The following day, the results of Rose's medical tests arrived, providing a mix of hope and concern for the family.

Compared to her previous assessments at the nursing home, the current tests showed a slight improvement in her organ function. The deterioration wasn't progressing as rapidly as before, which offered a small ray of hope. Under normal circumstances, with her current level of organ failure, proper medical intervention and dedicated care could potentially stabilize her condition.

However, the doctors remained cautious in their prognosis. Rose's underlying health was exceptionally fragile, and despite the marginal improvement, her organs were still declining at a worrying pace. The overall outlook remained uncertain at best.

When the doctor finished explaining the results, Veronica and Mary exchanged glances that conveyed their mixed emotions – relief that Rose wasn't beyond help, yet apprehension about whether she would be strong enough to endure the necessary treatments.

Later that afternoon, Veronica's phone rang with a call from Malcolm, who extended an invitation for her and Dario to join him for dinner that evening. Unfortunately, Dario had left earlier for an unexpected business trip, leaving Veronica to attend the dinner alone.

As dusk settled over the city, Veronica drove to Malcolm's location to pick him up. The restaurant he had chosen was one of the city's most exclusive establishments, known for its privacy and exceptional cuisine. Just as they were exiting Veronica's car in the parking lot, Niall happened to be arriving as well.

Spotting Veronica and Malcolm together without Dario in sight, Niall approached them with measured confidence. "Mr. Blair," she greeted, her voice smooth and professional.

Malcolm barely acknowledged her presence, offering only the coldest of glances and a barely perceptible nod before turning his attention back to Veronica. "Let's go," he said, continuing their earlier discussion about recent developments in artificial intelligence as they walked toward the restaurant entrance.

Niall followed at a discreet distance, close enough to overhear their conversation. They were deeply engrossed in discussing cutting-edge AI technologies – brain-computer interfaces and on-device AI inference – topics that Niall recognized from her recent attempts to stay current in the field. She recalled how Veronica had impressed both Gareth and Silas during their meeting in Cullen's office just days ago, prompting Niall herself to start researching these emerging technologies.

Inside the restaurant, the hostess greeted them with a warm smile. "Hello, how many people are in your party? Did you reserve a private room?"

"Two people," Veronica replied confidently. "I made the reservation under the name Murray."

After confirming the booking in her system, the hostess nodded. "Yes, we did receive your call. Right this way, please."

Veronica and Malcolm followed the woman through the elegant restaurant, leaving Niall standing alone near the entrance, her mind racing with questions and observations.

Two people? So Dario truly wasn't expected. This meant Veronica had enough influence with Malcolm to secure a one-on-one dinner meeting – something that very few people in their industry could accomplish.

Malcolm's reputation preceded him. Despite his brilliant mind and significant contributions to the field, he was notoriously selective about who he spent his time with. He rarely engaged in technical discussions with anyone he deemed unworthy of his attention, and securing a meeting with him was nearly impossible, even for well-established professionals.

Yet here was Veronica, not only having his attention but also his active participation in a complex technical discussion. He wasn't merely tolerating her presence; he was genuinely interested in her insights.

Niall couldn't help but notice the stark difference in how Malcolm had treated her versus how warmly he engaged with Veronica. It wasn't just professional courtesy – he genuinely seemed to respect Veronica's intellect.

As Niall watched them disappear into the private dining area, her perfectly painted lips pressed into a tight line. She had long prided herself on her networking abilities and professional connections, but watching Malcolm's interaction with Veronica made her question whether her own standing in the industry was as solid as she had believed.

The realization that Veronica had earned such genuine respect from someone as notoriously difficult to impress as Malcolm Blair was something Niall hadn't anticipated, and it left her standing alone in the reception area, reconsidering her understanding of the dynamics at play.