逆转 (Reverse) – 莲鹤夫人
Chapter 13
“You’ve lost it.” his omega sister remarked, “You’ve completely lost it.”
The omega spoke back, “I’ve decided. If the research hits a dead end, there’s no way I can leave him without paying a price.”
The jewelry on her neck and arms clinked forcefully when she gripped his hand. Dragging him into a quiet corner of the room, her expression became darker. She clenched her jaw and yelled, “Is it even worth it to go to this extent just to break your marriage with him?!”
Neither confirming nor denying, the omega lowered his gaze.
Seeing him hesitate, she told him in a serious voice, “You’re young. Do you know what it means to remove your gland? They’re connected directly to your brain! You’d stop being an omega. You won’t have any children. Your body would lose its balance. You’d cut your life short!”
“Is my omega status… really that important?”
She gave him a piercing glare and said, “You think I’m going to give you a lecture about how nobody will accept you if you don’t have omega status, and you’ll die alone? Yes, you’re an omega. It’s what you are since the day you manifested. If you cut off your gland, you won’t have any pheromones to guide your social interactions, and you won’t be an omega, a beta, or even a low-tier alpha. You would have to start over with everything you know and have done in your life. You’d know what it’s like to have your whole social identity turned upside down.”
“I get that, Jiejie,” the omega said with a nod, “Seriously, I do.”
“Then why the hell are you still doing that?!” She almost yelled, “Have you ever seen an omega take out their gland because they were sick or stressed? Removing their gland can reduce their lifespan by at least ten years! Are you really willing to go through such trouble for one bad marriage?”
Meeting her eyes, the omega raised his head.
Her rage, like fire cooled by cold water, subsided and evaporated as she gazed into his charming, sorrowful, clear eyes, despite the strong heaving in her chest.
“…Tell me.” she breathed out, feeling physically and mentally worn out as if years had passed in an instant, “Is this all there is to it? I thought… I thought he only looked down on you and our family. What on earth is really going on?”
The omega mustered a little smile, not sure where to start.
“He doesn’t look down on me or our family. He looks down on all omegas and anyone who is weaker or lower than him. He would never have looked at me twice without the reverse virus,” he said softly, “if our marriage had even lasted that long.”
“I love him. I loved him a lot. He’s a top-tier alpha—beautiful, tall, difficult to understand, and with power over everything. He showers you with devotion when he smiles at you. The first time he smiled at me, it felt like eighteen years of spring had passed in a flash… He’s still my husband, after all.”
His sister said nothing.
In the thick quiet, she asked in a hesitant whisper, “He… doesn’t love you? He doesn’t care about you at all?”
The omega replied softly, “He doesn’t care at all. Not even pity. He wants an outlet and a pet—not someone who wants to be independent. He rarely comes home, and when he does, he refuses to talk to me. I did everything I could, but sometimes it felt like begging for water during a drought—praying for rain that might never come and pleading with him to respond in any way at all.”
“I felt terrified during my heat cycles while he sat in his chair, looking marvelous, and refused to touch me. I remember being on the ground, screaming and crying while overheating from head to toe. Even begging was too hard for me. Do you know how that feels, Jie?”
His sister was speechless as she turned pale and her lips quivered under her beautiful lipstick.
She knew. A marked omega goes through a hellish heat cycle without the help of their partner. It’s self-punishment; comparing it to fire burning the body is too tame. Each heat cycle affects the other. The omega’s pheromones rush out of control, draining their body until only skin stretched over bones is left. The only thing that can stop it is the alpha’s pheromones and… bodily fluids… which ease the pain and give warmth as a reward.
Omegas, when left to their fate, cry like a baby, scream like a mother giving birth, and then eventually fall into convulsions that are worse than death. It’s like leaving a body out in the hot sun for days or vacuum-drying meat until you can see every vein.
Nobody would willingly put their mate through that. Absolutely nobody.
