Alpha's Regret: The Seventh Time was Forever

Chapter 62 – Tell me she’s an angel

At the other end of the line, the sharpness of the message landed like a clean bullet to the chest, precise and unapologetic, and Leon found himself staring at the screen for a second longer than necessary before one brow lifted slowly in amused surprise.

He hadn’t expected that. A slow grin tugged at his mouth as he began typing back, his fingers deliberate, entertained rather than offended.

Wow, so fierce. It’s me, Leon. I thought my dad gave you my number when I got yours.

In her bedroom, Seraphine read the message and immediately felt heat crawl up her neck and settle into her cheeks, the kind of embarrassment that made her wish she could physically delete herself along with the text.

She had responded like a guarded soldier to what turned out to be a harmless civilian.

Sorry. I thought it was a wrong number, she typed quickly, her fingers moving faster than her pride could protest. But a date? We never had that agreement.

Leon leaned back slightly, reading her response again, and this time his smile deepened into something thoughtful. He could almost see her through the words.

Polite, yes. Controlled, but blunt enough to cut clean through confusion. There was no simpering hesitation in her tone, no soft fishing for validation. If anything, she sounded almost masculine in her straightforwardness.

Interesting. I can’t take you as a fake plus-one to the Sovereign Circle without knowing you, he replied smoothly. Since the next meeting is a month away, I figured we should at least meet once before then.

There was logic in that. Clean, practical, and reasonable.

Seraphine paused before responding this time, her guard lowering just a fraction.

Oh, she typed. I’ve never actually been on a date before, so I don’t really know how these things work. I was just about to sleep, so sorry if I sounded rude. Tomorrow is fine.

The honesty in her message made Leon’s chest tighten faintly in a way he didn’t expect.

send your location. I’ll be

the location. She had intended to sleep, but intention meant

to reach out to the King brothers and verify a few final details about Damon’s stock movement. Timing was everything, and she had to position herself

came in, ten million. The figure blinked at her like a dare,

dove into the job with ruthless focus, the world narrowing to code, encryption

the only light in the room. Her eyes burned, her fingers cramped, but

her under, that she allowed herself to collapse forward onto

"Come in," she muttered groggily, her voice thick with sleep and

froze at the sight before him, his

on your desk?" he asked,

hair a mess, her clothes still the same ones from

said with a sheepish

Corvine would’ve teased her, maybe scolded her lightly while secretly admiring her drive, but

was wrong, but he beat her to it. "I can see that," he said

then the memory

Leon.

Ten a.m.

Fake plus-one.

Her phone.

so fast it nearly slipped from her hand, and when the

ten missed calls, multiple messages. Checking the

tipped over. "I completely forgot. He only texted last night that we should get to know each other before our fake appearance at the Sovereign

already moving toward the shower as she spoke, panic replacing

Corvine added stiffly, "he’s been here for the

apologetic smile that was far too charming for someone in this much