* * *
It all made sense now—Yeo Woohee’s abandonment at the orphanage when he was young had turned out to be Yeo Jinwoo’s greatest stroke of luck.
He imagined the day he’d confront Yeo Woohee, after erasing all evidence of the murders and arson that had shackled him.
He’d press Yeo Woohee into a corner, exposing the secret of his omega nature.
Yeo Woohee, terrified, would beg him with tearful eyes, pleading not to reveal the truth to their parents.
For Yeo Woohee, who grew up striving for perfection to earn their parents’ love, this would feel like a matter of life and death.
But their parents wouldn’t be shocked to learn that Yeo Woohee was an omega, nor would they love him any less for not being an alpha.
Only Yeo Woohee didn’t know this—because he’d experienced being abandoned once before.
Even though he had just climaxed, Yeo Jinwoo found himself aroused again.
He envisioned stripping the clothes off a kneeling Yeo Woohee, who would be begging on his knees, hands pressed together, pleading for secrecy.
He’d teach him to climax from just his sensitive nipples, twisting them until he was lost in pleasure.
Each morning, he’d make Yeo Woohee wake him up by putting his c*ck into that tight little hole.
After returning home from any outing, he’d inspect Yeo Woohee for any traces of other alphas, ensuring his claim was unchallenged.
Those pink-tinted joints of his body?
Yeo Jinwoo would suck on them until they were marked, savoring the sweetness as if they were peach-flavored candies.
But Yeo Jinwoo had been patient for so long—too long—to ruin things by storming into his brother’s room, ripping his clothes apart, and taking him by force.
He stood there, rooted, long after Yeo Woohee had disappeared down the hall, before finally closing the door.
Outside, the rain poured down relentlessly, thunder rumbling every so often.
In the dark hours before dawn, Yeo Jinwoo writhed in agony, tormented by his forbidden desire for the one he shouldn’t covet.
On his bed, he kicked so violently that the sheets came undone, clawing at the pheromone gland on his neck as he stiffened with arousal once more.
He regretted not inviting Yeo Woohee into his room thousands of times over.
As his heat waned, the storm outside began to subside.
The downpour gave way to a misty calm, with fog settling over the damp earth.
Yeo Jinwoo rose from bed as if nothing had happened, showered, and dressed for work.
He descended to the dining room, ordering the staff to bring him peaches.
To quell the fiery desire churning in his stomach, he devoured the beautiful fruit.
Juicy peaches, bursting with sweetness, dripped nectar down his fingers with every bite.
When Yeo Woohee entered the dining room for breakfast, their eyes met.
Yeo Jinwoo smiled warmly, playing the role of the affectionate older brother.
“Good morning, Woohee. Did you sleep well?”
Yeo Woohee’s timid nature showed as he pouted slightly, unable to fully mask his hurt feelings.
Tears welled up in his eyes, tinging the corners with a rosy hue.
His pale face, drawn from lack of sleep, looked even more fragile than usual.
Yeo Jinwoo gazed at Yeo Woohee’s delicate nape as though he could devour him, licking the peach juice off his arm with an almost predatory air.
Kang Sunghee was furious at the reckless actions Kang Dohee had taken on his own.
To think he’d threaten Chairman Yeo, a figure of immense power, without any contingency plans in place.
Someone like Chairman Yeo could easily abduct and kill Kang Dohee, then seize the video incriminating Yeo Jinwoo.
Of course, Kang Sunghee wasn’t a man to be trifled with, so such an outcome wasn’t likely.
Still, what Kang Dohee did last night was reckless and impulsive.
To show his displeasure, Kang Sunghee sat at the breakfast table but didn’t touch a single bite of the meal the staff had prepared.
Across from him, Kang Dohee bowed his head low and apologized.
“What the hell were you thinking, going up against Chairman Yeo? Do you have nine lives or something?”
“I’m truly sorry. But I couldn’t just stand by and let Yeo Jinwoo go unchecked, knowing Woohee was in danger at that house. Chairman Yeo is the only one who can control Yeo Jinwoo.”
The morning news droned on from the television in the living room, left on to fill the quiet house inhabited only by alphas.
It reported that a fire had broken out at a mental hospital in Gapyeong, killing a doctor and a nurse.
The fire department suspected an electrical short circuit as the cause.
Kang Dohee couldn’t stand to hear the blatant lies being spouted on the news.
He stood abruptly, grabbed the remote, and turned off the TV before returning to his seat at the table.
Kang Sunghee rubbed his temples, frustrated.
The skill with which Chairman Yeo concealed the truth was infuriating.
No one would bother questioning the reason behind the fire at the Gapyeong mental hospital anymore.
When his son was a child, Kang Sunghee had temporarily placed him in an orphanage while he dealt with a rebellious faction in his organization.
After eliminating the traitors, he went to retrieve his son, only to find that he had become like a loyal dog to a child named Yeo Woohee.
His son had told him how Woohee had stood up to bullies to protect him and was beaten so badly that he’d coughed up blood.
From that moment on, Kang Dohee vowed to protect Woohee in return.
But when Woohee returned home, he died in a car accident.
His son had been consumed by grief, tormented by the belief that he had failed to protect Woohee.
It had only been a week-long connection, yet Kang Dohee had suffered as if half of himself had been ripped away.
So, when news came that Yeo Woohee was alive, Kang Sunghee thought it was a stroke of fortune—until he learned that Woohee was the second son of the OL Group.
Kang Sunghee didn’t want his son getting caught up in someone else’s succession war and being sacrificed. Yet Kang Dohee seemed to have already resolved to protect Woohee at all costs.
Even if Kang Dohee succeeded in stopping Yeo Jinwoo from killing his brother and taking over the company, Woohee was still a dominant alpha.
There was no chance of marrying him to his son, nor would Kang Dohee have any role within OL Group even if Woohee inherited the company.
While there could be some business advantages, Kang Sunghee’s political allies, made up of lawmakers backed by the Black Bear Gang, already gave him a firm grip on his resort ventures.
OL Group’s help wasn’t necessary.
This was nothing more than his son risking his life to protect a friend.
Kang Sunghee figured he’d have to make a call to Chairman Yeo to make it clear that Kang Dohee had his protection.
It couldn’t hurt to provide some cover for his son.
What choice did he have?
His son had thrown himself into this pointless fight, determined to guard Yeo Woohee like a loyal dog.
He couldn’t drag his son back to the empty, depressed shell he’d been when he thought Woohee was dead.
“That maniac burned down a hospital and just went home like nothing happened. There’s no telling what he’ll do next. Threatening Chairman Yeo was wrong, but I’d do the same thing again if I had to. I have no regrets.”
Kang Dohee’s eyes already gleamed with the loyalty of a dog devoted to its master.
* * *