“…Impossible. You’re bonded! He can’t stay unaffected! He’s not… dead!” she sobbed uncontrollably, “If you’re in pain, doesn’t he feel it too? After all, he’s…”
“He’s unaffected.” the omega said lowly, “He’s a top-tier alpha. Only he has power over what affects him. No one, not even his marked partner, can affect him.”
His sister was completely frozen.
Yes. Top-tier alphas. They were born with all the doors of the world open to them. An advantage to have privilege without having to be rich or powerful. Some people are just more intelligent, powerful, or skilled than others; what can they do?
“…How many times?” her voice cracked with a question.
“Probably around…” the omega softly laughed and stated, “Oh, I stopped counting. I don’t want to. I observe his moods; he seems to like teasing me and use me to entertain himself.”
Her tears streamed down onto her coat. Even with her expensive makeup, only two water stains traced the fabric. She finally swallowed and said, “So you knew the whole time… that lunatic would never let you go easily…”
The omega shook his head and said, “Each time the mark stays intact, he’ll also continue to suffer. Besides, we’re highly compatible. If pheromones are needed for a cure, he has no excuse not to choose me… I’d rather sacrifice my gland first in exchange for my freedom.”
“…Then let’s just run!” Her face showed both sadness and determination. With desperate eyes, she grabbed his shoulders, “Get rid of the mark, and I’ll pay for the therapy. I’ll pay for anything, even plastic surgery! Run somewhere nobody knows you. Anywhere at all! You can have my necklace, earrings, and brooch…”
She yanked off her heavy jewelry and shoved it into his hands.
“No, Jiejie! Calm down. I don’t need any of these.” the omega held her hands tightly and said, “I can’t run away from this. He’ll find out about you if I get away, and the family will be hurt by it.”
Tears welled up in her eyes as she glanced at him, her disheveled hair falling around her ears.
“So… what will you do?” she asked, “Huh? Are you going to give your life for somebody else? When will you stop being so selfless? You comfort him when he’s in a rut, but did he care when he was abusive with you? Did the family help you? No—all they do is drain us and you even more!”
The voices of servants walked by outside. The omega didn’t say anything for a long time.
“Yes. I told him the same thing before.” His eyes were steady and calm as he continued, “I hate being an omega. My background and status, as well as my surroundings, keep me from stepping into the alpha territory. Protecting myself and helping my family were things I learned, but not about politics or the rights of the minority. If I could, I might even run for office and give my husband a run for his money. But I can’t.”
“So,” he added, “at least let me try to help others around me. Let me test the reverse virus. A fifty-fifty chance. If it really is a genetic evolution, and I sacrifice my gland, you’ll all be free—and I’ll be able to break away from this marriage and gain my independence.”
His sister gently let go of his hands.
“Have you… really made up your mind?” she spoke quietly.
“Yes,” the omega nodded, “I’ve made my decision.”
He put on her earrings, fixed her brooch, tidied up her hair, and set her coat straight, “Don’t worry about me, I’m okay. Come on, let’s go. The event is ending anyway.”
⋮
On the drive home, the alpha sat in the car with the omega across from him. He asked casually, “Where have you been?”
“What?” The omega was distracted and immediately said, “Oh, the air felt suffocating, so I went for a walk…”
“Hm.” the alpha hummed in agreement. After some silence, he said, “Next time, have it outside if the place is too crowded.”
The omega nodded absentmindedly.
“Is something bothering you?”
The alpha looked up at his wife, and after a long time of being silent, the omega spoke, “Sir, there’s something I want to say…”
“Go on.” The pheromones intensified, and the alpha laid the magazine down, his gaze focused.
“If… if I decide to remove my gland and extract enough pheromones to cure you… will you agree to divorce me?”
“What?”
The alpha kept looking at him with a blank look on his face.
“What did you just… say?”
Clenching onto the thick blanket beneath his seat, the omega straightened himself and said, “Will you… agree to divorce me?”
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Translated and edited by janemoyu (01/14/26)
