* * *
Could he really not recognize me?
Just because I put on a blindfold?
Does that even make sense?
My eyes, filled with anxiety, closely observed his actions.
His movements were filled with caution and affection, as if he were holding something incredibly precious in his arms.
“You’ve got more than half your face covered by the blindfold. It’s hard enough to recognize someone even with just a mask. How could I possibly know? I’m not a god or anything.”
He said playfully, brushing my wet hair aside before biting gently on the back of my neck.
Perhaps because we were in the bathroom, the sound of every touch echoed vividly.
Not long after, I relaxed completely and leaned into him.
If it were the CEO I knew, he would have come running with a sword the moment he realized what was happening.
That thought eased my suspicions a bit, though I still felt unsure.
Leaning my cheek toward his face, I willingly accepted the dim darkness that slowly overtook me.
Thin rays of sunlight touching the corner of my eyes caused me to jerk up.
But with a groan, I collapsed back down.
My waist ached.
Not just a regular pain—it hurt so much I thought my spine might snap.
While I groaned and clutched my waist, someone behind me pulled me up, flipping me over.
I blinked in surprise at the warm heat I felt next to me and heard soft breathing above my head.
“It’s only 11 o’clock. Sleep a bit more…”
A low, scratchy voice and the sleep-filled face of Han Doha came into view.
Feeling uncomfortable lying on top of him, I tried to slide off, but something hard and hot pressing against me made me surrender and relax.
“If you moved just a little more, that would’ve been great,” he said with a grin, lightly kissing my now dry hair.
The sound of a dry kiss echoed, and then he wrapped his arms around my waist, slowly patting my back.
“Sleep more.”
“…I have to go home…”
“Later… okay?”
He pleaded softly, blinking slowly as if he could barely stay awake.
Knowing how he gets when he’s tired, I seized the moment.
“I… uh, I’m older than you.”
My voice was so hoarse it barely sounded human.
I let out a weak sigh, still lying on top of him.
He responded in a calm tone.
“You said you were 26.”
“…That’s not true.”
“Then should I call you ‘hyung’?”
He brushed my hair aside and gave my head another kiss, mumbling as he did.
“Alright, hyung, just sleep a little longer…”
Hearing him say that felt strange. ‘Hyung’?
It was a word I hadn’t heard since entering the adult world.
My fingers tingled.
Unsure of what to do, I rolled my eyes, then relaxed my body completely, sinking onto him.
“You did well. And… I got you a phone. You’ll need it to stay in touch if anything happens… Sleep well, hyung.”
Han Doha’s voice, slow and sleepy, faded as his breathing steadied.
Lying against his chest, I basked in the warmth that surrounded me.
Had there ever been a warmth this close in my life?
Perhaps the last time was when I was very young, barely remembering those days when my family of three was still together.
Being held by someone felt that foreign now.
Blinking slowly, I finally closed my eyes.
His rhythmic breathing brushed past my hair, his large hand resting on my waist, and the warmth covering my entire body pulled me into sleep.
I lightly gripped his firm forearm before letting go.
“…Send that bastard to the countryside. Talking nonsense about marriage—let him see what it’s like to stay celibate.”
I blinked my eyes slowly at the distant sound of a voice.
Reaching out my hand, all I touched was the cold texture of the blanket.
There was no warmth left, as if the person had been gone for a while.
After lying there for some time, I turned my gaze toward the sliver of light coming from the cracked door, where I could hear low murmuring voices.
I sat up sluggishly and looked around for something to wear.
Finally, I spotted a shirt hanging on the chair next to the bed and quietly pulled it toward me.
The white shirt was a bit too thick for summer wear, and it was much larger than my usual size—almost twice as big.
As I debated whether to find something else, I bit my lip, then gave up and started putting it on.
“That took longer than expected. Well, Ha Eunjoo got involved, and it’s a paper company anyway. Just come up with an excuse. If they find out the debtor’s vanished, there’ll be hell to pay. Keep the name under wraps… No, QK will handle that… Keep that separate.”
Ha Eunjoo. CEO Han’s twenty-second lover.
I paused, my arm halfway into the sleeve, lowering my gaze.
That’s a name I didn’t expect to hear here.
“There’s someone lined up for the TF project. He’s already on his way out. Damn it, the drugs will kill him at this rate. It’s worse than I thought. Maybe we should… No, no. Find someone discreet. And burn all the photos. Keep just one. Yeah, that’s it…”
TF?
