My Sister Stole My Mate And I Let Her (Seraphina) novel Chapter 388

Chapter 388: Chapter 388 NEUTRAL GROUND

SERAPHINA’S POV

Three days.

That was all we allowed ourselves.

Time had the peculiar habit of moving too quickly when you needed it to slow down.

It slipped away in a blur of intense training, strategic discussions, and long stretches of silence, during which we never voiced what lingered beneath the surface. 𝐟𝐫𝕖𝗲𝘄𝚎𝗯𝕟𝐨𝕧𝐞𝚕.𝕔𝕠𝐦

Worry.

Because the longer we stalled, the longer my mother stayed imprisoned and alone and entirely at the mercy of the woman who had once been her closest friend.

On the morning of the third day, I stood in the Frostbane strategy room, phone in hand, every gaze fixed on me as I prepared to make the call.

Kieran stood beside the window with his arms crossed, the early sunlight outlining the hard line of his shoulders.

Ethan leaned against the far wall, his expression carefully neutral, though the tightness in his jaw betrayed his emotions.

Corin sat calmly at the table, fingers loosely interlaced as though this were any other day, any other conversation.

Maya, Brett, and Maris lingered nearby, their attention fixed on me with quiet intensity.

When I finally pressed the call button, the ringing seemed unnaturally loud in the still room.

On the fourth ring, the line connected.

“Well,” Catherine’s voice drifted through the speaker. “Seraphina. You certainly took your time.”

Her tone was smooth and warm in the way a blade might feel smooth and warm as it slid between someone’s ribs.

I kept my voice steady. “You wanted to meet.”

Catherine chuckled. “Nothing would make me happier, dear.”

“How do I know my mother is safe?” I asked, my grip on the phone tightening.

“Well, you’ll have to see for yourself now, won’t you?”

I shook my head even if she couldn’t see me. “No. I’m not coming to the Maldives. We’ll meet on neutral ground. I’ll send you the details shortly.”

A small pause followed.

Then Catherine laughed again, though the sound held a sharper edge now. “Even as a child, you were formidable. I look forward to seeing the powerful woman you’ve become.”

“Do you agree or not?” I snapped.

Another pause stretched across the line, though this one felt more deliberate.

“Very well,” she said finally. “Neutral ground it is.”

Her agreement came so easily that suspicion immediately knotted in my stomach, but I didn’t press.

“I’ll send the details soon.”

“I’ll be on the edge of my seat.”

Just before I hung up, she called out. “Seraphina?”

“Yes?”

The humor in her voice dropped out. “Remember, come alone.”

I glanced around the room—at my friends, my family.

“Noted.”

***

The morning of the meeting arrived beneath a pale, quiet sky.

The packhouse was still wrapped in the soft calm that came just before sunrise when I stepped into the kitchen.

For a moment, I simply stood there, listening to the silence of the sleeping house and gathering my thoughts.

Then I began preparing breakfast.

The simple routine grounded me in a way strategy meetings and battle plans never could.

I cracked eggs into the pan while the scent of butter warmed the air, slicing fruit and toasting bread the way Daniel liked it.

While the eggs cooked, I moved around the kitchen, preparing a few extra dishes that could be stored in the refrigerator for later—containers of pasta salad, roasted vegetables, and a tray of baked chicken that could be reheated easily.

A few minutes later, I heard the familiar patter of small footsteps in the hallway.

“Mom?” Daniel appeared in the doorway, rubbing sleep from his eyes. “You’re up early."

“So are you,” I replied with a faint smile.

He wandered over and climbed into his chair at the table while I placed his plate in front of him.

“This is a lot,” he noted, eyeing the other dishes on the counter.

“It’s so you can have a taste of my cooking when you miss me,” I told him.

He stilled, fork halfway to his mouth. “Why would I miss you?”

“Your father and I are taking a short trip,” I explained gently.

He blinked at me. “Where?”

“Just something I need to take care of.”

Daniel studied my face for a moment with seriousness. “Will you be gone long? Like last time?”

“No,” I said, reaching out to brush a strand of hair from his forehead. “I’ll be back soon, I promise.”

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