The conference room was silent. No one opened their mouth. Everyone just sat quietly, gauging the mood. Like the other executives, Yeonwoo sat with his back straight, waiting for Keith to speak.
“Sigh.”
Keith let out a deep breath. That wasn’t a good sign.
“Did everyone see the Forbes article the other day?”
The sudden question caught everyone off guard. They glanced at one another in confusion. Keith set the report down and began tapping his finger rhythmically against the table instead.
“You can probably get a rough idea of my net worth from that. Naturally, it’s more than what was published.”
The reason for this abrupt shift from business to bragging about money became clear soon enough. Keith twisted his mouth into a bitter smirk.
“You think a pathetic plan like this could possibly wipe out my fortune? If you’re going to waste my money, you should at least make it look more miserable than this. I spent more buying my yacht than you spent making this movie. Or are you planning to pump out a thousand of these pieces of crap? Gonna spend your entire life making just this one movie? Incredible.”
With a sarcastic “Wow,” Keith clapped dramatically. No one spoke. A heavy silence fell across the executives, who just kept their heads down. Even the sneer on Keith’s face eventually disappeared as he clenched his jaw.
“You wasted a whole year on this garbage? Hundreds of films like this flood the market every single day. Do you think throwing money at shit turns it into a masterpiece? Trash is trash. It’s just trash with money smeared on it. If it’s not entertaining, it better be artistic. If it’s not artistic, it better sell. What exactly am I supposed to expect from this?”
Keith hurled the report into the trash can and furrowed his brow.
“No taste in film, no capacity for thought. If you’ve got anything in that skull besides spaghetti, try using it.”
Even as the stream of insults poured out, no one dared to respond. Yeonwoo let his mind go blank and allowed Keith’s voice to pass from one ear to the other. After all, that was probably why God gave humans two ears—to let things in through one and out the other. Keith ran a rough hand through his immaculately styled hair, as if sick of even that.
“Scrap this whole plan. Start over from the beginning. Three days should be enough. Don’t waste my time with garbage like this again.”
The moment he finished, Keith rose to his feet without hesitation. Yeonwoo immediately followed after him.
While walking, Keith pulled a cigarette from his pocket and placed it between his lips. He lit it without breaking stride, exhaled the first puff of smoke, and never once looked back at Yeonwoo.
“Tell Whitaker.”
“Yes.”
Yeonwoo replied immediately. Keith continued walking without turning his head.
“Have security increased for the weekend.”
“Understood. You’re referring to the yacht party this weekend, correct? Any other instructions?”
Keith hadn’t even said what the purpose of the party was yet. When Yeonwoo tried to probe discreetly, Keith looked back at him for the first time. Though it was only a glance—his feet never stopped moving.
“That’s for you to figure out. Just don’t screw it up.”
“Yes, sir.”
Yeonwoo gave the same answer and closed his mouth. For a casual social gathering like this, Keith often left things vague. The only thing that needed special attention was the guest list, and Keith would hand that over himself. These kinds of parties were actually easier to handle.
Keith turned his head forward again. For a moment, Yeonwoo thought he might have smiled. Just as curiosity began to creep in, Keith spoke.
“You’ve got good instincts. I like that.”
“Thank you.”
Yeonwoo answered with sincerity. He hadn’t expected this finicky man to acknowledge him. The sudden compliment left him momentarily stunned.
“You’re very convenient.”
That almost sounded like he was talking to himself—but somehow that made it feel even more honest. To this man, Yeonwoo really was just a useful secretary. Nothing more, nothing less. It was obvious, yet for a split second, Yeonwoo faltered. He quickly hid the reaction and smiled as usual.
“Is that so? I’m glad to hear it.”
He made sure his voice didn’t tremble as he added,
“I’ll continue doing my best.”
Keith turned to look at him again. This time, he was unmistakably smiling.
“You’ve never caused trouble. Always diligent. How do you do it? Do you turn into a different person at night and go around hunting men or something?”
He sounded genuinely curious. For an apex alpha who couldn’t go a day without sex, the question was probably natural. But he was wrong. He and Yeonwoo were opposites—like two poles of a magnet.
“I don’t do that sort of thing. And why do you assume my partner would be a man?”
Keith frowned slightly, confused.
“You’re an omega. Female alphas are rare, and if you’re looking for an easy partner, it’s probably going to be a man. Even a beta would do, wouldn’t it?”
For a moment, Yeonwoo wasn’t sure which part to correct first. Before he mutated, he’d dated a girlfriend. But ever since falling for Keith, he hadn’t been with anyone. And now that he was an omega, he didn’t even know what his identity was anymore. He didn’t know if he liked women, or men.
The only thing he knew for sure was that this arrogant man in front of him was the only one who ever made his heart beat faster. Even now.
“Either way, you’re wrong. I don’t do nightlife. If I don’t get enough rest at night, I won’t be able to assist you properly during the day.”
“Wow.”
Keith deliberately drew out the word in a slow, mocking tone. Yeonwoo quickly stepped forward and pressed the elevator button. Then he took a step back and waited for it to arrive. Keith suddenly spoke again.
