Although the bodyguard phrased it as an invitation, Shen Yan wasn’t given any choice in the matter.
A few minutes later, Shen Yan stood outside the guest room door. After mentally preparing himself, he gritted his teeth and pushed the door open himself.
The lighting in the room was dim and hazy, the entire space saturated with a suffocating atmosphere.
Wen Xiuran sat on the sofa with his back to Shen Yan, numerous photos scattered around him. Shen Yan glanced briefly – the photos were so explicit they could warrant an immediate police report.
Shen Yan’s heart tightened, and he closed his eyes as if to escape. He had imagined many scenarios before coming, but actually being here made his scalp crawl.
He had been with Wen Xiuran for a long time, and the latter had always been indulgent with him. But alphas were naturally possessive by nature. When Wen Xiuran had previously questioned him about his two past relationships, Shen Yan had only admitted to holding hands and kissing with his exes, nothing further.
Back then, Wen Xiuran’s expression had noticeably darkened at the word “kissing,” and it had taken Shen Yan several days of coaxing to return him to normal.
Now, this pile of photos thrown before Wen Xiuran was more terrifying to Shen Yan than a death warrant.
Hearing the door open, Wen Xiuran’s back shifted slightly before he stood up mechanically, like a puppet. Still clutching a photo tightly in his hand, he turned and fixed his gaze directly on Shen Yan, saying in an eerie tone, “This is you, isn’t it?”
Though phrased as a question, his tone already confirmed it. Shen Yan was adept at reading people – with the evidence right there, lying would be no different from seeking death. Besides, he had indeed kept this from Wen Xiuran.
When Wen Xiuran received no response, he gently placed the photo in his hand on the table. It showed Shen Yan with Xu Shiyan – Shen Yan leaning happily against the alpha, holding cotton candy while kissing Xu Shiyan’s cheek for the camera, with a giant Ferris wheel in the background.
In the photo, Shen Yan seemed to genuinely believe he had found someone to rely on, his eyes filled with affection.
“Did you come today to attend the banquet, or to see your old flame?” Wen Xiuran’s tone remained flat.
Shen Yan didn’t understand why Wen Xiuran found this particular photo harder to accept. Steeling himself, he asked, “Didn’t you already know?”
Alphas typically investigated their partners before getting involved. As the heir to the Wen conglomerate who had been with him for two or three years, hadn’t Wen Xiuran done any background check at all?
Besides, this was just ordinary dating – if someone had gotten hold of compromising material, how was that his fault?
Shen Yan had assumed Wen Xiuran already knew but hadn’t deemed it necessary to bring up.
Wen Xiuran’s expression turned icy. “Why should I necessarily know about such things of yours?”
“You never investigated me?” Shen Yan’s breathing grew heavier, wondering if he was hearing things. He tilted his head and repeated, “You never investigated me?”
Wen Xiuran curled his lips, but his expression grew even colder. “That’s right, I never investigated you. Is that so strange?”
“Is it strange that I chose to believe everything you said, Shen Yan? Or do you find it amusing?”
The current Wen Xiuran reminded Shen Yan of their first meeting – back then too, Wen Xiuran had had that same cold gaze, that same unapproachable demeanor.
Shen Yan began unconsciously biting his nails again. He didn’t dare meet Wen Xiuran’s gaze, keeping his eyes fixed on the floor as they darted from left to right and back again. His mind was in chaos, like an overturned paintbox.
The oppressive silence made it hard for Shen Yan to breathe. After struggling internally for a long moment, he finally opened his mouth to defend himself: “I told you I was in a relationship—isn’t it normal to do certain things when you’re dating? Besides, all that is in the past, and it only brought harm, not good, to our relationship. I was thinking of you—”
“Thinking of me? By lying to me?” Wen Xiuran rarely interrupted Shen Yan. Pointing at the photos on the floor, his voice, though still familiar, carried a tone of disgust Shen Yan had never heard before. “Shen Yan, you’re always lying! I said I believed you—did you find that amusing? Did you think you were so clever that no one would ever find out what you did? Let me tell you, I’ve known from the start that you’re a liar, that you’re vain, and I’ve known about the underhanded tactics you use in business. But—”
The words that followed were too harsh. Wen Xiuran’s angry outburst cut off abruptly, as though he feared dirtying his mouth.
Wen Xiuran had always been well-mannered. In all the years they had been together, Shen Yan had hardly ever heard him swear—most of the profanities had been whispered in bed. Only Shen Yan could drive Wen Xiuran to such fury.
