DOTH Volume 1 Chapter 3.13

“So, let’s hear what actually happened.” 

He pulled out a cigarette with an expression of indifference.

“The container was swapped. The contents are the same—guns and drones.”

“You mean the items are identical, but the codes are different.”

The swapped M88A firearms each bore unique identification codes. What Director Yeon needed wasn’t just any M88A model but specific guns with designated codes. Without those codes, those items were as good as useless.

“What about the swapped items?”

“They’ve been disposed of. Just in case.”

“Was Sunha involved in this?”

Fiddling with his lighter, the man slowly struck the flint. Flames lazily sparked to life, and Director Yeon bent forward to light his cigarette. His expression, as always, remained impenetrable.

“I heard you met with Managing Director Kang.”

Chief Nam asked. He assumed she would know about his meeting with Kang Seoui; after all, Chief Nam had extensive connections. It was likely her doing that Kang Seoui learned the omega accompanying Director Yeon was Jung Heeyeon.

“He made an intriguing offer.”

“What kind of offer?”

“He’ll scrap the gun lobbying project Sunha is currently working on.”

“For real? That’d be a huge loss for them. Though it’d be a big win for you, Director Yeon.”

Shrugging lightly, Director Yeon exhaled cigarette smoke, letting it dissipate slowly with his silence.

“Did you know that Sunha’s successor was the buyer of Jung Heeyeon?”

“What kind of nonsense is that? I told you that!”

“Oh, did you?”

At his composed response, Chief Nam scoffed in disbelief, patting her chest in frustration.

“You weren’t listening to me properly that time, were you?”

Director Yeon casually tapped the ash from his cigarette and got straight to the point.

“What about the site?”

“The site to hold Chairman Jung?”

Chief Nam swirled her glass as if confirming his words. The pure, untainted liquid shook violently under her hand.

“Yeah.”

“It’s been purchased.”

“Under whose name?”

Rather than speaking, Chief Nam mouthed the name silently. There was a spark of mischief in her eyes. At the sight of her subtle madness, Director Yeon let out a short laugh.

“Interesting.”

“Aren’t you curious to see Chairman Jung’s face? I’m so excited I can’t even sleep.”

Swinging her crossed legs enthusiastically, Chief Nam lifted her crystal glass to her lips. Before sipping, she asked nonchalantly, almost as if throwing it out there.

“You and Jung Heeyeon went to Adelaide yesterday, didn’t you? You know the rumors are out, right?”

“Good to know my public appearances are working.”

“Of course the rumors would spread. You took an omega out on Christmas of all days. Did you go there on purpose?”

The restaurant Director Yeon visited with Jung Heeyeon was called Adelaide. A strictly membership-only establishment, it was accessible solely to alphas and omegas. Though it had been dressed up like an ordinary restaurant for Christmas, its true purpose was different.

To Director Yeon, it was ‘a place where horny fools can safely meet to hook up’. It was an ideal location for people in the upper class to mingle discreetly, but its exclusivity made rumors spread quickly.

“Bring Lee Yootae in.”

“Already?”

“Weren’t you the one eager to deal with Chairman Jung quickly, Chief Nam?”

“I don’t mind, but why target Lee Yootae so soon?”

Director Yeon recalled the bruises on Jung Heeyeon’s pale skin. The only person who might dare hit that small Omega was Lee Yootae, the butler.

The beta man was crucial to their plan. That butler should also know the nature of the injections Jung Heeyeon received every two months.

“I have personal business with him.”

“If you bring Lee Yootae in, it’s only a matter of time before the news of Jung Heeyeon’s disappearance reaches Chairman Jung. You know that, right?”

Chairman Jung had relocated to a third country from China a few weeks ago. It seemed he was preparing to return to Korea, with his grandson nearing twenty.

The cunning old man was unaware of Jung Heeyeon’s absence, largely thanks to Lee Yootae. For fifteen years, the butler had sent weekly surveillance footage of Jung Heeyeon, leaving no room for doubt. Of course, the footage was all prerecorded, but Chairman Jung had no way of knowing.

“It’s about time we coax him into coming back to Korea. You know about Chairman Jung’s relocation, don’t you, Chief Nam? Surely you don’t think I turned a blind eye on purpose. If you planned to drag this out, I would’ve acted before he left China.”

Flicking cigarette ash into his half-filled whiskey glass, Director Yeon continued.

“And besides.”

