Alpha's Regret: The Seventh Time was Forever

Chapter 44: Chapter 44 – I love Sera

Seraphine pressed her lips together, the irritation already simmering in her chest as she shot back, her voice calm but sharp enough to cut.

”It’s not my fault Voren is acting childish.”

The moment the words left her mouth, the couple across from her visibly flinched, as though she had just spoken something forbidden out loud. James stiffened first, followed closely by Mila, whose fingers curled tighter around her teacup.

”Do you even know who you’re talking about?” Mila asked, her tone low and cautious.

Seraphine lifted her chin and offered a polite smile, but it never reached her eyes, never softened the guarded edge in her gaze.

”Voren Ashkael?” she said evenly. ”I think he has way too many problems on his hands right now to care about what I say about him.”

James’s gaze dropped to the table, his jaw tightening as everyone present silently acknowledged the unspoken truth hanging in the air. The Ashkael Holdings challenge was no longer a rumor or distant corporate drama.

It had become a storm cloud looming over every high-level circle in the city, and everyone knew Voren was fighting battles on multiple fronts.

James exhaled slowly, clearly weighing his words before finally speaking.

”My older son has been wanting to visit the Sovereign Circle for a while now, so I already registered him under my gold invite,” he said carefully. ”Each member gets one gold invite annually, but there’s another way in.”

Seraphine straightened instantly, while Corvine leaned forward without even realizing he had moved.

”What’s the way?” Seraphine asked, her voice quieter now, alert and focused.

James hesitated, rubbing his thumb along the edge of his phone like he needed something solid to anchor himself before delivering the next part.

”Well,” he started slowly, ”every member or guest is allowed a plus one. My wife has always been my plus one, but my elder son, Leon, is still single.”

Seraphine’s brows lifted slightly, and Corvine’s shoulders stiffened. ”You could go as his plus one.” The words landed heavily on the table.

Corvine froze almost immediately, his reaction instinctive as he blurted out, ”Can’t there be another way?”

James shook his head with quiet finality, his expression apologetic but firm. ”It’s the only way.”

Seraphine leaned back in her chair, disbelief flickering across her face before she scoffed softly. ”But this is the twenty-first century. You can’t just arrange something like that.”

James chuckled lightly, waving a dismissive hand. ”Oh, it’s not like that,” he said with a knowing smile. ”It’ll be a fake relationship, unless you somehow fall in love with him. Trust me, Leon isn’t just a skilled surgeon, he also has the looks to match.”

Corvine’s stomach dropped. He instantly regretted agreeing to sit at this table, regretted walking into this conversation, regretted every choice that had led to this moment.

His jaw clenched as he stared at the tabletop, irritation and unease swirling together inside his chest.

But Seraphine barely noticed his reaction. Her mind had already shifted gears, already calculating possibilities and outcomes. All she could see was the opportunity laid out in front of her, glowing like a doorway she had been desperately searching for.

It did not matter that it was unconventional. It did not matter that it was awkward. Even if it was only once, even if it was brief, she could make the right connections inside that circle.

She lifted her gaze back to James. ”Aren’t you going to ask if he’s even interested in having me as his fake plus one?”

James smiled knowingly as he pulled out his phone. ”I don’t think he’d mind, but a quick check won’t hurt.”

Corvine’s pulse began to pound in his ears as James dialed. He silently begged whatever higher power might be listening for Leon to refuse, or at least miss the call, anything that would give him time to pull Seraphine aside and talk her out of this.

But the universe did not cooperate. The call connected on the first ring, and a smooth, velvety voice came through the speaker almost instantly. ”Dad, did she agree?”

James smiled. ”She’s here, and you’re on speaker.”

”Oh,” Leon said, sounding pleasantly surprised. ”Hi there, I’m Leon.”

Seraphine couldn’t help smiling at his tone. There was warmth there, easy confidence mixed with humor.

”I’m Seraphine,” she replied softly. ”But you can call me Sera.”

”Great,” Leon said. ”I love Sera. So tell me, do you agree to come work for me? I’ll double the standard pay, whatever it takes to get you into our pediatrician team.”

Seraphine closed her eyes briefly as she exhaled. Of course, that was exactly the department she needed to search for her daughter, and hearing it spoken aloud felt like fate reaching out and brushing against her shoulder. But the timing was wrong, and she knew it.

”I will,” she said quietly, ”but not right now. There are a few things I need to take care of first.”

There was a short silence on the line, and just as Leon seemed about to respond, James jumped in.

”But there is good news. She agreed to be your plus one at the next Sovereign meeting.”

”Fake plus one,” Seraphine corrected quickly.

Leon laughed, low and confident. ”Yeah, fake,” he said. ”But you’ll be the one falling for me.”

Seraphine opened her mouth to shut that down immediately, but he continued before she could interrupt. ”Share your contact. I’m scheduled for surgery and won’t be available for the next twelve hours.”

”Sure,” Seraphine replied, James ended the call and handed her his phone. ”Your contact, please.”

She entered her details effortlessly, her fingers steady even though Corvine was sitting beside her feeling like something precious was slipping quietly through his hands.

When she finally looked up, she noticed the grim expression carved into his face.

”Are you alright?” she asked softly.

Corvine forced a smile that did not reach his eyes.

”Yeah,” he said slowly. ”I’m just trying to understand how Mila has a son who’s a surgeon and a director, and Tyler too.”

Mila looked young enough to pass for someone in her twenties, which made the math feel impossible.

But James’s eyes darkened briefly, and that single look told Seraphine everything she needed to know.

There was a story there, a heavy one, and whatever it was, it had shaped this family in ways none of them were ready to talk about...