chapter 10

Serena pov

Before I could calm Ryan down, he hung up. I was about to call back when Adrian rang. I had no choice but to answer.

"Come to Galathia Pack." He ended the call right after.

Still that commanding tone. I hesitated for a few seconds, but in the end, I decided to go to Galathia Pack, not for Adrian—for SkyBlade and Ryan.

SkyBlade was a project I had chosen. I had poured a lot of effort into the early stages. Back then, I had approached Ryan multiple times, tweaking the proposal over and over to convince him. That was how the deal came together.

Walking away midway—I truly couldn't bring myself to do it. But this meant canceling my appointment with Henry, and I'd inevitably get an earful from him.

I promised him that once this busy stretch was over, I would cooperate fully with treatment.

I landed in Galathia Pack late at night amid heavy rain, the temperature dropping sharply. I had left in a rush, unprepared. My lower abdomen ached inconveniently—deep, persistent discomfort.

I pushed through and took a taxi to the hotel, arriving past midnight. It was late, but I still wanted to discuss the SkyBlade issue with Adrian ahead of time.

I feared that without aligning our stance, tomorrow's talks with Ryan might stall.

After entering my room, I didn't even dry my half-soaked hair before dialing Adrian. The phone rang several times before it was picked up.

Before I could speak, Elena's voice came through. "Adrian, it's Serena."

Adrian's reply was muffled, unclear.

Elena relayed, "Serena, Adrian's in the shower. Maybe call back later?"

My throat tightened inexplicably. "It's nothing urgent. I won't disturb him." I hung up.

Late night in a hotel, a lone wolf and she-wolf sharing a room—perfect for something to happen.

The rain outside grew heavier. I stood by the floor-to-ceiling window, feeling a chill seep straight into my heart. Galathia Pack was colder than Jendris, it seemed.

The dragging pain in my lower abdomen intensified. In the bathroom, I realized my cycle had arrived. Nearly a week early, and the cramps were worse than ever.

Cold sweat broke out as I called the front desk for painkillers and sanitary supplies. When the server saw me, my ashen face startled her.

"Serena, do you need to go to a healer?"

I shook my head. "Not yet. Painkillers should help."

She still looked worried. "Call the desk anytime if you feel worse."

"Alright."

I agreed, but I toughed it out through the night.

By morning, I looked terrible—makeup barely helped. I could only hope Adrian wouldn't make an issue of it. He hated when employees showed up without proper energy.

Still on stomach medicine, I timed my breakfast carefully and headed to the hotel restaurant.

As I arrived, Adrian and Elena were just finishing theirs. We ran into each other.

Elena spoke first. "Serena, just getting up? There's hardly anything left in the restaurant."

My expression stayed neutral. "A bit late, yes."

Adrian didn't look at me. He glanced outside and spoke to Elena, his voice low and gentle. "It's raining, and the temperature will drop more. I'll go with you to get a jacket."

"Okay." Elena nodded at me before leaving with him.

So Adrian could be considerate. Perhaps because I had never seen this side of him, I stood frozen for a few seconds.

The restaurant truly had little left, as Elena said. I grabbed two rolls to make do.

Just as I was about to sit, Adrian called. I answered.

His voice was cold and flat—not the low gentleness from moments ago. "Come out."

"Now?" I glanced at the rolls in my hand, hesitating slightly.

"What—planning to make us wait?"

I was silent a moment, then said, "Okay."

I stuffed the rolls into my bag. By the time I hurried to the entrance, Adrian and Elena were already in the car.

They sat together in the back, leaving only the front passenger seat for me. I lowered my lashes, hiding my thoughts, and silently took it.

The door had barely closed when Adrian urged the driver to go—impatient, clearly.

Though the rolls in my bag were still warm, I had no chance to eat. Adrian disliked wolf eating in the car.

Ten years as his secretary—I knew his preferences like the back of my hand. Over the years, I had memorized them, turning compliance into instinct, even now, when my stomach ached and needed something to settle it.

Of course, Adrian gave me no opportunity. He jumped straight to the project.

"How did you negotiate with SkyBlade before?"

His tone was accusatory, as if the stalled progress was my fault.

I explained calmly. "This project has gone through two rounds. We even signed the term sheet. The investment ratio was agreed. Changing it suddenly—SkyBlade will naturally object…"

Before I could finish, Adrian cut me off. "As long as the process isn't complete, anything can change."

He paused, his gaze meeting mine in the rearview mirror. His lips curved faintly. "After all these years with me, you still don't understand that?"

I paused, lowered my eyes, and asked, "Then can you tell me why we're compressing the ratio?"

This time Elena answered. "From my experience, SkyBlade's drones aren't commercial enough. Market prospects won't meet the projections in the deck. That's why I suggested reducing the share."

"SkyBlade is an established brand with solid technology and full after-sales service. That's exactly why blackwood business chose them."

"But business only cares about profit, not sentiment." Elena dismissed it all in one sentence.

She curved her red lips, teasing Adrian. "You really didn't train her well."

Adrian gave a soft hum, then glanced casually at me. "That's why she can only be a secretary—can't handle investment director."

Elena laughed lightly. "Investing requires some brains and vision. Serena's just an undergraduate. Projects are too hard for her."