough, with Preston discussing industry trends and recent developments. Then, with calculated casualness, he remarked, "What a shame you didn't join DataPulse last year. Just imagine how much your career would have advanced by now."

During their previous meeting, Preston had inquired about her professional situation. When he learned she hadn't secured a position at DataPulse, he had remained diplomatically silent. Now, however, he deliberately reopened that wound.

Niall understood his implication perfectly. Veronica's research paper had created seismic waves across the technology landscape, both domestically and internationally. Industry insiders were speculating that if DataPulse was confident enough to publish such groundbreaking research openly, they must possess even more revolutionary technologies still under wraps.

She had no doubt this was true. Her initial attraction to DataPulse had been their proprietary programming language. Never had she anticipated their meteoric rise in such a compressed timeframe.

With the benefit of hindsight, she would have done anything to secure that position. Preston's assessment was painfully accurate—had she joined DataPulse then, her professional growth would have been exponential.

After a few years there, she might have developed sufficient expertise to single-handedly transform her own company's fortunes. The realization struck her anew: Veronica had cost her not just a connection to Dario but a pivotal career opportunity that might never come again.

"Are you still interested in joining DataPulse?" Preston asked, watching her reaction carefully.

Of course she was, but as long as Dario remained devoted to Veronica, that door was firmly closed. She wouldn't reveal this vulnerability to Preston, though.

Instead, she replied diplomatically, "I've established my own tech company now. I've even collaborated with DataPulse on projects. Given security considerations, Mr. Reid likely wouldn't consider bringing me aboard."

Preston's expression conveyed disappointment as he simply responded, "I understand."

Friday morning found Veronica returning from her run when Cook called with a dinner invitation.

They hadn't connected in person for some time, and Veronica was about to accept when Cook added hesitantly, "I'm also inviting Cullen and Sa. Would that be an issue for you, Ver?"

Veronica's pulse remained steady as she replied, "Not at all." She meant it sincerely.

Professional considerations aside, Sabrina's existence meant that some level of interaction with Cullen was inevitable in her future. Cook seemed to understand this.

Veronica's comfortable acceptance signaled that she had genuinely moved beyond her feelings for Cullen. She could now interact with him solely as Sabrina's father. Sharing a civil meal together was no longer emotionally complicated.

This realization left Cook with mixed emotions as they concluded their call.

Later at the office, Veronica discovered an email from Preston waiting in her inbox.

He inquired if she'd ever visited Bella, offering to serve as her personal tour guide to showcase the country's natural wonders. More significantly, he proposed introducing her to prominent industry leaders and shared insights about cutting-edge research directions at major Bella corporations.

Though framed as a casual travel invitation, the recruitment attempt was transparent. By highlighting these prestigious projects, Preston was essentially saying, "Your talents would be highly valued here."

Veronica saw through the pretense immediately. She crafted a courteous response indicating she had no international travel plans in the near term, then closed her email client.

That evening after work, Veronica arrived at the private dining room Cook had reserved. Cook was already seated when the door burst open and Sabrina rushed in excitedly.

"Mom!" she exclaimed, launching herself toward Veronica, who instinctively opened her arms to catch the enthusiastic child.

Chelsea accompanied Sabrina, but Cullen was conspicuously absent.

As Sabrina settled beside Veronica and they began selecting dishes together, Cook explained, "I called Cullen this morning. He claimed he was too busy to join us."

She sniffed dismissively. "Fine by me! We'll enjoy ourselves perfectly well without him."

Veronica responded with a gentle smile and a soft, noncommittal hum.