Alpha's Regret: The Seventh Time was Forever novel Chapter 42

Chapter 42: Chapter 42 – 10 billion

A week ago, Seraphine had braced herself for Voren to confront her directly after his conversation with Desmond.

She had pictured it in vivid detail, the storm behind his gaze, the sharp cadence of his words, the kind of confrontation that left even the toughest people unsettled, but Voren had surprised her.

Not only had he refused to take the bait but had proven far more stubborn than she had anticipated. Ashkael Holdings itself had shown resilience she hadn’t fully expected, and the company’s foundations were too solid for a single server attack to topple.

Even with the chaos she had orchestrated, the stock dips were negligible. It was frustrating, and deflating, but she took cold satisfaction in knowing Ravyn would remain isolated.

Help would not come for him, not when Voren would be busy stabilizing his company affairs.

The next morning, Seraphine decided to grant herself a small reprieve. She called Corvine, her tone unusually warm, almost soft. "You’ve been good to me. Let me give you a treat."

Corvine’s polite smile masked a quiet ache. No matter how close they had grown, Seraphine’s eyes never lingered the way he longed for. To her, he was family, a reliable presence, a protector, but nothing more.

Still, he accepted, clinging to the hope that this outing might mark the beginning of something new. "I’m flattered," he said, keeping his voice steady, as Seraphine smiled confidently and subtle, led the way.

She moved with the quiet authority of someone accustomed to being obeyed without question, yet wrapped in warmth, rewarding loyalty without excess.

The drive to the restaurant was serene, the city blurring past in muted golds and grays. Only the rhythmic beeping of her phone punctuated the calm.

When she checked the caller ID, she answered immediately, her voice calm, precise.

"David, the IT manager of Ashkael Holdings needs your help. There’s been a server attack, and we already agreed on the price. 10—"

Her voice cut through him mid-sentence, firm and unwavering. "Billion." The call filter gave her tone a masculine resonance, demanding respect, or fear, without raising it.

"But... you said—"

"I know what I said. That deal is for others. Ashkael Holdings starts at ten billion."

No room for negotiation or pleading. This was the moment she had been waiting for and it finally came but still, the boss himself was still too proud.

Seraphine wondered for how long it would last but the more the delay, the greater the damage. The agent exhaled a long, frustrated sigh, conceding, "I will get back to you."

Corvine caught only fragments of the conversation but smiled quietly, sensing the subtle power Seraphine wielded. She had been with the company just over a week, and already, the tides were shifting.

For the first time in Stone Groups’ history, they ranked number four, a fact Corvine’s father had proudly shared just yesterday.

As they arrived at the restaurant, the hum of luxury wrapped around them, the faint clink of cutlery, soft murmurs of conversation, the subtle aroma of grilled fish and fresh herbs.

Seraphine’s attention shifted abruptly when a familiar voice rang out above the ambient noise. "It’s you! I’ve been looking everywhere for you!"

VERIFYCAPTCHA_LABELVerify