When I opened my eyes, my whole body was a mess of sweat and fluids. I sat blankly for a long while, then, out of habit, got up and headed for the bathroom. An empty room, the faint traces of pheromones, a body sticky with filth. Those things had been familiar to me since childhood.

I washed under warm water, scrubbing away every trace of the heat cycle. I had climaxed so many times that by the end, the overstimulated skin stung at the slightest touch. Naturally, no semen came out anymore.

“Haa...”

A wave of bitter self-disgust surged through me. It was the same feeling that always came when a heat cycle ended. A sort of self-loathing, resentments that circled inside me without ever finding a target.

Still, maybe it was fortunate this time ended early. Usually I was bedridden for a full week. The problem was why the cycle had suddenly come forward like this...

“...I should go apologize first.”

After showing such a disgraceful sight, it was only proper to at least say something. Not to just anyone, but to Kwon Yido. I would have to explain it wasn’t intentional, that I simply couldn’t help it. And along the way, I should mention that once the weekend was over, I would be returning to the office.

After showering, I dried my hair and checked the time. It was close enough to lunch that visiting now wouldn’t be impolite. I adjusted my clothes again for no reason, and carefully checked that no dirty pheromone residue lingered.

Leaving my room and heading down to the first floor, I saw the household staff already waiting. They asked if I wanted a meal, and when I said no, they immediately went up the stairs—likely to clean my room. Catching one as they passed, I asked,

“Do you happen to know where Mr. Kwon is?”

They said Kwon Yido was in the second-floor study. Normally, even on weekends, he went to the office, but today he was working at home. That was how I learned which room at the far end of the second floor was his study, and that he often worked there.

The carved wooden door was as plain as all the others on that floor. Without opening it, there was no way to know what it was for. I took a deep breath and knocked lightly.

Knock, knock.

After a pause, a voice from inside told me to come in. My hand tightened on the doorknob, and for no clear reason a tension gripped me. The cold expression he had shown me flashed across my mind.

Click. The door opened, and the study came into view. A wall lined with bookshelves, a desk facing the door—and something else that caught my eye.

“Busy, so let’s keep it short.”

A gun. A long gun, its black body gleaming with a silver muzzle. Its weight and detail looked far too real to be fake.

Was it a lighter?

Sometimes people displayed guns as decorations. Most were fake. That one hanging on the wall was probably the same. It only looked too realistic because of the polished frame it rested in.

“What is it?”

When I stood staring, Kwon Yido pressed again. Slowly, I turned my head toward him. He was still writing, eyes fixed on documents, hands moving quickly.

“Sorry to drop in unannounced.”

“....”

For some reason, I thought he hesitated. His busy hand stopped dead. His brows furrowed faintly as he lifted his head.

“I just have something to say.”

So he dressed casually at home too. The way his hair was left loose felt oddly unfamiliar. The face that had always seemed so rigid now looked slightly softened.

“If it’s all right, just for a moment...”

“....”

“...Why are you looking at me like that?”

His gaze traveled slowly over me, head to toe. Was it a habit, looking like that? It didn’t feel like he was judging me this time, but rather sunk in thought.

“You’ve washed.”

The words slipped out almost like a mutter. When I looked puzzled, he frowned as though it were nothing.

“I couldn’t smell any pheromones left.”

“...Ah.”

An awkward heat flushed through me. Yesterday when he had entered my room, it must have been saturated with pheromones. The pheromones, heavy with lust, had been more humiliating than being naked.

“Yes, I just washed.”

“Speak.”

He set down his pen and folded his hands on the desk. His brow was still faintly furrowed, his gaze seemingly displeased. Lowering my eyes, I bowed.

“I must apologize for yesterday.”

After a heat cycle, my father had always looked at me like an animal. As a beta, it wasn’t strange he would find such a period disgusting, little different from rut. Of course, Kwon Yido was a dominant alpha, but seeing an omega laid bare like that would still have seemed filthy.

“My cycle is usually regular. I didn’t expect it to come suddenly. I should have prepared, but I acted irresponsibly. I’ll be more careful next time.”

