Alpha's Regret: The Seventh Time was Forever

Seraphine took a slow, steady breath, trying to calm the storm building inside her as her mind raced for a way out of the situation without making everything worse. Then something clicked.

Instead of reaching for the ring, she leaned forward and took the bouquet from Leon’s hands, holding it carefully as if that had been the intention all along. "They’re really beautiful," she said softly, giving him a small, controlled smile before gently helping him back to his feet.

"Leon... I think we should talk about this somewhere private," she added under her breath, leaning in just enough so only he could hear her.

Leon blinked, clearly thrown off, confusion flashing across his face as he tried to process her response.

But before he could say anything, the crowd made it impossible to think.

"Say yes! Say yes! Say yes!"

The chant started out scattered, then grew louder as more people joined in, patients, staff, even random onlookers who had no idea what was really going on but were completely invested in the moment.

The noise pressed in on her from every side, making it harder to breathe, harder to think straight.

For a second, Seraphine felt completely stuck.

And Corvine... just stood there. Not because he didn’t care, but because even he didn’t seem to know how to step in without making things worse.

Then, unexpectedly, someone else did.

Voren.

He walked over with Stanley right behind him, his expression unreadable but carrying a weight that immediately cut through the chaos. Stanley, on the other hand, looked like he had been thrown into the situation without warning, stumbling over his words as he spoke.

"Uh... sorry, I know this is a bad time," he started, scratching the back of his neck awkwardly, "but this is urgent, and we kind of need the most important thing you haven’t given us yet."

He leaned in slightly, lowering his voice. "The evidence."

Seraphine blinked, then let out a quiet breath as she pressed her fingers against her temple, frustration mixing with relief. "Right... I’m sorry. I’ll need a laptop for that."

"We’ve got one in the car," Corvine cut in quickly, seizing the opportunity without hesitation.

Seraphine turned back to Leon, her expression softening with genuine apology. "I’m really sorry... we’ll talk about this, okay?" she said, her tone gentle but firm enough to create distance. Then she lifted the bouquet slightly with a faint smile. "And thank you for the flowers. I really do love them."

Just like that, the mood changed.

The excitement drained from the crowd, replaced with visible disappointment as cameras slowly lowered and murmurs spread. The moment they had all been waiting for slipped right through their fingers.

Once they reached the car, Seraphine didn’t waste any time. She quickly transferred the files onto a hard drive, her movements precise despite everything still running through her head, then handed it over to Stanley. "Here. I completely forgot earlier."

"Honestly... so did I," Stanley admitted, glancing sideways at Voren with a knowing look. "He reminded me just in time."

Seraphine’s gaze flickered briefly toward Voren, and for some reason, the only thing she felt in that moment was gratitude. He had stepped in at exactly the right time, pulling her out before things went too far, before she was forced into a decision she didn’t want to make in front of everyone.

Because if he hadn’t, she might have said yes just to avoid humiliating Leon.

And that would’ve been worse. "You didn’t look like you were about to accept, though," Stanley added casually, clearly curious.

Seraphine parted her lips to respond, but before she could get a word out, Voren grabbed Stanley by the arm and pulled him away without a single explanation.

As they moved, Seraphine caught something unexpected. The faintest hint of a smile at the corner of Voren’s lips.

It was so rare, so quick, that it made her pause, her brows pulling together slightly as she tried to make sense of it.

Back at the car, Corvine let out a breath he had clearly been holding, then moved to open the passenger door for her. "For a second there, I really thought you were going to accept," he admitted, his tone careful, almost probing. "He seems like a decent guy."

Seraphine frowned as she slipped into the seat, her grip tightening slightly on the bouquet. "You know me better than that," she said, her voice colder than before, carrying a finality that left no room for misunderstanding. "There’s no space in my life for that kind of love anymore."

Corvine closed the door slowly, her words settling heavily in his chest. Part of him felt relieved hearing that, knowing it meant no one else had managed to claim her heart.

But another part of him wasn’t so sure what that meant for him.

He had just gotten into the driver’s seat and was about to start the car when a sharp knock against the window cut through the moment and both of them turned.

Leon.

Corvine hesitated for a brief second before lowering the window, his expression tightening as Leon stepped closer, his attention focused entirely on Seraphine.

"Sera... can we talk?"

"Sure," she replied without hesitation, already reaching for the door.

She stepped out, closing it behind her as she followed him a short distance toward his car, giving them just enough privacy without completely disappearing from view.

Leon didn’t waste time. "Sera... do you not feel anything for me?" he asked directly, his voice steady but carrying something deeper underneath.

Seraphine forced a small smile, though it didn’t quite reach her eyes. "I’m sorry, Leon, and please don’t do something like that again," she said gently but firmly. "We were fake dating, and I don’t think I ever gave you a reason to believe I wanted something like marriage."

Leon let out a quiet breath, a faint smile forming, though it lacked any real warmth. "I really thought I had a chance with you," he admitted.

For someone like him, rejection wasn’t something he was used to, especially not from the one person he had taken seriously above everyone else.

"I’m sorry you saw it that way," Seraphine replied, her tone soft but unwavering. "But the truth is, I value what we have as friends."

Leon nodded slowly, taking that in, even if it wasn’t what he wanted to hear. "I appreciate you being honest," he said after a moment, then his gaze sharpened slightly. "But tell me something, what exactly is going on between you and Mr. Ashkael?" He asked, like he knew something she didn’t.