Alpha's Regret: The Seventh Time was Forever novel Chapter 34

Chapter 34: Chapter 34 – Nova Ghost

Nicole glanced around helplessly, her unease sharpening with every passing second. Her gaze finally settled on Voren, steady and unreadable as ever. He was Ravyn’s best friend so how could she talk about the centenary pack matters?

Besides, his secretary and assistant were both humans. "We can’t talk here," she said in a low voice.

Seraphine nodded immediately, already stepping back. "Sure. I was just leaving."

She paused long enough to give Voren one last look, calm on the surface, lethal beneath it before reminding him softly, almost politely, "You have twenty-four hours."

Voren let out a short chuckle, the sound echoing with careless confidence. "This is the third time you’ve issued those empty threats," he said, amusement glinting in his eyes. "I’d really love to see what you’ve got."

The elevator doors slid open, swallowing Seraphine and Nicole whole. As they disappeared, Pete stepped closer to Voren, concern written plainly across his face.

"Sir," he said cautiously, "that woman just threatened you. Shouldn’t we... at least press charges?" It was the most sensible thing to do since they had no idea in what area the threat would arise.

What if it had to do with Voren’s life? Pete was genuinely concerned, but Voren waved the idea away with an indulgent smile. "Don’t waste the police’s time. What can she actually do?"

He was certain of it. The fact that Seraphine had no real power in the city, no influence, and no protection, or so he believed.

To Voren, she was still just his best friend’s ex-wife. A woman who had lost her standing, her safety net, and whatever leverage she once possessed.

In his mind, everything he was doing, even the ruthless parts, was for his best friend’s benefit.

But Pete saw something else entirely. Maybe it was instinct, or maybe experience. He had learned long ago that the most dangerous people were rarely loud.

Seraphine had looked wounded, yes but wounded women didn’t issue empty threats, they acted. She was beautiful, composed, almost harmless in appearance, and that alone made Pete uneasy.

Still, Voren dismissed the lingering discomfort. He considered informing Ravyn, but since he was already planning to visit the pack in a few days, he pushed the thought aside.

It wasn’t worth worrying about, not yet. The next morning began like any other tight schedules, critical meetings, and one of Ashkael Holdings’ most important gatherings of the year. The boardroom buzzed with restrained power and expectation.

Then, without warning, everything began to unravel. "I can’t access the files," one of the managers said, frowning at his screen. "Same here," another added sharply.

Pete stood, already moving to investigate when his own laptop flickered, then went completely black. The temperature in the room seemed to drop.

Voren’s jaw tightened as his expression darkened, the easy confidence from the day before evaporating. He pulled out his phone and dialed the IT department, his voice cutting like steel.

"If this isn’t fixed in five minutes," he said coldly, "every last one of you is fired."

There was a pause. Then a nervous voice crackled through the line.

"Sir... you don’t understand, this is beyond us."

A murmur rippled through the room. "Is Ashkael Holdings going down?" one of the CEOs asked bluntly.

Voren’s eyes hardened. "That will never happen. This is a challenge, not a collapse."

"I’ve been with Ashkael Holdings for eight years," another executive said uneasily, "and we’ve never faced anything like this."

"And that," Voren replied calmly, "is precisely why it will be resolved swiftly." 𝑓𝓇𝘦ℯ𝘸𝘦𝑏𝓃𝑜𝘷ℯ𝑙.𝑐𝑜𝓂

He paused, then added smoothly, "All transport and accommodation expenses will be fully covered. Additionally, you’ll each receive a compensation of 0.002 percent in company shares for the inconvenience."

The shift was immediate. Smiles appeared on their contoured faces, easing the tension. At Ashkael Holdings’ valuation, that fraction alone was worth hundreds of millions.

"It’s always good doing business with you, Mr. Ashkael," someone said. The rest nodded in agreement, filing out one by one, reassured and satisfied.

When the room finally emptied, Pete cleared his throat, nerves creeping into his voice.

"Sir... what if it’s that woman from yesterday?" he asked carefully. "She gave you twenty-four hours. And the servers started collapsing right on time."

Voren froze for the first time since the incident began, doubt creeping in, cold and unwelcome. Could it really be Seraphine?