The tension in the air was thick as Owen continued his explanation about the company dynamics. His words carried a careful neutrality that Dario recognized all too well.
"There's always so pushback when decisions like this are made," Owen acknowledged, his voice asured. "You know how it is—whenever the company lands a major contract, every shareholder wants to position their own people for the benefits. But Mr. Dennis has always kept personnel decisions close to his chest. The board can hardly raise hell the first ti he actually delegates authority."
He paused, glancing between Dario and Veronica before continuing. "The Crystal and Mack have proven themselves reliable. They deliver results and don't rock the boat unnecessarily. So while there's grumbling behind closed doors, nothing's escalated to the point where it threatens operations."
Dario had heard enough of the corporate politics for one afternoon. The information was useful, but his patience for office gossip had reached its limit. "I appreciate the update, Owen. Don't let keep you from your evening plans any longer. We should grab dinner soon and catch up properly."
"Absolutely," Owen replied with genuine warmth. "I'd like that."
Once Owen disappeared down the corridor, Dario turned his attention back to Veronica. The brief interruption had given him a mont to observe her—the way she held herself during business discussions, how her expression remained perfectly controlled even when topics touched on sensitive company matters.
"Ready to head back upstairs?" he asked.
Veronica nodded without hesitation. "Yes."
The remainder of their afternoon passed in productive focus, reviewing contracts and finalizing project tilines. But their peaceful workflow was disrupted when Dario's assistant knocked on the door with an apologetic expression.
"I'm sorry to interrupt, but Maverick Harris is here requesting a eting with both of you."
Dario didn't even look up from his docunts. "Tell him we're unavailable."
"He's been waiting for over an hour, sir. He seems determined to stay until you agree to see him."
Veronica's jaw tightened almost imperceptibly. "Our answer remains the sa."
The assistant nodded and retreated, but it was clear Maverick had no intention of accepting their refusal gracefully.
As evening approached and the office began to empty, Veronica gathered her belongings and headed for the elevator. The parking garage was dimly lit, her heels clicking against the concrete as she made her way toward her car. She was ntally reviewing tomorrow's schedule when a familiar voice cut through the quiet space.
"Ms. Murray."
She turned slowly, her face imdiately shifting into professional detachnt. Maverick stood several feet away, his posture rigid with barely contained frustration.
"Mr. Harris," she replied coolly. "What exactly do you want?"
Maverick stepped closer, his expression serious. "We need to have a conversation. A real one."
Veronica's eyebrow arched slightly. "Is that what you're calling it? Because from where I'm standing, it looks more like you're preparing to lecture about how I should conduct my business."
The accusation hung between them like a challenge. Maverick's composure cracked just enough to reveal the irritation he'd been suppressing all day.
"Look, I'm trying to be reasonable here," he said, his voice taking on an edge. "I'm asking you to set aside whatever personal issues you have and focus on what's actually important. Don't let your emotions sabotage what could be a mutually beneficial partnership. Your company's success shouldn't be sacrificed for petty grievances."
Veronica stared at him for a long mont, genuinely amazed by his audacity. When she finally spoke, her voice carried a dangerous quiet that would have warned anyone who knew her well.
"That's fascinating advice, Mr. Harris. I was under the impression that those exact words should be coming from my mouth to you."
The implication was crystal clear. Maverick was the one who had allowed his personal feelings for Niall to contaminate their professional negotiations. Maverick was the one who had prioritized emotional attachnts over business logic. Yet sohow, in his twisted perspective, she was the unreasonable party abusing her position.
The realization that he either couldn't see his own hypocrisy or was deliberately ignoring it killed any remaining interest she might have had in this conversation.
Without another word, she turned her back on him and slid into her car. The engine purred to life, and she drove away without a backward glance, leaving Maverick standing alone in the garage with his frustration and wounded pride.
Maverick's expression darkened as her taillights disappeared around the corner. His phone buzzed against his chest, and he answered it with barely controlled anger.
"What?" he snapped into the device.
After a brief exchange, he stalked to his own vehicle and drove off into the night, his mood fouler than when the day had started.
Thirty minutes later, Maverick pushed through the door of an upscale restaurant's private dining room. Kolton and Edric were already seated at the polished table, drinks in hand and the comfortable ease of n who'd been friends for years evident in their relaxed postures.
Kolton took one look at Maverick's thunderous expression and couldn't suppress a knowing smirk. "Let guess—your charm offensive didn't go according to plan?"
Maverick had been making regular pilgrimages to DataPulse's offices for the better part of a week. Each ti, Dario had refused to grant him an audience, leaving Maverick to cool his heels in the lobby like a dismissed supplicant. Today's attempt to circumvent Dario by approaching Veronica directly had clearly been equally unsuccessful.
The mory of her cold dismissal made Maverick's hands clench into fists as he took his seat.
Kolton continued with casual observation, "You know, if you can't crack Dario and Murray won't budge either, it might be ti to accept that the DataPulse deal is dead in the water."
He shrugged with the kind of philosophical acceptance that ca from years in competitive business. "There are other projects out there, other opportunities to make money. This isn't the only ga in town."
Maverick shook his head with stubborn determination. "You don't understand. I've spent weeks analyzing every aspect of this project. The potential returns, the market positioning, the long-term strategic advantages—this isn't just another contract. This could reshape our entire approach to the sector."
Even setting aside Doran's pressure and expectations, Maverick had beco genuinely invested in the DataPulse partnership. The more he studied their operations and goals, the more convinced he beca that walking away would be a catastrophic mistake.
Kolton exchanged a aningful glance with Edric before leaning forward with renewed interest. "Well, if you're that committed to making this work, maybe it's ti to explore alternative strategies."
His gaze shifted deliberately to Edric, who had been quietly nursing his drink throughout their conversation. "Actually, now that I think about it, didn't you and Murray seem to hit it off pretty well at the charity gala? You two spent quite a bit of ti on the dance floor, and she appeared genuinely engaged in your conversation."
Kolton's tone took on the persuasive quality of soone presenting what he considered a brilliant solution. "Since she's clearly not interested in anything Maverick has to say, perhaps you could serve as an interdiary. Smooth over whatever's causing this friction between them."
Edric carefully placed his glass on the table, his movents deliberate and controlled. When he looked up, his expression was diplomatically neutral but firm.
"I'm afraid you're overestimating both my influence and the nature of my relationship with Ms. Murray," he said quietly. "We had a pleasant conversation at a social event. That hardly gives the standing to insert myself into her business decisions or personal conflicts."
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