“As long as you understand.”

His voice was flat, as if my words meant nothing. His expression said clearly: You came all this way just to say that? He didn’t look angry, but his indifference itself left me uneasy.

“...Um.”

He must have noticed the suppressants weren’t working. I could picture him confronting my father, demanding why he had sent such a defective product. What more could he expect from an omega like me? The fact that he hadn’t even touched me last night seemed suspicious.

“I know I’m male, so the chance of pregnancy is low. But since you’re a dominant, they said there should be no problem.”

I added the explanation calmly, to justify myself. I hadn’t been told the conditions directly, but I could guess. I wasn’t unaware of what my father meant by “doing my duty as an omega.”

“I don’t have any illnesses. The doctors said as long as the cycle matches, it should be fine.”

My head was astonishingly cool. I wasn’t flustered, nor babbling. I spoke as if stating facts, planning to tell him I would fit whatever conditions he laid out.

“So, what I mean—”

“There’s a type of person I hate most.”

His icy tone cut through my words. I flinched, and when I looked up, his face was far colder than before.

“Those who try to achieve their goals without the bare minimum of effort, relying only on other means. For example, pathetic types like you who think they can sell their body for a place.”

The word sell your body struck with a force beyond description. It wasn’t like when Minjae had spat insults. His frigid gaze, his hardened mouth—it truly looked like he found me repulsive.

“I know that pitiful body is all you have, but you should at least think about how you’d raise a child you birthed that way.”

He looked at me with genuine contempt. For the first time since I entered this house, shame burned through me. This must have been exactly what my father demanded of me—and now I had no idea what to do.

“If all they needed was an heir, there were plenty of omegas with better conditions than you. If your intent is to sell yourself, go to the fools willing to buy you, not me.”

“...I’m sorry.”

That was the only answer I could give. It wasn’t about pride—I just realized I’d made a mistake. I wanted to ask what it was he did want from me, but I wasn’t foolish enough to push that far.

“In the future... nothing like this will happen again.”

Whether it was showing such disgrace in front of him, or bringing up matters of heirs. Either way, I would have to be careful from now on. I couldn’t afford to ruin things out of impatience.

“At least you admit quickly. That’s convenient.”

He withdrew his gaze at once, picked up his pen again, and dismissed me entirely from his attention. The displeasure from earlier was already gone. When I didn’t leave, he tilted his head and asked sharply,

“Aren’t you going?”

“I’ll be returning to the company on Monday. I wanted to tell you that as well.”

I added the last of my business with him. Because if I walked out now, I might not see him again for some time. He replied blandly, without changing expression.

“There’s no need to report your daily life to me.”

So that was it. He had told me I could live as I wished. It hadn’t been freedom—it was abandonment.

“Sorry to disturb you when you’re busy.”

I bowed and turned to leave. By now I had a rough idea of how to treat him. He didn’t want warmth or intimacy. All I needed was to know my place.

“Ah.”

But just as I opened the door, he let out a short exclamation. I looked back, hand still on the knob. He gestured at me with his right hand, pointing to his own left ring finger.

“Don’t forget to wear your ring.”

“....”

He wasn’t even wearing his, but I didn’t say that. I just answered that I understood. He turned away at once, and that was the end of our conversation.

***

The short vacation passed, and at the company nothing had really changed. The Strategic Planning Division was as busy as ever, and work piled up in mountains. When I rode in with Mr. Kim in the company car, the staff greeted me cheerfully.

“Well, look who it is. Our newlywed Director!”

“Director, you smell like newlywed bliss.”

“Tell us, what’s it like a week into marriage?”

As always, I smiled warmly at their attention. Compared to that barren house, being at the office felt infinitely better. It almost gave me energy. Marriage to Kwon Yido felt like a dream.

“Wow, the ring! Is that a diamond?”

Soon their interest turned to the wedding band on my finger. It was expensive at a glance, so of course they marveled. Online too, endless talk went on about how much the ceremony and gifts must have cost.

