Alpha's Regret: The Seventh Time was Forever novel Chapter 371

Chapter 371: Chapter 371 - I’m not stupid enough to throw it away

Oriana smiled, a sharp, satisfied little grin that lit up her whole face. For the first time since she’d stepped into the cabin, she felt like she’d finally gotten under Seraphine’s skin, and damn did it feel good. Why stop now when she was winning?

"Sera, you’re upset because you know I’m telling the truth," she said, leaning in like she’d already won the argument.

"No," Seraphine shot back instantly, her voice calm on the surface but carrying a dangerous edge that hadn’t been there before.

She’d been holding back this whole time purely out of respect for Voren, because this woman was his mother. But that patience was wearing razor-thin.

She rose slowly from her chair, ignoring the dull ache still throbbing through her body, and locked eyes with Oriana.

"Out of respect for Voren, I’ve been choosing my words so carefully. But you need to leave. Right now." The smile on Oriana’s face vanished. "Because if you keep pushing me like this, I might just forget that you’re about to be my mother-in-law."

For the first time, Oriana looked genuinely thrown off balance. The words hit her harder than she’d expected. "Mother-in-law?" Her brows knitted together in confusion. "Wait. You’re not actually planning to leave him?"

Seraphine almost told her the truth right then, about Esperanza, about all the things Oriana had no clue about, but she stopped herself. This woman was too bitter, too determined to get what she wanted.

Handing her any real information would be like giving a loaded weapon to someone already aiming at your heart. So instead, Seraphine kept it simple.

"A spell made me forget him," she said, her voice softening just a touch with the memory. "But even before that spell broke, I fell in love with him all over again. So tell me, why the hell would I leave him now just because his narrow-minded mother wants me to?"

Oriana’s eyes widened in shock. "You really do have a sharp tongue." Her voice dropped colder than ice. "Remember who you’re speaking to."

Seraphine folded her arms across her chest, standing her ground. "Oh, I remember exactly who I’m talking to." The cabin fell into a heavy silence. "I already gave you a chance to walk out of here peacefully. If you choose to stay and keep going, whatever happens next is on you."

Oriana’s jaw tightened so hard Seraphine could see the muscle jump. Vladimir already warned her about Seraphine, that the woman was too clever, but Oriana thought she could break her.

"You’re my elder," Seraphine continued, her expression turning steely. "And because of that, I’ve shown you respect. But being older doesn’t give you the right to insult me or tear me down."

She shrugged, the movement full of defiance. "You don’t approve of my relationship with your son? That’s your problem, not mine. I don’t have any agreement with you, and I’m sure as hell not gonna stand here and let you rip me apart."

Memories from the academy flooded back, all those endless lessons, the crushing expectations, the stupid rules that told women their worth only came from being appraised by their Alpha. A bitter smile tugged at Seraphine’s lips.

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