“So what you’re saying is, you’re the same day and night?”
“Yes. Is there a reason I shouldn’t be?”
The question came out more defensive than he intended. The moment he said it, he regretted it, worried that he might have provoked Keith. But Keith didn’t seem particularly bothered. He just let out a short laugh and smirked at Yeonwoo as usual.
“Boring man, day and night.”
This time, Yeonwoo held back from responding. Keith had him pegged perfectly. He really was boring. He didn’t enjoy nightlife like Grayson, didn’t make clever jokes. He’d always lived that way, and he’d continue to live that way. People didn’t change easily.
“My only strength is diligence, sir.”
Just then, the elevator arrived. Yeonwoo smiled.
“And that should be of great help to you.”
The elevator doors opened—but Keith, unexpectedly, didn’t step inside. He just stood there, looking down at Yeonwoo. Worried the doors would close, Yeonwoo quickly reached out to hold them and politely gestured with his other hand for Keith to go in. Only then did Keith finally move and step into the elevator. Before Yeonwoo could follow, Keith spoke first.
“It’s lunchtime.”
Yeonwoo paused for a moment, caught off guard. The elevator doors began to close. He saw Keith press a button inside. Only then did he remember—Keith had a lunch appointment today.
***
[Ah, I see. Could you send over the number of guests and their names in advance?]
When Yeonwoo relayed Keith’s instructions, Whitaker responded immediately with professional efficiency. Yeonwoo replied that he would confirm the guest count by the end of the day and send it via email.
After the call, he sorted the invited guests alphabetically and handed the lists to the secretaries. Each was instructed to confirm attendance and report back. Then he picked up his own portion of the list.
The moment lunch ended, they got to work. Yeonwoo returned to his seat connected to the CEO’s office and began calling each person one by one.
[Of course I’ll be there.]
Grayson’s voice came through as soon as the secretary passed the call to him.
[Is Yeonwoo coming too?]
“Me?”
Yeonwoo echoed the question before he realized. Grayson’s voice came through with a hint of amusement.
[Yeah. We’ll need someone to manage the party. Or is Charles coming this time?]
That part was still subject to change, but most likely, he would be the one overseeing everything. If the party had been held at Keith’s residence, it would have been managed by the butler, Charles—but this one was taking place on a yacht, so it was different. When a party wasn’t hosted at Keith’s home, it was usually either a party planner or Yeonwoo who handled overall management.
But even when a party planner was hired, or Charles was put in charge, that didn’t mean Yeonwoo had nothing to do. If anything unexpected happened, it was his job to clean up the mess. In the end, he always had to attend every party regardless.
This time, no party planner had been hired, and Charles hadn’t been asked to take charge. Keith had entrusted the entire thing to him, and Yeonwoo had decided to handle it himself. After a brief pause, he gave his answer.
“I believe I’ll be attending.”
[…Is that so?]
After a murky silence, Grayson suddenly asked,
[You always carry your medication, right?]
“Yes, of course.”
The unexpected question earned a calm, businesslike reply. Grayson replied shortly,
[Alright then. See you at the party, Yeonwoo. And… don’t be too shocked if you see something unpleasant.]
With that cryptic remark, Grayson hung up. Yeonwoo stared at the now-silent receiver. He couldn’t call back just to ask what that was supposed to mean. Although a sense of unease lingered, he had no choice but to ignore it and dial the next number on the list.
***
Preparations for the party went smoothly. He had done this enough times that there was nothing particularly difficult about it. The only real difference this time was that it was being held on a yacht.
Keith’s luxury yacht, which he liked to boast about, was enormous—large enough to accommodate 300 passengers. Only 50 people had been invited tonight, so there was plenty of room. Even factoring in the possibility that each guest might bring a partner, the total wouldn’t exceed 200. Just in case, Yeonwoo had prepared food and drinks for 250. He also made sure that all guest rooms were clean and ready, in case someone felt unwell or needed to rest. The preparations were perfect.
The party was scheduled to begin at seven, but there were always guests who arrived early or late. As far as Yeonwoo knew, the purpose of this gathering was simply “socializing.” He hadn’t realized Keith had this many friends, but there was no reason he’d know anything about Keith’s personal connections. So he took the word at face value. Maybe what Keith meant by “friends” was different from what Yeonwoo understood.
That was probably the case. Finding any common ground between them would be harder than not.
“Welcome, Mr… Norman.”
The man didn’t bother with the name tag handed out at the entrance. Yeonwoo reflexively glanced at his chest out of habit, then looked up—and immediately understood. Violet eyes were staring down at him. Thankfully, he had roughly memorized the guest list before the party, which helped now. A beat late, he added the man’s name.
He’d been puzzled when he first received the guest list, but now it was undeniable: every single guest at tonight’s party was an apex alpha. People spent their whole lives without ever seeing one—yet tonight, there were dozens gathered in one place. If he’d stumbled upon this scene by chance, he might’ve gone out and bought a lottery ticket.
