Alpha's Regret: The Seventh Time was Forever

Chapter 606: Chapter 606 - We lost everything

Curt was not expecting it when Voren suddenly burst into laughter, a hearty, booming one he usually reserved only for when he was with his daughter.

Yeah, right now, Curt sounded to him like a kid trying to woo a parent into giving in to their cunning demands, knowing full well the impracticality of the request. The absurdity of the situation struck Voren as genuinely hilarious.

"Curt." Voren’s voice suddenly turned cold, the warmth evaporating instantly. The swing was so abrupt that the man at the end of the line felt his blood run cold, his heart stuttering in his chest.

"Do you think I’m a kid?" Voren’s pause was heavy with menace. "Corvine’s only reason for coming is to win the hand of the princess in marriage. Nothing else should matter to him. Nothing else will distract him."

The call ended before Curt could say another word. He could only watch his hard work crumble before his eyes through the relentless news coverage—his casino in chaos, his reputation in tatters, his carefully constructed empire dissolving like sand through his fingers.

"How did it go?" Brad asked, his voice tight with desperate hope. He was clinging to the possibility of a comeback, of some miracle that would save them from total ruin. But Curt’s words got him agitated, his face draining of all remaining color.

"We lost everything, Brad." Curt’s voice was hollow, empty of all emotion. "I moved some of the pack’s funds into that casino. And now—" He couldn’t finish the sentence, couldn’t bring himself to speak the words aloud.

"I also invested some of my pack’s funds into my business." Brad’s voice cracked, his hands trembling at his sides. "And now my hard work is being claimed for free. Everything I built is gone, just like that."

Curt’s eyes suddenly sharpened, a grim determination replacing the despair. "I think I have an idea."

At this point, Brad was willing to do anything. His pride was shattered, his finances in ruins, his dignity stripped away. "Whatever would help me gain back everything, I’m in. Tell me what to do."

"Let’s return to the pack with Killian." Curt’s voice was flat, dead, but his eyes burned with cold fire. "We need to train. No matter what, Corvine must not win. We have to put him in his place, destroy him completely, is what I mean."

Brad would have easily agreed if he had not seen the state of Killian, his limbs twisted and broken, his face a bloody ruin. "About that, have you forgotten what he did to Killian?" The memory sent a shudder through him, a cold dread settling in his stomach. "The guy has become a monster, more like Voren’s shadow."

Curt’s expression was still grim, but a dark smile tugged at his lips. "King Jaron doesn’t like Corvine. We can talk to him to change a few rules, make things harder for Corvine, easier for us." His eyes glittered with cunning. "The game doesn’t have to be fair. It just has to end with one of us winning."

Brad suddenly smiled at the idea, his own desperation morphing into cruel hope. "Yeah, you’re right. Let’s train hard and have the rules amended in our favor. Let Corvine come, we’ll be ready for him."

Back in Liah’s mansion in Paris, the atmosphere was completely different. Warmth and laughter filled the elegant rooms, the aroma of home-cooked food drifting through the corridors.

Athaliah was able to move around after taking the painkillers, her ankle wrapped and elevated but her spirit undimmed.

She had learned from Corvine how to make Seraphine’s soup and had already prepped it on the stove, the rich scent of herbs and spices filling the kitchen. Now she was beginning to prepare something that screamed Paris for her guests—a delicate quiche with fresh vegetables, a crisp salad with homemade dressing, and a decadent chocolate mousse for dessert.

She moved with practiced grace despite her injury, her hands working quickly as she waited for her managers to arrive.

Corvine was helping her with Seraphine, passing ingredients and stirring pots, when they heard Voren’s bewildered scream cut through the peaceful atmosphere.

"Where are they?" His voice was panicked, rising with each word. "Where did they go?"

Seraphine stepped out of the kitchen to see Voren and Jasmine searching helplessly, their faces pale with worry, their movements frantic. They were opening closets, checking behind curtains, peering under furniture.

"Who are you looking for?" Seraphine wiped her hands on her apron, her brow furrowed with confusion.

Voren forced a smile to hide his nervousness, but it didn’t reach his eyes. "I fell for their trick." He ran a hand through his hair, frustration bleeding through his composure.

"They insisted that we stay a few days because they love it here, but I told them another time. Then Espe suggested we play hide and seek." His voice cracked slightly. "She insisted that Jasmine and I close our eyes. We did, and we’ve been searching for ten minutes straight. Ten minutes, Sera."

Seraphine didn’t know whether to laugh or cry because the mansion was a safe place, gated, secure, filled with trusted staff. "Why are you so worked up? It’s just hide and seek, you know?" She shrugged, trying to inject some calm into the situation.

It wasn’t just Voren—even Jasmine was greatly disturbed, her hands wringing together with worry.

The mansion was unfamiliar territory, and the children were so small, so easy to lose. "What if they went somewhere they aren’t supposed to be?" Jasmine asked worriedly, her voice tight. "What if they’re trapped somewhere? What if..."

Seraphine shrugged again, more dismissive this time. "Liah said everywhere is safe. Her roommate has nieces and nephews who usually come around. The entire estate is child-proofed."

Voren gritted his teeth before finally admitting, his voice barely above a whisper, "Did it occur to you that I’m losing this game?"

Seraphine laughed so hard tears welled in her eyes, her body shaking with mirth. So that was it. The reason Voren was so worked up. Not fear for their safety, but his fear of losing to the children.

His competitive streak had been triggered, and the thought of being bested by his own daughter and son was driving him insane.

"Well, that’s not a bad idea," Seraphine laughed some more, wiping her eyes. "At least we know they’re not in danger."

But after food was ready and the table was beautifully set, even Seraphine began to panic when she could not find the children. The laughter faded from her face, replaced by genuine concern. Where could they be? The mansion was large, sprawling, filled with countless rooms and hidden corners.

Liah had finished arranging the dishes on the dining table, wiping beads of sweat from her forehead with the back of her hand.

The spread was magnificent, a feast fit for royalty. Corvine smiled at her with affection, his heart swelling with emotion.

"I never thought a princess could do things common people do." His voice was soft, filled with wonder. "Cook, clean, serve others. You’re not what I expected at all."

When she mentioned she could cook, he couldn’t believe it and decided to stay by her side all through, watching her move with grace and efficiency.

Each passing moment, each shared smile, only made him fall deeper in love with her. She was real in a way he had never expected, genuine in a world full of pretense.

Liah was about to respond, a teasing remark on her lips, when she noticed the frustrated looks on the faces of Voren, Jasmine, and Seraphine. Their expressions were pinched with worry, their eyes scanning the room frantically.

"What’s going on?" Then she looked around curiously for her little best friends, her brow furrowing. "Where are Bryan and Espe?"

"We were playing hide and seek, and we can’t find them." Jasmine’s voice was strained, her composure crumbling. "We’ve looked everywhere, every room, every closet, every corner of the mansion. They’re just... gone."

Athaliah smirked, a knowing gleam in her eyes. "I know where they might be."

She hastened out of the dining room with everyone following her, her steps quick despite her injured ankle. They wound through corridors, past elegant sitting rooms and ornate hallways, until they reached a small door tucked away behind a large painting.

And when they saw Bryan and Espe, they had no idea as to whether to laugh or cry.

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