I Was Never Yours

First Crack

Vaeldric POV

In twelve years of military service, I had led wars at the border, faced rebellions, and even witnessed a neighboring kingdom collapse because of internal conflict.

But this morning, for the first time, I saw panic inside my own family's headquarters.

The atmosphere felt different the moment I entered Ashbourne Holdings' main office. Too many people were waiting. They all looked the same, their faces tense and filled with confusion.

For the past few days, there had been so many emergency meetings that some had already started before I even arrived.

"General Ashbourne."

Several directors immediately stood when I entered the main conference room. I gave a brief nod before taking my seat.

"Begin."

No one dared waste time. The large screen at the end of the room immediately displayed the latest reports. The finance director stood first.

"Vermont Royal Bank has suspended the renewal of seven major credit facilities currently used by Ashbourne-affiliated companies."

I looked up. "Explain."

The man appeared calm, but I caught him swallowing nervously. "Several of our subsidiaries depend on those facilities to maintain operational cash flow."

"How many?"

"Twenty-three companies so far." The room immediately fell silent. Twenty-three companies was not a small number. Nor was it something that could be replaced overnight.

I leaned back. "How long can they last?"

"Two weeks." The director paused, recalculating something in his head. "Five weeks if all emergency reserves are used."

Damn it. Even then, everything would only keep those companies running for five weeks.

And that was assuming no further attacks followed. I was never particularly good at mathematics.

Still, I found myself calculating which companies could survive and which ones might fall first.

Though in truth, I hoped to turn things around long before it reached that point.

"Next." I already knew there was more. Especially with the cold atmosphere inside this room. The next director stood.

"Vermont Maritime Group has suspended all priority port privileges previously granted to Ashbourne fleets."

I looked at him. "And?"

"Three cargo fleets are currently being held at the Eastern Port."

"For how long?"

"Three to six days."

I felt my jaw tighten. The people closest to me could probably hear my teeth grinding.

"Daily losses?"

"Nearly two million crowns."

Several directors exchanged glances. No one dared to speak. Because everyone knew this was only the beginning. No one knew what tomorrow would bring.

Technically, everything should still have looked safe. No assets had been sold. No contracts had been canceled. But money had already started to stop flowing. And in business, that was often where the deadliest collapse began.

The third director stood. "Royal Valerion Steel has also begun reviewing all priority distribution contracts."

I stared at him. "Reviewing?" I found it difficult to believe.

"Yes, General."

"That's not an answer."

The man's face turned even paler. "In short, steel production for several military projects has been temporarily delayed, General."

The room became even quieter. Even I didn't speak immediately. Everything was coming one after another. Controlled, yet structured. This was clearly a calculated move.

Everyone understood what that report meant. Steel was not just business. It was the backbone of Valerion's military strength.

And Seraphina had just touched one of the kingdom's most sensitive sectors.

"Under whose authority?" I forced myself to stay calm. Even though I already knew the answer. I still wanted to hear it.

The director lowered his head, "Lady Ashbourne."

Of course. Those powers belonged to Seraphina. Who else had both the authority and the courage to take such a risk? No one.

And what made me most uncomfortable... She had done it legally. There was no loophole to stop her. No violation that allowed us to challenge her actions.

The conference room door opened. Everyone immediately stood. Father had arrived.

Magnus Ashbourne walked toward the head chair without rushing. No one dared speak before he sat down.

"How much?" He arrived with only one direct question. No greeting. No introduction.

The finance director immediately explained the figures and projected losses. Father listened without interrupting.

This time, he seemed completely emotionless. The longer he listened, the harder it became to read his expression. When the report ended, he looked at me.

"This is what happens when personal problems become public."

I exhaled slowly. "I'm handling it."

"No." His voice remained flat. Which somehow felt far worse than anger.

"You're not handling it." No one dared move. Everyone held their breath. Father leaned back in the chair beside me.

"I don't care who started this." His gaze was sharp. "I care about who ends it."

