Chapter 434 - Why did you agree to do it when…
Chapter 434: Chapter 434 - Why did you agree to do it when...
Jasmine watched as Emery’s bold confidence completely melted away in an instant.
The playful, teasing smile that had been lighting up the young woman’s face vanished, replaced by a deep blush that spread from her cheeks all the way to her ears.
She quickly grabbed the signed document from Corvine, mumbled a quiet thank-you, and practically bolted toward the door. The office door clicked shut behind her with a soft sound.
Jasmine lowered her eyes for a moment, feeling a strange, uncomfortable twist in her chest. She wasn’t sure why, but something about the way Corvine had looked at Emery left her feeling unsettled.
It wasn’t jealousy, at least, she didn’t think so. Maybe it was just plain curiosity. Corvine rarely held anyone’s gaze that long, yet he had calmly stared Emery down until she was the one who got all flustered and ran off.
Jasmine pushed the thought away. She had no real reason to care about it anyway.
Not long after, another knock sounded on the office door. "Come in," Corvine called out.
The door opened, and another young woman stepped inside. Unlike Emery’s bubbly energy, this one carried herself with quiet confidence and graceful poise.
She was dressed neatly in polished business attire that made her look completely professional.
The woman politely greeted her before turning to Corvine. "Sir," she said, handing him a folder. A grateful smile brightened her face. "I’ve finished the report. Human Resources also finalized my appraisal for the promotion." She dipped her head respectfully. "I just wanted to thank you personally."
Corvine took the file and glanced through it quickly. "It’s nothing," he replied in his usual calm tone. "You earned this promotion through your own hard work."
Tallulah’s smile grew even warmer. A month ago, she had started out as nothing more than a receptionist, but her years of experience handling guests at the inns had taught her exactly how to manage people with patience and skill.
She stayed cool under pressure, solved problems without making new ones, and her dedication hadn’t gone unnoticed. Step by step, she had climbed higher until she moved into customer relations, and now she was getting another well-deserved promotion.
Corvine closed the folder. "I hope you’ll keep giving it your all." His attention drifted to pack affairs since there were no humans among them. I’ll arrange for everyone to gather at the outlands.
Tallulah’s expression turned serious right away. "I owe Luna Sera that much," she said, nodding firmly. "I’ll be there. I’ll tell the truth about everything I know."
A faint, genuine smile finally curled the corner of Corvine’s lips. "Thank you, Tallulah," he said, his voice full of real appreciation. "When we return, you won’t have to bring these reports directly to me anymore. The new deputy CEO will handle them from now on."
"I understand." Tallulah smiled politely and turned toward the door. She had almost reached it when she suddenly stopped. After a brief hesitation, she turned back around. "Beta Corvine..."
Corvine looked up from his laptop, one eyebrow lifting slightly. "What is it?"
Tallulah bit the inside of her cheek, her eyes slowly drifting toward Jasmine. Esperanza sat beside her, totally absorbed in one of the new educational games that Seraphine and her team had designed for kids.
The little girl happily tapped away at the screen, giggling every time she beat another level.
Jasmine, meanwhile, seemed busy scrolling through her phone. But Tallulah noticed something. Every now and then, Jasmine’s eyes would drift toward Corvine without her even realizing it. Tallulah smiled to herself before asking, "Is she your girlfriend?"
The room suddenly got strangely quiet. Jasmine froze in place. Even Esperanza looked up for a second before going back to her game.
Corvine didn’t answer right away. He just calmly looked at Tallulah, his expression giving nothing away. Finally, he spoke. "What do you think?"
Tallulah laughed nervously, a hint of embarrassment coloring her face. But unlike Emery, she didn’t run away. "Well..." She rubbed the back of her neck.
"She’s beautiful. I just think if she really is your girlfriend, you should let everyone know." She shrugged helplessly. "It would save all the women who have crushes on you from getting their hearts broken."
Corvine quietly paused what he was doing on his computer. Without saying another word, he reached for the intercom. Tallulah’s smile slowly faded as a bad feeling hit her.
Corvine pressed the button. "I want Tallulah’s workload doubled. She seems to have plenty of free time for gossip."
Tallulah’s eyes widened in shock. "What?" She gasped dramatically before realizing he wasn’t kidding. "Oh no..."
Without another word, she spun around and practically sprinted out of the office. The door slammed shut behind her.
For a second the room stayed completely silent. Jasmine bit the inside of her cheek as hard as she could, fighting the urge to burst out laughing. The sight of Tallulah fleeing in total panic was almost too funny.
Still, she forced herself to stay quiet. If Corvine figured out she’d been listening to the whole thing, he might decide she had too much free time too. She wasn’t about to risk getting thrown out of his office.
Now that they were at the park together, watching Esperanza laugh and play with the other children filled Jasmine’s heart with a deep, glowing warmth.
Life back at the pack was completely different. Every day was packed with intense physical training, patrols, and endless responsibilities. The city felt so different.
People here fought their battles mostly in their minds, with tight schedules, endless meetings, and businesses to run. Everything moved at lightning speed.
Yet somehow, being here with Corvine and Esperanza made the busy city feel strangely peaceful.
Not long after, Esperanza came running back, her little face glowing with pure excitement. "I fed all the ducks!" she cried, throwing her arms up in the air. "And I played hide-and-seek! I found everyone!"
Her bubbly joy made both adults smile big. Together they walked back toward the car. Once they were all inside and driving away from the park, Jasmine took a deep breath. She reached into her purse and silently pulled out the tiny hidden camera and Coco’s business card.
Jasmine told him everything, from the moment Coco had approached her, to the strange offer, to the big promises of fame and wealth. She left nothing out. When she finally finished, Corvine didn’t look surprised.
Not after Claire’s confession and everything else that had already happened. If anything, he had expected Coco to make another desperate move.
What disappointed him was how some people just refused to accept reality. Even after every door had slammed shut in their face, they kept searching for another way to sneak back in.
Corvine kept his eyes on the road for several long seconds before finally speaking, his voice calm but dead serious. "Why did you agree to do it when you never intended to go through with it?"