Alpha's Regret: The Seventh Time was Forever-Chapter 31 - I’ll make sure you get back every single thing you lost

The clink of cutlery had barely settled into a comfortable rhythm when Desmond cleared his throat. "Major shareholders are pulling out," he said quietly. "They’re moving their shares to Ashkael Holdings." The words landed like a dropped plate.

The warm glow of the chandelier suddenly felt cold. Even the food on Seraphine’s plate lost its appeal. A heavy silence spread across the dining table, thick and suffocating, pressing into everyone’s chest.

Desmond immediately regretted opening his mouth due to the reaction he got. Seraphine’s fingers slipped from her fork, it clattered against the porcelain, the sound sharp in the quiet room.

Guilt surged through her like a wave she couldn’t outrun, her throat tightened. "This is my fault."

Everyone looked at her, as she he pushed her chair back slightly, her voice shaking despite her effort to stay composed.

"I’m sorry I dragged you all into this," she said, eyes burning. "He has no right to go against the company like this because of me."

"No," Corvine spoke quickly, "It’s not your fault."

He shot an accusing glare at his father, jaw clenched, but Seraphine was already shaking her head. She was mature enough to know comfort when she heard it, and also when it wasn’t true but responsibility would not allow her to take it in Corvine’s words.

Voren was attacking the Stone Group Capital, of which Corvine was supposed to be the CEO because of her, and she could not let things slide.

"Yes, it is," she said quietly. "And there’s nothing anyone can say that’ll change my mind."

She turned slowly toward Desmond. "Tell me," she said. "Are there losses?"

Desmond’s face tightened, his shoulders sagged, years of experience unable to shield him from this moment. Corvine subtly shook his head at him, silently begging him not to say it.

But Desmond couldn’t lie. His voice came out low. "We’re ten billion in deficit." As the number echoed, Seraphine shot to her feet. "What?"

It had just been a few days and Voren already got them. She couldn’t celebrate Ravyn’s fall anymore because Voren must be undoubtedly doing this because of him. Her chair scraped loudly across the marble floor.

"Ten billion?" she roared. "That’s insane!" Her hands trembled as she pressed them against the table. "This is too much," she continued, chest rising sharply. "Voren is doing this because of me. This is personal."

Desmond opened his mouth, wanting to carry the burden himself, but something in him refused to sugarcoat reality. "Not just that," he added softly. "Our stocks are plummeting fast."

Seraphine’s fingers curled into fists, her pulse thundered in her ears. "Don’t worry," she said, her voice steady now, dangerously calm. "I’ll make sure you get back every single thing you lost."

Everyone looked disturbed, and even the walls seemed to listen, and for the first time that night, Nessa spoke. "Sera," she said gently, reaching out. "Don’t be too hard on yourself. This isn’t the first crisis we’ve faced. Desmond always finds a way."

Her gaze shifted to her husband but what she saw there made her heart sink. Loss, pure, unfiltered loss.

Desmond shook his head slowly. "It’s different this time," he said. "We’ve beaten companies before. But Ashkael Holdings?" He exhaled heavily. "Their stocks rise by the second, no investor would choose us over them."

Seraphine went quiet, her mind began to move, calculating, strategizing. She stared at the polished table as if answers might appear in its reflection.

Then she lifted her head. "Even if it’s the last thing I do," she said, voice hard with resolve, "I’ll push this company to at least number three on the Forbes list."

No one laughed, and no one doubted her, as she left to her room shortly after. Corvine watched her retreating figure, wanting desperately to follow, to ask what she meant, to understand the fire burning behind her eyes.

But his attention turned to his father instead, his jaw tightened. "You couldn’t tell me first?"

Desmond sighed. "Maybe if you hadn’t been out of the city, risking your life for the pack because of her, you’d understand market trends better," he said. "Voren grows stronger every day. If we don’t return her investment, we’ll be bankrupt within months." 𝚏𝐫𝚎𝗲𝕨𝐞𝐛𝕟𝚘𝐯𝚎𝗹.𝕔𝐨𝗺

Corvine’s hands clenched at his sides. It hurt how deeply he cared for Seraphine, how much he wanted to protect her, not just because of the child, but because of his hidden affection for her but, how impossible that felt.

She would never accept him, and he knew that. Still, all he wanted was to keep her close.

"I’ll fix it," he said quietly. "I’ll find a way to restore your losses. But next time, tell me first." He didn’t wait for a reply, hastening upstairs before his father could add another wound to the conversation.

The next morning, Corvine carried a breakfast tray toward Seraphine’s room but when he opened the door, he froze.

She was already dressed, perfectly composed, and focused. "Where are you going?" he asked, disappointment slipping into his voice.

Seraphine turned, her gaze filled with something he could not quite explain. "To see Voren," she said calmly. "I need to settle this."

Corvine gently placed the tray on the nightstand. "I’m coming with you," he said. "But eat first."

"No." Her refusal was immediate. "Don’t get more involved than you already are. This is between me and him."

Her eyes held iron, Corvine exhaled. He knew that look, knew trying to argue would be useless.

"Then let me drive," he said after a moment. "I won’t interfere." He hesitated, searching for the right words. "I’ll be... an invisible friend."

A faint smile finally curved Seraphine’s lip. "Fine," she said. "If you say so."

She barely touched her food because anger had eaten her appetite.

The underground parking lot of Ashkael Tower was quiet, the kind of silence that buzzed beneath your skin.

Seraphine walked between rows of luxury cars, heels clicking softly against concrete when a scream ripped through the air. She spun around, her eyes landed on a something that caused an aching on her heart.