Seol Yu-jin’s slow, hesitant steps eventually came to a complete stop. His gaze drifted downward to the party hall below, where numerous men were exchanging superficial pleasantries, their laughter ringing out in practiced ease.
Were they all mocking him as a whore behind those polite smiles?
A shiver crawled down his spine, making his body tremble involuntarily. He stood frozen in place, wavering. It took more courage to act on his thoughts than merely entertaining them. As he looked down at the clusters of people gathered in small groups below—
No one in this world knew better than him just how filthy he was.
A whisper he had long buried resurfaced in his mind, reverberating in his ears. The chilling words sent another wave of cold through him, paralyzing him for a moment. But at the same time, they gave him the final push he needed to step forward. There was no reason to hesitate anymore.
After all, he was nothing but a used rag.
Lifting his chin defiantly, Yu-jin strode down the stairs. He had no dignity left to protect, no honor to preserve. Those things belonged only to the noble figures of this household, not to him.
The moment he stepped into the party hall, his eyes swept across the room. A small group of men caught his attention, and just as his gaze lingered on them, one of them looked up. Their eyes met instantly. Forcing a smile onto his lips, Yu-jin curved them upward, even as his heart pounded wildly in his chest and his fingers trembled. But there was no turning back now.
The man nudged the person next to him and subtly gestured in Yu-jin’s direction. One by one, the others followed his gaze, their eyes locking onto Yu-jin. They exchanged a few murmured words among themselves before one of them stepped forward.
“Hello. We met earlier, didn’t we? Do you remember?”
The man approached him with a friendly smile, a faint, seductive scent wafting from his body.
An Alpha.
The pheromones eased Yu-jin’s nerves, melting the tension that had coiled inside him. His lips curled into a languid smile as he reached for the glass in the man’s hand. The man didn’t stop him, only watching intently as Yu-jin raised the glass to his lips and slowly tipped the liquor into his mouth.
Throughout the slow descent of the champagne down his throat, Yu-jin never once blinked, his eyes locked onto the man’s face.
“Huuh…”
A short exhale left Yu-jin’s lips as he emptied the glass. The alcohol, combined with the Alpha’s pheromones, quickly blurred the edges of his mind, dissolving his remaining inhibitions. As he lifted the now-empty glass in silent acknowledgment, the man took it back without hesitation.
Yu-jin let his fingers brush deliberately over the man’s hand before flashing him a coy, knowing smile.
“Now you’ll remember me.”
The man’s eyes gleamed with intrigue, his scent growing heavier in the air.
“You’re not taking suppressants, are you?”
His voice dipped into a hushed murmur, the tone laced with something unreadable. A brief glance over his shoulder, a small nod—Yu-jin noticed it all. The men who had been watching from a distance began moving closer.
Yu-jin thought to himself, See? I can do this too.
His breaths came quicker, uneven. The man towering over him leaned in, whispering close to his ear.
“I love your scent.”
***
A long plume of smoke curled into the night air, cutting a straight path before it gradually dispersed into a hazy mist.
Winston stood in the garden, lost in thought as he smoked his cigarette.
This was as good as done.
Yu-jin had gotten the warning, which meant he wouldn’t dare step out of line again. No more disappearing acts, no more playing around with other men. Winston was quite pleased with that.
Now, all that was left was for him to bear his child.
The Omega who had once given birth to his father’s child would now carry his. A bitter chuckle slipped past Winston’s lips, laced with self-mockery.
Ah, fuck.
His eyes narrowed as he took another drag from his cigarette, his expression twisting slightly.
Just the thought of getting that whore pregnant was enough to excite him.
The hardness pressing against his thigh was undeniable. His cock had swelled, straining against his trousers. Winston tried to focus on smoking, using it as a distraction, but at some point, he had forgotten to exhale.
I’m just following the will.
Even so, his arousal refused to subside. With a sigh of resignation, he stubbed out his cigarette. The weight between his legs made his steps heavier as he headed back to the party hall.
“Mr. Campbell.”
As Winston entered through the garden alone, the butler spotted him and quickly approached. There was an unusual flicker of unease on his usually impassive face, and Winston hesitated for a moment. Sensing his master’s reaction, the butler wasted no time getting to the point.
