TPLTMOE - Chapter 6

The black Maybach sped out of the underground parking garage like a gust of wind, leaving Zhao Qin standing alone in bewildered silence. Jiang Zhiyu drove swiftly, pulling to a stop in front of the Ling family's estate.

Right then, his phone rang. The moment he answered, a stern, reproachful voice crackled through the line.

"I heard Sheng Yi has already secured the Southeast Asian market? A project your people struggled with for so long, and he just waltzed in and signed it without breaking a sweat. I really don't know what you've been wasting your time on all this while!"

The Jiang family's main branch, led by Old Master Jiang, had always been sparse in numbers. As a child born late in his father's life, Jiang Zhiyu had been raised under immense expectations—groomed from the start to inherit the Jiang empire.

And he had lived up to those expectations. At a young age, he ascended to the helm of the Jiang conglomerate, overseeing its rapid expansion into a global powerhouse across multiple industries.

Jiang Sheng Yi, on the other hand, belonged to the second branch—the grandson of Jiang Zhiyu's uncle. His father, Jiang Zhisong, was already past fifty, making Jiang Zhiyu, despite his youth, Sheng Yi's "Little Uncle" in the family hierarchy.

"Busy reviving the Jiang Group you nearly bankrupted," Jiang Zhiyu replied coolly, his gaze flickering toward the little Omega strapped into the passenger seat. "The Southeast Asian market has no major prospects. I tossed it to the second branch for amusement—why are you taking it so seriously?"

Old Master Jiang's temper flared instantly. "What do you mean I nearly bankrupted the Jiang Group?! If I hadn't held this family enterprise together for over a decade, do you think you'd even have the capital for a comeback?! And 'for amusement?? Do you realize how long the Ling family has been entrenched in Southeast Asia? With their backing, won't the second branch's influence stretch past the borders into the mainland?"

At that, Jiang Zhiyu's eyes lingered on the serene, delicate face beside him.

He was well aware of the covetous eyes within the family—not just from the second and third branches, but countless others eyeing his position. He simply never cared enough to acknowledge them.

But this time, Jiang Shengyi had managed to boast his achievements all the way to the old man, which truly crossed the line of what Jiang Zhiyu could tolerate.

"What exactly are you trying to say?"

"Shengyi is four years younger than you and has been engaged for two years. In three months, even your nephew is getting married, yet you don't even have a partner you can bring home—how is this acceptable?!" the old man roared angrily. "Either take back all the businesses under the second branch's name, or hurry up and find someone to marry!"

With that, the call was abruptly disconnected.

The car fell into silence, the only remnants being the lingering scents of tequila and rose-flavored grapes, stubbornly entwined in the stagnant air.

Jiang Zhiyu tossed his phone aside and leaned over to unbuckle the seatbelt.

This little Omega was drenched in his own pheromones, his face flushed and unconscious, his entire body soaked as if he had just endured a merciless storm.

Jiang Zhiyu gazed at those plump, glistening lips—the delicate, rounded cupid's bow, the impossibly perfect shape.

Though he hadn't touched them, he knew they must be soft.

Everything about this little Omega was soft.

But he was Jiang Shengyi's fiancé.

It took Jiang Zhiyu a couple of seconds to recall this fact, his mind momentarily blank.

Yet, the realization suddenly sparked another thought.

An Enigma's pheromones possessed the power to destroy everything, and when an Alpha and Omega's pheromone compatibility reached 100%, they were called destined mates.

So right now, which scent dominated this little Omega's body—tequila or snow pine?

The Maybach's engine roared as it drove away from the Ling residence.

***

Beyond the coastal city's most extravagant and decadent villa district lay an endless stretch of azure bay.

The property prices here were astronomical, far beyond what mere wealth could secure.

And this entire stretch of coastal villas belonged to Jiang Zhiyu.

Some had been gifted as favors, others reserved for networking, while a few of the least desirable locations had been put up for auction, already fetching eight-figure bids.

The car entered the underground garage, where a row of luxury vehicles stood meticulously maintained, polished daily by professionals.

Ling Ran still hadn't regained consciousness, though his body temperature had normalized—his heat had clearly subsided.

Jiang Zhiyu still wrapped him in his suit jacket, carrying him all the way from the garage to the guest room in the villa.

