Voren understood the consequences before Seraphine even finished forming her proposal in her mind, because investing in her business would not simply be a financial decision but a declaration of alignment, and aligning himself with her would fracture the already fragile line that held his friendship with Ravyn together, a risk he had no intention of taking lightly no matter how intrigued he was by her audacity.
Yet Seraphine stood there with that faint, knowing smile curving her lips, as though she had already calculated his hesitation and found it unimpressive.
"You should be honored that I'm reaching out to you to invest," she said smoothly, her voice calm but layered with confidence that bordered on arrogance. "Trust me, once the slots are closed, you'll be the one begging me. And you know exactly what I'm capable of."
