Chapter 567 – Sera, your love changed me
The offer landed like pure temptation because all Voren really wanted was a stretch of peace and quiet with his wife.
The mess waiting back at the pack already sat heavy enough on his shoulders, and this mansion had become their little hideaway, the one place he could shut out the endless list of responsibilities that never stopped knocking.
The only person they’d planned on seeing was Coco, and now Ravyn had shown up out of nowhere, forcing his way into the single peaceful corner Voren had managed to carve out for his family.
Voren studied the man standing in front of him under the streetlights. Ravyn looked exhausted, almost completely broken, but there was still something dangerous flickering in his eyes.
Desperation could turn people reckless in a heartbeat, and Voren had zero intention of letting that kind of desperation get anywhere near Seraphine.
Still, he knew exactly what he had to do.
"I’ll talk to her, but move your car first, Ravyn. If she says yes, I’ll walk her out to meet you. If she says no, then you leave."
Ravyn’s chest loosened just a fraction. At least Voren was giving him a shot. But that tiny victory also smashed him with something that hurt even worse. Voren trusted his wife completely, without a second of hesitation. Why wouldn’t he? Seraphine was nothing like Daisy. Even through seven years of Ravyn treating her like garbage, she’d stayed faithful.
She’d never looked at another man, never gone searching for comfort somewhere else, even when her own husband made her feel completely unwanted.
Daisy had soaked up every scrap of Ravyn’s attention. He’d defended her, loved her, chosen her over his wife again and again. And she’d still turned around and destroyed him.
The thought twisted his stomach hard. The woman he’d neglected had stayed loyal, while the woman he’d put on a pedestal had wrecked everything. It was clear as day that as long as Seraphine carried Voren’s name, she’d never give Ravyn another chance.
Yet he still clung to one pathetic little piece of hope. He had been her first love. Somewhere inside his broken heart he still believed that had to mean something.
"Okay. I’ll move the car. But until she talks to me, I’m not leaving."
Voren shrugged, his expression calm. "We don’t plan on staying long, so feel free to camp out here as long as you want."
Ravyn almost laughed but instead his throat tightened until it hurt. He wanted to cry.
Watching Voren stand there so peaceful, so certain his wife would never betray him, made Ravyn ache with a jealousy he could barely hold down. That should’ve been him.
He should’ve been the man standing beside Seraphine with that same quiet confidence. He should’ve been the one she trusted, the one she ran to, the one she loved without any fear. If only he’d paid attention. If only he’d looked past Daisy’s lies.
If only he’d understood what he had in Seraphine before it was too late, his life could’ve been something close to bliss. Instead, he was standing outside another man’s mansion, begging for five minutes with the woman who used to be his wife.
He walked back to his car and pulled it out of the driveway while Voren climbed into his. Voren hit the remote and the heavy gates slid open, letting him through. The second the car cleared the entrance the gates closed again, locking Ravyn out.
Ravyn stayed right where he was. His eyes followed the vehicle until it stopped in front of the house. Then he watched Voren step out, walk around the front, and open the passenger door. Seraphine emerged.
Ravyn’s breath caught so hard it almost choked him. Before he could even process the sight of her, Voren bent down and scooped Seraphine up into his arms, carrying her inside the mansion like a bride.
Ravyn stood frozen in front of his car, his fingers curled tight at his sides. The ache spreading through his chest felt almost unbearable. Voren was carrying her like she was something precious, like she weighed nothing, like taking care of her was the most natural thing in the world.
Ravyn swallowed hard against the lump in his throat. How the hell was he supposed to compete with that? What could he possibly offer her now? He’d lost his money, his marriage, his dignity, his family’s trust, even his place in Seraphine’s heart. And Voren had every single thing Ravyn wanted.
Still, Ravyn refused to leave. He would wait as long as it took. Even if he had to spend the entire night sitting out there in his car, he would wait.
Inside the mansion Seraphine stared at Voren like she was looking at a stranger. Her lips curved in a small, surprised smile. "I’m surprised you didn’t use your fists."
Voren smiled back, and for a second he looked almost like a teenager again. Something boyish and warm sat in his expression, the kind of look that made Seraphine’s heart soften right in her chest.
"Sera, your love changed me. It wasn’t easy getting you back, and now I appreciate every day that you never looked anywhere else when you were still married to Ravyn. It only proves you’ll never look at any other man for as long as you’re mine."
Seraphine’s heart warmed all the way through. She stared at him for a long moment, eyes softening as the weight of his words settled deep inside her. Voren wasn’t just saying he trusted her.
He was telling her he valued the loyalty she’d held onto even when her marriage had been nothing but pain. That mattered more than he could ever know.
She wrapped her arms around him and held on tight, letting herself breathe him in, letting the solid warmth of his body push away every ugly memory Ravyn had dragged back up.
The mansion was quiet. Everybody, including the maids, were already asleep. It was just her and the man she loved. When she finally pulled back, she whispered, "Thank you for trusting me. It means the world, but I’m not seeing him. He can rot out there for all I care."
The bitterness in her voice was unmistakable. She had no curiosity left, no leftover affection. No desire to hear whatever excuses Ravyn had cooked up this time. She’d spent seven years waiting for him to love her.
She’d cried over him, begged him, handed him chance after chance. And he’d treated every single one of those chances like they meant less than nothing. Now she’d finally found real happiness, and she wasn’t about to let Ravyn drag her back into the darkness he’d created.
Voren laughed softly as their lips met. The kiss stayed gentle, but the affection running underneath it went bone-deep. When they finally pulled apart Seraphine rested her forehead against his for a quiet second.
"Let’s check on the kids," she said.
Voren nodded. They walked side by side down the quiet hallway. The peace wrapping around them made Seraphine feel safe in a way she’d almost forgotten was possible.
When they reached Esperanza’s room they both stopped short. The little girl was sharing the bed with Bryan, both of them sound asleep. Voren raised one brow. "They got along faster than I expected. Still gotta separate them though."
Seraphine smiled softly at the sight. "Yeah."
She stepped into the room and pressed gentle kisses to both kids’ cheeks. Her heart swelled looking at them. This was what she’d wanted all along, a home full of people she loved, a family where nobody had to beg for affection, a place where her kids could sleep without fear.
They were going to their own room when the sound of soft sobs stopped them cold. Seraphine’s smile vanished, her whole body tensed.
The sound was faint, nearly swallowed by the silence of the mansion, but she heard it clear enough. No light was on, but it was obvious which room the sobs were coming from.
"Jasmine, what’s wrong with her?" Worry flooded Seraphine’s voice.
Before Voren could even react, she turned and hurried back toward Jasmine’s door. She knocked once, then pushed it open.
The sight that met her broke her heart clean in two. Seraphine froze in the doorway, eyes wide, every trace of warmth draining from her face.
"Jasmine... what happened?"