When Cullen arrived ho after the celebratory gathering for Niall's victory, the clock had just struck 1:00 AM. The house was quiet, save for the soft footsteps of Carlos who approached as Cullen carried a drowsy Sabrina through the doorway.
"You're back quite late, Mr. Dennis," Carlos comnted, his voice laced with subtle concern.
Cullen rely responded with a noncommittal sound, offering no explanation for their late return. He proceeded to carry Sabrina upstairs, gently placing her in her bed before making his way to the master bedroom.
The room was bathed in the soft glow of the lamp he'd switched on, highlighting Veronica's absence. The bed remained untouched, perfectly made as it had been that morning.
"She didn't return tonight?" Cullen asked Carlos who had followed him upstairs.
"Mrs. Dennis hasn't been ho all day, sir," Carlos confird.
Cullen raised an eyebrow, a flicker of surprise crossing his features. While Veronica had been spending less ti at ho recently, consecutive nights away were unusual for her. A whisper of concern nudged at the back of his mind. Could there be trouble brewing with the Murray family?
The next morning brought sunshine streaming through the windows and a cheerful Sabrina erging from her room. The little girl hugged her favorite stuffed doll close to her chest, her happiness from the previous evening with Niall still evident in her bright smile. She skipped down the hallway toward the master bedroom, eager to share her joy.
"Mom! Mom!" she called out, her voice ringing with excitent as she pushed open the bedroom door.
Her enthusiasm was t with emptiness. The pristine bed and silent room caused her smile to falter.
The sound of movent drew her attention to the walk-in closet where Cullen erged, already impeccably dressed in his business attire.
"Where's Mom?" Sabrina asked, her voice tinged with disappointnt.
Cullen adjusted his silk tie with practiced precision, his expression neutral. "She's not ho," he replied casually, as though stating the weather forecast.
"Huh? Why?" Confusion clouded Sabrina's features.
Cullen's response was characteristically detached. "Ask her yourself."
"Okay," Sabrina agreed, reaching for the phone to call her mother.
Veronica was just returning from her morning jog, her skin glistening with a light sheen of sweat when her phone rang. Seeing Sabrina's na flash across the screen, she promptly answered.
"Mom! Where are you?" Sabrina's voice ca through, filled with eager curiosity.
Instead of directly answering, Veronica deflected. "What's wrong, Sa? Did you need sothing?"
Aside from Whitney, Veronica had kept her temporary living arrangents private. The peace she found in solitude was refreshing, and she wasn't ready to surrender it just yet—not even to her daughter.
With the call on speaker, Sabrina sprawled across her parents' bed, her small form making the king-sized mattress seem even larger. "I miss you," she admitted with childlike honesty. "Can you take to school later?"
Veronica hesitated before responding. "My place is a bit far. I won't be able to pick you up in ti. Maybe next ti, okay?"
"Okay," Sabrina conceded, unable to hide her disappointnt. Then, with renewed hope, she added, "But you have to take tomorrow morning, promise!"
Veronica fell silent. The thought of returning to that house, even briefly, stirred a complex mix of emotions she wasn't ready to confront.
"Mom?" Sabrina prompted when the silence stretched too long.
Cullen, overhearing the conversation through the speaker, noted Veronica's unusual hesitation. Knowing her unwavering dedication to Sabrina, he had expected an imdiate agreent. Her reluctance was telling.
After what seed like an eternity, Veronica suggested, "How about you let your dad take you?"
The proposal was t with resistance. Sabrina truly missed her mother, and the rejection of her simple request hurt more than she could articulate. Her eyes welled up with tears, her voice trembling slightly. "No, I want you! Other than yesterday, you haven't taken to school in so long!"
Faced with her daughter's emotional plea, Veronica finally relented. "Alright, I'll take you."
Her agreent wasn't born from sentintality but from a sense of maternal obligation. She had chosen to bring Sabrina into this world; she owed her daughter that much at least.
Instantly, Sabrina's tears gave way to a radiant smile, her mood transforming as quickly as sumr rain gives way to sunshine.
Cullen, who had been observing the entire exchange while fastening his watch, noticed Sabrina's continued absorption in the conversation. "If you don't go down for breakfast now, you'll be late," he reminded her.
Sabrina's eyes widened in alarm. "Oh no! I haven't brushed my teeth or washed my face yet. Mom, talk later!" Without waiting for Veronica's response, she hastily ended the call and dashed toward her bathroom.
On the other end, Veronica set her phone aside with a soft sigh. She finished her modest breakfast in solitude before preparing for another day at Dennis Group—a routine that felt both familiar and increasingly distant from the life she had once known.
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