The familiar term made me reflexively look toward the door, and through the small gap, my eyes met with the man’s.
He was holding a cigarette and a phone.
Startled, he quickly shut the door.
The sound of it locking echoed, creating a barrier between us.
As I fastened the buttons on the shirt, I felt my heart pounding in my chest.
A wave of unease washed over me.
This was where I stood.
Seonyul, the secretary, could share everything with Han Doha, but me?
As his casual partner, I wasn’t entitled to that.
That distinction became painfully clear in that moment.
Sitting on the bed, I let out a hollow laugh.
Getting carried away by his tender actions, I had assumed he would still be this way if he knew who I really was.
But if I got too comfortable, I would feel the bitter chill of being cast out into the cold, naked in the dead of winter.
There was another reason why I could never get caught.
The sound of the door handle turning caught my attention, and I looked up instinctively.
The door opened to reveal CEO Han in a deep navy bathrobe.
He stood at the entrance, looking at me sitting on the edge of the bed, his gaze sweeping up and down.
“Oh, this is… more than I expected,” he mumbled, trailing off as he walked over and gently brushed my hair aside.
“Did you sleep well?”
The sharp scent of cigarettes mixed with the fragrance of rosewood filled the air.
I kept my mouth shut as he knelt before me, slowly running his fingers up my calf.
The cold air from the AC had chilled my feet, so he placed them on his warm thigh.
He gave my knee a playful bite and rested his head against it, looking up at me.
“Why do you seem so upset?”
I shook my head quietly, keeping my mouth closed.
The oversized shirt I wore was so big that only the tips of my fingers peeked out from the sleeves.
Fidgeting with the cuffs, I tucked my fingers inside, pulling the hem down to cover my thighs as much as I could.
Watching me do this, he kissed my knee again and tilted his head.
“Wonder if the scent still lingers.”
A faint mix of rosewood and a hint of the sea. It seemed like his cologne had blended with it, so I nodded.
He grabbed my ankle and stood up, pulling me backward until I lay down on the soft bed.
The oversized shirt, which had barely covered my lower half, rode up, revealing my stomach.
I quickly raised my hand to pull it down, but CEO Han stopped me.
One leg was raised, my ankle in his grasp, while my stomach was partially exposed. And from the start, I wasn’t even wearing any pants.
What was he doing in the middle of the day?
My face flushed red as I flailed my hands, but he grabbed both my wrists and pinned them above my head.
“Why are you so mad?”
“…….”
“Hm? What’s wrong? How can I know if you don’t say anything?”
Isn’t It dangerous to be this close without a wig?
I pressed my lips together and turned my head to the side.
The way I just sat there, weakly exhaling, must’ve made me look quite pitiful.
Closing my eyes, I muttered gloomily.
My voice, scraped and whispered, sounded completely unlike myself.
“I’m an Omega.”
“……And?”
“An Omega, and a man.”
“…….”
“It’s filthy, isn’t it? A male Omega…”
It wasn’t as if society still openly discriminated against male Omegas. But the stares—they were still a reality.
Of course, people like Kim Jungha, CEO Han’s fiancé, were exceptions.
Men with money and power never became targets of such disdain.
As I spoke, a wave of bitterness welled up inside me.
Even though our relationship was nothing more than a few lines in a contract, the warmth that came to me without hesitation continued to unsettle me.
His actions, showering me with kisses while repeatedly calling me beautiful and lovable, made me uncomfortable.
He didn’t even know how hard I was trying to hide it.
This man couldn’t even differentiate between a mere sex partner and a deeper connection.
Despite having been with me for eight years, he was more affectionate to a sex partner he had known for barely a week, as if he’d give them everything.
“Don’t turn your head. Haven’t you learned that if you have something to say, you should look at the person while talking?”
“……But the wig…”
“Who do you think dried every single strand of your hair? I’ve already seen you without the wig, so stop making those useless excuses.”
“…….”
“When you walk into this hotel room, there’s only one thing you need to remember.”
“…….”
“You’re mine. That’s it. Leave everything else at the door.”
He spoke with a biting tone, then lightly kissed my trembling cheek.
His lips moved to the tip of my nose, my other cheek, and finally to my lips.
It was a dry, solemn kiss.
* * *
Thanks
❤️❤️
You guys should date already!!