Chosen as the Cursed Alpha's Seventh Bride

Emilia’s POV

"Then I’ll wait for him inside," I said, walking past him.

"Hey, wait!" Fynn jumped up, trying to block me. "I’ll take you to the lounge. He doesn’t like visitors waiting in his office."

"I’m not a visitor. I’m his wife."

I pushed the door open before he could stop me.

Sebastian was sitting at his desk, very much not in a meeting.

He looked up, startled. His gaze shifted to Fynn, who shook his head helplessly.

"Aren’t you in a meeting?" I asked, my voice sharp.

"It just ended."

"Really? Because Fynn made it sound like you’d be busy for hours." I crossed my arms. "Are you free now? If so, let’s get down to business."

Sebastian hesitated, then nodded. "Alright."

He grabbed his car keys and walked past me toward the door. I followed him to the underground parking garage, my irritation growing with every step.

When we reached his car, Sebastian turned around. "Did you bring your ID?"

"Yes."

"You can’t wait to get divorced, can you?" His voice was bitter. "I suspect your feelings have changed. You want to get rid of me and marry someone else as soon as possible."

I stopped walking and stared at him. "You’re obviously avoiding me. I suspect you’re doing this because you don’t want to let me go."

For one stupid, hopeful second, I waited for him to say something, anything, that would prove I wasn’t completely delusional for thinking he might actually care.

He looked at me for a few seconds, then slowly turned his gaze away.

I laughed bitterly at myself. What are you doing, Emilia? You’re literally on your way to divorce this man. What exactly are you waiting for? A last-minute declaration of love? Grow up.

The car pulled up outside the County Clerk’s Office. Sebastian sat perfectly still, staring straight ahead.

I wasn’t going to wait for him to make the first move. I opened my door and stepped out.

"Aren’t you getting off?" I knocked on his window.

Sebastian finally emerged from the car, adjusting his suit jacket. "Sorry," he said, not meeting my eyes. "I forgot to bring my ID."

I blinked. "You... what?"

"My ID. I don’t have it."

My jaw clenched. "You’re kidding."

"I’m not."

"Sebastian." I crossed my arms. "You dragged this out for days. You avoided me at work. You made up excuse after excuse. And now, when we’re finally here, you conveniently ’forgot’ your ID?"

"It wasn’t convenient," he said defensively. "It was an accident."

"Right. An accident." I let out a sharp laugh. "Fine. Go back and get it. I’ll wait here."

"I have a meeting later. I might not make it back in time." He glanced at his watch. "Let’s come again tomorrow."

"No. We’re doing this today."

I held out my hand. "Give it to me."

"Give you what?"

"Your wallet." I knew he always kept his ID in there.

Sebastian hesitated, then pulled his wallet from his suit pocket and handed it over. I flipped it open and searched through every slot, every compartment.

Nothing.

"Don’t you usually keep it in your wallet?" I looked up at him, my patience wearing dangerously thin. "Why didn’t you put it in today?"

"Fynn needed it this morning to make a photocopy," Sebastian said. "He must have forgotten to give it back."

I narrowed my eyes at him. "Then call him. Tell him to bring it here. Tomorrow’s a holiday, the office will be closed. If we don’t do this today, we’ll have to wait until next week."

"If we have to wait, then we wait."

I stared at him, stunned. "Are you serious right now?"

"What’s the rush, Emilia?" His tone was frustratingly calm. "You’ll be in Paris. It’s not like you’re coming back anytime soon."

"Exactly. Which is why we need to finalize this now."

"Then we’ll wait until you come back."

"What if I don’t come back?" I shot back.

Sebastian shrugged. "Then we don’t. If we’re separated long enough, the marriage will be automatically dissolved anyway."

"Why make it so complicated? I don’t want to hold you up, Sebastian."

"You don’t want to hold me up?" He tilted his head slightly, his green eyes finally locking onto mine. "Or are you afraid of me holding you up?"

"What’s the difference?" I snapped. "Either way, we need to end this."

"Let’s just maintain things as they are for now," he said. "For my parents’ sake. They’ll find out eventually once we’re divorced."

He gestured toward the building. "You see that place? I’ve been here more than ten times. Everyone inside knows me. And one of the clerks is a friend of my father’s. The second we file, Dad will know. Do you really think you’ll be allowed to leave for Paris once that happens?"

I went silent. He had a point.

"Fine," I said quietly, my chest tight. "We’ll wait."

I turned and got back into the car without another word.

The drive back was suffocating. Neither of us spoke. I stared out the window, watching the city blur past, my mind a mess of anger and heartbreak.

I hated how disappointed I felt. I hated that even now, after everything, I still wanted him to fight for me.

I activated my ability, reaching out toward Sebastian’s mind out of sheer frustration.

Nothing.

I couldn’t read him.

It was maddening.

"Are you going back to the company?" I asked, breaking the silence. "If you are, just drop me at that intersection. I’ll go to the supermarket."

"The staff at home can handle groceries," Sebastian said without looking at me. "You don’t need to do it yourself."

"I want to," I replied. "I want to make dinner for everyone before I leave."

His hands tightened on the steering wheel. "They might not agree to let you go so far away."

"Then it’s up to you to convince them." I turned to face him. "Unless you don’t actually want me to leave."

Sebastian pulled over at the intersection but said nothing.

I got out of the car and leaned down to look at him through the open window. "Come home early tonight. Try my cooking one last time. After this, you won’t get another chance."

I walked away before he could respond.

At the crosswalk, the light turned red. I stood there in the middle of the road, my back straight, refusing to look back.