Three years into my marriage with Wei Shen, he was triggered by a highly compatible Omega and entered the heat cycle. I rushed to the scene but was barred from entering. Just a wall apart, I heard him whisper with a sneer, "Li Yan, you're just a Beta." A Beta can never truly calm an Alpha.
My hand froze on the door handle. "A suppressant..." Before I could finish, a voice interrupted, "Assistant Zhao, escort Madam home immediately." I bit back the sting and turned away, quickening my steps. At the elevator, I suddenly stopped. "No need to send me. Just stay with him." Assistant Zhao hesitated but stubbornly followed me inside. "Madam, please don't worry. The lounge has the latest type of suppressant. Besides, Director Wei ordered me to escort you home, sir." I pressed my lips together and silently walked toward the parking lot. Once in the passenger seat, my phone buzzed urgently.
Wei Shen is buying shares of our family business. Opening the message from my father, everything became clear why Wei Shen, who had always shared the heat cycles with me after marriage, suddenly started to reject me today. I lowered my head, gripping my phone so tightly my knuckles turned white. I seemed to be reliving that moment three years ago when Wei Shen stood at my family's door, clutching a financing proposal. The Wei Corporation had collapsed financially three years ago; no one in the industry wanted to help. Everyone was waiting for this giant to fall. I followed Wei Shen everywhere, watching him come home lost after one drinking party after another, crouched by a trash bin, helplessly pounding his fists.
Frustrated and anxious, I borrowed my friends' bank details and transferred all my savings in a lump sum to his account. Wei Shen wasn't one to lower his pride easily; the next day, he came to thank me in person and even wrote me an IOU. But it was only a drop in the ocean.
That's when I took the boldest step of my life. I told my parents, "Wei Shen and I have been secretly dating for four years. I won't let him go for anything in this life." My father cursed, saying I was deluded and refused to listen until I hit rock bottom. I knelt and argued, "Mom, Dad, Wei Shen isn't like that. He promised me that once Wei Corporation recovers, he'll marry me." After much back and forth, my parents agreed to see Wei Shen once. I excitedly approached Wei Shen, "Although my company isn't ranked highly, the situation is urgent. Maybe you'd consider partnering with us?"
The next day, Wei Shen showed up with a funding proposal. Surprisingly smooth, my father said it was a perfect plan, but he had one condition: "I want you and Li Yan to hold a banquet at once, invite both families and friends, openly acknowledge your relationship, and sign an agreement." Wei Shen's eyes locked on me, gratitude replaced by mockery. In that moment, my blood turned cold. But gratitude and obligation had no place here. Wei Shen had no choice.
The wedding declaration was staged. On our wedding night, he drank himself to oblivion, and since then, we slept separately. This was all my doing; I did not blame him. Until Wei Shen's heat cycle broke loose, and his father forcibly injected me with synthetic pheromones and sent me into his room a reckless night. When I woke, dragging exhausted limbs, I apologized, only to be met with a suffocating kiss. "No need to apologize. I know it's not your fault." I trembled and embraced his neck, tears silently falling. Since then, we tacitly agreed to live like partners more than lovers. Though respect outweighed love, that spark inside me bloomed quietly.
I secretly collected the items he once had no choice but to sell. One was a watch he had proudly declared his favorite, always worn. I bought it back at double the price and gave it to him on his birthday. He stared at the serial number long before pulling me close. "Thank you, Yan Yan." I thought that moment of warmth meant a new beginning. Wei Shen even went through lengths to adopt a little Alpha boy, Wei Yunqing, to secure our relationship's continuity.
In these times with critically low birth rates, unions between Alphas and Betas are strictly monitored. Without an heir, a couple must split within a year, each undergoing pheromone rematching. But now, it seemed I was just deluding myself. After Wei Corporation surged upwards again, it seemed he was finally ready to get rid of me. I forced a bitter smile, swallowed the lump in my throat, and headed home. As I pushed open the door, the little one dashed over with two big eyes darting behind me. "Daddy? He promised to read me a story tonight." I masked my feelings and picked him up. "Daddy's busy. How about Papa reads you tonight?" Thankfully, Wei Shen's lingering pheromones from yesterday had soothed the child into a peaceful night's sleep.
I was awoken by the incessant buzzing of my phone. Messages of large bank transfers and asset shift notices flooded in. Frowning, I called my father. "Dad, what's going on?" His weary voice came through. "Sweetheart, I'm worried about you. This will protect your future, so you don't have to worry anymore." I opened my mouth but only managed a faint, "I'm sorry." The call ended, and I kissed my sleeping son's forehead, filled with regret.
Then I called Wei Shen. Three rings, no answer. I texted Assistant Zhao. "Tell Wei Shen to answer." His hesitant reply came. "Mr. Wei's been injected with suppressants and is resting." I grabbed my car keys. "Okay, I'm heading to the office." As soon as I started the engine, Zhao shouted, "Madam, Mr. Wei isn't at the office." I pulled over and opened the navigation to his location, a luxury residential complex nearby. Biting my tongue until it tasted of blood, I started the engine again. A half-hour drive was more than enough time to tear my heart apart and try to sew it back together.
