Alpha's Regret: The Seventh Time was Forever

Chapter 396 - He is my son in every way that actually matters

Oriana’s fingers curled into tight fists at her sides as she spun around. The second her eyes landed on Corvine standing there in the hallway, pure irritation flashed hot across her face.

Of all the people who could have caught her, why the hell did it have to be him?

The hallway sat quiet under the dim lights, long shadows stretching across the floor. Corvine stood a few feet away with his hands casually tucked into his pockets, looking completely unbothered like he owned the place.

"What’s wrong with you?" Oriana snapped in a hushed, angry whisper, careful not to wake the whole house. "I only want to have a word with her."

Corvine raised an eyebrow, a humorless smile tugging at his lips. "A word? Is that what we’re calling it now?"

Oriana’s jaw tightened painfully. "I don’t need your permission to speak to Jasmine."

"No," Corvine agreed, his voice calm but edged with steel. "But I think I know exactly why you’re here. You want to threaten her into staying quiet in case your husband finds out about all the things you’ve been hiding."

Oriana stiffened as the accusation sliced right through her, but she refused to let the panic show. "My only crime was lying to Voren about the rogue attack," she shot back, lifting her chin defiantly. "And the only reason he tolerates Jasmine is because of that lie. If I tell him the truth, Jasmine will be the one leaving."

Corvine stared at her for several long seconds, then let out a low laugh filled with raw disbelief. "I see. You really don’t know your son at all." The words hit her harder than she expected. Oriana’s expression darkened like a storm cloud rolling in.

Corvine tilted his head slightly. "Or maybe that’s because he isn’t actually your son."

The air in the hallway seemed to vanish completely. Oriana’s eyes widened in shock, a flicker of raw panic crossing her face before she buried it deep. "Watch your mouth," she hissed, sharper than she meant, her gaze darting nervously toward the nearby doors in case anyone might overhear.

Corvine smiled, but there was zero warmth in it. "So that’s the plan? Throw Jasmine under the bus and hope everything magically works out?" He didn’t wait for her to answer. "You really think Voren won’t start asking questions? You think he won’t want to know exactly how you met Jasmine in the first place?"

arms tightly over her chest. "I simply liked her. Her mother was a good

corner of his mouth twitched. "Because she refused to keep trying to

She hated how easily he saw straight through her schemes. More than that, she hated that he kept standing in her way like some unbreakable wall. "This is a family matter,"

to threaten Jasmine outright. Her idea had been simpler and colder, offer the girl a huge pile of money, enough to make

vanish with her. Or at least

and shattered that fragile hope into pieces. "Well, I should tell you something." His voice stayed far too calm, sending

possible. Her mind spun wildly. Jasmine didn’t know the

a shred of confidence and straightened her shoulders. "Fine," she said, but the word came out weak and

her face, and for the first time that night, her words rang with raw sincerity. "But I love him. He is

didn’t soften even a fraction. "Not only that," he continued, his voice cutting through the heavy silence. "You also abandoned

face. Corvine didn’t stop. "Olivia," he called out, her entire body trembled violently at the name.

No. How could Jasmine possibly know that? How? That secret had died with her mother, or so she’d

her with cold, steady eyes. There was no sympathy, no mercy, only deep disappointment. Slowly, he lifted his chin.

him blankly, the words echoing in her head. Two days before her entire world

treated Sera properly," he went on, his voice remaining ice-cold, "she might have helped calm Voren when the truth comes out." The words stung

Every opportunity to build any kind of relationship, she’d destroyed. Now there was no one left to

more. "But now you’re on

final words broke something deep inside her. Her legs gave out completely, and she collapsed onto the cold floor, the hard surface pressing

then another, and soon they wouldn’t stop. For the first time in years, genuine terror gripped her

looked down at her, his expression unreadable. He bent slightly. "The least you can do now is enjoy what little time you have left. Make sure the wedding goes smoothly, and make

up. "Goodnight, Luna Oriana," he said, a bitter smile pressing his lips. "If I should even