Chapter 166 – Would you have saved him if you knew he was my father?
Seraphine wasn’t surprised when she finally stood face to face with him, because the man in front of her only confirmed everything she had already suspected earlier, and as she took him in quietly, wondering about how true that old saying seemed to be, the one about how a good heart pulled good things closer while a corrupted one attracted nothing but ruin.
Zane had gone off on her through chat without a hint of regret, throwing words at her like they carried no weight at all, and now here he was, standing in front of her while his father fought for his life, yet even with all of that, Seraphine didn’t let any personal feelings interfere, especially not when she was working and someone’s life had been placed in her hands.
Before he could even finish saying "Luna Seraphine," she cut him off smoothly, her voice calm but firm as she said, "Just call me Doctor Sera," making it clear that whatever he thought he knew about her had no place here.
Even though she recognized him instantly, she gave nothing away, carrying herself like he was just another patient’s relative as she moved straight into the report without hesitation.
"The patient suffered damage to one of his kidneys, but his condition is stable for now," she said, her tone even as she glanced down at the file and made a few precise notes before lifting her gaze back to him. "Have you filed a police report?"
She already knew the answer, especially with Santiago involved, but she asked anyway, maintaining the appearance of someone who was simply doing her job.
"No," he replied, and Seraphine looked at him directly, her expression composed as she followed up with a quiet, "Why?" as though she had no idea what lay beneath that response.
He shook his head, clearly unwilling to go deeper. "It doesn’t matter. It was an accident."
Seraphine didn’t accept that explanation. "That is exactly why a police report should be filed," she insisted, her pen moving steadily across the pad in her hand as she documented everything with careful attention. "The injuries were severe, and if he had not been brought in when he was, he would not have survived."
Her words carried weight, settling into the silence between them just as Leon’s voice broke through from behind her.
"You should be grateful she made it here in time to operate on your father," he said, stepping closer with a tone that carried both relief and a subtle edge. "Most of my surgeons refused to take this case after it had already been ruled out."
He tapped Seraphine lightly on the back in a familiar gesture before adding, "Thanks, Sera, you really came through again, because things were completely out of control earlier, but we can talk about everything later."
Seraphine turned her head toward him, already shaking her head slightly as she responded, "I will be leaving right away, so if there is something you need to say, you should say it now," making it clear that she had no intention of lingering longer than necessary.
There was too much waiting for her beyond this moment, and even the thought of rest felt temporary, because she still had to push through another round of training to sharpen her weapon skills, and Bryan remained at the center of her priorities as well.
Corvine had already called her with an update, letting her know that Ravyn had managed to secure the mandrake she needed far sooner than expected, and although the speed of it raised questions she did not have time to dwell on, it gave her one clear direction, which was to begin working on the serum for Bryan as soon as possible.
Leon leaned closer, lowering his voice as if what he was about to say carried more weight than everything else happening around them. "I heard Voren dropped you off today, and I want to know how that even happened," he said quietly, because out of everyone who had gotten close to Seraphine, Voren was the one he feared the most.
He saved Seraphine and warned Leon to not tell her. For some reason, Leon could not stop wondering why.
Seraphine pressed her lips together briefly, her mind flickering with mild irritation as she wondered who had the time to spread gossip on a night like this, when everything had been nothing short of chaotic.
"I will explain everything at the right time," she said in a low voice, keeping her response controlled as Leon leaned in again, clearly not satisfied.
"And those medications you ordered, were they for him?" he asked, his curiosity pushing just a little further.
Seraphine shook her head without hesitation before answering, "No, they were not," and then, as if offering him something to hold onto so he would stop pressing, she added, "When we go on that date, I will tell you everything."
She had not forgotten.
The invitation he made earlier, the one she had turned down because of Augustine, still lingered between them, and it was enough to earn her as smile from Leon. "Mysterious, but I can wait," he said, clearly satisfied for now.
Seraphine did not respond to that, instead turning her attention back to the man standing in front of her as she said, "You can go and see your father now," her tone returning to that calm, professional distance.
That should have been where the conversation ended.
She stepped past him, already moving forward with her thoughts fixed on everything else she needed to handle, but before she could take more than a few steps, his hand closed around her arm, stopping her completely.
The contact pulled a sharp flicker of irritation through her chest, and she was already turning to address it, prepared to remind him of boundaries he had no right crossing, when his voice reached her again.
"Doctor Sera, thank you."
The words came out quieter than she expected, carrying a sincerity that caught her off guard just enough to pause her reaction.
She turned fully to face him, her gaze settling on him for a moment before her expression cooled again into that familiar indifference.
"It is my job," she replied, her tone even as she pulled her arm free from his grip, putting distance between them once more.
She was about to leave again, ready to put this entire encounter behind her, when his voice followed her one more time, heavier now, carrying a question that refused to stay unspoken.
"Would you have saved him if you still knew he was my father?"