Voren hadn’t been expecting either of them to show up that day, not Seraphine and certainly not Corvine, so the moment Corvine walked into his office alone, something about it immediately felt off, like a missing piece in a picture that was supposed to be complete.

His eyes lingered on the doorway a second longer than necessary, almost as if he expected Seraphine to appear behind him at any moment, and when she didn’t, the faint crease forming between his brows gave away his irritation before he even spoke.

"Why isn’t she with you?" he asked, his tone direct and edged with a quiet impatience as he motioned for Corvine to take a seat.

Corvine exhaled softly as he settled across from him, already anticipating the reaction. "There was a chemical explosion at the pack," he began, his voice steady but carrying enough weight to draw Voren’s full attention. "Ravyn asked for her help. She refused at first, but then he involved his parents, and that changed things."

Voren leaned back slightly, a scoff escaping him before he could stop it, his annoyance surfacing more clearly now. "That figures," he muttered, shaking his head faintly. "The last time I saw them, it felt like they cared more about her than their own son."

There was something sharper beneath his words, something personal, though he didn’t elaborate, choosing instead to let the silence stretch for a brief moment before Corvine continued.

"She won’t be there long," Corvine added, placing the gift on the desk, sliding it toward him with calm precision. "She asked me to bring this to you, especially the software. It allows you to monitor the subscription system in real time."

Voren didn’t respond immediately, his attention already piquing as he picked up the flash drive and plugged it into his laptop, his movements smooth but purposeful as the installation prompt appeared on the screen.

The room quieted, the only sound coming from the faint hum of the system loading, until suddenly Voren’s expression changed, his eyes narrowing first, then widening slightly as the data fully displayed.

"Are you certain these figures are accurate?" he asked, his voice lower now, more focused, the earlier irritation giving way to something closer to disbelief.

Corvine leaned back just enough to appear relaxed, though his confidence remained unmistakable. "When you align it with the incoming revenue streams, everything checks out perfectly," he replied.

Voren stared at the screen, his mind already racing ahead, dissecting the projections, tracing the growth patterns, calculating margins with the instinct of someone who had built his entire life around numbers and outcomes.

"She was right..." he murmured under his breath, almost forgetting Corvine was even there.

The margins weren’t just promising. They were structured, layered, protected against loss in ways that spoke of foresight far beyond what most would consider necessary.

His gaze lifted slowly, locking onto Corvine again. "Is it too late to increase my investment?" he asked, the question coming more quickly this time, as though he already knew the answer but hoped for a different one.

Corvine didn’t rush his response, allowing a small pause to settle between them before speaking. "That would have to be discussed with the Chairwoman," he said evenly, then added, almost as an afterthought, "and you should also know that a portion of the funds has already been allocated into the stock market and other financial channels."

That made Voren go still for a second, the realization hitting him instantly.

Seraphine hadn’t just relied on the success of the launch. She had created an entirely separate stream of security, multiplying the funds beforehand so that even failure wouldn’t leave her exposed.

And the more he thought about it, the more something unfamiliar settled in his chest, something that felt dangerously close to admiration.

Without thinking too much about it, he reached for his phone and dialed her number, his gaze still fixed on the screen as it rang.

Then, switched off.

His frown deepened. "Why is her phone off?" he asked, more to himself than anyone else.

Corvine was already pulling out his own phone, dialing quickly, his expression tightening as he got the same result. "That’s strange," he muttered.

A faint unease began to settle between them, subtle at first, but growing heavier with each passing second.

"I’ll call Damon," Corvine said, already scrolling through his contacts. "He’s the one who picked her up."

He dialed the number but got the same response. Switched off or out of coverage area.

Corvine pulled the phone away slowly, staring at the screen like it might suddenly change its mind. "He’s phone is switched off to," he said, his voice quieter now, the concern no longer hidden.

Voren’s expression hardened, the calm exterior he had been maintaining beginning to crack ever so slightly. "I’ll call Ravyn," he said, already dialing.

Corvine watched him closely this time, something clicking into place in his mind as he studied the tension in Voren’s posture, the way his jaw tightened just a little more than necessary.

"You seem to care about her," Corvine said, his tone low but intentional, as though he were testing a theory he wasn’t quite ready to voice fully.

Voren froze for the briefest moment before recovering, his expression smoothing over as his voice turned cold. "If you had over a hundred billion tied up with someone, you’d care too," he replied.

It was a logical answer, and yet, it didn’t feel like the whole truth.

Still, Corvine said nothing more, choosing to let the moment pass as Voren’s call connected.

"Ravyn," Voren said, his tone sharpening instantly. "I just heard there’s been an issue at the pack. What exactly is going on?"

Corvine couldn’t hear the response on the other end, but he didn’t need to, because whatever was being said was enough to completely still Voren’s expression, the change in his demeanor subtle but unmistakable as something serious settled over him.

The call ended shortly after and without hesitation, Voren pushed back his chair and stood up in one smooth motion, his decision already made before the silence could even settle.

"I’m going to the Centenary pack," he said, his voice firm, leaving no room for discussion.

That was all it took for unease to spike sharply through Corvine’s chest, his instincts immediately flaring.

He stood just as quickly, his gaze locked onto Voren. "What’s going on?" he demanded, his voice tightening despite his attempt to stay composed. "Tell me what he said."