Alpha's Regret: The Seventh Time was Forever

Chapter 53 – I’m willing to make a better demand

Seraphine had barely made it halfway home when Voren called so they made a smooth detour toward a quiet upscale coffee shop tucked into a corner of the business district where privacy came at a premium and conversations were rarely overheard.

By the time they arrived, the evening crowd had thinned into scattered silhouettes behind warm amber lighting, the scent of roasted beans hanging thick in the air like something grounding and deceptively comforting, which was ironic considering nothing about this meeting would be comforting for anyone involved.

This time, the man who usually walked into rooms carrying that unmistakable air of superiority, the one who never bent and never compromised unless it directly benefited him, was the one stepping into a situation that forced him to lower his guard, or at least that was how it looked from the outside, though Voren was not the kind of man who humbled easily.

When he walked in, his jaw was tight, the muscles along his cheek flickering with restrained irritation, yet his movements were controlled and deliberate as though he had rehearsed composure in the mirror before coming.

Constantly, he reminded himself of Pete’s advice that calmness would win this round, that once Seraphine released her grip from his server he would make sure that their paths never crossed again, that this entire episode would become nothing more than an inconvenient footnote in his otherwise calculated life.

Seraphine entered moments later with that effortless elegance that always made people underestimate just how dangerous she could be, her heels tapping softly against the polished floor as she approached the table, her posture straight, her chin slightly lifted, her eyes empty of warmth and heavy with something darker that had been living inside her ever since the day her world cracked open.

She did not smile in greeting, nor did she offer pleasantries, because there was no room for social niceties when vengeance sat between them like a silent third party.

She took her seat across from him, folded her hands neatly on the table, and spoke in a voice so even it almost felt detached. "Make the payment and cut your friendship with Ravyn. Only then would I restore your server."

The words landed without tremor, without hesitation, and Voren’s brows drew together as a frown carved sharply across his face.

"You charged double and you think you have the right to make demands?" He shot back, the irritation he had been carefully containing flickering into open anger for just a second before he forced it back down, because losing control in front of Seraphine would only strengthen her position.

smile that never quite reached her eyes, a smile that felt more like a blade than a gesture. "I’m

arms across his chest, leaning back slightly in his chair as though physical distance would shield him from whatever trap she was preparing to lay, his instincts screaming at him not to react too quickly,

hear it," he said

Ravyn," she replied, her gaze steady and hollow in a way that made it impossible to tell whether she was being strategic or purely emotional. "And you pull out your investments in Walker Global

and for the first time since he arrived Voren froze completely, his fingers tightening slightly against his sleeve as he searched her face for

right?" he asked, though there was no humor

time to waste on jokes? Ravyn

rawness in her words was quiet but unmistakable, and even though she did not raise her voice or let tears gather in her

teeth, forcing himself to remain logical even as he recognized the grief driving her. "You are moving too fast,

twenty billion, and I

for a brief second Seraphine inhaled deeply, her thoughts racing through calculations that were not purely

man like Voren could remain Ravyn’s friend without eventually stepping in to help him when things

help him," she said

profit just as his shares in mine give him profit. It is one hand washing the other, and that is exactly why you cannot rise alone. You need business partners, and you need investment chains

were not emotional but factual, and that

traded, the Stone Group remained stuck at number four on the Forbes list while others maneuvered with networks woven so tightly, they were nearly

taking down Walker Global Enterprises entirely would mean pulling down every company entangled with it, which would include businesses

said, there were too many companies invested in Walker Global Enterprises, too many chains connected to that foundation,

would never punish the innocent alongside

do you say?" Voren pressed, his voice cutting through