Part: 06

Seraphina ran into the living room, panting heavily. However, her exhaustion did nothing to diminish the wide smile on her face. Her eyes sparkled with triumph, as if she had finally obtained something she had always wanted.

“Mother!!” she exclaimed loudly.

Clarissa, who was sitting on the sofa with her husband, immediately turned around. The moment she saw her daughter, she rose to her feet. The worry that had been gnawing at her for hours gradually faded, replaced by relief.

“Seraphina!” she called. “Oh, God, darling, you're finally back!”

Clarissa approached her daughter, then held both her shoulders and carefully examined her face.

“Where have you been, huh? I've been waiting for you all this time. Do you have any idea how worried I was when you didn't come home?”

Seraphina giggled softly. “Mother, why do you look as if you've just lost something precious?”

“Don't joke around, Seraphina. I'm serious!” Clarissa pinched her daughter's arm lightly. “You left without telling anyone. I was even considering sending people out to look for you.”

“Alright, alright. I'm sorry.” Seraphina took her mother's hand and kissed her cheek. “But you don't have to worry anymore. I'm back, and I have some wonderful news!”

“Wonderful news?” Clarissa raised an eyebrow. “What wonderful news?”

Seraphina didn't answer immediately. Instead, she clasped her mother's hands tightly, seemingly unable to wait to see her reaction to the news she was about to deliver.

“Violetta!” she exclaimed excitedly.

Clarissa frowned. “What happened to Violetta?”

“Lucian has taken her away!”

For a moment, Clarissa fell silent. It took her a few seconds to process her daughter's words before a wide smile slowly spread across her face.

“What did you say? Lucian has taken Violetta to the Veyron residence?”

Seraphina nodded quickly. “That's right, Mother! I saw it with my own eyes. Everything went according to our plan!”

“Oh, my God!” Clarissa covered her mouth with one hand, holding back a delighted laugh. “Finally! After everything we've done, that girl really has taken your place!”

“Yes, Mother!” Seraphina laughed triumphantly. “Now Violetta is the one who has to face that terrifying man. Not me!”

Clarissa immediately pulled her daughter into an embrace. She gently rubbed Seraphina's back, as if her daughter had just won the greatest prize in the world.

“You really are a clever girl, darling. I knew you would find a way out of this mess.”

Seraphina rested her head on her mother's shoulder. “Of course. Did you think I would let myself marry Lucian Veyron? No way! I still want to enjoy my life.”

“That's right. You're still too young to sacrifice your happiness for a marriage you don't want.” Clarissa stroked her daughter's hair. “Besides, the Laurent family has fulfilled its obligation. They still sent a daughter to marry Lucian. Who cares if that daughter isn't you?”

Seraphina giggled. “I'm sure Violetta doesn't even know what's waiting for her over there.”

“Let her find out for herself,” Clarissa replied casually. “She's always acted as if she's better than us. Now she can experience what it's like to live under the control of an Alpha like Lucian.”

The two women laughed softly again, basking in the satisfaction of knowing their plan had succeeded.

However, on the other side of the room, Mr. Laurent wasn't celebrating the news at all.

Ever since he heard Violetta's name mentioned, the middle-aged man had remained silent. His gaze was fixed on the large window overlooking the night sky. For some reason, an uneasy feeling had suddenly settled in his chest.

“Honey?”

Clarissa's voice pulled him out of his thoughts.

Mr. Laurent turned his head. “What?”

Clarissa smiled broadly before approaching him.

“You heard the news, didn't you? Lucian has finally chosen Violetta to replace Seraphina as his bride!”

The man didn't answer immediately.

Clarissa frowned. “Why are you so quiet? You should be happy, too. This means the business partnership between the Laurent and Veyron families can continue.”

“Yes,” Mr. Laurent replied quietly. “I know.”

“Then why do you look like that?”

“Like what?”

“Like someone who's just lost his entire fortune!” Clarissa scoffed. “Don't tell me you're still thinking about Violetta.”

The mention of his daughter caused Mr. Laurent's expression to shift slightly.

“I just want to know how she's doing.”