This was one of Jiang Zhiyu's most frequented residences outside the Jiang family home, so it was regularly cleaned by housekeepers. The housekeeper, a male Beta named Song Yi, was in his thirties, single, and had an honest demeanor.

"Call Xu Guanyi over."

After giving the order, Jiang Zhiyu closed the guest room door.

Song Yi hurried downstairs to make the call. Xu Guanyi also lived in this villa district—his home, gifted by Jiang Zhiyu, was conveniently close to his hospital.

Xu Guanyi rushed over immediately after the call, having gathered from Song Yi's tone that their boss might have gotten someone pregnant.

But when he saw the small, soft Omega lying obediently on the bed, Xu Guanyi glanced between Jiang Zhiyu and the delicate Omega who looked barely older than a high schooler.

"The news just reported a case of an underage Omega being trafficked," Xu Guanyi hesitated before asking, "You didn't have anything to do with that, did you?"

Jiang Zhiyu stood by the large bed, his shirt crumpled beyond recognition at the chest. If Xu Guanyi weren't a beta who couldn't detect pheromones, he would have been overwhelmed by the overpowering mix of alcohol and grape scent radiating from him.

"You tell me," Jiang Zhiyu said coolly.

Having dealt with him for years, Xu Guanyi immediately understood there was no room for small talk.

"Of course it couldn't be you. You're the esteemed CEO of the Jiang Corporation, not to mention one of the rare enigmas in the world. With your status, you could have any alpha you want—why would you need to abduct an Omega?" Xu Guanyi's delicate face wore an ingratiating smile. "Right, President Jiang?"

Jiang Zhiyu tugged at his collar, accidentally popping two buttons open and revealing the sculpted, formidable muscles beneath.

Xu Guanyi silently thanked himself for dousing in suppressants before coming—otherwise, he might not have been able to handle it.

If only he were truly a beta who couldn't sense pheromones at all.

Xu Guanyi approached the bed, first examining the unconscious Omega before asking, "How did he pass out?"

Jiang Zhiyu replied in a low voice, "I did it."

"??!!" Xu Guanyi stared at him in shock. "You despise Omegas the most—don't tell me you marked him?"

"No," Jiang Zhiyu said. "Just let him inhale some pheromones."

Some?

This was some?

More like drowning the poor thing in a vat of wine!

Xu Guanyi didn't dare question him further. He pulled out two syringes, ready to inject the Omega—but just like Jiang Zhiyu, he froze when he saw the multiple needle marks already lining the Omega's arm.

"He can't take any more suppressants," Xu Guanyi said with a frown, his expression serious. "It seems he's been relying on them to get through his heats. Doesn't he have an alpha?"

Jiang Zhiyu shot him a sidelong glance, his voice icy. "He does."

"Then why hasn't his alpha marked him? How can such a delicate Omega endure the agony of every heat alone? That's just cruel."

As he spoke, Xu Guanyi scrutinized the Omega lying motionless on the bed. Suddenly, as if realizing something, his finger trembled as he pointed at him. "No, no, no—I know him! Isn't he the youngest son of the Ling family, the one engaged to Jiang Shengyi?!"

Xu Guanyi knew the details so well because he had personally conducted the pheromone compatibility report for Jiang Shengyi and Ling Ran. He also knew they were fated mates.

"I think his name is Ling Ran, right?" Xu Guanyi continued. "What he needs now isn't suppressants—it's his fated mate's pheromones. Even if Jiang Shengyi hasn't marked him, the natural attraction between fated mates is impossible to resist. The longer they're together, the more the Omega will crave the alpha's pheromones and mark. Otherwise, it could cause irreversible damage to his body."

Jiang Zhiyu suddenly asked, "Does the destined pair have such a strong influence?"

Xu Guanyi looked at him with disbelief. "Of course! Except for enigmas like you with extreme self-control and betas who can't smell pheromones, all alphas and omegas are driven by instinct. Even if there's no love, as long as the compatibility is high enough, they'll still end up together because of biology."

Jiang Zhiyu asked, "How much longer until he wakes up?"

Xu Guanyi gave Ling Ran a nutrient injection and a sedative before answering, "Could be tonight, tomorrow night, or even the night after." Which was as good as saying nothing.

