Alpha's Regret: The Seventh Time was Forever-Chapter 45 – Did you do this?

"My first wife died of cancer when Leon was just eleven," James said, his voice carrying that quiet, heavy weight of memory, the kind that settles deep in the chest and refuses to move no matter how much time passes.

Seraphine felt a pang in her chest, an unspoken ache that made her stomach tighten, and she murmured softly, "I’m sorry."

"No, it’s fine," James replied, shaking his head as if trying to cast the sorrow aside like a shadow he had learned to live with. "I waited five years before I married Mila, and don’t read her wrong.

She’s forty-two, and she’s been everything a man could ask for in these years we’ve had together. We struggled with childbirth until Tyler came along, but the difficulties, the heartbreak, the things that happened to Leon’s mother... all of that shaped him, gave him a passion, a fire for medicine that I’ve never seen in anyone else.

It started as a drive, something personal, but even he, with all his knowledge and determination, couldn’t find a remedy that truly mattered for Tyler’s condition, until you came along. That’s why he’s so fascinated by you."

Seraphine smiled softly, feeling a warmth in her chest that had nothing to do with the sun shining through the windows. "You have a beautiful family," she said, her words gentle, carrying an understanding that seemed to make the space around them quieter, almost sacred.

A few days later, after a quiet meal, Seraphine decided she needed a nap, the kind where the body sinks into the mattress and the mind hovers somewhere between consciousness and dream. But just as she began to drift, a knock on the door jolted her awake.

"Pete, Voren’s assistant, is asking to see you," Corvine announced, his voice carrying that faint edge of amusement that suggested he already knew she wouldn’t be thrilled.

Seraphine rose slowly, half asleep and half alert, her expression folding into a frown that contoured her otherwise perfect face. "Is that why you woke me?" she asked, her voice laced with sleepy irritation, the words stretching lazily over each syllable.

"Unless you agree with the boss sending his assistant to clean up his mess," she added, the sharpness in her tone slicing through the room like glass.

She shook her head, exhaustion painting her gestures heavy. "Tell him I don’t want to see him," she said, voice final, and slammed the door before Corvine could reply, though he merely chuckled at the display, as if amused by her blend of irritation and authority.

Later, she returned to her usual routine, trading for the Stone Group on the stock market, each transaction flowing like a rhythm she had perfected over time.

With every return, Desmond ensured funds were available at a moment’s notice, but even that couldn’t contain the growing margins, which seemed to climb higher no matter how she pushed.

Then, amidst the quiet pulse of numbers and screens, she stumbled upon Daisy’s message again, and an idea sparked, impulsive, thrilling, and perfectly chaotic.

She sent a gift, hacking into the pack servers with that familiar thrill of power at her fingertips, watching as the video went viral with a satisfying rush. 𝕗𝐫𝐞𝕖𝕨𝐞𝗯𝚗𝕠𝘃𝐞𝚕.𝐜𝗼𝚖

Almost immediately, Damon messaged her. ’I don’t have proof, but I know this is your doing. Anyway, I’ll pretend to not know anything about it. I’ll even tell Ravyn that I’m searching for a hacker to take it down.’

Seraphine paused, a flicker of unease crossing her mind. The way Damon had discerned her actions so quickly was suspicious. Was there more to him than she realized?

The fact that he was on her side, even subtly, brought a sense of relief that loosened the tension in her shoulders. ’Great, I’ll clear every trace of our communication each time,’ she typed back, fingers flying over the keyboard as she erased everything from the servers with precision and care.

Corvine saw it too, his eyes widening, a mix of awe and apprehension flickering across his face. "Sera, isn’t this too much?" he asked, the question almost trembling, though no real answer came from her.

Seraphine turned to him, her gaze sharp enough to make the air itself seem to pause, as if daring him to disagree. "If Daisy is comfortable with me watching it, then everyone else can, right?" she said, each word confident, and unflinching.

Corvine opened his mouth, but nothing came out, the weight of her certainty pressing down too heavily for words to form.

Her phone beeped, slicing through the tension. Nicole’s name flashed on the screen, and Seraphine’s expression softened as she answered, voice lighter now, more human, more alive. "Nicole, how are you?"

"Sera, I’m doing great. I got a job a few days ago, and I thought we could celebrate this afternoon," Nicole said, her excitement bubbling through the line, infecting Seraphine with a smile.

"Sure, Nicole, where do we meet?" Seraphine asked, feeling a sense of freedom she hadn’t had in months, a clarity that came from no longer being tethered to the past and its complicated shadows.

"Thanks, Sera, I’ll send the location."

Seraphine considered going alone, craving a little independence, but as usual, Corvine hovered at her side, as reliable and imposing as ever. "I’ll go with you. I’m hungry too," he said casually, almost like it wasn’t about her, but she didn’t argue, letting his presence blend into the normalcy she secretly appreciated.

By the time they arrived, Nicole was already seated, her eyes lighting up as she spotted Seraphine, rushing forward and embracing her with the kind of warmth that bypassed words entirely.

"Sera, thanks a lot for your advice. I feel so much better, and everything is finally falling into place," she whispered, relief and happiness entwined in her tone.

Seraphine hugged her back, letting the moment linger, the subtle comfort of friendship wrapping around her like a familiar blanket. "That’s the spirit. Now keep it up and continue working diligently," she said, her words both encouraging and gentle, a grounding presence amid the ebb and flow of life’s chaos.

They settled at their table, orders placed, and for a moment, Seraphine let herself relax, until the subtle shift in the restaurant’s atmosphere made her chest tighten again.

Two figures had entered, moving with an ease that suggested they were expected. Her gaze snapped to Nicole, sharp and questioning. "Did you do this?" she asked, suspicion and curiosity threading through her tone, her instincts prickling in that way that told her this was never a coincidence.