“Besides?”

“Isn’t the hutch…”

“…”

“…always more effective in winter? Don’t you think so, Chief Nam?”

Nam Soohyun silently tilted her glass. The veins on the back of her hand bulged slightly as she gripped it tightly.

“And we’ll need to contact Lee Haejin as well.”

“Because of Jung Heeyeon’s pheromones?”

“He can’t keep consuming suppressants forever, right?”

Director Yeon recalled his conversation with Kim Jiwon earlier that afternoon. If things continued as they were, Jung Heeyeon would eventually go into heat or he would go into a rut. While he was confident he could manage a rut, handling an omega in heat, especially that of a dominant omega like Jung Heeyeon, was an entirely different matter—even for him.

“What will you do with him after all this is over?”

“I don’t understand why everyone’s so interested in the baby.”

“Do you think anyone could just ignore him?”

“Mind your own business, Chief Nam.”

Director Yeon stubbed his cigarette out in the crystal glass and stood. Jung Heeyeon was at home, he felt like he should at least air the place out.

“I’ll handle it myself.”

His words were a clear dismissal.

“You’re kicking me out now? After dumping tasks like Lee Yootae and Lee Haejin on me?”

“If you want to retrieve my items, you’d better move immediately.”

Nam Soohyun bit her lip, left speechless, though she still couldn’t resist a final jab at him.

“If anyone saw this, they’d think you were trying to fend off another alpha because of an omega.”

“Think that way if you like.”

Scoffing, Nam Soohyun snorted through her nose and grabbed her coat. She had no intention of staying in Director Yeon’s house longer than necessary. Even though she couldn’t sense his pheromones, the innate discomfort of being in another alpha’s domain was unavoidable.

She turned to leave without a goodbye, only to run into Jung Heeyeon, who had just stepped out of the bedroom.

“Oh… Are you leaving now?”

Director Yeon, who had been heading back to the bedroom, stopped in his tracks the moment he spotted Jung Heeyeon. He turned abruptly and walked briskly toward Nam Soohyun. It didn’t take long for her to realize he was instinctively guarding against her—an instinctive reaction from an alpha.

“You’re awake?”

Ignoring his departing guest completely, Director Yeon spoke gently to Jung Heeyeon.

“Yes, I got thirsty.”

Still half-asleep, Jung Heeyeon mumbled in a drowsy voice.

“Chief Nam Soo-… Oh, no, Chief Nam, goodbye.”

“Take care, sweetheart.”

Nam Soohyun poked Jung Heeyeon lightly on the cheek as she said her goodbye. Jung Heeyeon didn’t resist, merely nodding quietly. Standing beside him, Director Yeon brushed Nam Soohyun’s hand away, though it was more of a swat than a polite gesture.

“Your hands seem to have become careless, Chief Nam.”

Nam Soohyun glanced at her hand, still suspended in the air, and smirked. Director Yeon was throwing a fit. She opened her mouth to retort but closed it again, deciding to leave without arguing. It was clear nothing she said would matter.

“I’ll get in touch once I find any of the items or the person.”

“I’d prefer it to be both.”

“I’m leaving.”

With that, she opened the front door and stepped outside.

“Stay safe, sweetheart.”

Nam Soohyun made a point of winking and waving at Jung Heeyeon before disappearing. Director Yeon frowned, knowing full well she was acting that way on purpose.

“Goodbye.”

Receiving an unexpectedly over-the-top farewell for the first time, Jung Heeyeon looked slightly flustered before bowing politely in return. Though his face remained as expressionless as usual, he seemed puzzled as to why Nam Soohyun was blinking her eye at him. Nam Suhyeon gave another playful wink before disappearing behind the door.

“Heeyeon.”

“Yes?”

Director Yeon reached out and rubbed Jung Heeyeon’s cheek—the exact spot Nam Soohyun had touched earlier.

“Why did you stay still?”

Blinking in confusion, Jung Heeyeon tilted his head. He had simply assumed it was normal behavior, as Director Yeon often poked his cheeks. That’s why he hadn’t reacted differently when Nam Soohyun did the same.

“You do it often, so I thought it was just what alphas did.”

“You shouldn’t let anyone else do it.”

“Yes.”

Maybe it was because he was still sleepy, but the smile on Director Yeon’s face, despite its apparent warmth, seemed fierceful. Instead of questioning it, Jung Heeyeon obediently nodded.

***

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