Alpha's Regret: The Seventh Time was Forever
Chapter 433 - A lot of women in this company have a crush on you
Coco finally turned completely toward Jasmine, stepping closer so the rich, heavy scent of her expensive perfume floated through the air between them.
Jasmine barely noticed it, her eyes stayed glued on Esperanza, whose bright, cheerful giggles kept drifting over from the pond.
The little girl was laughing her head off as the ducks waddled straight toward her, greedily snapping up every piece of feed she tossed into the water.
The happy sounds made Jasmine smile softly. Knowing Esperanza was safe and having so much fun helped ease the knot in her chest. Only then did she turn her full attention back to Coco.
"It’s simple," Coco said with a confident smile curving her lips. She reached out and took Jasmine’s hands before she could even react, slipping a tiny object into her palm and gently closing her fingers around it.
Jasmine frowned and opened her hand to stare at the thing. It was so small it could’ve easily passed for an ordinary button. "What is this?"
"A hidden camera," Coco answered without missing a beat. "Plant it somewhere that gives me a clear view of Seraphine’s daily life. I especially want to know every time she’s spending time with other men." Her voice dropped lower as she leaned in closer.
Jasmine’s brows pulled together tightly. She looked from the tiny device back up to Coco, totally thrown off.
A deep wave of unease wash over her. There was something really unsettling about the way Coco talked, like she had everything mapped out from the very start and nothing could stop her.
"If you do this for me..." Coco reached into her designer purse and pulled out an elegant business card, placing it right into Jasmine’s hand next to the tiny camera.
"I’ll completely change your life. You’ll never have to worry about money again." Her eyes sparkled with pure confidence. "But you have to move fast. The second you plant that camera, call me." She lightly tapped Jasmine’s closed fist. "Trust me, your big breakthrough is sitting right there in your hand."
Without giving Jasmine any chance to refuse, Coco adjusted her sunglasses, spun around, and walked off with total confidence, disappearing into the park.
Jasmine stayed rooted to the spot, staring down at the hidden camera in one hand and the fancy business card in the other. Even after Coco vanished into the crowd, she couldn’t make herself move.
Her thoughts were spinning wildly. Every word sounded like it was chosen to manipulate, and every smile seemed to hide some deeper motive.
Jasmine quietly slipped both items into her purse, still unsure what the heck she was supposed to do with them.
A familiar voice suddenly cut through her racing thoughts. "Looks like I wasn’t too late."
She looked up and saw Corvine walking toward them. Seeing him instantly made her smile, and she hadn’t even realized how tense she’d gotten until that moment when the relief hit her.
Corvine gave her a polite nod before his eyes instinctively searched for Esperanza. The moment he spotted the little girl laughing and chasing ducks along the edge of the pond with the other kids, his expression softened with warmth.
Only after making sure she was completely safe did he finally look back at Jasmine.
Watching him, Jasmine couldn’t help noticing something she’d picked up on over the past few days.
Corvine had never been super talkative around her. At first, she thought he just wasn’t interested in getting close, but later she realized it wasn’t personal.
That was simply who he was. Yesterday while they were in his office with Esperanza, she’d seen a whole different side of him.
Around Voren, Seraphine, and little Esperanza, Corvine smiled way more often, cracked jokes, and looked truly relaxed and comfortable. They brought out a lighter, happier version of him that almost no one else ever got to see.
But the second work took priority, everything changed. He turned strict, professional, and laser-focused. No one dared take advantage of his kindness.
Even the rumors flying around the office never lasted long. Some employees had started whispering that Jasmine was secretly dating him, and others even joked that Esperanza was their daughter. Corvine shut those stories down fast.
Jasmine still remembered overhearing two employees talking while she’d taken Esperanza for a short walk outside his office so he could finish reviewing some reports.
One of the women had lowered her voice. "Didn’t you hear?"
The other shook her head. "Hear what?"
"Mr. Stone sent an email to Human Resources this morning."
"About what?"
"He told HR to pile on extra workload for anyone who apparently has too much free time gossiping about his personal life instead of actually doing their jobs."
The second employee’s eyes widened. "Ouch..." She glanced nervously around the office. "There are security cameras everywhere. He probably watched the entire conversation."
Just then both women noticed Jasmine standing nearby. Their faces turned bright red. Neither of them said another word, and they quickly looked away and hurried back to work like nothing had happened.
Jasmine had almost laughed at how fast they scattered. Still, there was one employee who wasn’t scared to ask questions. Her name was Emery.
Jasmine had watched the young woman confidently walk into Corvine’s office to submit a report. Unlike everyone else, Emery didn’t seem intimidated by him at all.
After placing the documents on his desk, she smiled mischievously. "Mr. Stone..."
Corvine kept writing without looking up. "Hm?"
"That little girl is adorable." A playful grin spread across Emery’s face. "Is she your daughter?" She tilted her head. "I have to admit... she has Miss Walker’s eyes." Curiosity filled her expression. "Are you two together?"
Before Corvine could answer, Emery pointed toward a Jasmine on the visitors sofa with Esperanza. "And who is the beautiful redhead?"
A faint smile crossed Corvine’s face as he finally looked up. "Emery." He leaned back in his chair. "You’ve grown bold."
Emery laughed, not embarrassed at all. "What can I say?" She shrugged innocently. "A lot of women in this company have a crush on you." Her grin got even wider. "And here you are, breaking all their hearts."
Corvine quietly set his pen down on the desk. He folded his hands together before calmly meeting her gaze. "These girls you’re talking about..." One eyebrow lifted slightly. "Who are they?" His lips curved into the faintest smile. "Or, are you one of them?"