Semua Bab The Alpha's Regret; Too Late To Claim Me: Bab 81 - Bab 90

Author’s POVGary stood outside Maurice’s office, the tall black doors stood in front of him. He ran through what he’d say one more time. His hands shook a little, not from nerves, not really, it was more like excitement. This was big. For days now, he’d been watching Fred: the late nights, the disappearing acts, the weird little grins. Fred was definitely up to something. And Gary figured he’d finally figured it out.He sucked in a deep breath one more time and finally knocked.“Come in,” Maurice called, voice deep and steady.Gary opened the door. The office was cold, the air smelled of cedarwood. Maurice sat at his huge desk, eyes on some papers, but honestly, he looked like a man waiting for trouble.“Gary,” Maurice said, glancing up. “You almost never come straight to me. What’s going on?”Gary stepped forward, careful to look worried.. not angry. “It’s about Fred.”Maurice looked confused, pen in midair. He leaned back, slow and deliberate. “Fred?”“Yeah.” Gary nodded, eyes dow

Veldena’s POVIt was one of those evenings that felt too calm to be harmless. Freya had called earlier in the day, telling me she’d arranged a small dinner, “just a meeting,” she’d said, with someone who wanted to sponsor my charity segment for the show. I didn’t think much of it. Freya was always connecting me to people who wanted to “collaborate” or “support my music career," and I had learned to show up, smile, and leave before the small talk turned into a deep conversation. So, there I was, sitting in the back of the rented car, smoothing down my dress and hoping my makeup didn’t scream trying too hard. The restaurant Freya picked was in the quiet part of the city, soft lighting, slow jazz, and they also had the kind of polite waiters who spoke like they were whispering. When I walked in, I immediately spotted Eldric. He was standing near the window table, a bouquet of soft white tulips in hand. For a moment, I blinked, flowers? “Eldric?” I said, a little uncertainly. He

Veldena’s POVI didn’t sleep much after that dinner. My phone kept buzzing with notifications, people tagging, guessing, and twisting what had happened. Photos of me and Eldric at the restaurant were already all over social media. The flash that went off at the door that night had turned into headlines before I even got home.“VELDANA’S NEW SECRET LOVE?” one read.“DINNER DATE OR DAMAGE CONTROL?” said another.I scrolled through them until my chest began to ache. Eldric had only come for a friendly dinner. We’d laughed, talked about work, and shared stories. Yet, somehow, it was being painted as a scandal.By morning, I couldn’t take it anymore. I called Freya.She sounded distracted at first, like she hadn’t seen the chaos online. “Vel, what’s wrong?”“What’s wrong?” I almost laughed. “You set me up for that dinner. You told me it was about the charity feature and now I’m trending for all the wrong reasons.”There was a long pause on the other end. Then, in a softer tone, she said, “

Veldena’s POVThe studio lights felt too bright.Veldena blinked against the glare, wishing her heart would stop racing. She’d been on stage before, she’d sung to crowds, and faced cameras but never like this. This wasn’t what she was used to. Because this time, she wasn’t performing. She was being watched, questioned, and judged.Freya had booked the interview, insisting it would be good for her. “It’s time people saw you again,” she had said, smiling that confident smile of hers. “Your album is strong, Vel. Let them hear your truth before the gossip gets too loud.”So, here she was. Sitting on a plush blue couch, facing a host whose smile was too polished to be kind. Behind the cameras, crew members hurried about, adjusting lights, checking microphones, and giving signals she didn’t understand.“Relax,” one of them said softly, clipping the mic onto her dress. “You’ll do great.”Veldena smiled weakly. “Thanks.”Inside, she wasn’t sure. Her palms were damp. Her throat felt tight. She

Author’s POVMaurice had always been a man who liked control over his work, his home, his thoughts. But lately, control was slipping through his fingers like sand. Ever since he saw Leila, ever since her face began haunting him, he had become a man split in two.He spent most of his days locked in his study, avoiding everyone, even Hailey.Hailey noticed it immediately. The change in him was like watching sunlight fade behind clouds. He no longer smiled when she spoke, barely responded when she called. At first, she thought it was work stress. Then she blamed it on his old memories, the ones he never talked about.But deep down, she knew it was because of her.Veldana.The name alone carried a shadow that never seemed to leave their lives.Maurice tried to stay busy, but his mind wouldn’t stop spinning. Every quiet moment became a battlefield. Every night, his thoughts dragged him back to the same question: Was Leila his childAnd worse, had Veldana been with Eldric all along?The ima