“It seems that, well… the young Mr. Campbell has had too much to drink. Perhaps it would be best to let him rest for the night.”
The mention of Campbell at the end referred to Yu-jin. Winston’s brow furrowed as the butler discreetly gestured toward a particular direction. Following his hand, Winston’s gaze landed on the scene—
And his entire body stiffened.
“AHAHAHAHAHA!”
Yu-jin was laughing—loudly, uncontrollably.
Surrounded by over a dozen men, he had claimed the center of a massive sofa, his admirers fanned out around him, filling every available space. Someone had told a joke, and he laughed so hard his entire body shook with it.
One of the men plucked the empty glass from Yu-jin’s fingers, and another swiftly replaced it with a fresh one. As he accepted it with a giggle, a hand reached out to touch him.
Smack.
Yu-jin playfully slapped the back of the man’s hand.
“I told you not to touch me without permission, didn’t I? Disobedient boys get punished.”
The gathered men erupted into laughter at his teasing scold. Then, suddenly, hands shot up in all directions.
“Punish me, Yu-jin!”
“No, me! Hit me instead!”
“Yu-jin, what about me? You have to punish me too!”
A chorus of eager voices clamored for his attention, and Yu-jin only laughed louder, as if he were genuinely having the time of his life.
“Hmm, what should I dooo?”
His words slurred slightly—perhaps the butler was right, and he was at least somewhat drunk. Stroking his chin in mock contemplation, Yu-jin swept his gaze over his adoring crowd before finally grabbing one of them by the tie and pulling him closer.
“A kiss, perhaps?”
At Yu-jin’s soft whisper, the man’s lips curved into an eager grin. He shifted, naturally positioning himself above Yu-jin, his arm wrapping around his waist. Just as their lips were about to meet—
“That’s enough.”
A cold voice cut through the air like a blade.
The man flinched in surprise, instinctively pulling away. But before he could fully retreat, Winston reached out—
“Ah!”
With a single, forceful yank, Yu-jin was ripped away as if plucked from the scene. His body, weightless for a moment, landed helplessly in Winston’s arms.
Winston held him tight, his gaze sweeping over the men surrounding them. He didn’t say a word. He didn’t have to. The thick, overpowering scent of his pheromones spoke volumes, the rage simmering beneath his composed exterior bleeding into the air around him.
“Uh, W-Winston…”
One of the men hesitantly spoke up, his voice edged with unease, but Winston didn’t acknowledge him. Without another word, he adjusted his grip, lifted Yu-jin into his arms, and stalked away with heavy, unyielding steps.
The remaining men exchanged bewildered glances, murmuring among themselves, but none dared to interfere.
***
The moment Winston stepped into the room, he hurled Yu-jin onto the bed.
The force sent his body bouncing briefly against the mattress before sinking into it. A startled scream tore from Yu-jin’s lips as he scrambled to steady himself, his breath ragged from the abrupt motion.
“Can’t you go a single day without spreading your legs for another man?”
Winston’s voice was laced with venom, his words slipping through clenched teeth.
Yu-jin, still reeling, fought to clear his spinning head. His face burned with heat—partly from the alcohol, partly from fury.
This man was always ready to condemn him. No matter what he did, no matter how he behaved, Winston would never react any differently.
So why the hell should I even bother trying?
“What the fuck does it matter?” Yu-jin shot back, his voice rough, unfiltered.
“Why shouldn’t I? Who I kiss, who I fuck—it has nothing to do with you.”
Winston’s expression twisted, his jaw tightening, his hands clenching at his sides.
“You’re my wife.” His voice was sharp, laced with barely restrained anger.
“Do you not understand what that means? It means you belong to me.”
“You’re wrong,” Yu-jin snapped. His eyes flashed defiantly as he glared up at Winston.
“We made a contract. That’s all this is. I don’t belong to anyone.”
His lips curled into a bitter smile as he spat out the words—
“I’m just a whore, aren’t I? A cheap slut who’d spread his legs for anyone as long as there’s money involved. I can fuck whoever I want, Winston. You have no claim over me.”