Unfortunately, this wasn’t a matter of luck—it had been planned. Which meant there was nothing to be gained from it.
All he could do was hope nothing went wrong while surrounded by these apex alphas.
Yeonwoo found himself thinking that with the vague desire to pray. That must’ve been what Grayson was warning him about. No omega could withstand the pheromones emitted by this many apex alphas—not unless they were an extreme omega. He’d once heard that extreme omegas were the only ones capable of suppressing the pheromones of apex alphas.
Whether or not that was true, Yeonwoo was an ordinary omega. Worse, his late presentation as an omega meant his heat cycles were still irregular. He reminded himself once more:
All he could do was be careful.
After greeting a guest who had entered with an escort on each arm, Yeonwoo turned—and happened to meet Grayson’s eyes as he arrived.
“Yeonwoo.”
Grayson greeted him cheerfully as he approached. Yeonwoo responded with a polite bow.
“Welcome, Mr. Miller.”
“Grayson.”
As always, he corrected him without missing a beat. Yeonwoo didn’t bother to oblige. Instead, he continued speaking in his usual businesslike tone.
“Mr. Pittman will arrive within the next fifteen minutes. Please feel free to enjoy the party until then.”
“Oh, I intend to.”
Grayson gave a smile to a glamorous blonde woman waving from across the deck, then looked back down at Yeonwoo.
“Just so you know—I did warn you about this party. And I warned Keith, too.”
“…Pardon?”
Yeonwoo blinked at the unexpected comment, but Grayson just gave a wry smile and turned away.
“What the hell is he talking about…?”
Yeonwoo muttered to himself, unsettled and confused. Was there something different about this party? The fact that it was on a yacht? That all the guests were Keith’s so-called “friends”? That every single one of them was an apex alpha…?
He froze as that last detail rose to the forefront of his mind. Just then, a security guard informed him that Keith had arrived. Yeonwoo shoved aside his thoughts and moved quickly to greet him.
Keith had ended things with Elisa and now had a new woman on his arm—the current hottest model in the industry. A tall, curvy blonde clung tightly to him, and the sight made Yeonwoo’s stomach twist. He greeted them with mechanical precision.
“Welcome. Not all the guests have arrived yet. Good evening, Miss Abigail. You look especially beautiful tonight.”
He’d said the same empty line to every woman Keith brought to these events. Keith had once jeered at him—“Can’t you try saying something different for once?”—but Yeonwoo never complied. Why should he waste energy coming up with new compliments for Keith’s sex partners? It brought him no benefit whatsoever.
If anything, he’d rather be asked to flatter Keith himself. That, he might actually consider.
That thought passed through his mind as he glanced up at Keith with his usual blank expression. Tonight, Keith wore a dark suit, but unlike his usual immaculate look—always complete with a vest—he hadn’t even bothered with a tie. A couple buttons at the top of his shirt were left undone, and Yeonwoo struggled to tear his gaze away from the glimpse of defined pectoral muscles peeking through.
But that didn’t mean he was safe. Just looking at Keith’s composed face and strong neck made a sigh escape his lips. Shocked, he quickly held his breath.
Thankfully, the slip went unnoticed. Keith hadn’t looked in his direction at all. After briefly scanning the deck, he turned his gaze to Yeonwoo with no particular reaction. Yeonwoo looked up at him calmly, as always.
“Security has been increased, per your instructions. All necessary preparations for the party have been completed without issue. We’ve also contacted vendors in case of unexpected demand, so we won’t run out of alcohol or other supplies—”
“I’m sure.”
Keith cut him off with a single phrase. Then he started walking. Leaving Yeonwoo standing there, he walked away with the woman in tow. A hint of bitterness and embarrassment flickered across Yeonwoo’s face before he could suppress it—at which point the woman unexpectedly turned to look at him. In that brief moment, Yeonwoo ended up showing her his unguarded expression.
He quickly corrected it with a smile, but unease prickled at him.
Had she noticed…? No, it was fine. She probably didn’t see anything. It was just for a second.
It couldn’t have lasted more than a few seconds, but his mind was already spiraling with thoughts. Just then, the head chef approached him.
“Yeonwoo, could you come check something in the kitchen?”
“Oh, yes. Of course.”
He stepped away naturally. A glance behind him showed that the woman was already gone—disappearing into the crowd alongside Keith.
***
Up until the middle of the party, nothing unusual happened. The guests continued to arrive sporadically, and Yeonwoo racked his brain trying not to mess up any names. Annoyingly, not a single guest actually wore the name tags they’d prepared.
One odd detail was that several guests had brought two or even three partners. There were moments when a line of escorts trailing behind a guest made Yeonwoo widen his eyes before he could stop himself. Of course, he quickly masked his expression.
Some of the partners were women. Some were men. But overwhelmingly, most of them were omegas.
It did feel strange—but he pushed the thought aside. His only job here was to make sure the party went smoothly. What kind of personal lives the guests had, or how many partners they brought, didn’t matter. As long as no one caused a scene, nothing else was his concern.