Alpha's Regret: The Seventh Time was Forever

Chapter 85 – You have until the end of this party to decide

Voren understood the consequences before Seraphine even finished forming her proposal in her mind, because investing in her business would not simply be a financial decision but a declaration of alignment, and aligning himself with her would fracture the already fragile line that held his friendship with Ravyn together, a risk he had no intention of taking lightly no matter how intrigued he was by her audacity.

Yet Seraphine stood there with that faint, knowing smile curving her lips, as though she had already calculated his hesitation and found it unimpressive.

"You should be honored that I’m reaching out to you to invest," she said smoothly, her voice calm but layered with confidence that bordered on arrogance. "Trust me, once the slots are closed, you’ll be the one begging me. And you know exactly what I’m capable of."

She swirled the wine in her glass slowly, watching the deep red liquid circle the crystal like a storm contained in something fragile, yet she did not lift it to her lips, as though she needed a clear head for what she was about to ignite.

Leon cleared his throat, the sound thin and nervous in the charged space between them. "Mr. Ashkael, please pardon her choice of words," he said quickly, attempting damage control before the tension snapped. "She’s politely asking you to invest. Sera, Mr. Ashkael holds more money and power than any of us here. You shouldn’t threaten him."

Seraphine turned her head toward Leon, and the smile she gave him was gentle, almost reassuring, yet it did nothing to soften the steel beneath it.

"I’m not threatening him," she replied evenly. "What I’m saying is the truth."

Then her attention shifted back to Voren, her gaze steady, unflinching. "You have until the end of this party to decide. But do I get the chance to sell my product?"

For a moment, Voren felt something close to paralysis, not because he doubted her ability but because he didn’t. After the stunt she had pulled with his server, the calculated precision and quiet brilliance of it, he knew better than to underestimate her. The problem was not her competence. The problem was Ravyn.

What would happen to his friendship if he publicly supported her?

aside for now, deciding that information came before

tone controlled, though something darker lingered underneath. "But I hope your boyfriend will be able to protect you.

echoed in her mind, that low, serious tone cautioning

care of patients instead of standing here if I wasn’t ready to sell

smiled in response, though the smile never reached his eyes. It was the kind of expression that carried an unspoken message, a silent warning wrapped in politeness, something that said you have been cautioned, and what happens next will be

lightly tapped it against the metal tray, the crisp

take your positions," he announced, his voice commanding without

shifting into place, the air thick with cigar

together, and Voren released a slow breath before

like to invite a very willful

of the billionaires already

with a crooked grin, "has she paid

what they meant, but Voren

yourself," he

he turned his gaze toward her before taking his seat beside Ravyn, who watched everything with

of the room, the subtle change in energy was immediate, and familiar mocking voices began to rise from different corners like wolves scenting something they believed was easy

Does she think this is child’s

that

the Voltage Pack, lounged with careless arrogance, two women draped beside him who were certainly not his Luna, and his smirk widened