Seraphina, who had overheard their conversation, immediately lifted her head. The smile on her lips slowly disappeared, replaced by an expression of disbelief.

“Father, are you serious?”

Mr. Laurent looked at her. “What do you mean?”

“Are you still worried about Violetta?” Seraphina laughed scornfully. “Father, she's an adult. She knows how to behave as a wife. Why do you keep worrying about her?”

“She's still my daughter.”

“Your daughter?” Seraphina repeated mockingly. “If you really considered her your daughter, you wouldn't have allowed her to take my place. Isn't that right?”

Mr. Laurent fell silent.

Seraphina quickly realized that her words might have sounded too harsh. However, she had no intention of taking them back.

“You were the one who approved this marriage,” she continued. “You know Lucian is an Alpha feared by everyone. So why do you suddenly look as though you regret it?”

“I don't regret it,” Mr. Laurent replied firmly. “I just hope nothing bad happens to Violetta.”

“Nothing will happen to her!” Clarissa interjected. “Stop making such a big deal out of this. Violetta is now Lucian's wife. From now on, he's responsible for her.”

“That's exactly what worries me,” Mr. Laurent muttered.

“What?” Clarissa stared at him sharply.

Mr. Laurent let out a long sigh. He knew Lucian Veyron's reputation was not something to be taken lightly. The man was known for being cold, cruel, and never giving anyone a second chance if they dared to defy him.

Moreover, Violetta was only a recessive Omega.

The girl's body might not be able to withstand the pressure of an Alpha as powerful as Lucian, especially when his Alpha instincts reached their peak.

“Father!” Seraphina suddenly exclaimed, as if she had just remembered something important. “I just heard something from one of the servants at the Veyron residence.”

Mr. Laurent immediately turned toward her. “What did you hear?”

Seraphina moved closer and lowered her voice, even though there was no one else in the room.

“Tonight is the night of the Blood Moon.”

Mr. Laurent's expression changed instantly.

“What?”

“The Blood Moon,” Seraphina repeated. “They say that on a night like this, an Alpha's instincts become much stronger than usual. And Lucian...” She deliberately paused, allowing the tension to hang in the air. “Lucian will experience his strongest rut.”

Mr. Laurent immediately sprang to his feet.

“What did you just say?”

Seraphina was slightly startled by her father's reaction, but she continued anyway.

“I'm only telling you what I heard, Father. Everyone knows Lucian is different from other Alphas. If tonight really is the Blood Moon, I can't imagine what Violetta might be going through right now.”

“Enough!” Mr. Laurent roared.

Seraphina fell silent, as did Clarissa.

The man clenched his fists. His face, which had previously shown nothing more than concern, now turned pale with fear.

“No...” he whispered. “No, this can't happen.”

Clarissa hurried toward him. “Honey, what's wrong?”

“I have to go.”

“Where are you going?”

“To the Veyron residence!”

Mr. Laurent hurriedly grabbed his jacket from the back of the chair.

“Father!” Seraphina called out, raising her voice. “What are you going to do?”

“What else? I'm bringing Violetta home!”

Seraphina's eyes widened. “Bring her home? Have you gone mad?”

“Watch your tongue!”

“But you're the one who handed her over to Lucian!” Seraphina cried in disbelief. “How can you suddenly want to call everything off?”

“I don't care!” Mr. Laurent snapped. “I won't let that man hurt my daughter!”

Clarissa immediately stepped in front of him, attempting to block his path.

“Honey, think carefully about what you're doing!” she said sharply. “You know who Lucian Veyron is, don't you? He's not someone you can simply approach and force to hand over his wife!”

“I don't care who he is!”

“If you make him angry, our entire family could be in danger!”

“Then what do you want me to do? Sit here and pretend I don't know what might happen to Violetta?”

Clarissa pressed her lips together.

“She is already Lucian's wife,” she finally said. “We have no right to interfere in their marriage.”

“Their marriage?” Mr. Laurent let out a bitter laugh. “She was only just taken there! She hasn't even had the chance to get to know that man properly!”

“Isn't that what marriage is supposed to be about?”

“Clarissa!”

Mr. Laurent's sharp voice made his wife fall silent.

