Valentine’s Vow: Alpha’s Mate

Chapter 1: The Proposal Gone Wrong The elevator dings softly as I step out onto the 25th floor of Harvey's office building. My heart races—not out of nerves, but excitement. Today is Valentine’s Day, and everything is set. The ring box in my purse feels heavier than it should, almost like it knows how much is riding on this. My hands are clammy, and I wipe them on my dress as I walk toward Harvey’s office. This is it. The plan is simple: surprise him at work, propose, and then whisk him away for the romantic Maldives vacation I booked as a celebration. He’s been distant lately, stressed about work, but I’m convinced this will remind him how much we mean to each other. But the moment I reach his office door, the sound of soft laughter stops me cold. “Elena, stop. Someone might hear us,” Harvey’s voice whispers, low and teasing. “Oh, come on, Harvey,” a woman replies. I peek through the cracked door and see them—Harvey leaning against his desk, Elena, his assistant, standing dangerously close. Too close. She giggles again, and he pulls her closer. I freeze. “No one’s going to check,” she says, running a finger along his tie. “You’re impossible,” Harvey murmurs, before leaning in and kissing her. My vision blurs as the scene unfolds. I want to scream, cry, or storm in there and slap him, but my body won’t move. My chest tightens, and the air feels heavy. Finally, something snaps. I push the door open with enough force to make it bang against the wall. “Clara?” Harvey’s eyes widen in shock. Elena steps back, her smug expression quickly replaced with fake concern. “Oh, Clara, I didn’t—” “Don’t,” I snap, holding up a hand. “Save it.” My voice is shaky, but the anger boiling inside steadies me. Harvey stumbles over his words. “It’s not what it looks like—” “Really?” I spit. “Because it looks exactly like you’re kissing your assistant. On Valentine’s Day.” He starts to say something, but I don’t give him the chance. My hand dives into my purse, and I pull out the ring box. His eyes flick to it, and for a brief second, I see panic flash across his face. I laugh, bitter and cold, before tossing the box at him. It bounces off his chest and lands on the desk. “Happy Valentine’s Day, Harvey,” I say, turning on my heel. “Clara, wait!” he calls after me. I don’t wait. --- The city streets are loud and bustling, but I hardly notice as I storm out of the building. Tears blur my vision, but I blink them away. Harvey doesn’t deserve my tears. I stop at the curb, clutching my purse tightly. What was supposed to be a perfect day is now a complete disaster. My chest aches with anger and betrayal. I feel foolish—foolish for believing Harvey loved me, foolish for planning the proposal, and foolish for ever trusting him. “Excuse me, miss. Are you okay?” I turn sharply toward the voice and see a man standing a few feet away. He’s tall, well-dressed in a crisp black suit, and impossibly handsome. His piercing gray eyes lock onto mine with a mix of curiosity and concern. “I’m fine,” I snap, brushing past him. But as I step into the street, I notice something glinting in his hand—a coffee cup with a sleek silver logo. The same logo that’s plastered all over the building Harvey works in. I stop. “Wait a second,” I blurt. The man raises an eyebrow. “Yes?” “You work here, don’t you?” I gesture toward the towering skyscraper. His lips twitch into a small smirk. “I own it.” For a second, his words don’t register. Then they hit me, and my anger flares up again. This man—this stranger—owns the company where Harvey works. “Perfect,” I mutter. Before I can second-guess myself, I grab his left hand and yank it toward me. His brows furrow in confusion, but he doesn’t pull away. “What are you doing?” he asks, his voice calm but edged with curiosity. I pull the engagement ring out of my purse and shove it onto his finger. It fits, surprisingly enough. “There,” I say. “Congratulations, you’re engaged.” For a moment, he just stares at me, then down at the ring now sitting snugly on his finger. A deep chuckle rumbles in his chest. “Well, this is new,” he says, his voice tinged with amusement. “What’s going on here?” a familiar voice demands. I turn to see Harvey standing on the curb, his face a mix of confusion and fury. Elena hovers behind him, looking more smug than shocked. “Harvey,” the man beside me says smoothly, his tone laced with authority. “What an unexpected surprise.” “Boss?” Harvey stammers, his face paling. My jaw drops. Boss? I glance between the two men, my mind racing. Harvey works for this guy? “You know each other?” I ask, still clutching the stranger’s hand like a lifeline. The man smirks, his sharp gaze never leaving Harvey. “Oh, we go way back.” Harvey’s eyes flick nervously between us. “Clara, what’s going on?” I smile sweetly, despite the rage simmering beneath the surface. “What’s going on, Harvey, is that you’re fired.” The stranger’s head tilts, amused. “I wasn’t planning to fire anyone today, but…” He glances at me. “If my fiancée insists, who am I to argue?” Harvey’s jaw drops. “Fiancée?” “That’s right,” I say, tightening my grip on the man’s hand. “I’m done with you, Harvey. And guess what? I’ve upgraded.” The man beside me chuckles softly, his eyes glinting with something I can’t quite place. Harvey sputters, but before he can say anything else, I tug the stranger’s arm and start walking down the street. My heart is racing, and my palms are clammy, but the satisfaction of seeing Harvey’s face is worth it. After a few blocks, I finally stop and let go of the stranger’s hand. “I’m sorry,” I say, breathless. “I don’t know why I did that.” He studies me for a moment, his expression unreadable. “You don’t seem like someone who acts without reason.” I sigh, running a hand through my hair. “Let’s just say I had a bad day.” His lips quirk into a small smile. “I gathered that much.” “I’ll take the ring back,” I mumble, reaching for his hand. But he steps back, holding up his hand to stop me. “Keep it.” “What?” “Consider it a deal,” he says cryptically. “A deal?” Before I can press further, he slips a sleek business card into my hand. “Call me if you need anything, fiancée.” And with that, he turns and walks away, leaving me standing on the sidewalk with my heart pounding and my mind spinning. What just happened?