When the door opened, I was calm until I saw him. Wei Shen, disheveled, stepped aside to let me in. I swallowed the hurt and walked into the room, accidentally bumping into the corner of a table. No pain. Every sharp edge was padded with special foam, the floor covered in thick carpet, and the walls painted a warm cream. But everything felt alien to me. Wei Shen closed the door and sat opposite on the sofa. "Why are you here?" Putting aside my swirling thoughts of my parents, I whispered, "The marriage, it's my fault. It's not about them. Can you spare them? Do whatever you need to with me. I'll sign away everything if you want a divorce." His expression chilled suddenly. After a long pause, he scoffed, "Is that how you see me? As a thankless villain?" Hearing those words, I finally exhaled, shaking my head quickly.
I should have thanked him and left, but I couldn't stop myself. "You're in heat; shouldn't you be home?. Wei Shen glanced at me then turned away, revealing his undone fly. "I want to stay here." "Please, go home." I remembered the biology teacher's lecture: Alphas and Omegas spend their heat only in places where they feel safest. So this place, one I'd never been to before, was more comforting to Wei Shen than home. Who made it so, and when it was too painful to think about, and I had no right to question. I forced a smile and left awkwardly.
Back in the driver's seat, I finally let tears fall silently on the steering wheel. Alarm clock rang. I wiped my eyes and drove to the kindergarten. Rushing inside, I saw my son being hugged by a handsome young man with delicate features. I quickly took my son back and meant to thank him when he said, "Madam, hello. I'm Wei's new assistant, Shi Han." No wonder I'd never seen him before. I nodded, understanding. "Thank you, but why are you here?" Wei Shen's assistants besides Zhao usually handled only work matters.
My suspicion was confirmed when Shi Han pulled out a watch and handed it to me. "Apologies, Madam. On my first day, I didn't manage my pheromones well and caused trouble for Mr. Wei. This is the watch he left behind. Since Assistant Zhao said you might be busy, I volunteered to pick up the young master today." I heard none of the rest. The highly compatible Omega was him. Yet Wei Shen kept him around. I bitterly smiled and took the watch. "Thanks, I have things to handle. Take care." Walking back to the car was torturous. When I bent to place my son in the car seat, he asked, "Daddy, this watch smells so nice. Besides Daddy's scent, it smells like plums." I stiffened; I was sure the plum scent was Shi Han's pheromones.
How long must you keep something close to infuse Omega pheromones? I didn't know, but Wei Shen, who never parted with the watch, did. Assistant Zhao knew the watch's value too. Yet they all chose to turn a blind eye. I froze, realizing what it meant to be an exception.
The phone slipped from my hand. I called a designated driver. On the way, I stared at Wei Shen's number for a long time but decided to wait until his heat passed before telling him everything. He wanted freedom; I was willing to leave with nothing, but I didn't want endless unclear suffering or to become a stepping stone.
Getting out of the car, my son ran to hug my legs. "Papa, the day after tomorrow is baby's birthday. Will Daddy come home?" The toughest day of the heat cycle was coming up. I couldn't promise. I just gently rubbed his cheek and coaxed him to eat. But when I looked into his pitiful eyes before bed, I softened. At 10:30 p.m., I called Wei Shen. "Can you come back the day after tomorrow?" A long breath came over the line. "I will. It's the baby's birthday."
That evening, Wei Shen came home with cake and toys. We silently avoided the previous conflict, playing our parts for the child. Only when making a wish did something unexpected happen. "I hope every birthday I can be with Daddy." I smiled, smearing cake cream on his nose without a word. To my surprise, Wei Shen grabbed my wrist and drew a heart on the child's forehead. Startled, I met his warm eyes lit by candlelight. "Okay." I almost believed it was real. But our conversation in the study snapped me back.
The study only had a two-seat couch. I sat beside him out of habit. Wei Shen recoiled as if I were poison, stood, and moved to the desk. My heart ached, and I pushed the watch onto the table. "Shi Han gave this to me." Wei Shen nodded without putting the watch back on. I pressed on. "He's an Omega, your assistant." Wei Shen finally looked up. "Arranged by my father, for study." His father had sent people before, none stayed. Why was Shi Han different? I felt nausea rising, almost retching.
Suppressing it, I stared at Wei Shen. "Wei Shen, do you want a divorce?" The pen in his hand dropped with a sharp sound. "Why would you ask that?" See? He neither confirmed nor denied. In adult terms, silence meant consent. I stood and faced him, placing the watch in front of him. "Because I won't accept him as an exception or any third party." He wrapped the watch in a cloth and put it in a drawer. "You're overthinking. That day will never come." And left.
My mind swirled with unrealistic hope. I hurried to block him. "Today is the third day of the heat cycle..." Wei Shen looked down and tightened my collar. "Get some rest. Wei Corporation has a big project and uncertain overtime. I'll stay in the guest room." I stiffly returned to the master bedroom, staring at the synthetic pheromones scattered around. Only after Wei Shen left did I feel emotionally numb. Even when my son threw himself into my arms, I couldn't focus. "Daddy.... That's Daddy's scent." I smiled, sniffing his lifted wrist. "Mm, yes. Daddy used his pheromones to calm the baby." The boy grinned and left.
Carefully, I lifted a hand to my nose. If only I could still smell it. But all I sensed was stale milk. My brow furrowed as I pressed my hand to my forehead, burning hot. "Uncle Chen, please call the doctor." "Daddy...." Before I could finish, darkness engulfed me completely.
Chapter 01
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