After the two left the guest room, Xu Guanyi finally asked, "Honorable President Jiang, your esteemed second brother asked me to inquire when you might have time to return to the old mansion. He said there's something very important he needs to discuss with you in person." The "second brother" Xu Guanyi referred to was actually Jiang Zhichen, the only son of the Jiang family's third branch.

Though only two years older than Jiang Zhiyu, Jiang Zhichen held no position in the Jiang Corporation—simply because he was a cripple who needed a wheelchair to get around.

Xu Guanyi had originally been the family doctor at the old mansion, overseeing Jiang Zhichen's rehabilitation.

"In a couple of days," Jiang Zhiyu replied.

"Understood, Honorable President Jiang. I'll be waiting at the old mansion. Please don't stand me up."

After Xu Guanyi left, Jiang Zhiyu instructed Song Yi to take good care of the person in the guest room and to call him immediately if anything happened. Then, he too left the villa.

***

Ling Ran's sleep was unusually long and heavy. In his dreams, it felt like he had been beaten up repeatedly, leaving his entire body aching as if it might fall apart at any moment.

When he finally opened his eyes, he was met with an unfamiliar ceiling.

This wasn't his bedroom.

Ling Ran jolted awake and sat up abruptly.

He was still wearing the same preppy-style knit vest and shirt, but now, besides his own pheromones, his clothes carried an overpowering scent of alcohol.

Just a few shallow breaths were enough to nearly intoxicate him.

It was the smell of top-shelf liquor.

The room was decorated in a simple yet understatedly luxurious style. Beside the large bed was a floor-to-ceiling window, but outside, the sky was already dark, with only the dim glow of streetlights filtering in.

Where was this?

Ling Ran struggled to get out of bed. His body felt sticky and uncomfortable, especially the back of his pants, which seemed to have a large patch of dried moisture clinging to his legs with every movement, making it unbearable.

His head was still foggy, and fragmented memories kept surfacing—being pinned in a confined space, his wrists gripped tightly, his slender waist held in place, forced to take in the pheromones of a stranger.

This place was dangerous. He needed to leave immediately.

His legs were weak and shaky, each step unsteady. By the time he finally reached the door, someone suddenly appeared outside, blocking his path.

The beta standing there smiled warmly. "I'm sorry, sir, but you can't leave yet."

Ling Ran clenched his fists, his eyes full of wariness. "Why not?"

Song Yi stepped inside, holding a set of clean clothes. "Because those are President Jiang's orders."

"President Jiang?" Ling Ran's eyes widened in shock. "Jiang Zhiyu?"

Song Yi smiled and nodded, "That's right. There's only one President Jiang in the Jiang family. The rest are merely vice presidents. And if you marry Sheng Yi in the future, you'll have to address President Jiang as 'uncle"."

“...”

Ling Ran seethed inwardly but dared not show it too openly.

He couldn't let anyone know that he'd been pinned down in the car by that uncle and had fainted from the overwhelming pheromones. "When can I leave here?" Ling Ran asked.

"You'll have to wait until President Jiang returns at the very least," Song Yi replied politely with a smile, handing Ling Ran a set of clothes. "Would you like to change into something clean first?"

Ling Ran was indeed disheveled and sticky, and he absolutely couldn't go home in this state.

Taking the clothes from Song Yi, he obediently thanked him.

"You're welcome," Song Yi said cheerfully. "The water heater is ready to use, and there are new scent blockers and suppressants under the sink. Feel free to use them. I'll leave you to it now."

With that, Song Yi turned and left the room.

Ling Ran walked over to lock the door from the inside, then secured the floor-to-ceiling windows and drew the curtains before finally feeling at ease as he carried the clothes into the bathroom.

Only then did he notice that the bathroom door offered a faint view of the inside from the outside. But since he was alone in the room, it didn't matter much.

The clothes he was wearing reeked of mixed pheromones, unbearable to the nose. Ling Ran balled them up and tossed them straight into the trash bin in the bathroom.

The bathroom had a large, comfortable double bathtub. Ling Ran filled it with water, lay down, and turned on the massage function. The soothing hot water seemed to wash away all the soreness and discomfort in his body.

He closed his eyes contentedly, and as his body relaxed, a faint scent of roses mixed with grapefruit slowly wafted from the gland at the nape of his neck.

Unbeknownst to him, the door he had carefully locked from the inside had been quietly unlocked from the outside and was now being slowly pushed open.

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