He stared deeply at Shen Yan, then slowly tore the photos in his hand to shreds, as if venting his frustration.
“Don’t come to the company anymore,” Wen Xiuran said with a hint of sarcasm. “The resources I gave you weren’t enough, were they? Who knows what crooked ideas you might come up with next—”
“Enough!”
Shen Yan had already had his fill of alphas acting superior today. Wen Xiuran’s words felt like salt in a wound. He had been humbling himself, trying to explain, yet Wen Xiuran wouldn’t even meet him halfway.
Yes, he had lied but he was also trying to make amends. As his partner, Wen Xiuran had no right to attack him personally over past mistakes and dismiss all his efforts. Shen Yan could no longer control himself. In his rage, he lost his composure. During their argument, he accidentally knocked over a porcelain vase from some unknown dynasty. The ceramic shattered instantly, its fragments slicing through the heavy air like cracks in their relationship.
The sound of breaking was followed by Shen Yan’s voice, sharp and distorted.
He remembered the driver’s mockery that morning, Duan Yi’s provocation—all the anger he had suppressed throughout the day erupted at once. “If you look down on me so much, just leave! Are you feeling wronged being with me? Or do you just want to play the saint and save me? Wen Xiuran, stop pretending! The first time you saw me, you wrapped me in your pheromones—you were just drawn to my looks. What’s the difference between you and those guys in the photos? Who do you think you are? I never stopped you—you had so many chances to investigate me, but you never did. Now that you know, you blame me?”
“You, a high-and-mighty alpha, insisted on being with me. If anyone’s degrading, it’s you, not me!” Shen Yan spat through gritted teeth. “If you want to stay, stay. If not, get lost!”
He had grown up alone anyway—he didn’t need anyone to rely on, nor did he need a backup plan. No matter how much Shen Yan cursed himself, he didn’t care. But what right did Wen Xiuran have to mock him?
If their positions were reversed, Wen Xiuran wouldn’t know how much worse off he’d be. He had painstakingly climbed step by step to where he was now.
Wen Xiuran clenched his hand at his side into a fist, his gaze cold and tinged with a hint of bloodlust.
Shen Yan finished his breathless tirade and stared stubbornly at Wen Xiuran, his voice trembling slightly. “Do you think you’re so noble? Getting involved with someone like me—what kind of decent person does that make you?”
As soon as the words left his mouth, Shen Yan let out a long sigh. Strangely, he felt inexplicably pleased. Watching Wen Xiuran’s bloodshot eyes, Shen Yan laughed triumphantly. “What? Are you angry?”
An S-class alpha had fallen into his hands and been provoked to such a state—nothing could be more satisfying.
“If you want to stay with me, you’ll have to endure it. Time can’t be reversed. Are you going to cut me in half? If you can’t stand it, let’s just go our separate ways. There are plenty of omegas waiting for you out there. A vain, lying beta like me isn’t worthy of you.”
They were never meant to cross paths in the first place. Ending things now was for the best. Shen Yan’s company, though small, was enough to provide him with a stable and dignified life. Why should he humble himself before an alpha who looked down on him?
Wen Xiuran’s lips were pale from being bitten. After a long silence, he finally spoke. “These must be your true feelings.”
“I admit I misspoke, but why did you lie to me? I asked you many times, you could have told me the truth. If you had, I… I would have forgiven you.”
The last few words seemed to be forced out through gritted teeth.
“I don’t need to beg for your forgiveness.” Shen Yan lowered his gaze and rubbed his wrist, then tossed the broken pieces of his composure straight at Wen Xiuran’s heart. Tilting his chin up defiantly, he declared, “I admit my methods were despicable, and my morals are corrupt. But everything I did, I did of my own volition. I don’t need to make excuses for myself. Besides, high schools teach students to use pheromones to find partners, and I’m of legal age. What happened wasn’t inappropriate. If you really feel dirty, just go home and wash yourself thoroughly.”
“I’ve served you well these past few years. Even if you were keeping a lover, the cost wouldn’t be lower than what you’ve spent on me. I have no regrets. If you really can’t stand it, you can hit me, but I’ll sue you.”
Shen Yan didn’t even realize that, seeing Wen Xiuran yield, he was pushing his luck.
Unaware of his own audacity, the beta spoke with such boldness, each word piercing Wen Xiuran’s heart.
