18

A cool breeze swept over the terrace, and below, a vast sea of city lights stretched endlessly, neon colors flickering.

“How did you end up here?”

The cool scent of the pheromone, like frost spreading with each of its owner’s steps, moved forward. Without turning, the omega knew it was Mr. A.

“Because it’s the coolest spot,” he replied with a shy smile, “I don’t like the heat.”

Mr. A stood beside him, both of them quiet for a moment. After a pause, Mr. A spoke first, “Do you really have that much money?”

The omega was momentarily stunned, then burst into laughter, “No, of course not! I was just bluffing to scare him! He doesn’t know the exact amount anyway, so I just gave him a little fright.”

Mr. A laughed too. “It was definitely scary. But what you just said surprised me.”

The omega suddenly noticed that tonight, Mr. A didn’t seem as sharp-tongued as usual; instead, he had a gentleness that felt a bit unfamiliar.

The omega said, “I meant every word. I’ve already surpassed him; now he has to look up to see me. He’ll probably stay afraid of me for a long time. So, why would I waste any more time on him?”

Mr. A shook his head and said, “Take out your communicator.”

The omega raised his wrist as told. “What is it?”

With a soft “ding,” a huge sum of money suddenly appeared in his account.

“Huh?” He was stunned. “Isn’t this…?”

“Yes,” Mr. A nodded. “It’s your money. I’m giving it back to you.”

“But why?!” The omega was completely taken aback. “I already handed it over—why return it?”

“I’ve already deducted all your expenses from the past four months. The remaining money was the extra amount I asked from you.”

Mr. A’s expression was calm and composed. “When I first saw you four months ago, it really gave me a headache. To put it in perspective, if every person were an apple bitten by the Creator, then you’re more like…”

“A heavily bitten apple?” The omega’s courage grew, perhaps because Mr. A was unusually patient tonight.

“…more like the muddy dirt used to plant apple trees.” Mr. A gave him a cold glance. “You want to be an apple? You don’t look nearly as good as you imagine.”

The omega was at a loss for words, no longer daring to speak recklessly.

“So, I raised the amount to put some pressure on you, to push you to keep going.” Mr. A’s gaze softened. “But I didn’t expect you’d actually make it through.”

“The first phase of the program—you passed it with full marks,” Mr. A said. “Even what you just said proves to me that you’ve earned your qualification. Congratulations.”

The omega looked at Mr. A’s gentle eyes, with the vast, brilliant stars above and endless city lights below. He widened his eyes, feeling as if he were dreaming.

After a moment, the omega snapped back to reality. “What about the second phase? What do I need to do?”

“That’s up to you,” Mr. A replied. “You have money and connections your parents left you—that’s your foundation. But without those, could you still take care of yourself, make a living with your own hands?”

“Take a course in something you love. Didn’t you say you enjoy making desserts?” Mr. A suggested. “Now, you should have enough self-discipline. Try developing that path; you might gain something unexpected.”

The omega looked at him, and Mr. A tucked a rose into his coat pocket, saying softly, “Starting tomorrow, your second phase begins. Keep pushing forward.”

The next day, after taking a break, Mr. A added many plans to Omega’s schedule for systematically learning how to make desserts. He attended classes while working out to maintain his fitness, leading a fulfilling and busy life.

He added Coach Beta as a friend. She was one of his few friends—a cheerful and kind woman. He often tried making some not-too-sweet snacks to offer her. She happily accepted them, regardless of how many calories they had, seeing them as Omega’s gesture.

“Hey, do you want to become a pastry chef in the future?” she asked Omega during a break.

“Well, I’m not really sure,” Omega replied, wiping the sweat from his hair. “But finding a job I enjoy would be pretty nice.”

Coach Beta nodded. “Actually, I’ve worked with many omegas. Some of them still have a long-term professional relationship with me, but you’re a bit different.”

“Omegas?” He looked surprised. “Are there really that many who come to the gym?”

“Oh, plenty,” the coach chuckled. “Some come because they feel cooped up at home and want a change of scenery, but others come purely to build strength. They’re determined to make their mark in the workplace—it’s really impressive.”

“In the workplace…make a name for themselves?” Omega was a bit stunned. “Aren’t they omegas? How…?”

Coach Beta sighed, shaking her head. “If your background isn’t strong, being an omega doesn’t change anything. Even if some try to change their lives through marriage, how many actually succeed? Competition is fierce, and the workplace is brutal. If you can’t work hard to earn money and secure your footing, then the only option is to go home, raise kids, and hand over resources to those who have more determination than you.

Times have changed. While omegas might naturally be gentle, many no longer want to be bound by family or controlled by an alpha,” she took a sip of water. “So, when I met you, I was genuinely surprised.”

Omega: “Huh? Why are you surprised? Is it because I don’t look like an omega?”

Coach Beta laughed. “No, it’s not about your looks. I just think, even though you seem like the typical omega—one who’s submissive to alphas, keeping your head down, obedient—yet you dared to offer an alpha ‘financial support.’ I honestly don’t know whether to say you’re bold or something else.”

Omega was even more confused. “No, it’s not like that. I’ve been oppressed by him, and I never said anything about taking advantage of him or anything. Besides, I have money, he doesn’t, and he needs money. So, isn’t it fair for me to propose this condition?”

Coach Beta studied him for a moment, then nodded meaningfully and patted his shoulder. “That’s the look.”

“Huh?”

“That look, the one that seems so innocent and unquestioning,” Coach Beta sighed. “I don’t know what your childhood or your past environment was like, but it’s clear you don’t have much of the typical ABO hierarchical mindset. An alpha needs money, so you think he could accept your financial support; you need someone to be with you, so you let him treat you however he wants, being obedient and compliant.”

“You didn’t submit to him because he’s stronger than you; you submitted because he has something you need,” Coach Beta said. “You see, once you have other forms of support and no longer need him, you didn’t hesitate for a second before calling him here to end things, did you?”

Omega was completely stunned.

“How could that be?!” he exclaimed. “I… I’m not that kind of person!”