“The ring is gorgeous.”

“No, it’s just that Director’s hand makes it look that way.”

“True, even a 50-cent toy ring would look pretty on you.”

They passed my hand around, fussing over it. I tried to slip off the ring to let them see, but none dared take it. They said it was too valuable, afraid of scratching it.

“I thought you were resigning, since you were doing handovers.”

“Haha... I just meant I’d be on leave for a while.”

“See? He calls two weeks a long break.”

Assistant Manager Yoon shook his head, teasing. He joked that someone at my level deserved to slack off more. I gave a faint laugh, glanced around at everyone, and suggested,

“Shall we have a company dinner tonight?”

As usual, the venue was a barbecue restaurant. At first they were reserved, but soon enough they ordered meat and drinks freely. They joked among themselves, clinked glasses, and occasionally poured me one too.

It was life as always. Before marriage, after marriage—nothing had changed. I was still the director, still had endless work to do.

“I’m glad, Director. You look happy.”

A beloved son, now a beloved spouse? All night I listened to their congratulations and admiration. When asked how well Kwon Yido treated me, I only kept smiling, as if words couldn’t capture it.

But after it was over and I returned to his house, the moment I stepped through the door I swallowed a sigh for no reason. The wide interior, the high ceilings. A house bigger than even my family’s mansion—yet it felt suffocating.

“....”

Why did I feel this way? No one to greet me—that had been the same since childhood. Nothing had changed except the setting.

I climbed silently to the third floor, heading to the room tucked away in the corner. Tomorrow I had work again, so I needed to sleep early. Sleeping pills... three should be enough tonight. 𝓯𝙧𝙚𝒆𝙬𝙚𝒃𝙣𝙤𝒗𝓮𝓵.𝙘𝙤𝙢

The quiet hallway felt too long. When I opened my door, something pressed tight around my throat. How many days would repeat like this? I forced the thought out of my head.

***

Several days passed. I repeated the same routine, even taking time to see Professor Choi. Because my cycle had shifted irregularly. But the explanation he gave was absurd.

“It happens sometimes. If the partner is too dominant, or the pheromone compatibility is especially good, the cycle can come earlier. In your case, it’s probably not genetic differences, but the latter.”

In short, my body had reacted to Kwon Yido as if imprinted, because of good compatibility. Professor Choi congratulated me, saying it was a good sign between spouses, but all I could do was smile weakly. If my cycle became erratic, I would be the only one burdened.

Should I ask about his cycle? Unfortunately, I never even got the chance.

Outside of work hours, I shut myself in my room, quiet as a mouse. I avoided meeting him whenever possible, even skipping meals if it meant not crossing paths. If we did meet, I only exchanged a nod before retreating again.

Ah, I’m sorry.

It was habit. When I first moved into my family’s house, I lived like this. Whenever I offended Father, I had to bow low and promise to be careful.

The only consolation was that over time, the staff warmed to me. The housekeeper who cleaned my room, the chef in charge of meals, and the gardener.

“It’s nothing, sir. It’s my job.”

“The master never says food tastes good.”

“Oh? You like flowers?”

All I had done was greet them politely whenever we met. At some point, their attitudes softened. They placed small decorations in my barren room, or asked what food I liked.

“Thank you for caring.”

I was grateful. On weekends when Kwon Yido was at work, I had to spend the entire day with them. If they disliked me, that time would have been unbearable.

Yes, much like this moment of facing him now.

“....”

“....”

One morning before work, when I went down to the kitchen, he was there—sitting at the table eating breakfast. As always, perfectly dressed, flawless.

“...Excuse me.”

I gave a greeting and moved to leave. Eating ✪ Nоvеlіgһt ✪ (Official version) with him was unthinkable. I would rather skip breakfast than sit together. I had only started eating in the mornings because the chef insisted.

“Sit.”

But as I turned, his quiet voice stopped me. With elegant motions he continued his meal, not even glancing my way, commanding me.

“I don’t like repeating myself. Sit down.”