Rejected By My Mate; Claimed By Lycan Quadruplets Chapter 396

The ballroom of Rocky’s Designs was nothing short of magnificent.

Every detail, from the shimmering crystal chandeliers to the lavish floral arrangements, had been carefully curated to exude elegance, power, and prestige.

Tonight was a night of celebration—or at least, that was what the guests believed.

For Serena, however, this was a night of reckoning.

Everything had been planned meticulously. Every step had been carefully calculated. And the final piece of the puzzle? Ryan Winters.

Serena adjusted the diamond bracelet on her wrist, glancing at the grand entrance just as Ryan walked in.

Her breath hitched for a brief moment.

Ryan Winters was many things—cold, calculated, powerful—but tonight, he looked different.

Dressed in a tailored black tuxedo, his presence commanded attention the moment he entered the room.

His hair was neatly styled, and his dark eyes carried their usual unreadable expression.

But there was something else there tonight.

Something unsettled.

Perhaps it was the way his gaze flickered toward her immediately upon entering.

Or the way his eyes landed on the small girl beside her.

Amy.

Serena felt a strange tension settle in her chest as Ryan’s gaze lingered on their daughter.

She knew this would be hard for him.

Amy was growing up, and despite everything that had happened between them, Ryan had never been a bad father upon realizing he had a child.

But tonight?

Tonight, he was about to find out something devastating.

—

As the evening progressed, the ballroom was filled with laughter, chatter, and the clinking of crystal glasses.

Investors mingled, clients exchanged pleasantries, and Rocky’s Designs’ board members sat at the front, ready to hear about the company’s achievements.

Serena moved through the crowd effortlessly, a glass of wine in her hand, keeping a close eye on Emma, who was stationed near the event’s AV setup.

Everything was in place.

Everything was ready.

—

Ryan was not at ease.

He had known something felt off from the moment he received Serena’s invitation.

He wasn’t sure why she had wanted him here tonight, but something about it had gnawed at him all day.

Still, he had come.

And now, as he sat at his table, he found himself watching her.

Serena had always been a force to be reckoned with.

Dressed in an elegant black gown, she looked as poised and untouchable as ever.

But there was something different about her tonight—something that made his stomach twist with unease.

He had been to countless corporate events before.

He had sat through endless business dinners, stiff meetings, and long negotiations.

But tonight felt different.

And when Serena’s eyes briefly flickered toward him, her expression unreadable, he knew—

Something was coming.

He just couldn’t place it and just sat there, sipping his wine to pass by.

—

Amy had been the only thing keeping Serena grounded tonight.

The little girl sat beside her mother, nibbling on her food, completely oblivious to the tension brewing around them.

Serena glanced down at her daughter, gently tucking a curl behind her ear. “Are you tired, sweetheart?”

Amy shook her head. “No, Mommy. I wanna stay with you.”

Serena smiled, pressing a soft kiss to the top of Amy’s head.

Whatever happened tonight, she needed to protect Amy from it.

She wasn’t doing this for herself.

She was doing it for her daughter.

Because Amy deserved better than to grow up around people like Thomas and Kate.

—

Finally, after dessert had been served and speeches had begun, Serena knew it was time.

The lights dimmed slightly, and the projector screens at the front of the room flickered to life.

This was supposed to be a presentation showcasing Rocky’s Designs’ achievements.

Instead—

Something else played.

At first, the guests were unaware.

They continued murmuring amongst themselves, sipping their drinks, waiting for the expected company video.

But then—

The screen displayed something different.

A hotel suite.

The camera panned across a luxurious bed, silk sheets tangled haphazardly.

The murmurs in the ballroom quieted.

Serena felt it happen.

The shift. The moment people realized this was not the presentation they had been expecting.

A few confused chuckles.

Then—

A woman’s moan echoed through the speakers.

Loud. Unmistakable.

The entire ballroom froze.

The guests turned toward the screen, eyes widening in shock and disbelief.

Serena could hear the gasps, the soft murmurs, the rustling of people shifting uncomfortably in their seats.

And then—

The camera angle shifted, the figures standing , helding to a wall and fucking themselves becoming painfully clear.

Kate Andrews.

Thomas Winters.

Their faces were visible now.

Uncovered. Exposed.

For a single moment, the ballroom was completely silent.

And then—

The room erupted.

Gasps.

Muffled screams.

Chairs scraped against the floor as people stood up, unable to believe what they were seeing.

The press?

The reporters and paparazzi who had been invited for professional coverage?

They were filming. Snapping pictures. Whispering urgently into their phones, sending real-time updates to their media outlets.

This was no longer just a scandal.

This was history being made.

“Oh my God.”

“Tell me this isn’t real—”

“That’s Thomas Winters—Ryan’s father! And—oh my God, isn’t that—”

Whispers.

Serena felt the energy in the room crackle with chaos.

Executives exchanged shocked glances, clients gaped at the screen, and board members turned toward one another in disbelief.

But Serena wasn’t watching them.

She was watching Ryan.

He had not moved.

Not once.

He sat completely still, his body rigid, his breathing slow and measured.

His knuckles were white from how tightly he clenched his fists.

Serena watched as his eyes flickered to the screen again.

He wasn’t looking at Kate.

He wasn’t looking at Thomas.

He was looking at himself.

At his own foolishness.

All the years of blind loyalty he had given to a woman who had been sleeping with his own father.

Serena could see it—the moment realization sank in.

His jaw tightened.

His chest rose and fell sharply, as if trying to keep himself from completely losing control.

The video played on, Kate’s voice echoing through the speakers as they were fucking on the bed.

“You’re so much better than him.”

“I love this. I love us.”

“Ryan will never find out.”

Ryan’s hands slammed against the table.

The sound was loud, sharp.

People turned to look at him, but he didn’t seem to care.

He didn’t care about the whispers.

He didn’t care about the stares.

All he could do was stare at the screen, at the undeniable proof of his fiancé and his own father.

The betrayal of the man he called his father.

And then—

Without a word—

He pushed his chair back and walked out of the ballroom.

Serena exhaled, setting her wine glass down.

She had expected a reaction.

She had expected anger, fury, maybe even rage.

But she hadn’t expected silence.

Ryan Winters, the man who never backed down from a fight, had left without saying a single word.

And somehow—that was worse than any explosion of anger.

Serena knew one thing.

Thomas and Kate were in trouble.