Hiding the Alpha's Heir (Desmond and Seraphina)

"You must be..." Desmond paused, acting like he wanted to know my name.

I froze to my ground, unable to speak. Shivers kept coming, seeing his stare piercing me. Talk, Seraphina! Talk!

"-"

"Her name is Seraphina, one of my seamstresses. She will be the one taking your measurement, Lord Verlice," Madam Ibanez answered.

I inhaled almost sharply when I heard Madam Ibanez say Lord Verlice. I almost pinched myself for failing to hear the surname, Verlice. How could I ignore it at all times? Verlice surname was only owned by Desmond himself. The devil in disguise!

"I see. Seraphina, it is..." I snapped back, feeling my heart was about to explode as I faced my mate I rejected who was also my former husband. I felt shivers down my spine when he mentioned my name as if he was tasting it, wanting to see if it was according to his taste or not.

I could feel my hands fidgeting right now when I came to see Oakley, one of his Betas, who was settling beside him. Our eyes met but he didn't react that he was facing his former Luna of the Rising Diamond pack.

"Shall we begin the measurement then? I am kind of in a hurry right now," Desmond said.

I glanced at Desmond hearing his soft, subtle tone. But I knew better than anyone else here that kind of tone was just an act so he would look kind and gentle. He was hiding his true self which was menacing and frightening.

"Come on now, Seraphina. Go on." I flinched when Madam Ibanez placed her hands on my shoulders and pinched me which almost made me bark at her. I glared at her, wanting to slap the heck out of her. But she only widened her eyes, warning me that if I dared to humiliate her in front of our new client, she was going to kill me. That was for certain.

Smiling bitterly, I took the measuring tape and approached... my former mate. Every step I took was getting heavy just by walking in his direction. The authority and eerie aura he had right now was making me shiver while his amber eyes were darting at me.

I felt like I was courting my death once I was in front of him. But I could tell that I felt intoxicated just by having his presence succumb to my whole being right now.

I just hope Madam Ibanez realized how uncomfortable I was. But... I knew that it was impossible that she cared for her workers' feelings. She never cared at all.

"My lord, I will take you some measures." I thanked myself for finally finding my voice. I was thankful that I didn't falter in my voice or else, I knew that he would realize that everything was a mess for me right

now.

Relax, Seraphina. Remember what Desmond did to you.

At that moment, my expression changed into an earnest one and made me stiffer than before. I instantly felt my blood boil upon remembering him and Hazel. He made me a fool. He was a bastard and didn't deserve to know my son after all!

"Very well," Desmond said while he was facing me and removed his blazer.

I eyed him up and down as I gulped when his lean body was penetrating his tunic. I could see his body built that still looked firm and well-toned. Gulping, I stepped forward until I was in front of him.

"Lord Verlice, I will say it now. I thank you for the opportunity for choosing us to sew your customized tuxedo," Madam Ibanez said with a rejoicing tone.

"Please kneel a little," I said softly as I could already tell that once she started talking, it would be nonstop and you had to force yourself to listen to every word she was going to say.

I straightened my back when I felt his hand on my side which was hidden from the point-blank vision from Madam Ibanez's point of view as the measuring tape was wrapped around his collar. My eyes widened when I looked at Desmond whose lips were stretching out to a small smirk.

"I must say thank you for coming here," Desmond said as I almost gasped when I felt his thumb grazing my flank which sent shivers down my spine.

If someone was looking at our position, no one would suspect that he was touching me. Because I was too close to him to measure his collar and chest, it would be mistaken that it would be an accident that Desmond touched me.

But when I felt his hand was just below my breast, caressing and teasing it, I suddenly felt alarmed and stepped back immediately. "I-I will write the measurement," I said softly, panicking as I felt my heart hammering inside my chest.

"What fabric do you wish for us to use, my lord? is it cashmere, cotton, silk, linen, velvet, wool, or worse?" Madam Ibanez asked as she stood up and showed some pieces of fabric to Desmond while I was taking his measurement in his sleeve which should be taken from the outer side of his arms starting

from his collar.

I halted for a moment after writing down the measurement while Desmond was feeling the texture of the fabrics in his fingers.

"I shall pick cashmere. My wife always chooses that for me," Desmond said as his eyes darted on me meaningfully before he turned at Madam Ibanez, drawing out a small smile.

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Madam Ibanez giggled. "Oh, I see. His Lordship already has a wife." I could sense the slight bitterness smeared on her tone which made me want to turn my head at her. "Where is Lady Verlice then?" she asked as she glared at me, indicating that I must continue taking measurements. She even enlarged her eyes again at me which

I just nodded and proceeded to take his measurement.

I took the measurement from his natural waistline to the hem before I listed it down. Then when I came to face him and was about to measure his inside leg which I needed to measure from the top of the inside leg, near the crotch down to the ankle bone, my eyes widened when I realized that I was facing his crotch, kneeling in front of Desmond.

"Um..." I was rendered speechless when I looked up to see Desmond's amber eyes sparkling in... lust?

As soon as I saw that emotion come across his face, I immediately stood up when I realized the awkward position that I was kneeling in front of him like I was doing something... that he would like. "What's wrong?" Desmond asked. His tone sounded concerned but his expression told otherwise as his eyes looked amused.

"Is there something wrong, Seraphina?"

I panicked when Madam Ibanez's tone changed into an annoyed one. I needed to find a diversion so they wouldn't know that I was uncomfortable right now. "M-Madam, is it..." I paused and glanced at Desmond who was smirking right now. I secretly clenched my teeth in annoyance when I realized that he was playing with me.

"What?" Her tone sounded impatient. "What on earth is happening to you?" Shit... She would scold me in front of them if I didn't do something.

I cleared my throat. "N-Nothing, madam." I smiled wryly and approached Desmond. "M-My lord, is it possible if you will hold this?" I asked as I bestowed him the edge of the measurement. "I-I need to take your measurement in your inner leg," I said nervously when he arched his eyebrow.

"Huh..." There was a disdainful expression on his face. "This is not my job to hold this so why must I hold it?"

"Seraphina!" Madam Ibanez rushed to me and pulled my hair. "What on earth are you doing and you are making things complicated?" she said angrily. "Do your work properly!"

I didn't get a chance to retort back at her when she pushed me to kneel in front of Desmond. Clenching my hands, I glared at her, wanting to initiate a punch to her face. I swear... I was so close to strangling her stout neck.

"I am in a hurry." I froze when I heard Desmond's cold, fathomless tone. "Do it now, you peasant."

I looked up and saw his degrading gaze at me. I secretly clenched my teeth before I bowed my head. "Pardon me, my lord..." I said before I took the measurement and placed the edge of the measuring tape near his crotch causing him to irk at his ground before I measured it down to his ankle bone.

My hands were fidgeting as I measured it. But aside from that, I could have sworn something was growing so I immediately removed my hand from that area and moved away from him so I could measure his centre back length.

"I-I am finished," I announced as I wrote it down and lowered my head.

I heard Madam Ibanez sighing in irritation. "On behalf of her, I would like to apologize for her behavior today, Lord Verlice. This is her first time acting like that. I shall punish her later for misbehaving like that."

I shivered at her words. It could mean that I would be taking overtime work again... Damn it! This was Desmond's fault!

"No, no. It is fine. Just let her. She must have been uncomfortable with my presence." I glared at him when he smiled.

I wanted to smudge that off right now if no one was looking.

In the end, I coerced a smile and bowed my head. "I apologize, Lord Verlice..." I said bitterly.