The alpha never interrupted him. Growing impatient, Shen Yan looked up at him and froze when he saw Wen Xiuran’s face.
Wen Xiuran was crying.
His expression remained unchanged, but tears clung to his long lashes. A single teardrop hovered at the corner of his reddened eyes, and half of his face was streaked with fresh tear tracks. He stood motionless, the camellia on his chest shedding a few petals.
Shen Yan glanced down at the camellia pinned to his own chest. Its petals were only dotted with dew, still perfectly intact.
Half of Wen Xiuran’s figure was shrouded in shadow, his black suit blending into the darkness.
He stepped out of the shadows one step at a time, his voice carrying an eerie tenderness that sent shivers down Shen Yan’s spine. “In your heart, do you really think I only see you as a lover?”
“I know all your flaws, but I believe I should accept them. As long as you don’t break the law, I can accept any version of you.”
“I like you, I’ve fallen for you, and I’ve endured becoming dependent on you. I never had a rut before, but because of you, my rut turns me into a mindless monster. Yet, I was afraid of hurting you, so I spent many of my ruts in the hospital, relying on medication. It was painful, but I endured it willingly for you. As long as I could be with you, I could bear any pain.” Wen Xiuran’s lips curled upward, but there was no trace of a smile in his eyes. “And then you tell me that everything I’m doing is pointless? You’ve never trusted me, and you’ve never cared about my suffering.”
Shen Yan’s biological instincts made his entire body uneasy. The air in the room felt like a lit fuse, ready to explode at any moment. He turned around, avoiding Wen Xiuran’s gaze, and walked straight toward the door.
Wen Xiuran watched Shen Yan’s retreating figure and murmured softly, as if filled with regret. “If I had known it would come to this… I should have killed you from the very beginning.”
The words were spoken lightly, but to Shen Yan, they struck like a thunderbolt. His body stiffened, and he gritted his teeth as he turned back and shouted, “Go ahead and try! If you’re going to kill me, do it now! Once I step out, there will be witnesses!”
Though reason kept reminding Shen Yan not to provoke an S-class alpha, he couldn’t suppress the overwhelming emotions surging within him. His eyes turned bloodshot, and his voice was fierce. “You actually thought about killing me?”
Wen Xiuran merely stared at him with a heavy gaze, silent.
The oppressive scent of pheromones in the air grew stronger. Shen Yan’s rationality returned, and his mind raced through the possible scenarios. His body tensed as he slowly backed toward the door.
Wen Xiuran rubbed the plain ring on his finger, the madness in his eyes intensifying. He turned and leisurely sat on the sofa, slowly flipping over the exquisitely carved wooden hourglass.
“Shen Yan, if you walk out that door today, I can guarantee that you’ll spend the rest of your life confined to this room.”
The beta frowned at him, appearing defiant, though his voice wavered slightly. “If you’re going to kill me, just do it.”
Wen Xiuran no longer suppressed the emotions in his eyes. A smile still played on his lips, but his low voice carried a chilling coldness. “Before, I pitied you and never wanted you to endure my rut with me. But now, I think it’s time you learned what suffering feels like.”
The peach-scented pheromones felt almost tangible as they pressed down on Shen Yan. He swiftly opened the door, ready to bolt outside.
But a figure flashed past, and Shen Yan’s hand on the door was enveloped by a larger one.
It was the first time he truly understood just how extraordinary the physical capabilities of an S-class alpha were.
A sharp pain shot through his neck as teeth sank into his skin. Even though Shen Yan was a beta, the massive influx of pheromones from an S-class alpha overwhelmed him with an all-consuming fear.
Tears welled in Shen Yan’s eyes from the physical shock. He let out fragmented pleas, instinctively pushing against Wen Xiuran behind him.
The alpha waiter outside was drawn by the noise from inside, but the threatening pheromones forced him to retreat step by step.
Wen Xiuran’s eyes had already shifted into a golden, alert state. Like a python gripping its prey, sensing resistance, he tightened his bite on Shen Yan’s scent gland, flooding it with his own pheromones in an attempt to paralyze the other.
The waiter naturally recognized Wen Xiuran. Glancing left and right and seeing no one around, he gritted his teeth and rushed forward. He shut the door that Shen Yan had desperately tried to pry open and, from the outside, thoughtfully locked it.
Shen Yan’s struggle lasted only a few dozen seconds. Realizing he couldn’t escape, his legs went weak, and he collapsed into Wen Xiuran’s arms, his gaze vacant.