Chapter 585 Sudden chaos

It didn’t take long before Athaliah was back on stage, standing in front of the massive screen that displayed the software she was launching. At first the auditorium filled with confused looks. Then curiosity slowly took over as she asked everyone to download the app.

She walked them through the different designs and body types, showing clients how simple it was to picture the finished piece before a single stitch was sewn.

They could now see exactly how an outfit would sit on a body type close to their own, turning the whole ordering process into something far more personal and convenient.

Cheers rolled through the room.

By the time the show wrapped up, orders were already flooding in. That kept Athaliah busy right away because the app still didn’t have prices attached to every design.

Couture pieces depended so heavily on each client’s measurements, fabric choices, and special requests that fixed prices simply weren’t possible yet.

In time she would figure out a better system and have Seraphine upgrade the app again. For now, she stayed focused on generating invoices through the app exactly the way Seraphine had built it.

Corvine and Zane had been the ones who first built the app around Athaliah’s needs, but after only a short time with it, Seraphine had found the code so clean and logical that taking over felt almost effortless.

When everything finally settled, Seraphine caught herself feeling strangely grateful for the miserable years of her first marriage.

If she hadn’t spent so long trying to survive Ravyn’s coldness without losing her mind, she might never have thrown herself into hacking and software development.

Now every scrap of knowledge she had forced herself to learn was proving useful. Maybe those dark stretches hadn’t been completely wasted after all.

Bryan and Esperanza were with Voren and Jasmine, still buzzing with excitement after changing back into regular clothes.

“Daddy, can we do this again? It was so much fun!”

Voren laughed and pulled both of them against his chest, holding them close while they sat among the audience. With cheers and conversations still echoing through the auditorium they had to speak up just to hear each other.

“That depends,” he answered, a smile in his voice.

He was already relying on Elodie to translate anything interesting that came across the speakers, but what caught his attention most was the stream of messages lighting up Elodie’s phone.

“The models are calling me to pass word to Liah. They’re ready to work with her now.” Elodie looked genuinely impressed. “You and your family did an incredible job out there.”

He kept going. “Agencies are already asking to book your wife, the redhead, and the kids… but they’re all calling your wife Coco.”

Elodie carefully left out the part where a few agencies had also asked about Voren. He understood perfectly that the only person on earth who could ever talk Voren into something like that was his wife.

Voren showed zero interest in commenting. “Your boss is the right person to handle all of that.”

Elodie had no idea they were werewolves with an entire pack waiting for them back home. Only Athaliah knew the truth, which was why Voren trusted she would know exactly how to answer her assistant.

“I know she won’t give them the chance.” Elodie spoke with complete certainty before dropping his eyes to another flood of messages. “I’m getting complaints from other customers that I’m only giving you attention. How am I supposed to tell them you’re my biggest client?”

Thanks to Voren, Elodie had become someone important in his field. Voren was the only client who never asked for discounts and often paid extra without a word of complaint.

More than once, he had flown all the way to France just to have outfits designed exclusively for himself. That was why Elodie never let anyone else touch Voren’s orders, not even his own boss.

Now that the wife of his biggest client was also a close friend of Athaliah’s, Elodie wanted to work even harder to keep those orders flowing straight through him. The commissions alone were enormous.

Voren was about to tell him to go take care of his other customers when Jasmine suddenly handed over her phone.

His brows drew together as a message from Coco filled the screen. ’Bitch, you went behind my back to get the contract?’

Voren typed a quick reply through Jasmine’s phone. ’No. Didn’t you see Sera? I was forced because no agency would work with S. Liah.’

A minute later another message appeared. ’Oh. That’s because we all received threats. I thought you betrayed me.’

’Never. Where are you? Sera will be leaving for Spain from here.’

’I’m still in Paris. Our flight is scheduled for tomorrow. You know what? Send me your location and I’ll send you the plan.’

Voren sent their location, and Coco’s answer came almost at once, still convinced she was talking to Jasmine.

’Good. You’re still at the hotel. When I get close, I want you to take Sera to the room number I’m sending you. Tell her you just want to talk or come up with a good lie. Just make sure she drinks the wine I’ll arrange and leave her there. I’ll take it from there.’

Voren’s eyes darkened as he read the message. Whatever Coco had planned for Seraphine, she had clearly thought it through down to the last detail.

’Okay. I’ll wait for your call.’

He handed the phone back to Jasmine and leaned in close, keeping his voice low. “Let me know the second she contacts you again. Read through everything I wrote and go along with the plan.”

Coco was far more vicious than he had realized, and he regretted not seeing it sooner.

The moment the show officially ended, Voren and his family started making their way out of the auditorium to find Seraphine and Corvine. They hadn’t gone far when Seraphine appeared right in front of them.

“V, how was it?”

Pride filled Voren’s chest as his eyes moved over her. “You did amazing, babe.” His voice dropped as he leaned close to her ear. “There’s something important I need to tell you, but let’s get a room first.”

He wasn’t sure what arrangements Athaliah had made, but Elodie supplied the answer right away. “We booked the entire hotel because of our high-profile guests, but there’s only one presidential suite left.”

Before Voren could decide what to do, he looked around. “Where’s Corvine?”

“He went looking for Liah.” Seraphine’s smile was warm. Athaliah had announced that Corvine was her boyfriend and the man had been grinning like a kid through it all.

Suddenly Elodie’s expression changed. His brows pulled together as his attention locked on the backstage area. Some kind of chaos seemed to be unfolding. People were rushing out, speaking rapid French.

“What’s going on?” Voren’s expression hardened.

“I’ll go check.” Worry filled Elodie’s eyes.

Voren followed him, the rest of the family close behind. The sight that greeted them made him stop cold and Jasmine quickly covered the eyes of the kids, pulling them away from the chaos.

Five unconscious men lay sprawled across the floor. “That’s Liah’s bodyguard.” Elodie pointed at one of them, his face draining of color. “I don’t know the rest.”

Before Voren could ask another question, painful groans drifted out of one of the changing rooms. Then came the sickening sound of bones cracking.

Without thinking he rushed toward the entrance, hoping it wasn’t what he was thinking. He pulled the curtain to the side, halting his steps as shock registered in his eyes.