Alpha's Regret: The Seventh Time was Forever

Chapter 28 – Blacklisted

When Seraphine left Ravyn’s office weeks ago, she had walked out with her spine straight and her head held high, but deep inside, she knew exactly what she had stepped into. War.

Not the kind fought with claws and blood, but the colder, more merciless kind factoring numbers, contracts, influence, and power wielded behind polished glass walls.

Ravyn had drawn the first line, and Voren Ashkael had made sure the battlefield was tilted against her before she could even take her second step.

Still, Seraphine was not built to cower. She had survived humiliation, and betrayal so a corporate storm, no matter how vicious, would not be the thing that broke her.

Her first move had been deliberate and calculated. To redirect the check Ravyn sighed into another company. The moment profit began to rise, the ripple would be felt. Walker Global Enterprises’ stock would react, and investors would notice. Panic would follow, and Ravyn would feel it.

That had been the plan. "So what next?" Corvine asked as they sat in the car, the city skyline stretching endlessly ahead of them.

Seraphine didn’t look at him immediately. Her gaze was fixed on the passing buildings, her mind already three steps ahead. "Which company is ranked closest to Walker Global Enterprises on the Forbes list?"

Corvine hesitated. He had been out of the city for years, just like her, and the corporate landscape had shifted without him. He pulled out his phone and made a call to his parents, his expression slowly tightening as the conversation dragged on longer than expected.

When he finally hung up, the brightness in his eyes had dulled.

"Lyrix Global," he said slowly. "But there’s a problem. From the first to the tenth spot, all of them have ties to Ashkael Holdings." He exhaled. "They won’t take your money."

Seraphine turned to him sharply. "That doesn’t make sense."

Business was business. Profit didn’t care about grudges, vendettas, or personal feuds. Money spoke a universal language, and eighty billion was not something sane people refused.

me to their CEO’s office," she

a moment, then nodded. He had seen that look before, the one that meant she would rather walk

but fate, or irony, had

flickered in her eyes. "Lu—" She stopped

Seraphine replied calmly, her

smile. "You can’t see Mr. Banks

make one

faint clicking filling the space between them. When she was done, she looked back up. "It will

weeks? Seraphine’s jaw tightened. Voren Ashkael would have tightened his grip even further by then. Ravyn would have

said flatly. "Make it urgent. Tell him I want

she typed again, slower this time, more cautious. After a few moments, she paused. "He’s with

The office door opened, and two men stepped out. One of them was familiar. "Sera," Augustine said with

smile briefly, but her attention was already elsewhere, on the

Marshall Banks.

forward. "I’m

longer than professional courtesy allowed, interest flickered in his eyes,

he said smoothly. "I’m very

without missing a beat. "And it’s important. I want to

Marshall paused mid-step, long lashes lowering and lifting as he studied her anew. For a brief moment, she thought she had him but when he spoke, it was

like a slap. Seraphine’s fingers curled into fists at her sides. So Voren had moved exactly as promised, fast,

have gone elsewhere, another country, perhaps, or

confidence. "Marshall," she called as he turned back toward