He stared at her with blazing anger.

“Listen to me carefully. I may have made many mistakes with Violetta. I may not have always been there when she needed me. But I will not let my daughter be put in danger just because we want to preserve a business partnership!”

Clarissa looked stunned by his confession.

Meanwhile, Seraphina clenched her fists at her sides. She absolutely hated her father's sudden change of heart.

“Father, you're always like this!” she cried. “Whenever Violetta is involved, you completely lose your mind!”

Mr. Laurent turned to her sharply.

“Seraphina, enough!”

“Why? Am I wrong?” The girl lifted her chin. “You never act this way toward me! Why are you so worried about her now? Weren't you the one who allowed her to take my place?”

Mr. Laurent fell silent for a moment. The guilt weighing on his chest grew even heavier.

“I know what I've done,” he said in a lower voice. “And if there's still a chance for me to make things right, I will.”

“So you're really going there?” Clarissa asked, her voice rising with irritation.

“Yes.”

“Don't!” Clarissa grabbed his arm again. “Do you want to get yourself killed? Lucian won't allow anyone to interfere in his marriage. If you go there and cause a scene, he might think the Laurent family has betrayed him!”

“If he wants to get angry, let him!”

“Honey, come to your senses!”

“I am perfectly sane!” Mr. Laurent roughly shook off his wife's hand. “Move, Clarissa!”

Clarissa stumbled back a step from the sudden movement. She stared at her husband with wide eyes, as though she had never expected the man she had always been able to control to dare speak to her that way.

“How dare you treat me like this?” she hissed.

However, Mr. Laurent no longer paid her any attention. He strode quickly toward the main door.

“Father, wait!” Seraphina hurried after him. “You can't just leave like this!”

Mr. Laurent didn't stop.

“Father! If you bring Violetta home, what will happen to our agreement? What about the business partnership between our family and the Veyron family?”

The man finally turned around.

“If you still think an agreement is more important than someone's safety, then I have nothing more to discuss with you.”

Seraphina's face paled.

“Father...”

“I won't let Lucian hurt Violetta!” Mr. Laurent declared once again. “Even if I have to risk everything, I will make sure my daughter is safe!”

After saying that, he walked out of the mansion without looking back.

Seraphina stood frozen in place. She had never expected her father to react so strongly just because of Violetta.

Clarissa immediately approached her, her expression dark.

“Look at what your stepsister has done!” she grumbled. “Even after leaving, she can still turn your father against us.”

Seraphina bit her lip.

“This makes no sense, Mother. Father can't bring Violetta home. If that happens, everything we've done will have been for nothing!”

“Calm down, darling.” Clarissa tried to contain her own anger. “We won't let that happen.”

“How? Father has already gone to the Veyron residence!”

Clarissa glanced toward the open door.

“We'll follow him.”

Seraphina blinked. “What?”

“We can't let your father make a foolish decision on his own. If he manages to offend Lucian, our entire family could suffer the consequences.” Clarissa grabbed her handbag. “We need to be there to make sure things don't get out of control.”

Seraphina hesitated for a moment but eventually nodded.

“Alright. But, Mother, we have to make sure Violetta doesn't come back here.”

Clarissa looked at her daughter with a cold gaze.

“Don't worry. As long as I'm here, no one will easily take away the position you've secured.”

The two women quickly left the living room and hurried toward their car.

Outside, Mr. Laurent was already sitting in the back seat of his car. His expression was tense, and his hands were clasped tightly together.

“Quickly!” he ordered the driver. “Take me to the Veyron residence right now!”

“Yes, sir.”

The engine roared to life. The car sped away from the Laurent mansion, cutting through the night as darkness began to envelop the streets.

Not long afterward, Clarissa and Seraphina's car followed behind.

Throughout the journey, Mr. Laurent couldn't stop thinking about his daughter.

Violetta, hold on. Father is coming to get you.

He didn't know whether his daughter was truly in danger. He also didn't know whether Lucian would allow him to see Violetta, let alone bring her home.

But one thing was certain.

That night, Mr. Laurent would not return home until he knew his daughter was safe.