Chapter 9

Elara emerged from the dressing room, surrounded by a group of attendants serving her.

Elara wore an elaborate marking ceremony gown, walking toward Kaelen with a beaming smile on her face.

In the next second, she casually stepped on a service worker's hand.

"Alpha Kaelen, does this gown look good on me? I really love both this one and the previous one. How about I take both of them?"

The service worker beside her trembled as she covered her wound, her face full of pain.

Looking at Elara's indifferent attitude, Kaelen frowned deeply.

He had never seen this side of Elara before. If it were Seraphina, she would never do such a thing.

Seraphina was so kind. She would even take care of stray cats she encountered, let alone a human being like this service worker.

At this thought, Kaelen couldn't help but feel disgusted with Elara.

He suddenly felt that Elara was different from what he had imagined.

But he still said nothing, just nodded casually, indicating that Elara should decide for herself.

Nearby, Elara's pup also began making a fuss, demanding that the boutique staff get down on their knees so he could ride them like horses.

Even with the Blackmoon Pack's wealth, Kaelen could easily use money to make the staff comply willingly.

But if word of this got out, it would damage the pack's reputation.

Kaelen frowned as he looked at Elara.

In the past, Elara would have immediately noticed Kaelen's displeasure.

But now, having spent so much time, money, and effort to finally reach the marking ceremony stage with Kaelen, she was simply too excited to pay attention to anything else around her.

Moreover, what her pup was doing seemed perfectly normal to her.

If Kaelen weren't in front of her, she might even applaud and cheer.

After all, in Elara's view, these poor, ordinary people were inferior beings, born to be servants and slaves to the wealthy pack members.

Her pup just wanted to ride a horse - there was nothing wrong with that. At worst, they could pay more money afterward.

Kaelen took a long look at Elara, then turned and left the boutique before she could react.

What Elara and the pup had done was indeed minor, but it completely destroyed their image in Kaelen's heart.

No matter how hard Kaelen tried, he couldn't believe that just one marking ceremony had revealed Elara's other side.

He returned to the pack house absent-mindedly.

He wouldn't go home until after the marking ceremony.

He didn't know how to explain everything to Seraphina.

Even though Seraphina was the one who had done wrong first, and he was only trying to atone for her sins, he had still broken the promise they made when they mated. He was going to hold a marking ceremony with another she-wolf.

Elara was supposed to be his first love, and this current life was what Kaelen truly wanted.

But now that he had actually reached the marking ceremony stage with Elara, his heart began to ache again.

Seraphina truly loved him, which was why she was throwing such a big tantrum this time.

At this thought, Kaelen's heart settled down again.

Once the marking ceremony was over, he would go back and properly coax Seraphina.

If Seraphina still refused to admit her mistake, he wouldn't mind lowering his head once. As long as Seraphina still loved him, she would definitely forgive him.

With this thought, Kaelen glanced at his phone and sat back down to work.

In the days before the marking ceremony, Kaelen didn't go home again, nor did he visit Elara.

For a whole week, Seraphina hadn't called him once.

Instead, Elara's phone calls kept coming.

Ever since Kaelen left the boutique, Elara had been calling constantly.

At first, Kaelen answered a few calls, but every time he picked up, Elara would cry about how she hadn't noticed his mood.

Then she would bring up the miscarried pup to gain sympathy.

When Kaelen ignored her, she would even badmouth Seraphina.

As time went on, Kaelen grew increasingly reluctant to answer Elara's calls.

Now, he had learned to completely ignore them.

Because he hadn't received a single call from Seraphina in a week, Kaelen's mood became increasingly irritable.

Even though he was certain Seraphina wouldn't leave him, he was still furious.

It was one thing for Seraphina not to call him, but she wasn't even coming to work anymore.

Ever since Seraphina became his assistant, Kaelen had only had her as his assistant.

With Seraphina on strike, many things had come to a standstill.

The more Kaelen thought about it, the angrier he became. Just then, his personal aide suddenly pushed open the door.

"Alpha Kaelen, there's someone downstairs looking for you. They want to confirm tomorrow's..."

Before the aide could finish, Kaelen immediately stood up excitedly.

But quickly, he coughed and sat back down with a pretense of composure.

"Is it Seraphina?"

"She hasn't come to work for so many days. It's really too much. Just let her wait downstairs."

"Oh, and since she hasn't been to work for so many days, has Seraphina's access card been canceled? Remember to reinstate it."

"Otherwise, she'll find another excuse not to come to work."

Thinking of Seraphina's tantrum, Kaelen's lips curved into a smile.

He knew Seraphina wouldn't be able to let him go.

It had been less than a month, and Seraphina couldn't help but come back.

With this thought, Kaelen looked at his aide again and said, "Help me prepare some of the latest haute couture, bags, and jewelry. Send them all to this address later."

He quickly recited the address of his and Seraphina's home.

He figured Seraphina would be happy to receive these things.

Even if he made her wait a bit longer now, it probably wouldn't matter. Kaelen sat down again with dignity, preparing to work.

After ten minutes, feeling he had punished her enough, he looked up, only to find that the aide was still in his office.

Kaelen's expression immediately darkened.

"Why are you still here? Didn't I tell you to go tell her? You didn't tell Seraphina, did you? She must be getting impatient waiting. Go bring her up quickly."

Kaelen frowned deeply.

Although Seraphina had always been very patient when it came to matters involving him, what if Seraphina misunderstood the situation and thought he didn't want to see her, and just left?

At this thought, Kaelen could barely contain his anger.

The aide's face was full of embarrassment. He lowered his head and said somewhat awkwardly, "Alpha Kaelen, the person downstairs looking for you isn't Seraphina. It's the coordinator for your and Elara's marking ceremony."

"He came to remind you that the marking ceremony is tomorrow."

Kaelen's face froze. For a moment, he couldn't process what the aide had said.

"How could it not be Seraphina? What nonsense are you talking about? Go downstairs right now and bring Seraphina back to work."

"If she leaves later, I'll hold you responsible!"

Kaelen spoke with anger.

He didn't believe a word of what the aide said.

How could the person downstairs looking for him not be Seraphina?

The aide hadn't expected Kaelen to react so strangely.

He said with a bitter expression, "Alpha Kaelen, the person downstairs really isn't Seraphina."

"And Seraphina... she resigned almost a month ago..."