I clenched my fist beneath the table. "Seraphina is only trying to pressure us."

Father let out a short laugh. A forced laugh. Which somehow made it sound even more threatening.

"Pressure?" He pointed at the screen. "She stopped your cash flow. Your ships."

For once, I couldn't answer. My throat tightened.

"She's even started touching steel distribution." Father looked at me.

"And you're still calling this pressure?" The room fell silent again. Then he said something that made every director lower their head.

"Do you know what your wife just proved?"

I chose not to answer. Any answer would only make things worse.

Father didn't wait. He simply stated the fact I had ignored for years.

"She proved House Ashbourne needs House Vermont more than House Vermont needs House Ashbourne."

The words landed like a punch. Because part of me knew he was right.

For years, we had viewed Vermont as an ally. Not as a pilar. Today, Seraphina showed exactly how wrong that assumption had been.

A knock sounded outside. A secretary entered hesitantly.

"General Ashbourne."

I recognized that expression immediately. A bad feeling settled in my stomach.

"What?"

"A letter from Lady Varenn."

Damn it. At a moment like this, another problem arrived.

The room immediately froze. No one dared to interrupt or comment.

Father didn't even bother hiding his irritation. Every reckless thing Lysara did only seemed to confirm the rumors outside. Even I was beginning to lose my patience.

"Again?" I accepted the envelope. The handwriting was instantly familiar.

I opened it slowly. Only one sentence.

I heard they're attacking you because of me.

Father snorted. "Whatever it says. Burn it."

I didn't move. My eyes remained on the letter.

"There's your problem."

I looked up. Sometimes even I became frustrated with her behavior.

She was everything Seraphina wasn't. Where Seraphina remained calm in every situation, Lysara was impulsive and never truly calculated her actions. That was what made her more dangerous. "She has no one."

Father laughed. The sound was closer to mockery. "Then let House Varenn deal with it."

"She's unstable." The words came out automatically. As if they were a line I had repeated so many times that I knew it by heart. But it was true.

"Yet somehow you've decided that's your responsibility."

Part of me knew Father was right. There was no denying it. And another part of me still remembered the little girl who had run toward me twenty years ago, crying in fear.

The meeting ended near evening. But the problems were far from over.

As people began leaving the room, Mr. Hans entered with a more serious expression than usual.

"That's not all, sir."

Father frowned. "Continue."

Hans handed over a tablet. The finance director read it first. His face immediately turned pale, as if every drop of blood had been drained from his body.

"What now?" The man swallowed.

"Vermont Royal Bank has started recalling several long-term loans."

Something cold crawled down my spine. My chest tightened.

"How much?"

"Not much yet."

"Answer my question."

The director took a deep breath. "If they continue with this..."

He swallowed hard. "House Ashbourne could face a liquidity crisis within thirty days."

A liquidity crisis wasn't bankruptcy. Not yet. But it was enough to make a business empire like Ashbourne stumble.

And if we stumbled... People would start asking whether we were still worth following.

Hans swiped the screen. A new headline appeared.

LORD LUCIEN VERMONT CANCELS OVERSEAS EXPEDITION

I frowned. Lucien? The man hated politics, the capital, and anything related to noble affairs.

Another headline appeared.

LADY ELANOR VERMONT CUTS SHORT DIPLOMATIC TOUR

My brow furrowed. Elanor too?

Then the final headline appeared.

LORD PAES VERMONT LEAVES PRIVATE ESTATE FOR CAPITAL

The room suddenly felt much colder. Father read all three headlines without expression. Then he placed the tablet on the table.

"The freeze was never the attack."

I looked at him. Everyone felt uncomfortable, but everyone remained silent.

Father stared at the screen for several seconds. Then he spoke quietly.

"This was the warning."

No one in the room said a word. Yet everyone understood the same thing.

If the entire Vermont family was returning to the capital... Then the real war hadn't even begun.